The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) convened for a stated meeting at 5:06 p.m. on 19 November 2006 in room 105 of the WPC Mission Center. The Moderator, J. Walchenbach, 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 P. Ransford. M.T. Peters also presented a devotional about allowing God’s love to wash over us.
Associate Pastors P. Ransford and B. Berghaus were present.
Elders F. Anton, K. Bunch, B. Cunningham, A. Denson, N. Gaddis, J. Jones, S. Landis, M.T. Peters, S. Pottenger, S. Ruffing and D. Wellemeyer were present. Elder J. Graham was absent and excused.
WPC staff member B. Fletcher was present. N. Rozak was absent and excused.
Clerk of Session D. Derr was absent and excused and Assistant Clerk A. Denson took minutes.
The Moderator declared a quorum present.
Since this was the first Session meeting with our new Interim Pastor, Rev. Dr. Jack Walchenbach, brief introductions were made.
MINUTES:
The minutes of the stated meeting of the Session of 15 October 2006 were distributed and corrected in the spelling of John Dancy’s name and to reflect that Walt Beckwith and Holly Borden are co-chairs of the Global Missions Committee. The minutes were approved with those corrections. Minutes of a called e-mail meeting of the session of 19 October 2006 were distributed and approved as submitted.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Dismissal:
Motion: A motion dismissing Jay and Julie Harris to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Durham, NC was made, seconded and approved.
OLD BUSINESS:
P. Ransford will ask G. Reynolds to update the list of members in the College of Elders for use in preparations to host the meeting of the New Hope Presbytery on 24 February 2007. K. Wellemeyer is the Moderator of the College of Elders.
Follow-up to implementation of Session action on Best Practices, Officers and Boards Evaluation 2005-06 Committee Structures
This falls under the Transition Committee of which D. Wellemeyer is chair. A meeting is being planned of this committee within the next couple of weeks.
J. Jones has received a copy of the audit and has received requests for copies. It was decided not to release the audit until the Session has received and reviewed it.
D. Wellemeyer and A. Denson were commissioners to this meeting and gave a report. A. Denson represented the Session and introduced Haywood Holderness for his Rite of Retirement. The morning portion of the meeting was devoted to outreach.
The Presbytery plans to divest itself of the management of Camp Albemarle by giving it to a new non-profit corporation which is being established. The land will continue to be owned by the Presbytery.
The co-chairs of this committee are B. Derr and C. Haynes and F. Anton is the Session representative. K. Bunch is in charge of the worship service. Laura Mendenhall, of Columbia Seminary, will deliver the sermon.
Mary Jane Nye, Chris Paul and Danielle Hudson wish to remain on the active rolls. B. Berghaus will prepare a letter to send to people on the review list whom we are unable to contact otherwise to determine their wishes as to whether they wish to remain on the active rolls.
Request from Emily and Tim Collins:
Motion: A motion to move Emily and Tim Collins from the Active Member’s Roll and to dismiss them was made, seconded and approved.
Ways and Means: (D. Wellemeyer) Minutes of the meeting of October 11, 2006 and a financial report were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. N. Gaddis reported that Phase One of the sanctuary renovations would begin tomorrow, 20 November. Pews will be removed and scaffolding installed so that the windows can be cleaned and defective panes replaced. Thereafter the windows will be cleaned on the outside, the woodwork painted, and outer glass storm windows with UV protection will be installed. The work will then move to the Narthex where the floor will be removed, the concrete ground flat, and a new hardwood floor will be installed. Lastly, the wallpaper will be removed and the Narthex walls will be painted. None of this work will impact Sunday services. Phase Two will involve removal, renovation, and recovering the pews and replacing the carpet. The Sanctuary will be unavailable for our use during the three Sundays required for Phase Two. We will schedule this during a time of normally low attendance, probably June.
D. Wellemeyer stated that the budget for Phase One would deplete our CTA funds and that we will probably need to raise an additional $75,000 - $100,000 to pay for Phase Two. We will discuss this at the Session retreat in January. No action is required at this time on the renovations.
Even adjusted seasonally, we are 17% behind budget, about $140,000, to date. We will send a letter to the congregation reporting this and asking members to meet their pledges. B. Fletcher will also send out statements the first week of December giving people the status of their pledges and requesting deficits to be paid. Unless the deficit is met, we may have to cut expenses and/or gifts.
D. Wellemeyer also gave a preliminary report on the recent Stewardship Campaign. The total projected ‘06-’07 budget will be $956,000. At this point 114 out of 416 pledging units have not turned in pledge cards. The Stewardship Committee will meet again in December. No action is required by the Session at this time.
Fellowship: (D. Wellemeyer) No report.
Global Missions: (F. Anton) Minutes were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. No further report except that the total earnings from the One World Market sales this morning were just under $2,000.
Education/Kindergarten: (M.T. Peters) Minutes were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. The MP2 covered dish dinner and puppet show were well attended.
Sanctuary Guild: (J. Jones) No report except that the Sanctuary Guild looks forward to meeting with J. Walchenbach to learn his wishes for the Sanctuary.
Youth: (S. Landis) Minutes from the last meeting of the Youth Council were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. Last month the youth had a leadership meeting and a Sr. High retreat to Montreat and is planning the Love Feast for 3 December.
Assimilation: (S. Pottenger) Minutes were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. Instead of asking new members their committee preferences, the Assimilation Committee
is asking them what types of tasks they would like to do and then matching these with
committee needs. The committee is seeking individuals and groups, such as supper clubs, to host coffees after services. Sally Keener is coordinating this.
Seminarians: (B. Cunningham) Sophie (Marian) Draffin is now certified and ready to accept a call. Tully Fletcher is in Seminary. Esther Acolatse is a candidate and will be taking the ordination examination in January.
Worship: (K. Bunch) As host church of the 24 February 2007 Presbytery meeting, Westminster designates the recipient of the offering collected at the worship service. In light of the fact that a budget shortfall may force reduction or elimination of some of the planned charitable gifts, it was decided to get the Diaconate’s recommendation on the designee of this offering. Absent such a recommendation J. Walchenbach suggested we designate the Urban Ministries homeless shelter. Communion will be celebrated on December 3, 2006 with Elder J.Jones responsible for both worship services.
Transition: (D. Wellemeyer) No report.
Diaconate: (B. Berghaus) Minutes of the 22 October 2006 Diaconate Board Meeting and of the 23 September 2006 Deacon Planning/Orientation Meeting were distributed via the Session Packet mailing. The Diaconate is planning to start the “Share Your Christmas” program soon.
Congregational Care: (F. Anton) The committee has not met but care leaders are working with members of the congregation who need help.
Local Missions: (A. Denson) Minutes of the 15 November 2006 meeting were distributed. The committee, co-chaired by Jeff Sutton and Dorene Palermo, has carefully structured the method of choosing which charities we will support. The screening responsibility will by shared by four subcommittees: Mental Health, chair Sharon Barnes; Education, chair Jim Joseph; Homelessness, co-chairs Bill Burig and Bill Hatch; and Other, chaired by Scotti Harwood. Bill Burig is preparing a template of information to be gathered from each requesting charity and the completed requests will be forwarded to the appropriate subcommittee for consideration.
Nominating: (A. Denson) No report.
Inquirer’s Class: (S. Pottenger) No report.
NEW BUSINESS:
Transition Plans for WPC Clerk of Session: (S. Ruffing). A Proposal for Development of a Transition Plan for the Office of WPC Clerk of Session was distributed, read, and discussed. Key points of the proposed plan, as discussed, are:
· D. Derr will retire as Clerk of Session after the 19 August 2007 meeting unless
a new Clerk has qualified and wishes to assume the office before that.
· A qualification of the Clerk is that he/she be an elder, and it is recommended
that the Clerk not be currently serving on the Session because note-taking duties
hinder that person’s ability to participate fully in debate on issues. This means
that the candidates will be members of the College of Elders.
· Organizational skills are important to the Clerk. It is noted that F. Anton has these skills and, as a sitting elder, is well-informed about our issues. Hope was expressed that she would consider assuming the Clerkship when her Session term expires in 2007.
· We should develop an educational curriculum encompassing relevant presbytery materials and experience from D. Derr and J. Walchenbach to assist the new Clerk in preparing for the office. This year the presbytery training for Clerks of Session does not conflict with our Session retreat in January.
· Relief must be provided to D. Derr immediately, however, preferably by assistance with note taking and preparation of minutes. A. Denson is taking notes at this meeting and will prepare these minutes. F. Anton volunteered to do so for the December Session meeting and K. Bunch will do so after that.
· All elders who expect to make a report at meetings should email a brief statement about it to the note taker in advance of the meeting.
· Because of his long history with Westminster, it is hoped that we can continue
to keep D. Derr involved with leadership beyond his Clerkship, perhaps as
church historian.
Action on this proposal was deferred in order to give J. Walchenbach an opportunity to discuss it with D. Derr.
STAFF REPORTS:
B. Berghaus, B. Fletcher, and P. Ransford are about to go on a short Thanksgiving vacation. P. Ransford expressed relief to be concluding his duty as acting Head of Staff and giving that responsibility to J. Walchenbach.
J. Walchenbach thanked the staff for their work in leading WPC before his arrival.
CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS:
Martha Henriquez is in critical condition.
Kittie Currie has had three surgeries in one week and is now living with her daughter, Eloise. She suffers from congestive heart failure and diabetes.
Heidi Kivel is ill and B. Berghaus took communion to her, which she appreciated.
Princess Sheldon, a 13 year old girl with cancer, is at Duke and may be transferred to Johns Hopkins.
The Session’s current business, having been completed, the Moderator declared the meeting adjourned and it was closed with a prayer by S. Landis at 7:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Alex Denson Jack Walchenbach
Assistant Clerk of Session Moderator
S111906 Stated