On Thursday, January 19th, the Minturn congregation of Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church hosted the 5th Presbytery meeting of the newly formed Pee Dee Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA).
The PCA denomination is comprised of Presbyterian churches belonging to the PCA governed locally by ruling elders (RE). Churches elect REs to serve as church officers called the Session.
The governing body above the Session is the Presbytery. The Pee Dee Presbytery includes those PCA churches located in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina that include 18 PCA churches in Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon (First Presbyterian Church & Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church), Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Lee, Marion, Marlboro, Sumter, and Williamsburg counties.
The Pee Dee Presbytery was formed in January 2016 out of the Palmetto Presbytery that had included PCA churches in the Low Country, the Midlands, and the Pee Dee areas of the state.
The PCA was formed in 1972 and its Palmetto Presbytery had grown over those years to 54 (plus) churches and divided in 2015 from one Palmetto Presbytery into 3 Presbyteries.
The Low Country PCA churches formed and became the Low Country Presbytery, The Midlands PCA churches formed and kept the name Palmetto Presbytery, and the Pee Dee PCA churches formed into the Pee Dee Presbytery.
Since forming as the Pee Dee Presbytery in January 2016, the Pee Dee Presbytery has met at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Sumter, at Surfside Presbyterian Church in Myrtle Beach, at Union Presbyterian Church in Salters, and at Sardinia Presbyterian Church in New Zion. This 5th meeting of the Pee Dee Presbytery was held in Dillon County at Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church.
Local PCA church Sessions of the Pee Dee Presbytery name ruling elders as commissioners to represent their churches at Presbytery. Presbytery conducts the business of the Pee Dee Presbytery churches to include, church discipline, missions, administration, finance, shepherding, examining candidates for licensure and ordination, and other church denomination business.
This 5th meeting of the Pee Dee Presbytery held at the rural historic Reedy Creek Presbyterian Church began at 9:00 a.m., and was attended by 70 people.
Breakfast was catered and served by church members Sally McSwain and Linda Alford.
Outgoing 2016 Moderator RE John Harlow of First Presbyterian Church of Dillon opened the meeting with prayer and welcomed the 201
7 Moderator Pastor Clint Stockton (Teaching Elder or TE) of Andrews Presbyterian Church in Andrews, South Carolina.
The first order of business was a church service led by Reedy Creek Pulpit Supply Dr. Douglas Kelly who preached from the Book of Revelations. Guest Piano player Mary Freitas played for the hymn singing. Dr. Kelly served communion. An offering was collected and the proceeds were designated for the widow of a former Reedy Creek pastor. Reedy Creek Clerk of Session RE Curt McSwain, with several other REs assisting, helped serve communion and take up the offering.
Following the church service, Moderator Stockton called meeting back to order. Presbytery included reports on the following:
* Presbytery named several in attendance to review the 2016 Session meeting minutes of those churches attending.
* Presbytery received a report from Pastor Robert Jolly of Sardinia Presbyterian Church on administration matters.
* Presbytery received a report from its Stated Clerk, Pastor Michael Brown, on pending changes to the Book of Church Order.
* Presbytery received a report from RE Paul Goodrich of Surfside Presbyterian Church on church missions:
– Church Planter Stacey Severance reported on the new Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church being planted by him in Florence.
-,Church Planter Mark Horne reported on the new church being planted by him in the Carolina Forest Community of Myrtle Beach.
– RE Paul Goodrich reported on the new missionaries to the Bahamas John and Karen Stodghill.
* Presbytery was subsequently led in a season of prayer by TE Robert Jolly as Presbytery prayed for its 18 Pee Dee churches, its 2 church plants, and its missionaries.
* Presbytery examined licensee Matt Adams for Ordination relative to his call to pastor First Presbyterian Church of Dillon. Pastor Stuart Mizelle of Westminster Presbyterian Church led the examination. Matt Adams passed the examination and TE Dr. John Bumgardner was named chairman of the commission to ordain & install him on January 22nd as the pastor for First Presbyterian Church of Dillon. Dr. Bumgardner retired as the pastor for First Presbyterian Dillon on December 31st having served as pastor there for 34 years.
* Presbytery received a report from Pastor Marty Hodge of Union Presbyterian Church on Shepherding to include information about the Women in the Church.
* Presbytery closed with a 2nd Season of Prayer for specific church prayer needs and personal prayer needs.
The Presbytery meeting adjourned for lunch. The church leaders enjoyed this time of food and fellowship before heading back to their home churches.
For more information about the Pee Dee Presbytery visit www.peedeepres.org.
Reedy Creek Clerk Of Session Curt McSwain and Reedy Creek Pulpit Supply Dr. Douglas Kelly
Reedy Creek church members Sally McSwain and Linda Alford
Matt Adams examined for ordination on the floor of the Presbytery.
