27th General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church Members named to administrative commissions that will oversee transitional presbyteries in EPC By Craig M. Kibler Staff Writer The Layman Online Monday, June 25, 2007 HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. – A total of 18 people have been named to two administrative commissions that will oversee the process for churches and pastors seeking transitional membership in either established geographic Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbyteries or a New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. Nearly 1,000 commissioners to the 27th General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church approved the creation of the transitional presbyteries during the June 20-23 General Assembly at Cherry Hills Community Church. For the joint New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church administrative commission, the members are: From the EPC: teaching elder Bill Meyer – chairman (Florida); ruling elder Zelda Artz (East); ruling elder Chris Danusiar (Mid-America); teaching elder Marty Martin (West); and ruling elder Ed Wedin (Central South). From the New Wineskins Association of Churches: the Rev. Dr. Gerrit Dawson, senior minister of First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, La.; the Rev. Dr. Dean Weaver, senior minister of Memorial Park Presbyterian Church in McCandless, Pa.; Renee Guth, an elder from Tucson, Ariz., and the executive coordinator of the New Wineskins Association of Churches; the Rev. Dr. Randy Jenkins, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Ala.; and the Rev. Carmen Fowler, associate pastor of Providence Presbyterian Church in Hilton Head Island, S.C. For the transitional commission in established EPC presbyteries, the members are: Ruling elder John Adamson – chairman (Central South); teaching elder Jerry Brundle (Midwest); ruling elder John Graham (Southeast); teaching elder Woody Johnson (Florida); teaching elder John Mabray (Mid-Atlantic); ruling elder Cecil Matthews (West); ruling elder Carolyn Nystrom (Mid-America); and ruling elder Alan Smith (East). The plan for a transitional, non-geographic presbytery opens the door for the presbyteries to "immediately receive" churches into either category. The New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbytery, according to the New Wineskins Association, includes the following four points: It will be self-governing under the New Wineskins Constitution. It shall have authority, for example, to ordain, install, receive and dismiss pastors. New Wineskins pastors and staff shall be eligible to participate immediately in the EPC's pension and medical plans. Each New Wineskins church will own its own property and will elect and ordain elders and deacons from the members of its own congregations. The presbytery shall have the authority to plant churches. In addition, the joint administrative commission will work "collaboratively on the strategy and actions that will establish an evangelical, missional stream of Reformed Presbyterianism. We believe this will become the new thing the Father has ordained, and we have been led by the Spirit to pursue," the New Wineskins Association stated. The two administrative commission are set up as follows: "COMMISSION ONE: 'The transitional commission' for churches and pastors desiring transitional membership in established geographic Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbyteries. "The transitional commission will consist of eight members, one from each of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church's presbyteries (five ruling elders, three teaching elders), to oversee the transitional membership of churches entering the Evangelical Presbyterian Church during the five-year period between the 27th and the 32nd Assembly. Powers of the Transitional Commission "1. Organize a non-geographic transitional presbytery when and if the commission deems it necessary, serve as the temporary governing body of the transitional presbytery, and fulfill those presbytery duties and responsibilities in G.16-14 through 16-19 [Book of Order] as necessary. "2. Receive churches and pastors into transitional membership as members in the transitional presbytery or assist them in becoming transitional members in established Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbyteries, whichever seems best, in consultation with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbytery and the applicant church/pastor. This will be done in accordance with the conditions in 'The Structure for Receiving Churches and Pastors Transitionally.' "3. The commission will serve from the end of the 27th General Assembly until the beginning of the 32nd General Assembly, unless a subsequent general assembly changes the duration. Membership of the Commission "The Committee on Administration will present a slate of names to the Assembly for election. Individuals will be recruited who are willing to commit five years to the task and are willing and able to travel and make phone contacts with churches in transitional membership. If any members resign prior to the end of the five-year period, the moderator will nominate replacements, which will be approved by the Committee on Administration. Duties of the Commission "1. Respond to all churches and pastors applying for transitional membership in established Evangelical Presbyterian Church geographical presbyteries. "2. Coordinate with the applying church/pastor and the appropriate presbytery to determine whether they will join an existing presbytery as a transitional member or the transitional presbytery. "3. Assist the Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbytery, when asked, to assess the readiness of transitional members to be examined and received by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church presbytery. "4. Prepare an annual budget for the operation of the transitional presbytery and present it to the Committee on Administration for inclusion in the administrative budget. "5. Monitor the progress of pastoral and professional staff entering the Evangelical Presbyterian Church's benefits programs. "6. Meet annually, or as needed, with presbytery clerks to facilitate the process of receiving applying churches and pastors. "7. Maintain accurate rolls of the transitional presbytery with the assistance of the Office of the General Assembly. "8. Report annually to the general assembly, semi-annually to the Committee on Administration, and make appropriate recommendations. "COMMISSION TWO: 'The New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church commission' for churches and pastors desiring membership in the transitional New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. "The New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Commission, a joint commission appointed with the leadership of the New Wineskins Association of Churches, will consist of five members from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church appointed by the General Assembly (three ruling elders, two teaching elders) and five members appointed by the leadership of the New Wineskins Association of Churches to seek the full integration of both bodies by the 32nd General Assembly. The Powers of the Joint Commission are to: "1. Constitute and oversee the organization and operation of the New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery, according to 'The Structure for Receiving Churches and Pastors Transitionally,' and serve as its liaison and reporting body to the General Assembly. "2. Receive churches and pastors into the New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery according to the provisions in the 'Structure for Receiving Churches and Pastors Transitionally.' Membership of the Joint Commission "The Committee on Administration will present a slate of names to the Assembly for election, including the chairman, who will be a member of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Individuals will be recruited who are willing to commit five years to the task and are willing and able to work on polity issues and revisions to the Book of Order. If any members resign prior to the end of the five-year period, the Committee on Administration will recommend replacements to the Assembly. Ex-officio, non-voting members of the commission may include the stated clerk, the moderator and the Committee on Administration chairman. Duties of the Commission "1. Meet regularly with the New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery leadership. "2. Attend all the meetings of the New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. "3. Maintain an accurate roll of all churches and pastors in the New Wineskins Association of Churches-Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery. "4. Encourage Evangelical Presbyterian Church congregations and New Wineskins churches to fellowship and share in missional accountability and activities. "5. Report annually to the General Assembly and twice a year to the Committee on Administration." Craig M. Kibler is the Director of Publications for the Presbyterian Lay Committee and Executive Editor of The Layman and The Layman Online. He can be reached at cmkibler@layman.org.

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