After Words
Being a highly personal account of the September 2007 meeting of Pittsburgh Presbytery.
Moderator David Green opened us with prayer and a quorum being present we proceeded to worship.
The Rev. Dr. Douglas Portz preached. Using the texts of Isaiah 42:1-9, Mark 1:40-42 and I Peter 2: 9-12, he talked about the need for a new ecclesiology. “An awesome God chose us; we did not choose each other. God intentionally and lovingly chose us and we belong to God. If we were to attempt to choose, the church would look very different and not anything like God’s choosing.”
He noted that the list of what is important in being the church is different with each congregation. “How do we become the people who belong to God? What is your vision of the church? Which biblical metaphor do you use – the gathered community of Acts, the covenant people of Israel, the righteous remnant, resident aliens, the bride of Christ? What image do you have? What kind of community should we become? We need to have an incarnational Christology, the church needs to be Christ’s body to the people here and now. We need to be less institutional and more fleshy; more action and less talk. We are called to be Christ’s flesh in our communities.”
We prayed for the Rev. Cynthia Jackson whose mother had just died and for the Rev. Debbie Evanovich whose father had just died.
We had no visitors or corresponding members to introduce.
Elder Betty Angelini welcomed Elder Becky Little as the new program director of Crestfield.
The Rev. Dr. Jonnie Monroe honored Elder Robert Lavelle during our time of exploring 200 Years of Black Presbyterianism. Mr. Lavelle had gone to a bank for a loan and could not get it. He went to his local savings and loan and they were only open one evening a week and did not have the money or staff to give loans. He challenged then to do it and they challenged him to do it! And he did. Dwelling House Savings and Loan Association works in the African American community of Pittsburgh because redlining is still going on. It is still needed. Dr. Monroe invited our congregations to invest in Dwelling House and several pastors attested to the loans they have gotten from Dwelling House. If you are or your congregation is considering a home loan, church loan, home improvement loan or home equity loan or need a savings account, please consider Dwelling House.
As we adopted the docket we applauded the Rev. Stuart Broberg was applauded for leaving his coat and tie in the car today. The consent agenda was approved and there was no new business to introduce.
Under the council report, Stuart and Jeff Walley reported on a phishing incident where the Presbytery lost $85,000. Council is pursuing ways to get the money back and to date, we have received back $10,000. We have instituted new safety nets and the bank is also working on a way to prevent another incident. In answer to one question, it was noted that if we had been an individual account the bank would have been responsible for reimbursing us. Since we are a business, it is our responsibility.
Also during the council report the Rev. Dave Carver asked (for the second year in row) if we had a Presbytery meeting scheduled for the Thursday after Labor Day (September 8, 2008). Presbytery then directed council to ensure that the September meeting did not occur the week of Labor Day.
The agreement with Beverly Heights Presbyterian church was brought up for a first reading. We will be voting it up or down at the October meeting. The Rev. Dr. Dirk Lesnett led a Committee of the Whole discussion on the negotiated settlement. Questions were asked about its enforceability, the per capita, why we can’t make amendments to the agreement and what is the correct description of the $250,000 Beverly Heights will be committed to pay. The Rev. Richard Wohling was given opportunity and time to answer the question “Why does Beverly heights want to leave the PCUSA and Pittsburgh Presbytery.” His answer was thoughtful and the presbytery listened with interest. “The short answer is that we clearly believe that it is the Lord’s path for us. This not the decision of one individual but we believe that it is what Scripture means to walk in the Spirit, by asking the Lord what he wants us to do. We believe we have received an answer but to be good Presbyterians. We have to follow procedures and ask Presbytery because it has the power and authority to tell us what to do.
“We were founded in 1929 and from the beginning we have been a conservative, evangelical congregation in a theologically more progressive denomination. We have attempted to work for change on issues we believe violate our consciences. But we despair of a denomination and presbytery that seems unable to pursue the disciplinary process. I know that God has released me personally from my vows to the denomination and to use my energy elsewhere. How do you know that Beverly Heights will pay the $250,000 – because we say we will.”
Doug Portz prayed before our break for lunch.
After lunch, Senior Vice Moderator Kears Pollock took the chair as moderator. He announced that the hunger offering had netted over $1,500. He announced that the 200th Anniversary Celebration of Black Presbyterianism will take place at Valley View Presbyterian Church on September 30, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.
The Stated Clerk reported that all items were in the printed materials. We sang ‘Happy Birthday to the Rev. Bebb Stone.”
The Rev. Bill Thomas and Elder Hal Sanders presented a challenge on health care in the United States and the need for the churches to act as healers as Jesus was a healer.
Doug Portz, as acting Pastor to Presbytery, reported that here has been much change at the presbytery office. Not only have the Rev. Dr. Jim Mead and Becky Little moved on, Mae Weed has left for a position at Lees McRae College in North Carolina. Kay Shissler is in the Resource Center for now. He talked about the good news of six congregations in the city who worked together on a housing blitz, $5000 sent for local flood relief. Betty Angelini talked about the transformation grant that enabled Crestfield to work with 220 kids at nine sites this summer. They have six weeks planned for next summer. Elder Sharon Stewart and the Rev. Scott Hoffman reported on the 26 who went to the Youth Triennium.
There will be a conference on Racial Reconciliation through Repentance on October 3, 2007 at Mt. Hope Church.
David Green returned to the moderator’s chair. The Rev. Paul Thwaite, chair of nominations, asked us to nominate the Rev. James Tinnemeyer to the Synod PJC and we did.
Then the Rev. James Tinnemeyer, chair of CPM, presented three candidates for trials of ordination. The highlight, other than all three passing with great aplomb, was having candidate Thomas Moore use “hypostatic union, salvific and perichoretic” in one sentence, and then explain it in terms that anyone could understand. Jeff Tindal and John Creasy were the other candidates.
Elder Frank Hancock presented terms of call for Jeff Tindall and we welcomed the Rev. Rob Marrow back to Pittsburgh Presbytery.
The Rev. Deborah Evanovich presented the enrollment report. There were 111 ministers and 119 elder s for a total of 230 commissioners with 68 churches represented by at least one elder. There were 22 visitors registered.
With a motion of thanks to Crestfield we adjourned with prayer from Senior Vice Moderator Kears Pollock.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Lee Talbot
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