The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) convened for a stated meeting at 4:54 p.m. on 18 December 2005 in room 105 of the WPC Mission Center. The Moderator, H. Holderness, was present and called the meeting to order and it was opened with a reading in unison of the WPC Mission Statement and a devotional and prayer by B. Nicoll.

Elders F.Anton, A.Denson, D.Elvers, N.Gaddis, J.Graham, C.Haynes, J.Jones, S.Landis, B.Nicoll, M.T.Peters and D.Wellemeyer were present. Elder B.Derr was absent and excused.

Clerk of Session D.Derr was absent and excused and Assistant Clerk A. Denson served as clerk.

The Moderator thanked the Elders for their work on behalf of the Church, particularly during the Christmas season.

The minutes of the stated meeting of the Session of 20 November 2005 and of the action of the Session without a meeting via email of 1 December 2005 were read, approved, and adopted as distributed.

Motion: A motion authorizing action of the Session without meeting via email on routine business, such as the request for the baptism on January 1, 2006 of Steven Homer Fogarsi and Eric Mason Fogarsi, sons of Lisa Fogarsi, when the requisite number to constitute a quorum act via email was made, seconded and approved.

Motion: A motion authorizing the baptism of Olivia Lombard, daughter of Willem and Charlotte Lombard, on January 15, 2006 was made, seconded and approved.

Motion: A motion authorizing the baptism of Andrew Joseph Feiler, son of Michael and Jennifer Feiler, on January 15, 2006 was made, seconded and approved.

Assessments from 280 members of the congregation have been received and are being tabulated and summarized for inclusion in a report. The results will be discussed in detail at the Session retreat in January.

Annual Meeting of the Congregation

The annual meeting of the congregation will take place on January 22, 2006 for the purpose of electing four at-large members of the Nominating Committee, hearing a report of the Diaconate, hearing a report of the Session retreat, and approving changes in the Pastors’ calls.

COMMISSION REPORTS:

The Assimilation Committee has taken the Time and Talent Cards received by the Stewardship Committee in its canvass and entered this information in the church database. Each committee chair has been sent a list of persons indicating interests in volunteering to work in that committee’s area. As new Time and Talent Cards come in, the Administrative Assistant will add them to the list and notify applicable committee chairs. In the future, cards will be added only from Inquirer’s Classes.

A third draft of an operating budget for 2006 has been prepared and presented showing a total budget of $981,493 which is a 2% increase over 2005. It is anticipated that additional receipts will be received causing the total to exceed $1 Million. The Ways and Means Commission is a committee appointed by the Session with the responsibility of overseeing financial matters of the church. It recently met and revised its mission, composition, and standard agenda. New members of the commission include Bruce Capehart, Brian Nicoll, Jeff Sutton, and Shayne Ruffing. The Ways and Means Commission has a number of committees. One of those committees is Property Management consisting of five sub-committees with the following chairs: Property Management, Chair C. V. Conner; Buildings, Chair Norman Gaddis; Calhoon Cabin, Chair Shayne Ruffing; Grounds, Chair Don Rufty; and Memorial Garden, Chairs Becky and Marvin Walker.

Motion: A motion to approve the proposed 2006 Operating Budget and revisions to the structure of the Ways and Means Commission and the appointments made to it was made, seconded, and approved.

Rather than incurring the expense of a caterer, the committee will consider arranging a pot-luck soup and sandwich lunch.

An Evacuee Resettlement Fund of $3,000 has been set up and guidelines have been established on reimbursable expenses. Allocations have been made to the Moscow Community Kitchen in the sum of $500 and to Church World Services in the sum of $2,500 to buy 500 blankets for Pakistanis. A request to fund the proposed Chatham County Church was passed to the Business Administrator. Global Missions will go forward with support for the Bread for the World initiative but will ensure that it is a non-partisan effort and that it addresses the concerns expressed by the Elders. The committee will withdraw support if the initiative proceeds inappropriately. Elder Eileen McAvoy will make a presentation to the congregation.

The Moderator gave a report of the work of the Evacuee Resettlement Task Force. (B. Nicoll pointed out that instead of “evacuee”, the correct term is “Internally

Displaced Person”, or “IDP”). Our church is sponsoring the relocation into our

for them and bought them new clothes. We are now trying to find employment for the man.

We will be taking children to a Music and Worship conference at Montreat. The CE Committee is working with the Youth Council to prepare a course of Youth Bible Study on Wednesday nights beginning in January.

A concern has been brought to the attention of the Worship Committee that on occasion people presenting the Minute for Mission have taken too much time or have said inappropriate things. To address this, Guidelines have been prepared and these will need to be shared with visiting speakers and worship leaders.

Motion: A motion to approve and adopt these Guidelines was made, seconded, and approved.

It was noted that the Church has been attractively decorated for the Christmas season.

The Love Feast was a success. The youth are excited about the planned Youth Bible Study which will begin in January and there is a belief that this will support Sunday School programs as well. Plans are being made for a youth mission trip to Mississippi this summer.

Charles Jones is on track for ordination and Esther Evelyn Acolatse has completed an Application to Be Enrolled by Presbytery as a Candidate. The Moderator has called a meeting of the Session for January 15, 2006 at 9:45 a.m. to receive Esther as a candidate.

Next Step Housing experienced delays and difficulties in building new housing and decided to focus on acquiring an existing building. Unfortunately, the Uniform Tenant Relocation Act makes it expensive to acquire housing that is occupied and so Next Step has begun discussions with CASA, in Raleigh, about the possibility of merger. CASA has a large staff with people who are experienced in all issues relating to providing supportive housing to persons with mental illness.

D. Wellemeyer noted that Elders need to make a report to the Business Administrator about their calls to members of the congregation who have not submitted pledges.

N. Rozak reported that 2005 had been a good year for Christian Education. Sunday School attendance has not fallen off. Soon preparations for Vacation Church School will begin.

B. Berghaus has a Stephen Ministry Class starting on January 4, 2006. In addition, a Congregation Care Committee is being planned.

The Session’s current business, having been completed, the Moderator declared the meeting adjourned and it was closed with C.Haynes leading in three unison adjourning prayers at 6:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,