After Words
Being a highly personal account of the December 2007 meeting of Pittsburgh Presbytery by the Rev. Dr. Mary Lee Talbot.
Pittsburgh Presbytery was called to order by Moderator David Green at 1:00 p.m. on December 6 at First Presbyterian Church, Tarentum. (My mother’s side of the family lived there). Moderator Green opened us with prayer and with a quorum present we moved into worship.
The Rev, Dr. Johnnie Monroe completed a year of presentations on the 200 years of African American Presbyterians by preaching at our Advent service. He recounted the presentations from the other five meetings in 2007. “Why do we need to celebrate? Any group that had been around 200 years needs to be celebrated. And to show people that we are not late comers to this denomination. Our roots run deep. Rev. John Gloucester formally organized the first black Presbyterian congregation inn 1807 but we were sitting in the balconies before that.
“Many of us chose to be Presbyterian because of the justice orientation and missionary zeal that the northern Presbyterian churches showed. Many of those missionaries came from Pittsburgh. This was a denomination not afraid to deal with tough issues like civil rights. And this denomination has supported ministries in our communities down through today. We have not left even when the majority church became disgruntled over Angela Davis. We have stayed because God will make a way. God is still on the throne.
“As Presbyterians we are willing to divide over any theological issue except racial division. We are staying even though no one is talking about gun control, drugs in our neighborhoods, the Penguins welfare check. We are not standing up and walking out because people are not talking about the mis-education of our children, or the lack of a minimum wage or the war or the veto of health insurance for children.
“We are celebrating 200 years of a journey of struggle, joy and staying power. We have come this far by faith. God has placed us here for such a time as this, to help create a presbytery of justice, where justice is our byword. We will make this America’s most livable city for all God’s children. The God that we serve is a God of justice. WE need organized people and organized money around justice so we can talk to power and make a difference. IF we allow God to lead us we can make a difference.” We ended with an alter call for justice and the distribution of an overture that will come to the February Presbytery meeting on how to begin being a justice presbytery.
Elder Kears Pollock, senior vice moderator, took the chair and Acting Pastor to Presbytery Doug Portz introduced Rev. Charles Kahumboo from the Congo who is coming to be the pastor to the African Christian Fellowship at the Smithfield UCC Church. Rev. Kahumboo is a member of the Presbyterian Church of Canada and will be attending Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Phil Beck, pastor of First Tarentum greeted us. They have 175-200 in worship every Sunday and they have been instrumental in helping West Tarentum recover from Hurricane Ivan, “even when Dan Onorato had never heard of Tarentum or knew that it was in Allegheny County.” He also urged us to eat the 1200 cookies and 900 sandwiches that the church was providing.
Elder Carol Hunley, vice-chair of Council, presented the docket and the consent agenda. The Committee on Ministry removed one item from the consent agenda, Heather Tunney’s terms of call (because of a typo). Minute reading was accomplished in the consent motion. The Rev. Jermaine McKinley presented new business, the overture distributed during worship, and it was received as a first reading and will be taken up at the February meeting.
Moderator David Green returned to the chair and we moved to the report from Council We elected members of the 2008 nominating committee, approved the 2008 per capita and the 2008 budget, the terms of call for Revs. Portz, Slater and Lewis. For first reading, we looked at an overture from Lebanon Church about per capita and it was referred to the Ecclesiastical committee for comment.
We turned to the election of the Senior Vice Moderator for 2008 who will become the moderator in 2009. Rev. Paul Thwaite gave the nominating speech for Rev. Lowell Meek and Rev. David Carver gave the nominating speech for Rev. Don Ewing. The questions for the candidates included: whether or not Round Hill Church, where Rev. Meek is pastor, was going to pay its per capita (they do so at the end of each year; Rev. Ewing said he always urged congregations to support the per capita; what the candidates felt was the greatest challenge to Pittsburgh Presbytery (unity of the church and pressing forward with mission); whether Round Hill was going to leave the denomination (the discernment process resulted in a decision not to take a vote about leaving); how to address the isolation of pastors; the challenge of attracting youth and youth adults; the nature of church unity sociological or stereological; what kind of help would you provide to racially mixed congregations. We then voted and later in the meeting we learned that Rev. Don Ewing was elected. The tally was 189 for Ewing, 65 for Meek and 1 abstention.
We moved on the Stated Clerk’s report. We added Elder Shirley Voller to the Calvert Church Commission. New members of the Transformation Commission included Elder Jane Gieske and ministers Larry Ruby, Karl McDonald, Elizabeth Bourchart and Jeff Potter. Minister Darrell Knopp was elected to the Mulberry-Edgewood Merger commission. We gave Mulberry another six month extension to receive a balloon payment for its building. Covenant Presbyterian Church received an award from Achieva for its ministry to mentally challenged people. The award was for excellence in community awareness.
We had the first reading of the overtures on the Heidelberg Catechism and on Abortion Funding. They were referred to the Committee on Ministry for discussion and recommendations.
Senior Vice Moderator Kears Pollock returned to the chair. We had a presentation by the Presbytery PHEWA members on health care. Elder Tom Graham, a retired primary care physician, made a case for a national single payer for health care. Rev. John Welch, president of PIIN and Dean of Students at Pittsburgh Seminary, talked about joining PIIN to advocate together with others for health care. “If we were to take a test on the great ends of the church, what would our grade be on social righteousness? Dietrich Bonheoffer said ‘The sins of respectable people are found in their flight from responsibility.’ Are we fleeing our responsibility?”
Acting Pastor to Presbytery Doug Portz shared some of what he has been doing since the last Presbytery meeting: a pastor’s retreat at Crestfield, a dinner with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Light up Night. He announced that the Hot Metal Bridge Community is in need of a home and quickly. Professor Thomas F. Torrance died on December 2. There was a handout at registration from the Synod for everyone. It is a thank you and details what the Synod accomplished. IRS mileage will increase to 50.5 cents in January.
Rev. Jean Henderson introduced a new program, P.E.A.L. which means Pastors Encouraging And Listening. Sixteen retired pastors are available to talk with pastors and their families about any issues and to be a listening ear. Rev. Portz and Elder Pollock commissioned these ministers to this ministry.
The Hunger offering raised “$1,262.73 and a car.” A set of keys were found in the offering plate.
Elder Susan Dobbins presented the nominating committee report and it was passed.
Rev. Jim Tinnemeyer presented the Committee on Preparation Report. Two inquirers were received as candidates and five candidates were presented for their oral trials. All went smoothly until Heather Tunney was presented. After her statement of faith, Rev. Steve Wilson was recognized and asked if there was a situation with Heather that would involve the Committee on Ministry if we proceeded with her ordination. Rev. Tinnemeyer spoke and told the body that members of the Preparation committee had spoken with Heather and found her answers to their questions satisfactory. Elder Nancy Cochran asked Heather if she had a scruple and Heather replied no, that she was in compliance with the Book of Order. We voted to pass on her trial and she will be ordained. Rev. Tinnemeyer thanked the committee and Presbytery for four years of service as its chair and he received an ovation for his work.
Elder Earle Wooding, vice chair of the Committee on Ministry, presented the changes in the terms of call for Heather Tunney. He announced the dissolution of the relationship of Rev. Ted Martin and Bakerstown Presbyterian Church as of November 10. We moved the call of Commissioned Lay Pastor Paul Nigra for Hawthorne Avenue Church.
With Elder David Green back in the chair we moved Rev. Calvin Wilson to the status of honorably retired. Drs. John Mehl and Charles Partee spoke about Wilson’s ministry.
With no new business, we moved to the enrollment clerk’s report. Elder Carolyn Wood reported that there were 136 ministers and 137 elders, 76 churches represented and 22 visitors.
Moderator David Green thanked the Presbytery for the opportunity to serve as moderator and after a resolution of thanks closed the meeting with prayer.
See you in February. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Mary Lee Talbot, Ph.D.
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