News of note
Philadelphia Presbytery office is moving
The Layman, August 16, 2010
The Presbytery of Philadelphia is in the process of moving from its long-time downtown headquarters to a new office in Mt. Airy neighborhood, adjacent to Oxford Presbyterian Church.
According to the presbytery’s Web site, packing at the Locust Street office has begun and starting Aug. 23, a new address, fax and phone number will be in effect. The new contact information is: The Presbytery of Philadelphia, 915 East Gowen Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19150; 215-242-1400 (phone); and 215-242-1444 (fax).
Formed in 1706, the Presbytery of Philadelphia was the first presbytery in the New World and the origin of the Presbyterian in the United States.
Presbyterian Foundation announces new CIO
Paul H. Stropkay has been appointed to the position of Chief Investment Officer of the Presbyterian Foundation. Since 2008 he has served as the senior vice president and Chief Investment Officer of New Covenant Trust Company, N.A., a subsidiary of the Foundation. He will continue to hold that position in addition to responsibilities with the Presbyterian Foundation.
Paul H. Stropkay
Stropkay more than a decade of investment banking and buy-side equity research experience and is a community bank director. A graduate of Miami University (Ohio), he also holds an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
“Paul brings a wide spectrum of financial experience to this position,” Presbyterian Foundation Chief Operating Officer Greg Rousos. “He is a careful strategist, working diligently with the investment oversight of the two companies. We are pleased that he has accepted this new role.”
Former moderator passes
According to Presbyterian News Service, the Rev. Howard Leland Rice, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly and San Francisco Theological Seminary chaplain and professor of ministry, died Aug. 8 in Claremont, Calif., at the age of 78.
A memorial service will take place Aug. 20 at Claremont Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife, Nancy, and a daughter, Amanda. A second daughter, Wendy Rice Dreitcer, died in 2004.
ELCA reports record membership loss
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently reported a baptized membership of 4.54 million in 10,348 congregations in 2009.
David D. Swartling, ELCA secretary, said in a report that the data indicated a decline in membership of 90,850 and a decline of 48 congregations in 2009. The membership decline was slightly more than in the preceding two years, he said.
Total receipts for ELCA congregations exceeded $2.6 billion for 2009, down 2.94 percent from 2008, according to the report. However, reported total assets of ELCA congregations actually grew in 2009 by 1.2 percent to $20.9 billion, the report said.
Though it was not acknowledged in the ELCA news release, The Christian Post reported the loss as the largest ever for the denomination.
In June, the Presbyterian Church (USA) reported a loss of more than 63,000 members (3 percent) in 2009 bringing total membership to 2.07 million. The PCUSA also reported the loss of 94 congregations in 2009.