John Crawford John.southminster@bellsouth.net COMMITTEE ON MINISTRY REPORT TO PRESBYTERY May 2, 2013 9 The Committee on Ministry is charged with building relationships and strengthening the connectional church. Its primary purpose is to care for the churches within the presbytery and the people who staff these churches. That includes pastors (teaching elders), commissioned ruling elders, and certified Christian educators. The Committee on Ministry is also tasked with caring for any of the above persons who are on the rolls of the presbytery who do not have a call. That includes honorably retired, at-large (persons who are not retired but who do not currently have a call), persons in other validated ministries (such as hospital chaplains, professors at Vanderbilt Divinity School, etc.) and ruling elders eligible to be commissioned to limited pastoral service. The COM s scheduled meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Nashville. Reported Actions: 1. Adopted a new Committee on Ministry Manual without Appendices (which will be adopted later). The Manual is on the Presbytery s website. 2. Unanimously approved the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between David Jones and Harpeth Presbyterian church, effective January 29, 2013. 3. Approved the terms of the dissolution of the pastoral relationship between David Jones and Harpeth Presbyterian Church (attached). 4. Appointed Rev. Bob Phelps, Pastor, East Brentwood Presbyterian Church, as the moderator of the session for Harpeth Presbyterian Church. 5. Sustained the examination of Phyllis Jones. 6. Sustained the examination of David Deppisch (a licensed Baptist minister) to serve as Temporary Supply at Post Oak Presbyterian Church. 7. Sustained the examination of Rosanna Anderson as a member-at-large of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee and that her name be added to the Pulpit Supply list. 8. Concurred with the contract for pastoral services between Will Berger and Second Presbyterian Church of Nashville for a term of one-year. 9. Approved the Interim Pastor Contract (attached) between Harpeth Presbyterian Church and Michael Wilson for a term of one-year beginning May 1, 2013. 10. Received the membership of the Associate Pastor Nominating Committee at Second Presbyterian Church: Mike Brown (co-moderator), Alay Fey (co-moderator), Samantha (Sam) Williams (clerk), Tara Lentz, Robb Nash, and Anne Williams. Motions for Presbytery: 1. Move that the examination of Phyllis Jones be sustained. 2. Move that Phyllis Jones ministry of chaplaincy at St. Thomas Hospital be validated and that she be accepted into the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. 3. Move that the examination of Rosanna Anderson be sustained. 4. Move that Rosanna Anderson be admitted to the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee as a member-at- large.
THE PRESBYTERY OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE INTERIM PASTOR CONTRACT The following contract between the Session of Harpeth Presbyterian Church and the Rev. Michael Wilson is for the purpose of providing interim pastoral services to said Church. ACCOUNTABILITY: The Rev. Michael Wilson is employed by the Session of Harpeth Church with the concurrence of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee through its Committee on Ministry to serve as interim pastor for the period of May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014. The interim pastor is a member of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. The interim pastor will serve as head of staff and will be Session moderator. The interim pastor will encourage the Pastor Nominating Committee to provide the congregation with regular reports but will refer all questions related to the Pastoral Search process to the Committee on Ministry Transition Liaison. The interim pastor will assist the Pastor Nominating Committee in the conduct of the mission study. RESPONSIBILITIES: The Interim Pastor will be responsible for providing pastoral duties as indicated below: PREACHING AND LEADING WORSHIP - Public presentation of the Gospel through: preparing sermons and leading worship; administering sacraments; officiating at weddings and funerals as requested; planning for special worship related to season to the Christian Year; and developing communication skills. TEACHING - Fulfilling calling as a teacher by: teaching the following class(s) bible classes, holding confirmation classes; conducting teacher training, providing spiritual devotions for children and youth and participating with youth in some activities including one mission trip. VISITATION - Developing bonds of caring with members through: routine calling on homes of the congregation; visiting hospital patients or members in nursing homes, etc.; pastoral care of persons and families in crisis and experiencing significant life events (birth, marriage, death, vocational changes, etc.). ADMINISTRATION - Building a more effective church organization by: helping to plan and develop the church's program of activities in order to be prepared for the coming of the next installed pastor; training leaders toward responsible leadership; resourcing church committees along with lay leaders; supervising whatever office operation the church may have. PERSONAL GROWTH - Seeking continued professional and spiritual growth: in faith through devotional use of the Bible and other reading and regular prayer and spiritual discipline; in personal maturity and pastoral skills through participation in continuing education. It is understood that the Rev. Michael Wilson has agreed not to be a candidate for the pastoral office of senior pastor of Harpeth Church and in every way will seek to prepare the way for the coming of the next installed pastor.
It is understood this agreement may be terminated by either party upon 60 days written notice. TERMS: Base Salary: $39,234.00 Housing Allowance: $10,000.00 Social Security Offset: as required or $3,766.00 Pension/Major Medical: As required by PCUSA policies Automobile Expenses: At current IRS rate per mile for business mileage. Moving Costs: none Vacation: 4 weeks (prorated annually) Study Leave: 2 weeks as described by Rev. Wilson s compensation letter (prorated annually) Other considerations: $2500 pastoral fund. Interim Pastor Clerk of Session Moderator, Committee on Ministry
Bio-Sketch, Feb. 2013 Rev. Phyllis E. Jones Throughout my life, I ve known God s presence and love. Raised in a Presbyterian home, church and service were primary in our lives. Our parents were actively involved in each of the congregations they were part of throughout our lives. Consequently church activities were also a constant part of my life. Even as a young adult, I continued as an active part of a congregation, teaching confirmation and working with jr and sr. high school students. Growing up without experiencing women as pastors, I had some uncertainty about going to seminary when I began to explore ideas of ministry at the encouragement of the pastors of the church I was a member of in San Antonio. With an undergraduate degree in teaching, it was a natural decision for me to attend the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. I graduated with a Master s Degree in Christian Education. I have served two churches in the area of Christian Education, one as Director of Youth Ministries, the other as Director of Christian Education. Through my education and ministry, what was uncertainty has been transformed into certainty about my call to the ordained ministry as Minister of the Word and Sacrament. I graduated from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in January 1998. I accepted an interim position with the Worldwide Ministries Division of the General Assembly. I worked as the Associate for Assessment and Matching. This is the office that evaluates applicants for mission service and strives to match applicants with the best position. It was an exciting opportunity to learn about the work of our denomination around the world. I was ordained here in the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee in 1999 to serve as solo pastor of Northminster in Murfreesboro. I also served as Designated Associate Pastor for Christian Education at First Presbyterian in Clarksville (2001-2005). While a member of the presbytery, I served on the Outreach and Mission Team, including going to Guatemala in 2001. In 2005, I accepted a call to Hope Presbyterian in Austin TX as Associate Pastor for Congregational Care. Serving in this position was a wonderful opportunity for me. I loved being the primary pastor who made hospital visits, nursing home and home visits. Unfortunately in 2010, at a critical and difficult time in my life, just after the deaths of both of my parents, due to the effects of economic difficulties the position which I had been called to had to be dissolved. The congregation could no longer afford three fulltime pastors. My position was the last one added. As a pastor, I had very much enjoyed preaching and participating as a leader in worship, as well as teaching all ages and especially opportunities of pastoral care. Given the convergence of events with the deaths of my parents and the closing of the position which I was serving, I was blessed to have the opportunity to step back. I had loved the work of pastoral care. I am one of those folks who loved C.P.E. and was accepted into a C.P.E. Residency program at Seton Hospital in Austin. This Residency at Seton working with patients and staff members, in addition to the intentional time to reflect on the events in the previous months was very critical in my life and ministry. For many years I have been drawn to those who are having difficulties, along with the sick and vulnerable. For now and the near future, I believe that I am being called to ministry in the role of a Chaplain. After completing my Residency, I moved back to Nashville to work as the Chaplain for a for-profit Hospice company. I left that company in January 2013. I am currently working at St. Thomas as a PRN Chaplain, with hopes of additional hours. I am also looking for additional Chaplaincy positions in the area. In addition to my family history and theological training, my faith is informed and strengthened by the disciplines of prayer, meditation and reaching out into God s world in mission. It is a blessing to all that are involved in mission, to share and receive the reconciling Word of God. I have sought opportunities to grow in my faith particularly in these areas, which has in turn enriched my ministry.
Statement of Faith, 2013 Rev. Phyllis E. Jones God is the creator of all things. Some ways that I see God is through beauty, love, healing and other people. God is also with us in pain and brokenness, even when we do not feel God s presence. One way that I experience God is through loving, caring relationships with people. All people are created in God s image; all of us are created for good. This belief deeply affects the way I interact with people, urging me to look for the good in others and myself. I believe it is God s primary intention to be in loving relationship with all of humanity. God became human in the form of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to live among the people of his time, teaching about God s incredible love for humanity and showing humanity how to live righteous lives. Jesus was fully human and fully divine. If we deny Jesus humanity, we deny God with us. If we deny Jesus divinity, we deny God with us. Jesus taught, healed, lived, and spoke the truth, encouraging people to turn toward God, away from sin. In Jesus I see what full human life lived in relation to God can look like. Jesus expressed all kinds of emotions, cared about all types of people and treated them with respect. It is through Jesus life, ministry, death and resurrection that God shows mercy to humanity, forgives our sinful nature and extends to us eternal life. Jesus models for us a life of humility, strength, service, and love toward God and others. God s Spirit continues to guide and direct our lives, if we are willing to pay attention and walk in the paths of love. I believe in God s sovereignty, but acknowledge that it is difficult to see and understand at most points in my life. I think it was Soren Kierkegaard who stated that Life can only be lived forward, but can only be understood looking back. God gives us free will and individually we make choices which may or may not be the right choices to make. We have the responsibility to correct our missteps and mistakes, even when it is extremely difficult to do so. Even in my most difficult moments and days, I can look back and see God s working to lead me to a different place and work to share God s love and grace. The Church is the gathering of the people of God, where we gather to worship, serve, teach, give, and reach out in mission together. The Church is also a gathering of seekers and sinners, so as a group we can do good and we can also do wrong. Again, as God s people we must be willing to acknowledge our mistakes and correct our paths in ways which are pleasing to God. When we gather together for worship, we often celebrate the sacrament of baptism or the sacrament of the Lord s Supper. These two sacraments are markers and reminders of the depth of God s love and mercy. In baptism we are marked with the outward sign of water and are claimed into God s family. The Lord s Supper reminds us of the depth and breadth of God s love and the sacrifice of Jesus crucifixion which forgives our sin and is victorious over ultimate death. Both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament are God s word for us. Through these words and stories, God s people have been instructed for centuries. While the world has changed throughout these centuries, the instruction to love God and love our neighbor still rings of truth. Through the stories collected in scripture, we can see examples of everyday life and both how we should and should not live. Reading and studying the Bible provides us a guide so that we can recognize what God is saying and doing in and through the church in our time. I continue to be thankful that I am a part of a denomination which continues to seek God s purpose for our lives, individually and collectively. And a tradition that seeks to continue to reform itself to come closer and closer to God s ultimate good for creation and humanity.