First Presbytery met at Pisgah ARP. Moderator Mr. Beard McAulay constituted the meeting with prayer. Pisgah members and staff provided gracious hospitality for the delegates throughout the day.
Rev. Andrew Shoger preached a sermon from Jeremiah 1, after which the court sang the hymn, “How Firm A Foundation.” A benevolence offering was taken up for presbytery after the conclusion of the hymn. An extended season of prayer was held for needs in the presbytery as well as the increase of Christ’s Church.
The Parliamentarian was taken sick, so Rev. Morrie Lawing agreed to serve as Parliamentarian pro tem without any objection. The roll was constituted, and a quorum was declared. Guests and elders attending their first presbytery meeting were introduced to the court. The Moderator’s Committee on Memorials and Resolutions was announced. The report of the Program Committee was received as information and the program was adopted as presented. The Moderator opened proceedings with old business. Minutes of the March 2022 meeting, with one change, were approved.
Under old business, recommendations from the moderator’s committee concerning sessional records were approved, including the committee’s request to continue its work. A second reading to change the Manual of Procedure was also approved.
The Moderator-Elect, Phillip Mayberry, was called to the chair, who introduced his Vice-Moderator, Mr. Ken Zappone. The court then proceeded to new business. The court received the report of the Treasurer as information. Recommendations from the report of the Stated Clerk were approved, including a first reading to change the Manual of Procedure.
A motion from the floor to “direct our clerk and committee on congregational health to make accommodations for sessions who do not have the technological capacity to submit session records electronically” passed.
The need to move the Fall Stated Meeting Date from November 8 to November 15 due to election day was approved by 2/3 vote.
The Minister & His Work committee report was tabled until after lunch.
In the report of the Candidates and Examinations Committee, several items were approved. Two new students were received under care as students of theology – Mr. Paul Chung and Mr. William Hunter. Student Jacob Jastrzembski was examined and approved for licensure. A call was approved and extended to Licentiate Robert Duran who accepted the terms. It was noted that the committee had acted in June as a commission to approve the call to Rev. Lee Shelnutt from World Witness.
The Church Extension committee gave its report to the presbytery. Their report included updates from the current church planters and church plants. The committee will assume the oversight of the ministry of RUF-Queens University in light of the dissolution of the Synod Campus Oversight Board.
The report of the Christian Education committee was received as information.
The report of the Congregational Health Committee included reminders of the information and documents that the committee needs from each session of First Presbytery.
Following lunch, the court reconvened with a hymn.
The Minister & His Work report was taken up from the table and it noted several actions taken as a commission and brought forth 8 recommendations. Recommendation #3 was amended to replace “Rev. Jeff Richards” with “Rev. Charles Evans” and #4 amended to replace “moderator” with “stated supply.” It was noted that Dr. Michael Milton has retired from Erskine and his time in the ARP is over so he will be removed from the roll of retired ministers of First Presbytery as he had maintained his credentials in a PCA presbytery.
The Memorials Committee presented a motion to give thanks to Pisgah ARP for their hospitality in hosting Presbytery.
The Nominations Committee had no report.
The Stewardship and Finance Committee report dealt with the disbursement of the funds from the Retirement Home Board Fund. The recommendation to rename the Erskine Seminary Fund to the Legacy Seminary Fund was approved. The funds from the Retirement Home were then disbursed between the Legacy Seminary Fund and the Church Extension fund.
The motion from the floor to “Officially dissolve the ARP Home Board of Directors and amend the Manual of Procedure accordingly, with the first reading to be brought at the Fall Stated Meeting” passed.
The World Witness committee had no report, but motion was made that presbytery receive the committee’s nomination of Elder Ken Jackson as the new chairman of the committee.
The court was dismissed after announcements and the singing of the Psalm of Christian Unity at 2:15 PM.
The next stated meeting of First Presbytery will be on November 15, 2022, at New Sterling Church.
First Presbytery of the ARP Synod 