Here's a quick rundown of what is going on in our Presbytery before we meet again tomorrow. If you have any questions, or if you would like the full fifty pages or so of documents, please feel free to contact me!
Leadership Transition: Rev. Cal MacLeod retired from Trinity Presbyterian Church at the end of December 2024. He served the congregation for many years and was much appreciated.... The Presbytery is working to appoint an interim moderator to help Trinity move forward.
New Church Amalgamation: Congratulations are in order for the newly amalgamated Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church.
Focus on the Future: The Presbytery is looking at how to best support its congregations, particularly around property and how to use it to serve their communities.
Land and Property: There is a major initiative looking at how church properties can be used to address community needs, especially affordable housing. Many congregations are considering changes to their properties.
Support is Available: The denomination is developing programs to provide financial and practical support for congregations exploring property development. This includes grants and loans for visioning, legal costs, grant writing, coaching, and feasibility studies.
Trinity Presbyterian Church is a Key Example: Trinity is working with More Than a Roof, a housing developer, to create a multi-story building with affordable housing and space for the church and the community. They run a large food program, “Don’t Go Hungry”, and see the need for housing in their community. They are seeking funding from the Vancity Community Foundation to make this project happen.
Support for Ministry: The Presbytery is considering allowing trained ruling elders to serve as interim moderators to address a shortage of ministers. The Presbytery is also reviewing guidelines for the review of ministry to help strengthen relationships between ministers and congregations. And lastly, the Presbytery is also offering workshops on healthy boundaries and safety policies.
Grants and Funding: There are various grants available from the Presbyterian Church in Canada, including: Regional Resourcing Grants (RRG) for regional programs and Rural and Remote Ministry Grants for students and leaders.
General Assembly Commissioners: The Presbytery has selected its commissioners for the 2025 General Assembly, including Rev. Dr. Pat Dutcher-Walls.
New Moderator-Elect: Rev. Rebecca Simpson is nominated as moderator-elect of the Presbytery for June 2025-June 2026.
Bank Account Change: The Presbytery is changing its bank to BMO to better facilitate e-transfers.
Presbyter for Mission and Vision (PMV): The Presbytery is evaluating the PMV position held by Rev. Dr. Dale Woods to assess its value and effectiveness.
Metro Vancouver Alliance: The Presbytery is invited to join a coalition advocating for more affordable housing.
Looking Ahead
There will be a workshop on Feb. 15 with Pat Dutcher-Walls and a workshop on Adaptive Leadership for clergy on Feb. 25. The Presbytery will be discussing necessary changes to leadership, structures, and resources at the March 2025 meeting.