“For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”  (Jeremiah 29:11)

We go into this interim process with the faith that God is leading us. Our calling is to do our best to listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in seeking the answers to questions of staff configuration and new ministry opportunities.

As you know, I have been called here to lead a discernment process on the ministry needs of the presbytery and recommend a staffing configuration that would meet those needs. I have been asked to give special attention to smaller churches - because we have so many smaller churches in our presbytery.

When the Presbytery Council met in February we asked the Council to name people in the Presbytery who were especially known to be Change Agents and Sustaining Agents. These are the people recognized by Council as being key to any changes which take place in your Presbytery and these are people who help maintain a loving equilibrium in the life of the Presbytery of West Virginia.

Council authorized Cinda Harkless (Presbytery Moderator), Jim Rowe (Council Moderator) and myself, to choose members which would constitute the membership of the Jeremiah 29:11 Group. We looked over approximately 90 names. As we were making choices, we sought out people who would represent the different quadrants; they would have a sensitivity to small churches and larger churches; they would bring specific gifts, a sense of history; we even choose a few people - not named by Council - so we could hear the perspective of Presbyterians outside the traditional power structures of the Presbytery.

There are some people you might have expected to be on this list. One reason they are not on the 29:11 Group is probably because they are already serving the Presbytery. They could not give any additional time.

Below are the members of the Jeremiah 29:11 Group in alphabetical order. The lay people are in italics. I have listed the Quadrant membership by color. I have noted the church they relate to by membership and/or service.

As we move ahead in our study of the Presbytery, we will offer many listening sessions. If you would like a chance to speak to the 29:11 Group, by all means, please contact me.   

            

John Arbuckle, Jr. - Edgewood, Lewisburg (Quad 3)
Stephen Baldwin, Ronceverte (Quad 3)
Susan Sharp Campbell, Frankford (Quad 3)
Ginger Carrano, Beechwood, Parkersburg (Quad 1)
Mike Ducheneau, Bates Memorial, Huntington (Quad 4)
Joanne Glaser, Beverly (Quad 2)
Cinda Harkless, Beverly Hills, Huntington (Quad 1)
Agnes Doyle-Kalland, Alexander Memorial, Stoney Bottom (Quad 2)
George Lilley - First Church, Morgantown (Quad 2)
Rob Laukoter, Church of the Covenant, Hurricane (Quad 1)
Kathryn McCrary - Village Chapel, Charleston (Quad 4)
Stephen Melton, Interim Executive Presbyter
Curtis Moore, First Church, Whitesville (Quad 4)
Steve Ritter, Hughes River, Cairo (Quad 1)
Jim Roberts, First Church, Charleston (Quad 4)
Barbara Romfo, First Church, Hinton (Quad 3)
Jim Rowe, Old Stone, Lewisburg (Quad 3)
Sharon Rowe, Old Stone, Lewisburg (Quad 3)
Nancy Tissue, Fayetteville (Quad 3)
Todd Wright, Village Chapel, Charleston (Quad 4)
Tina Vial, Davis Memorial, Elkins (Quad 2)

Our first meeting was June 27, 4:00 p.m. at the Village Chapel Church in Charleston. Our first step was to get to know one another. Our initial goal is a report to Council on August 7.

These are a wonderful group of people. I pray you will thank them for the time they are about to devote to the presbytery. We will likely meet twice a month for the next year. My goal is to have a report to share with the presbytery, outlining our recommendations, by June, 2011.

If you have any insights, I would welcome them.

Together in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Stephen Melton
Interim Executive Presbyter
exec@wvpresbytery.org