Presbyterian Visitor
August 28, 2026
A big THANK YOU goes out to everyone for their help with the very busy month of August we had. All you help has been greatly appreciated.
We are collecting donations of heavy and overnight feminine sanitary pads for C2C. “The Mark 5:25 Box” may be found in the corner of Fellowship Hall.
The Women’s Birthday Gathering will take place on Thursday, Sept. 3rd at 9:30am at Rejavanated.
On Saturday, September 5th, our church will be hosting Soup on Saturday. This program is great way to share God’s love with others in our community. Volunteers are needed to provide soup, sandwiches, desserts, drinks, and to work. Please see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board if you would like to help.
The church office will be closed Monday, Sept. 7th in observance of Labor Day.
Women’s Association will be meeting on Thursday, Sept. 10th. The hostess will be Connie Hawkins.
Rotary Lunch will take place on Tuesday, Sep. 29th with Susan Isenogle as the chair.
The Apple Festival and the Apple Festival Parade are quickly approaching. Our church will, once again, have a float in the parade. Decorating the float will take place on Sunday, September 27th at 2:00pm at the Jack Factory. All help is greatly appreciated.
On Sunday of the Apple Festival, our church will be participating in the Community Worship Service in the Park. Pastor Hana will be preaching and communion will be offered. We encourage everyone to attend this service as we will not be having our regular Sunday morning worship service.
The Presbytery of Ohio Valley held its stated assembly at Campy Pyoca in Brownstown, Indiana on Saturday, August 22. Pastor Hana attended as a minister member, and Dave Holt attended as our congregation's elder commissioner.
The assembly received a report on the 227th General Assembly from Rev. Cindy Cushman
(Corydon) and Dr. Janet Huber Lowry (Hanover), who served as POV's commissioners to GA. See Pastor Hana's article for more information on GA.
The assembly voted to approve new minimum compensation standards for Ministers of Word and Sacrament and Commissioned Pastors, pulpit supplies and session moderators, as well as per capita for 2027, which will remain $63 per member.
The assembly celebrated the full use of the Monroe City Fund, which was created at the closure of the Monroe City congregation to distribute mission grants to POV congregations. Over the past 10 years, the fund was used to provide 103 grants totaling more than $300,000. A New Ministry Grant Fund has been created using legacy funds from congregations that have closed. Congregations can apply for grants of up to $7500 (not more than 50% of the project total) to pursue mission and justice work in their communities, renewable for up to 3 years.
As a special bonus for those who stayed through the end of the meeting and the celebration of communion, the director of Camp Pyoca practically begged attendees to help empty out their freezer of packaged ice cream products. It was a good day to do the Lord's work.
Rev. Hana Johnson Elliott
News from Session
Having received a $2,000 donation from an anonymous donor for the purpose of helping the community, session voted to donate $500 each to C2C, 5 Loaves 2 Fishes (a food insecurity ministry through the First Christian Church), the Bloomfield School District Angel Fund, and the First Baptist Church Food Pantry
A new 4-month contract for Pastor Hana was approved, pending a few adjustments to the wording. The short contract will make it possible to align Pastor Hana's terms of call to the calendar year, and simplify the calculation of salary and insurance.
Alicia Holt and Bonnie Jackson were chosen to represent session on the nominating committee this year. Session chose not to add a youth member, as there are no active youth at this time.
The next Session meeting will be held on Wednesday, 16 September 2026 at 5:30pm.
Pastor’s Message
In place of my usual article, I offer an abridged version of the written report given to the Presbytery of Ohio Valley concerning the 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) that took place over the end of June and beginning of July this past summer. For more information on General Assembly, please see my article in our July 2026 newsletter.
The 227th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), took place in Milwaukee under the theme “Persevering Toward Wholeness.” The Scripture lesson that guided the Assembly in its work was “and the leaves of the tree shall be for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). Stated Clerk Jihyun Oh called commissioners to approach contentious issues—including Israel-Palestine, Christian nationalism, and denominational change—with prayerful discernment while preserving the spirit of mutual respect that characterized the previous Assembly.
Throughout the week, recurring themes included worship as the foundation for governance, racial justice, reconciliation, Christian unity, public witness against violence, hospitality, and the conviction that faithful discernment requires both honest disagreement and a continuing commitment to remain one church.
The Assembly opened with an expanded Community Day designed to build relationships among commissioners, advisory delegates, congregations, and ministry partners. Participants visited ministry exhibits, attended educational events, and joined a public “Healing Not Harm” march against gun violence through downtown Milwaukee. Organizers celebrated the completion of the denomination's four-year unification of the Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency into Presbyterian Life & Witness. Rev. Felipe Martinez, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Columbus, served as co-moderator of the Unification Commission throughout this process.
On Monday, Rev. CeCe Armstrong and Rev. Tony Larson, co-moderators, began leading the Assembly through an unusually heavy docket of business. Commissioners adopted measures strengthening the church’s response to racism and white supremacy, approved support for gender-affirming health care, authorized a broad new study of sexuality and family, and received a report from the Stated Clerk on the restructuring and dissolution of Presbyterian World Mission.
On Tuesday, commissioners continued lengthy deliberations over the future of World Mission and other major policy matters. By Wednesday, the Assembly had devoted extensive attention to the future of Presbyterian World Mission. Commissioners approved the creation of a seven-member commission to review the restructuring process and recommend improvements for governance and accountability. A report from the commission is due to the 229th General Assembly in 2030.
The final day of the Assembly brought the church’s major business to a close. Commissioners adopted a $90.5 million budget for 2027 and a $97.9 million budget for 2028, with additional appropriations approved for actions taken during the Assembly. They also voted to return to a fully in-person General Assembly in 2030, while directing Presbyterian Life & Witness to study future assembly formats and report recommendations in 2028. They selected San Juan, Puerto Rico, as the site of the 228th General Assembly in 2028. Before concluding its work, the Assembly elected the Rev. Marta Pumroy-Cordero and the Rev. Dr. Kristopher D. Schondelmeyer as its new co-moderators on the first ballot, and they will serve through the end of the 228th General Assembly.
The Presbytery of Ohio Valley will offer an online educational session reviewing the major actions of the General Assembly in early 2027. Following that opportunity for study and discussion, the presbytery will consider and act on the Assembly’s constitutional amendments and other items requiring presbytery approval at its February 2027 Assembly.
Rev. Susan McGhee, Executive Presbyter Rev. Cindy Cushman, Commissioner
Rev. Dr. Scott D. Seay, Stated Clerk Dr. Janet Huber Lowery, Commissioner