Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church Thursday, September 27, 2001

Joppa, Maryland 1 P.M.

PRE-PRESBYTERY EVENTS

noon Registration and Reading of White Books

1:00 Call to Order, Prayer Outgoing Moderator Peg Ferguson

1:05 Worship

Installation of Officers

Retirement of Rev. Charles Gyle

2:10 Global Mission Committee Stephanie Spangler-Trobaugh

Mission Interpreter, Rev. Sidney Byrd

2:30 Report of the Stated Clerk pp 2-5 Charles Forbes

2:45 Committee on Ministry pp 5,6, 13 Tom Speers

2:55 Board of Pensions Patricia Turner

3:00 * Committee on Ministry of Aging: Recognition of Outstanding Older Adults Janet Williams

pp 7,8 Terry Martin-Minnich

3:10 Council pp 6,7 Peg Ferguson

3:20 Committee on Stewardship and Mission Interpretation pp 10, 17 Joan Berry

3:25 BIG EVENT Committee Harry Holfelder

3:30 Report of the Stated Clerk, continued

Proposed Amendment 01-A pp 11,12

4:40 Committee on Preparation for Ministry pp 8, 14-16 Mildred Kreider

4:55 Guatemala Partnership Bob Ferguson

5:00 Peace and Justice Committee pp 8-10 Bill Turner

5:10 Committee on Church Growth and Evangelism Terry Schoener

5:25 Nominating Committee p 10 Jim Kirk

5:30 New Business

5:35 Adjourn

* Order of the Day

The Consent Motion consists of actions not considered to be controversial, nor likely to require explanation or discussion. They will be voted on as one motion made by the Stated Clerk. Members and Commissioners may request the removal of any item from the Consent Motion by contacting the Stated Clerk prior to the meeting or so requesting when the Motion is made. Removed items will be considered at the report time of the agency presenting the motion.

From the Stated Clerk:

1. THAT the Rev. Sidney Byrd, Honorably Retired member of Dakota Presbytery, be seated as a Corresponding Member.

2. THAT the minutes of the 792nd Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of Baltimore, June 21, 2001, be approved as appended to this White Book.

3. THAT the Administrative Commission appointed by the Committee on Preparation for Ministry to ordain Candidate Debra Renee Avery--consisting of Ministers Peg Ferguson, Chair, John Ailstock, and Robert Ferguson; Elders Jan Trammell-Savin (First & Franklin Street), Scott Hesse (Hagerstown), and Audrey Jewett (Catonsville); and Corresponding Members Revs. Elizabeth Brishcar (Shenandoah Presbytery), Bruce Baillie (Northern Iowa Presbytery), Ed Heim (ELCA) and Sue Hedahl (ELCA) and Elders Jean Harr (Hagerstown) and Patty Runkels (Shenandoah Presbytery)--be dismissed in that Rev. Avery answered the constitutional questions in the affirmative and was duly ordained by the commission on June 23, 2001.

4. THAT the Administrative Commission appointed by the Committee on Preparation for Ministry to ordain Candidate Heather Gordon Koontz--consisting of Ministers Terry Schoener, Allison Rizk, and George Toole, and Elders William Starke (Good Shepherd), Chair, Mark Clayton (Woods Memorial), and Betty McGinnis (First of Annapolis)--be dismissed in that Rev. Koontz answered the constitutional questions in the affirmative and was duly ordained by the commission on August 12, 2001, during the regular service of worship at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church.

5. THAT the Presbytery affirm the Stated Clerk's invitation, which was inadvertently omitted from the March Consent Docket in the White Book, to the following churches to redress the imbalance of elders and ministers by sending an additional elder to Presbytery through May, 2002: Barrelville, Bethel, Brown Park, Brown Woodbrook, Catonsville, Central, Chestnut Grove, Christ Memorial, Roland Park, Second, Southminster, Springfield, St. John United, St. Andrew, and Taneytown.

6. THAT the minutes of Northminster Presbyterian Church be approved without exceptions.

From the Committee on Ministry:

7. THAT, Presbytery concur in the request of the Hamilton Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Charles J. Gyle, that the pastoral relationship be dissolved, and that Mr. Gyle be honorably retired effective October 22, 2001.

8. THAT, upon receipt of a request from National Capital Presbytery, the Rev. Ted Durr be transferred to that Presbytery so that he may moderate the Session of the Colesville Presbyterian Church, where he is serving as Interim Pastor.

From the Peace and Justice Committee:

9. THAT a Flex Grant in the amount of $400 be approved for the Maryland Center for Community Development for their "Housing Maryland" campaign.

From the Nominating Committee:

10. THAT the Presbytery suspend Manual VIII, 2, which requires members of Standing Committees to be members of the Presbytery, to permit the Rev. Ted Durr to complete his term as a member of the Mission Committee and to continue as its Chair. Rev. Durr has accepted an appointment as an Interim Pastor in National Capital Presbytery, which will require him to transfer to that Presbytery, though he will remain resident in this Presbytery and wishes to remain active.

11. REPORTS

A. Necrology

Elder Marie Lovett Fraser, ordained December 23, 1979 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, died on August 22, 2001.

B. Resignations

Carolyn Donkervoet, from the Trustees

Jonathan Oglesbee, from the Committee on Mission

C. Communications

The Session of Dickey Memorial Presbyterian Church has delivered to the Stated Clerk a copy of a Session Resolution described as an affirmation of hospitality (adopted October 16, 2000) which concludes: "Resolved, that the Dickey Memorial Presbyterian Church affirms the inclusion of all persons in the full life of the church regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, marital status, condition of disability, as proclaimed in our Constitution, and regardless of sexual orientation, even as this is denied by our Constitution." The full resolution may be read at the Stated Clerk's desk.

The Session of St. Andrew Presbyterian Church has delivered to the Stated Clerk a copy of a Session Resolution which is consistent with the present call for confessing churches and which calls on the Presbytery not to ordain, install, or employ in any ministry position any person not willing to affirm this confession. The full resolution may be read at the Stated Clerk's desk.

D. The Office of the General Assembly reports that the General Assembly took the following actions on Baltimore Presbytery's overtures:

01-5 On Deleting the Prohibition of GA Demonstrations. DISAPPROVED.

01-17 On Extending the 2003 GA Overture Deadline. DISAPPROVED.

01-18 On Including GA Overture Deadlines in the Program Calendar. APPROVED.

01-19 Calling for a new Authoritative Interpretation, and 00-13 (Concurrence) On Striking G-6.0106b from the Constitution. Responded to by sending Amendment 01-A to the Presbyteries.

01-49 On Affirming the Great Ends of the Church as the Definitive Statement of the Priorities for the PC(USA). DISAPPROVED with comment: "The 213th GA expresses appreciation to our GA Council for their attempts to refocus the priorities of our Mission Budget in response to the decisions of recent GAs, and that the 213th GA expresses pastoral concern for staff who have experienced pain in this process yet have faithfully carried out these directives. We reaffirm this reprioritization process and direct the GAC, in the 2003 budgeting process, to continue it. And we encourage the GAC in its review of all of the mission programs for which it is responsible to be sensitive to the ways that each program contributes to the holistic mission of the church, as described in the 'Great Ends of the Church'."

01-50 On Ethical Guidelines for Fetal Tissue and Stem Cell Research. APPROVED (with amendment which did alter the intent of the overture).

01-64 (Concurrence) On Supporting the Global Nonviolent Peace Force. Responded with a resolution supporting the substance of the overture.

E. The Stated Clerk reports to the Presbytery that a "written statement of an alleged offense," (D-10.0101) has been received. D-10.0103 provides: "Upon receipt of a written statement of an alleged offense, the ... stated clerk of presbytery, without undertaking further inquiry, shall then report to the governing body only that an offense has been alleged without naming the accused or the nature of the alleged offense, and refer the statement immediately to an investigating committee."

12. THAT, upon the recommendation of the Council, the following special rules apply to the debate on Amendment 01-A:

That speeches be limited to 3 minutes. [Pro and Con will alternate.]

That the total time for debate be limited to 1 hour.

[The Stated Clerk has been advised that an amendment will be proposed that will add: That the vote by taken by ballot.]

13. THAT the Docket be approved as printed with changes noted by the Moderator or Stated Clerk.

[The Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County has advised the Stated Clerk of its request to delay the vote on Amendment 01-A, stating "This Session is uncomfortable with this early vote, preferring to have more time to inform both ourselves and our congregation on this issue." The Stated Clerk has advised their Clerk of Session, and now so advises the Presbytery, that the docketing of the vote on Amendment 01-A had been decided by the Presbytery in June; that a motion to delay the vote until a later meeting would be in order at this time and would require a majority vote; but that if a motion to delay the vote follows the adoption of today's docket, a 2/3 vote would be required.]

14. THAT the Consent Motion be adopted.

15. THAT the Presbytery establish an Investigating Committee to which the Stated Clerk shall refer the statement of alleged offense which has been received and reported at this meeting, and that the Moderator appoint said committee, subject to the concurrence of the Presbytery at its next meeting.

16. VOTE: The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly has sent to the Presbyteries proposed Amendments to the Book of Order. In June, the Presbytery voted to docket the vote on Amendment 01-A for today's meeting. Because of the early docketing of the vote, and because this Amendment is an affirmative response to an Overture from this Presbytery, the Council did not refer this Amendment to a committee for its recommendation, nor did the Council make any recommendation. The text of the Amendment and background information supplied by the Stated Clerk of the General Assembly is found on pages 11 and 12.

17. REPORTS:

A. That, acting on behalf of the Presbytery, the Committee approved the call of the First Presbyterian Church of Howard County to the Rev. Richard H. Jones to be their pastor, effective September 1, 2001, and requested his transfer from Greater Atlanta Presbytery, with the following terms of call (Factor 875):

B. That, acting on behalf of the Presbytery, the Committee approved the call of the First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis to Candidate S. LeAnn Hodges to be their Associate Pastor, effective upon ordination, and requested her ordination by and transfer from Transylvania Presbytery, with the following terms of call (Factor: 610):

C. That, acting on behalf of the Presbytery, the Committee approved the call of the Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church to the Rev. Vicki Kennedy to be their Associate Pastor, part-time--20 hours per week, effective August 20, 2001, with the following terms of call (Factor: 520):

D. Brief biographies of our new pastors are appended to this White Book (page 13).

E. COM reports that it appointed the following moderators of Session:

Barrelville: Morton Harris

Barton and Lonaconing: Sue Lowcock Harris

Frostburg: Margee Adams Iddings

Lakeland: Cherry Marshall

Light Street: Alison Halsey

Northminster: Walt Peters

18. THAT, Presbytery approve a cost of living increase of 2.9% in the compensation factoring system. [This increase is mandatory for calls at the minimum level.]

19. THAT, Presbytery approve a change in the minimum for continuing education/book allowance in pastoral calls from $600 to $800 in 2002 and from $800 to $1,000 in 2003.

20. REPORTS

A. That Council renominate David Hodge and Jim McCree to Synod Council--both have agreed to serve. [Synod has requested that, if Presbytery agrees, current members be renominated to provide continuity during this time of Synod change.]

B. That Council concur in appointment of Elder Wayne Ruddock to the Executive Committee by the Chair of Council, Rev. Peg Ferguson.

C. A GA CONSULTATION involving GA leadership and the presbyteries of New Castle and Baltimore is scheduled for October 18, 2001.

21. REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL.

The Executive Committee met by telephone survey on August 16, 2001 and approved a guarantee of a GA/PILP construction loan to Mt. Paran Presbyterian Church in the amount of $25,000 for work on their existing buildiing. Voting Yes were Peg Ferguson, Charles Forbes, Fred Spigler, and Jaki Westmoreland.

22. NOMINATES:

Nominating Committee:

Class of 2002

Ledonia Kimball (E, F, R/E) Trinity

Class of 2004

Roy Knight (E, R/E) Knox

David Pollitt (C)

Roger Gench (C)

Howard Griner (E, R/E) Grace

Paulette Bowman (E, F, R/E) Cherry Hill

Personnel Committee

Class of 2004

Robert N. Ferguson (C)

Fred Spigler (E) Havenwood

Worship Committee

Class of 2004

Daris Bultena (C)

Fritz Longabaugh (C)

Vacancy

23. THAT the 2002 Budget be adopted as presented in the handouts on the registration table. The Budget is unchanged from first reading with the following exception: GA per capita has been set at $ 0.25 less than expected so that the total per capita will be:

Presbytery $ 17.95

Synod 2.55

General Assembly 5.25

Total $ 25.75

and the percentage of Trustee funds to be used in 2002 will equal 4.69% of the 3-year average of the corpus, not the 4.42% incorrectly shown at first reading.

24. THAT the Staff Design be adopted as presented for first reading in June. Copies will be available from the Presbytery office and on the registration table.

25. NOMINATES the following persons to be the Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee [Nominations were recommended by a selection subcommittee consisting of Jerry Cooper, Ted Durr, William Starke, Stephany Spangler-Trobaugh, Sid Venabel, Jaki Westmoreland, and Phyllis Ross, Chair]:

26. REPORTS that the following persons were nominated as Outstanding Older Adults in the Presbytery of Baltimore and for recognition as the Outstanding Older Adult in the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic: Anna Rose Baseman Anderson (Granite), Glenn Baer (First, Westminster), Harrison (Steck) Brink (Christ Memorial), Elizabeth "Bette" Ceanfaglione (Brown Memorial Woodbrook), Daniel Fleming (Hancock), Richard King (Second), Eugene "Mac" McCauley, Sr. (St. Andrew), Eunice Shanks (Perry Hall), William Turner (Churchville). Bette Ceanfaglione was selected as Baltimore Presbytery nominee to the Synod. Biographies of these nine individuals are summarized in a handout on the registration table.

27. REPORTS that the Committee on Ministry along with this Committee is exploring the role, training, and certification of commissioned lay pastors in this Presbytery. Pending completion of this study, the Committee has tentatively received Elder Joan Berry of Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church as an inquirer into commissioned lay ministry.

28. THAT Janet Bradley of Christ Memorial Presbyterian Church and Lise Worthington of Govans Presbyterian Church be enrolled as Inquirers into the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

29. THAT Scott Calkins of the First Presbyterian Church of Bel Air be examined on his sense of call, and if the examination is sustained, that he be enrolled as a Candidate for the ministry of Word and Sacrament.

30. THAT Nam G. Min, Candidate in the Presbytery of Tropical Florida, be examined for ordination, and if the examination is sustained, that it be reported to the Presbytery of Tropical Florida which has requested that he be ordained by Baltimore Presbytery on their behalf, if the way be clear; that the Committee on Ministry be authorized to establish an ordination commission to ordain Mr. Min; and that upon ordination his transfer from Tropical Florida Presbytery be received so that he may accept the call of Bethel Presbyterian Church to be their Associate Pastor. [Note that this action replaces a slightly different procedure adopted at the June meeting--the changes being made at the request of Tropical Florida Presbytery.] Nam Min's Statement of Faith is printed on pages 14,15.

31. REPORTS that brief biographies of the above inquirers and candidates are appended to this White Book (page 16).

32. THAT the Presbytery adopt the following resolution entitled "Responding to Terror," and direct the Stated Clerk to communicate "Responding to Terror" to President George W. Bush, Vice President Richard B. Cheney, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, Secretary of Defense, Donald H. Rumsfeld; and the Maryland congressional delegation. [The Session of Maryland Presbytery Church voted to concur with this recommendation from the Peace and Justice Committee.]

Let us pray:

Creator God, we come humbly before you, elders and ministers of your Word and Sacrament, sitting as the Presbytery of Baltimore of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) representing 73 congregations in central and western Maryland, seeking your comfort and guidance as we respond to the recent tragic events in New York, Washington, D.C., and near Somerset, Pennsylvania.

Eternal God who created all that is, we know there can be no justification for the terrible acts wrought upon innocent people on September 11, 2001. Our hearts and the hearts of all caring people go out to the victims, the families and friends of the victims, and to all those injured in less visible ways, whose lives were wrenched out of comfortable complacency and set on a more difficult path.

We thank you, most merciful God, for the rescue workers and volunteers who toiled tirelessly for days and indeed are still at work in the hope that some may still be found alive in the wreckage of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and in what was the World Trade Center complex in New York City.

God of all, strengthen people of faith, no matter what name they use to call upon you, no matter what language they use to express devotion to you, their God. Oh God, know that we seek the redemption and well-being of all people, and pray, even for those who harm the common good, that they might come to a fuller understanding of your will and turn away from ways that kill and maim to become true followers of God.

Holy God of all your peoples, we also pray for Arab Americans and Muslims everywhere that they may be protected by your great mercy from abuse and persecution directed at them because of the physical appearance or their faith.

Amen.

Let us reflect:

As Christians we turn to the Bible and may be guided and comforted by Paul's understanding of Jesus' teaching on the response to evil as found in Romans 12:17-21:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NRSV)

While nothing can excuse unconscionable acts of terrorism, people of good will everywhere must, at this terrible time, come together and seek understanding of those who commit horrible crimes against humanity out of frustration and great personal pain. We must seek to understand the root of the pain which compels them to act and seek ways to redress their grievances, since only when they feel that they have been heard and that their pain has been acknowledged, will they be able to turn away from terror as a means of dramatizing their plight.

Military force cannot address the root causes of terrorism, but can only suppress terrorism, in a place, for a time. Using deadly force almost always means that innocent people, women and children, the elderly and infirm, will die in numbers much greater than any terrorists who may be killed. People of faith must renounce indiscriminate military force against terrorists and the nations which harbor them. Using military force that results in the death of innocent people who may live in nations where terrorists seek haven, is behavior no less reprehensible than that of the terrorists who destroyed innocent lives on September 11.

Let us act:

The Presbytery of Baltimore meeting this 27th day of September, 2001, calls upon the leaders of this nation to show wisdom, patience and restraint, and to carefully comply with international law and humanitarian principles while pursuing the effort to bring to justice perpetrators of the terrorists acts of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

We encourage all people to seek ways to respond to terrorism. One response, which may be helpful, would be to examine the interfaith statement sponsored by the National Council of Churches of Christ, and if conscience so dictates, add one's name to the list found at their web site: www.ncccusa.org.

We ask all people to prayerfully study the causes of terrorism and to work with God's people of faith, and all other people of good will, to find ways to deal with the root causes of terrorism so that future generations may live secure in the knowledge that there will be no bomb in the night or flaming crash bringing death to innocents.

33. REPORTS that it has nominated Loren Western, (L,M) Govans, to fill a vacancy in the class of 2003 on the Board of Trustees. Under the Board's bylaws, the Board has the authority to fill vacancy.

34. NOMINATES:

Committee on Education and Congregational Nurture

David Hodge (E,M) Churchville, Class of 2004

Committee on Stewardship and Mission Interpretation

Kathy Martin (E,F,R/E) Grace, Class of 2004

35. REPORTS a summary of all contributions (per capita and mission giving) from all churches on page 17.

LeAnn is a "second career minister;" before she felt the call to ministry and began her seminary studies, she was a manufacturing engineer for ten years. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering are from the University of Kentucky and she has worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Texas Instruments, and the University of Kentucky College of Engineering. She is a recent graduate of Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky and was ordained by the Presbytery of Transylvania. For the past three years, she has been the seminary intern for Campus Ministry and Educational Ministry at the Maxwell Street Presbyterian Church in Lexington. LeAnn has been married to Ray Hodges for seven years. Ray taught high school physics while LeAnn was in seminary and has begun to pursue a doctorate in physics education at the University of Maryland.

Richard comes to Howard County from Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Lilburn, Georgia where he was the Pastor. Since his ordination in 1976, he also has served as a Chaplain at Bethany College in Bethany, WV, the Pastor of Montour Presbyterian Church in Oakdale, PA, as well as an exchange pastor in Newbury, Berkshire, England. Dr. Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and sociology from Kent State University in Kent, OH; a Master of Divinity degree in New Testament studies from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA; and a Doctor of Ministry degree in leadership development from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, PA. He recently participated in mission trips to the Congo and India. The trip to the Congo involved preaching and delivering medical supplies to remote villages along the San Kuru River. The trip to India involved visiting mission sites and learning about strategies for global mission. Richard's interest in the Middle East is evidenced by several trips to the Holy Land and his studies at the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem. He served as a commissioner to the General Assembly in 1997; In Greater Atlanta Presbytery he was a member of the Committee on Ministry as well as Vice-Moderator/Secretary of the Examinations Commission. Richard and his wife, Mary, have been happily married for over 29 years. They have two sons, Alexander, who is studying graphic design, and Brendan, who recently completed his sophomore year of high school.

Vicki Kennedy has been called as Associate Pastor for Ark and Dove Presbyterian Church in Odenton, MD. She is responsible to coordinate all the educational programs in the church, including the Sunday School, adult education and small groups. Vicki previously served Bethel Presbyterian Church in White Hall, MD for two years as Associate in the areas of Youth and Outreach and was previously serving a Congregational church (UCC) in Malden, Massachusetts. Vicki grew up in western Pennsylvania and attended Pittsburgh Theological and Gordon-Conwell Seminaries and is a graduate of Mt. Union College in Ohio. Along with her husband Ken and two shih tzus, Missy and Maddie, Vicki resides in Edgewater, just south of Annapolis.