August 20, 2018 Stated Session Meeting
Attending: Ruling Elders: Karen Atkins, Stan Campbell, Pat Chappell, Paul Harrell, Paul Isom, John McDowell, Maggie Reif, Terry Rudolph, Jerry Wehmueller (Treasurer), Marcia Ladd (Clerk), Teaching Elder Rev. Andrew Taylor-Troutman (Moderator)
Absent: Barbara Amago
Session held a pre-meeting time of fellowship with the new members Sarah McCormack, Mary Raymond, Ian and Allie Grimes, and John McMichaels. The stated meeting was called to order by Andrew at 7 PM. Stan delivered the devotion, ending in a prayer. Pastoral concerns and celebrations were shared.
Approval of agenda and consent agenda
Pat made a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded and was approved unanimously. Karen moved to approve the consent agenda, the motion was seconded, and approved unanimously. The consent agenda includes the following:
Consent Agenda-Please read these items in advance. They will be voted on as a group without discussion unless someone pulls a particular entry from the Consent Agenda
A. Approval of session minutes – Stated meeting 7/16/18, Email votes 8/3 and 8/6/18
B. Approval of committee minutes – Worship 7/26/18, Conversations on Race 7/24/18, Mission and Service 7/8/18, Building and Grounds 8/14/18, Finance and Administration 8/19/18
C. Correspondence – Letter from Mt Zion, Thank you from Casa Maderna, Thank you note from Presbyterian Mission, IMPACT Special Offering, Richard Palmer request for transfer
Pastor’s Report Andrew talked about the two major details that came out of the session retreat, improving the programs for children and youth and working toward having more congregationally inclusive. He believes we are working toward both of those objectives. He urged elders to work with their committees to develop good messaging for the Time and Talent Fair on September 9, and to be sure to reach out to anyone who wants to participate in their committee immediately. He talked about Safety Day and promises to report on the specifics under ongoing business.
Andrew reported some of the details from the Deacons’ retreat, including their support of organizing themselves into neighborhoods and probably increasing their numbers to 12 because of the expanding congregation.
Treasurer’s Report
Our operating expenses exceeded our revenues this month by $2,817. With the necessary accounting entry to take $7,000 out of the operating surplus for expanding the parking lot the loss actually shows as $9,817. Jerry asked if there were any questions about the report session received ahead of the meeting. We are up ~$26,000 for the year which is similar to this time last year. John commented that the borrowing document Jerry prepared was a good overview and Andrew asked that each committee chair share that piece with their team so people know what the financial situation is for the church. Finance and Administration is going to share Jerry’s borrowing piece with everyone in their year-end statement. Andrew talked about having an opportunity for Jerry to respond to questions, after this piece is sent out. John asked Stan to ask the Stewardship Committee if they might want to distribute the borrowing piece before the Stewardship campaign.
Committee reports
Finance and Administration and Personnel
Stan indicated the stewardship team in on its planned target. The goal is $336,000 for next year, but there were expenses last year, 2 extra months of Lynn’s compensation and Andrew’s moving expenses that we will not need to cover from the upcoming budget. Stan wanted everyone to take a look at the Time and Talent form and tell Lee Werley if anything needs to be added or changed. Finally he asked session to take the Wish List to their team and change anything that needs to be changed and bring that to the September stated meeting
Personnel and Education
John indicated that starting in the fall Joelle and Andrew will be leading a Youth Group with about 10 children, mostly boys, hence he offered the following motion from both the Personnel and the Christian Education Committees
To raise Joelle to 20 hours per week starting September 1 with the advent of a Youth Group in the fall of 2018.
Pittsboro Presbyterian Church will be invited to send their children if they wanted. Karen asked Jerry where the money would come from for this. After minimal discussion the motion passed unanimously.
Worship
Terry had 2 motions for session, the first was
To ask Lee Strange to preach on September 2
Andrew indicated this was needed because he is taking Labor Day off. The motion passed unanimously. The second motion, because of Andrew’s vacation is
To move September communion to September 9
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Terry indicated that we have had fewer people making announcements which take away from the worship experience. He is asking for feedback from session and if they would like the spoken announcements cut back and have Andrew highlight certain things at the start of the church, there was discussion of having a calendar in the bulletin and an insert for the bulleting rather than having the announcements included in the bulletin. Pat suggested that some committee vets who makes announcements. Communications and Technology and Worship will work together to make that happen.
Membership
Paul Harrell said he was bringing 3 motions to the meeting, the first is to invite into membership the individuals session got time to know in the fellowship time before the stated meeting. The motion is
To welcome into membership at Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church Sarah McCormack and daughter, Grace; Mary Raymond; John McMichaels; Ian and Allie Grimes and children Elijah, Tessa and Nora.
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously. The second motion, consistent with our desire to have more congregational inclusivity is
To hold a Volunteer Fair on September 9 in conjunction with the second Sunday lunch with displays and messaging about the ministries and committees of the church to engage more of the congregation in the work of the church.
Paul Harrell indicated that each committee should focus on a specific ask, e.g. members, ushers, greeters, etc. The decision was made to change the name to Time and Talent fair. Paul updated the motion to read
To hold a Time and Talent Fair on September 9 in conjunction with the second Sunday lunch with displays and messaging about the ministries and committees of the church to engage more of the congregation in the work of the church.
The motion passed unanimously.
The final motion is
At his request, remove Richard Palmer from the rolls of Chapel in the Pines
The motion passed unanimously after minimal discussion.
Mission and Service
Maggie indicated she does not have set dates yet for the Guatemala trip, they have asked CEDEPCA for the last week March, first week April, or first week in May.
Maggie wanted to update session on the work Mission and Service is doing to toward becoming a Hunger Action Congregation. The goal is to apply in September of 2019. A step on the way is to become an Earth Care Congregation. Someone from Mission and Service would be happy to come to each committee meeting to talk them through what they can do in each committee and drop off the Earth Care audit form for each the committee to fill out. Mission and Service wants to educate the congregation on Hunger Action steps we can take. The Committee wants it to be a congregation wide effort and not just their committee. She indicated that if Mission and Service is reaching out to the other committees for ideas on becoming a Hunger Action congregation, they might try to do the auditing for Earth Care simultaneously and then they will know how realistic a January 15, 2019 goal is to apply to be an Earth Care Congregation.
Building and Grounds
Karen wants to assign who owns what closets. Two Godly Play rooms are Joelle and Christian Education, the Sanctuary closet is owned by Worship and Communication and Technology. The Closet in the Gathering Room will be owned by Worship. Whoever owns a closet has responsibility for keeping them neat and what gets kept there. The AV room in the Fellowship Hall belongs to Communications and Technology. The outside shed belongs to Building and Grounds, the closet in Nana’s office belongs to Nana. There is a huge space under the Sanctuary but it is not approved for storage. Building and Grounds will be happy to help anyone.
Ongoing Business
Maggie offered a brief report on the August 19 at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church in Winston Salem. The main take aways from the Presbytery meeting is that each church can add special events to their web site. The next Presbytery meeting will discuss Why Black Lives Matter, there will be neighborhood meetings on this, they want to have each congregation develop a relationship with a local black church.
Andrew offered an update on the Safety Task Force. They are planning a Safety Day on September 29 in the afternoon. Pat asked if we should do AED training, the consensus was to do that training that day. Hard start at 3, lock down drill in case of an active shooter, evacuating the building. This will be followed by a time of fellowship with a Food Truck offering dinner. The task Force would like to ask session to raise money to implement some of the sheriff’s recommendations. Joelle has a connection with a Food Truck who will donate some of the proceeds and then raise money.
Session authorizes the Safety Committee to raise money during Safety Day to implement some of the sheriff’s safety recommendations
The motion was approved unanimously. Jerry suggested a list be posted of what they are donating money for.
New Business
John McDowell asked about what documents he needs to sign as President of the Board. Briar Chapel will not giving us the land, but giving us an easement which has to be signed by members of the Board of Trustees.
Paul asked if there was an update on the Jim Wallis covenant, Andrew is teaching a class on it and Worship wants to perhaps have a sermon series maybe after this coming advent.
Paul Isom moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Andrew closed the meeting with a prayer at 8:45 PM
Lord’s Supper, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
Since the previous stated meeting on July 16, the Lord’s Supper was celebrated once on August 5. There was one baptism ceremony to baptize Miles, Charlie and Porter Frueler and Charlie and River Jester at a second service at 4:30 in the evening on August 19. Tom and Dena Crosby and Heather and David Jester along with their children River and Charlie were welcomed as new members. There were no funerals or weddings.
Respectfully submitted,
Marcia Ladd, Clerk
Approved session 9/17/18
Reminders:
- Volunteer Fair September 9, 2018
- Strobilus September 15, 2018
- Safety Day on September 29th
- Stewardship launch October 14th
- Next stated session meeting September 17, 2018, Karen Atkins has the devotion
- Libby Boehne wedding October 17, 2018
- Work Day Saturday October 20, 2018
- Stewardship season ends November 11, 2018
- Pray for our church each day at noon.