Diaconate Minutes
December 18,
2005, 7:00-9:00 pm
Attending: Carol Cunningham, Betty Berghaus, staff, Michael Reich, Jeff Sutton, Dorene Palermo, Bill Scott, Bill McAvoy, Walt Beckwith, Rick Overholt, Rebecca Mattern-Mielcarek, Bruce Capehart, Morris Griffin, John Lockhead, Sally Keener
Michael opened the meeting at 7:00 pm with a welcome for all, and Betty shared a prayer.
Concerns and Celebrations were shared for John Lockhead’s mother who is home from heart surgery and doing well, for former member Karen Wood recovering from surgery, and for Buck Easley and Jean Lee who are both very ill. Celebrations were highlighted for Doug Wellemeyer who is a new grandfather.
The November minutes were approved.
Committee Reports:
Local Missions Committee Update:
Jeff introduced Laura Loehr and Kristen Overholt who have stepped up to coordinate the new Katrina Evacuee Task Force, established to offer help for three to six months to a family relocated in our area due to the hurricane disaster. Laura and Kristen, with their team of Kelly Keadey, Monica Nichols, Carol Walker and Mack Aldridge, have met with 21-year old Kendrick and his 1-year old son nicknamed Fuzzy and have been able to make amazing progress in helping them get their lives together. They are in an apartment that is largely furnished due to things Kendrick had from family and the generosity of our congregation. The biggest needs now are a job for Kendrick (who had worked as a day laborer and groundskeeper) and day care for Fuzzy. There is progress getting Kendrick enrolled at Durham Tech for electrician training. The task force is looking for a certified electrician who would accept Kendrick as an apprentice. Efforts are continuing on transportation and paperwork for driver’s license, school enrollment and other details of establishing a family in a new location. Financial support is requested. To make a contribution please write Evacuee Resettlement in the memo line. Estimates of expenses indicate the task force will need at a minimum over $4000 to provide the support Kendrick will need to get on his own, and it might be over double that amount depending on what becomes available through Hurricane Relief funds. Expenses predicted cover medical, telephone, childcare, tuition, school supplies, food/diapers/wipes, clothing, utilities, car taxes, tires, gas and oil, and forecasting a need for December through May. Bruce announced that Global Missions is giving $3,000 to this fund.
John Lockhead reported that Share Your Christmas went well. We adopted 148 people this year (our largest group ever). Thanks were expressed to Paul who drove Bubba downtown twice delivering the gifts, and to Betty who helped load the bus in the rain and cold, as well as to all those who participated in making this Christmas special for one of these less fortunate neighbors. It was suggested that a handout be available next year as you signed up for a recipient that included instructions on spending limits, deadlines, where to deliver packages, and maybe even biographical information about the person. It was agreed that Carol and John would create a comprehensive description for whoever runs Share Your Christmas to make it easier for next year.
Rick Overholt reported that the Shelter Meal for December, which is traditionally provided for by the deacons, will be meatloaf and vegetables. Michael stepped up to do the shopping from the very organized grocery list Rick provided based on experience with the youth group. Servers have already signed up (the Reichs, Rebecca, the Cunninghams, Sharon B., Elena and Marian Draffin) Michael will drive the bus down. Volunteers for cooking on Tuesday are Betty, John, Bill Scott and Kathy Griffin. All deacons are reminded to make a $20 donation for this meal. Write December Shelter Meal in the memo line so Barbara will be able to get it to the correct account.
Jeff Sutton reported again on a Benevolence request brought to his committee for $100 for the Durham Church United Women’s Organization, a multi-denominational, bi-racial group that meets monthly to promote racial harmony. Ann Kline from WPC is a part of this group. The money is for printing and postage expenses. The diaconate approved $75 from the deacon discretionary fund, but requested that in the future this group apply for financial support through the normal request procedures.
Assimilation Committee Update:
Sally Keener and Rebecca Mattern-Mielcarek reported that the Assimilation Committee has entered all the time and talent data from the Stewardship drive into the church database and Gail generated reports for each committee of the names of those who pledged their time and talent in areas that align with the responsibilities of that committee. Sally delivered and explained the reports, the process and the expectations to the Session (12/18) and Sally and Rebecca did the same for the deacons. It is now important for committee chair and co-chairs to oversee that every name on their list is contacted in appreciation of their pledge, and to ensure that every person feels valued, even if they will not be actively helping until later in the year. The Assimilation Committee has mailed a postcard to everyone who turned in a time/talent card expressing appreciation and forecasting that they will hear from a committee member. Sally and Rebecca also expressed thanks to Amy Simonson who was very helpful in developing a system/process to make the data manageable. The time/talent sub-committee of Assimilation will enter the new Congregational Care data and provide an updated report to that committee. It was suggested that athletics and Share Your Christmas be added to the next time/talent cards. It is also hoped (expected) that this time and talent drive will be an annual event through the Stewardship Committee. In the meantime, new names will be added with each Inquirer’s Class graduation, and possible from mini independent surveys sponsored by committees.
Congregational Care Committee Update:
Bill Scott reported that the Congregational Care Committee is in the process of calling care leaders and developing a pool of volunteers based on the data from Assimilation’s time/talent report and the survey they are collecting from the cards in the pews. They had a great response to the insert in today’s bulletin with 72 cards turned in. Bill reported that there was a popular response to “companionship,” an entry that was added at the last minute. They intend for the green Congregational Care pew cards to remain indefinitely as a source of updated volunteers and feedback on concerns within the congregation. They will be sure the money counters know to turn in cards to the office.
Fellowship Committee Update:
Bill McAvoy and Walt Beckwith reported that the Sing-Along event went OK, but they realized in the future it would be helpful to have 1-4 people as hospitality workers who were on hand for details that come up like adding tables, refilling serving trays, helping with spills, etc. We agreed that actually all deacons present at these events should consider themselves as hospitality workers and jump in as they see a need. Bill and Walt also suggested there should be tighter instructions of who does what so no one will have their contributions/efforts unappreciated. The next event is the Christmas Eve pot luck supper, and sign-up sheets were sent around to help with that.
Global Missions Committee Update:
Bruce Capehart reported that they are donating $3000 to the new Katrina Resettlement Task Force. They are also looking at some new, clearer accountability records of the Katrina money. The action item from Global Missions concerns a gift to a new start-up Presbyterian church in Chatham County, University Presbyterian. After discussion it was voted to support a gift of $1500 from Global Missions’ existing funds in order to help this church get started.
Mission Focus 2006 – Implementation:
Michael Reich reported he has met again with Terry Allebaugh and Ruth Peoples as the planning continues on the initiative, A 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Durham. A draft of the plan should be ready in January. The emerging model is for a church to adopt a homeless person and help that person until he is housed and able to be on his own. The vision is for many, many churches to be involved, and for WPC to serve in this start-up phase as a model for the program. The details are still being fleshed out. The vision is to do something to help all 500+ homeless people in Durham County with housing and jobs (much like the way we are helping the Katrina relocation evacuees).
MISC. Updates:
Carol Cunningham reported that there is now a new director at IHN, Olive Joyner, a recent Duke divinity school graduate. The next IHN family will be at WPC February 5th-12th. Carol also reported that WPC received a second place honor for our participation last year in the Crop Walk, and Kenzie Brannon was recognized for raising nearly $3000 himself! The next Crop Walk will be March 19th.
Michael closed the meeting in prayer.
Next meeting: January 22