Mississippi Valley Presbytery met Tuesday, February 2, at the Raymond Presbyterian Church, Raymond, MS. The court elected Ruling Elder Phil McDade of Trinity Presbyterian Church of Jackson, as moderator.

Several guests reported on various ministry opportunities, such as Jewish evangelization, and the work of Covenant College and its new scholarship opportunities for PCA students.

Teaching Elder Bob Brunson, associate pastor of Highlands Presbyterian Church of Ridgeland, led the worship, preaching from Ephesians 4.

The pastoral relationship between Teaching Elder Andrew Barnes and the Tchula Presbyterian church was ended, and TE Barnes remains on the roll of presbytery without call.

TE Kevin Carroll, formerly pastor of Macon Presbyterian Church, was released to Rocky Mountain Presbytery, to undertake the pastorate of Covenant Presbyterian Church of Wheat Ridge, CO.

TE Nate Shurden, assistant pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson was released to undertake a church plant out of the Parish Presbyterian Church of Franklin, TN.

Teaching Elder Dean Rydbeck, formerly without call, was called to be the pastor of the Edwards, MS, Presbyterian Church.

Several candidates reported on their internship, and two interns were enrolled.

The MNA Committee of the Presbytery presented the results of an extensive time of study and planning on church planting. Previously, most church plants have originated in local congregations, every plant was started from scratch in terms of funding and presbytery planning, and the planter has had to raise all his own money. The emphasis of the presbytery is now shifting towards building a regular fund to facilitate church planting, in order to expedite the process of planting in underserved areas of the presbytery. It is our hope that a movement towards regular and systematic church planting takes hold in the presbytery. The first priority in church planting is establishing a new church in Rankin County, in its fast growing communities of the reservoir area of Flowood and Brandon, or Richland.

The presbytery ended with a sweet season of kingdom prayer before the brethren departed.

The May meeting will be held at Belhaven University.