2008 Annual Reports

Moderators

We are pleased the Council has chosen to publish this first (hopefully annual) report and we look forward to reading the accomplishments and challenges facing the Presbytery of Cincinnati.  It has been our joy and privilege to serve as moderators of the presbytery this past year.

With mission priorities to guide us, 2008 was a year of continuing transformation and transition.  In the continuing process of transformation the presbytery and council:

• Endorsed seven networks – Pastors Urban Ministry, Katrina Relief, Young Adult Volunteers, Heifer Azerbaijan Project, Congregational Health Ministries, SIFT (Seeking in Faithfulness Together), Interim/Transitional Ministers and Presbyterian Campus Ministry

• Established the Vital Church Mission Team

• Endorsed four congregational mission partnerships – Eastern Area Council, Children of Ludlow After School Program, “I Am Who I Am” program for middle school age girls, and the Presbytery of K’anhab’al Partnership

Other notable actions of the Presbytery in 2008 included:

• Commissioning 39 people from 10 churches who participated in the spring mission trip for Katrina hurricane relief

• Establishing the Northwest Community Church through merger of Salem and White Oak

• Dissolving of the relationship with Associate Presbytery Executive, Yvette Dalton, and thanking her for her many years of faithful service

• Selling of the Delhi Church building for $60,000

• Establishing the electronic newsletter “CinNews”

It was also a year of transition. 

• Three individuals were approved as Candidates for Ministry

• Eight interim pastoral relationships were established and five pastoral relationships were dissolved

• Nine new calls were approved

• Two members of the presbytery were honorably retired

• Four clergy had a change in status and two were dismissed to other presbyteries

• Four individuals were ordained to ministry (always a joy for a moderator!)

We thank the Mt. Washington, Carmel, Knox, and Madeira-Silverwood Churches for hosting stated meetings of the Presbytery and the many congregations who hosted cluster gathers.  We also thank the Presbytery Planning Mission Team for their efforts in coordinating those gatherings as well as providing for our worship at presbytery gatherings. 

Nancy Schmidt, Moderator, January 2008 – August 2008
Tom York, Moderator, September 2008 – August 2009

Stated Clerk

SO MANY STATS...The parable of the Sower must be a statistician’s nightmare.  It lacks the detail that “bean counters” crave.  How many seeds? What type of seeds? What species of birds, type of rock, or variety of thorns prevented some from growing?  What was the ph factor of the good soil?

At the risk of losing our view of the big picture, we often get caught up in such detail. And yet a few details do help our understanding. With this tension in mind, here is a quick look at the Presbytery of Cincinnati statistics for 2008.

Congregations.  At the beginning of 2008, the presbytery was made up of 85 congregations located in Indiana’s Dearborn County; Kentucky’s Boone, Campbell, Kenton and Grant counties; and Ohio’s Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Highland and Warren counties. In October, Salem and White Oak merged to form Northwest Community, resulting in 84 congregations still located in these counties but no longer using the Salem facilities.  2008 also saw one name change:  “Sharonville Presbyterian Church” became “Church By The Woods (PCUSA).”

Ministers.  Throughout the year, ministers moved in and out of the presbytery.  Nine arrived from, and six departed to, other presbyteries.  We allowed one minister of another presbytery to labor within our bounds and two of ours to labor outside them.  We received a Baptist minister as a Presbyterian.  One minister asked to be released from the exercise of office. We ordained three.  Three retired.  We gave thanks for the life and ministry of the Rev. J.V.C. “Bing” Summerell, who died in 2008.  At the end of year, the minister rolls included:

• 61 serving with congregations (including four honorably retired)

• 5 serving in other service to the church

• 10 serving in validated ministries beyond the jurisdiction of the church (including one honorably retired)

• 61 honorably retired (including four serving in churches, one in another validated ministry)

• 10 members at-large of the presbytery

• 2 inactive

Commissioned Lay Pastors.  There were also changes among elders serving as CLPs.  One was newly commissioned to serve a congregation, and one ended service in a validated ministry. At year’s end, there were 14 CLPs: 13 serving with congregations, one in a validated ministry.

Inquirers and Candidates.  The numbers of those preparing to become ministers shifted.  We enrolled one new inquirer; three inquirers became candidates; three candidates were ordained. At year’s end, there were five inquirers and five candidates under care of the presbytery.

Certified Christian Educators.  There were no changes (3 employed, 2 retired).

Sessions.  Each year sessions are required to submit reports on about 50 variables (e.g., membership gains and losses by types, Christian education enrollment, and racial ethnic composition).  Click here for a  snapshot compilation of these.  Ten-year trend reports on 36 of the variables are available from General Assembly: www.pcusa.org/research/help1.htm. 

Elder Janis Alling Adams
Stated Clerk

Treasurer and
Coordinator of Administration and Finance

The financial report of the Presbytery is a reality check in the midst of our prayers, hopes and aspirations to follow Jesus’ teachings. 

The year 2008 started with a balanced budget of $1,071,773.  By year end, receipts totaled $1,095,337, while expenses for the year were $1,092,672.  Thus, the year ended with a budget surplus of $2,665. 

Per capita income had a shortfall of 6%. Based on our membership (16,999 Presbyterians), we expected to receive $432,115.  Instead, we received $406,437. After distributing $53,207 to Synod and $98,424 to General Assembly, the Presbytery retained $259,545 of this income for its own operating needs.

Basic mission giving is our second major income source—this giving comes directly from the support of congregations like yours.  For the year, mission pledges were down 9% from what we had budgeted; however, we also received $74,000 in additional gifts directed to missions, which brought the Presbytery’s mission income to $340,317.  From the mission giving total, we distributed $18,340 to Synod and $97,123 to General Assembly. The Presbytery retained $266,317 for the mission work of the Presbytery.  Thus, as a Presbytery, we continue to witness to Jesus Christ and promote our connectionalism with each other through united mission giving, even while our congregations continue to fund their own mission priorities.

The third major source of income is from Presbytery investments.  Several funds are monitored by the Investment Oversight Committee, a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees.  In 2008, income from these investments declined $59,149 over 2007, primarily due to a decrease of $471,728 in the market value of these funds.  Thus, the general economic downturn of the U.S. markets had a negative effect on the Presbytery’s operating budget.

We also have three restricted funds that have been bequeathed to the Presbytery.  In 2008, income from these funds decreased by $1,147 from 2007; the market value of the funds decreased by $214,841.

The Associate General Presbyter position was closed effective December 31, 2008.  The Presbytery voted to give Rev. Yvette Dalton a 15-month separation package totaling $106,641 over a 15-month period through March 2010.  This includes Board of Pensions contributions.. 

The Presbytery completed the sale of property that was formerly used by The First Presbyterian Church of Delhi for $60,000.

Your Presbytery Financial Team is committed to a conservative and secure financial path into the future that will serve Christ’s Church.

Everett Landen, Treasurer
Sandra Phillips, Coordinator of Administration & Finance