Presbyterian Visitor
October 2, 2026
This September, Pastor Hana began her eighth year as our pastor. She has served with us on a year-to-year basis, with her contracts negotiated and approved annually by Session. This summer, Session decided to ask Pastor Hana if she would be interested in being installed long-term as our pastor, rather than just on an annual basis. The Book of Order allows us to make this transition from a temporary Stated Supply Agreement to an indefinite Installed Pastor relationship after five years of Stated Supply.
On 16 September, Session and Pastor Hana met with Executive Presbyter Susan McGhee to discuss this possibility more fully. Session voted to move ahead with the process and formally request the Committee on Ministry (COM) of the presbytery allow us to hold a special congregational meeting for the purpose of voting on whether to install Pastor Hana, and on her terms of call. COM approved Session’s request, and we have scheduled this congregational meeting to be held Sunday, 11 October, following worship. Rev. Susan McGhee will moderate this meeting.
If the congregation votes to install Pastor Hana, the COM will bring it before Presbytery at the Assembly scheduled for Thursday, 19 November.
The Session appreciates the commitment Pastor Hana has shown to our church over the years, and are confident in this next step in our pastoral relationship. As the decision ultimately lies with the congregation, however, we welcome any questions, concerns, or comments you may have about this process or about Session’s decision.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to any one of us at any time.
Kayla Hendrix, Clerk
Melinda Hendrix, Christian Education
Bonnie Jackson, Worship
Kara Talbott, Finance
Alicia Holt, Membership & Missions
Deb Cullison, Membership & Missions
Thank you!
Kayla Hendirx
Our Christian sympathy is extended to the families of John Allen and Doris From.
John entered into his heavenly home on July 30th. John had severed our church as a Trustee and a Session member.
Doris entered her heavenly home on September 17th. Doris had also severed as a Session member of our church.
With the start of October quickly approaching us, our thoughts might go to Apple Festival weekend. This year’s Apple Festival will be held October 2nd-4th. Our church will be participating in the Community Worship Service in the Park on Sunday, October 4th. Worship service will begin at 10:00a.m. and will include communion. We will NOT be having our regular Sunday morning worship service at the church on that morning.
Following worship service the Apple Festival parade will start at 1:00p.m. Our church will be entering a float in this year’s parade. Everyone is invited to join us in walking or riding on the float. We will be working on decorating our float on Sunday, September 27th at 2:00 p.m. at the Jack Factory, all help is greatly appreciated.
The Women’s Birthday Gathering will be held on Thursday, October 1st at Rejavanated.
Our quarterly Red Cross Blood Drive will take place on Monday, October 12th. Please consider donating if possible. Every donation can help save up to three lives. To register go to RedCrossBlood.org.
The Session will be meeting on Tuesday, October 13th at 5:30 p.m. in the Seekers Room.
The next Women’s Association meeting will be held on Thursday, October 8th. Alicia Holt will serve as the hostess for this meeting.
The Women’s Association continues to serve Rotary Lunches on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. The October Rotary Lunches will be held on October 13th and 27th.
Pastor Hana will be out of the office on Continuing Education October 19th-25th.
Pastor’s Message
Once upon a time, when residents moved into communities, settling in to their new home included beginning to attend the local church of whatever denomination of Christianity they had grown up in. More recently, if an individual or family is looking for a church, they will “church shop”—trying out worship at different congregations until they find one that “fits.”
That process of church shopping takes deliberate time and effort, and in the rush of life, it may never even get started. And as the public has grown more distrustful of institutions in general over the past several decades, many no longer care to look for a church at all, and instead choose to maintain their beliefs privately.
A full 86% of people begin attending a church because a friend invited them. That’s an extraordinary percentage! The people of the church bring people to the church. This is how the church grows!
Everyone in the church, from youngest to oldest, is capable of inviting a friend to church. Invite them to a worship service. Invite them to a mission event. Invite them to a social time.
It can be similar to recommending a book, or a TV show, or a restaurant that you have enjoyed. Invite them by telling them what you love about our congregation—the worship, the music, the people, the diversity, the food—and suggest they might really like it too.
Invite them through an in-person conversation, a text message, a phone call, even a hand-written card.
Invite them and offer to give them a ride or take them out to lunch after.
Invite them on multiple occasions. Don’t take a negative response as a failure, but consider it a seed you have planted that might one day, by the nudging of the Holy Spirit, grow to fruition.
Think of a friend you could invite to church, and imagine how you would do so. And then go do it!
In hope,
Pastor Hana