News from Foothills Presbytery
Foothills Presbytery met on April 27, 2008, at Fourth Presbyterian Church. Two separate worship services were held with Candidates Mary Morrison and Buz Wilcoxon preaching. A new Moderator, the Rev. Sadie Goldsmith, was elected, and appreciation was expressed to outgoing Moderator, Elder Kathy Chamlee. The Rev. Jim Simpson from Presbyterian College made a presentation with good news from PC, welcoming people to visit the campus. The Examinations Commission introduced the Rev. Bill Arthur, Honorably Retired minister, who is being received into Foothills Presbytery. Candidate Buz Wilcoxon was examined and approved to receive a call as Associate Pastor at Fourth Church. Candidate Mary Morrison was examined and approved to be ordained in her call as Associate for Vocations and Education at Foothills Presbytery. Sermons of both candidates were approved also. The Rev. Dale Youngs was examined and approved to serve in a temporary supply pastor role at Russell Memorial Church. The Committee on Preparation introduced three Inquirers who were examined and approved to enter into the Candidacy phase of Preparation for Ministry. They are Justin Cazel (John Knox Church), Elizabeth Howell (First Greer Church), and David Powers (John Knox Church). The Rev. Kevin Cartee made a report for Outdoor Ministries, encouraging everyone to become involved with Camps Buc and Fellowship. Elder Bill Sibley, Treasurer, gave an overview of the financial picture of the presbytery. Minnie Thomas spoke briefly asking interested people to sign up for the trip to Ghana this fall. Jim Moss talked about the hunger problem facing the world and urged congregations to adopt the 2 cents a meal program. Doug Cushing is participating in a "Will Climb for Food" project to raise funds to fight hunger. The Nominations Committee made a report, filling vacancies on two teams. A third nomination was made from the floor and was approved. The meeting adjourned with prayer.
Foothills Presbytery met
on February 19 at Central Presbyterian Church in Anderson with an opening
worship service led by Dennis Tedder, pastor of First Church, Anderson.
Communion was served and memorials were made to elders and ministers who
were deceased in the year 2007.
Business of the day included reception of two ministers who previously had been examined and
approved. Christie Gravely is serving as Associate
Pastor of Easley Presbyterian Church and John Hartman is serving as Chaplain in the Greenville hospital system. Inquirer
Mike Linkins was examined and approved for Candidacy, and an alternate
exam process was approved for candidate Sara Varnado.
Several overtures were presented with discussion on each of them. The
overture concerning ordination standards presented by the Walhalla Church
was replaced with a resolution submitted by the Merwyn Johnson.
This was done in light of the ruling of the General Assembly Permanent
Judicial Commission which would make the Walhalla overture
unconstitutional. The resolution by Johnson was approved. The second
overture submitted by the Unity Team which would delay the vote on the
new Form of Government for two years was approved to be submitted to the
2008 General Assembly. The third overture "Where Christ Is, There is
the Church," a recommended change to the new Form of Government, was
also approved. Approval was also given to the Unity Team allowing them to
appoint overture advocates to attend the Assembly.
Other business was the recognition of new Outdoor Ministries Director, Kevin Cartee, and the
approval of a new five-year term for Executive Presbyter George Wilkes.
Kevin spoke about the wonderful opportunities at Camps Buc and
Fellowship. Sabra Smith, recently retired Administrative Assistant, was
recognized for her good service over the past eleven years.
A special order of the
day was a report from the Campus Ministry Team. College students from the
Clemson PSA, Furman WF, and Spartanburg PSA spoke about what campus
ministry means to them as they continue their education away from home at
college. Their reports were very affirming of the good work being done by
campus ministers, Bill Gause, Wayne Cole, and Dottie Metropol.
The staff of Foothills Presbytery will have a significantly different look over the next two years with changes approved at the Stated Meeting Aug. 21, at which a unified budget of $813,128 was also approved.
The most noticeable change is that Bill Lancaster, Associate for Mission, will take the title of Associate for New Church Development effective Sept. 1. This position will be funded with funds allocated for New Church Development from the sale of Presbytery property, primarily on Lake Keowee. The position as newly structured will continue through October 2009, when Lancaster expects to retire. In his new role, Lancaster will be responsible only for new church development. The rest of his current responsibilities will be reallocated to other staff.
Mary Morrison, Associate for Education, will become a full-time staff member effective January 2008. She has been a part-time employee since joining the staff.
The position of financial secretary, held by Sandra Gipson, will also become a full-time position effective immediately.
The 2008 unified budget including benevolences is $29,201 less than the 2007 budget of $891,127. The total budget for 2008 is $2,115,847 compared to $2,202,310 for 2007. The Presbytery is spending slightly under its budget to date, but is essentially on track to meet 2007 budget-expense projections. Through June, there was a shortfall in unified receipts of $69,701. Unified receipts are up from 2006 by approximately $28,000 through the first two quarters.
Rob Blumer was approved to be the interim pastor at Limestone Church in Gaffney. He is transferring from the Presbytery of Transylvania in Kentucky. Jim Still was received as an Honorably Retired minister from the Presbytery of Arkansas. Frank Norris was approved to be a commissioned lay pastor at Varennes Presbyterian Church.