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Cherokee Presbytery
Georgia
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession. It was not because you were more numerous than any other people ... for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the Lord loved you” (Deut. 7:6–8). This verse resonates with people of Cherokee Presbytery, gathering committed PC(USA) congregations in Northwest Georgia, few in number, humble in origins, but aware of the love of God in their hearts. They desire nothing more than to be faithful to God’s calling. Believing the first step is listening, they consider corporate discernment as important as parliamentary procedure.
In the midst of a conflict that easily could have escalated into permanently ruptured relationships in a small, rural community, the presbytery chose to read Scripture, pray, sing, sit in silence and listen attentively to God and one another. In the end, they found a way to bless both sides of the controversy, build bridges for reconciliation, and demonstrate the love of God to everyone who was involved.
When many of its smaller membership churches began dwindling in numbers, vitality, and financial resources, Cherokee Presbytery started a project whose purpose is to provide support, resources, and encouragement to small membership churches as they seek to discern God’s will for their future. By spending as much time in reading Scripture, prayer, worship, silence, and attentive listening to God and one another as they do in strategic planning, these congregations are beginning to see once again the Light who shines in their darkness.
Through listening to God’s call, in the past decade Cherokee Presbytery has started five new churches, nurtured ten immigrant fellowships, and now has 41 churches with 10,245 members. It has formed a three-year partnership to help a rural Nicaraguan community to develop a self-sustaining, self-governed food program.
Presbytery Staff
The Rev. Gail M. Neal, interim general presbyter and stated clerk
Elder Betty Cheek, administrative assistant and office manager
Victoria Williams, bookkeeper
Kelly Howington, retreat center director
Andy Hendrix, retreat
center groundskeeper
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Travis Simmons, BOP
Aline Simpson, GAMC
Dear God, thank you for evidence of your faithfulness that is all around us. Open our eyes to see what you are doing and what we can be doing in your name. Amen.
Ps. 116, 147:12–20 Ps. 26, 130
Neh. 1:1–11 or Lam. 2:16–22
Rev. 5:11–6:11; Matt. 13:18–23
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