DEACONS MINISTRY TEAM

Minutes of November 18, 2010 Meeting

 

Present: Moderator Rusty Smith, Ralph Miller, Paul Vaughan, Janice Sherman, David

Medina, Marianne Maley, Bea Connor, Pat Felhauer, Mel Parish, Corina Armendariz, Rosemary Maddox, Doris Silva, Mike Bartholomew, Ken Osborne, Austin Breck, and Rev. Norm Story.

 Excused: Theresa Armendariz

 Absent: Debbie Austin, Sam Bartholomew, and Cindy Tafoya

 The meeting was opened with prayer by Austin Breck at 7:00 p.m.

 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the October 12th meeting were approved as published.

 MODERATOR'S REMARKS: Rusty congratulated Rev. Story on receiving his Doctoral Degree. He thanked the Deacons for their work on the hamburger fry, which was a financial success and a great opportunity for fellowship. Although Ralph is rotating off at the year's end, he volunteered to continue to provide green Chile for next year's hamburger fry.

 Rusty discussed the comments heard at Session Meetings by new members regarding what influenced them to join this church. A recurring theme was being made to feel welcome by Deacons acting as ushers and greeters.

 CORRESPONDENCE: Requests for funds were received from El Jardin de Los Ninos and The Salvation Army. No action was taken as the consensus was that we should focus our Christmas giving on the Christmas baskets. Rusty will scan a letter received from the Mesilla Valley Pregnancy Center to the Deacons for their consideration.

 TREASURER'S REPORT: Rusty explained that John Grant has looked at different formats for us to consider as a means to determine exactly what details we would like Administration to provide us. We need to identify what we want the report to show and send it back to Administration. After much discussion it was agreed that the format would be acceptable if it contained two more numbers, i.e., the monthly balances of both the Deacons' checking account and the carryover account. It was agreed that the section of the Deacons' Handbook regarding financial reporting should be revised.

 It was MOVED by Austin and SECONDED by Mel, THAT we revise the Deacons' Handbook as to the procedure for accounting between the Deacons and the Financial Secretary, and in addition that we have our monthly reports show what is in our checking account and what is in  the Deacons' portion of the General Fund.

THE MOTION CARRIED by unanimous vote of those present.

 COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Ushering:  Ushering is going well.

Transportation:  The numbers have increased a little. Rusty has told Charlie Yaryan that the Deacons would pay for the bus signage, and he asked Austin to follow up on this matter.

Special Events:  See Moderator's Remarks about hamburger fry.

Soup Kitchen:  Approximately 240 people were served. There was an abundance of both food and kitchen help.

Transient Meals:  Not much activity lately.

Visitation:  Marianne calls on Jean Thomas once a week. Ralph's wife Ann is making calls on shut-ins.

Building & Grounds:  No report.

Congregational Life:  Trunk or Treat was a great success, with considerably more people attending than last year. Pat invited Deacons to donate food or help in the kitchen for the Thanksgiving Dinner to be held on Sunday, November 21st.

Christian Education:  Fifteen youth will attend the Presbyterian Youth Retreat at Fort Lone Tree November 19-20.

Missions:   The Missions Team did not meet this month due to lack of a quorum.

Music and Worship: Paul has been advised that two more microphones are needed. He said the money is available; all that is needed is to find out what brand and what model should be purchased. Rusty will e-mail Jerry Grandle to obtain this information.

Administration:  Mike said finances were looking good in the summer but not so good as we went into fall. Application has been made for a credit card for which Rev. Story will not be responsible. The Stewardship Campaign in progress, and by-laws for the Foundation have been drawn up.

 REQUESTS FOR HELP:

Multiple requests:  A woman who has been attending services for some months has made wide-ranging requests for assistance. Rusty asked that a Deacon meet with the woman to find out how we can best help her while making clear that we will respond to one specific request on a one-time-only basis. Ken volunteered to meet with the woman on Sunday.

Hotel Room:  A man requested $25 for one night in a motel because he had missed his bus. The Deacons had voted by e-mail to grant his request. Gena Breck, who happened to be in the office when he was waiting for an answer, drove him to the motel and paid the $25. She has been reimbursed by the Deacons fund.

 CPR TRAINING: Rusty has found a Friends and Family course which is free but provides no certification. He can buy the kit for about $20 and can teach the class. He has talked to a retired fireman who can teach a CPR Caregivers Class which would cost $40 per person and which would be certified. He would take as few as two persons in a class. This would be open to the entire congregation,

Rusty thinks Sunday afternoons would make for a better turn-out, but he does not know if that would work for the man. It was decided that Sunday, January 23rd, should be our target date. 

 CHRISTMAS BASKETS: Ralph has contacts within Hospice who will give him the number of Christmas baskets they need. The baskets (actually cardboard boxes) should be taken to Hospice and they will deliver them. His contact at Hospice would like to speak from the pulpit the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Austin will contact Rev. Hawkins to see how many baskets are needed for the Hispanic congregation;

 Rusty asked if we should do what we did last year: Kairos, Children's Garden, Hospice. The feeling was that Hospice and the Hispanic congregation should have priority. It was decided that we should prepare 20 baskets at a cost of $150 each, and that if baskets are available after getting the numbers from Hospice and Rev. Hawkins, we should ask Rev. Story to give us any names he has. Any remaining baskets will be considered for Kairos and the Children's Garden. 

 The fact that some items in the baskets require refrigeration while in transit was discussed. Pat will ask Larry to go online and look for an inexpensive source of styrofoam containers. Austin volunteered to find the Christmas trees and clean them up, and Corina will make stars with donation amounts printed on them. The trees will go up in the church entries the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

 Rusty will do the shopping at Sam's, Paul will write an article for The Lantern, and Austin will supply the boxes. The Deacons will meet at the church at 10:00 a.m on December 18th, at 10:00 a.m., to prepare the boxes for delivery. Rev. Hawkins and Hospice personnel should be notified to come to the church at 11:00 a.m. to take delivery.

 NEW BUSINESS: Marianne introduced a matter which has been considered by Administration and Music and Worship and sent on to the Deacons. A letter was received from a woman representing a community group which wants to present "Los Pastores" at First Presbyterian on December 16th at 7:00 p.m. She said they need someone from the church to sponsor them, to unlock the doors and run the sound system, and host a reception in Fellowship Hall after the presentation. Because that date is the date of the December Deacons meeting in Fellowship Hall, no Deacons would be available to host the meeting and Fellowship Hall would not be available, therefore the request was denied.

 MISCELLANEOUS: The Deacons will be responsible for Fellowship on December 12th.

 ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m. by recitation of the Mizpah Benediction.

 Submitted by Rosemary Maddox

 NO ACTION ITEMS FOR SESSION