• COMMISSIONS | COMMITTEES

Chair: Leanne Thompson

Class of 2025
Jerry Olson
Tony Oltmann
Bonnie Roys

Class of 2026
Beverly Brock
Randy Knuth
Barb Wawrzyniak
Keven Withers

Class of 2027
Jeanne Kumbalek
Leanne Thompson
Open

Membership:
The nine at-large members of the Committee on Presbytery Life elected by the presbytery can be teaching elders or any member of a church, and the Executive Presbyter and the Stated Clerk shall serve as ex-officio members.

The Vision for this Commission:
Our vision is to encourage and enhance our common life as the Body of Christ.

The Committee on Presbytery Life:

  1. Promote, encourage, and enable congregational participation in, and support of, Presbyterian mission, social justice concerns, and peacemaking initiatives, including but not limited to the presbytery’s current mission connections:
    • Presbyterian Clearwater Forest
    • Lakeshore Center at Okoboji
    • New Worshipping Communities
  1. Develop presbytery-sponsored events – both regionally and presbytery-wide – to enrich the lives and enhance the ministries of our congregations
  2. Nominate members to serve on the Committee on Representation
  3. Encourage, equip, connect and challenge congregations in the development of new collaborative mission and ministry initiatives.

Co-Chairs: Patty Brandts and Keith Lohse – Budget & Finance (B)
Brian Jones – Personnel (P)

Class of 2025
Brian Jones (P)
Keith Lohse (B)
Sherry Myers (P)

Class of 2026
Patty Brandts (B)
Bea Hayen (P)
John Williamson (B)

Class of 2027
John Chamberlain (B)
Anne Veldhuisen (B)
Liz Windingstad (P)

Membership:
Nine Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders

The Vision for the Commission:
Our vision is to ensure accountability to the councils of the church.

The Commission of Presbytery Operations:

  1. Between the meetings of the presbytery, take actions on behalf of the presbytery to approve particular congregation’s property selling, encumbering, and/or leasing (G-4.0206)
  2. Provide oversight for the presbytery’s budgeted and designated finances, according to the presbytery’s Fiscal Accountability Policies (Manual of Operations: Article V, Appendix 1)
  3. Provide oversight for the presbytery’s property (Manual of Operations: Article V, Appendix 1)
  4. Act as Trustees of the presbytery in accordance with the presbytery’s Fiscal Accountability Policies (Manual of Operations: Article V, Appendices 1, 2 and 3)
  5. Provide oversight of the presbytery staff and implement the presbytery’s approved personnel policies (Article V, Appendix 10, including G-3.0110):
    • Hiring and dissolving relationships with presbytery employees and other contracted services.
    • Conducting annual reviews of the Executive Presbyter and stated clerk
    • As necessary hire additional temporary leadership staff to fulfill the presbytery’s mission.
  6. Be responsible for maintaining communications with the Synod of Lake and Prairies and the General Assembly (G.3.0302: c, d, and e)
  7. Receive proposed changes to Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Operating Procedures and recommend action to presbytery.
  8. Act on grant/scholarship requests from congregations seeking support:
    • for new, collaborative mission and ministry initiatives
    • for well-articulated growth-oriented goals (Isaiah 43:19)
    • for upgrading technologies
    • for conferences, workshops, other learning opportunities

Co-Chairs: Andy Davis and Louella Voigt

Class of 2025
Sonya Alexander
Andy Davis
Dan Honetschlager
Marge Johnson
Kathy Knips
Dennis Peterson

Class of 2026
Mark Ford
Cory Germain
Michael Hartwell
Anna Williamson
OPEN

Class of 2027
David Lick
Laura Messer
Darin Seaman
Louella Voigt
Steven Voris

Membership:
Fifteen, as close to an equal number of Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders as possible

The Vision for this Commission:
Our vision is to come alongside pastoral leaders, and those preparing for pastoral leadership roles, as they live out their call to ministry and mission.

The Commission on Leadership:

  1. Provide support, resources, and care for our Pastoral Leaders (teaching elders and commissioned ruling elders) including the delegated presbytery authority to:
    • Approve terms of calls (G-2.0504, G-2.08 and G-3.0109b3)
    • Approve temporary pastoral relationships and contracts (G-2.0504b)
    • Examine for presbytery membership and determine the category for membership (G-2.0503, G-2.0505, G-2.0506, G-2.0507, G2-0508)
    • Appoint Administrative Commissions for installation and/or ordination (G-3.0109 b2)
  2. Work with congregations and Pastoral Leaders in all areas of their relationships, including pastoral transitions including the delegated presbytery authority to:
    • Dissolve pastoral leader’s relationships (G-2.09)
    • Appoint Session Moderators (G-1.504)
  1. Act on grant requests from individuals seeking support for conferences, workshops, other learning opportunities
  2. Develop relationships with and among the presbytery’s congregations with a commitment to their overall health and well-being.
  3. Work with inquirers and candidates on behalf of the presbytery as they move through the process of preparation for ministry as outlined in the Book of Order (G-2.06 and G-2.07) and the Advisory Handbook on Preparation for Ministry from the General Assembly
  4. Provide for the training, examination, and nurture of ruling elders seeking to be commissioned to pastoral service assuring that the training meets Book of Order guidelines (G-2.10)
  5. Work with congregations in exploring non-traditional staff models

Class of 2025
Douglas Dent, Co-Moderator, Year Two
Sue Goebel, Co-Moderator, Year One
Bill Stegemann, Vice-Moderator
Leanne Thompson, Past Moderator

The Mod Squad Commission:

  1. Plan engaging, informative and celebratory presbytery meetings, including the commissioner briefing and receiving the four church wide offerings.
  2. Provide vision and strategy for the ongoing life of the presbytery
  3. Develop presbytery-sponsored events – both regionally and presbytery-wide – to enrich the lives and enhance the ministries of our congregations
  4. Appoint and dissolve administrative commissions (except for administrative commissions for ordination and/or installation of teaching elders) if need arises (G-3.0109b)
  5. Appoint people to Investigating Committees (D-7.05a)

Class of 2025
John Henke
Norb Smith

Class of 2027
Candace Adams
Karen Anderson
Elaine Boyd

Class of 2028
Mike Butler
Deb Hess

Membership: Seven

The Permanent Judicial Commission:
Fulfills the constitutional responsibilities assigned to it in the Book of Order

Chair: Andy Davis

Class of 2025
Mark Ford
Nick Sonsteby
Lenae Wordes

Class of 2026
Andy Davis

Class of 2027
Open
Open

Membership: Six

The Committee on Representation:

  1. Fulfills the constitutional responsibilities assigned to it in the Book of Order
  2. Serves as the nominating committee of the Presbytery, striving to fulfill Presbytery’s mandate of diversity and inclusivity

Chair: OPEN

Members: Dick Andzenge, Thijin Gatwech, Thalia Taylor, Paul Tift

Membership:
Minimum Five: Majority racial ethnic, majority Presbyterian, the chair must be Presbyterian, and either a Presbytery staff person must meet with the committee or the chair must be a Teaching Elder.

The Committee on Self-Development of People:

    1. Conducts its work according to the guidelines of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). There are no exceptions:
  1. Develops methods and provides opportunities for educating the presbytery concerning the purpose, availability, and qualification for Self-Development of People funds
  2. Increases awareness of the One Great Hour of Sharing as the financial source for these funds.
  3. Solicits projects to receive the funds and assist in the interpretation of the criteria required to request these funds.
  4. Distributes monies received from the presbytery to those projects that the committee deems worthy.