Charleston Atlantic Presbytery

Winter 2020 Stated Presbytery Meeting

By Leave a Comment

The next stated meeting of Charleston Atlantic Presbytery will be held Saturday, February 22 at 9:30 am at Lowcountry Presbyterian Church. An orientation for commissioners will be held at 9:00 am. Please elect your elder commissioners and ensure your church is represented at the meeting.

It is important that all elder and minister commissioners from each church download the handbook when it is available and read it thoroughly prior to the meeting so that they can actively participate in the meeting.  All commissioners have voice and vote at the meeting and may ask questions or pull an item from the consent agenda for more discussion.  Please see the “Standing Rules” on page 2 of the handbook for more information.  You may submit a motion or amendment in writing to the Stated Clerk using the form on page 3. You are also encouraged to contact the Stated Clerk, Associate Stated Clerk, Moderator, or Committee/Ministy Team/Commission chairperson if you have questions prior to the meeting.

Presbytery Joys Video: We will share presbytery joys in video form during the meeting. If you would like for your church or event to be included, please send photos taken since our last presbytery meeting (December 10) along with a brief one-line description to dblackwelder@capresbytery.org by Wednesday, February 19.

Childcare: If you need childcare, please contact Barbara Burger by Friday, February 14.

Excused Absence: If you are a minister member of presbytery who is not able to attend, please send notice to Barbara Burger by February 14.

Fall 2019 Presbytery Meeting

By Leave a Comment

Williston Presbyterian Church hosted the Fall Charleston Atlantic Presbytery Meeting, with great hospitality and charm. The members of the congregation went all out to be sure attendees were directed to parking, registration, coffee, etc., and of course to the recently renovated sanctuary, beautifully decorated for Christmas. Of note were the advent banner and communion set that were brought from Barnwell Presbyterian Church, which has made the difficult decision to close. Many of its members have begun worshipping at Williston and some were volunteering to help make the presbytery meeting a success.

Outgoing moderator, Rev. Sam Martin, brought the message during worship using the words of baseball great Ted Williams and Bible great John the Baptist. Rev. Martin once played pro baseball and avers “there is so much theology in baseball, y’all.” His reaction to being critiqued by the baseball legend in a practice session illuminates the reaction we all may have to being confronted with John the Baptist. It can be irritating to be told to change our ways, to turn our stance around, to try something different when we are sure we already know what we are doing.

After worship, four guests brought greetings and information: Stefanie Marsden called attention to the financial services of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation, which despite its name, serves Presbyterians throughout the country. Elizabeth Little highlighted several positive changes at the PC (USA) Board of Pensions, including the abolishment of vacancy dues and the positive effects of the menu plan option recently added to the medical benefits. Stephen McDonald, Camp Director of the Bethelwoods Camp and Conference Center, gave an update on Camp activities. Joyce Lieberman, the executive Presbytery and Stated Clerk of the Synod of South Atlantic highlighted some of the services of the Synod. Of particular note is its Association of Smaller Congregations which holds an annual retreat and which administers the Mary Hemphill Fund, a designated fund to be used for structural repair, replacement, renovation, and improvement to the church building, for small congregations (100 members or less) in the state of South Carolina. Deadline for the application for a grant from the fund is December 31st. Click HERE for the application to the Hemphill Grant for small congregations.

Fall 2019 Presbytery Joys Video

The Committee on Representation presented nominees for membership on presbytery committees, commissions and teams for 2020, nominees for Moderator and Vice Moderator, nominees for Synod Commissioners, and nominees for Commissioners and a Young Adult Advisory Delegate to the 224th General Assembly of the PC(USA) to be held this summer in Baltimore. Members of an Administrative Commission for dissolving the Barnwell Presbyterian Church also were elected. GA Commissioners wil be Elder Priscilla Holztclaw, Elder Irene Whaley, Rev. Patricia Jones and Rev. Patrick Perryman. Alternates are Elder Betty Bryan and Rev. Lisa Schrott. Click HERE for a complete list of newly elected members of presbytery teams, committees and commissions.

The Commission on Ministry introduced two new pastors it recently examined and received into the presbytery: Dr. Annette brewer is the new pastor at Wallingford Presbyterian Church and Dr. William E. Robinson is the new senior pastor at First Presbyterian Church on Hilton Head.

The Commission also introduced to individuals recently commissioned a Commissioned Pastors: Henry Meeuwse will serve Bethel Presbyterian Church in Walterboro. Bo Hamilton will serve at The Village in Summerville, while continuing to serve at Summerville Presbyterian Church.

After some discussion, the budget proposed by the Stewardship of Financial Gifts of Ministry Team was passed. Two things which came out of the discussion: First, we would be in better financial shape if more churches followed the lead of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Hollywood and paid a true per capita towards the work of the presbytery and the denomination. Second, there are people in our presbytery who have knowledge and ideas in the area of finance who would be valuable members of the SOFGOMT. (The moderator of the team, Peter Jones, and the moderator of the Committee on Representation, James Deavor, are the people to contact if you are interested.)

It was with great joy that the Park Circle Commission, led by Rev. Mike Fitze, reported that the sale of the current presbytery office on Ashely River Road for $1,502,500.00 closed on November 22, 2019, after a three and a half year effort. The presbytery may remain in the building for four months past the date of closing. Presbytery offices will be moved to a portion of the education building of the former Park Circle Presbyterian Church. The balance of the education building and the sanctuary will be converted into flexible space for meetings and mission. The Park Circle Commission was authorized to spend up to $1,400,000.00 from the proceeds of the sale of the Ashely River Road Property for the renovations to the Park Circle Property.
Elder Susan Mellichamp was commissioned as the new moderator of the Presbytery. She received the gavel from outgoing moderator Sam Martin and then closed the meeting with prayer and a benediction.

Respectfully Submitted by Catherine Byrd, State Clerk

Parkside NCD

By Leave a Comment

Charleston Atlantic Presbytery’s newest New Church Development, Parkside, held its first worship service on Sunday, September 8, 2019 in the historic Saint Barnabas sanctuary in Charleston. Join them for future Sundays at 10:30 am at 45 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC. Learn more about Parkside on their website.

STEPS 2019

By Leave a Comment

Thanks to All Who Made the 2019 STEPS a Success! 

Our 12th annual STEPS event was a time of learning, worshiping, and fellowshipping together. Workshops covering a wide variety of topics were offered three time during the day. The Rev Gail Nelson inspired us with her sermon “Mountain Top Experiences” based on II Kings 2:1-10 and Mark 9:2-8.  The choirs of Harbor View and St James offered special music during our morning worship. We ended the day with an Iona Worship service under the direction of Barbara Loehr-Fox and the Rev Pat Jones officiating communion. We are so grateful to Jason Pedeaux for providing music for both of our worship services.  Many, many thanks to our host church, Mount Pleasant Presbyterian, who graciously provide their staff and campus for us. Mitch Snead, who is celebrating 20 years on staff at the church makes sure the classrooms, fellowship hall, and worship spaces are ready. Michael Hardee is the man with all of the technology answers. Julia Royall and Pamela Spivey, members of the Mount Pleasant Church, provide many volunteers to help with registration, food, giving campus directions, and whatever other tasks need to take place to make the participants welcome. And of course, last but not least, the 2019 STEPS Planning Team: Sue Mathews (co-chair), Pat Jones (co-chair), Laurey Hartwell Harrell, James Rogers, Marilyn Muckenfuss, Evelyn White, Martha Trussell, Bill Johnston, and Kim Trimboli. This event wouldn’t happen without their dedication and service. Mark your calendars for August 29, 2020! If you are interested in serving on the 2020 STEPS Planning Team, contact Pie Mikell. Planning for 2020 will begin soon! 

If you would like to view the morning worship service go HERE. 

Some of our workshop leaders have sent resources from their presentations:

Kevin Garvey – A Culture of Generosity

Kevin Garvey – Communicating and Soliciting Different Generations

Charles Frost – Worship Resources

CAP Mission Blog: Day 6

By Leave a Comment

Today’s CAP Mission Blogger is Cassie Oliver from Methodist Theological School in Ohio, representing St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Charleston:

“Today is our last day here on the island. This week has been one of the best times that I have had. We have seen life breathed back into a school that will be used now for mission team housing as well as other ministries that the church can do!

I just finished reading Dorothy Day for school and one of her general themes to live like Christ is Radical Hospitality. I have seen this displayed over and over again this last week. The welcoming congregation of Primera Iglesia Presbyterian in Aguada, with the food and the help in all the work we did. These people on the island are just so lovely and amazing people. We had a common saying that kept coming up all week, ‘it is normal’ but nothing about this week has been normal. We had 8 people representing 6 Churches throught the presbytery.

Just wanted to thank the churches in the presbytery that have prayed and supported this team and the work we have done. Now to head back to the 20° in Ohio.”

CAP Mission Blog: Day 5

By Leave a Comment

Today’s CAP Mission Blogger is Holly Horsman from Palmetto Presbyterian Church:

“Today was our last work day and the improvements are startling. Even so. with all the painting, scraping, pressure washing, sweeping, bulldozing, I wish there was another team ready to come in on Monday and push the project forward. The neighborhood has noticed that something positive is happening and we have been stopped and thanked repeatedly. This property has such potential.

After lunch we headed off to Crash Beach for a much needed break…palm trees and blue water

We have been so well taken care of by the faithful members of the Presbyterian Church of Aguada who have worked beside us, fed us, thanked us. Many have visited and/or lived in the States but choose to live in Puerto Rico happily, but maybe with less of the things I take for granted. They are people of faith.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to return to Aguada and stay on this property while working on another project?

Tomorrow we start the journey home. God is so good!”

CAP Mission Blog: Day 4

By Leave a Comment

Today’s CAP Mission Blogger is Allison Hubbard from James Island Presbyterian Church:

“As Jeff said, it was Groundhog Day. Today was more of the same – painting, scraping, and pressure washing. It is incredible to see what a difference we have made in just three days! The dirty beige walls of the school are the whitest white you’ve ever seen, where there were layers of peeling pain hanging there is… less, and the gazillion miles of railing is about halfway done. While there is still so much to do, the school already has made a huge transformation. Danielle from PDA visited and was very excited to see the progress. Catherine and Cassie went to a prayer breakfast this morning where they sang songs and prayed with locals from the congregation. The congregation thanked them numerous times for coming to help them! We also have survived our first waterless day, and we did it without whining. However, we are looking to a good night’s rest and having water in the morning!”

CAP Mission Blog: Day 3

By Leave a Comment

Today’s CAP Mission Blogger is Catherine Byrd, First (Scots) and CAP Stated Clerk:

“Yesterday we heard from “Pastor Danille” the disaster coordinator for the Presbyterio del Noroeste, and Raisa, the administrator of the Primera Iglesia Presbiteriana en Aguada where we are working. Tom reported in yesterday’s blog how the school on the church property was damaged by Maria and is no longer viable as a school in the current economic climate anyhow. Clearly there is much interest in the neighborhood about activity on the long unused site. Bobby and I were asked about it several times as we painted portions of the outside wall.

It’s a big wall! Wall part II on Wednesday.
While we painted the wall, Allison, Holly, Antonio, Cassie and Tom painted a gazillion yards of iron railing. Only another gazillion yards to go! Allison also stood on a scaffold and scraped paint off a damaged ceiling.

Our fearless leader, Jeff, ran the power washer, constantly. I suspect he is having a blast.

We have water for Jeff to blast because the church is allowing us to use their reserve tanks. On days where there is not municpal water, this means no water to flush toilets in el bano. At the end of the day today they filled up trash cans with water and placed them in the bathroom. Wednesday will be a waterless day.

Why no water? The hurricane damaged a dam which only now is under repair. More than a year and a half later recovery continues.”

CAP Mission Blog – Day 2

By Leave a Comment

Today’s CAP Mission Team blogger is Tom Thornton from Summerville Presbyterian Church:

“Monday, we went to the church outside of Aguada and started our project. A lady from the NW Puerto Rico Presbytery explained that we would be helping with repairs to the adjacent school that the church used to run. It was an elementary school that once had an enrollment of 400. About seven years ago there was an economic depression when the territory was unable to pay its bills because it was too deep in debt. This led to the emigration of many skilled people who had lost their jobs. Over several years the enrollment of the school shrank to 80, and they had to close the school. After Hurricane Maria the emigration has continued. The school building was severely damaged by the hurricane so has not been in use. They have decided to use the facility as a center for community services after repairs are made. They are remodeling several of the first flight rooms as offices for these agencies. The PDA has approved the project, this is what we are helping with. This morning we removed acoustic tiles from the ceilings of the second floor rooms and moved furniture from the first floor rooms to the second floor. This afternoon we pressure washed walkways and walls and scraped and painted metal handrails.”

Elders from the church volunteer their time to work with the CAP team

CAP Mission Blog: Day 1

By 1 Comment

The CAP Mission Team arrived safely in Puerto Rico on Saturday.  They spent Sunday meeting the pastor and members of Iglesia Presbiteriana en Levittown.

They also visited the Iglesia Presbiteriana in Old San Juan following a boat ride with a lovely view.