• Presbytery

Nov 2024 Presbytery Meeting Recap

Committee Elections, CRE Policy 1st Reading, Envisioning Presbytery Meetings for 2025

The Docket of the Nov 2024 Presbytery Meeting is here.

These are not minutes or a complete accounting of the meeting.

• Welcome First-Time Ruling Elder Commissioners
  • Nancy Smith (RE, Los Gatos)
  • Bev Prowell (RE, Monterey)
  • Irene Yang (RE, Sunnyvale)
     
• Elected to 2025 Nominating Committee:
  • Emily Meacham class of 2027 (RE, Stone)
  • Evie Macway (TE, chair, previously elected class of 2025)
     
• 2024 Nominating Committee Slate was elected (report at link)

The Presbytery congratulates and welcomes 18 Ruling Elders and Teaching Elders representing more than 12 congregations who agreed to serve Presbytery committees:

Likewise, we congratulate and thank the members of the 2024 Nominating committee:

• • Evie Macway (TE, HR)
  • Lynn Viale (RE, Gilroy)
  • Ann McAnelly (TE, St Andrew)
  • Charlie May (RE, Trinity SC)
     
• Presbytery to try different times and formats for 2025 Stated Meetings.
  The Presbytery voted to set aside two standing rules for 2025 and approved  a subcommittee of Coordinating Council to give direction to plan the meetings. Its first meeting is today, Dec 4. Neal Presa, Erica Rader and Collette Lynner will resource the subcommittee. Members are all from 2024 Coord Council:
  • Rev. Nan Swanson;
  • Rev. Dr. Libby Boatwright;
  • Rev. Dr. Bryan Franzen;
  • Rev.  Andy Rausch.
     
• Committee on Ministry updated Pastors’ Minimum Terms of Call for 2025, giving churches to incorporate the figures into their budgets. Updates happen automatically now and are tied to Social Security COLA figures. A Terms of Call Report for 2024 is available to commissioners on request and will be mailed to Pastors and Clerks of Session this week.
   
• Commissioned Ruling Elder Policy (First read)
  At least two churches in our Presbytery are interested to promote members to the status of Commissioned Ruling Elders (CRE). CREs would be supervised jointly by CPM and COM. See pp.37-57 of Docket for COM Report.
   
• Olga Encisno-Smith and Mary Green Vickrey from the presbytery’s Peru Mission Delegation delivered a moving report about how people in an impoverished area of Peru are “starting with nothing, and doing amazing things” to mitigate the ravages of lead smelting and deforestation. The delegation is available to speak at your church meetings/functions. The Mission and Outreach Workgroup Chair is Rev. Dr. Vincent Arishvara, Pastor, Trinity San Jose. Secretary is Rev. Deb Troester, Pastor, Santa Teresa Hills Pres.
   
• Rev. Dick Young delivered an update on Zephyr Point Conference Center, where he is Executive Director. Zephyr Point is jointly owned by the Synod of the Pacific, Synod of Southern California, and Synod of Hawaii; Elder Nannette Notor of Westminster Pres. is on the board. The conference center rents to congregations, groups and individuals, and costs are low! Zephyr Point is also campground and retreat center. They hire 30 young people each summer for internships! Zephyr Point hosted a gathering of the Washoe People last October as part of their 100th anniversary celebration and hopes to strengthen ties with the tribe.