The Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) convened for a stated meeting at 5:00 p.m. on 17 July 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 a prayer by F.Anton.

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

Elders F.Anton, B.Chesnut, B.Derr, D.Elvers, N.Gaddis, G.Green, C.Haynes, B.Nicoll, M.T.Peters, M.Pickard and D.Wellemeyer were present. Elder D.Lanier was absent and unexcused.

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

Clerk of Session D.Derr was present.

The Moderator declared a quorum present. 

MINUTES: 

The minutes of the called meeting of the Session at 10:00 a.m. on 12 June 2005, the called Joint meeting of the Session and Diaconate at 12:00 p.m. on 12 June 2005 and the stated meeting of the Session at 2:30 p.m. on 12 June 2005 were read, approved, and adopted as distributed with the following correction for the stated meeting of the Session on 12 June 2005: on page 2 under “Education” in the last line delete “registered” and insert “participants”. 

COMMUNICATIONS: 

Dismissals 

Motion: A motion dismissing the following members of WPC to their respective new churches as indicated was made, seconded and approved: 

Members                                                          New Church

 August 23, 2005 Session Shelter Meal 

C.Haynes volunteered to plan, organize and coordinate the preparing and serving of the August 23, 2005 Session Shelter Meal. 

OLD BUSINESS

Best Practices, Officers and Boards Evaluation-2005-2006 Committee Structures 

The Moderator reported that he has been trying to match Elders and Deacons with Committee, Sub-committee and Sub-sub-committee or other workgroup positions and thinks requiring an Elder and a Deacon on each of these may be stretching these officers’ responsibilities too thin. After some discussion the sense of the Session is that the requirement of an Elder and a Deacon being on each committee should apply only to the Committees. D.Wellemeyer and G.Green offered to draft a modification to the previously approved report to be presented for consideration at the August stated Session meeting. 

The partial assignment for Elder responsibilities for 2005-2006 is as follows: 

Clerk:                                       Dailey Derr

Assistant Clerk:                        Alex Denson

Worship:                                  Doug Elvers, Chair (Norm Gaddis, June Jones)

Christian Ed:                             Mary Todd Peters, Chair

Youth:                                      Susan Landis, Chair

Seminarians:                             Caroline Haynes, Chair

Inquirers:                                  Caroline Haynes, Chair (Bonnie Derr)

Nominating                               Doug Elvers, Chair (Alex Denson)

Ways & Means:                       Doug Wellemeyer, Chair (John Graham)

            Finance:                        Elder TBD

            Personnel:                     Elder TBD

            Stewardship:                 Elder TBD

            Property Mgmt.            (Norm Gaddis)

            Planning:                       (Brian Nicoll)

            Endowments:                Elder TBD 

Diaconate:                   

 Fellowship:                               (Caroline Haynes)

Local Missions:                         (Alex Denson)

Global Missions:                       (Frances Anton)

Congregational Care:                (Frances Anton)

Assimilation:                             (Bonnie Derr) 

WPC Assessment/Congregational Strategic Plan 

B.Nicoll, Chair of the WPC Assessment/Congregational Strategic Plan Committee, distributed a printed revised Congregational Strategic Plan: Overview PowerPoint outline and lead a presentation and discussion of it resulting in further revisions based on the comments and suggestions shared during this process.

COMMISSION REPORTS: 

Fellowship: (C.Haynes) She has talked to Diaconate Moderator Mitch Dozier about how to facilitate the transfer of this Committee to the Diaconate. 

Education: (M.T.Peters/N.Rozak) Things are going well. 

Seminarians: (G.Green) Marian Draffin is to be accepted as a Candidate for the Ministry  by Presbytery on Tuesday. 

Global Missions: (F.Anton) No report. 

Sanctuary Guild:  (M.Pickard) No report. 

Worship: (B.Chesnut) Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, August 7, 2005 with Elder responsibilities as follows: D.Wellemeyer for (8:30) and (11:00). 

Youth Liaison:  (P.Ransford/B.Nicoll) The Mexico Youth Mission Trip went very well. There are expanded opportunities for youth mission trips. The youth gathering at Montreat was exceptional.  The theme “You Are Called” provided an opportunity to work on vocation and a sense of call.  The Youth Kick-off picnic is scheduled for August 21. 

Assimilation: (B.Derr) She has talked to Diaconate Moderator-Elect Elena Cleary about how to facilitate the transfer of this Committee to the Diaconate. 

Elder Education: (B.Nicoll)  

Presbytery Meeting: 

Elders Richard Draffin and N.Rozak were elected to be Commissioners to the Presbytery meeting on July 19, 2005 at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham. 

Ways and Means: (D.Wellemeyer) The minutes of the Ways and Means Committee meeting on June 8, 2005 and financial statements for June, 2005 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing and key points in them were summarized. Dana Lang is beginning to put the Stewardship Committee together. 

Diaconate: (B.Berghaus) The minutes of  Diaconate meeting on June 26, 2005 were distributed via the Session Packet mailing.  

STAFF REPORTS: 

P.Ransford:  Nothing further. 

B.Berghaus: Her mother is opting not to have any further treatment, but she is getting help in her home. WPC staff has been very supportive. She will help her daughter Mary move to New Orleans to enter graduate school at Tulane University this fall. 

B.Fletcher: Thanks WPC staff and Elders for the care and nurturing they have given her son Tully Fletcher, who was a small group at Montreat. 

N.Rozak: Having a good summer. 

H.Holderness: Still active member of Food Bank Board, the Durham Roundtable, the End Poverty in Durham Group and the City/County committee to make a plan to end homeliness in Durham in the next 10 years. 

CONCERNS AND CELEBRATIONS 

Concerns for the medical condition of B.Berghaus’mother were expressed. 

Celebrations over the birth of Paul Collins Runkle to Paul Runkle and Leslie Collins, the youth gathering at Montreat, the many guests at both Worship Services at WPC this morning and the awarding of a major grant to conquer AIDS lead by Bart Haynes were expressed. 

The Session's current business, having been completed, the Moderator declared the meeting adjourned and it was closed with an adjourning prayer by N.Gaddis at 7:43 p.m. 

Dailey J. Derr                                                                                                        Haywood D. Holderness, Jr.

Clerk of Session                                                                                                      Moderator                 

S071705 Stated