Committees
SPC Organizational Structure
The Session is responsible for setting policy for the church and for overseeing operations of the church. Session elders are elected by the congregation.
Session is made up of the following Committees:
– Worship & Music
– Outreach
– Church Life
– Disciple Making
– Church Operations & Personnel
– Nominating
– Stewardship & Property
– Finance
The SPC Organization also consists of the Board of Deacons and the Legal Structure.
Read more about each Committee below.
CLICK HERE to view the updated 2022 SPC Organizational Chart (pdf)
Southminster Session
Currently serving on Session:
Name Class Committee
Sally Dean 2023 Disciple Making
Chris Erskine 2023 Worship & Music
Jennifer Floyd 2023 Operations & Personnel
Suzanne Gruneberg 2023 Stewardship & Property
Amy Pople 2023 Church Life
Cecile Usner 2023 Disciple Making
OPEN 2023 Outreach
Sarah Cannon 2024 Worship & Music
Matt Groff 2024 Church Life
Steve Hudak 2024 Disciple Making
Jim Karras 2024 Operations & Personnel
Amy Pearce 2024 Outreach
Rick Purcell 2024 Stewardship & Property
Diana Roth 2024 Outreach
Carol Bengston 2025 Outreach
Bob Brown 2025 Disciple Making
Betsy Charles 2025 Worship & Music
Bruce Leary 2025 Stewardship & Property
Chris Porretta 2025 Church Life
Betsy Teti 2025 Operations & Personnel
Michelle Zmijanac 2025 Church Life
Don Ewing Interim Pastor
Laura Bentley Associate Pastor
Lea Smith Clerk
Matthieu Croce Treasurer
Church Life Committee
Church Life Committee Purpose/Mission
Encourage and assist everyone to discover, use and develop their God given gifts and strengths for Christ’s work through Southminster Presbyterian Church. Foster involvement of everyone in church life, organizations and actions and cultivate a feeling of church family. Remove obstructions to participation and involvement. Develop lay leaders.
Amy Pople – Chair
Laura Bentley – Staff
Subcommittees Reporting to the Church Life Committee
1. Membership
2. Nurture & Fellowship
Click here to read the Church Life Committee Charter.
Church Operations & Personnel Committee
Church Operations & Personnel Committee Purpose/Mission
The oversight of all church operations including all church personnel and security for the church buildings and activities.
Jennifer Floyd – Chair
Don Ewing – Staff
Subcommittees of the Church & Personnel Committee
1. Southminster Child Care Center, Bonnie Kline, Director
2. Southminster Early Learning Academy, Michele Brado, Director
Click here to read the Church Operations & Personnel Committee Charter.
Disciple Making Committee
Disciple Making Committee Purpose/Mission
Encourage and equip all members of the Southminster faith community to deepen their faith in Christ, to grow in Him and to bring others to Christ. Recognizing that everyone is in a different stage of spiritual development, provide opportunities to study Scripture, to further members’ understanding relative to issues of Christian faith and life, and tend to members’ spiritual needs through a ministry of compassion.
Steve Hudak – Chair
Laura Bentley – Staff
Subcommittees Reporting to the Disciple Making Committee
1. Christian Education
2. Safe Church
3. Special Needs
Click here to read the Disciple Making Committee Charter.
Safe Church
The Safe Church Committee is a sub-committee of the Disciple Making Committee under Session. The role of the Safe Church Committee is to support Southminster as a nurturing shelter and a safe spiritual, emotional, and physical fellowship for children and youth. This committee works proactively to ensure that our Safe Church Policy is adhered to by all staff, volunteers and members of the congregation.
Special Needs Committee
The purpose of the Special Needs Committee is to: advocate and create opportunities for unity, inclusion, and education for people of all ages with disabilities; develop a holistic approach for full personhood; meet the needs of the entire congregation and share what we have with the wider church community; and work with individuals with disabilities to provide opportunities to participate.
Outreach Committee
Outreach Committee Purpose/Mission
To make Southminster aware of the constantly changing social needs of God’s world, and the call to spread the word of God and invite others into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Use this awareness to motivate and facilitate active participation in mission opportunities by Southminster members.
Carol Bengston – Chair
Laura Bentley – Staff
Click here to read the Outreach Committee Charter.
Stewardship & Property Committee
Stewardship & Property Committee Purpose/Mission
To make sure that all buildings and grounds of SPC are maintained in such a manner that the ministry and mission of SPC will be advanced.
To educate the SPC “family” to the joys/responsibilities of Christian Stewardship and to make sure that all monies received are accurately accounted for and distributed according to the ministry and mission goals of SPC. To ensure that committees and members of the congregation are kept informed about the finances of SPC.
Suzanne Gruneberg – Chair
Don Ewing – Staff
Subcommittee
1. Columbarium
Click here to read the Stewardship & Property Committee Charter.
Worship & Music Committee
The purpose of the Worship Committee is to provide high quality unique Celebrations of Worship that stimulate the desire of the congregation to communicate with God through Jesus Christ, to facilitate that communication, and to encourage those without church affiliation to make a commitment to Jesus Christ.
Chris Erskine – Chair
Don Ewing, Rich Pinkerton – Staff
Click here to read the Worship Committee Charter.
Click here to learn more about worship at Southminster.
Deacons
Deacons Mission as set forth in the Book of Order
The ministry of deacon as set forth in Scripture is one of compassion, witness, and service, sharing in the redeeming love of Jesus Christ for the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lost, the friendless, the oppressed, those burdened by unjust policies or structures, or anyone in distress. Persons of spiritual character, honest repute, exemplary lives, brotherly and sisterly love, sincere compassion, and sound judgment should be chosen for this ministry.
Susan Hudak & Meagan Tracy – Co-Chairs
Laura Bentley – Staff
Subcommittee:
1. Stephen Ministry
Click here to read more about the Deacon ministry.
Endowment Committee LLC
The Endowment Fund was established to provide support for the activities of the church through the gifts, donations and bequests of its members. The investments of the fund will be made for the exclusive benefit of the Church, its members and entities which the Endowment Fund Committee consider to be worthy of support.
Steve Boyd – Chair
Don Ewing – Staff
Click here to read more about the Endowment Committee.
Finance Committee
Don Ewing – Staff
Windy Ridge Retreat Center LLC
Purpose/Mission of the Windy Ridge Retreat Center LLC
The purpose of the Windy Ridge Committee is to promote and foster the camping ministry of the Windy Ridge Retreat Center and to maintain this facility in God’s beautiful outdoors.
Laura Bentley – Staff
Click here to read more about the Windy Ridge Retreat Center LLC.
