February 20, 2017 Stated Session Meeting

Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Stated Session Meeting, February 20, 2017

Attending:  Ruling Elders Karen Atkins, Heather Bogan, Lynne Hoerter, Maggie Reif, Terry Rudolph, Al Schalk, Archie (Butch) Smith, Barbara Strange, Teaching Elder Rev. Lynn Stall (moderator), Jerry Wehmueller (treasurer)

Absent: Kristin Lavergne

 

The meeting was called to order by Lynn Stall at 7 PM. Heather delivered the devotion, ending with a prayer. Pastoral concerns and celebrations were shared.

Approval of agenda and consent agenda
The agenda and consent agendas were approved by common consent. The consent agenda contains the following items:
Consent Agenda
a. Approval of session minutes 1/16/17; email vote 2/1/17; called meetings 2/5/17, 2/13/17, 2/19/17
b. Approval of committee minutes – Building and Grounds 1/5/17 and 2/2/17, Deacons 1/23/17, Membership 1/26/17, Finance 2/5/17; Mission and Service 1/15/17, 2/5/17
c. Correspondence – Presbyterian World Mission, Take and Eat thank you, Chatham Literacy thank you, Janet Jones’ grandchildren thank you, Rob Passow thank you, Request to remove Webster’s from the rolls, Barber Scotia funding request, Libby Boehne update, Casa Materna thank you

Pastor’s Report
Lynn told session that Strobilus event was lovely and thanked Lynne Hoerter. There were 63 attendees, including volunteers. The projector didn’t work but the program was still beautiful. The first effort without Nathan and it ran well.

Many communion opportunities are coming up: Sandy asked for volunteers and the sign-up sheet was circulated.

Lynn shared a letter of concern by Jan Rickard regarding our children playing in the Remembrance Garden, climbing up the front over the nameplates, walking on the walls and plants. There was a discussion about how to teach the children to respect the garden. Mitzi has offered to teach them about the Remembrance Garden, and possibly to add plants and flowers there later.  All agreed to encourage the children to play in the playground. Jerry offered to check on the area on Sunday mornings before and after worship. There was also discussion about safety concerns for the construction area. 

Committee reports

Finance

Jerry reviewed the January numbers, indicating a good start to the year. Revenues came in at $34k, which is a good month. The balance sheet is indicative of a good cash position. He also reported that the Stewardship campaign has completed and the numbers are incorporated into the budget.

Heather indicated the Finance Committee was prepared to present an operating budget for 2017, and drew the session to the spreadsheet contained in the pre-session packet. She explained it would include 2% staff raises, with the exception of the interim. The Finance Committee did a lot of analysis to develop the recommendation. She offered the following motion

the committee recommends a budget of $283k and $284,903 in operating expenses.  The shortage in operating revenue of $1513 in this plan should be taken from the operating reserve from prior years.

Further the Session should do a detailed review of revenue outlook at mid-year and determine whether more or less revenue will come in by year-end.  Based on that review the Session should then decide to increase or decrease budgeted expenditures.  The committee expenses in the first half of the year should be kept to a minimum of those that are considered necessary for the operation of the church.

There were several questions, Karen was concerned about the lack of a Christian Educator position, session discussed her concern, the consensus was for the church to continue as is for now. There was a suggestion about asking the congregation to give more for certain unfunded items, no plan was made to do this. Someone asked who hasn’t pledged, and there are a few who come but don’t pledge. This is typical during interim times.

The motion passed with one dissenting vote from Karen.

Heather offered a second motion from committee

Mission and Service be set at 10% of the annual budget from this point forward.

There was discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

Jerry reminded session that we have moved toward a new cloud based resource, Realm, enabling the church to share much information, contacts, financial giving, etc. He is in the process of getting it up and running, but he feels it needs a more appropriate committee home. The giving/financial part will continue to be used by the Treasurer and Finance. The people part is that it is a social media, scheduling, linkage with web site. Al made the motion

That Realm fall under the purview of the Technology and Communication Committee.

The motion was seconded and approved by common consent.

Children and Youth Education

In an effort to streamline the committees and only have one committee per session member, Barbara offered the following motion

combine the adult education and children and youth committees into one committee, the education committee

After some discussion, the motion passed by common consent.

Membership

The committee conducts an annual review of the rolls. As a result of that effort, Barbara offered two motions for session.

transfer membership for David and Madge Webster (First Pres-Washington, NC), Susan Bridgers (First Pres-Asheville), Sara and Forrest Johnson (Trinity Avenue-Durham).

There was minimal discussion, the motion passed by common consent.

Barbara presented her second motion

as a result of the annual review of the rolls remove Melissa Carter and Bruce and Diane Birch from the rolls at their request and remove Shirley Mammen because she has moved away and we have lost contact with her. 

After minimal discussion, the motion passed by common consent.

 

Mission and Service

Maggie told session that there had been a change in the makeup of the Presbyterian Campus Ministry Board guidelines and Paul Isom is serving as our representative. She offered the following motion

per new policies and procedures of the Presbyterian Campus Ministry at UNC Chapel Hill CITP’s representation on the board will be one person

The motion passed unanimously.

Ongoing Business

Fellowship Hall Update

The building is going at a good pace, scheduled to be completed in July. Lynne will chair a Task Force to plan uses for the hall and probably a grand opening event. She is soliciting volunteers for the task force.

Transition Team Update

Barbara said the team had developed a survey that will be distributed this week, to be collected no later than end of March. They are also in the process of starting the work on the Mission Study based on information they have gleaned from all their interviews and meetings. The Nominating Committee will begin its work of putting together a slate for the PNC or Pastor Nominating Committee. Once elected, the PNC will not begin its work until Salem Presbytery approves the Mission Study. Lynn will put an announcement in the bulletin and work on a statement for the nominating form. PNC committee members need to be able to commit to a significant time investment, come without bias or agenda, and serve with confidentiality in mind. The committee should be no less than six no more than eight members, balanced with regard to age, gender, perspectives.

Heather made motion from nominating committee:

to start the PNC nominating process.

The motion was approved unanimously.

Approval of Manual of Operations Changes

Based on input from most committees and a review by Mary Donna, Lynn and Marcia that was first presented in the October 2016 session packet and is contained again in this packet, we need session approval of the changes outlined for Building and Grounds, Communication and Technology, Membership and Evangelism, Mission and Service and Worship. The Children and Youth changes have been omitted pending a new look by the newly combined committee….made a motion

to approve the changes to the Manual of Operations proposed by for Building and Grounds, Communication and technology, Membership and Evangelism, Mission and Service and Worship.

The motion was seconded and passed by common consent.

Since session members serve 3 year terms, it is suggested session remove the two year qualifier to the term of committee chair. …made a motion to

remove the two-year qualifier to the term of a committee chair so the language of the Manual of Operations will read Committee chairs will serve two year terms and the chair will be appointed by the Pastor and the Session Liaison.

Finally it is recommended the designation of committee meeting times be left more fluid and it be stated explicitly minutes should be recorded for each meeting and sent to the clerk…. made a motion change the designation of committee meeting times to read

Committee meetings shall be held regularly on the last Sunday of the month, unless held at some other time better suited to the members. as needed and minutes shall to taken for each meeting and sent to the clerk of session for inclusion in the session consent agenda.

New Business

Lynn indicated session needs to set a date for the congregational meeting and proposed March 12. She is going to ask Jerry to do a brief description of the 2017 operating budget in the spirit of transparency

Lynne moved

that the Congregational Meeting to receive the annual report, elect officers, the Nominating Committee and receive information on the 2017 operating budget be set for after the service on March 12, 2017

The motion was seconded and carried by common consent.

Several members of the congregation have approached session members about adopting a statement in opposition to the temporary immigration ban of immigrations from 7 predominantly Muslim countries. Adopting the same statement as the Presbyterian Outlook published on January 28, 2017.

After some discussion, we decided to do this with a change of title, "Prayer for Guidance". Barbara made the motion was offered

that the session of Chapel in the Pines adopt and publish the statement issued by the Presbyterian Outlook with the title, "Prayer for Guidance," on January 28, 2017.

The motion was seconded and passed with one no vote from Lynne.

Lynn drew session’s attention to the Annual Report and asked if session would approve the report to be given to the congregation at the annual meeting. Heather moved

The 2016 Annual Report be approved.

The motion was seconded and after minimal discussion the report was approved.

Lord’s Supper, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals

Since the previous stated meeting January 16, two new members, Hank Lewis and Phil Russell, were received on February 19. The Lord’s Supper was celebrated once on February 5.There were no weddings, baptisms or funerals.

As the business of the meeting was concluded, Lynn closed with prayer at 8:20 PM.

Respectfully submitted, 

Marcia Ladd, Clerk

Approved session March 20, 2017

Reminders:  

Remember to pray for our church each day at noon.

Next stated session meeting will be March 20, Maggie Reif has the devotion

Next Presbytery meeting is February 21st at First Presbyterian Church in Burlington