September 17, 2018 Stated Session Meeting
Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church
Stated Session Meeting September 17, 2018
Attending: Ruling Elders: Barbara Amago, Karen Atkins, Stan Campbell, Pat Chappell, Paul Harrell, Paul Isom, John McDowell, Maggie Reif, Terry Rudolph, Marcia Ladd (Clerk), Teaching Elder Rev. Andrew Taylor-Troutman (Moderator)
Excused Absence: Jerry Wehmueller
Andrew introduced Cheryl and Bob Richardson who will be joining the church September 30. All present introduced themselves. The stated meeting was called to order by Andrew at 7:20 PM. Karen delivered the devotion, ending in a prayer. Pastoral concerns and celebrations were shared.
Approval of agenda and consent agenda
Stan moved to approve the consent agenda, the motion was seconded, and approved unanimously. Pat made a motion to approve the agenda. The motion was seconded and was 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
- Approval of session minutes – Stated meeting 8/22/18, email vote 9/3/18
- Approval of committee minutes – Communication and Technology 7/22/18 and 8/26/18, Racial Equity Meeting 8/28/18, Membership 8/26/18, Stewardship 9/9/18, September Minutes Finance and Administration, September minutes Christian Ed
- Approval of Wish list
- Correspondence – Letters from Mt Zion and Church of Reconciliation
Pastor’s Report
Andrew spent time talking about grace and the many instances of experiencing grace. Youth Group has met twice and Andrew is very excited about it.
Treasurer’s Report
Although monthly expenses exceeded the August revenues by almost $6,000, our cash balance increased by about $4,000 as the result of the $15,000 gift. Our cash balance is $263,286 as of the end of August. Most of this cash is held at PILP, which earns 0.85% and also creates a 1% interest rebate on our mortgage payable in January. With the ending of the capital campaign these funds will be needed to make mortgage payments in the future and thus the balance will gradually decline.
As predicted, our expenses this year continue to exceed our revenues each month. We are on a gradual glide path toward the landing of breakeven or close to it by year-end.
Committee Reports
Finance and Administration
Stan indicated the stewardship team is on its planned target. The goal is $300,000 in pledges for next year. The campaign will kick off on October 14 with a luncheon, there will be flags and yards sign. The campaign will wrap up with Stewardship Sunday November 11.
Stan briefly went over the Wish List and there was discussion and consensus about removing the electronic version of the new Bible. Pat asked the new parking lot be removed and it will be. There was talk about the possibility of purchasing some more land from the Lindley’s for further church expansion.
Personnel
John indicated that his team had looked over their duties in the Manual of Operations and thought, in conjunction with Andrew that the duties should be modified to ensure that all staff receive reviews in January and that Personnel in conjunction with Session do a review of the pastor. Accordingly, he asked session to approve the following motion
To modify the duties listed in the Operations Manual as detailed in the pre-session packet
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Technology and Communication
Pat said that he T&C Committee is looking for the best ways to disseminate information about church activities and missions, partly to move away from announcements on Sunday morning in worship. To this end, they feel that having a central location for printed materials will make it easier for congregants and visitors to see and access this information. Furthermore, the racks will allow for removal of some literature from the Narthex table and improve flow in the Narthex itself. The committee requests a second rack for the fellowship hall, particularly for use during fellowship time after worship and for public activities that take place in the fellowship hall. The committee is talking about putting the rack in the Narthex over near the old kitchen. She asked
that session approve up to $600 for the purchase of 2 free standing brochure racks for use in the Narthex and Fellowship Hall
T&C will maintain the racks. Stan asked if we would wait until January, Pat indicated she would like to go ahead and put the racks up as soon as possible. Stan seemed to think they could find the money to do this now. There is remaining in the budget ~$1346 and Stan asked that they look at using some or all of that for this purpose. Technology & Communication and Finance & Administration will work together to find the money in either this year or next year’s budget. After several questions, the motion passed unanimously.
Christian Education
Paul Isom drew session’s attention to the Christian Education plan developed by Joelle and approved by Christian Education for the 2018-2019 school year. He asked if there were any questions.
Mission and Service
Maggie wanted session to know that Mission & Service has decided that the local portion of the Peace and Global Mission offering will go to CORE, same as last year. She also said her committee has worked with our contacts in Guatemala and the mission trip there is set for March 27 to April 3 and Wednesday to a Wednesday. It will be an educational trip and not a work trip. The trip would cost ~$2000/ person. There is some M&S monies for travel which they may put aside for the trip. Andrew would like this in the Minute for Mission this Sunday in worship. He and Maggie will work to make this happen. Maggie asked each committee to look at the Hunger Action and Earth Care programs and see where their committee fits or could fit. Maggie also would like to offer a motion from committee
To approve a special offering to benefit the people of New Bern in the wake of Hurricane Florence.
The Terrys have many connections to New Bern, Haley’s business is serving as a holding service for resources for the people in New Bern. The Youth Group is going to give a time for Young Disciples and then the littlest children to collect the money. Haley knows pilots who can help get the resources there. This will be described in this week’s E News with details as to how it will work. The checks will be written to
CitP and then the church will send a check to the Haley’s organization. The motion passed unanimously.
Ongoing Business
Andrew wanted session to debrief how they felt the Time and Talent Fair went. Maybe the timing could have a bit later. Stan suggested that the tables would have been better placed on the edge of the room, and perhaps a way to stimulate people to visit every table would be to have cards that had to be initialed by each committee. Everyone who gets all the cars signed would put it in for a raffle, the prize for which could be a donation in the winner’s name to an M&S designated charity. Pat suggested that one committee be highlighted at the fellowship time after church. Everyone was generally pleased, although there was a problem with not having childcare, which meant families with young children were unable to really mingle and sign up. Barbara proposed that we should take some of all of these suggestions.
Andrew offered an update on the Safety Task Force. They are planning a Safety Day on September 29 at 3 in the afternoon. We will have a hard start at 3, lock down drill in case of an active shooter and a mock evacuation of the building. This will be followed by a time of fellowship with a Food Truck offering dinner. There will be a brief talk by the sheriff, there will be a fire truck. The food trucks will offer
some of their income toward the church to help with the purchase of safety supplies. People will also be asked to make donations for that purpose. Andrew’s plan is to have this as an ongoing event.
New Business
Stan made the motion
To welcome Cheryl and Bob Richardson into membership at Chapel in the Pines
The motion was seconded and passed unanimously with no discussion. Andrew thanked them for coming this evening.
Andrew indicated that the diaconate feels that expanding their size will make them more able of do the pastoral work of their board. He introduced their first motion
To change the wording in the Diaconate section of the Operations Manual to read “the Board of Deacons will have twelve members,” as opposed to the current wording of nine.
After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Andrew indicated that they had decided to effect the change by replacing Phil Russell with two individuals, Barbara Strange and Heather Honeycutt. Then each subsequent class would have four members. To effect this change and call a Congregational Meeting, he offered the second motion from the Deacons
To fill the vacancy created by Phil Russell with the ordination and installation of Heather Honeycutt and Barbara Strange and to nominate 4 deacons for each diaconate class going forward to maintain a 12 member diaconate. To hold a congregational meeting on October 7 after worship to affirm Heather and Barbara’s nomination.
The motion passed unanimously.
Karen moved to adjourn. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. Andrew closed the meeting with a prayer at 9:05 PM
Lord’s Supper, Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals
Since the previous stated meeting on July 16, the Lord’s Supper was celebrated once on September 2. There were no baptisms, weddings or funerals.
Respectfully submitted,
Marcia Ladd, Clerk
Approved session October 15, 2018
Reminders:
1. Safety Day on September 29th
2. New member Sunday September 30, 2018
3. Stewardship launch October 14th
4. Next stated session meeting September 17, 2018, Karen Atkins has the devotion
5. Libby Boehne wedding October 17, 2018
6. Work Day Saturday October 20, 2018
7. Stewardship Sunday November 11, 2018
8. Pray for our church each day at noon.