Dear friends, 

At yesterday's winter stated meeting a panel of leaders offered a presentation regarding financial challenges we confront and the need to alter course in our implementation of the plan adopted a year ago. The Implementation Team sought and received approval of changing the job description of the presbyter for administration to include essential elements of the job descriptions of the presbyters for transformational ministry and leadership development and for the position of stated clerk to remain a separate part-time function. 

Among discoveries that have caused concern, first, to the Executive Council of presbytery, and, now, to presbytery more generally, is the realization that we have failed to pay full per capita owed the General Assembly and the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic for a period of years. An estimate is that the entire shortfall is up to one million dollars. 

How did such a circumstance arise? 

The main reason has been that presbytery income - gifts from congregations - is down substantially over a period of many years. I became a member of Salem Presbytery twenty-two years ago. At that time we claimed close to 35,000 members, and the budget was around $1.9 million. Like the denomination our membership numbers are down over a third. Some of the loss is demographic - as we have failed to replace those who have died - and some is ideological as some congregations and members left after decisions over which consensus was lacking. Consider too the changing place of religion in American society more generally. As in many of our congregations, funds are down. 

As some congregations have been unable to support presbytery financially due to their own circumstances, and some congregations have deliberately withheld funds, particularly per capita, to express opposition to GA decisions or denominational stands, our presbytery leadership reached reluctant conclusions that it was not possible to pay the full per capita amount owed for every member. 

We have clearly had communications issues as some have been well aware of choices made, and some have not. Budget and Finance Committee moderator Jay Lambeth has presented budgets, calling our attention to deficits, for some years. So far as we know, no one has ever intended to mislead members. Meanwhile, some feel they have been misled and that trust has been broken. 

The Executive Council and all involved in presbytery leadership take members' concerns seriously and are determined to answer questions and provide as much information as possible. A message from our new moderator, Paul Sink, follows, inviting you to share questions with Stated Clerk David Vaughan.

That's not all our presbytery meeting was about. We installed our new moderator, and we thanked Felicia Stewart Hoyle for her two years of service in this role. We heard Diane Givens Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency (still a member of Salem Presbytery), talk with excitement about Matthew 25 (I addressed this last week and will again; meanwhile, get to know the website:

Matthew 25 Website

We thank you for your support in a time of change, and we ask for your prayers as we seek to move ahead faithfully.

Grace and peace!

Steve Scott

Transitional General Presbyter

As we reflect on our Presbytery meeting in Clemmons this week, please remember that we will be gathering our questions over the coming weeks regarding the financial situation that we find ourselves in as Salem Presbytery. As you report to your Sessions, there will surely be questions that arise. Please send those to Stated Clerk, David Vaughan at statedclerk@salempresbytery.org so that answers may be obtained from appropriate committees and then collected in a Q&A format for inclusion in our next Presbytery Meeting Packet. This process will make sure that all of our questions are answered in a clear and shareable manner. We will also have more time on the docket at the next Presbytery Meeting to continue our conversation and further our understanding.

Peace,

Paul Sink

Moderator

Salem Presbytery  

Please join in expressing our sincere gratitude to the volunteers, officers, and staff of Clemmons Presbyterian Church for their outstanding hospitality in hosting our meeting of Salem Presbytery on February 18th. From the gracious welcome and helping us find our way, to the meaningful and moving worship service including the Clemmons Choir, to the delicious lunch, it was a great day and it was gratefully appreciated. Thanks especially to Rev. Bill Hoyle and Rev. Jodi Lingan for all that goes into hosting a presbytery meeting, and for your worship leadership and warm hospitality.

More information here

Follow the link below for information about the Advocacy Training March 15-16 , 2020.

VBS Resource Guide 2020

How to Choose Curriculum

The OGA system is open for your input for your 2019 statistics. (Of course, much can't be entered until the calendar year has concluded!) Please also submit the Salem documents so that we can update our files; the "Information Form" and the "Necrology 2019" (ruling elders in your congregation who died in 2019) can be found at the following web address:

Take advantage of this handy resource, to which you have access through the Salem Presbytery website. As our staff grows smaller, and as fewer are available to answer the phone, you will find this directory easier to use (password = clemmons3950) than calling the presbytery to get phone numbers and email addresses of committee members or others you want to be in touch with. If using a list you received an email that bounces back, check the directory.