A Note from the New Clerk of Session
Chris Skerlong
As the new Clerk of Session (effective January 2022) I have big shoes to fill. Diana Petruska served for 3 ½ years and her commitment to the work of the church, her administrative skills, her willingness to go “above and beyond the call of duty” set a very high bar for me! I am still learning, and hope to at least partially, live up to her standards!
One of the first things I will do to ensure that the congregation is aware of the work of the Session is to continue Diana’s practice of sending Session highlights for the month. You will see a link to the January and February highlights below, and each month I will post a similar summary.
But I thought I would start with just a brief description of the Session and what our meetings cover. Some of you (like me) may not have grown up in the Presbyterian Church and so may not be totally familiar with how Session works. According to the Book of Order (one of two parts of the Presbyterian Constitution), “Session has the power to establish plans and rules for the worship, mission, government, and discipline of the church and to do those things necessary to the peace, purity, unity, and progress of the church under the will of Christ. They have responsibility for the leadership, guidance, and government of that portion of the church that is under their jurisdiction.”
Each Session meeting (third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM) starts with a prayer and spiritual nourishment form Pastor Donna. And the Elders have been praying at each meeting for individual members of the congregation – going alphabetically through the directory, a few “letters” each month.
The business part of the meeting consists of the Pastor’s report, the Clerk’s report, motions to approve minutes, Baptisms, weddings and other events, and reports from the committees that could include motions for approval. We also have a “Featured Committee of the Month” when the Chair and Co-Chair give a brief description of their committee and some recent highlights. Pastor Donna just started the “Elder of the Month” to recognize the exceptional work of one Elder each month.
So, each month I will share some highlights to include the approved motions, the featured committee and the Elder of the month and any items of general interest. I hope it helps you to feel part of the life of the church and gives you insight into how the Session functions.
Feel free to contact me or any of the Elders with questions or comments. Thank you!
Chris Skerlong
Clerk of Session
cpcbaclerk@gmail.com