Presbytery Liaison Named; Committees Begin Work

The Succession Planning Team (STP) continues to meet and prepare for the Rev. Dr. Tim Hart-Andersen’s retirement in October. The Presbytery of the Twin Cities has assigned the Rev. Cader Howard, senior pastor at First Presbyterian in Stillwater, as the Presbytery liaison. The team met with Cader in June and will continue to liaise with him throughout the transition. Cader will also be the Presbytery liaison for the Pastor Nominating Committee.

The Ministry and Mission Study Co-Chairs Leigh Niebuhr and Gretchen Musicant met with a consultant in early June to begin planning the format for their work. The committee will lead the congregation through a selfstudy process to reflect on where we are and where God is leading us. The process will include in-person Listening Sessions later in the summer as well as surveys to ensure as many people as possible can participate in the work. The committee members are: Emmanuel Ablorh, Phil Asgian, Sean Costigan, Jacque DeBuse, Thomas Halverson, Kathleen Janasz, Abby Karels, Karen Kraemer, Bill Kruskop, Louis Davis, Ed Sootsman, Sarah Swindle, Jace Wilde, Elaine Wilson, Sandy Wolfe Wood, and Rani Murdoch Zappa.

Finally, Cathie Fischer and Janet Leick will co-chair the Celebrations Committee. They are in the process of selecting other committee members and are beginning to determine the scope of their work. The committee will plan activities and events to celebrate Tim’s ministry. We invite the community to stay up to date on the pastoral transition process through the website.