September 19, 2022 Stated Session Meeting

September 19, 2022 | Categories: Minutes

Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church

Stated Session Meeting September 19, 2022 7 PM

Present: Paul Bolig, Karen Fisher, Marcia Ladd (Clerk), Jeff Olson, Bruce Raymond, Andrew Taylor-Troutman, Tim White, (Treasurer), Serena Zum Brunnen

Excused Absence: Tom Crosby, Sarah Whitney

Andrew called the meeting to order at 7. Jeff offered a devotion; Andrew asked for prayer concerns, they were offered and Jeff closed with a prayer. The elders took turns reading from the Covenant of Presence. Andrew asked for a motion to approve the agenda. Karen moved to approve the agenda, it was seconded and passed unanimously. Andrew asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda. Paul made the motion; it was seconded and passed unanimously.

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 8/22/22, Called Budget Meeting 8/29/22
Approval of Committee Minutes – Stewardship 9/8/22 and 9/15/22, Personnel 9/6/22, Building and Grounds 9/6/22, Christian Education 9/12/22, Welcome and Membership 9/13/22, Finance and Administration 9/15/22, Called Personnel 9/18/22
Staff Meeting Minutes 9/11/22
Correspondence – Cynthia Hilliard’s resignation, Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal

Pastor’s Report

Andrew asked if there were any questions about his Head of Staff Report. There were none. The Lilly Foundation approved the delay of his grant to summer 2024. Nana has decided she needs to take long term disability. Jeanette Schmidt will continue to work parttime off site to cover many of Nana’s duties, Mary Donna will continue to cover the onsite duties. There was a called meeting of the Personnel Committee yesterday to begin to lay out plans for approaching the administrative staff for the church going forward.

Youth work is moving forward. There will be a confirmation meeting with parents on September 18. The livestream is going well. Dennis will be out after ankle surgery in mid-October, his wife and daughter will cover his responsibilities.

Andrew indicated the church was going to offer two combined worship services, one at the start of the Stewardship Campaign, October 23, and one at the end of the campaign, November 13. Karen wants to make sure we advertise the event widely.

He indicated Personnel will be bringing a motion for a love offering for Nana to be presented to her at a potluck in her honor after the worship service on the 23^rd. He explained how the office needs will be met in the interim using a combination of volunteers and temporary workers. Andrew sees this as an opportunity to step back and look at our administrative roles and how we staff them.

Clerk’s Report

Marcia wanted to remind folks that our joint deacons and elders report will be November 21, the Monday before Thanksgiving. She asked if someone would volunteer to be clerk for that meeting. Serena can serve.

Treasurer’s Report

August represented the 8^th month or 67% of our year. Total revenues YTD of $293,481 were 60% of budget vs 67% of the year. Total expenses of $295,192 YTD were 60% of budget so our revenues were less than expenses year-to-date by $1,711. Typically, expenses are higher than revenue later in the year. In August Session, committees updated their estimated expenditures to year-end, lowering expected year-end total expenses. In July, Tim estimated revenues to be lower than budget at year-end. With the expense estimate reductions, we should see less of a short-fall than initially estimated. Session’s work is appreciated! F&A will again review year-end expectations in October. They will be sending out a letter with the third quarter contribution statement, asking folks to ask where they are in their giving to the church. The church is having a lot more mail reaching us. Tim looked at the budget for the remainder of the year to see how close we could get to a break even. He wants to work with elders to try to get closer to a break even. We have spent more this year than we have taken in. Karen asked about intentionally passing the basket at the early service.

Our cash balance stands at $410,840, $94,272 higher than last August. The increase is POMS paid pledges to-date. In early September $165,000 was transferred from checking into a Schwab interest bearing account since POMS construction may not start until Spring. Liabilities include our mortgage balance of $528,990.

Project for Outdoor Ministry Spaces (POMS) Report @ 8/31/2022:

Pledged/Donated: $245,264 (88)

Paid to-date: $212,159 (86%) [81 of 88 donors have paid in full or in part]

Spent to-date: $ 47,368

Obligated Costs: $0 (signed contracts)

Mission Pledges: $3,445 (8)

Paid to-date: $1,925 (56%) [6 have paid in full]

Spent to-date: $1,125

Budget 2022: 2022 YE Estimates were presented to Session 8/22 which reduce estimated year-end spending.

Budget 2023: 2023 Committee budgets were presented in Session 8/29.

Personnel

Jerry indicated that Personnel proposed the following motion to Finance and Administration and they concurred. The motion reads

The Personnel committee recommends to the Finance & Administrative committee that CITP give Dennis Dallke a $500 net payment in lieu of any sick leave to assist with the expenses of his upcoming surgery. This is in recognition of his 10 years of dedicated service as an employee. These funds will come from the Surplus Carryover Account 810531. After due consideration, the Finance and Administration Committee supports this recommendation and requests that Session approve this action.

This will take the surplus down to $400. Jerry also told the elders that Dennis’ wife and daughter will work in his stead. After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

The next motion was

To hire Emily Williams in lieu of the intern that left, as the Assistant Youth Director.

The motion passed unanimously.

Paul asked if we could do a Letter of Hire for Emily. Jerry indicated he will do that.

The next motion Jerry offered was

Collect a Love Offering for Nana Morelli in honor of her long and loving service to the church to be given to her on 10/23 at her celebration

He explained people could write checks to the church with Love Offering for Nana in the memo line. Karen wants the word to get out about the Love Offering. The motion passed unanimously.

Finally, Jerry indicated that before moving to hire a replacement for Nana, the church needs to look at the administrative tasks Nana performed and Andrew performs and decide how those tasks indicate the administrative staff should be structured. It may end up being two part time jobs that each follow a consistent theme, but that needs to be the focus of a designated group of people. To make this happen, he offered the following motion

Moves to form a Task Force; Jerry Wehmueller, Marcia Ladd, Paul Bolig Sarah Daniels and Andrew Taylor-Troutman; to examine the current Office Manager job description and make a recommendation to session about the job and the church’s administrative structure going forward

Paul Nixon will serve as a consultant and is willing to not charge for his work on this. He indicated that Janet Askew would stay in place. The motion passed unanimously.

Welcome and Membership

Karen indicated that two of our newer members, Sarah Thompson and Benjamin Tupper, will baptize their youngest, Caleb, and offered the following motion in support of that

We moved to send a motion to session to have Caleb Tupper baptized on October 2 at the early service.

After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

Stewardship

On behalf of Stewardship, Andrew asked for a motion from the floor; Paul

Moves to have combined Sunday services October 23 and November 13 at 10AM, to bookmark the kickoff and culmination of the Stewardship Campaign

It was seconded. After minimal discussion, the motion passed unanimously.

Ongoing Business

Jeff reported that he attended the virtual Salem Presbytery meeting on September 11. There was an emphasis on the Repentance for the Sin of Slavery. At the meeting they approved the reading of Litany of Repentance for the sin of slavery and its legacy; PC(USA) Office of Public Witness will refute any laws that prohibit the teaching of American History in its fullness; create curricula that teaches about slavery and its legacy and helps close gaps created by the legacy of slavery and white supremacy. They also called for federal gun control laws to prevent death and injury.

He talked about the work the Presbytery is doing with churches who do not have installed pastors. They are working to figure out ways to create vibrancy and excitement in these churches.

Karen asked if the churches without pastors essentially cannot pay the salary for a pastor. That is a predominant reason. There is movement in the Presbytery to think about mergers, closing and lay leaders. There are about 130 churches in the Presbytery and 77+ are missing pastors, 55%.

Karen noticed that the email for the church is nmorelli, it needs to be changed to admin@citp, where all the administrative emails will go. Karen is concerned that elders are being burned out too much. Andrew is going to start elder training earlier.

Jeff presented Andrew with the Hunger Action Certificate for the church

New Business

Andrew indicated he would be leaving the meeting so session could convene in Executive Session at Paul’s request. He designated Jerry as the Moderator. Jerry asked Paul to describe the process he envisions.

During the Executive Session, the Elders will have an opportunity to discuss the seven (7) categories that make up the 2022 Pastor Evaluation Form and the three (3) “rankings” that are used in the evaluation process.

The seven (7) categories and three (3) rankings are as follows:

September 19, 2022 Stated Session Meeting

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