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What is Session?

The "Presbyterian" form of church governance is a mixture of the episcopal and congregational forms. The primary body that governs a Presbyterian congregation is called the "Session." It is made up of Elders, who are elected and ordained by the congregation itself, and who serve for a period of three years. Further, congregations are constitutionally bound to elect and ordain Elders to the Session who are representative of the races, ethnicities, genders, socioeconomic tiers, etc. that are found within the congregation, in order to make the Session a truly representative body. Any installed Pastors are also members of the Session, and each holds one vote equal to any Elder on the Session. Many aspects of the life of our congregation are determined directly by this body. However, we are also a "connectional" church, and some governing functions are held by a regional governing body called a "Presbytery." This is a body that includes representatives from every congregation in the region, and includes both Ministers and Elders, in as close to a 50/50 balance as is possible. The Presbytery is the body responsible for overseeing ordination of Ministers and a number of other things, and as a body, performs much the same function as an individual bishop in an episcopal church structure.

This representative form of governance, and its balancing of trained clergy and lay leadership, stems from our theological belief that there is a need for specially educated and trained clergy, but that when too much church authority is vested in either a single specialized individual, or in a body of individuals with no specialized theological education at all, abuses and errors in any number of church life and governance are likely. We believe that while errors are still inevitable, discerning God's will properly is much more likely by way of God's Spirit moving through such a representative gathering of people.

Presbyterian church governance is intended to be transparent - meetings of the Session are open to all, other than rare times that it must meet in executive session. Members are always welcome to observe the work of congregational governance. 

WPC Session Elders

Class of 2023  
Noella Abrokwa
Natalie Moore
Deanna Olson
Gregg Russell
Class of 2024
Dan Arthur
Vera Coniglio
Harry Pukay-Martin
Peter Okyere
Laura Schlader
Class of 2025
Larry D. Case
Anne Krieger
Kate Lane
Joan Patton
Mark Ranck
Bill Woods
Committee Assignment (*=Chair)     
Youth
Community Connections
Worship & the Arts
Worship & the Arts*

Preschool*
Nominating*
Nominating
Adult Ed*
Youth*

Endowment*
Finance*
Children's Ministry*
Personnel*
Facilities*
Personnel
Moderator: Rev. Dr. Tim McQuade                    
Clerk: Marian Grueling
Treasurer: Anne Krieger
Rev. Dr. Tom Rice, Pastor for Discipleship                              
Rev. Betsy Rice, Pastor for Member Ministries                        
Rev. Kevin Horrigan, Parish Associate for Visitation   

WPC Session Elders

Back row:  Brad Montgomery, Marian Greuling, Peter Okyere, Scott Jacobs, Rev. Tom Rice, Geoff Scott, Rev. Julia Piermont, Dan Arthur.    
Middle row:  Ted Knapke, Ron St. Pierre, Gregg Russell.  
Front row:  Vera Coniglio, Rev. Betsy Rice, Kathy Mead (clerk), Deanna Olson, Margaret Haddix, Liz Beck, Megan Claybon, Jill Gilbert
Not pictured:  Glenn Garland, Doug Fell (treasurer)
Class of 2022  
Megan Claybon
Glenn Garland
Jill Gilbert
Margaret Haddix
Ted Knapke
Ron St. Pierre
Class of 2023
Liz Beck
Scott Jacobs
Deanna Olson
Gregg Russell
Geoffrey Scott
Class of 2024
Dan Arthur
Vera Coniglio
Brad Montgomery
Peter Okyere
Committee Assignment (*=Chair)     
Children's Ministry
Endowment*
Youth*
Adult Ed*
Finance*
Personnel*

Membership & Fellowship*
Mission Outreach*
Nominating*
Worship & the Arts*
Facilities*

Preschool*
Nominating
Generosity*
Adult Ed
Moderator: Rev. Dr. Julia Wharff Piermont, Sr. Pastor  
Clerk: Kathy Mead
Treasurer: Doug Fell
Rev. Dr. Tom Rice, Pastor for Discipleship                              
Rev. Betsy Rice, Pastor for Member Ministries
Rev. Kevin Horrigan, Parish Associate for Visitation   

WPC Session Elders

Back row:  Brad Montgomery, Marian Greuling, Peter Okyere, Scott Jacobs, Rev. Tom Rice, Geoff Scott, Rev. Julia Piermont, Dan Arthur.    
Middle row:  Ted Knapke, Ron St. Pierre, Gregg Russell.  
Front row:  Vera Coniglio, Rev. Betsy Rice, Kathy Mead (clerk), Deanna Olson, Margaret Haddix, Liz Beck, Megan Claybon, Jill Gilbert
Not pictured:  Glenn Garland, Doug Fell (treasurer)
Class of 2022            Committee Assignment (*=Chair)      
Megan Claybon        Children's Ministry
Glenn Garland          Endowment*
Jill Gilbert                  Youth*
Margaret Haddix      Adult Ed*
Ted Knapke                Finance*
Ron St. Pierre             Personnel*
Class of 2023
Liz Beck                       Membership & Fellowship*
Scott Jacobs                Mission Outreach*
Deanna Olson             Nominating*
Gregg Russell              Worship & the Arts*
Geoffrey Scott             Facilities*
Class of 2024
Dan Arthur                  Preschool*
Vera Coniglio              Nominating
Brad Montgomery     Generosity*
Peter Okyere               Adult Ed
Moderator: Rev. Dr. Julia Wharff Piermont, Sr. Pastor  
Clerk: Kathy Mead
Treasurer: Doug Fell
Rev. Dr. Tom Rice, Pastor for Discipleship                              
Rev. Betsy Rice, Pastor for Member Ministries
Rev. Kevin Horrigan, Parish Associate for Visitation