News from Foothills Presbytery
Seneca Presbyterian Church was host to the 68th Stated Meeting of Foothills Presbytery on August 19.
The worship service opened with a musical selection by the handbell choir, and the Rev. Sadie Goldsmith, Presbytery Moderator, brought the message on "life Lessons."
Greetings were brought by representatives of S.C. Home at Montreat, Lees-McRae College, and Presbyterian College.
New ministers were welcomed into the Presbytery. They are Susan Smith, Mt. Zion Interim Pastor; Andrew Florio, Covenant Pastor; and Phil Hargrove, First Greenville Associate Pastor. Inquirer Caroline Blakely was approved for the Candidacy phase of her preparation for ministry.
Beth Templeton, Director of Our Eyes Were Opened, gave a Special Order before the noon meal on hunger and its effects on poverty-stricken people in our area. A large donation of canned goods was received for the Golden Corners Food Bank, and offerings were received for the 2 cents a meal hunger project.
Reports were made by the various teams and committees, and the proposed budget for 2009 was approved. Several Commissioners to General Assembly gave reports on their experience in San Jose this summer.
The proposed revision of the Presbytery structure was amended to include a Committee of Church Growth and Evangelism and was then approved. An Administrative Commission was elected to consult with the session of Third Presbyterian Church regarding their current status and to report its actions to the November Stated Meeting of presbytery.
The meeting adjourned with prayer.
Click on heading above for summary of meeting.
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.