Presbytery of Hudson River s2
PRESBYTERY OF HUDSON RIVER
Presbytery Meeting
January 24, 2012
Presbytery Convened
The Presbytery of Hudson River met in stated meeting on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at First Presbyterian Church, Goshen, New York, and was convened at 9:30 AM with Prayer. Moderator Angela Maddalone declared that a quorum was present.
Note: “MSA” = moved, seconded, approved.
Call to Gather the Presbyters for God’s Business Angela Maddalone
The Moderator announced a correction to the December 6, 2011 minutes on page one: the Moderator- Elect, Marjorie Rossi did not assume the chair at that time.
Voting on the Docket
Vote on the Docket (Attachment I) MSA
Welcome from the Host Church David Kingsley
David Kingsley welcomed Presbytery to the First Presbyterian Church of Goshen.
Introduction of New Ruling Elders
The Moderator welcomed Ruling Elders who were attending as first time commissioners.
Anthony Lederhaas, from the Presbyterian Church in Port Jervis, was introduced as the new Manager of Communications and Technology.
Seating of Corresponding Members
No Corresponding Members in attendance.
Minutes Readers
Rev. Dick Ploth and Jay Bishop (Katonah) are the minutes readers for this meeting.
Stated Clerk Harriet Sandmeier
The Administrative Commission appointed to work with the Unionville Church regarding their request to be dismissed to the Presbyterian Church in America includes: Teaching Elders Robin Hogle (Chair), Jeff Farley, Peter Johnson and Ruling Elders Anne Wood (Goshen), Bill Noha (Otisville), Wendy Spierling (Washingtonville First) and Lori Ransom (Cornwall).
Notice had been received from Kay Moore of the Office of the General Assembly (PCUSA) of receipt of the overture from Hudson River regarding the definition of marriage (approved at the December 6, 2011 stated meeting of the presbytery). It has been assigned the temporary number 020-On Amending W-4.90000.
Annual Statistical Reports are due to be filed online by February 20th. Instructions are found online (there is no hard copy instruction book and report form as there has been in the past).
Harriet noted that Clerk of Session Dwight Mackey is retiring after remarkable 52 years of service as Clerk of Session at Calvary (Newburgh) Presbyterian Church! She invited the body to stand and applaud in recognition of this service achievement and asked that the recognition be formally noted in the official minutes of this meeting. The body arose and heartily applauded.
Harriet noted that Angela Maddalone’s service as Moderator was drawing to a close. She thanked Angela and presented her with a New York City themed pillow.
The Recommendation for Redressing Imbalance, the Stated Clerk’s Annual Report and the January 24, 2012 report are attached. (Attachment II)
Angela added that throughout the coming year the theme of our journey and calling together as a presbytery will be, “Living the Questions”. Questions of faith, doubt, anxiety and hope will be raised. The first one is, “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” a quote from poet Mary Oliver.
Congregational and Mission Ministry Lynda Clements
Educational Ministries Network Dorinda Violante
There is now a Facebook page with presbytery education ministries information. Events are linked on the presbytery’s website. The first face-to-face gathering was cancelled because of snow. Dorinda asked the presbyters to let all education people know about the network.
Cathy Surgenor will be conducting a Webinar on Tuesday February 7 at 2:00PM, in conjunction with Presbyterian Outlook, titled, The Power of Collaborative Evaluation. All project management requires an effective evaluation process to set the stage for ongoing innovation and improvement in mission effectiveness. Cathy will show how program evaluation can empower the whole congregation via team learning. (Attachment III)
Holmes Camp and Conference Center Robin Garzoni
Robin Garzoni announced that summer camp registration is now open at Holmes Presbyterian Camp and Conference Center.
Prison Partnership Bruce Page
All church sessions have received letters asking for donations to the prison partnership ministry to keep this important program funded. He urged churches to invite Hans or Theo to come to speak about their work.
Hans and Theo conveyed peace and blessings to all from the Prison Partnership. They are involved in regional gatherings and would love to come to churches and/or session meetings to spread the word about the work in which they are involved. Hans and his wife Katharine Vockins, connect New York inmates with college classes and the arts. Attached is an article titled, The Hidden Treasure of Prison Ministry, talking about their work. (Attachment IV) The Ossining church is developing a prison program in conjunction with the local Rotary club. Next Sunday is the official Criminal Justice Sunday and resources are available on Hudson Happenings and the PC(USA) website.
Announcement: The Presbyterian Women of the Hudson River Presbytery will meet for their Ash Wednesday Retreat at Stony Point Center on February 22, 2012, from 10AM to 12:30PM. The theme is Hospitality as Discipleship, modeled on Mary and Martha. (Attachment V)
Lynda announced that another trip to Peru is scheduled for April, to continue HRP’s support of Jed Koball and the Peru Partnership. (Attachment VI)
Announcement: There will be a Hitchcock Coffee House to support Rural & Migrant Ministry on Saturday, February 11, 2012, from 7-9pm, at Hitchcock Church. (Attachment VII)
Budget, Finance & Property/Trustees Charles Barton
Proposed Amendment to the Bylaws-Second Reading and Action
Language that is proposed to be removed is indicated with a strike through. Language to be inserted is indicated with italics.
Motion: to accept the following proposed amendment to the PHR Bylaws.
Chapter VI Trustees
Section 1 The Stewardship Ministry Team of the Council shall comprise the Trustees.
The Budget, Finance and Property Committee shall comprise the Trustees. MSA
The Palisades church has requested permission to sell its manse. The committee reviewed the request at its meeting on December 13, 2011, and recommend approval.
Motion: for approval to sell the manse at 124 Washington Spring Road, Palisades, NY, Town of Orangetown, Tax# 392469.078.018-0001-031.000/0000 with the proceeds used in accordance to the Committee on Ministry Policy regarding Manse Sale Proceeds. MSA Attached are the Trustee Minutes. (Attachment VIII)
Middletown United is asking permission to grant a permanent easement of a strip of land that sits between their 25 Orchard Street Campus and the Orange County Trust Building, who uses this land as the driveway for their drive through window. They desire to enter into an agreement for a one-time final payment of $75,000 for that driveway. The Orange County Trust Company has already agreed. (Attachment VIII)
Motion: for approval. MSA Attached is the Trustee Minutes and a letter from United Presbyterian Church.
Announcement: Save the Date, March 12-14, 2012, Stewardship Kaleidoscope in Charlotte, NC. There are four more scholarships available to cover your registration costs so please sign up to attend.
Announcement: A Workshop on E-Giving will be presented on Saturday, February 25, 2012, from 10AM-1PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown. Speaker Karl Mattison, Executive Director of the Presbyterian Endowment Education Resource Network, will discuss the implications of new methods of giving, and what are the primary tools of electronic giving. (Attachment IX)
A statement of the financial position of the PHR as of December 31, 2011, Mission, and unpaid Per Capita Reports are attached. (Attachment X)
The Audit of the Presbytery of Hudson River, from Kenneth H. Gach, Certified Public Accountant is attached. (Attachment XI)
Congregational Change Ministries Jeff Farley
“We all can be stuck in some aspects of our lives and some are more stuck than others. We need to work toward getting unstuck.”
New Beginnings Rhonda Kruse
Rhonda explained that New Beginnings, Congregational Self-Assessment Process, is an opportunity for congregations of the Presbytery of Hudson River to discern where God might be leading them. Rev. Dr. Ann Philbrick will present at the First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown, Sunday January 29, 2012 at 3PM and 10AM, January 30, at First Presbyterian Church of Monroe. (Attachment XII)
Cross-Cultural Network Sarah Henkel
A gathering of the Cross-Cultural Network of the Presbytery of Hudson River will meet February 25th, 2012 from 10:30AM-2:30PM at the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon. The network will worship and break bread together, gain resources for cross-cultural worship, begin a journey and share ideas. Follow the Cross-Cultural Network blog, http://hudsonrivercrosscultural.wordpress.com/. (Attachment XIII)
Sarah presented a draft of an Immigration Overture for a first reading. The Presbytery of Hudson River overtures the 220th General Assembly (2012) to call Presbyteries and local congregations to a time of being church together with immigrant brothers and sisters. This call urges presbyteries and local congregations to begin active exploration in their home communities, seeking to answer how they can be church together with immigrant communities. (Attachment XIV) Sarah would like to speak to congregations, sessions or any group engaged in this kind of work.
Nominations
No report.
General Presbyter’s Report Susan Andrews
State of the Presbytery-January 2012-(Attachment XV)
For Hudson River Presbytery, the year 2012 will be spent “Living the Questions” –questions of faith, questions of doubt, questions of anxiety, questions of hope. We begin with a vocational question- with poet Mary Oliver’s universal question- “Tell me, what are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Susan reported many ways that the presbytery has been formed into a Resurrection People. We engage people’s passions, we build partnerships, we nurture strong leadership, and we create healthy, vital communities of faith.
“May we continue to cherish our life together, and the call God gives us to claim this wild and precious life as we live resurrection as Christ’s joyful people!”
Susan Andrews raised up the following for prayers:
o Barbara Jones Hagedorn who fell and broke her hip
o Personal thanks to Angela for her service as moderator in 2011
Anthony Lederhaas, the new Manager of Communications and Technology will help us to be more adept with our computers. He has over ten years of experience providing IT support to customers and businesses with IBM.
A Service of Christian Worship
Celebrating a Decade of Ministry by Commissioned Lay Pastors in HRP (Attachment XVI) The Worship Service included the Installation of Rev. Margery Rossi, CLP, as Moderator and Rev. William Crawford as Moderator-Elect. The offering was designated for the CLP Scholarship Fund. Holy Communion was celebrated and the annual necrology report was presented by Harriet Sandmeier. (Attachment XVI)
Blessing for the meal. 12:15PM
Reconvene 1:15PM
Committee on Ministry (Attachment XVII) David Harkness & Scott Ramsey
Scott introduced Stephany Graham, who moved from Baltimore, and is the new pastor at Peekskill Presbyterian Church. Also, Matthew Johnstone the new pastor of Scotchtown Presbyterian Church. Both pastors spoke about one part of their Statements of Faith and answered questions from the presbyters.
Correction: In the attached report, under #6 to receive Elizabeth Bartlett effective January 2012, not 2011.
For Action: to elect the administrative commission consisting of Moderator Margery Rossi, Teaching Elders Angela Maddalone and Steve Michie and Ruling Elders Tom Buchanan (Pelham) and Harriet Sandmeier (Cornwall) for Jacob Bolton’s installation on January 29, 2012, at Huguenot Church, Pelham. MSA
Committee on Preparation for Ministry Judy Wason
Examination for Ordination of Sarah Henkel occurred. Sarah read her Statement of Faith. Questions ensued.
Motion: to arrest the exam. MSA Sarah was excused from the sanctuary.
Motion: to approve Sarah for ordination. MSA, unanimous! Sarah was welcomed back into the sanctuary with applause.
Commissioning of Anne Wood as Commissioned Lay Pastor (Attachment XVIII)
A Service of Commissioning was led by Mary Louise Van Winkle, the chair of the Commissioned Lay Pastor Committee. Elders of the Goshen Church stood with Anne during the questioning.
Report of the Ridgebury Administrative Commission Deke Spierling
On November 8, 2011, Elder Jim Ferguson, a member of the Administrative Commission for Ridgebury, and Deke met with the Budget Finance and Property Committee of PHR. They briefly reviewed the history of the controversy with the Ridgebury Church and the many attempts the A.C. made to reach a settlement with them. It was agreed that the A.C. and Budget, Finance, and Property will work together to resolve the issues in the following manner.
The property will be appraised in the next week or so and an offer will be made to the Ridgebury congregation to purchase the property for a price in the range of $150,000, with the stipulation that it be an all cash transaction. This amount will allow PHR to recoup legal expenses in the matter, as well as back per capita. The congregation will have 90 days in which to consider, and either accept or reject, this offer. Should they refuse to accept it, the property will be put on the open market.
Motion: to distribute a document titled, Gracious Witness Resolution, presented by Don Nichol, representing the Ridgebury Church. MSA
Motion: to give Mr. Don Nichol voice for three minutes. MSA
Mr. Nichol asked for the Ridgebury Church to be released and to please consider their proposed resolution. (Attachment XIX)
Endorsing the Presbytery Re-Imaging Task Force Peter Surgenor
The presbytery has moved away from the typical authority of one body making the decisions to 4-5 Councils who have the power to do work.
The attached document explains the purpose of the task force and how they will proceed. (Attachment XX)
Motion: to approve Hudson River Presbytery’s authorization of the formulation of a Presbytery Re-imaging Task Force.
Discussion ensued.
Motion: to change the name of the Task Force to the Visioning Task Force.
Discussion ensued.
Motion: to move the previous question to close the discussion. MSA
Vote: on the change of name, to Visioning Task Force, not approved.
Motion: to change to Futures Task Force, not passed.
Motion: to change the name to: Renovation Task Force, not passed.
Motion: to move the previous question. MSA
Motion: to approve Hudson River Presbytery’s authorization of the formulation of a Presbytery Re-Imaging Task Force, with the name to be revised by the Task Force. MSA
New Business
Motion: to refer “A Call to Justice and Compassion” to the Faith and Order Committee for review. (Attachment XXI) This document was presented by Rev. Glenn Henricksen, to support the passage of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.