Roswell Presbyterian Church in Roswell, Georgia

PRESBYTERY OF GREATER ATLANTA

STATED MEETING

NOVEMBER 14, 2012

Roswell Presbyterian Church in Roswell, Georgia

The meeting was called to order and opened with prayer at 9:10 AM by the Moderator Dana Hughes as the body gathered in the Fellowship Hall of Roswell Presbyterian Church.

Rev. Lane Alderman, Head of Staff of Roswell Presbyterian Church brought greetings to the body.

The Presbytery recognized and welcomed Haewin Rim, Interim Synod Executive. First time commissioners and partnership representatives were recognized and welcomed.

Preliminary business included:

·  The declaration of a quorum

·  The approval of the docket as amended

·  The appointment of the teller committee…members from Roswell Church

·  Approval of the minutes of the stated meeting of August 18, 2012

WORSHIP

Worship revolved around the season of thanksgiving and the call to ministry…Rev. Kate Colussey-Estes preached a sermon entitled, How Did I Get to be Eli? based on the text of I Samuel 3:1-10. Part of our time together was directed prayer around tables for the inquirers and candidates of this presbytery. An offering was received for the Committee on Preparation for Ministry scholarship fund totally over $2300.

The body also celebrated the sacrament of Holy Communion.

COMMUNICATIONS

Admit to Record:

1.  Received a communication from the Morrow Session expressing their desire not to join PGA2 but to continue to work for “their convictions” within the current structure of Presbytery and Denomination.

2.  As reported in the minutes of the Stated Meeting of the Presbytery on December 1, 2011, the Stated Clerk received an allegation against a former minister member of the presbytery. An investigating committee, named 11-04 was appointed in conjunction with the Presbytery of Western Reserve who held jurisdiction over the minister member at the time of the receipt of the allegation.

Investigating Committee 11-04 concluded their work with the filing of charges. As required by the Book of Order in the Rules of discipline (D-3.0106) the following information is reported to both the Presbytery of Western Reserve and the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta:

On October 27, 2012, a letter was received from Jeffrey D. Peterson-Davis renouncing the jurisdiction of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. At the time of renunciation, four charges of sexual abuse of a minor, involving four individuals and separate events from different years was pending before the Permanent Judicial Commission of Western Reserve. The effect of renunciation is the ceasing of the judicial process.

Investigating Committee 11-04 is dismissed with thanks.

3.  A communication was received by Shannon Dill responding to the item regarding the reporting of the renunciation of Jeffrey Peterson-Davis:

…I have shared in ministry with you…and have appreciated the acumen with which you interpret the Book of Order, but in this instance you have gone beyond the bounds of what is required…as it pertains to D-3.0106…I would like to go on the record as taking exception to the way this matter was handled…I would also appreciate the Clerk noting to the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta that letters of grief over the loss of Rev. Jeff Peterson-Davis in ordained ministry and support of him and his family were received as communication.

4.  That the following people served on the commission to install Scott Huie as Associate Pastor of Johns Creek Presbyterian Church in Johns Creek, Georgia on August 12, 2012:

a.  Rev. Gray Norsworthy, Johns Creek Presbyterian Church

b.  Rev. Neal Kuhlhorst, Johns Creek Presbyterian Church

c.  Elder Romona Lavender, New Life Presbyterian Church, Moderator in 2011

d.  Elder Ken Skillman, Johns Creek Presbyterian Church

e.  Elder Mike Skeeters, Westiminster Presbyterian Church

5.  That the minutes of the commission to install Scott Huie as Associate Pastor of Johns Creek Presbyterian Church in Johns Creek, Georgia on August 12, 2012 be admitted to record.

6.  That the following people served on the commission to ordain Brady Radford as a Teaching Elder called to the ministry of Pastoral Counseling, on August 26, 2012. The ordination took place at First Afrikan Presbyterian Church located in Lithonia, Georgia.

a.  Rev. Dr. Mark Lomax, First Afrikan Presbyterian Church

b.  Rev. Dr. Lonnie Oliver, Validated ministry in the office of GA

c.  Rev. Dana Hughes, Moderator of the Presbytery

d.  Elder Bertha Dhillon, New Life Presbyterian Church

e.  Elder Toni Griffin-Fields, Church of the Master

f.  Rev. Dr. Andrew Stephens, Presbytery of Middle Tennessee, Guest of the commission

7.  That the following people served on the commission to ordain and install Andrew Dickinson as Associate Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Douglasville located in Douglasville, Georgia on September 2, 2012:

a.  Rev. James Harper, First Presbyterian Church, Douglasville

b.  Rev. David Pearce, Austell Presbyterian Church

c.  Rev. Camille Josey, Minister member at large

d.  Elder Tracie Cole, First Presbyterian Church, Douglasville

e.  Elder Romona Lavender, New Life Presbyterian Church, Moderator in 2011

f.  Rev. Dr. Jonathan Miller, West Jersey Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

g.  Rev. Leon Jeffords, Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Guest of the Commission

h.  Rev. Sandy Fox, Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, Guest of the Commission

i.  Rev. Ryan Balsan, Philadelphia Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

j.  Rev. Robert Gruber, Presbytery of Western Carolina, Guest of the Commission

8.  That the following people served on the commission to ordain Andrew Stockstill in a validated ministry as Campus Minister at Emory University on September 23, 2012. The ordination took place at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

a.  Rev. Dana Hughes, Moderator of the Presbytery

b.  Rev. Dr. Mark Douglas, Validated Ministry at Columbia Theological Seminary

c.  Rev. Baron Mullis, Morningside Presbyterian Church

d.  Rev. Jill Tolbert, Minister Member at Large

e.  Rev. Samuel Mwaniki, North Avenue Presbyterian Church

f.  Elder Ellen Stockstill, Trinity Presbyterian Church, Atlanta

g.  Elder Robert Hay, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church

h.  Rev. Daniel Smoak, Providence Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

i.  Rev. Peter Hobbie, Foothills Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

j.  Rev. Stephen Murray, Flint River Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

9.  That the minutes of the commission to ordain Andrew Stockstill in a validated ministry as Campus Minister at Emory University on September 23, 2012 be admitted to record. The ordination took place at Morningside Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

10.  That the following people served on the commission to ordain Elizabeth Turner as a Contract Call Pastor for Tallapoosa Presbyterian Church in Tallapoosa, Georgia on October 7, 2012. The ordination took place at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, Georgia.

a.  Rev. Dr. David Bowie, Rice Memorial Presbyterian Church

b.  Rev. Sara Hayden, Validated Ministry as Director of the Tri-Presbytery NCD Commission

c.  Rev. Kate Colussy-Estes, Validated Ministry as Campus Minister at Agnes Scott College

d.  Rev. Dr. Jason Whitener, St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church

e.  Elder Lucille Parrish, Tallapoosa Presbyterian Church

f.  Elder Marilyn Downey, Tallapoosa Presbyterian Church

g.  Elder Mark Rogers, St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church

h.  Rev. Debbie Wells, Cherokee Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

11.  That the minutes of the commission to ordain Elizabeth Turner as the Contract Call Pastor of Tallapoosa Presbyterian Church, in Tallapoosa, Georgia be admitted to the record. The ordination took place at St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church in Dunwoody, Georgia.

12.  That the following people served on the commission to install Laura Hollandsworth Jernigan as Associate Pastor of Northwest Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia on October 14, 2012:

a.  Rev. Robby Carroll, Validated Ministry at Shallowford Presbyterian Church

b.  Rev. Penny Hill, Executive Presbyter of Greater Atlanta

c.  Rev. Julie Johnson, Validated Ministry

d.  Rev. Libby Smith-Purcell, Validated Ministry

e.  Rev. Dr. Anna Carter-Florence, Validated Ministry at Columbia Seminary

f.  Elder John Jernigan, Shallowford Presbyterian Church

g.  Elder Kaye Mulkeen Northwest Presbyterian Church

h.  Elder Paul Osborne, North Decatur Presbyterian Church

i.  Elder Martha Osborne, Certified Educator North Decatur Presbyterian Church

j.  Elder Cathy Little, Mission Presbytery, Guest of the Commission

k.  Elder Ben Jernigan, Shallowford Presbyterian Church

13.  That the following people served on the commission to install Matthew Ruffner as Associate Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia on October 14, 2012.

a.  Rev. Pam Driesell, Trinity (Atlanta) Presbyterian Church

b.  Rev. Sara Hayden, Validated Ministry as Director of Tri-Presbytery NCD Commission

c.  Elder Romona Lavender, New Life Presbyterian Church, Moderator in 2011

d.  Elder Bede Campbell, Central Presbyterian Church

e.  Elder Richard DuBose, Trinity (Atlanta) Presbyterian Church

f.  Elder Ben Curran, Trinity (Atlanta) Presbyterian Church

g.  Rev. Dr. David Bartlett, American Baptist, Guest of the Commission

14.  That the minutes of the installation of Matthew Ruffner as Associate Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia on October 14, 2012 be admitted to record.

15.  That the following people served on the commission to install Mun-Gye Lee as pastor of Hanbit Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia on October 28, 2012:

a.  Rev. Dana Hughes, Moderator of Presbytery

b.  Rev. Gray Norsworthy, Johns Creek Presbyterian Church

c.  Rev. Bill Nisbet, Roswell Presbyterian Church

d.  Rev. In Soo Jung, Korean Community Presbyterian Church

e.  Rev. Paul Huh, Validated Ministry at Columbia Seminary

f.  Elder David Scott, Crossroads Presbyterian Church

g.  Elder Young Kim, Hanbit Presbyterian Church

16.  Receive a communication from Transylvania Presbytery that Jillian Embrey (candidate of Greater Atlanta) was called to the First Presbyterian Church in Danville, KY. Transylvania both examined and ordained.

For Recommendation:
The following items are part of the omnibus motion for approval. If any commissioner wishes to extract any item for discussion, please do so at the time of this report. This item will be placed at the end of the agenda for consideration.

Admit to Record Items in the Communications Report
Admit to Record Items in the Committee on Preparation for Ministry Report
Admit to Record Items in the Committee on Ministry Report
Admit to Record Items in the Operations Committee Report
Admit to Record Items in the Council Report
Recommendation Items from the Nominating Committee Report

The Omnibus motion was approved by voice vote. There was one extraction regarding the admit to record item on Jeffrey Peterson-Davis which was later approved to include in the admit to record.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:

For Recommendation:

The following people printed in bold are individuals proposed for election. The (l) next to a name represents laity status. The (c) next to a name represents clergy status.

Calvin Center Committee

2015 (2013) (l) Dave Huffman – Pleasant Hill

(2008) (c) Meghan Johnson – Clairmont

(2010) (c) Erin McGee – Trinity Atlanta

(2013) (c) Ollie Wagner – Alpharetta

(2013) (c) Russ Weekly – Good Shepherd

2014 (2009) (l) Angela Ross – McDonough

(2010) (l) Derwin Otwell – Fayette

(2010) (c) Jason Whitner – St. Luke’s

(2010) (l) Cy Wolverton – Covington

(2012) (l) Chris Williams – Trinity Decatur

2013 (2008) (l) Cynthia Brown – First Atlanta

(2011) (c) Patrick Day – Northminster

(2006) (c) Bob Matthews – Friendship

(2011) (l) Eric Knoll – McDonough

(2008) (c) Callie Weber – Validated Ministry

Committee on Preparation for Ministry

2015 (2011) (l) Jamie Butcher – Alpharetta

(2010) (l) Nancy Cunningham – First Atlanta

(2010) (l) Eve Earnest – First Atlanta

(2010) (c) Nicole Lock – Westminster

(2010) (c) Jihyun Oh – Validated Ministry

(2009) (l) Jay York – Shallowford

(2013) (c) D.C. Adams – Newnan

(2013) (c) Jo Anderson – Bremen

(2013) VACANT

(2013) VACANT

2014 (2010) (l) Thomas Adams – Trinity Atlanta

(c) Karen Allaman – Rock Spring

(2009) (c) Jonathan Ball – Validated Ministry

(c) Shannon Dill – St. Luke’s

(l) Carol Dunbar – Covington

(2011) (c) Matt Frye – Norcross

(2012) (c) Billy Honor – New Life

(2009) (l) Raymond Johnson – Westminster

(l) Camille Josey – Peachtree

(2013) (c) Joe B. Martin – Mt. Vernon

(2011) (l) Bill Powell – Roswell

(2012) (c) David Rogers – At large

2013 (2011) (c) Wendy Dewberry – Columbia

(2011) (c) Bryan Dunnagan – Peachtree

(2011) (l) Mary Dyche – Morrow

(2008) (c) Kate Colussy-Estes – Validated Ministry

(2012) (l) Edith Gray Gould – New Life

(2008) (c) Ernie Hess – Covenant

(2008) (l) Margaret Jacobs – Radcliffe

(2011) (c) Kimberly LeVert – Columbia Seminary

(2011) (l) Mary Martin – St. Luke’s

(2011) (c) Jonier Orozco-Usuga – College Park

(2011) VACANT

(2011) (l) Jeff Vaughn – Decatur

Examinations Commission

2015 (2013) (l) Bland Byrne – First Atlanta

(2013) (c) John Callahan – Morrow

(2013) (c) Marsha Snulligan-Haney – Johnson C. Smith Seminary

(2010) (c) Elizabeth Smith-Purcell – Validated Ministry

2014 (2012) (c) Beth Daniels – Member at Large

(2012) (c) Mark Douglas – Columbia Seminary

(2012) (l) Guerry Mashburn – Morningside

(2012) (c) Charles Roberts – Peachtree

2013 (2010) (l) Diane Duane – Roswell

(2008) (l) Charles Easley – Radcliffe

(2009) (c) Paul Huh – Columbia Seminary

(2011) (l) Belle Miller McMaster – Druid Hills

Tri-Presbytery New Church Development Commission

Joanna Adams, Special Advisor

Sara Hayden, Executive Director

2015 (2013) (l) Nancy Phillimore - Shallowford

2014 (2012) (c) Pam Driesell – Trinity Atlanta

(2012) (c) Bryan Dunagan – Peachtree

(2012) (c) Gray Norsworthy – Johns Creek

2013 (2011) (c) Tom Bagley – Hamilton Mill

(2012) (c) Thomas Daniel – Kairos

(l) Rick Wolters – Peachtree

Operations

2015 (2010) (l) Ralph Clements – Roswell (chair)

(2010) (l) Tom Hyatt – Alpharetta

(2013) (c) Stephen Kolderup – Trinity Atlanta

(2013) (l) Horace Tory – Rice

(2011) (l) Itiharia Toure – First Afrikan

(2010) (c) Dan West – Honorably Retired

2014 (2009) (c) Fahed Abu-Akel – Honorably Retired

(2012) (l) James Binion – Radcliffe

(2011) (l) Linda Davis – Druid Hills

(2012) (l) Toni Griffin Fields – Church of the Master

(2011) (l) Robert Hay – St. Andrew’s

(2013) (l) Margaret Murphy – First Atlanta

2013 (2011) (l) Terry Baker – North Avenue

(2010) (c) Cheryl Gosa – Honorably Retired

(2011) (c) Trace Haythorne – At Large

(2008) (l) Allison Johnson – Stockbridge

(2011) (l) Scott Lewis – Pleasant Hill

(2012) (l) Franklin Malcolm – Luther Hays

Permanent Judicial Commission