The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) convened for a stated meeting at 5:00 p.m. on 17 December 2006 in room 105 of the Holderness 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 M.T. Peters. 

Associate Pastors P. Ransford and B. Berghaus were present.

Elders F.Anton, B.Cunningham, A.Denson, N.Gaddis, J.Graham, S.Landis, M.T.Peters, S.Pottenger, S.Ruffing, and D.Wellemeyer were present.  Elders K.Bunch and J.Jones were absent and excused. 

WPC staff members B.Fletcher and N.Rozak were present.

Clerk of Session D. Derr was present.

The Moderator declared a quorum present.

Elder Ralph Coonrad was present.

SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS:

Elder Ralph Coonrad, on behalf of the Stewardship Committee, asked the Elders to report on the results of their telephone calls to members who have yet to turn in pledge cards.  The Elders reported their results in turn.  Elder Coonrad thanked the Elders for making these calls and encouraged those Elders who had not yet called to do so.  The Moderator on behalf of the entire congregation thanked the Session for making these calls.

MINUTES:

The minutes of the stated meeting of the Session on 19 November 2006 were distributed, read and adopted as reviewed with the following addition: in the third paragraph on page 5 under Concerns and Celebrations after “B.Berghaus” add “along with N.Rozak as the Elder”. Clerk D.Derr thanked Assistant Clerk A.Denson for doing these minutes.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Advent Greetings from New Hope Presbytery

The Clerk reported that the Session had received Advent greetings from New Hope Presbytery.

Year-End Statistical Report

The Clerk received a memo from Barbara Campbell Davis, Executive Presbyter/Stated Clerk of New Hope Presbytery that the Statistical Report for WPC must be completed on line no later than February 21, 2007.

Election of Commissioners to Presbytery Meeting on February 24, 2007

The Clerk received a memo from Barbara Campbell Davis, Executive Presbyter/Stated Clerk of New Hope Presbytery for the Session to elect Commissioners to the Presbytery Meeting on February 24, 2007 at the January Session meeting and enclosed Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) approved by the 217^th General Assembly (2006) and Recommended to the Presbyteries for Their Affirmative or Negative Votes.

Letters of Appreciation:

The Gideons International

A thank you note was received from WPC member Michael Bunch in appreciation for WPC allowing representatives of The Gideons International Bible Program to speak at services last March and on behalf of members Dave Edwards and Eric Wolf and himself thanking the entire congregation for its continuing support of this ministry.

YO Durham

A letter from Rev. Pebbles Lindsay-Lucas , President of Durham Congregations In Action to J. Walchenbach was received in appreciation of a pledge of $1,000.00 by WPC to YO Durham.

Housing for New Hope

A letter from Rev. Terry Allebaugh, Executive Director of Housing for New Hope, to J. Walchenbach was received in appreciation of a donation of $2,200.00 by WPC for a room sponsorship in honor of Haywood Holderness.

Mexico Mission Trip Fundraising

The Session also received a letter from WPC member Lucy Stokes seeking permission to conduct a fundraiser on Sunday, April 22, 2007 for the Mexico Mission Trip.  The Session chose to consider that request during the Youth Council report. 

Dismissal:

Motion: A motion dismissing Mary Jane Nye to Duke University Chapel in Durham NC was made, seconded, and approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

Involvement of the College of Elders

P.Ransford will check on the status of the database of the College of Elders and ask Gail Reynolds to send an updated list of the members of the College of Elders to the Session. 

Follow-up to Implementation of Session action on Best Practices, Officers, and Boards Evaluation 2005-90 Committee Structures

No report.

February 24, 2007 Presbytery Meeting

Elder liaison F.Anton reported that all is on schedule.

Annual Review of Rolls of WPC

B.Berghaus has drafted a letter to send to people on the review list whom Elders have not been able to contact and will circulate the draft to the Session. J.Graham suggested that, if the data was available to us, the Elder who introduced a member to the congregation when they joined the church be the one who contacts that member if they become inactive during their first two or three years at WPC.  The sense of the Session is to pursue this suggestion.

Transition Plan for Office of WPC Clerk of Session

F.Anton respectfully declined the invitation to succeed D.Derr as Clerk.  Elder Mary Pickard has been contacted to see if she is willing to assist D.Derr with the work of the Clerk or to become the Clerk of Session. She has experience as the Clerk of the Ways and Means Commission and has other skills that make her a wonderful fit for the position.

D.Derr has been asked by the Moderator to reconsider his decision to step down in August 2007.  D.Derr will speak with Elder Mary Pickard to see what type of working arrangement they can design to assist him and for her to possibly become the Clark of Session.

Session Retreat January 19-21, 2007

The Moderator shared with the Session an outline for the weekend’s events.  A possible theme of the retreat is “When God Speaks Through Change”.  The sharing of faith journeys, discussion of Loren Mead’s A Change of Pastors, a consideration of the recent audit, a discussion of the timetable for selecting a new pastor, and the stated January business meeting of the Session are being planned for this weekend.  The Transition Committee chaired by D. Wellemeyer will meet with P. Ransford, B. Berghaus, and N. Rozak prior to the retreat to see what that committee feels the Session should discuss. The Moderator has asked P.Ransford to draft an outline retreat agenda.

Church Audit

The Session will discuss the audit at its January retreat.  Elders will need the audit report ahead of the meeting to prepare to discuss it.

COMMISSION AND OTHER REPORTS:

Ways and Means: (J.Graham/D.Wellemeyer) The minutes of the Ways and Means Commission meeting on November 8, 2006 and Financial Statements for November 2006 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing and key points in them were summarized. J. Graham reported that pledges and revenues were significantly behind, but that expenses were behind as well so at the end of November there was a deficit of $56,500. The Session should expect a deficit at the end of the year.  J. Walchenbach is sending a very positive letter to the Members and Friends of WPC in which he asks members to complete their 2006 pledges and to make their pledges for 2007.  The Stewardship Committee will not be going back to member “angels” this year as it has told them “just this one time” twice already.  WPC is behind on its stewardship wish budget goal. Ways and Means wants a balanced budget so the Session should expect some difficult conversations and decisions at the retreat.  J. Graham encouraged Elders to make their stewardship calls.  In advance of the retreat, the Session will receive a budget wish list for 2007 so that it can consider where cuts will need to be made. D.Wellemeyer updated progress made on the John Dancy Project reporting that the audio-video equipment is in and is set up in Room 103 and that a piece on Jack Walchenbach’s first Sunday is available for viewing on the WPC website.

Fellowship: (D.Wellemeyer) No report.

Global Missions: (F.Anton) The minutes of the Global Missions Committee meeting on September 6, 2006 were distributed and key points in them were summarized. There are two trips to the Gulf Coast in the works.  The first is a WPC sponsored trip to D’Ibreville and the second is a Presbyterian Disaster Assistance trip to New Orleans.  The committee did not disburse any more of its funds in light of the current budgetary concerns at WPC

Education/Kindergarten:  (M.T.Peters/N.Rozak) The minutes of the Christian Education Commission meeting on November 21, 2006 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing.  There will no December meeting.

Sanctuary Guild: (J.Jones) No report.

 Youth Council:  (S.Landis) The minutes of the Youth Council meeting on November 26, 2006 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing.   Youth/sponsors successfully served the shelter meal in November.  Due to the tight budget this year, the focus is on more fund-raising efforts for the Mexico Mission trip in late June through a father daughter Valentines Dance, silent auction on April 22, 2007 and babysitting evenings at WPC.

Motion: A motion authorization fundraising through a father daughter Valentines Dance, a silent auction on April 22, 2007 and babysitting evenings at WPC for the Mexico Mission Trip was made, seconded and approved.

Assimilation: (S.Pottenger) No report.

Seminarians (B. Cunningham) No report.

Worship (K. Bunch) No report. Communion will be celebrated on January 7, 2007 with Elder responsibilities as follows: (8:30) N.Gaddis; (11:00) B.Cunningham.

Transition (D. Wellemeyer) No report.

Diaconate (B. Berghaus)  The minutes of the Diaconate meeting on November 19, 2006 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing.

Congregational Care (F. Anton) The committee will meet on January 7.

Local Missions (A. Denson) No report

Nominating (A. Denson) The congregation needs to elect four At Large Members to the 2007 Nominating Committee. A.Denson will contact D. Elvers, the Chair of the 2006 Nominating Committee, to convene a meeting of that committee to select a slate of four At Large Members.

Inquirers’ Class (S. Pottenger) No report.

NEW BUSINESS:

Called December 14, 2006 Presbytery Meeting

D.Wellemeyer and A.Denson were the WPC Commissioners to this meeting. The purpose for this meeting was to address concerns about remaining liability of the Presbytery because the Presbytery still retained title to the land on which Camp Albemarle sits even though at the October stated meeting of Presbytery the Presbytery turned operations of Camp Albemarle over to a non-profit organization.  At this called meeting, Presbytery voted to give the land to the non-profit as well but stipulated that the non- profit cannot convey the land.  If the non-profit ceases to exist the land reverts to Presbytery.  The Moderator thanked D.Wellemeyer and A.Denson for attending this unexpected meeting.

Annual Meeting of Congregation

 A date needs to be determined for this meeting and then two-weeks notice of this needs to be given to the Congregation.

Election of Officers of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The Moderator recessed the stated meeting of the Session and convened the Session as the Board of Directors of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a North Carolina non-profit corporation. In this capacity the following action occurred:

Motion: A motion to elect the following officers of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Durham, North Carolina Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), a North Carolina non-profit corporation:  President – Dailey Derr, First Vice President - Paul Ransford, Second Vice President - Betty Berghaus, Secretary – Bill Lambe and Treasurer – Barbara Fletcher was made, seconded and approved.

The Moderator adjourned the Board of Directors meeting and reconvened the stated Session meeting.

Election of Barbara Fletcher as Treasurer

Motion: A motion to elect B.Fletcher as Treasurer of Westminster Presbyterian Church was made, seconded and approved.

STAFF REPORTS:

P.Ransford – no report

B.Berghaus – thanks to M.Rossman for this morning’s music.

N.Rozak  - seeing the Ruffing family usher this morning was such a powerful thing and a

wonderful statement about the value of family worship and Christian education.

B.Fletcher – no report

J. Walchenbach – is scheduled for surgery on December 27.

CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS:

Concerns about the medical conditions of Tom Eagen, Shirley Joines, Heidi Kievel, and Kitty Currie were expressed.  Joy that Doug and Kay Wellemeyer are grandparents again was celebrated.  Lee Willard was in church this morning – a celebration and reports that Mary Beck Sutton and Ron Hawkins are both at home recovering from successful surgeries were celebrated.

The Session’s current business, having been completed, the Moderator declared the meeting adjourned and it was closed with a reading from The Littlest Angel and as an adjourning prayer by S. Ruffing at 6:54 p.m.

Dailey J. Derr                                                                                             Jack Walchenbach

Clerk of Session                                                                                         Moderator          

S121706 Stated