Reminder: Presbytery Stated Meeting, Thursday, August 29

Our Mission:

To identify and strengthen leaders

so that every congregation

makes new and mature disciples for Jesus Christ.

Online RSVP is LIVE!

Click here to RSVP for the Aug 29 Stated Meeting -- and/or make other requests, too!

(And THANK YOU to the 51 of you who had already RSVP'd using the online form by the time I typed this!)

Pre-Presbytery Meeting deadlines this week . . .

. . . and other reminders for folks who plan to attend -- or still need to elect commissioners to attend!

Sorry for the unexpected interruption to your week --- and, yes, there'll be a regular edition of the eNews on Thursday --- but . . .

Thursday, August 15th, is also the two-weeks-before-the-meeting deadline for these items:

sending reports to be included in the presbytery packet to me at statedclerk@pbty.com.
making requests for organizational display tables by sending them to me at statedclerk@pbty.com -AND- on the online RSVP form if possible.
getting requests for childcare and/or special dietary needs to Anne Marie at office@pbty.com -AND- on the online RSVP form if possible.

Since I'm writing, here's an almost-last-minute reminder f or moderators and clerks of session to make sure commissioners have been (or will be) elected to take part.

And, just to put it all in one place (again), here are some of the details you need to know about the August 29 Stated Meeting of the Presbytery:

Registration opens at 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, at St Andrew Presbyterian Church, 1239 Del Webb Blvd W, Sun City Center, FL 33573, so you should have plenty of time to get there and sign-in before the meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.
It's time to assign commissioners if you haven't already. Consult this document for your church's number of Ruling Elder commissioners.
I plan to be available host a brief online orientation session for first time commissioners on Monday, August 26th, at 7:30 p.m. Look for a link to the online meeting with the presbytery packet on August 22. If you'd prefer to watch a recording of an earlier orientation session at a more convenient time, you can watch this one from November 2017 at any time.

And, in case you somehow missed the bright yellow box at the top of this email or were wondering more about it, we're testing a . . .

NEW ONLINE RSVP/Excused Absence form: Please help us be better stewards in working with our host church to plan more accurately for refreshments and lunches (and limiting leftovers and waste) by clicking here and filling out an online RSVP form to let us know you’ll be attending.

Using the online RSVP form will also make it easier for us to follow-up with you on any dietary restrictions or childcare requests so we can attempt to accommodate your needs in cooperation with the host church.
You can also let us know you’ll be attending by contacting Ann Marie in the Presbytery office at office@pbty.com or (813) 868-4800.
Need an excused absence? Minister members and session commissioners who cannot attend the Presbytery meeting should request an excused absence by filling out the same online form as early as possible—but no later than the day before the meeting, please!

NOTE: if your browser or IT policy blocks your attempts to click on any of the links above, try copying (not clicking) this full version of the link and the pasting it into your browser: https://forms.gle/2VogdLxo9w4h3Xs29

We plan to publish the meeting docket in a separate email on Thursday, August 22nd.

Blessings,

Bill

Rev. William A. Wildhack III

Acting Stated Clerk

s t a t ed cl e rk@pb t y . com

(813) 868-4800, opt. 2

BALTIMORE!!!

The 224th General Assembly is in Baltimore next summer. Application Deadline to serve as a commissioner or Young Adult Advisory Delegate from our presbytery is September 19!

In search of . . .

Commissioners and a Young Adult Advisory Delegate for the 224th General Assembly (2020) in Baltimore

The Presbytery's Nominating and Representation Committee (NRC) needs your help in preparing a slate of commissioners for election at our November 2019 Stated Meeting.

GA224 is now less than a year away, so it's almost past time to think about nominating someone -- or yourself -- to serve as a commissioner or Young Adult Advisory Delegate.

The deadline for applying is September 19, 2019 -- but don't wait to the last minute to decide to apply!

Links to the NRC's GA224 Commissioner/YAAD Nomination Procedure and Application are right here :

(NOTE: BOTH THE INSTRUCTIONS AND THE FORM ARE IN BOTH VERSIONS OF THE FILE; YOU DO NOT NEED TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER FORM ANYWHERE ELSE.)

And, in case you still need one . . .

Book of Order 2019-2021 is now available!

Amendments approved by a majority of the presbyteries took effect on June 23, 2019, one year after the 223rd General Assembly adjourned last summer and are published in the new Book of Order. A few highlights:

G-2.0401 in the Form of Government clarifies the minimum size and makeup of a congregational nominating committee.
W-4.0202 in the Directory for Worship reinforces welcoming children to the Lord's Supper and the need for ongoing instruction for them about its meaning and mystery.
D-2.0203b. in the Rules of Discipline has new language clarifying the definition of sexual abuse as "contrary to the Scriptures or Constitution of the [PCUSA], and therefore an offense for purposes of these rules."

Click here or on the image of the book to download a PDF copy of the new Book of Order or click here to order a paperback copy in English (regular, Braille, or large print), Korean, Indonesian, or Spanish.

You can save $1 per book by partnering with a neighboring congregation or two (or three) for a bulk order of 10-24, and save $1.50 each if you can get together to order 25-49.

Remember, there's always a lot of content on the Presbytery of Tampa Bay website, with info about all the presbytery commissions and committees, resources for clerks of session, news and announcements, and more. Click the button below to start exploring!

Visit the Presbytery of Tampa Bay's Website