06-Council Report 06-07 - the Pittsburgh Presbytery

REPORT OF COUNCILTo the Meeting of Presbytery June 7, 2007Pittsburgh Presbytery Council met in a regularly called meeting on Tuesday,May 22, 2007. The meeting was opened at 7 a.m. with prayer offered by theRev. Dr. Jim Mead. A quorum was present.Items for Information1. Pastor to the Presbytery Transition Plan in re the Resignation of theRev. Dr. Jim MeadCouncil confirmed that at a special meeting of Council convened May 9, 2007 ithad received notice from the Pastor to the Presbytery, the Rev. Dr. Jim Mead,that he had accepted a call in the state of Washington, and that he would beleaving Pittsburgh Presbytery. Council had received, discussed andimplemented at that special meeting a Pastor to the Presbytery Transition Planintended to manage the Presbytery’s necessary search for and transition to anew Pastor to the Presbytery, and various task groups had been formed for thepurpose of taking initial necessary actions.2. Pastor to the Presbytery Transition Plan ReportAt its regular meeting Council received and discussed a status report from theTransition Plan coordinating team vis-à-vis the Pastor to the Presbytery position.The report included a discussion of (1) an Interim Pastor to the PresbyterySpecial Nominating Committee slate [see, action items following], (2) aninvitation to Presbytery to submit to the Personnel Committee suggestedcandidates for the Pastor to the Presbytery Special Nominating Committee forpresentation to Presbytery in September, 2007, (3) tentative plans for a thanksand best wishes event for the Rev. Dr. Mead.3. Holy Cow ConsultingCouncil received, reviewed and discussed a report by Russ Crabtree and HolyCow Consulting on the results of a Presbytery-wide survey conducted by HolyCow Consulting.4. Presbytery-Wide Fall-2007 Mission ProjectAt the suggestion of the Moderator of Presbytery, Council approved the creationof a task force to evaluate the feasibility of a Fall-2007 Presbytery-wide missionproject. More definitive information will be presented at a future Presbyterymeeting.5. Listening and Planning Team ReportCouncil received a report from the Listening and Planning Team vis-à-vis itsmeetings with approximately 60 pastors of the Presbytery. It established a taskforce to evaluate and implement the collated listening data, and directed that acopy of the report be forwarded to the Transition Plan coordinating team.

6. Council-Designated Funds for the Great Ends of the ChurchCouncil determined that any proceeds and funds received from a congregationwhich might be dismissed by the Presbytery from the Presbyterian Church(USA) are to be placed into a special Council-designated fund for the mission,ministry and great ends of the Church, such funds to be expended only assubsequently directed by Council7. Transition Plan Budget…and Lazarus FundHaving originally considered a Transition Plan budget of $80,000 Council uponmotion and further consideration approved a budget of $90,000 for the Transitionof the Pastor to the Presbytery, with the proviso that $10,000 of such funds beplaced as akin to a tithe with the Lazarus Fund. Having approved suchdesignation Council thereafter issued a challenge to the congregations of thePresbytery to match and exceed that amount with additional contributions to theLazarus Fund.8. New Member of the Ecclesiastical CommitteeCouncil elected the Rev. Stewart Bair (Mt. Pisgah) to the EcclesiasticalCommittee for a three-year term (2009A).9. Meetings of Presbytery, Calendar Year 2008Council confirmed the following dates and places for meetings of Presbytery inthe coming calendar year 2008, to wit:February 7, 2008…Grace Memorial PresbyterianApril 17, 2008…Pittsburgh Theological SeminaryJune 5, 2008…East Liberty PresbyterianSeptember 4, 2008…Crestfield Camp and Conference CenterOctober 16, 2008…Fox Chapel PresbyterianDecember 4, 2008…Parkwood United10. Presbyterian Men Suggested Synod of the Trinity NetworkCouncil reviewed and approved a request that Pittsburgh Presbytery sponsor aSynod of the Trinity Network being established for Presbyterian Men. At leasttwo presbyteries would be needed before any such Network might beestablished.11. Substitute Per Capita OvertureCouncil noted that it had received from Lebanon Presbyterian Church anoverture on per capita which would amend the Manual of Presbytery. Theoverture was in substitution for one previously-submitted from that congregationwhich had been under review. Council noted that it had begun a review of thesubstitute overture.

Items for Action1. Consent MotionsCouncil recommends that the following item ##2 and 3 be adopted by Consent.*2. Financial Statements…March, 2007Council recommends Presbytery receive and file for audit the Presbyteryfinancial statements for March, 2007 attached as an Exhibit to this Report.*3. New Church Development Release of $22,000 for VietnameseFellowship ExplorationCouncil approved and recommends Presbytery approved the release of $22,000in New Church Development designated funds for the funding of year one of aVietnamese Fellowship Exploration.4. Acceptance of the Resignation ofPastor to the Presbytery the Rev. Dr. Jim MeadCouncil with regret recommends Pittsburgh Presbytery accept the request of theRev. Dr. Jim Mead to dissolve his Pastor to the Presbytery relationship with thePittsburgh Presbytery with an effective date of September 1, 2007, andrecommends that the Presbytery extend its thanks and gratitude to Pastor JimMead for his transformational leadership, his dedication, his friendship andcollegiality, his Christ-like pastoral ministry and his wisdom and guidance over his8 ½ year significant ministry to Pittsburgh Presbytery, and that such thanks andgratitude of the Presbytery be spread upon the minutes of the PittsburghPresbytery.5. Special Nominating Committee for the Interim Pastor to the PresbyteryPursuant to provisions of the Manual of Presbytery Council presents the followingslate of persons to comprise an Interim Pastor to the Presbytery SpecialNominating Committee:EldersKen Eber (Lebanon)Judith Jerry (Bidwell)Jim Ogle (Hiland)Carol Hunley (ex-officio, Southminster)Tom Bice (ex-officio, Heritage).MinistersMike Hoyt (Glenshaw)Carol Divens Roth (Ben Avon)Marsha Sebastian (Brookline)John Welch (Pittsburgh Theological Seminary)