March 18, 2019 Stated Session Meeting
Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Stated Session Meeting March 18, 2019 7 PM
Pre-Meeting Time at 6PM with New Members – Joelle Brummitt-Yale, David and Finn Yale and Rob Passow. New Members and session talked about things that bring them joy.
Present: Barbara Amago, Karen Atkins, Stan Campbell, Pat Chappell, Paul Harrell, Paul Isom, Marcia Ladd (Clerk), John McDowell, Maggie Reif, Terry Rudolph, Jerry Wehmueller (Treasurer), Andrew Taylor-Troutman (Moderator)
Andrew called the meeting to order at 7PM.
Maggie led the devotion ending in a prayer. John moved to approve the agenda and consent agenda. Terry seconded, session unanimously approved the Agenda and Consent Agenda.
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
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- Approval of Session minutes-stated meeting 2/18/19
- Approval of Congregational Meeting minutes 2/10/19
- Approval of committee minutes: Mission and Service 1/27/19, Building and Grounds 2/12/19 and 3/12/19, Finance and Administration March, Technology and Communication 2/17/29, Christian Education 3/14/19
Correspondence – correspondence designating Chapel in the Pines an Earth Care Congregation, thank you from Union Seminary
Pastoral Report
Andrew told session about some publications he had authored, that will be published soon. He talked about how current staff can join as members, but existing members cannot be paid as staff.
Bill Lawrence’s cross will hang in the Fellowship Hall. Andrew modelled for the committee chairs how he envisioned the committees to contemplate a new second Sunday service, 8:30 contemplative service, fellowship from 9:30 to 10:30. He wants to keep the 10:30 worship because it is critical to who Chapel in the Pines is. Rob will work with Andrew on the early service. Sees an expanded roll for Greeters. He does not see this as creating two churches, positioning fellowship in between the two services to bring people together. Wondering about what we might do with second Sunday lunch. Roughly 80% of capacity of Sanctuary, 180 in our case, is when a new service is introduce. He really wants the conversations around this to start in committees. He would like the elders to meet with their committees before the next stated meeting and then each chair meeting with Andrew ahead of the next stated meeting. The earliest he would implement the different schedule would be in the fall. This comes out of two of the major needs almost every committee identified – drawing young families into the life of the church and reaching out in the community for diversity. He indicated that leads very nicely into the first Personnel motion concerning Rob, and it is a way for Rob and Andrew to get ready for the new schedule when and if it does happen. Andrew is not wedded to one way or the other. Andrew has shared this new potential scheduling with the staff.
Personnel
John introduced the first motion from his committee
Change Rob Passow’s job title to Assistant Music Director, and approve the updated job description contained in the session packet, and increasing his compensation $150 per month.
John feels Rob has wanted to become more involved, Finance and Administration has approved this. Jeremy is quite pleased with this arrangement. He asked if there were any questions. The motion passed unanimously.
The second Personnel motion offered is to
Change Joelle Brummitt-Yale’s title to Director of Children’s and Youth Ministry, adding to her job description “Planning, coordinating and supervising youth Ministry.”
John asked for questions. There being minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Our finances for the first two months are very positive being almost $57,000 in surplus similar to last year at this point. We have almost $300,000 in cash and PILP investments at the end of February with over $100,000 is in our bank account earning almost no interest. Ordinarily we would transfer some of these funds to PILP to temporarily get the 1.1% interest they offer but we need to discuss the solar financing plan before proceeding.
Clerk’s Report
Marcia asked that everyone take a look at their section of the Committee Matrix and send her any updates. She also passed around the Elder in Narthex for July and asked for 4 folks to sign up.
Finance
Stan drew session’s attention to the final budget in the session packet, and asked them to
Approve the conversion of the preliminary budget to the final 2019 church budget.
This is the same budget they tentatively approved during the last meeting. The final budget was unanimously approved.
Stan asked Jerry to explain the way the Solar Project will work. Jerry said that the project that includes Duke Energy’s pre-approved $22,500 rebate and a loan of $45,700 from the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP) for 10 years at 2.75%. PILP has already pre-approved this loan ($425 per month) with the final approval occurring when the paperwork is received after the session has approved the solar motion. The Duke Energy bill’s monthly savings with the solar array will be more than the cost of the loan payments, thus the solar project will pay for itself over time. The motion is
To approve the solar project with Duke Energy, 8MSolar and Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program (PILP) of $68,200, of which we have requested a Duke Energy rebate of $22,500 and for the remainder of which we will request a PILP 10-year loan of 2.75% for the remainder $45,700.
There was a question about the projected monthly savings. Jerry indicated it is in excess of $600. The motion was approved unanimously.
Because of the amount of money Chapel in the Pines has invested in the PILP, we receive a rebate each year
Use the PILP’s $3,701 rebate each year to put toward reducing the principal of our mortgage.
Use of these monies will only reduce the payments by 1 or 2 months and will not reduce the payment amounts. The motion passed with one dissent.
Fellowship
Barbara indicated her committee has developed Fellowship Best Practices and a potential chart template, she asked that session
Approve posting the Fellowship Team Best Practices and a model excel Fellowship Chart under the Fellowship Section on the web site
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Membership
Paul Harrell indicated the Membership Committee, met over a month long period to ascertain who would agree to being removed from the rolls. The team looked at worship attendance, financial contributions and whether they had moved away. The team made a series of calls and brings the following motion to session:
Following a review of the active member roll, considering attendance in worship, financial support, pastoral involvement, and other considerations, the Member Care committee moves that the following 19 people be removed from the active rolls of the church.
David and Paula Applegate
Brett and Shelley Dillon
Eric Edwards, Cara O’Connell Edwards and children
Dianne (Tietz) Finnicum
Cynthia O’Connell
Michelle Irinyi
Kenny and Peaches McIntyre
Annalee and Dana McWilliams
Jeff and Michelle Morehouse
Phil Russell
Angela and Jerry Walter
The motion passed unanimously.
Paul then offered the following motion
To welcome Joelle Brummitt-Yale and David Yale and their son Finn and Rob Passow as members of Chapel in the Pines.
There was no discussion and the motion passed unanimously.
Christian Education
Paul Isom indicated that Charlotte Matthews will be joining us in worship on June 2, and making an oral presentation on creation care at 4 that afternoon with a reception to follow.
Building and Grounds
Karen told the group that the Sanctuary will be closed March 25-29 for work on the floors. The Contemplative Service will be held that week in the Fellowship Hall.
Worship
Terry indicated the Christmas tree is no longer useable and was discarded, he would like, on behalf of worship
Add acquisition of a new Christmas tree for the Sanctuary to the Wish List
With minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
New Business
Marcia explained that The Women’s Bible Study group has been reading Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass. In the book she mentions World Gratitude Day which is annually on September 21. This celebration started in 1965 in Hawaii when an international gathering decided that it would be a good idea to have one day per year to formally express gratitude and appreciation for the many wonderful things to be found in the world. Following the meeting in Hawaii, many attendees marked Gratitude Day on 21st September 1966 back in their own countries. Ever since then, the number of people celebrating Gratitude Day across the world has grown and grown.
Our group requests Session approval to plan and implement a celebration of this event, to be held Saturday, September 21, 2019. If approved, we will advise the Session of our plans and welcome its input.
She indicated they
Moved that the Women’s Fellowship group plan and implement a celebration of Gratitude Day to be held Saturday September 21, 2019. The group will keep session apprised of their plans.
She indicated Finance and Administration has allocated $250 toward the event. The motion passed unanimously.
Stan asked for chairs to send their Wish List items with him to make sure they go on the web site. Andrew asked if we can move the April meeting to the 22nd. There being no further business, Andrew closed the meeting in prayer at 8:30PM.
Lord’s Supper, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
Since the last stated meeting on February 18th, he Lord’s Supper was performed once on March 3. Annette Tiller was baptized on February 24th, Sara Botelho, Jennifer Larson, Elizabeth Melton, Lynn and Tim White and Gail Wilkins officially were welcomed as new members on March 10. There were no weddings or funerals.
Respectfully submitted
Marcia Ladd
Clerk
Approved session April 22, 2019