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Minutes of the April 2006 Stated Meeting (with Appendix)
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SYNOD OF THE SUN
Stated Meeting – April 27-29, 2006
Highland Park Presbyterian Church – Dallas, Texas

 The Synod of Sun convened in Stated Meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2006, at the Highland Park Presbyterian Church, Dallas, Texas.  Moderator Alan Ford called the meeting to order and offered the opening prayer. 

Stated Clerk Elizabeth Johnson Pense advised the moderator that a sufficient number of commissioners were registered to constitute a quorum (see G-12.0202, Bylaws 2.8, and Appendix A).  Moderator Ford declared a quorum. 

The agenda previously distributed guided the meeting (Appendix B). 

Official greetings from Grace Presbytery, in whose bounds the Synod was meeting, were brought by Commissioner Fred Ryle (who serves Grace Presbytery as its Stated Clerk). 

First time commissioners were invited to stand.  Executives of eight of the presbyteries of the Synod were introduced as well as representatives of institutions with which the Synod has a relationship, moderators of the four ethnic councils in the Synod, two represent-tatives from the Sinodo del Noroeste in Mexico with which the Synod has a relationship, and Synod staff (see Appendix A).  Minister members of presbyteries were welcomed as corresponding members (see Appendix A) 

Synod Executive Judy Fletcher gave a partial report.  She reported that the Synod has anticipated $800,000 from the presbyteries in 2006.  But now the anticipated income is $738,000.  All divisions will be considering the implications of this information. 

Fletcher also announced the beginning of a time of discernment during which the Synod will evaluate our priorities.  It has been five years since the three current priorities (higher education, multicultural ministries, and resourcing presbyteries) were adopted. 

She also announced a “Next Steps” meeting on August 16-18, 2006, for five people from each presbytery to consider implications and follow-up after the June General Assembly, and the Synod-wide “Jubilee ‘07” event for the second week of June, 2007. 

Stan Woodward, a Board member from Austin College, Sherman, Texas, spoke about the ministry of the college.  It was moved, seconded, and passed that the new covenant between the college and the Synod be approved.  Moderator Ford signed for the Synod.  Woodward signed for the college. (Appendix C) 

Ed Knight, Executive Director of the Presbyterian Children’s Homes and Services, spoke of the ministry of this agency. It was moved, seconded, and passed that the new covenant between the agency and the Synod be approved.  Moderator Ford signed for the Synod.  Knight signed for the agency.  (Appendix D) 

Woody Meredith, Director of Church Relations of Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, spoke of the ministry of this agency.  It was moved and seconded that the new covenant between the agency and the Synod be approved.  It was moved, seconded, and passed that the covenant be amended on page three by the substitution of the sentence at IV, A, 4 with the following two sentences:  “Evergreen is committed to providing spiritual enrichment to clients and staff.  Evergreen will work with local church, providing opportunities for them to be involved in the spiritual life of Evergreen clients.”  Then the motion as amended was approved (full text of the final version in Appendix  E). 

Lemuel Garcia offered prayer. 

Then the Synod moved to the Sanctuary for worship.  The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Johnson Pense preached on “the Tether,” based on Genesis 1:1-8, Exodus 16:1-5, 13-18, and John 15:12-17.  The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was included in worship.  Dr. Pense presided assisted by commissioners.  (worship bulletin is in Appendix F)  Following the benediction, the Synod was in recess. 

On Friday morning the commissioners met for morning prayer offered by Sara Jean Jackson and for some initial discussion about discerning the “next right answers” for the Synod’s work and ministry. 

During the remainder of the morning, the Synod met in divisions. 

At noon, Tim Davenport-Herbst offered prayer and Stan McAnelly brought official greeting on behalf of the host church, Highland Park Presbyterian. 

Divisions continued their work during the afternoon. 

At dinner time, Robert Street offered prayer.  Following dinner, the commissioners, corresponding members, and guests were organized into small groups.  Jack Haberer spoke on the work of the General Assembly Task Force on Peace, Unity, and Purity.  Small group discussion followed and was organized around these four questions:

1.      What in this paper energizes you?  What are the strengths of this paper?

2.      Where do you need clarification or further explanation for understanding?

3.      Where do you have concerns?

4.      If this paper were voted in the affirmative at the General Assembly, what impact do you think it will have in our churches?  How do you feel about this?

Each small group turned in two questions which provided the basis for a question/answer time.  At the conclusion of the discussion Moderator Ford offered a benediction and the governing body was in recess. 

The Synod reconvened on Saturday morning with morning prayers led by Susie Wiggins. 

The Higher Education Division report was offered by Robert Street.  He introduced Kyle Walker and Guinn Blckwell-Eagleson who presented information about the “Micah Mission,” a new initiative for campus ministries based on Micah 6:8.  Additional information will be presented to the Synod in October 2006 and April 2007. 

The division moved the following motion and it was approved:       

The full text of the Division’s minutes is in Appendix G. 

The Resourcing Presbyteries Division report was given by Tim Davenport-Herbst.  He announced the awarding of $67,000 Mission Initiative Grants to 13 projects.  $125,000 is being allocated for 22 on-going and future projects in new church development.  The full text of the Division’s minutes is in Appendix H. 

The Communications Division report was given by Meg Garver.  The full text is in Appendix I. 

The Operations Division report was given by Sara Jean Jackson.  The division moved that the 2005 audit be approved and it was passed.  The full text of the Division’s minutes are in Appendix J. 

The Multi-Cultural Division report was given by Robin Gantz and Charles Hunter.  The division moved the approval of the resolution regarding issues on the Texas/Mexico border and the appointment of an Ad Hoc committee to work on implementation.  It was moved, seconded, and passed that the motion be amended to authorize the Executive Committee to appoint persons to represent the Synod of the Sun on the Ad Hoc committee.  Then the main motion as amended was approved.  (see Appendix K) 

Ramon Garcia Sanchez, the Stated Clerk of the Sinodo de Noroeste, and Rodolfo Navarrete, the Treasurer of the Sinodo do Noroeste, were introduced again.  Sanchez spoke words of welcome and present a gift to the Synod which was received by Synod Executive Fletcher. 

The division moved that a task group be appointed to consider the request of Project Vida to enter into a covenant relationship with the Synod, that report coming to the fall Synod meeting.  It was moved, seconded, and passed that the fall reporting date be removed.

It was also moved, seconded, and passed that the motion be amended by the inclusion of “and develop a draft of such a covenant” so that the motion would read (after the approval of both amendments) “the Synod empower the Moderator or the Synod Executive to appoint a task force to study and examine the request of Project Vida, and develop a draft of such a covenant if the way be clear, as endorsed by the Presbytery of Tres Rios, to enter into covenant relationship with Synod of the Sun.”  The main motion as amended was then approved.

The division moved and it was approved that Executive Committee be asked to develop a set or criteria for the establishment of covenant relationship between the Synod and organizations within the Synod. 

The division moved that the Synod approve a statement endorsing the extension of “extraordinary remedies” in the Voting Rights Acts.  It was moved, seconded, and passed, that the motion be amended by the addition of “and direct the Stated Clerk of the Synod of the Sun to contact appropriate government officials concerning this action.”  Then the main motion as amended was approved. 

The division moved that the Synod approve a resolution urging Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary be urged to increase racial/ethnic diversity. (full text in Appendix K)  It was moved, seconded, and passed that the following motion become a substitute for the whole:          

Then the new main motion was approved. 

The division moved and it was approved that the Synod concur with overture #127 from the Presbytery of New York City. 

The full text of the Division’s minutes is in Appendix K. 

Pat Hunter offered prayer. 

The Executive Committee report was given by Christianne Chase.  Chase announced mid-term elections made by the Executive Committee with the clarification that it is the Synod of the Sun Foundation Board to which Mr. McCrary was elected and that he is from Palo Duro Presbytery.  Chase also announced that commissioners Sara Jean Jackson and Meg Garver had been elected to review and approve the plenary minutes and that a Task Force had been appointed to begin planning a synod-wide gathering the second week of June 2007 to be known as Jubilee ’07. 

Then the Executive Committee moved and it was approved that the election of Directors for the Board of Dwight, Inc. be returned to the three presbyteries within the state of Oklahoma.

The full text of this report is in Appendix L. 

Marion Calvert presented the report of the Synod’s Nominating Committee.  She presented the names of 19 people for election to various entities.  Moderator Ford asked for nominations from the floor.  There were none.  The names presented by the committee were elected.   (see Appendix M) 

Mary Carter, moderator of the Personnel Committee gave a verbal report and thanked the synod staff for their hard work. 

Meg Garver offered prayer. 

Synod Executive Judy Fletcher made general remarks on life in the Synod and the good spirit of this meeting.  She announced the date of Wednesday, October 4, 2006, for the budget inter-face meeting. 

Stated Clerk Elizabeth Johnson Pense presented her report (Appendix  N). It was moved, seconded, and passed that the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper be celebrated at Synod events. 

It was moved, seconded, and passed that the proposed Alternate Method of Determining Competency approved by Tres Rios Presbytery be approved by the Synod.  (Appendix O).  

It was moved, seconded, and passed that the review of presbytery minutes be approved (Appendix P). 

Pense highlighted Committee on Representation training for the Synod and presbytery CORs and nominating committees that will be held May 19-20, 2006.  She also announced the availability of copies of the papers on women clergy and women elders in the Synod of the Sun. 

Moderator Alan Ford gave brief comments about the beginning of his term as moderator and challenged the Synod to have dreams and visions for what work God will be doing in our future. 

It was moved, seconded, and passed that the Synod adjourn to meet in an adjourned meeting on Friday, October 27, 2006.  Christianne Chase offered the closing prayer. 

These minutes were reviewed and approved by commissioners Sara Jean Jackson and Meg Garver on May 24, 2006, having been elected by the Executive Committee on March 9, 2006, for this work. 

Elizabeth Johnson Pense
Stated Clerk

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