Life together in a discernment mode has the potential to be more constructive and less difficult than our current pattern of head-to-head confrontation over issues. The purpose of discernment, however, is not to minimize critical issues in order to get on to other matters, much less to make life more pleasant. The purpose, rather, is to know, in our very being as a church, the peace, unity, and purity that have been given to us in Jesus Christ, and to show that peace, unity, and purity to the world we have been commissioned to teach and serve.

Therefore, our denominational struggle to live into the fullness of the gift we have in Jesus Christ is not a diversion from our true mission, as some would claim, but integral to our vocation to proclaim the truth of the gospel. On the night before he died, in the longest prayer recorded in the Gospels, Jesus prayed for us, the church of the future, lifting our names and our troubled church before God in prayer. And chief among his petitions in our behalf was his prayer that we "may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. . . . By this everyone will know that you are my disciples [he said], if you have love for one another" (John 17:21; John 13:35).

How is the world to be challenged to know the truth about God? The world needs not only to hear our witness to the gospel, but also to see and experience the embodied witness of a community joined in love of one another.

Jesus does not, it should be noted, pray that we may all be the same or that we all agree. Indeed, one of the most compelling reasons to continue to hold on to one another is to persuade one another of the truth as God has given us to know it. Another is to strengthen and support one another, different as our vocations and life circumstances may be, in personal holiness and in service to a world riddled with suffering and injustice.

Nevertheless, even as we differ and even as we contend with one another, Jesus prays that we may all be one, that we might love one another despite many differences that threaten to divide us. At a time when people readily kill one another over their differences, a church that lives and works for that kind of witness will capture the attention of a polarized world. What besides the mystery of divine love could give us the capacity to love those whose goals and views differ from, even contradict, our own?

The task force is convinced that the world is watching the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and other denominations as we engage in highly publicized debates. To be one is not to say that we will be the same, that we will all agree, that there will be no conflict, but as the church listens to Jesus pray, all its members are reminded that the quality of our life together-our ability to make visible the unique relationship that is ours in Jesus Christ-is compelling testimony to the truth and power of the gospel we proclaim.

The Year Of Stephen

As we begin the final quarter of the year, I am reminded that the life, ministry, and death of Stephen served as a hinge in the life of the early church. With the death of Stephen, the church entered into a reformation era. Old paradigms gave way to new forms of mission and ministry. The landscape of the church changed dramatically, as it scattered into the world. In many ways, I continue to see Stephen's impact being lived out today in our presbytery, as well as in the greater church. Indeed, this is the Year of Stephen.

Stephen represents the end of the "TEMPLE MINDSET"

PUP Report: The final report from the Peace, Unity and Purity Task Force of the General Assembly was posted on the website of the PC(USA) on August 25, 2005. The initial response to the report within our denomination-as well as our presbytery-has been mixed. Members of the task force plead in their first recommendation that the church's unity be preserved at all costs. However, initial responses suggest that many readers have moved directly to the fifth recommendation (regarding the Authoritative Interpretation of G6.0108a), which most directly addresses the hot-button issue of homosexuality and church office.

Several pastors in our presbytery are preparing a response to the report in the form of a resolution to be brought before the presbytery in November for study and for a vote in early 2006. Many of us sense that the reactions to this report and the upcoming actions of the General Assembly in June 2006 could further polarize, divide, and forever change the landscape of our beloved denomination.

Long Range Planning Task Force Report: The final report of the Long Range Planning Task Force was adopted by the presbytery on May 17, 2005. Rev. Mike McClenahan (Solana Beach) has convened two informal meetings with a random cluster of pastors, to solicit input concerning future goals and objectives for our presbytery in four key areas: healthy congregations; church transformation; new church development; and collaborative mission efforts. These discussions have proven to be very helpful.

The landscape of our presbytery is changing. The top-down, presbytery-driven programs, staff, and budget are being downsized so that local congregations will become the primary agents for mission and ministry in our community, our region, and the world. Several pastors have expressed deep concern over the future cohesiveness of our presbytery and the PC(USA) in the aftermath of the PUP Report and in anticipation of related actions that may be taken during the General Assembly meeting next June. As a result of these conversations, several Pastor's Sabbath Retreats have been scheduled for the fall of 2005 and the spring of 2006.

Decentralization of Military Outreach: Heather Henderson (Director, Military Outreach Ministries) resigned in mid-July and accepted a position with a law firm in Los Angeles. Heather's organizational gifts and overall strong leadership of the ministry are greatly missed. The Human Resources Committee has taken immediate steps to secure the ministry in this season of transition by appointing Jennifer Martin as Acting Director of the ministry. The committee has also appointed Chuck Smith (Elder, Chula Vista) as the Decentralization Project Coordinator. Both steering committees (North County and South County) have been established and are meeting regularly around the four staff members.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is being finalized and will be presented to the Council in October. The MOU will finalize the decentralization of the ministry into two geographic clusters of churches. All property, staff, resources, and finances will be transferred to the two steering committees by the end of the year. There is much enthusiasm about the decentralization of Military Outreach, and the ministry will continue to have a positive impact on the lives of military families in our area.

Stephen represents the beginning of the "MISSIONAL MINDSET"

Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund: The presbytery received $85,000 from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) in the aftermath of the firestorms of October 2003. Presbyterians all over the country responded graciously with financial contributions to help us walk beside those displaced by the fires. How wonderful it was this past winter and spring to be able to return the favor and give over $137,000.00 to PDA for tsunami relief efforts!

The presbytery has now established a Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and will again forward 100% of all monies received to PDA. I hope and pray that we will come together as a presbytery around this opportunity for mission and respond in significant ways for the hundreds of thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Habitat for Humanity Partnership: The first stage of the partnership between the Presbytery of San Diego and Habitat for Humanity is nearly completed. The Amos family home, built by Habitat for Humanity and totally funded by the presbytery ($110,000), will be completed by early October.

This collaborative effort among our churches was a wonderful expression of the presbytery coming together around mission. Many volunteers from several of our churches worked diligently over the past several months to stand alongside the Amos family. They provided love, encouragement, laughter, and . . . hammers! Approximately $50,000 remains in the presbytery's Fire Relief Fund, and it is postmarked for the construction of a second home, which is expected to begin sometime this fall.

PSD Mission Trip to the AFAR: Rev. Tom Theriault (Solana Beach) is coordinating the first-ever, presbytery-wide mission trip to visit the Afar people in Ethiopia. I am thrilled to be going with Tom, Lewis Leon, and other pastors from Southern California to visit with the forgotten people of Ethiopia from October 31 to November 11, 2005.

The Afar call themselves "the forgotten people," and it's easy to see why. The desert environment has discouraged many from extending a hand of help. But a growing number of American Christians partnering with World Vision Ethiopia and Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus is taking the blessing of God's Kingdom to the desert. The Afar people are beginning to understand that they are no longer forgotten. Our highest aim is to see a community of Christians rise up among these longtime Muslims.

Our trip is designed to do four things: 1) build strong relationships with our Ethiopian partners and the Afar people; 2) stir within our churches greater vision and commitment to the mission of Christ in the world; 3) witness the amazing things God has done among the Afar; and 4) generate ideas for improving the life of the Afar people both physically and spiritually.

Reality Changers: Director Chris Yanov continues to amaze me with his passion, devotion, and highly effective ministry at Reality Changers, where the focus is on "building first-generation college students who follow God's Word."

Over 60 kids from the program attended Forrest Home Christian Conference Center this summer and experienced a life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ. Also this summer, the program suffered a tragedy when the parents of a brother and sister in the program were involved in a horrible murder/suicide. The leaders, students, and several individuals from the presbytery have come together to support and encourage one another in meaningful ways. The presbytery has established a fund to begin to care for the children left behind in this shattered but strong family.

Reality Changers fall programs are now beginning, with over 40 students attending the Tuesday night program at Iglesia Presbyteriana Hispania and 14 students attending a new Wednesday night program at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church. Chris will remain on the presbytery staff as long as funds are available. Currently, only five of our 31 churches are contributing to his support.

The landscape of our denomination-as well as that of our presbytery-is changing. Old paradigms are being dismantled. New paradigms are being shaped. God is on the move through his bride. Stephen's was right: the Most High God doesn't live in a temple made with human hands (Acts 7:48). The temple no longer has a street address. It is invisible. And so is the presbytery. In this reformation year of Stephen, may his life and death lead us deeper into relationship with each other as we, together, take the gospel into the world.

Rev. Andy Smith, Executive Presbyter

"Dios hace todo nuevo" ("God makes all things new"), Danilo Morales' e-mail (@hotmail.com, if you want to reach him). The address reflects the optimism and energy that Danny projects when one observes him or talks to him. He is the newly-named pastor at Iglesia Hispana Presbiteriana (IHP), a bilingual native of Bombal, Argentina, who was pastoring a church in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas when Iglesia's PNC plucked him away.

Danilo, 35, single, is preaching to his new "ovejas" (sheep) this first month that "God is not against you," he is for you, and "You can't run away from him", a Jonah-type theme. "We humans have many ways of running away," says Rev. Morales. "We say, "I don't want to pray. I don't want to hear. But our loving God is there, pursuing us and being present with us. This is an important reality, and a tremendous truth that changes the way we go about our lives.

Danilo has traversed a bit of geography himself - not to avoid God, but to find him. He was born into a family of practicing Catholics in his hometown of Bombal, several hours from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina. "I had a big spiritual experience with God, and I thought the best thing I could do for God was to go to seminary. I felt called to seminary," Morales says about his two years studying for the Catholic priesthood in Buenos Aires. But his experience at the seminary there was very disillusioning. He was there seeking to get closer to God, while some others had different agendas. "I left in a crisis, asking - Where is God?"

The next step in the quest was an Assembly of God seminary. He graduated from the Pentecostal institution in Buenos Aires. But meanwhile he had been interning at a nearby Presbyterian church, one of only four in the whole country of Argentina. Also interning there was Julio Lopez, a nephew of Juan Carlos Ortiz, Hispanic ministries pastor at Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove. Julio had a major impact on Danilo. "He changed my mind. Catholics are not our enemies. (Protestant and Catholic churches in Latin American experience much conflict.) In many ways, Catholics are closer to our faith than Pentecostals," he says. Julio Lopez also modeled incarnational ministry, insisting on preaching to his congregation in Spanish (he is bilingual) though the church had had English-language services ever since being founded by Scots 200 years ago.

Elder Demetrio Aguilar has acted for most of the past three years as Stated Supply in an interim capacity. "It was a unique role," said Aguilar. "I have been as faithful as I could to care for the folks at Iglesia Hispana. There has been solid teaching, a core group of parishioners, and financial giving that continued the congregation on a good path." Aguilar, a native of Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, is open to whatever call God has for him next. An architect by training, he is interested in the Commissioned Lay Pastor program the presbytery has recently begun. This would enable him to plant a Hispanic church soon, without taking years of seminary classes to be recognized as a pastor in the presbytery.

At the September Presbytery meeting, the Nominating Committee placed in nomination Rev. Dr. Jack Baca, Senior Pastor, Village Church Rancho Santa Fe, to serve as Moderator and Rev. Neal Nybo, Associate Pastor, Solana Beach Presbyterian Church, to serve as Vice-Moderator/Moderator Elect in 2006.

A biographical sketch of Rev. Nybo:

Rev. Neal Nybo was ordained in February 1997 by the Presbytery of the Pacific at Hollywood Presbyterian Church. He served from 1997-1998 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Westlake Village, California and from 1995-1996 at the Simi Valley Presbyterian Church in Simi Valley, California.

In 1998, Neal was called to serve as an Associate Pastor for the Solana Beach Presbyterian Church where he currently focuses on ministry among people within the church, particularly, men's and couple's ministries and reaching younger adults. He brings his background in marketing and sales to this calling. Recently he has been focusing much of his attention on special projects related to growth in the church, like video services and outdoor venues for their Easter service.

Rev. Nybo has served for eight years as a member of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry and chaired that committee during the time they developed our Essential Tenets document. He has been a commissioner to General Assembly, a reader for ordination exams and currently serves on the Administrative Commission for Mount Soledad Presbyterian Church.

Rev. Nybo is married to Carolyn and they are the proud parents of Anne & Emily.

Whether serving at Presbytery or at Solana Beach Presbyterian, Neal expresses the desire to model a life lived for Jesus and to lead others to relationship with Christ. - Rev. Brian Reed, Chair, Nominating Committee

On October 19, 2004, the Presbytery appointed this Administrative Commission to inquire into and settle the difficulties at the La Jolla Presbyterian Church. On February 22, 2005, we reported our recommendations to the Presbytery at a specially called meeting. On May 17, 2005 our Administrative Commission reported on our actions in carrying out the motions approved at the February meeting.

1. As was reported at the May 17 Presbytery meeting, the severance package paid to Rev. Murray by the La Jolla Presbyterian Church concluded on May 22, 2005. The La Jolla Presbyterian Church and Rev. Murray were co-owners of a residence in La Jolla. The terms for the dispensation of that property were covered by an agreement approved at the time of the purchase of the property. All of the terms of that agreement have been followed and in August, Rev. Murray purchased from the La Jolla Presbyterian Church its interest in the property. The funds have been received and all releases have been executed.



2. Although the Administrative Commission continued to assume original jurisdiction of the Session in the areas of finance and personnel, we have exercised this authority by allowing the Session and its Task Forces and Committees to formulate its strategy and actions in these areas. The La Jolla Presbyterian Church has faced a need to significantly reduce its operating budget in light of lower receipts and its reevaluation of its mission and goals. We wish to note that although the difficulties that have beset the congregation for the last year and the departure of some 200 members have certainly exacerbated the financial situation, there would likely have been a financial reassessment in any regard. The Administrative Commission commends the Session's Task Force on Reorganization for its diligent and faithful work in making recommendations to return the church to a sound financial base. The Session has acted wisely and faithfully in wrestling with and acting upon these issues. The Session, through its Task Force on Reconciliation, has done an excellent job of contacting members and friends of the church to rebuild a sense of community. The Administrative Commission believes that the Session, staff and congregation of the La Jolla Presbyterian Church are now able to exercise their responsibilities without supervision from the Administrative Commission.



3. The Committee on Ministry has given approval for the La Jolla Presbyterian Church to have a Pastor Nominating Committee conduct a Mission Study and then proceed with the search for a Pastor, Head of Staff. On July 24, 2005, at a properly called meeting of the congregation, a Pastor Nominating Committee was elected. It has begun its work and is being counseled by the Committee on Ministry.



4. At its meeting on July 26, 2005, the Session voted to invite the Rev. Charles Hammond to serve as the Interim Pastor, Head of Staff.



5. At the June 28, 2005 meeting of the Session, the Administrative Commission raised four issues for the Session to address as it continues to build for the future. These issues are:
   1. What is the fundamental vision of LJPC and how does that guide the church's life, programs, organization, staffing and budget?
   2. What are the expectations and responsibilities of staff and lay leadership in the life of the congregation?
   3. How will the Session carry out it constitutional responsibilities in ways that will encourage broad-based participation in ministry leadership?
   4. How will the church address the diversity of different generational perspectives and needs?
   These are topics that will be addressed in the Mission Study process and the Session has called a special meeting on September 13, 2005 to address them as well.



6. The Administrative Commission has had representatives at meetings of the Session, Committees, and Task Forces. In each of those forums, members of the Administrative Commission have offered counsel with regard to leadership. At the Session meeting, the Administrative Commission also provided an orientation on leadership in the Presbyterian Church. The Administrative Commission believes that we have carried out our directive to provide officer training.

It is the conclusion of the Administrative Commission that we have completed the tasks assigned to us by the Presbytery on October 19, 2004 and February 22, 2005. We have great confidence in the Session and the pastoral leadership of the La Jolla Presbyterian Church to be able to faithfully carry out the mission of the church.

(Presbytery accepted the report and approved the motion that the Administrative Commission for La Jolla Presbyterian Church be dismissed.)

• Rev. Dr. Timothy Beal, Chair (Executive Pastor, Rancho Bernardo)
• Rev. Brad Gustafson (Interim Associate Pastor, Pt. Loma Community)
• Rev. Barry Moller (Associate Pastor, Solana Beach)
• Elder Nancy Harber (Faith)
• Elder Robert Hanna (Point Loma Community)
• Elder Cheryl Kosits (Northminster)
• Elder Michael Williams (Solana Beach)

The Presbytery of San Diego is blessed with extraordinary leaders. In recent years, elders have been called forth to serve as Commissioned Lay Pastors (CLP) across out denomination. The Book of Order (G-14.0801) provides for the training, examination, and authorization of elders to exercise public ministry of the church as Commissioned Lay Pastors.

Over the next year, the Presbytery of San Diego will be offering two tracks -- the Appointment Track for those who have a seminary degree, and the Transformation Track for those seeking to integrate the theology of ministry with the practice of ministry.

If you feel God calling you to explore serving as a Commissioned Lay Pastor, you are encouraged to contact the Committee on Ministry through the Presbytery Of.ce, 619-224-2490.

As of the first of October more than $120,000 has been donated to the Katrina Relief Fund established by the Presbytery of San Diego to help the victims of recent hurricane which devastated America’s Gulf Coast region.

Presbytery records indicate that more than half of the nearly 30 churches in the San Diego Presbytery have contributed to the fund. In addition, a great number of individual and group donations without indication of church sponsorship have also been received. The number of donations and the total amount of money contributed is expected to grow as contributions continue to be received by the Presbytery daily.

The San Diego Presbytery will forward 100 % of all monies received to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) division of the General Assembly office in Louisville, Kentucky. The PDA has immediate relief effort underway and the money received is used with a “bitter-sweet” feeling. Due to other recent disaster relief efforts, such as the Tsunami Relief Fund, PDA overhead costs have been met for the year allowing all monies received through the Katrina Fund to be used directly for relief efforts.

To give contributions through the Presbytery, please make checks payable to the Presbytery of San Diego and write “Hurricane Katrina relief” in the memo portion of the check. Contributions should be sent to: The Presbytery of San Diego, 3707 Udall Street, San Diego, CA 92107.

For further information concerning the current relief efforts of the PC (USA), please visit the denominational website: www.pcusa.org.

• Serves the ministry and the mission of the local congregation.
• Is united by a mutual commitment to a broadly evangelical and Biblical theology.
• Fosters relational networks based on ministry context as well as regional proximity.
• Provides accountability, support and discipline in a healthy, balanced, Biblical way.
• Is flexible and responsive to changing needs and cultural dynamics.
• Supports and encourages partnerships for cooperative mission between congregations.
• Encourages partnerships for ministry and mission with Christians of other denominations and para-church ministries.
• Draws upon proven programs, curricula, and other resources available from across the broader body of Christ.
• Functions like a missions agency more than a regulatory agency.

Saturday, October 8 at 7 pm is Laurel & Hardy Movie Nite at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Spring Valley. The Theatre Organ Society of San Diego will sponsor a concert of laughter on Trinity's theater organ while Russ Peck supplies the music to Laurel and Hardy's hi-jinks from the big 4/24 Wurlitzer organ. Tickets are $12 and children under 16 with an adult are free. A sell-out is expected for this return engagement so mail ticket requests payable to: TOSSD at 5568 Barclay Ave., San Diego, CA 92120.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 12 at 7 pm to hear Chris Gorsuch on Trinity's marvelous organ along with Esther Jordan, vocalist. This is a repeat performance by this pair of musicians. Gorsuch designs and manufactures electronic systems for pipe and electronic organs as well as voices and tones organs. Esther has conducted and taught music all over the world and is presently a voice instructor at Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges as well as Trinity Presbyterian Church's Minister of Music.

Rob Richards and Alex Zsolt will team up on the organ and piano respectively on Sunday, December 4 at 3 pm for a special holiday program. Rob Richards is the House Organist at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. He has teamed up with Alex to build a new 5-manual theatre organ-the largest of its kind in the world. Alex specializes in music education and composition and his Christmas Extravaganza 2002 was featured on national TV. Come and hear these wonderful musicians and sing-along with Trinity's theater organ.

You can also join the Theatre Organ Society of San Diego. $15. Performance tickets are $10 with membership. Send membership checks to TOSSD at P. O. Box 23476, San Diego, 92193. Individual tickets are usually available at door for these programs for $12. For more information call 619-286-9979 or 619-460-1920.

Sponsored by the Committee on Ministry, a one-day seminar on church redevelopment will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Christ Presbyterian Church. La Costa. Leading the session, entitled "Rebuilding the Walls," will be Rev. Ken Priddy, a seasoned church planter and church development and redevelopment specialist. He is president and co-founder of United Front Ministries, which is based in Virginia. He will be joined by Pat Bragg, vice president of United Front. Bragg is a certified Natural Church Development Consultant, a former CPA, and a veteran lay leader.

To register for the seminar, contact the Presbytery Office at 619-224-2490. For more information about Priddy¹s work in church redevelopment, visit their website, www.unitedfrontministries.com