September 16, 2019 Stated Session Meeting
Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Stated Session Meeting September 16, 2019 7 PM
Present: Barbara Amago, Stan Campbell, Pat Chappell, Paul Harrell, Paul Isom, Marcia Ladd (Clerk), John McDowell, Mary Roodkowsky, Andrew Taylor-Troutman (Moderator)
Excused Absence: Keith Glidewell, Bruce Raymond, Jerry Wehmueller (Treasurer)
Meeting Time at 6PM with New Members – Session met with the new members, the Bejcek family, Thangam Arumugham, Serena Ebhardt zum Brunnen and Marian and Jeff Olson.
They exchanged stories of what drew them to Chapel in the Pines.
Andrew called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. Mary Roodkowsky opened with a devotion and prayer.
Mary asked to have Worship placed on the agenda. Pat moved to approve the amended agenda, it was seconded and approved unanimously. Barbara moved to approve the consent agenda, it was seconded and unanimously approved.
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
- Approval of Session minutes-Stated meeting 8/19/19, Called Meeting 9/1/19, email vote 8/31/19
- Approval of Committee Minutes – Building and Grounds 9/3/19, Membership 8/25/19 and 9/15/19, Finance and Administration September Minutes, Christian Education 9/9/19
- Correspondence – Presbytery request for pledge
Pastor’s Report Andrew took several minutes to explain that Chapel in the Pines has received a request from Salem Presbytery for a pledge for 2020. Returning the pledge is premature prior to finalizing our budget, which will happen at the January or February meeting. We will have a Duke Divinity intern this fall, Jordan Haywood. He will start on Sunday.
Clerk’s Report
Marcia drew session’s attention to the updated Committee Matrix, developed based on their collective input. Stan made a motion to
Approve the Committee Matrix updated September 16 and contained in the pre-session packet.
Barbara seconded it and it passed unanimously.
Finance and Administration
Although as expected our expenses exceeded our revenues in August by a little less than $2,000, we enter the fall with a surplus of slightly more than $50,000. This is a healthy financial position for this time of the year. It is expected monthly expenses will exceed revenues for most of the remainder of the year. We expect to be at breakeven or better by the end of the year.
Stan drew session’s attention to the stewardship flow chart contained in the pre-meeting packet. The goal is $355,000 for the campaign. Almost everything that each committee requested in the late August meeting is included in the budget, with a $410,749 total budget. Stewardship thinks $355,000 is more realistic, although hoping to make $366,000. Stan feels good about the progress of the stewardship committee.
Christian Education
Paul Isom shared the Christian Education plan for 2019-2020 that was included in the pre-session packet. Paul and Andrew met with Joelle on Saturday; Andrew indicated we are in a crisis situation. We pay Joelle for 20 hours. For each of the things she does there is a volunteer roundup component and a professional educator program development component. There are about 10 “functions” she performs that we need to be looking at. Andrew wants to take Children’s Choir off Joelle, that is the reason for Mary’s addition to the agenda. Nana has a group of volunteers that work for her that take up administrative things that Nana would have to do without their help. Andrew wants to have a CE office volunteer staff like Nana’s. Joelle didn’t want the discussion at session to be about Joelle, but about the position. Andrew has asked Joelle to keep track of the hours she is working. She looked at the things that she only thought were important to Children’s and Youth ministries. We may have to add an administrative assistant for her. Andrew said that Joelle is working probably 35 (paid for 20 hours), Nana at 30 (paid for 25 hours). So an Administrative Assistant might help Nana and Joelle. John indicated we had budgeted $4500 for an intern, we may have to make a decision between an Administrative Assistant and the Intern.
John McDowell asked if once CE and Andrew have their hands around this situation that they bring their recommendations through Personnel. Andrew is also trying to be very intentional about checking in with both Joelle and Nana about what they’re doing and how they are feeling. Paul Isom said Andrew managed the conversation with Joelle very well. Andrew wanted to bring this to everyone’s attention, and bring it back to session next month. John offered for Personnel to meet with Christian Education. Mary thought perhaps it would be nice to have a celebration on Christian Education and Joelle in the lead up to the stewardship campaign. That might be folded into one of the Sundays during stewardship. This Sunday is Gratitude Day and that would be another time to celebrate Joelle.
Stan indicated the job description should reflect what she is actually doing.
Personnel
John indicated that his committee had given a lot of thought to the Manual of Operations and job descriptions for the church. The revised version of each was included in the pre-session packet. He asked elders to
Adopt the revised job descriptions contained in the pre-session packet
Pat made the observation that the salary should not be listed for the Hand Bell Director There were several questions, after which the motion passed unanimously.
He then asked elders to vote on the next motion to
Adopt the revised Manual of Operations contained in the pre-session packet
Again after minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Membership
In Keith’s stead, Marcia asked the elders to vote on the following motion
At his request remove Edward Bruce from the rolls of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously. She then asked the elders to vote on the following motion
Welcome Andrea, Andrew, Gemma and Oliver Bejeck, Thengam Aramogham, Serena Ebhardt zum Brunnen, Marian and Jeff Olson into the life of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Again, after minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Mission and Service
Paul Harrell introduced Greg Behr who has spearheaded an effort to make children’s furniture available to parents who need the furniture and would benefit from getting the furniture at a reduced or no price. Greg wanted to start a mission to supply people with things they need. He would create a process where people could reach out to the ministry and the church would have a group of people who have things to donate. It is also a good way to get the word out about Chapel in the Pines. Pat asked about liability. Jerry has reached out to Jim Harllee and Tim White and they said we were OK. Stan asked where it would be stored. Greg indicated the goal is to get small things. The goal is not to warehouse things. The turnaround time from donor to receiver will be tight. Pat indicated that Greg may need some funding. They will develop relationships with groups like Table, Cora, etc. He was asked if it was just for children’s things, and Greg responded he wanted to start small. Paul Harrell asked the elders to vote on the following motion:
Adopt Parents Give and Take as a ministry of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, operating under the Mission and Service Committee
Pat suggested amending the motion
Adopt Parents Give and Take ministry through the church calendar year, May 31, 2020 and the Mission and Service Committee will evaluate whether to continue the ministry.
After several questions, the motion pasted unanimously.
Paul submitted the documents for Chapel in the Pines to be a Hunger Action Congregation.
Worship
Mary has spoken with Jeremy, Joelle and Sarah, they all want Children’s Choir to be housed with Worship, and offered the following motion
Children’s Choir should fall under the auspices of Worship and not Christian Education.
With minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Ongoing Business
New Business
Andrew would like to form a Task Force to look at hosting a 2021 Presbytery meeting at Chapel in the Pines. Mary said she would volunteer to be on the Task Force, but would need to wait until after November. Andrew was fine with that. Mary indicated Building and Grounds would need to be heavily involved. Mary and Andrew will work on it and look to some other folks to help.
Mary moved to close the meeting, it was seconded and Andrew closed the meeting in prayer at 8:35 PM.
Lord’s Supper, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
Since the last stated meeting on August 19, 2019 the Lord’s Supper was performed on September 1 and September 9 in Open Spaces. On September 8, 2019 Gael Jaeger was welcomed in to the life of the church. There were no memorial services, baptisms or weddings.
Respectfully submitted
Marcia Ladd, Clerk
Approved by session10/21/19