Home - November Presbytery Meeting Report
- Clark Cowden Installed as Executive Presbyter
Clark Cowden Profile
Rev Dr Jack Baca Commended for Superb Job
“Sky is Falling” Author Teaches, Preaches
November Meeting in Pictures
2008 Moderator, Vice Moderator Elected; To Be Installed in January
“What We Believe” Booklet Presented by Way Forward Task Force
Per-Capita Assessment to Remain Unchanged
218th General Assembly Commissioners Nominated
Committee Chairs Elected
Pat Kellenbarger Elected Chair of Chaplains Council
North County Churches Join YWAM Gleanings Project
Clark's Corner- December
Upcoming Events- Special Christmas Events
Board of Pensions Seminar, January 24-25
Leadership Development Day, February 2
Altar Cross at Village Church, Rancho Santa Fe
Clark Cowden Installed as Executive Presbyter
The Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden was installed as Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of San Diego at the November 20 meeting at Village Community Church in Rancho Santa Fe. He formerly was EP for nine years at Presbytery of San Joaquin. Clark is a prolific writer, having launched Clark’s Corner on this website. For summaries and links to samples of his writings, see the September Issue of PresbyNews.
November Presbytery Meeting Report
- Clark Cowden Profile
- (Reprinted from PresbyNews for August 2007)
The Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden has served as a solo pastor, an associate pastor, and most recently as Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of San Joaquin, a position he held for nine years. He chose to use the title Evangelist Presbyter as well, indicating a greater emphasis on mission than administration at San Joaquin. In addition, in 2006 he was elected to serve as Stated Clerk.
Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden “at the feet of Jesus.”
Clark received his undergraduate degree in 1984 from Taylor University in Upland, Indiana; an M. Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1988; and a D. Min. from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis in 2001. He has also received extensive training in missional leadership. He has two sons, Ryan and Justin, enrolled as a junior and freshman respectively at Azusa Pacific University.
Bill Tayler, the search committee chair, added: “As an experienced executive presbyter, Clark will help us to define our vision, understand the importance of being missional, and walk with us on the way forward. He has a demonstrated commitment and a deep respect for our denomination, but he is also committed to structural renewal within the PC(USA).
“We also believe Clark’s soft-spoken demeanor and down-to-earth concern for people will touch hearts and draw us together in our mission to the world,” Tayler said.
In Clark’s own words:
“I am interested in serving a governing body where people are not satisfied with the status quo or limping along in survival mode, where people are willing to work together to discover new ways that God is shaping God’s Church for mission in today’s world, that has realized the limitations of the recent corporate and regulatory model of denominationalism, where the past is respected, the present is valued, and people are encouraged to think outside the box and dream of the new future God has for us, and where people are seeking to expand their missional partners, not limit them.”
- Rev Dr Jack Baca Commended for Superb Job
As reported to Presbytery, the Rev. Dr. Jack Baca was commended by Council for his three years of service to the Presbytery as Vice-Moderator, Moderator and Chair of Council. Jack was recognized for his moderating skill, his devotion to serving the Presbytery and all that goes with the superb job he performed during the years of 2005, 2006 & 2007.
- “Sky is Falling” Author Teaches, Preaches
Noted author and theologian Rev. Dr. Alan Roxburgh was the guest preacher at the November meeting worship service. In addition, he led a pre-Presbytery session centered on his views about the missional church-
Rev. Dr. Alan Roxburgh
Roxburgh said today’s church has become captive of modernity. “We have turned God into a servant of the needs of individuals” rather than believers living out their faith as servants of God. As a challenge to be missional, he quoted Luke 10 wherein Jesus sent out the disciples two by two to spread the gospel. “Get out of your church,” Roxburgh declared. “Enter into the neighborhoods where all the happy pagans live.”
See the November “Clark’s Corner” for an excerpt from a recent book by Roxburgh, “The Sky is Falling.”
- 2008 Moderator, Vice Moderator Elected;
To Be Installed in January
Elected at the November meeting to serve as Moderator for 2008 was Elder Elizabeth Crews, a member of First Presbyterian Church, San Diego. Elected as Vice Moderator and Moderator-Elect for 2009 was Rev. Dr. Chris Lenocker, pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church. Installation is scheduled for the January meeting, which will be held on the 15th at San Diego First.
Biography: The Rev. Dr. Chris Lenocker has been Pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church since its founding in March 1995. Chris is married to Martha who is a teacher at Palm Middle School. Chris and Martha have two grown children – Christina and Tyler.
Rev. Dr. Lenocker grew up in the Presbyterian Church and received a B.A. from California State University, Northridge, a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctorate of Ministry degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary. Rev. Lenocker was ordained in 1978 and has served churches in San Juan Capistrano, Pittsburgh, PA, Long Beach, and San Diego.
Chris has served on various committees of Presbytery including the Committee on Preparation for Ministry, the Committee on Ministry as well as on Administrative Commissions. Chris has been a commissioner to the Synod Assembly and was a commissioner from San Diego Presbytery to the General Assembly in 2006 where he served as the Vice-Moderator of the Church Polity Committee of the Assembly. He is also a member of the Presbyteries’ Cooperative Committee on Examinations of the General Assembly and has been a reader of ordination exams for many years.
- “What We Believe” Booklet Presented
by Way Forward Task Force
Chaired by Rev. Margaret Walls, a Way Forward Task Force subcommittee of pastors and elders has produced a booklet, “What We Believe: the Essential Tenets of the Reformed Faith.” A draft text and layout was presented at the November meeting, with Rev. Doug Kelly as acting chair. Other committee members are Elder Bob Battenfield, Elder Rudy Kosits, Rev. Paul Pulliam, Elder Sandi Rajcic and Rev. Brian Reed.
To view the new document, click here [PDF]. Linked under Resources.-
Background: The Presbytery of San Diego in June 2003 adopted a summary of the “Essential Tenets and Reformed Distinctives” for use in our churches, committees, and presbytery. “What We Believe” is an attempt to make more accessible that summary of our core beliefs. It has been written in response to Recommendation 3 of the Task Force on the Way Forward’s Final Report, dated November 2006. “What We Believe,” which combines the 2003 document’s six essentials and seven reformed directives into eight summary statements, is commended as a tool for teaching, training and evaluation.
Both “What We Believe” and “Essential Tenets and Reformed Distinctives” are intended by the Presbytery to be reviewed and updated periodically.
To view the complete “Essential Tenets and Reformed Distinctives” document, including “What is Not Affirmed” and “Questions for Examination,” go to the Home Page and click on Resources.
In addition Rev. Bob Davis presented a report from the Vigilance Subcommittee in which he recapped trends and activities in the PC(USA), and Rev. Steve Locke spoke about efforts to contact and listen to national officers of the denomination.
- Per-Capita Assessment to Remain Unchanged
Presbytery voted approval of the recommendation of Budget & Finance Committee to hold per-capita assessment at $25.00 for 2008. Breakdown is: General Assembly: $5.79; Synod: $2.60; and Presbytery: $16.61.
- 218th General Assembly Commissioners Nominated
PC(USA) General Assembley - What it is and what does it do?
The Nominating Committee placed the following names in nomination to serve as Commissioners to the 218th General Assembly to be held in San Jose in June 2008:
For Minister Commissioners:
Bob Davis (Chula Vista)
Steve Locke (El Cajon)
Tom Straeter (Vista)
As Alternate Minister Commissioner:
Herb Christ (Stated Clerk Emeritus & Honorably Retired)
For Elder Commissioners:
Carole Ostrander (Escondido)
Doris Pate (Westmorland)
Maurice Caskey (San Diego First)
As Alternate Elder Commisioner
David Buck (Rancho Santa Fe)
Nominated from the floor as an Elder Commissioner
Bob Battenfield (Fletcher Hills)
Nominated as Youth Advisory Delegate:
Timothy Hanna (Pt Loma Community)
As Youth Advisory Delegate Alternate:
Kaley Partington (Chula Vista)
Nominations can be made from the floor for these positions at the January 2008 meeting of Presbytery, at which time the election will take place as well.
- Committee Chairs Elected
The following were elected at the November meeting of Presbytery to serve as Chair of their respective committee and serve on the Presbytery Council:
Ecclesiastical- Elder Anne Clark (El Cajon First)
- Human Resources
- Elder Bill Tayler (Christ La Costa)
- Committee on Ministry
- Elder Michael Williams (Rancho Santa Fe)
- Preparation for Ministry
- Rev. John Moser (Mt. Soledad)
- Pat Kellenbarger Elected Chair of Chaplains Council
Pat Kellenbarger has been elected chair of the Presbyterian Council for Chaplains and Military Personnel at the recent Annual Meeting of the PCCMP. This council recruits, provides spiritual care, and chaplains' family retreats for chaplains serving the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard, reserve units, and Veterans' Administration hospitals. The PCCMP is the "gate" or denominational endorsing agency through which pastors wishing to become chaplains must pass; the council serves four Presbyterian denominations. Pat was elected to serve on this council by the General Assembly of the PC(USA).
- North County Churches Join YWAM Gleanings Project
Volunteers from the Solana Beach Presbyterian, Christ Church (La Costa), and Grace (Temecula) Presbyterian Church worked at GLEANINGS FOR THE HUNGRY, a Youth-with-A-Mission (YWAM) project in Dinuba, CA, Oct 21-26 and October 28-Nov. 2.
Twenty-nine queen sized quilts were produced; thousands of pounds of dried peaches and raisins were re-packaged for shipment to mission agencies serving needy persons in over 50 nations.-
Gleanings staff specifically asked the volunteer team to bring 25 quilts and hundreds of pounds of gourmet Sultana raisins back to San Diego County for distribution to fire victims. Raisins were also designated to go to low income military families and inner-city families via Military Outreach Ministries and Presbyterian Urban Ministries Center. -
The next trip to Gleanings is scheduled for March 9, 2008. Contact Pat Kellenbarger 760 231-9609 if you are interested in joining the team.
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December |
Schedule of Special Christmas Events
Click here for a list in PDF.
Please let us know if your event is missing!
e-mail: News@PresbyterySD.org
Upcoming Events
- Board of Pensions Seminar, January 24-25
- Growing into Tomorrow . . . Today
The PC(USA) Board of Pensions will present a member education seminar on January 24-25, 2008, at The White Sands of La Jolla. Advance registration is required due to limited seating. The registration deadline is December 21, 2007. This is a two-day retirement planning seminar for active clergy and lay Benefits Plan members age 50 and older, and spouses.
To read more about the seminar and to register, click here.
- “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore"
Leadership Development Day, February 2
Rev. Dr. Clark Cowden, Executive Presbyter, will lead the Leadership Development Day from 8:30 am – 2 pm on Saturday, February 2, at Fletcher Hills Presbyterian Church. The worship, plenary sessions and workshops are built around the theme, “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore” – a New Era of Mission and Surfing the Edge of Chaos.”
The program is designed for both new and current elders, deacons and clerks of session. More details and registration materials will be available soon. See the flyer, and check back to this website.
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- Bob Battenfield, Editor - News@PresbyterySD.org