CALLED MEETING PRESBYTERY OF GREATER ATLANTA

December 12, 2017 Radcliffe Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA

This called meeting was originally called for Saturday December 9, 2017. Due to a snow storm in Atlanta, the meeting was postponed until December 12, 2017. Moderator Jihyun Oh called the meeting to order with prayer at 1:31 pm. The host pastor, Anyabwile Stephens brought greetings from the host church, and happy birthday greetings to the EPNC’s candidate, Aisha Brooks-Lytle! Donna Wells, Stated Clerk, declared a quorum to be present. The purpose of the meeting was stated: to entertain the report of the Executive Pastor Nominating Committee and to act on their report. Toni Griffin-Fields brought the report of the EPNC. She gave an overview of their process, emphasizing that this process had been grounded in prayer. Elder Griffin-Fields talked about the qualities that the EPNC sought in their candidate and discussed how the compensation package came about. Five people from the EPNC spoke as to why Aisha Brooks-Lytle was the committee’s candidate:

1. Robert Hay: She is infectious! Her faith and love for Christ, and her desire to bring people together is what captivated me.

2. Jae Kim: Jae asked Aisha about her tattoos and discovered they were tattoos that spoke to her faith. “She wants to keep her awareness of God and His presence with her at all times. She is anchored to Jesus Christ.”

3. Destiny Williams: She is dynamic, authentic and genuine. My youth heard Aisha preach at Montreat and their enthusiasm was overwhelming.

4. Brady Radford: We thought about who we were as a presbytery. With Aisha, we have an opportunity for balance…to be both transformative and inspiring yet to do the administrative pieces well.

5. Martha Moore-Keish: She was captivated by the devotional that Aisha choose to present to the committee. She choose John 21…She challenged in her devotional, what does it mean to listen to the unexpected voices, to cast your net on the other side of the boat.

At the conclusion of the EPNC’s report, the floor was open to questions of the EPNC. There were none. John Callahan and Guerry Mashburn presented the candidate Aisha Brooks-Lytle as having passed examinations with no reservations. The floor was open to questions of the candidate. There were none. Toni Griffin-Fields presented the terms of call and the made the motion to elect. Terms of Call: Salary 60,000 Housing 45,000 Excess health Reimbursement Arrangement Account 1,700 Employer matching 403(b) contribution 360 SECA 8,190.09 Medical 26,765 Pension 11,776.60 Death and Disability 1,070.60

Dental 1,632.36 Total Salary and Board of Pensions 156,494.65 Business and Professional Expenses 4,000 Continuing Education 1,500 Mileage reimbursement – unlimited (Part of budget item for all employees $17,000) Health Reimbursement Arrangement Account 300 Cell phone and carrier cost Two weeks continuing education Four weeks vacation Three weeks bereavement leave upon death of husband Executive Presbyter Training 1,500 (for 3 yrs) Sabbatical of three months after seven full years of service Moving expenses to cost The floor was open to questions. The examination was sustained. The Presbytery voted by ballot. Aisha Brooks-Lytle was elected as the Executive Presbyter by a vote of 142 yes, 3 no and 1 abstention. Rev. Brooks-Lytle gave words of appreciation to the Presbytery upon her election. Ken Whitehurst, Chair of the Council gave words of thanks for Jane Fahey’s leadership during this interim time period. A resolution in her honor is attached to these minutes. The meeting was closed in prayer by Moderator Jihyun Oh. Jane Fahey gave the benediction. The presbytery was invited to a meet and greet following the meeting. Respectfully submitted, Donna E. Wells Stated Clerk

Commissioner Handbook

Called Meeting of the Presbytery

December 9, 2017 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Radcliffe Presbyterian Church

286 Hamilton E. Holmes Dr. NW Atlanta, GA 30318

Telephone: (404) 799-8286

STRATEGIC PURPOSE To be a catalyst, creator and equipper of

healthy, vital and growing congregations in all regions of the Presbytery.

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November 22, 2017 To: the Commissioners of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta Re: a special called meeting of Presbytery for December 9, 2017 Dear Commissioners, I am delighted to announce that the Executive Presbyter Search Committee has asked Moderator Jihyun Oh to call for a special meeting of Presbytery in order to present their candidate for the Executive Presbyter position. According to G-3.0304, the Moderator has asked me to issue the call for the meeting on her behalf. The purpose of the special called meeting is the presentation and examination of Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle, candidate for the position of Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta. No other business shall be conducted at this meeting. Enclosed with this call, you will find a report on the EPNC’s process, a booklet with contains the candidate’s Faith Statement and Faith Journey Statement, and the terms of call for Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle. The meeting of Presbytery shall convene at 10:00 AM on Saturday December 9, 2017 at Radcliffe Presbyterian Church. Radcliffe Church is located at 286 Hamilton E. Holmes Dr. NW, in Atlanta, GA 30318. The Commissioners to the November 14th Stated Meeting remain eligible to serve as Commissioners to this meeting. But your congregation may also elect new Commissioners if it so chooses. Candidate Brooks-Lytle was thoroughly examined by the Examinations Commission on November 16, 2017. She shall be presented for final examination, reception and call by the Presbytery at this special meeting. The vote to extend the call and accept the terms of call shall be by ballot. On behalf of Moderator Jihyun Oh, Donna E. Wells Stated Clerk

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Called Meeting of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta December 9, 2017

Radcliffe Presbyterian Church

Opening Prayer Jihyun Oh Welcome by Host Pastor Anyabile Stephens Opening Hymn Establishment of a Quorum Donna Wells Report of the Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee Sue Westfall Overview of our Process What brought us to a resounding yes to this candidate? Testimony: Robert Hay, Jae Kim, Destiny Williams, Martha Moore-Keish Summation Questions for EPNC Report of the Examinations Commission John Callahan & Carrie Barnes Questions to Candidate Presentation of Terms of Call and Motion to Elect Sue Westfall Vote by Ballot Dissolving the EPNC with Thanks Jihyun Oh Word of Appreciation from Aisha Aisha Brooks-Lytle A Word from the Council Ken Whitehurst Hymn Closing Prayer Jihyun Oh Benediction Jane Fahey

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Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee Report to the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta

December 9, 2017 A word of special thanks to the presbytery staff - Jane Fahey, Donna Wells, Miranda Emery, Gwen Hairston, Mark Sauls, and Chip Blankinship – for their responsive administrative help and support throughout this process. And to First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta for providing exceptional hospitality (room set-ups, audio-visual equipment and tech help, refreshments ranging from coffee and water to lunches to early morning snacks) to the committee and its guests about 25 times this year! As the chair, I take a moment to commend the presbytery for electing a phenomenal Executive Presbyter Search Committee. It was a perfect illustration of Paul’s image of how essential all the parts are to the functioning of the body. Each person had their own unique gifts, perspectives, and strengths. We worked diligently. We learned from each other. We disagreed. We laughed. We prayed often. We thanked God from the beginning of this process to its exciting conclusion – and new beginning! - sensing the Spirit’s movement all along the way.

• We began meeting upon our election to the committee at the February 4, 2017 meeting of the presbytery. We received an orientation from Jane Fahey, selected the chair, (Sue Westfall), Vice Chair, (Toni Griffin-Fields) and corresponding secretary (Nicole Lock), and then were led in a reflection on discernment by The Reverend Joan Gray.

• We met every other Wednesday from 11:00am to 1:00pm at First Presbyterian Church. Their hospitality was incredibly generous, seeing to our every need! This was a huge gift to the committee and, by extension, the presbytery. We opened each meeting with check-ins, a reflective devotional time, and prayer. We closed every meeting in prayer and prayed during the meetings whenever the Spirit prompted.

• Although we tried to meet in person, in order to accommodate people who could not physically make it to the meeting, we used the audio/visual platform ZOOM and got very adept at it, recommending it as a gathering platform.

• During February and March we did research, meeting with Dianne Smith, Chair of the Personnel Committee, who explained the personnel policies and the responsibility and authority of the committee. We met with Ed Albright who shared reflections on presbytery leadership. We read many documents from ours and other presbyteries.

• During March we distributed a survey throughout the presbytery to hear from folk about what they valued about the presbytery, and the qualities they thought were important for the next presbytery executive. We held listening sessions with 20 churches (sessions and entities of presbytery) to further understand the needs and the heartbeat of the presbytery.

• Out of this feedback, previous job descriptions, and our own prayerful discernment, we wrote a Ministry Information Form and a job description for the EP which was approved by Council in early May.

• In late May, we posted the MIF with the Church Leadership Connection and began receiving Personal Information Forms. In addition we generated a list of people whom we wanted to encourage to apply and made those additional contacts.

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• We developed a process for scoring the PIFS as they came in and, by the time the committee met the day after the application deadline (Aug. 9), we had an outstanding field of 50 candidates and a clear rank ordering of them which we discussed extensively and prayed about earnestly.

• During August we conducted ZOOM interviews with the top nine candidates. Of that nine, six of them were white, two were Asian-American, and one was African American. Five were male, four were female. Eight were teaching elders, one was a ruling elder. We then narrowed the list again, this time to four – two women, two men, three teaching elders, one ruling elder, three white, one African American.

• We called all the personal references for our top four candidates. • We asked Synod Executive, Joyce Lieberman, to conduct an executive reference check

on each of our four candidates which she did, giving us a full go-ahead on all four. • Through September we conducted follow-up ZOOM interviews with the four top

candidates. • During the month of October we invited the four final candidates to Atlanta for extended

in-person interviews/conversation. • Out of those rich and meaningful conversations with four outstanding leaders we came to

the unanimous and joyous conclusion that the Spirit was leading us to offer the position to The Reverend Aisha Brooks-Lytle whom we are delighted to present to you today!

Submitted with joy and thanksgiving, Sue Westfall on behalf of the EPNC Sue Westfall, Chair Toni Griffin-Fields, Vice Chair Nicole Lock, Corresponding Secretary Robert Hay Kathy McCloud Tony Sundermeier Jae Kim Martha Moore-Keish Ron Reams Brady Radford John Shevlin Destiny Williams

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THE EXECUTIVE PRESBYTERYNOMINATING COMMITTEEENTHUSIASTICALLY INTRODUCES

Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle Nominee, Executive Presbyter

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From The Executive Presbyter Nominating Committee

Dear Friends,

It is with unanimity, enthusiasm, and gratitude that we introduce, The Rev. Aisha Brooks- Lytle, nominee for the call of Executive Presbyter of The Presbytery of Greater Atlanta!

From our very first encounter with Aisha we were struck by how fully she embodied the characteristics we were seeking as stated in our Ministry Information Form: "Above all, the candidates must demonstrate a strong faith in Jesus Christ and a sense of calling to the ministry of Executive Presbyter. We are looking for a candidate with spiritual maturity and cultural proficiency who can build bridges, adapt to changing circumstances, practice confidentiality, and maintain a healthy sense of humor."

Every subsequent encounter revealed even more - creativity, rapport with all ages, leadership, humility, maker of improvisational jazz music, lover of people inside and outside the church, and Kingdom-oriented.

We firmly believe that Aisha is God's choice to lead the presbytery now and into the future God is already bringing about.

With Great Anticipation and Faith,

Sue Westfall, Chair Toni Griffin-Fields, Vice Chair Nicole Lock, Recording Secretary Robert Hay, Jr. Jaehong Kim Kathy McCloud Martha Moore-Keish Brady Radford Ron Reams John Shevlin Tony Sundermeier Destiny Williams

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Reflections from Aisha's Colleagues

"Aisha drills down into your soul in a conversation the way she drills down into a text for a sermon, with eyes on the lookout for God, whom she knows she will find there. She understands pain but her presence is sheer joy, hope, truth and light. She is fearless. She is passionate. She is an angel on the loose...so buckle up. But oh, how I envy all the fun you’re going to have finding Christ together!"

Rev. Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean, Mary D. Synnott Professor of Youth, Church, and Culture Princeton Theological Seminary, NJ

"Aisha is a powerhouse! Of course, you already know that you will be blessed to have her. Aisha’s love for the church is clearly evident in the energy, beauty, power, intelligence and imagination that is characteristic of her life and ministry. I have always admired Aisha’s call to serve all people, her ministry reflects a great and diverse love that the church needs -- and one that is rarely seen. Her ministry of love is a model for all of us."

Rev. Alonzo Johnson, Interim Coordinator Self-Development of People PC (U.S.A.), Louisville, KY

"Aisha brings with her an ability to dream dreams and see visions of God’s resurrection possibilities at a time when despair and darkness frame much of the cultural narrative. She has the ability to concretely connect those dreams and visions to creative initiatives that will serve the church at this time in history. Her capacity to encourage and motivate others will serve her well as she leads and walks with the saints of the Presbytery of Atlanta. Above all, Aisha embodies the love of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in all she does. She loves boldly. She serves courageously. She leads humbly. She witnesses enthusiastically. Her voice and heart will be a blessing to the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta."

Rev. Ruth Santana-Grace, Executive Presbyter Philadelphia Presbytery, PA

"Aisha is one of the most dynamic and gifted Christian leaders I have ever known. She is a bridge builder and an innovator; a coach and a mentor; an outstanding preacher and theologian; and a passionate advocate for justice. But above all Aisha is a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ."

Dr. Shane Berg, Vice President Princeton Theoliogical Seminary, NJ

"Aisha has a capacity to connect with people of all ages. Her willingness to speak honestly from her deep personal experience makes her an instant favorite at our youth conferences. Aisha is a perceptive listener who approaches a good problem with a keen mind, optimism, and an abundant heart for ministry. I am thrilled that she is bringing her gifts to Atlanta. The presbytery is in for a treat!"

Mr. Richard DuBose, President Montreat Conference Center, NC

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Rev. Aisha Brooks-Lytle

Education M.Div. Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ B.S. in Music, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Church Service Organizing Pastor, The Common Place, Philadelphia, PA Associate Pastor for Mission, Wayne Presbyterian Church, Wayne, PA Pastor, Mt. Airy Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA Temporary Supply Associate Pastor, Carmel Presbyterian Church, Glenside, PA

Service to the Larger Church Advocacy Council for Women's Concerns, PC(U.S.A.) Preacher, Worship Leader, and Speaker: Montreat Conference Center, 1001 New Worshipping Communities Annual Conference, NEXT Church, and for various other congregations and ministries throughout the country.

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Statement of Faith

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer, who is the one triune God of all the heavens and the earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son who came to earth to offer salvation to the entire world through his life, death, and resurrection. I believe in the Holy Spirit who was sent as a comforter to the church and sustains the created order while offering power and strength to all who believe.

I believe that God is loving, relational, and holy. God created a world that is based on the interconnectedness of nature and humankind. In the Garden of Eden, God created humans and established a unique relationship with them that was based on intimacy and communion. When that intimacy was broken through sin, God continued to let grace abound by establishing a covenant with a chosen people, the people of Israel. Ultimately, it is God's desire to be intimately connected with humankind. Yet, God's holiness prohibits God's interaction with sin.

From Noah to Abraham, from Hagar to Moses, from David to Isaiah, God has never given up on humankind. God provided a way of salvation so that God's people could be free to glorify God and worship God. While God showed continued faithfulness, sin continued to be a stumbling block for many, thus limiting God's desire to be intimately connected to all.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the tangible expression of God's love, relational nature, and holiness. God came to us in the person of Jesus Christ. In order to demolish the power of sin and death over humanity, God offered God's only Son, Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice for the sins of humankind. Since God is holy and requires any sacrifice to be holy, Jesus Christ was born without sin and lived a sinless life on this earth as fully God and fully human. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made intimacy with God possible for all who believe. Christ's work on the cross has the power over sin and Christ himself is the way to salvation.

I believe in the Holy Spirit as the continued witness of God's loving, relational, and holy character. Jesus Christ promised his disciples that once he ascended into heaven, the Comforter would come anddwell among them to give them power to do God's will in the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit was evident to the first church at the day of Pentecost, when they received power to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the world. The Holy Spirit was evident in creation, clear to Abraham, witnessed by the prophets, and is alive and well among modem day saints. I believe that it is by the power of the Holy Spirit that God continues to move throughout the world, drawing all people to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who intercedes on our behalf as we pray. It is the Holy Spirit who whispers to us the truth of Scripture in our times of disbelief and temptation. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live in obedience and gratitude to God Almighty.

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I believe in the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures testify to the triune God and to God's plan of salvation through Christ to all. It is through the Scriptures that we come to understand the nature of God, the way of salvation in Jesus Christ, and the way of hope through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures area road map for the way a Christian should live. The Scriptures shape us, mold us, and continually challenge the way we look at life and culture. It is from the Scriptures that we seek understanding on how to promote the gospel and live as a faithful reflection of God's love and truth.

I believe that the Church is the institution established by God to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Spirit. The Church is not a building, but the people who believe in and follow Jesus Christ our Lord. The Church is set apart to worship God and fulfill the Great Commission. There is only one Church and the head of the Church is Jesus Christ. Christ gave the command to his disciples to preach the gospel, baptizing all in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and to proclaim his life and death by partaking of the bread and cup until Christ's return. The Church has the responsibility of caring for the spiritual needs of the body of Christ while also being a witness to the unchurched. It is from the Scriptures that the Church obeys Christ commands to partake in the Lord's Supper and to Baptize.

The church receives authority from Jesus Christ to offer means of grace to God's people through the Word of God proclaimed and through the sacraments. These sacraments are a tangible way to articulate the mysterious and unseen grace that is bestowed upon us all. The sacraments point us to the reality of God's everlasting covenant of faithfulness. The Church is another tangible way the world can see a reflection of God's love, relational nature, and holiness.

I believe in God the Father's goodness, peace, grace, hope, power, and truth. I trust in God's only Son, Jesus Christ, as my Savior and Redeemer. I am empowered by the Holy Spirit who breathes life, creativity, and joy into my life. I am continually changed by my intimate relationship with the triune God of the universe. For this reason, my life will never be the same.

Statement of Faith, Continued

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Faith Journey Narrative

‘Sister’ Hester Parker’s second grade Sunday School class was absolutely boring. It was in her class, located in thebasement of my small Baptist Church, that I heard her share the message about God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice on thecross, sin and the power of salvation for our second grade lives. Earlier that week, I had committed the mortal sin oflying to my mother about splashing in rain puddles with the evidence of water soaked pants. In light of myshortcomings and in light of ‘Sister’ Parker’s proclamation of the gospel, I went home from Sunday School andresponded to God’s grace by making a faith commitment to Christ. I stood up and thought to myself, “What if Goddidn’t understand me?” I quickly got back down on my knees and said to God, “Listen, I belong to you and youbelong to me, got it?”

What I did not know at the time was that I belonged to God more than I could ever imagine. I am constantly realizingjust how much I belong to this beautiful and mysterious God who has taken hold of my life and directed my steps toplaces I would never have imagined. I made sense of my belonging as a teenager and young adult growing in myfaith as a faithful Baptist serving in music ministry, mission, and youth ministry. Even as I served in that context, Iremained open to the ways in which God could call me out of our ordinary circumstances to do extraordinary thingsin the Kingdom of God.

During my junior year of college, my father died of cancer rather quickly. I took a week off to grieve that loss. A fewmonths later, I was invited to take a week off to serve in Jackson, Mississippi for a racial reconciliation experiencewith the youth of Wayne Presbyterian Church. I was also invited to submit my resume to be the next Middle Schoolyouth director at Wayne Pres, a very large, white, and affluent congregation in the suburbs of Philadelphia. It wason that trip that God reminded me that I indeed belong wherever God decided to send me. God sent me to WaynePres in June of 1998 to serve.

It was out of that experience that I realized that God is comfortable making me uncomfortable for the sake of thegospel, for God’s glory and for my good. The Lord called me to ordained ministry, to attend a seminary in NewJersey that was not on my list. The Lord called me to marriage and a family in my mid- twenties. The Lord called meto use my gift of jazz vocal performance for the sake of sharing of the Good News of Jesus and for healing the soul.The Lord has called me to serve in small congregations and large ones, white ones and black ones, multiculturalones and everything in between. The Lord called me to be a caregiver and advocate for my ailing spouse and afunctional single mother to my son. In the midst of my husband’s ailments, Christ reminded me that it was time toreturn to Wayne for a second time in February of 2013 to serve as the mission pastor and to head up a new ministryopportunity. The Lord has called me to participate in the spiritual adventure of helping to start a Christian non-profitin the heart of Southwest Philadelphia called The Common Place.

Now, I am responding to God’s call to a new adventure in God’s Kingdom. God has stretched God’s own faithfuland loving hand to invite me to serve the church in a new and different way. A few months ago, I was in thesanctuary alone one evening. I sat on the steps and leaned back to look at the beautiful architecture of WayneChurch. In that moment, the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta was just a potential idea. I said, “Lord, how could you askme to leave my home church?” I heard the Spirit whisper, “Every church is your home church.” While I don’t alwaysunderstand God’s ways, I trust God whole heartedly. I trust that God’s ways are not like our ways and God’sthoughts are not like are our thoughts. It is simply my desire to live into the reality that I truly belong to the Lord andwill follow the Lord’s leading for the rest of my days.

Presbytery of Greater Atlanta WHEREAS:

Rev. Jane Fahey has faithfully served the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta as Interim Executive Presbyter since October 2016; having been called by God through the voice of the Presbytery Council to lead the congregations, minister members, and Presbytery staff during a time of grief and transition;

AND WHEREAS:

She has fulfilled this call by being attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit and has advanced the Presbytery’s vision of being a catalyst, creator and equipper of healthy, vital and growing congregations in all regions of the Presbytery;

AND WHEREAS:

She has provided encouraging and positive communication through her written articles in each monthly newsletter and through articulate, meaningful prayers and preaching;

AND WHEREAS: She has been a visible presence throughout the presbytery, has preached in many congregations, worked with ministers during times of transition, focused on strengthening ECKAM and the NCDC, and worked to ensure a smooth transition to the next Presbytery leader;

AND WHEREAS:

She has listened for the voice of God and been willing to make courageous decisions when they were needed to realize the vision of carrying out the mission of the church of Jesus Christ;

AND WHEREAS:

She has worked to inspire the congregations toward increased levels of giving as an expression of thanksgiving to God and a privilege for Christ’s disciples, and facilitated a funds development audit to strengthen the financial health of the Presbytery;

AND WHEREAS:

Jane has carried out both pastoral and administrative aspects of her work with good humor, an open mind and heart, gracious hospitality, and extraordinary leadership;

AND WHEREAS:

The period of interim ministry will come to an end soon, as a new Executive Presbyter is called;

NOW BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED: On this 6th day of November in the year of our Lord 2017, the Presbytery Personnel Committee, on behalf of the Presbytery Council and Presbytery of Greater Atlanta does hereby express gratitude to God for the life and ministry of Jane Fahey, our love for her as pastor, friend, and partner in ministry, and wish her God’s richest blessings in the years to come.