February 20, 2010
Rev. Thomas Evan (Tom) Evans was installed as Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta on February 20 during worship at the presbytery’s stated winter meeting held at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church in Sandy Springs. Rev. Dudley Rose, recently retired pastor of McDonough Presbyterian Church, was installed as moderator for the coming year.
In a special order of the day following lunch, Presbytery celebrated the retirements of Joanna Adams, Dudley Rose, and Gail Perkins, interim pastor at Rock Springs Presbyterian Church. Buddy Enniss roasted Joanna with a humorous anecdote from their time together at Central.
The Coordinating Council, responding to instructions received from Presbytery at the December meeting, presented an operating budget for 2010 that was balanced by using $200,000 from the recent sale of The Pilgrimage Presbyterian Church property. It was approved. The Council announced that Holy Cow Consulting has been engaged to conduct an operational and strategic review of Presbytery. The cost of the review is not included in the budget so individuals and congregations are being asked to make special gifts to cover it.
The Nominating Committee presented Katie Givens Kime to serve on the New Church Development Commission. Katie joins Leah Horton, Rogers Harrison, Vivian Guthrie, Bill Bath, Joe Brown and Tom Barrow as Trinitarians currently serving on Presbytery committees or commissions.
The Synod of South Atlantic is in the process of having Korean churches within its bounds consider if they wish to join a non-geographic Korean presbytery. A minimum of ten churches from throughout the synod are required to move the process forward. Good News Garden Presbyterian Church, Jesus Hope of Georgia Church, and Korean Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville requested that they be dismissed to the new Presbytery if the way be clear. After considerable debate their requests were granted.
The Presbytery’s Peacemaking Committee proposed an overture to the 219th General Assembly dealing with the war in Afghanistan. The overture calls for the General Assembly to call upon the U. S. Government to take non-combative actions, and only those, in vigorous pursuit of stability, prosperity, and peace in Afghanistan and the region. The overture suggests other action for the government and for our churches related to achieving peace and stability.
>>The complete overture may be found here.
Trinity was represented at the meeting by Elder Commissioners Jim Hinkle, Nancy Calhoun, Christian Edwards, Charles Heinz, John Beasley, Adair White, Tom Adams, Sr. and Rev. Erin McGee. The next meeting of Presbytery will be held at Good Shepherd Presbyterian in Lilburn on May 11, 2010.
