Save the date!

Future Presbytery Meetings. Locations and times TBA.

March 4, 2023 (First Presbyterian Church, Millersburg, 1:30-4:00 PM) June 20, 2023 (First Presbyterian Church, Cambridge; 6:00-8:00 PM) September 23, 2023 (Wayne Presbyterian Church, Wooster; 1:00-3:30 PM)

December 5, 2023 (evening)

Stated Presbytery Meeting Registration

Saturday, March 4, 1:30-4:00 PM

First Presbyterian Church

90 South Clay Street Millersburg, OH 44654

Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the confirmation window. Please save the link if you want to attend online.

Add to our Mission:)

Muskingum Valley Presbytery is committed to strengthening our churches, and fulfilling the Great Ends of the Church. We are also passionate about becoming a leading voice in our modern reformation. Help keep us going through your personal gifts.

Give to MVP!

We are going paperless!

Please be prepared to access these files during the meeting.

Docket

See below.

Appendix 1

Muskingum Valley Presbytery Recent Minutes to be posted.

Stated Meeting Minutes

Appendix 2

Financial Statement to be posted.

Finances

Appendix 3

Initial Terms of Call update from COM

Terms of Call Update

Appendix 4

General Assembly Proposed Amendments 2022

Proposed Amendments

Necrology Report

In memory of our elders who joined the church eternal in 2022.

Necrology Report

Synod Notes

See what Chip, Mary Jane, and Frank are doing!

Synod Notes

Directions to the Meeting

First Presbyterian Church

90 South Clay Street Millersburg, OH 44654 Google Maps

Meeting Docket

March 4, 2023, 1:30 PM First Presbyterian Church of Millersburg, and online

Opening

Jim Arganbright, Moderator

Call to Order, Declaration of Quorum, Approval of the Docket and Consent Agenda

Moving the Church Forward

Matthew J. Skolnik, GP

Baseline		Addition	Action
Pastors	+	Lay Leaders	Equip the Saints
Ideas	+	Action	Field Trips & Experiences
Mind	+	Heart	Fall in love with God’s world
Programs	+	Relationships	Life Together
Order	+	Messy Spontaneity	Have Holy Chutzpah
Humility	+	Bold Confidence	Try & be willing to fail
Global Mission	+	Local Mission	Listen, Serve, & Build Community
Matthew 25	+	Matthew 28	Go, Make, Baptize, Teach

Top 5 Ideas to Empower Leaders

The following were generated and most commonly selected by the leaders who gathered at the summit as ways we can better empower congregations, lay leaders, and clergy. Yes, even clergy need to be empowered.

Go forward with joy, fun, and play.
Be intentionally relational.
Listen to the brokenness in the world and one another.
Prayer. Pray immediately with people.
Give permission to fail boldly. Learn, and try again.

Site applications: For congregations who have balanced leadership across:

Organizational Leadership who aligns the work of the church to ministry and mission goals
Pastoral Leadership who equips
Local mission leadership balances Matthew 25 & Matthew 28

Funding Opportunities for:

INTERNSHIPS: This continuing education is designed for Pastoral Students
FELLOWSHIP: This continuing education is designed for Commissioned and Ordained Pastors

In both cases, individuals will work with congregations and leaders who are already working towards an expanded vision and practice of ministry. Participants will learn key skills that they can apply in their current or future ministry contexts.

Can you church benefit by working with a local mission partner?

Mission Partner DRAFT Prospectus

Contact Terri to start the conversation!

[email protected]

330-403-6910

If you enjoyed and benefited from Prayer Lab, you will love MISSION LAB!

MISSION LAB is designed to take your local mission to the next level. Perhaps you need to start from scratch. Or perhaps you have some strong foundations. It does not matter! MISSION LAB will energize your people, celebrate their progress, and help you chart a path forward.

To get started, call Matt!

‭330-230-7752‬

New Pastors!

Rev. Christy Mitchell Wayne Presbyterian Church

Rev. Mike Armstrong Coshocton Presbyterian Church

Actions of the Assembly

Stated Clerk

Approve Minutes from December 6, 2022 (Appendix 1)
The Session of First Presbyterian Church in Perrysville is requesting that Muskingum Valley Presbytery waive the Session term limit of no more than six conservative years as outlined in the Book of Order G-2.0404 for Elder Kristie Perreira due to the church being small and not having a critical mass.
General Assembly Proposed Amendments (Appendix 4): Voting members of the assembly can ask for any one Amendment to be voted on as an individual amendment. The Stated Clerk recommends that 22-A to 22-FF can be received as one block. She suggests voting on 22-GG as an individual amendment.
Reporting of Original Terms of Call can be found in (Appendix 3)

Appendix 1 Appendix 3 Appendix 4

COM

From time to time, COM trains local elders to lead communion in their home congregation. Upon training, they are presented to MVP for approval.

The most recently trained elders are from East Union Presbyterian Church:

Mike St.Clair
Diane St.Clair
Deborah Butler
Rhonda DeLong

Nominating

The election of Rev. Deborah Bowsher to COM (Parish Elder of Zanesville, Morgan, Perry)

MVP Financial Report

Appendix 2

Connections to the Larger Church

Synod of the Covenant

Chip Hardwick, Synod Executive

Synod Notes

Board of Pensions

Luke Choi, Church Consultant

Assistance Program updates

Clergy Wellness Program (new in 2023)
1. 1. - Respite and vocational support
    - Up to $5,000 for travel and program fees once every six years
    - Several pre-approved programs (e.g., Horizon Hope Counseling, LeaderWise, the Kineo Center, Center for Pastoral Excellence, etc.)

Emergency Assistance
1. 1. - Grant sharing with presbytery or employer is no longer required
    - Enrollment in at least one benefit may qualify you

Minister Debt Relief: Effective salary below $80,000 per year (excluding manse value)

Sabbath Sabbatical Support: Grant amount increased to $5,000

Expanded eligibility for:

1. 1. - Retiree Medical Grants
    - Sabbath Sabbatical Support
    - Adoption Assistance
    - Transition-to-College
    - Minister Educational Debt Assistance

Retirement Savings Tax Credit – your voluntary contribution to 403(b)(9) may be eligible for tax credit up to $1,000 if your income falls within certain ranges.