After Words
Being a belated report on the activities of Pittsburgh Presbytery at its April 2007 meeting at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
We began in the Hicks Chapel at the Seminary with worship and the installation of Doug Portz as Associate Pastor to Presbytery for Medium sized Churches.
Moderator David Green called us to order with prayer including a beautiful lament for the students and faculty at Virginia Tech. We had a quorum.
Pastor to Presbytery Jim Mead preached. He spoke about the rhythm of Jesus’ ministry, his need to be with people and do the ministry he came to do and Jesus’ need to get away and be alone with God. “Ministry is important but its claims are not as big on us as they were on Jesus. Take a day off, read your Bible when you are not preparing for a sermon, connect with the friends of your heart, the ones you can count on across the years.”
Rev. Dr. Portz was installed. Moderator David Green, Elder Tom Bice, Rev. Karen Battle, Rev. Lynn Portz and Rev. Karl McDonald participated. We took a hunger offering but the total was not reported. In his words of encouragement, Doug talked about the joyful yet challenging nature of ministry. “God’s power is loose in the world. Do you believe that? Do you believe that whatever is dead in us can be brought back to life in God? I can’t wait to see what God is going to do next.”
We seated Jack Haberer, editor of the Presbyterian Outlook, as a corresponding member and gave him a few minutes to share his journey and encourage us to read the Outlook.
Dr. William Carl, President of the Seminary, brought greetings.
Rev. Dr. Bebb Stone asked for a moment of personal privilege to talk about the worship resources from PHEWA on serious mental illness.
Rev. Dr. Johnnie Monroe briefly outlined the 200 year history of African American churches in the Presbyterian Church. He asked that Presbytery sponsor a major event to more appropriate celebrate the anniversary.
In the Council report, Rev. Stuart Broberg explained the “Negotiated Dismissal” process Council has put in place for churches who are considering leaving the Presbyterian Church (USA). He noted that about every 20 years we Presbyterians have a “rhubarb and churches leave and it was usually a long, angry fight. Council said we can find a new way.” He is leading the Ongoing Discussion task group, Dirk Lesnett is leading the Negotiated Separation Task Group, and Jack Lolla is leading the Legal/Administrative Task Group. Three things are important in this process: people, process and property. As of April 19, the group had four meetings with five churches. As we know Beverly Heights used this process and voted to leave the denomination on April 22. This separation agreement will come to Presbytery at its June meeting and will be voted on at the September meeting. “We wanted a process that was God-honoring and Christ-centered. The world is always watching us and we only want to see one headline in the Post Gazette: See how these Christians love each other. We can have a picture with a padlocked church or a picture with a group asking for the Lord’s mind and love.”
Questions were raised about what a “substantial financial gift” to the Presbytery means in the separation agreement. Several people asked for the process to be posted on the website. Rev. Paul Roberts called the process “gracious and Godly” and asked if we could vote on or adopt the process as a Presbytery. Broberg thought that would be possible, perhaps in June.
The Stated Clerk appealed for churches to host the Presbytery at its February and October 2008 meetings
Elder Kears Pollock came to the podium to moderate.
In the Pastor to Presbytery Report, Jim again gave over his time to a variety of people. Betty Angelini and Chris Proud showed a brief video about Camp Crestfield and invited pastors to a day long retreat on May 10.
Rev. Dave Carver made a plea for people to participate in the Weekend Action for Darfur on April 28 and 29.
On April 19 there was a celebration of the life of Rev. Dr. Leroy Patrick at the Seminary.
Jim Mead talked about one of the reasons churches are thinking about leaving the PCUSA – lack of Trinitarian theology or an unacceptable change in how that doctrine was stated in a recent General Assembly reports. “Our Christology is beyond reproach in these documents. The PUP report is passionately, blatantly, enthusiastically Trinitarian. It was Jesus who called us into this body. Some people think that they have better taste than Jesus in theology.”
Elder Dorothy Geary presented the Nominations committee report. There were complaints that three persons were nominated to the Committee on Preparation from one church – Sixth Presbyterian. There were no nominations from the floor and after much wrangling the Presbytery voted 88-85 to leave nominations open on this committee.
Rev. Lance Chapman presented Jeanette Tagg for her oral trials which she passed eloquently. She will begin a prayer ministry at Brookline.
Elder Homer Snodgrass gave the COM report and we moved Rev. Dr. Jim Legge into honorable retirement. He said “I thank God that he called me to this ministry (at Bull Creek). My hope is that all pastors see Presbytery as an instrument in which to serve.”
There were 140 ministers and 144 elders in attendance with 84 churches represented by at least one elder. There were 26 visitors. Moderator David Green gave the resolution of thanks and Senior Vice Moderator Kears Pollock adjourned us with prayer.
Next meeting is at Northmont on June 7.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Mary Lee Talbot, Ph.D.
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