Diaconate Minutes, July 23, 2006 page 1

starff, Doug Wellemeyer, Elder liaison, Ways and Means representative, Lynn Chesnut,

Bruce Capehart, Rick Overholt, John Lockhead, Sally Keener, Sharon Barnes, Jeff

Sutton, Bill Scott, Dorene Palermo.

working lunch. Jim gave an overview of the background to the current financial and

organizational challenges facing IHN. He stated the IHN core mission is to house and

feed homeless families in transition through volunteers and church facilities. Two

successive grants starting in 2000 widened the mission focus and eventually created

financial difficulties. The first, the TANF Grant supported a program and salaries for a

staff of three to provide counseling and help toward permanent housing for twenty

families. When that ran out in 2002 a HUD grant continued the TANF services, but did

not cover salaries. Two positions were eliminated, and IHN absorbed the cost of the

remaining salary to administer the work of this HUD grant. This program added a new

mission, further widening the original IHN mission focus, with its requirement to serve

families with substance and dependency problems. IHN intends to return to their core

mission and phase out of this program by late summer, but in the meantime they have

incurred operating deficits and currently have cash problems. The previous $140,000

budget is now a $100,000 budget. Their goal is to add more member churches to the

current 29-church roster. Jim reported that IHN is plugged into the 10 Year Plan to End

Homelessness. The deacons have been giving $2200 annually to bring down the

mortgage principle on the IHN house, but the money has been used for more pressing

expenses and the mortgage is still about $100,000. Jim said he would very much like to

have a WPC deacon join the IHN Board. For more details of Jim’s report, see the

attachments handed out at the meeting. [To be attached upon receipt from Jim Hewitt.]

Candid discussion after Jim finished his report and left revealed a general concern

among the deacons for the health and effective management of IHN. Three requests

regarding IHN were reviewed: (1) their emergency request for $5000. to meet immediate

needs, (2) the amount for IHN in the 2007 budget, and (3) making IHN the mission focus

for 2007. This third item, it was quickly decided, needs to be a discussion with the new

diaconate this fall. The amount to budget for 2007 in support of IHN was postponed until

the part of the meeting in which budget requests would be presented. The primary

discussion was about addressing the request for emergency financial needs. Several

deacons raised definite concerns about the efficiency and long-range solvency of IHN,

and raised questions about the wisdom of giving more money to a troubled organization.

At the same time, however, many deacons expressed the desire to help at this time of

need to see if IHN can get things turned around. We have a long history with IHN and

feel the program serves a vital need in the community of serving those who need

temporary, transitional housing, and it is a service the diaconate wishes to support. The

final motion that was seconded and passed was to give $1,500. from the Westminster

Fund to partially address the IHN request for emergency needs. At the end of the year,

the diaconate wishes to hear from either Jim, board chairman, or the new executive

director of IHN, to learn about their budget, financial situation and mission planning in

order to decide if or to what extent we will support IHN in 2007.

Diaconate Minutes, July 23, 2006 page 2

Committee.

Rick shared both a concern and a celebration; he has a new job, but is facing legal

action from his former employer. We all wish to keep Rebecca in our prayers as well as

Mary Easley and the Brooks family. Also we hold in our thoughts and prayers Bill

McAvoy whose cousin died this week and the family of Debbie Kredich as they mourn

her death.

and will serve as the co-moderator for 2007. He joins the slate of Michael Reich as

moderator and Sally Keener as clerk.

requested amount(s). Healthy and informed discussion accompanied each line item. As

the bottom line for the budget represented only approximately a 3% increase, it was

decided to present the budget as requested without further deliberation. The results of

those discussions appear on the budget draft that is attached to these minutes.

will email details to Sally for this purpose). Also the Deacons’ corner will announce the

collection boxes for August will be dedicated to collecting gently used toys for IHN

families. Toys appropriate for infant through six-year olds will be the focus.

information about signing up to bring a dish.

"...and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?"

Micah 6:8

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