I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Rev. Michael McLaughlin and the congregation of First Presbyterian Church of Cookeville for their exceptional warmth and hospitality in hosting our May Presbytery meeting.
Worship in their beautiful sanctuary with the voices of the church choir set the tone for the day. Homemade desserts at lunch? They were the talk of the afternoon.
Days like this remind me of what our presbytery is truly about — congregations opening their hearts and doors to one another in fellowship and shared mission. Thank you, First-Cookeville, for a truly special day.
Meeting highlights will be included in the next edition of eNews.
Vision Report
As I wrote in the previous eNews, the Presbytery will have the opportunity to vote on the Report from the Visioning Committee in August. I have already talked about the roles of Shepherds. Today, I would like to tell you about exciting roles of Deans. This innovative position is designed to bring specialized knowledge and practical support directly to each congregation.
So what exactly is a Dean? Simply put, a Dean is a ministry specialist. Each Dean is hired to serve as a resource and training expert in a specific area of church life — think Christian education, stewardship and finance, youth ministry, worship, technology, missions, or community involvement. The role is intentionally flexible and responsive: as the needs of our Presbytery shift, so too can the focus of our Deans.
The presbytery plans to hire up to four Deans at any given time, each working part-time (approximately 20 hours per week). Deans may be ordained ministers or lay leaders, and each will serve one-year renewable terms. They report directly to the Executive Presbyter and provide staff support to the presbytery committee that most closely aligns with their area of expertise.
One of the most compelling aspects of this new role is its commitment to equity. Not every congregation has the budget or bandwidth to bring in outside expertise on their own. A smaller rural church and a large urban congregation alike will now have access to the same high-quality guidance and training. Whether a church needs help designing a stewardship campaign, building out its children's ministry, or navigating a technology transition, a Dean will be available to walk alongside them.
In practice, Deans will offer consultations with pastors and church officers, organize workshops and training sessions, curate helpful resources, and foster collaboration and idea-sharing among congregations across the Presbytery. Their work is meant to be hands-on, relational, and practical.
The Dean program reflects a broader truth at the heart of our new vision: that we are stronger together. No congregation should have to face its challenges alone, and no good idea should stay siloed in a single church. Through the Deans, the wisdom and experience spread across our Presbytery can finally be shared more widely.
Peace, PS: My sermon, Good At Church, which I delivered at the Presbytery meeting, is available here as an MP3 or as a PDF.
Boundary Training for Church Leaders
If you have registered with Praesidium and need help completing a course, please contact me directly (615) 332-3330 ext. 2 or sc@pbymidtn.org. If you need to complete the training, click here. This will notify me to register you in the Praesidium Academy.
Invitations to a Benefits Gathering
Keenan Rodgers, Church Consultant for the Board of Pensions, is hosting a free gathering to learn more about the proposals recently approved by the Board of Directors of the Board of Pensions. The initial gathering will be held in person on May 19th, with additional virtual opportunities hosted at a later date.
Second Presbyterian Church, Nashville 3511 Belmont Blvd., Nashville Tuesday May 19 from 10:00-11:30am
All are welcome to attend, however this content will be most beneficial for pastoral leaders and benefits decision makers in congregations. A summary report will also be offered in an upcoming presbytery meeting.
Faith Formation Leader Connection Zoom
If you are a Faith Formation leader for your congregation, the PC(USA)’s Office of Christian Formation has a variety of resources you may find beneficial. One of these is a series of Zoom meetings to connect faith formation leaders. The next gathering is scheduled for May 12th. Each meeting is a stand-alone event - come to as many or as few as you like. Register here.
Currently, these are the active pastoral searches being conducted within the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. The Ministry Discernment Profile can be accessed through the link beside the church name.
The PC(USA)’s Interim Unified Agency has been renamed to Presbyterian Life & Witness, which comes with a tagline, “Serving God’s Mission in the World. This is a large milestone in the unification of the Office of the General Assembly and the Presbyterian Mission Agency.
Got an item for Seen and Heard? We love to feature our congregations and friends! Send to either Gregory Taylor at gregory@pbymidtn.org or Erin Bell at sc@pbymidtn.org
The Presbytery of Middle Tennessee 1113 Murfreesboro Rd., Suite 106 #216 Franklin, TN 37064
Does your congregation have prayer requests, celebrations, or moments to share with your Presbytery family? Please email us and we will include them in the next eNews.
