On July 9, Charles Van Devender, chair of the Synod’s
Presbytery Ministry Partnership Committee, convened the committee at
the Synod office in Franklin. The committee is developing this new concept
to reflect grass roots needs for ministry in the twelve presbyteries
of the Synod. “We are adapting to needs and realities as we go along,”
Synod executive David Snellgrove told the group.
The first part of the day was spent with a representative
from each state in the Synod as they reviewed applications from the
past year to determine if progress reports were satisfactory. Most projects
are approved for a three-year period and reviewed each year. All of
the current projects were approved at this meeting. The list includes
state campus ministry groups, the electronic Face to Face, and congregational
development. All projects must have at least two presbyteries working
in partnership and may have as many as twelve presbyteries.
The full committee met for orientation during the
afternoon. Reviews and requests will go to the Synod’s executive committee
and finance committee for recommendations to the Synod at the annual
meeting on September 24-25, 2001. Each presbytery ministry partnership
is assigned a member of the Synod’s committee as a liaison to the Synod.
Forms and explanations are available on the “What’s New” page of the
Synod’s website at www.synodoflivingwaters.org.
Committee members, seated, left to right: Betty
Pickell, North Alabama; Paul Burgess, Middle Tennessee; Chairperson
Charles Van Devender; Greg Elmore, Mississippi. Standing, left to right,
Martha Campbell, South Alabama; Ann Smith, Sheppards and Lapsley; Chris
Jones, Sheppards and Lapsley; Betty Meadows, Mid-Kentucky Presbytery
Executive; and Colleen Appling, Mid-Kentucky.
