September Presbytery Recap

The Associated Church of Owatonna hosted the Presbytery meeting on Thursday, September 10, 2026. It was a beautiful afternoon to gather together for worship, business, food, and fellowship. Pastor Steve Tyykila and others church members provided excellent food and hospitality.

The meeting began with worship, coordinated by the Pastoral Leader Care Team. Worship featured musicians from the Music Ministry of Associated Church and included a reading of selected poems by Wendal Berry and the reading of the 2025 Necrology report.

During the Commission on Ministry report, the Presbytery honored the retirement of TE Cindy Ray. Cindy has been an outstanding leader in the Presbytery for many, many years, having served on various committees and boards, including chairing the Board of Trustees. Cindy was elected Moderator of the Presbytery in May 2011. Several spoke of Cindy’s leadership, commitment to doing things the right way, and her care and compassion. Former Executive Presbyter Jeff Japenga spoke specifically about Cindy’s role in redeveloping key communication initiatives and the grace and joy which marked her leadership.

The Board of Trustees reported amending the Presbytery’s investment policy to align with the PC(USA)’s Mission Responsibility Through Investment (MRTI) guidelines and moving the financial management of the PTCA’s financial resources to the New Covenant Trust Company, a subsidiary of the PC(USA)’s Board of Pensions.

The Presbytery Leadership Team provided an update from the Budget Stewardship and Visioning Team and reported that the 2027 Per Capita has been set. The 2027 Per Capita is as follows:

                  $13.04 (2027 General Assembly Per Capita)

                  $5.50 (2027 Synod of Lakes and Prairies Per Capita)

                  $28.71 (2027 PTCA Per Capita).

This brings the total 2027 per capita rate to: $47.25.

The Committee on the Preparation for Ministry reported on an expanding Commissioned Ruling Elder program and introduced to the Presbytery an emerging program, Sacred Circles. This program is intended to provided support for clergy and commissioned ruling elders alike to practice supervised reflection during early stages of ministry.

TE Joanna Hipp, Plymouth Presbyterian Church, and Inquirer Jimmy Hoke, representing the Antiracism Task Force, shared a video highlighting the recent antiracism policy and demonstrating how this policy might become a resource for the Presbytery.

The Presbytery also learned that the second mortgage, as part of the original sale of the former Dayton Avenue Presbyterian Church, had been satisfied and that the Presbytery received the balance owed.

Mission, Scholarship and Grants Committee chair RE Rocky Rockenstein highlighted the various grants that have been awarded so far in 2026.

Following the meal, Presbytery Leadership Team chair RE Elsa Kendig provided an ice cream social. During this time of fellowship, Presbyters heard some “community shout outs”, including stories from the recent General Assembly and upcoming retreats at Clearwater Forest.