Welcome to Infinity and Beyond
Moderator John Yu welcomed folx* To Infinity and Beyond! This theme was woven throughout the Assembly, as folx dressed in costumes portraying time and space from popular culture and explored together the infinite possibilities of God for the people of God here and now.
Land Acknowledgement | Stephen Poos-Benson
Steve Poos-Benson, the Pastor of Columbine United Church led us in a Land Acknowledgement he crafted for this region of Colorado.
Welcome to Special Guests
The October Assembly Welcomed Special Guests from the greater church. Candice Sweet, the Stated Clerk of the Synod of the Rocky Mountains and Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Utah, was seated as Stated Clerk of this Assembly. gretchen Sausville, our Stated Clerk, joined us on zoom as she recovers from Covid-19. DeEtte Decker, Melody Smith and Emily Odom, who are our friends and Colleagues from PC(USA) in Louisville and are a part of the Locally Situated Action Team (LSAT) were with us in person. Shavon Starling-Louis, our Co-Moderator of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) and preacher of the evening was welcomed by standing ovation.
Omnibus Motion | John Yu
The Omnibus passed and the 2024 Assembly dates were approved. 2024 Denver Presbytery Assembly Dates
Tuesday January 23, 2024 - Hybrid, Green Mountain Presbyterian Church
Tuesday April 23, 2024 - In-Person, Location TBD
Tuesday June 11, 2024 - Zoom
Saturday August 17, 2024 - In- Person, Location TBD
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 - Zoom
The Assembly responded with the song God of Wonders.
Lead Presbyter Report | Dee Cooper
Our Star Fleet Captain, Dee Cooper, gave a Captain’s Log report based on a Star Trek format. Our Star Fleet Captain shared that we were bringing the faithful vessel Denprez into the mothership- with thanksgiving and appreciation for she had served us, protected us, supported us in our old explorations and that she was stretched beyond her capacity to fulfill the next mission we were being called upon to embark.
We needed time and imagination to continue crafting and creating our new generative exploratory starship. We spent the needed time developing the new system with innovation, creativity, and love for our next adventure by giving thanks to our pioneers who journeyed before us, replenishing our crews in the spirit of collaboration and innovation, and exploring the depth of God’s love.
We have welcomed the support of others, and celebrated the new ways we are co-creating and truth-telling with each other.
“To live long and prosper” involves creating systems where all prosper by reaching out in love and building connection, in order to boldly learn and reflect the love of our Creator God. There is utmost urgency to continue our journey with each other toward the vastness of God’s vision for our communities.
Agency Review Task Force | Visionary Leadership Commission | Rob Habiger
Rob Habiger, or Robbie One Kanobi as he was at Assembly, gave a brief report from his time as Visionary Leadership Commission Moderator. He summarized the work of the last year and also the work still before the Assembly as the new structure continues to take shape and be implemented. He spoke to the committees still to be populated and the opportunities to serve.
Sermon and Greetings | The Rev. Shavon Starling-Louis, Co-Moderator of the General Assembly of PCUSA
It was a special joy to welcome Shavon Starling-Louis to the Presbytery and the pulpit. She even came in a costume that referenced her sermon. She led us in a Prayer for Illumination, Scripture lessons Psalm 136:1-9 and Matthew 2:1-11, and preached an interactive sermon entitled Among The Stars, which included references to the Wise Ones who followed the star after Jesus birth, Star Wars, Star Trek, Toy Story, and the possibilities for the church in this time.
Ministry Relations Committee | Sheri Fry and Sandy Safford
Sheri Fry and Sandy Safford, the Moderator and Vice-Moderator of the Ministry Relations Committee (MRC), presented a report about the Denver Presbytery’s minimum effective salary increase. The Ministry Relations Committee recommended that the minimum effective salary for 2024 be increased to $60,000. approximately 5.7% from the 2023 minimum. (Effective salary moves from $56,770 to $60,000. An increase of approximately $3200.) The Assembly approved this increase.
A video explaining the rationale for this year’s minimum effective salary is linked here, and the full Minimum Effective Salary page for 2024 from the Presbytery website, click here.
Sheri and Sandy also spoke about the MRC teams that are still looking for people to serve on them.
Servant Leadership Development Committee (Committee on Representation) | Nancy Dixon
The Servant leadership Committee brought forth 3 motions with individuals willing and called to serve in various capacities. Servant Leadership development Committee Moderator Nancy Dixon shared that there were many prayerful conversations to bring about these motions. All the motions passed.
Congratulations to Katie Robb Davis (class of 2025) was elected to serve on the Ministry Preparation Committee as Moderator.
Congratulations to Sheri Fry (class of 2025) and Don Shrumm (Class of 2026) who were elected to remain in their current roles on the Ministry Relations Core Team.
Sheri as Moderator, and Don as Leader for the Transitions team.
Congratulations to Stephen Scott (Class of 2026) and Russ Kane (Class of 2026) who were elected to the Visionary Leadership Commission (VLC). Stephen currently serves on the VLC, and Russ has been elected as the Moderator of the VLC.
Zimbabwe Delegation Report| Zimbabwe Delegation 2023
Rob Habiger, Dee Cooper, Celeste Habiger, Kim Graber, and Josphat Ombacho were present at the Assembly Meeting to share about the June 2024 Zimbabwe Partnership Delegation Trip. Rob gave a brief summary of the trip, and Dee presented the glass teardrop from the Presbytery of Zimbabwe to the Presbytery of Denver. One of the highlights for the delegation was to be in attendance at the installation of Rev. Lydia Neshangwe as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. A video montage of the delegation's trip was presented and can be viewed here.
Time of Engagement | John Yu
Moderator John Yu invited the Assembly to ponder the infinite, boundless, and eternal presence and possibility of God. John invited us to think about two and three-dimensional objects, and then to consider infinite-dimensional objects as God is not bound by dimensions. This infinite God becomes known when we go beyond ourselves in relationship with one another. The Assembly was invited to gather in groups in person and in break out rooms online to explore the following questions. 1. What new thing(s) have you learned about infinite and eternal God, God's Kingdom, and us in relation to our God? 2. How can we help one another go "beyond" in our relationship with God?
Presentation of 2024 Budget | Chuck Sparks and Sue Pilcher
For those Star Wars fans, Princess Leia and Chewbacca presented the 2024 Budget for the Presbytery. They helped Chuck and Sue considerably, or is Princess Leia really Sue Pilcher and Chewy really Chuck Sparks. You decide! Karen Yarberry, the Moderator of the Personnel Committee joined the Assembly via zoom to present personnel recommendations for the year.
The Assembly voted to accept the 2024 Presbytery Budget which included the Terms of Call for the 3 ordained Ministers of Word and Sacrament on the Presbytery Staff. Please watch the introduction to the budget presentation from Assembly here, and if you would like to revisit a detailed budget presentation by Chuck Sparks recorded prior to assembly, it can be found here.
Locally Situated Action Team (LSAT) from the Presbyterian Mission Agency| DeEtte Decker, Melody Smith and Emily Odom
Last winter, the Presbyterian Mission agency reached out to our Visionary Leadership Commission and invited Denver Presbytery to be part of a pilot program called the Locally Situated Action Team. They wanted to explore extending their ministry to local presbyteries, offering focused, specialized support for specific areas. Denver Presbytery leadership and the Presbyterian Mission Agency leadership landed with three distinct areas which we have agreed to partner in. 1) Personnel development 2) Equipping support for our new structures 3) Communications.
John Yu and Beth Carlisle introduced the Locally Situated Action Team (LSAT) which graced us with their presence from the “Mother Ship” in Louisville. DeEtte Decker is the Director of Communications for the Presbyterian Mission Agency, Melody Smith is the Associate Director for Digital and Marketing Communications and Emily Odom is the Associate Director for Mission Communications. The LSAT team celebrated the work of Denver Presbytery over the last 6 months.
Adjournment, Communion, and Benediction
The Assembly Meeting was adjourned with the Sacrament of Communion. Stephen Poos-Bensen and Jill VanderWal, the pastors of Columbine United Church, led the assembly in an open and inclusive liturgy.
Shavon Starling-Louis blessed us on our way with a Benediction.
Acknowledgements
The October Assembly was an innovative, creative, generative, and visionary Assembly meeting. In order to bring the theme “To Infinity and Beyond” to fruition, many folks gave their time and talents from videos, scripts, reports, costumes, and technological expertise. Hybrid meetings require multiple technological components in order for folks on-site and online to actively participate as one body. Many thanks to the staff, many volunteers , and the folks at Columbine United Church for hosting the Assembly in their space.
*folx is inclusive language for including everyone and is used throughout