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A Session is the leadership team for a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation, a denomination that Cold Spring Presbyterian Church has been a member of since, well, before the denomination was formed! The Session is comprised of nine (9) women and men who are Ruling elders elected by the congregation to terms of service. The Session Meeting gathers monthly with the Transformation Pastor, Dr. Kevin Yoho, who serves as the Session Moderator. The Session is responsible for the spiritual vitality of its members and listening to the Spirit of God and the voice of the congregation to best serve the community of Greater Cape May, New Jersey in the name of Jesus Christ.

2020 Session Team Leadership

Beverly Mate, Fred Ferrari, Kevin Beare, Lenore Bowne, Marjorie Wetherill, Martin Bowne, Norris Clark, and Tom Imperato. As of March 2020, there is one vacancy on the session. Our elders are structured to serve on one of six (6) ministry teams. Speak with them to share your ideas, concerns, joys, learn more, and please, consider joining a team that interests you.

Restructuring Session Teams to Better Achieve Our Mission

The Session has been faithfully meeting via Zoom since March. In May 2020, the session restructured the teams to better achieve our mission together. Below are the team names and the elders who serve on them. Contact information for our session members can be found on our staff and leadership contact page.

• • Finance and Personnel Team (Tom Imperato with Beverly Mate). The mission of the Finance and Personnel Team is to facilitate accountability of the Church’s funds and other assets and provide financial information to enable decision-making that will ensure the Church’s financial sustainability and to ensure Church employees have the training and tools to perform their job, are held accountable for achieving the goals of the Church, and are compensated appropriately for their efforts.
  • Worship and Music Team (Marty Bowne with Lenore Bowne) The mission of the Worship and Music Team collaborates with the Pastor and the Organist/Music Director to enable meaningful worship in the preaching of the Word of God, the administration of the Sacraments, and celebration with music. Through meditation on the Word of God, and subsequent application to their lives, the members of our congregation will be better equipped to serve God and the community.
  • (NEW) Cemetery and Grounds Team (Fred Ferrari with Tom Imperato). The mission of the Cemetery and Grounds Team is to improve the beauty, accessibility, care, usefulness, and maintenance of our entire campus including cemetery-specific structures such as the field office, garage, and mausoleum, roads, parking lots; promote cemetery services, develop cemetery use guidelines, rules, operating procedures, review and recommend cemetery services prices, review monthly and annual reports such as required by the New Jersey Cemetery Board, and other responsibilities assigned by the session from time to time.
  • (NEW) Facilities Team (Kevin Beare): The mission of the Facilities Team is to improve the beauty, accessibility, usefulness, efficiency, care and maintenance of our buildings and structures, both interior and exterior, (including Price Hall (rental policies and processes), Red Brick Church, and manse, but excluding cemetery-specific structures).
  • (New) Congregational Life Team (Marge Wetherill with Lenore Bowne) The mission of the Congregational Life Team is to provide church fellowship events during the year to celebrate our life together as one church family. The Team serves as a liaison for groups within the church to offer a variety of year-round fellowship events to foster Christian unity and love among the congregation.
  • (New) Community Life Team (Norris Clerk). The mission of the Community Life Team is to identify opportunities for positive community engagement and increased involvement and service by promoting and creating welcoming experiences, mission activities, concerts, and programs like Cold Spring Suppers.

The Top Ten Session Responsibilities include:

1. Mission of the church (working with the congregation, inspiring the congregation, and equipping the congregation to achieve the vision and mission of Cold Spring Presbyterian Church)
2. Worship (providing regular, spiritually energizing and equipping, experiences)
3. Transformation (learning and growing in community-directed ministry)
4. Evangelism (sharing the Good News about Jesus)
5. Community (serving the community of Cape May)
6. Education (providing learning experiences for all ages)
7. Stewardship (promoting the joyful participation of our time, energy, and attention to support God’s work)
8. Finance (setting the annual budget, financial review and accountability, and investing resources)
9. Administration (works with the pastor to pro five supervision and training to all staff)
10. Higher Governing Bodies and Ecumenical Relationships (regularly participating in the regional ministry of West Jersey Presbytery, the national ministry of the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.), and local ecumenical partners)

Additional session leadership resources are discussed in the, The Presbyterian Trustee, A Guide, (Geneva Press, 2004).