• Presbytery

Dates and Times of 2025 Presbytery Meetings

by Moderator-Elect Rev. Dr. Libby Boatwright

Great news for all members of Presbytery! Mark Your Calendars Now with New Dates and Times for 2025

In seeking a more engaging and inspiring form of meetings, a subcommittee of the Coordinating Council, have met and have adopted the following changes to the Presbytery’s Order of Meetings in 2025:

Two zoom meetings and two in-person gatherings per year.

What will the Zoom meetings involve?

Our February meeting will cover business aspects of our Presbytery including:

• • Proposed Order for Presbytery business meetings,
  • Action on amendments to the Constitution referred by General Polity and Government,
  • Report from Synod commissioners,
  • Treasurer’s Report,
  • Accountant’s Report,
  • Election of Synod Commissioners and GA Commissioners,
  • Review of Overtures to GA,**
  • Committee reports for activities from Nov-Feb,
  • Approval of candidates for ministry, as needed.

In October we will engage in

• • Adoption of Budget,
  • Report terms of call for Ministers serving congregations,
  • Receive
    • nominations from Nominating Committee
    • and the Stated Clerk’s annual report
    • and Polity and Government Subcommittee on Session records review,
  • Elect our GA Commissioners,**
  • Receive
    • Committee reports for activities from Mar-Oct
    • and report from COM regarding Minimum Terms of Call calculations
  • Approval of candidates for ministry, as needed.

It is expected that each member will take the time to read proposals before the meeting to be prepared to vote to keep the meetings concise and meaningful. In the event there is a need to vote on additional business, the Stated Clerk and Moderator will call a special meeting.

How will the in-person gatherings be different?

Because these meetings are for equipping, the theme that the committee has adopted is NEAR (Nurture, Education, Advocacy, and Resources.) Our goal is to find ways to nurture and encourage our members into healthy relationships not only with their congregations but getting to know other members of Presbytery so that they might be “seen and heard” in prayer and support. Education comes with guest speakers and breakout sessions on topics that our survey suggested, such as encouraging faith and church growth, handling conflict, and finding creative, spiritual ways to address declining membership. Advocacy might be addressed in understanding the Christian Nationalism movement, inclusiveness, empowering those re: land acknowledgment, new laws regarding immigration and deportation, and Resources on stewardship strategies, managing aging populations, and developing new ministry ideas, Our hope is to engage guest speakers and those in our own congregations to lead the way. And here’s something new – All NEAR Gatherings are open to all teaching elders, ruling elders, laypersons, youth, young adults. All means all! And if you have a topic you’d like to see addressed, we need to hear from you.

Special thanks goes to Executive Presbyter Neal Presa, Stated Clerk Erica Rader, Moderator-Elect Libby Boatwright, Moderator Andy Rausch, Chair of Polity, Bryan Franzen, and Honorably Retired Nan Swanson for their time and creativity in developing our new format.

Are you ready for 2025? I am and look forward to your participation. Please put these dates in your calendar now and plan to participate. Isaiah 43:19.

Thanks and Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Libby Boatwright
Moderator 2025
Presbytery of San Jose