Renewed and Strengthened for the Work of the Church

“Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted,
but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength…”
Isaiah 40:30-31a

The Presbytery of Philadelphia gathered at Oxford Presbyterian Church on January 31st with a spirit of hope and possibility to engage in the work of the church.  As our preacher for the day, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Lee Walton, President of Princeton Theological Seminary reminded us in his sermon, we may at times feel worn out, but God is continually strengthening us for the work of ministry.  Elders, pastors, and guests found this to be an uplifting gathering that not only attended to the business at hand, but engaged in joyful fellowship, worship, conversation, and collegiality.  Surely the presence of the Lord was in this place as we were encouraged for our common calling to be the church in the world.

Prior to the start of the meeting, our Bills and Overtures Committee, led by Rev. Alex Evangelista, hosted our pre-presbytery conversation, reviewing the proposed amendments to the Book of Order, coming from this past summer’s General Assembly to the presbyteries for ratification.

After lunch and fellowship provided by the hospitality of the Oxford congregation, our meeting began with lively worship including the installation of Elder Zandra Maffett as our moderator, Elder Jim Ballengee as our vice-moderator, and Rev. Kevin Porter as our stated clerk.  Dr. Walton’s encouraging sermon, “A Worn Out Witness” impassioned worshippers to be strong in engaging in the work of the church.  After celebrating the sacrament of communion, Rev. Dr. Ethelyn Taylor, pastor of our host church, led the praiseful singing of “Guide My Feet” while musicians Rev. Peter Ahn and Rev. Timothy Wotring accompanied.

Upon the conclusion of worship, we transitioned into the business of the church, with Moderator Zandra Maffett leading our time together.  Highlights of the meeting include: the ratification of amendments to the Book of Order as presented on a consent agenda, with several items being removed to be discussed at our April meeting (along with several other amendments that were not on the consent agenda); a presentation from the Committee on Representation from Elder Megan D. Acedo, whose work continues to expand and widen our reach for being inclusive and diverse as a Presbytery; and the Leadership Collegium report which gave special attention to our partnering with a city-wide effort to reduce gun violence called “The 57 Block Initiative.”

During the meeting we shared our gratitude for the mission and ministry of two congregations that had recently held their final worship services.  Tully Memorial Presbyterian Church was honored by pastor Rev. Komlan Ezunkpe and Elder Paula Dixon.  Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kensington was honored by former pastor Rev. Tom Wray.  We engaged in a litany of gratitude for the saints of these congregations, and the way the Holy Spirit encouraged them in faithful ministry during their tenures.

Our meeting concluded with the encouraging words of our Executive Presbyter, Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace, who shared the text of Romans 12, urging us not to be conformed to the ways of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  The Leadership team joined her in sharing highlights of the past year, as highlighted in our 2022 Ministry Narrative, while looking forward to another year of engaging in meaningful ministry in our congregations and communities.

Our time together ended with a celebration of the work done together as a presbytery – for every person who served on a committee or commission, served on their session or board of deacons, attended an equipping event, or participated in a presbytery meeting.  We honored the work and spirit of the entire presbytery as confetti sailed above our heads, their mix of color complementing the colors in the stained glass in the chancel.  May we indeed be strengthened for the work of the church!

Our Video Recap

Click for our Photo Album

Remembering the Saints