Welcome to the Presbytery of New Harmony
Office Hours
Monday - Thursday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
(If you want to see someone in particular, you will want to call ahead to see if that person is available)
Telephone 843-662-8411
Street and Mailing address
2352 Presbyterian Road
Florence, South Carolina 29501
Electronic mail
Email general requests here.
Email webmaster requests here.
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Happening in New Harmony Presbytery
(All meetings by ZOOM, unless otherwise noted.)
Moderator's Conference 2020, Nov. 19.
Cheraw Lunch, Nov. 19, 12 pm.
Florence Lunch, Nov. 25, 12 pm.
New Harmony Presbytery's Office Hours
Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 5 pm.
Presbytery Staff is working from home. You may contact them through the Presbytery phones and choosing the extension of the person you are trying to reach or by email.
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Digest of November 14, 2020 99th Stated Meeting
of New Harmony Presbytery By ZOOM
The Presbytery of New Harmony held its 99th Stated Meeting by ZOOM. Moderator Linda Jackson called the meeting to order and opened it with prayer. A quorum was declared and the docket adopted. Special Rules of Order for electronic meetings were reviewed and adopted, and any Standing Rules which contradicted them were suspended. First-time Ruling Elders and Corresponding Members were welcomed. Corresponding Members were seated. Rev. Erika Rembert Smith led the Presbytery in worship.
Presbytery took the following actions:
- Received a report from the Stated Clerk, including approving the recommendation for Commissioner Balance by allotting two ruling elder commissioners from First Presbyterian Church, Myrtle Beach (same as 2020).
- Received "A Testimonial of Faith and Witness of Old Bethel Presbyterian Church" presented by Rev. Dr. Franklin D. Colclough.
- Received a report from the Guiding Council, including approving Amending the Manual of Operations by revising the Standing Rules to allow for electronic meetings (final reading); adding a Standing Rule concerning “conflict of interest” (final reading); removing the restriction of $150,000 “permanently restricted portion” of the Invested Fund for Camp Pee Dee; removing Outdoor Ministries from the Presbytery design (first reading); receiving on first reading the Proposed 2021 Operating Budget (The second reading and action on the budget will take place at the February 20, 2021 Stated Meeting.); and electing Rev. Annette Brewer, Rev. Jim Clark, and Carrie Hampton to serve on Committee on Representation and Nominations.
- Received a report from the Committee on Ministry, including approval of a rule to allow Temporary Membership in Presbytery for non PCUSA ministers approved by COM for validated ministry or pastoral covenant with a congregation, upon examination and their affirmation to the order and discipline of the PCUSA; approval of Rev. Jennifer Kottler [Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)] who is serving as Stated Supply of John Calvin Presbyterian Church as a Temporary Member of New Harmony Presbytery for the duration of her service to John Calvin Presbyterian Church; approval (by more than 75%, as required) Rev. Ashley Cheek as the next installed Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Hartsville, effective December 1, 2020; introduced Rev. Pete Brzezinski as a new minister at large; and approved increasing the minimum terms of call for full-time installed pastors by 1%.
- Received the report of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, including a review of inquirers and candidates currently under the care of presbytery.
- Received reports from Administrative Commissions for Camp Pee Dee, Friendfield, John Calvin, New Harvest, and Old Bethel and approving dissolving Old Bethel Presbyterian Church Administrative Commission when transfers have taken place.
- Heard verbal reports from representatives from Board of Pensions, Presbyterian Mission Agency, and Synod of South Atlantic.
Following announcements and thanks, the meeting was adjourned with prayer.
[To share with others in your congregation, download the file.] |
Testimonial of Faith and Witness of Old Bethel Presbyterian Church
by Rev. Dr. Franklin D. Colclough
At the 99th Stated Meeting of the Presbytery of New Harmony, the Rev. Dr. Franklin D. Colclough presented a "Testimonial of Faith and Witness of Old Bethel Presbyterian Church." This testimonial may be viewed and downloaded. |
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Monthly Lunches to Resume
Instead of having weekly ZOOMs, we are going to transition back to our monthly cluster lunch gatherings, except we are going to do so, for the remainder of the year, by ZOOM. As a reminder, the schedule is as follows:
Grand Strand Ministers' Lunch by ZOOM: 2nd Thursday, 12 noon
Sumter Ministers' Lunch by ZOOM: 3rd Monday, 12:30pm (This is a change from 2nd Monday in order to not conflict with the monthly CPM meeting.)
Cheraw Ministers' Lunch by ZOOM: 3rd Thursday, 12 noon
Florence Ministers' Lunch by ZOOM: 4th Wednesday, 12 noon
As usual, Juanita will send you a reminder and the link, which is also below, a week prior. However, please mark your calendars.
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Helpful Resources for In-Person
Worship & Activities
Download these helpful resources on COVID-19 for in-person worship and activities. Please review and/or forward them on to appropriate leaders in your congregation/s.
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PC(USA) Guidance on Sacraments
During Pandemic
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Guiding Council Continues to Recommend Not Resuming In-Person Activities
Your Guiding Council met Thursday, June 27. With the rising cases of the Coronavirus, they continue to strongly advise that in-person worship and activities NOT resume at this time. They know that resuming in-person worship and activities is a decision of the Session and not the presbytery or its council; they affirm this in our Presbyterian polity and Constitution. They also know that there are Sessions that have either resumed in-person worship and/or activities or have decided to do so in the near future, utilizing the Guidelines recently distributed; they would, of course, urge err on the side of more, rather than less, precautions and safeguards. Please let them know if there are ways that they can be of assistance and support
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Guidelines for Reopening In-Person Worship
Moderators and Clerks,
Attached are the Guidelines for reopening in-person worship and activities, which are slightly revised from the draft you recently received. These Guidelines were unanimously adopted by your Guiding Council to assist and support your Session in its plans for reopening.
We are aware that some Sessions have set a date for reopening or are planning or conducting outdoor worship, using the draft Guidelines sent to pastoral leaders a couple of weeks ago, to make preparations. Many other Sessions are not rushing to reopen but continuing to provide worship and activities through means other than in-person and inside. The Guiding Council reaffirms, once again, that it is the Session that determines when and how a congregation reopens to in-person, inside worship and activities. However, the Guiding Council continues to advise and encourage this not yet happen.
We have just past the surge in cases and deaths for this area, but with the reopening of many businesses, there is a concern on the part of medical and health experts that cases and deaths could easily spike. Additionally, we are aware that many of our members are in vulnerable categories. Thus, the Guiding Council encourages that each Session take this time to develop a strategic plan for your congregation and context for the time it does reopen to in-person, inside worship and activities. The attached Guidelines are to assist and support those Session plans in a way that ensures the safest way to do so at the time determined by the Session.
Please reach out to me or Julie should you need any assistance and support. We are grateful for your leadership and continue to pray for you and your congregation.
God bless. Gavin
Rev. Gavin D. Meek
Transitional Executive Presbyter/Stated Clerk
New Harmony Presbytery
Gavin@NewHarmonyPres.org
Office 843.662.8411
Cell 646.546.0522
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Questions Churches Should Answer
Before People Return
Ken Braddy, Director of Sunday School for Lifeway Christian Rewources, outlines 24 questions churches should answer before congregations return to "normal" worship. Click on this link to learn the questions.
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Weekly Coronvirus Update from PCUSA
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