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TABLE
CPM-Committee on
HISTORY |
A Short History of the Presbytery of the James The Presbyterian Church
U.S. and the United Presbyterian Church merged in1983 to form the
Presbyterian Church (USA). Following the merger, presbyteries and
synods were realigned. The Synod of the Mid-Atlantic comprising
presbyteries North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the
District of Columbia was formed with offices in Richmond. After the
Synod's formation, the Presbytery of the James came into existence in
1989, having been created from three different presbyteries: Blue
Ridge, Hanover and A Transitional Steering Committee was appointed to begin laying the groundwork for the new Presbytery that was to serve central Virginia. The steering committee asked members of the emerging Presbytery to consider that they were a "merger of varied people of faith with different memories; moving forward into a new beginning and a new creation." The name Presbytery of the James was chosen, calling attention to the James River flowing throughout the geographic area of the new Presbytery. The Presbytery of the James officially came into existence July 1, 1989. The Rev. Dr.William S. Morris was the first Executive Presbyter/Stated Clerk. The Presbytery's first meeting was held July 11 at First Presbyterian Church in Richmond. During Dr. Morris' term, the Presbytery's current office building on U.S. Route 1 was constructed on land from the former Hanover Presbytery. In 2006, the Presbytery voted to sell the property on Route 1 in Henrico County. September 2007, the office relocated to 3218 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond, VA, where they share office space with the Synod of the Mid Atlantic. After Dr. Morris' resignation to become pastor at Campbell Memorial Presbyterian Church in Weems, the Rev. William Boyce was elected as Interim Stated Clerk. Later, the Rev. John Rickard accepted the call to become Interim Executive. Following their resignations, the Rev. James Cushman became the Interim Executive Presbyter and Stated Clerk. In July 1997, the Rev. H. Carson Rhyne, Jr. began a three-year renewable term as the Presbytery's new General Presbyter and Stated Clerk. Having recently completed a decade of ministry, most of which has been spent in transition and reorganization, the Presbytery of the James is now looking and working more toward the future. A Strategic Plan detailing specific goals has been created for completion between 1999-2001. By December 2001, at least 50 percent of all Presbytery training events will be held in districts or clusters of districts. By the same deadline, each of the nine districts will have participated in a local mission project as a district. (In the mid-1990s, churches were divided into nine districts based upon geography to cultivate close relationships and shared ministry opportunities.) By December 2001, 12 congregations will have begun the redevelopment process of the General Assembly, PC(USA). In the same time period, seven congregations will have begun the revitalization process of the General Assembly PC(USA). An international partnership between the Presbytery and the Ga Presbytery in Ghana, Africa, was established and is being explored. Three new church developments, Arabic Fellowship, a District 1-sponsored church and Tappahannock Chapel, are working toward gaining status as official churches in the Presbytery. Three new part-time staff positions have been added to the Presbytery in the fields of church, leadership and mission development. An assistant to the Stated Clerk position also was created. With 113 churches, the Presbytery is diverse with 10 African-American congregations, one Korean congregation and one Arabic-speaking fellowship. The Presbytery serves more than 28,000 members, 240 ministers and 30 educators. |
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Presbytery of the James |