Dear Westminster Presbyterian Church Family,

Please read on for an update from the Session’s February meeting.

Presbytery Report

Our church is part of a larger body of 15 churches in the York County area, Fellowship Presbytery. Rev. JT Hoover shared an update from the most recent presbytery meetings. We encourage you to be in regular prayer for the Elders serving across our presbytery as they provide spiritual oversight and care for their congregations. Ask the Lord to grant them wisdom, unity, humility, and courage as they faithfully shepherd God’s people.

2026 Officer Nominations

Due to the significant season of change at Westminster, including the upcoming pastoral search and capital campaign, the Session has decided to suspend nominations for new officers in 2026. At the end of the year, Elders who have previously served and been ordained will have the option to stand for election in order to be reinstalled to active service. Deacons, however, serve in a perpetual ordination and therefore do not require congregational approval to become active again. In 2027, we plan to resume our regular nomination process and return to our normal officer election schedule.

Pastor Search Committee Slate Selection

The Session carefully went through the process of selecting the Pastoral Search Committee. A recommended slate of nine members and nine alternates was presented for consideration. After prayerful deliberation, the Session selected the slate recommended by the Session Leadership Team. The final slate reflects a broad representation of our congregation, including various ages and life stages, members from both worship services, and a balance of genders. This slate of nine members, with two designated alternates, will go before the congregation for election at the February 22 congregational meeting, in accordance with the Book of Church Order.

February 22 Congregational Meeting Process

Bill McKinnon, the Clerk of Westminster’s Session, gave a brief overview of the procedures of the February 22 congregational meeting to elect the Pastor Search Committee. Due to the usual format of our congregational meetings, and after consultation with Per Almquist, Polity Specialist of the PCA, it was decided that the vote on the Pastoral Search Committee slate would be a simple up-or-down vote. Because of the logistics and timing of the meeting, floor nominations would not be feasible. Ruling Elder McKinnon prepared a letter to the congregation explaining this process. You can read his letter, along with other information about our pastor search on our website.

Results from February 22 Congregational Meeting

Thank you to all who participated in our February 22 Congregational Meeting. We are grateful for your engagement and prayerful involvement in this important season. The recommended Pastor Search Committee slate was approved with 95% voting in favor. Our committee members are Audrey Bisch, Tonya Conrad, Spence Dixon, Steve Heckard, Calum Henderson, Diane Howe, Ashley Kerr, Jim Petty, and Elizabeth Robinson, with Matt Harper and Abigail Wilson serving as alternates. Please join us in praying faithfully for this team as they begin the significant work of discerning whom God is calling to serve as our next Senior Pastor. May the Lord grant them wisdom, unity, humility, and clear direction in the months ahead.

Please stay tuned each month for continued updates from the Westminster Session. If you have questions about any of the items mentioned in this monthly update or want more details, please email wpcsession@wpcgo.com.