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Diaconate Meeting April 13, 2008

Attendees: Walt Beckwith, Holly Borden, Bruce Capehart, Lynn Chesnut, John Lockhead, Bill Burig, Sally Cook, Bill Hatch, Jim Joseph, Darren Skeen, Anne Vann, Sarah High, Carol Kelly, Gary Lehew, Neal Nichols, Helen Tharrington, Marty Warburton.

Walt opened with devotion from Psalms and Acts.

Concerns and Celebrations: Bruce Capehart reminded the group to keep the NC National Guard unit from Rocky Mount in our prayers as they have lost 3 soldiers in combat within the last two weeks. Bill Burig said that his nephew began service in Iraq last week.

Committee Reports:

o Global Missions – Holly gave an update of many Global missions organizations:

· Durham Interfaith Disaster Relief – Chick Palermo is putting together a request for funds and fundraising to enable people from the community to go on trips.

· Kiev Mission is requesting an increase support due to economic downturn

· Union College – John Dancy request support from recent tornado damage

· Missionaries – PCUSA cutting missionary funding from 80% to 20%. Global Missions hopes to increase support to offset this cut.

The global missions committee has consistently been good stewards of the funds appropriated. The committee entered 2008 with carryover in part due to concern of charitable giving for 2008. Global Missions request that the entire budget cut not be taken from Global Missions.

o Assimilation – Another Inquirer’s Class is starting. There will be an assimilation dinner and will likely invite some member of the congregation that have similar interest as the new members. Jan McCallum is starting a scrapbook of new members so people can find out more about new members – cost is $3 per page (one per new family)

o Congregational Care – There have only been a couple short term cases this month. The church is continuing 3 meals/week for the Hesse family. Cal is now out of the hospital and doing well. The family expects to be in Durham until the end of May.

o Fellowship – Fellowship has not met recently. The activities for Easter and Paul’s retirement went well.

o Local Missions – no report.

Old/New Business

· Hispanic Ministries and Urban Miistries are still in need of a representative.

· Rob Wilgus has resigned from the Diaconate. The next class will have one additional member to replace Rob.

· Budget cuts – There was discussion regarding where the $5,000 budget cut should be taken. The key discussions were (1) do we have the authorization to balance the budget from the Westminster fund distribution? If not, can we redirect the increase in funds to NCCU from the Westminster fund instead of the environmental account so we can cut funds from the environmental account? (2) Do we still need to have funds in Paul Ransford’s discretionary account? (3) Katrina Hurricane relief – what actions would need to be taken to rename this account as “Disaster Relief” as opposed to Hurricane relief.

Bill Burig stated IHN could cut $500. Darren Skeen stated Fellowship could cut $500. After discussion, John Lockhead made a motion that the following accounts be reduced:

· Environmental Causes - $500

· Deacon Discretionary Fund - $500

· IHN Internal expenses - $500

· Global Missions Committee - $500

· Youth Mexico Mission - $1000

· Fellowship Kitchen Supplies - $500

The motion was approved.

Bill Hatch noted that all funds were reduced in internal accounts. It was suggested that we need a breakdown prior to the next budget cycle as to the appropriation to Housing for New Hope and it would be good to have a speaker from this organization. Since the next budget process starts in July, we would need to complete this in one of the next two meetings.

· Meals on Wheels – Marty Warburton stated Meals on Wheels is in dire need of money. Walt suggested that New Hope Presbytery is accepting grant proposals for two funds: (1) $2K grants for hunger related initiatives, and (2) $10K grants for initiatives focused on the self-development of people. Walt will send these to the group via email for review. Marty will submit a proposal for Meals on Wheels.

Calendar

Community Workday is Saturday May 3^rd. Bill Hatch request those with local missions contacts to see if there are needs we could fill. Current requests include WPC Kitchen, Habitat, New Hope cleanup.
NCCU will prepare and serve the April shelter meal. Money will be appropriated from the shelter meal account.

Before the meeting was adjourned, there was additional discussion regarding the new security system on campus. There was discussion both in favor of and opposed to the system chosen. In addition, there was discussion regarding the reasons for the system and the communication/roll-out of the system.

The next meeting will be May 18^th at 5:00pm (moved out one week due to Mothers’ Day).

Bill Hatch closed with prayer.

Respectfully submitted,

Anne Vann