Virtual Stated Meeting Minutes-in-Brief: For Such a Time as This

On May 16, 2020, our Presbytery of Philadelphia hosted our first-ever virtual stated meeting! Over 225 participated on the ZOOM platform and many others on Facebook LIVE. This on-line gathering affirmed that technology can indeed be a sacramental means of grace for the church of Jesus Christ to connect even in the midst of physical distance. We thank God for all who joined us.

As a part of the gathering we worshipped and prayed, sang and celebrated the many ways the Spirit is at work in and through us in such a time as this. We commissioned our Presbytery’s Commissioners to the 224th General Assembly, gave thanks for the witness of Macalester-Torresdale Presbyterian Church as they end their season of corporate life together, and shared stories about what we are up to as we support the ministry of our 119 churches and worshipping communities.

Even more, we launched our 2020 Covenant Fund to support creative ministries, shared of the ongoing participation by our none congregations in the Vital Congregations initiative of the PCUSA, affirmed the partnership with Princeton Theological Seminary through the Ministry and Leadership and Incubator, and even announced that we are one of the Lilly Endowment’s recipients of a $50,000 grant through their Thriving in Ministry Initiative 2020. These dollars will help us to leverage a program, Cultivating Enough through the Care of Clergy, designed to care for ministers in the areas of church (re)planting, congregations in communities of color, and small churches. Stay tuned for more information.

Check out links from our meeting:

View our Pictures of Hope Video:

Podcast of Virtual Stated Meeting on iTunes:

Podcast of Virtual Stated Meeting on SoundCloud: