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Now is the Time. To Consider Future Possibilities for our Presbyteries. The trends are down. PC(USA) Number of Churches 2007: 10,820 2013: 10,038 Active Members 2007: 2,209,546 2013: 1,760,200 SYNOD OF SOUTH ATLANTIC Number of Churches
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Now is the Time To Consider Future Possibilities for our Presbyteries
The trends are down PC(USA) Number of Churches 2007: 10,820 2013: 10,038 Active Members 2007: 2,209,546 2013: 1,760,200 SYNOD OF SOUTH ATLANTIC Number of Churches 2010: 964 2012: 934 Active Members 2010: 256,184 2012: 228,942
Cherokee Presbytery Number of Churches 2009: 42 2014: 32 Active Members 2009: 9,719 2014: 6,307 FTE pastors 2009: 43.0 2014: 25.5
Ideas from Other Presbyteries in the PCUSA • Share staff between multiple presbyteries (Mission Area model) • State wide Presbytery (Oregon) • Merge Presbyteries (Alaska and Puget Sound Presbyteries) • Consolidate some functions (bookkeeping, personnel, etc. as in Synod of Southern California and Hawaii)
Possibilities • Find a way to stay as we are (boundary-wise). • Merge with another Presbytery as partners (a la North Puget Sound and Alaska) • Dissolve and be absorbed into another Presbytery • Dissolve and have different churches relate to different presbyteries • Dissolve all Georgia Presbyteries and form one new Georgia Presbytery with regional commissions (similar to the way that Philadelphia has regional commissions in their new structure).
September 2nd, 7pm Woodstock Presbyterian Church • How well is our Presbytery currently promoting or accomplishing the Great Ends of the Church? • What celebrations do you have about the work of our presbytery in the last three years? What concerns or yearnings have emerged? • What are some of the things you most value or appreciate about our Presbytery as it now stands? • What opportunities for mission and ministry in our region would you most like to explore in the future if the way be clear?