Meeting Re-cap

The Presbytery of Philadelphia gathered at Oxford Presbyterian Church on July 27, 2024, for our stated meeting with the opening charge to “Live into Hope!” building on the theme from this year’s 226^th General Assembly (GA) in Salt Lake City.

The meeting was kicked off with a pre-presbytery forum with the Presbytery’s delegation to the 226^th GA of the PC(USA) responding to questions about the experience and next steps for the Presbytery.  Moving into worship we were encouraged by the Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace’s sermon to live into our sacred calling– recalling that we have each been anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to care for those outside of our doors – “preaching good news to the poor, embodying the teachings of Jesus in his claim in Luke 4. Following this message, we were invited to receive an anointing with oil signifying this call on our lives.

After worship, we were led in the business of the meeting by Elder Jim Ballengee, the moderator of Presbytery, who in his report spoke about how hopeful he’s been as he has witnessed the churches of the Presbytery leaning in to meet the food insecurity needs of their neighbors.  We received updated guidance from the Commission on Ministry on how to reconcile the Board or Pensions changes with next year’s Recommended Terms of Call.

The body also heard from the 226^th GA delegation as commissioners, the Rev. Diane Fitch, the Rev. Peter Ahn, Elder Sharon Parker, and the Rev. Timothy Wotring along with Young Adult Advisory Delegate Carolyn Purdy shared how their experiences at GA impacted their faith, expanded their view of the PC(USA)’s mission and gave them hope for the church’s future.

The Rev. Ruth Faith Santana-Grace, our Executive Presbyter, having completed her 2-year term as Co-Moderator of the 225^th General Assembly, shared her reflections on the “State of the Church.”  She capped her spirit-filled report with a call to “Live into Hope” by being the church of Jesus Christ as faithfully as we can in the communities around us.

That spirit was incarnated in the presentation of the Covenant Fund Grant Awards to the ministries of Beacon, Carmel, Memorial Fox Chase, Oxford, Swarthmore, and Valley Forge churches.  These congregations are leaning into their call “to be the church” through initiatives and programs focused on literacy & technology, tackling food insecurity, sharing the arts, and welcoming refugees.

The meeting was adjourned with the invitation to enjoy one another over a time of food and fellowship on the Oxford lawn with a cookout and all the fixings.