Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Wayside Presbyterian Church, Landisville, PA, at 9:30 AM

Registration Information and Documents

September Gathering Information:

  • Featuring Worship with Rev. Andrew Esqueda, preaching, West Chester Dance Works, Our Journey into Antiracism led by Elizabeth Guman & Diana Gonzalez of Strategy Arts, Board of Pension Update with Church Consultant Emily Chudy, and Adoption of the Presbytery of Donegal 2026 Budget.
  • Celebrations! Ordination Anniversaries, Welcoming New Ministers to the Presbytery, Retirements, and Recognition of the Commissioning of Ruling Elder Amy Wade as Pastor of Doe Run Presbyterian Church.
  • Exciting Opportunities to connect and engage with cohorts for pastors and CREs, the Immigration & Refugee Support network, the Racial Justice Task Group, and the establishment of a new presbytery Disaster Readiness Team. As always, Guests are welcome!

Our Antiracism Journey: Why Policies Matter and How to Get There!

The Presbytery of Donegal is committed to the journey of Racial Justice and going ever deeper into antiracism. At the September 30 Presbytery Gathering, our Learning Community Time will be devoted to antiracism, specifically the requirement that all councils – including sessions and presbyteries – have an antiracism policy. We will welcome Strategy Arts, a local consulting firm, as our guides for this amazing opportunity. We are especially delighted that the managing partner of Strategy Arts is a ruling elder from First Presbyterian, West Chester.

In our current culture, there is a wide range of definitions about racism and antiracism. This workshop will offer definitions of these terms to help build a shared understanding that will be critical in the formation of a policy on antiracism. Next, we’ll explore a framework to consider what actions and decisions align with an antiracism policy, giving examples to help each congregation consider what is relevant to them. Participants will be able to share ideas in small group discussions to further expand their understanding about what actions would help them be better at being Christ’s church in their communities.

Elizabeth Guman, Managing Partner, Díana Gonzalez, Racial Equity and Equitable Engagement Lead: Elizabeth Guman and Díana Gonzalez are consultants from Strategy Arts, a local consulting firm. They have extensive experience working with a wide variety of clients to build their understanding of racial equity and racial justice and then translating that into actionable steps relevant for their specific context. Recently, they led the Presbytery’s Racial Justice Task Group through a one-day planning session. You can read their full bios here: Strategy Arts Team Bios.

Post-Presbytery Gathering Board of Pension Update with Church Consultant Emily Chudy

Join Church Consultant, Emily Chudy, for a post-presbytery gathering on the Board of Pensions benefits packages for pastoral leaders. This 45-minute workshop will review the benefits available to Ministers and CREs, emphasizing the unique way these packages are structured to support pastoral leaders—physically, mentally, financially, spiritually, and vocationally. This time is designed to be a review for those already enrolled in BoP packages so that they can fully utilize the benefits available to them, as well as an introduction for ruling elders who make benefits decisions for their congregations, and for ministers eligible but not yet enrolled in BoP benefits. It will cover the many opportunities available for pension and income-protection programs, and wellness initiatives for those not enrolled in the Medical Plan. Sign up here: BoP Post-Presbytery Workshop sign up.

Learn More About the 2026 Proposed Presbytery Budget!

There will be a Pre-Presbytery Zoom Gathering on Monday, September 29, at 7:00 pm. We will review the proposed Presbytery Budget for 2026 and answer any questions. Please register for this budget Zoom with the Presbytery Gathering registration link above. You must register ahead of time to attend this Zoom meeting.

Voting Commissioners for all Meetings:

All sessions are permitted to elect at least 1 Ruling Elder Commissioner.  Churches with memberships over 100 will be represented as follows: 100-299 - 2 Ruling Elders; 300-499 - 3 Ruling Elders; 500-999 - 4 Ruling Elders; 1000-1499 - 5 Ruling Elders & Above 1500 - 6 Ruling Elders.  All other Ruling Elders or members are invited to attend the Presbytery Meeting as guests.

Presbytery Gatherings - 2025 & 2026

  • Tuesday, September 30, 2025 - Wayside Presbyterian Church, Landisville PA at 9:30 am
  • Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Trinity Presbyterian Church, Berwyn PA at 9:30 am
  • Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – The First Presbyterian Church of Strasburg at 9:00 am (Snow date Tuesday, March 3, 2026)
  • Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Donegal Presbyterian Church, Mount Joy at 9:30 am
  • Tuesday, September 22, 2026  - Eastminster Presbyterian Church, York at 9:30 am
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2026 – The First Presbyterian Church of Phoenixville at 9:30 am

Presbytery Gathering Procedures and Forms

Procedures for Documentation Related to GatheringsForm to Submit a MotionForm to Submit an Amendment to a Motion

Form to Suggest Corrections to Minutes or ReportsNew Commissioner Information