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1013 8th Avenue
Seattle, WA, 98104
United States
(206)762-1991
communications@seattlepresbytery.org
The mission of Seattle Presbytery is to participate, in word and deed, in God’s transforming work through the Gospel of Jesus Christ: by strengthening the witness and mission of our congregations and members and by building strong partnerships with each other and the larger Christian community.
Read more: https://pres-outlook.org/2022/08/being-the-church-of-now-together-a-yaads-reflection/
From the Summer 2022 Board of Pensions Board Bulletin:
Directors approved an increase in Pastor’s Participation dues for the first time in five years. Effective January 1, 2023, medical dues will increase 2 percent, from 27 percent to 29 percent. As a result, total dues for the benefits package will be 39 percent, up from 37 percent. Directors raised the cap on the maximum annual dues amount by $1,500, from $33,500 to $35,000, and on the minimum annual dues amount by $500, from $11,000 to $11,500.
The vote to increase dues followed a review of cost forecasts by Milliman Inc., the agency’s medical actuarial counsel. Healthcare costs spiked in 2021 as medical costs continued to climb and healthcare use increased following the coronavirus crisis.
In summarizing actions taken at General Assembly, the Reverend Dr. Frank Clark Spencer, agency President, discussed specific requests directed to the Board concerning parity of medical dues and affordability for small congregations, particularly within communities of color. He affirmed the need for ongoing evaluation and assessment of existing benefits structures that may not best serve an evolving denomination. And he reiterated the Board of Pensions’ commitment to providing affordability and flexibility in its benefits and to eliminating plan designs that perpetuate disparities and inequities.
Dear friends,
A pastor friend of mine called recently, seeking to gain understanding from a disastrous session meeting where discussion over a cancelled vacation Bible school devolved into a shouting match between elders and ultimately angry words about my friend’s leadership and preaching style. Another worried pastor shared with me that the fragile balance they had been able to maintain in their purple church was becoming frayed more and more as political rhetoric ramped up for upcoming elections.
No one goes into ministry believing it will be all about languorously long afternoons of intense scripture study, unending revelatory prayer sessions or life altering sermons. Ministry ends up dealing with the messiness and unpredictability of life; from clogged toilets to grief-stricken congregants to deciphering a church balance sheet to planning sermon series. And more. A more that includes coming to the realization that you will never please everyone and you will never ever be able to do it all.
The last few years have added another layer of tension to this peculiar vocation.
A deeply divisive country, a global pandemic, increased violence, and social unrest have all highlighted a growing mistrust and fear among our churches across the country and denominational borders. And in their anxiety, many have turned in anger against their pastoral leaders, impatient with their inability to “fix” things and make everything right again. And so we arrive at what many are calling “The Great Clergy Burnout”. Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein addresses this phenomenon in her latest blog.
In the middle of summer, as we look towards the fall when we’re anticipating another resurgence of covid infections, more fallout from Supreme Court decisions and January 6 hearings, and the anxiety around doing church well (i.e., getting folks to come back to worship, balancing budgets, being relevant) how can we turn our frustration with one another into collaboration, and suspicion of each other’s motives into community building?
We are not unique at facing these challenges. The early church had to be reminded repeatedly to work together as in Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another…” and again in 1Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”
Grounded in this Biblical wisdom, I invite us also to keep in mind the calling of the church as expressed in the Book of Order that states “The Church is to be a community of hope… a community of love… a community of witness pointing beyond itself through word and work to the good news of God’s transforming grace in Christ Jesus its Lord.” (F-1.0301) May we turn our faces towards one another convinced we will encounter the sacred in one another as we together discern God’s will for the church, and work side by side to that end.
Paz,
Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Dear friends,
The past month has been a whirlwind for many in our denomination as the church convened for General Assembly 225, the biannual gathering of the PC(USA). This time, the assembly met over a three-week period; committees in person at the newly renovated Louisville headquarters, and plenaries online through Zoom. Seattle Presbytery was well represented by our commissioners Rev. Lina Thompson, Rev. Eyde Mabanglo, Elder Todd Peterson (Woodland Park), Elder Glen Ferguson (Overlake Park), and Young Adult Advisory Delegate Kate Stoops (Mercer Island). Creative and compelling worship was designed by a team led by Rev. Tasha Hicks-McCray and included Elder Chris Lim (Union Church). Despite planning and executing a different and challenging assembly under uncertain circumstances due to covid impact, the church embarked on courageous discussions and took bold actions in many areas. Below you’ll get a general overview of decisions taken, including affirming women’s autonomy over their bodies in terms of reproduction justice and declaring the PC(USA) a sanctuary church. More information on GA225 decisions from issues on polity to rules of discipline to gender justice and environmental concerns can be found at https://www.pcusa.org/news/2022/7/12/summary-general-assembly-actions/. Several business items related to changes in the Book of Order will be coming to presbyteries for voting and Seattle Presbytery will take them up at an upcoming presbytery meeting soon.
Meanwhile back in Seattle Presbytery... Scott embarked on his 3-month sabbatical this week. The staff sent him off with admonishments to stay safe (he’s hiking in the wilderness), take pictures, and not give us a second thought. We pray for his time away; that it be restorative and re-creative.
The Thriving Congregations Team is busy planning a leadership summit for the end of September and continuing to walk alongside over 20 congregations in the initiative. Several churches are in the midst of pastoral transitions, and the presbytery’s nominating committee is busy at work preparing a slate for the fall presbytery meeting (Oct. 18) when we will elect new members to our leadership bodies. If you are interested in serving at the presbytery level, please contact SeaPres nominating for more information.
So, despite the warm sunshine and long days, there is much going on in the life of the presbytery and all the congregations. I am grateful for each one of you; for your partnership in seeking God’s will for the presbytery, for your faithfulness to the Gospel, and your commitment to be the church we need to be today, and in this place.
Grace and peace,
Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Nelson, Moffett, other church leaders react to decision to overturn Roe vs Wade
Rick Jones & Randy Hobson | Office of the General Assembly - June 24, 2022
LOUISVILLE
Friday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs Wade came as little surprise to leaders in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) The decision came down as the denomination hosts the 225th General Assembly in Louisville. The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the PC(USA) and the Rev. Dr. Diane Moffett, president and executive director of the Presbyterian Mission Agency, were among several to express their frustrations over the decision and the expectation that it could lead to nearly half the states in the U.S. placing bans on abortion.
“The Presbyterian Church has been very clear about its position on this matter,” said Nelson. “We still have a lot to say about this issue from the impact on people of color, health and safety, as well as religious freedom.”
https://www.pcusa.org/news/2022/6/24/sadness-anger-frustration/
Please listen to this SeaPres Podcast episode in preparation for the June 21st presbytery meeting.
Eight years after embarking on a unique partnership with the Presbytery of the North Coast (Presbyterian Church of Colombia), Seattle Presbytery staff discuss this pivotal time of deeper engagement and mutual learning invitations. Join Revs. Scott Lumsden, Tali Hairston, Maggie Breen, Paul Kim, and Eliana Maxim as they talk about what this means for our local congregations and communities.
Buffalo and Uvalde. We wish there were wise or comforting words we could offer. But like you, we are overwhelmed and heartbroken at the horror, violence, and hate. As we grieve both as church and nation, we join others in prayer...
Denominational resources that may be of help in your communities.
Gun Violence Resources (Presbyterian Peacemaking): presbyterianmission.org/ministries/peacemaking/gun-violence-resources/
Through a Mirror Dimly (Presbyterian Youth and Triennium Office)
drive.google.com/file/d/1f65UCiDIRNEUAzW4rEiTUbxPlOgug8RE/view
G-NS: A Resource for Generous Dialogue about Gun Violence (PCUSA Store, For Young Adults)
pcusastore.com/Products/GNS18D/gns-a-resource-for-generous-dialogue-about-gun-violence.aspx
How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings (Common Sense Media)
commonsensemedia.org/articles/how-to-talk-to-kids-about-school-shootings
Church safety resources from PC(USA): https://www.seattlepresbytery.org/news/2022/weapons-at-church-the-unthinkable-in-gods-house-pcusa-resources
Longing for peace,
Eliana and Scott
Revs. Eliana Maxim & Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyters
We like to think of our churches as places of safety and refuge. A place to commune with God and join in fellowship with our church community. Unfortunately, others view churches as targets. White supremacist Dylan Roof murdered nine people at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina in 2015. Recently a Las Vegas man with a grudge against Taiwan entered the Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, California, and shot members and friends of the Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church who were gathered at a celebratory luncheon.
It is unfortunate that church leaders must think about how to prevent such violence or how to respond to it if it happens. But sessions should discuss church safety. There are many resources available for churches, including the following:
Guide for Developing High-Quality Emergency Operations Plans for Houses of Worship (FEMA)
Safety for Faith Based Events at Houses of Worship (Department of Homeland Security)
Developing an emergency plan for violence on church property (Creating Safe Ministries, PCUSA)
Congregations and mid councils should consider organizing a committee to discuss and make recommendations for safety policies and procedures.
Trip dates: October 15 - 22, 2022
Extension dates: Oct. 23 - 25, 2022
Many of us aspire to travel to the Holy Land. We want to see the places we read about in the Bible.
But the Holy Land is more than just the stirring backdrop of Jewish, Christian and Moslem faiths.
It's also a land of heartbreaking hostilities. Decades of strife between Israelis and Palestinians continue to rage. The Biblical imperative for justice, reconciliation and forgiveness is as much in need there today as it was 2,000 years ago.
You're invited to join an eye-opening trip to the Holy Land this October where you'll have an opportunity to not only tour the celebrated holy sites, but dig deeper into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We'll hear from Israeli Jewish and Palestinian guides, religious leaders and peacemakers. We'll discuss religious, political, and economic and justice issues facing the region. Moreover, we'll wrestle with the question of how we can engage and respond to the ongoing turmoil.
The tour is organized through our mission partner Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and MEJDI Tours. See:
https://www.mejditours.com/open-tour/seattle-presbyterian-churches-holy-land-tour/
4540 15th Ave NE, Seattle 98105 OR
Via Zoom - contact Holy Land Task Force for the link.
Please keep our Colombia partnership trip members and partners in prayer. 2022 team members: Renee Notkin, Maggie Breen, Tali Hairston, Paul Kim, Eliana Maxim, Alex Maxim. We’ll be posting trip photos and updates on Seattle Presbytery’s Facebook page.
“Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table; and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16: 9-15)
Dear friends,
Despite everything they had been through with Jesus, somehow or another, his closest disciples were unable to believe he was alive. No matter what they had seen with their own eyes and experienced firsthand – healings, teachings, feedings, and more! - they refused to believe the good news offered to them by Mary Magdalene, the two disciples from the road story, and even a first hand encounter with Jesus.
Good on Jesus for scolding their unbelief, but even better on Jesus for the simple instruction he gives them (and us) despite their (and our) stubbornness and lack of faith – to proclaim good news!
In this Eastertide, when the challenge of 2 plus years of pandemic weariness weighs us down, Jesus continues to empower us to extraordinary ways of being. There is work to be done; wrongs to be righted, the hungry to be fed, broken lives to be restored, captives to be freed, hope to overcome despair. There is good news to be proclaimed! And part of the good news is that despite our shortcomings, we are still commanded to be bearers of the Gospel and embody a different way of life.
We are grateful for all the churches in the Seattle Presbytery who are grappling anew with who they are and who God needs them to be as they share the good news in their communities. And we are grateful for presbytery leadership such as the Executive Board, Commission on Ministry, and Commission on Preparation for Ministry, who remain committed to issues of equity and justice as they support and encourage congregations, sessions, and ministers.
Welcome Rev. Paul S. Kim
We also want to take this opportunity to share the good news of our newest staff member, Rev. Paul Kim. Paul will be serving a two-year term as Community & Ministry Development Associate. As the Thriving Congregation program grows, Paul will be tasked with supporting the current program and inviting participation from congregations outside Seattle Presbytery. If that weren’t enough, Paul will also be helping the presbytery explore community partnerships (and development) where we have vacant properties. He’ll also help support the staff team during the upcoming sabbaticals for Scott (this summer/fall) and Eliana (2023).
Grace and peace,
Revs. Eliana Maxim & Scott Lumsden
Co-Executive Presbyters
We are grateful for the outpouring of prayers and calls from congregations and individuals asking how they can help. As the violence continues, the number of people being displaced internally and fleeing to neighboring countries increases by the day. And in the midst of the chaos, there are sibling churches and ecumenical partners who are already providing assistance with basic items for survival. Our first priority as PDA is to provide funding to these partners on the ground. While the scale of this crisis is new, receiving refugees from Ukraine and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe is not which means we have trusted, established partners with the knowledge and expertise to carry out this important work.
We are hearing that the reformed churches in Ukraine and the region are also feeling called to join in the humanitarian response. PDA, therefore, anticipates that our response will include both financial and technical assistance as the network of faith communities providing humanitarian assistance grows in the months ahead.
As we pray for an end to this violence, we ask the U.S. Government and our European allies to make a commitment to the Ukrainian people for a peaceful solution. We don’t know how long it will take, but we know that they will need help with the rebuilding of their country so that those who are fleeing now may one day return home safely.
Funds are being used for emergency humanitarian aid such as food items, shelter, medicines, diapers, hygiene items, etc.
To support our response, designate gifts to DR000156 or text PDAUKR to 41444.
Click here to read FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS on our response to Ukraine.
Being Matthew 25 broadcast explores ministry gifts and opportunities found in the neighborhood
by Mike Ferguson | Presbyterian News Service
This video describes Seattle Presbytery’s Matthew 25 work, especially its Thriving Congregations learning cohort, financed by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.
The film features the Rev. Scott Lumsden and the Rev. Eliana Maxim, co-executive presbyters, as well as the Rev. Tali Hairston, the presbyter’s director of Community Organizing, Advocacy and Development, who leads the Thriving Congregations cohort.
In the film, Hairston is depicted talking with members of three congregations east of Seattle. A central tenet is this quote from Tim Shapiro, the author of “How Your Congregation Learns”: “Congregations don’t just do new things; they learn to do new things.”
“Congregations in this learning cohort are having hard conversations that are easy to shy away from,” Maxim says in the video. Some churches “are so busy taking care of their to-do list they shy away from these deeper conversations.”
“Scott and Eliana said, ‘Go talk to these churches,’” Hairston says in the video. “What does it mean to creatively cultivate Christian practices? We are learning a lot about what that means” by looking at the relationship participating churches have between place and story.
“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord amongst siblings.” (Proverbs 6:16-19) *emphasis mine
Dear friends,
The heaviness of the world never seems as heavy as when it groans with the violence and destruction of war. Today our social media feeds, radio waves, and news bulletins are filled with the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Scripture reminds us that all those things that diminish humanity, bring hurt and destruction, all grieve God and are the true abominations among us.
I know you and your congregations will join the millions of voices around the world praying for peace, not just in Ukraine, but in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and so many other countries. And may each of our churches be aware of community needs of our refugee and immigrant siblings around us who must bear this grief and fear far from home.
We share this prayer from the PCUSA:
In grace and most of all peace,
Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
An email scam is targeting our churches, pretending to be an employee asking for a bank account change for direct deposit. If you receive any emails like this, do NOT respond. Call the employee directly to verify the information and never share any account information over email.
Background on this type of fraud & similar schemes.
Actions to take if you’ve had funds stolen:
Contact your bank immediately.
File a police report.
Notify the Presbytery so we can share with other churches.
Dear friends,
If there is one thing the covid pandemic has taught us these past 20+ months is that everything must be held lightly, and flexibility is our friend. After dipping our toes back into in person worship services and face to face gatherings, the latest coronavirus variant omicron and its rapidly contagious sweep across the country has once again forced us to reconsider our decisions. Infection rates have once again soared in Washington State and specifically King County.
For our congregational leaders – pastors and sessions – this is frustrating and disappointing. Some of our churches have made the decision to cancel in person Christmas services already, while others are still considering offering a hybrid format. Regardless of choice, long hours and hard work have been spent to gather faith communities together to celebrate the birth of Christ. The discouragement is real.
We know that you are all making the best choice for your congregation, and we know you do not do so lightly. As your co-executive presbyters/colleagues/friends, we want you to know that we recognize this extra challenge in ministry and are here for you. We pray for you and your churches.
And yet... if there is something the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ has taught us though, is that despite worldly impediments, human stumbling blocks, political instability, or waning hope – Christ continues to break through into the world, standing in the midst of our uncertainty and fear, fulfilling the promise to be Emanuel, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God. We take courage and comfort in this assurance.
In hope and peace,
Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
Dear Friends,
I recently shared with our Executive Board some reflections on a particular line about the role of presbyteries in our Book of Order. “The presbytery is responsible for the government of the church throughout its district, and for assisting and supporting the witness of congregations to the sovereign activity of God in the world, so that all congregations become communities of faith, hope, love, and witness.” (G-3.0301) (emphasis mine)
I was struck by that line as I considered the work our presbytery staff and leadership take on. There are always to do lists being created (and added on to), agendas coordinated, conflict to be managed, meetings to attend, transitions to be planned, and on and on. These are all important and necessary tasks for the work to get done and leadership to take place. But that line from the Book of Order stuck with me – how are we witnessing to the sovereign activity of God in the world? Where are we seeing God at work in and amongst us?
Personally, in this season of life, my obvious answer to that question is the recent birth of my grandson, particularly when I watch my parents holding him.
But it’s also in witnessing a church’s session wrestle with their role and find their voice and authority to be the spiritual leaders they were ordained to be; or the rallying and support of colleagues around a pastor who is struggling with grief, providing them with space and time to heal without the congregation lacking leadership; or a congregation grappling with its racist history and how institutional white supremacy contributed to its growth and power; or a congregational leader making their way through restoration and reconciliation after a disciplinary matter. God is in all those places. God continues to be in all our places.
As we mark another Thanksgiving holiday, whether with family and friends, or quietly on our own, I invite you to join me in hitting the pause button on the busy, technical aspects of leadership. Let us set aside our to do lists and spreadsheets, breathe deeply, and point to where God is present and actively engaging the world. For this we can be thankful, and what a blessing that needs not be relegated to one day in the year, but all times. In that way we may indeed heed Paul’s urging, “rejoice in the Lord always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ for you.”
Grateful for you, your congregations, and your witness to God’s sovereign activity in the world!
Grace and peace,
Rev. Eliana Maxim
Co-Executive Presbyter
This week’s e-news is an auditory extravaganza!
New episode: SeaPres Podcast. Co-Executive Presbyters Eliana Maxim & Scott Lumsden recap the October presbytery meeting, look ahead to the next few months, and share an important message for our pastoral leaders.
Scott and Eliana shared this written report at the October SeaPres meeting.
