August 5, 2021 Called Session Meeting

Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Called Session Meeting August 5, 2021 – 7PM

Present: Greg Behr, Sara Botelho, Paul Bolig, Tom Crosby, Keith Glidewell, Marcia Ladd (clerk), Bruce Raymond, Mary Roodkowsky, Andrew Taylor-Troutman (staff), Tim White (treasurer), Serena zumBrunnen

Excused Absence: Sarah Whitney McCormick

Paul moved to approve the Agenda, it was seconded and passed unanimously. Andrew opened the meeting with a devotion, reading Psalm 130. Andrew thanked the elders for attending the meeting. He mentioned that the news is not good about Covid, the CDC is asking vaccinated and unvaccinated to wear masks indoors. He is very pleased with our protocols for dealing with Covid. Andrew opened the meeting to a discussion about Covid. Mary is deeply concerned that those who are vaccinated can carry lots of the virus.  She wants us to be super protective of all unvaccinated people, regardless of the reason that they are not vaccinated.

Bruce indicated that there are guidelines for the ushering and greeting that is going on at the Sunday services. Andrew indicated that Membership has taken over the 9:30 service, which will be very helpful.

Andrew asked an elder to make the following motion:
Based on the changing impact in our area from the Coronavirus, the session of Chapel in the Pines, in an effort to protect congregants and staff, mandates that all who enter our premises be continuously masked inside.

Mary made the motion, and it was seconded. Sara indicated her M&S committee meeting wore masks during their recent meeting and that posed no problems. The motion was modified to read:

Based on the changing impact in our area from the Coronavirus and out of concern for all members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12), the session of Chapel in the Pines, in an effort to protect congregants and staff, mandates that all who enter our premises be continuously masked inside.

It passed unanimously.

There has been some problems with people not wearing their masks. Andrew thinks this should be a part of usher training, and he will address this from the pulpit. Andrew asked for session input on how the mandate should be enforced? The consensus was that ushers and greeters should ask people to put their masks on. Paul wondered if Deacons and Elders should be regularly scheduled to be in the Narthex. Andrew will ask that be put on the agenda for the Stated Meeting. Greg made the point that urging from the pulpit should do the trick for mask wearing. Bruce suggested Andrew should say from the pulpit to leave and go outside to socialize. This should go in the bulletin as well.

Finally, Andrew suggested he thought it would be advisable for session to develop standards for opening/closing our buildings. There are several potential standards to follow, one could be number of cases in our area, and another standard could be using the CDC guidelines. We have been following the CDC guidelines that allow us to gather together safely, and monitoring the situation daily. This should go in the bulletin as well. Andrew will write a pastoral letter that can go out, indicating it is our policy to follow CDC guidelines as our response to Covid precautions.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:35 PM with a prayer by Andrew.

Respectfully submitted,
Marcia Ladd,
Clerk of Session
Approved Session 8/16/21