September 19, 2026, Cumberland Presbytery met at Owensboro Cumberland Presbyterian Church with Elder Joe Franklin serving as Moderator. The presbytery received three new candidates for the ministry: Edward Kennelly, Marty Smith, and Jeremy Tucker. Three candidates were licensed: Evan Butler, Danielle Hornback, and Eric Hornback. Licentiate Michael Chesnut, a previously ordained minister who had relinquished his ordination to pursue ordination in the Roman Catholic Church, was examined and ordained. At his own request, Candidate Lonnie Meredith was removed from the Roll of Probationers. The presbytery approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Asbury Theological Seminary that will provide scholarship opportunities for its probationers. It also approved financial assistance from its Disaster Relief Fund for Casey Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which sustained extensive flood damage. Several pastoral relationships were addressed. The pastoral relationships between Rev. Earl West and Liberty and Good Hope Cumberland Presbyterian churches were dissolved. The presbytery approved a stated supply relationship between those congregations and Candidate Jeremy Tucker. It also approved the pastoral relationship between Auburn Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Rev. Zam Khai and appointed a commission to install him. The stated supply relationship between Candidate Eric Hornback and Caneyville Cumberland Presbyterian Church was dissolved. At an adjourned meeting on Sunday, September 27, the presbytery made the difficult decision to close the historic Caneyville congregation. The presbytery also voted unanimously to approve the amendment proposed by the General Assembly.

Kevin Brantley reporting.