[9-24-03]

We recently received this note from a visitor:

Hi,

For entertainment and challenge I regularly read Layman.org, and today I read a letter there encouraging everyone to write letters by Oct 15 regarding our stated clerk's job performance. I plan to write one, and wonder if you could encourage your readers to do so. It would be pretty terrible if the review committee received nothing but thousands of scathing assessments by Layman readers.

Sincerely,

Sue Williams
Stone Church, San Jose, CA

The Presbyterian News Service published this report on the performance review, with details on where to send comments.

September 11, 2003

Stated clerk review panel seeks comments on Kirkpatrick's performance

By Jerry L. Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE ---- The Stated Clerk Review and Nomination Committee, elected by the recent 215th General Assembly, is seeking comments on the performance of the incumbent, the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick.

Next year's Assembly in Richmond, VA, will elect a stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the top ecclesiastical post in the denomination. Kirkpatrick, who is completing his second four-year term, is eligible for reelection.

The first stage of the committee's process, outlined in the Manual of the General Assembly, is to conduct a thorough review of Kirkpatrick's performance. The committee will be sending an evaluation questionnaire to those in the denomination who work closely with the stated clerk.

In addition, the committee is inviting any PC(USA) member or minister to send comments. Those wishing to do so should submit one-page, typed and signed, to the Rev. Kathy Runyeon, Presbytery of San Francisco, 2024 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704. Deadline for submissions is October 15, 2003.

The nine-member committee is elected by the General Assembly and is composed of three members appointed by the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly, including the chair; one member of the General Assembly Council, appointed by the council; and five at-large members, nominated by the General Assembly Nominating Committee, including one governing body stated clerk and two ministers and two elders who have been General Assembly commissioners within the last five years.

The members of the 2004 Stated Clerk Review and Nomination Committee are the Rev. Thomas Are, Jr., a minister commissioner from St. Augustine Presbytery; the Rev. Karen Dimon, a GAC member from Cayuga-Syracuse Presbytery; the Rev. John Goodman, stated clerk of Coastal Carolina Presbytery; Stephen Grace, a COGA member from Lake Huron Presbytery; the Rev. Charles Heyward, a minister commissioner from Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery; Cynthia Joe, an elder commissioner from San Francisco Presbytery; Suzanne Souder, an elder commissioner from Carlisle Presbytery; Kathy Walker, a COGA member from Tampa Bay Presbytery; and the Rev. Sandy Peirce, a COGA member from Sacramento Presbytery who is serving as chair.

Runyeon is providing staff support.