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FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.), LAS CRUCES, NM
STATED
SESSION MEETING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2012
Moderator Reverend Norm Story convened the meeting at 7:00 PM and
Stephen Taylor of the Congregational Life & Outreach Ministry Team
opened it with a meditation and prayer.
Elders
present:
Lon Anderson, Corina Armendariz, Austin Breck, Gene Christensen, Jerry
Grandle, Lloyd Kirschenmann, Janet Loman, Kate Puckett, Roger Sellers,
and Stephen Taylor.
Elders
Excused:
Jacqui
Jones, Martha Mitchell, Jim Parks, Richard Paul, Greg Sherman, and Nora
Yaryan.
Guests:
New Member applicants Stephen L. Johnson, Valencia Owens and Rosa
Taylor.
Establish Quorum:
The Clerk of Session established that a quorum was present.
Approval of Agenda:
The agenda was approved as published.
Introduction of New Member Applicant:
Stephen L. Johnson was introduced as new member applicant joining by
reaffirmation of faith; Valencia Owens, a graduate of our Communicants
Class, was introduced as new member applicant joining by affirmation of
faith, and Rosa Taylor, a graduate of our Communicants Class, was
introduced as new member applicant joining by affirmation of faith after
her baptism. The Elders introduced themselves, briefly described their
role as a church officer and how they all viewed this church as a
significant part of their immediate family. Stephen Johnson introduced
himself and described how he had been attending our church services for
some time & thought that it was time for him to join our church family.
Valencia introduced herself and passed out copies of her written Faith
Statement to the Elders. Rosa introduced herself and read her faith
statement to the Elders. The Session voted to accept Stephen L. Johnson,
Valencia Owens and Rosa Taylor as members of our church family, and they
will be presented to the congregation on Sunday, December 9, 2012 at the
same time that Rosa and her brother Amon are baptized.
Pastor’s Report:
Reverend Story advised us that member Jane Edge had passed away in
Tennessee.
Pastor
Story reported that the green talent sign-up sheets, recently included
in the church bulletin, have generated a lot of feedback; and Ministry
teams are following up by contacting individuals who had expressed
interest in their areas of church ministry.
He
reminded the Elders that some members of the congregation may feel
isolated and uncertain about their futures during the Thanksgiving and
Christmas seasons; so they needed to work harder to reach out to their
sheep. It’s a great time to remind everyone that we are all members of
God’s church family and we really need to reconnect with those we
haven’t talked to or met with recently.
The
Ordination and Installation of the newly elected Deacons and Elders was
scheduled for Sunday, January 13, 2013.
Clerk’s
Report:
The Clerk’s Report was as written in the meeting agenda, and documented
the special election of Elder Alex Burr as a Temporary Alternate
Commissioner to the special meeting of the Presbytery of Sierra Blanca
scheduled for October 24, 2012 in Ruidoso, NM. The special election was
conducted by email and a quorum of Elders on Session participated in the
nomination and seconding Elder Burr to be our Temporary Alternate
Commissioner. He was elected by acclimation.
The
Clerk’s report requested permission to remove member Ann Whelan (#3815)
from our rolls due to her death. A motion was made and seconded to do
so. The motion was approved by acclimation.
Approval of Minutes:
A motion was made and seconded to approve the
minutes of the October 16, 2012 Stated Session meeting and the October
28, 2012 Called Congregational meeting as written. The minutes of both
meetings were approved by acclimation.
Committee Reports:
Administration:
The Administration Team reported that as of 11/19/12 we have received
pledges for 2013 totaling $280,000. However, our current expenditures
through October 31st are $362,896 and they reminded everyone
to develop their 2013 budgets with a minimum reduction of at least 10%
of their 2012 expenditures. A budget meeting for the 2012 and 2013 Team
Moderators was scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 4th at 6:30 PM to
present and finalize the Ministry team and Church 2013 budgets.
Buildings and Grounds:
Written with no action items.
Christian Education:
Written with 1 action item. The team recommended the Session approve the
use of church facilities for a youth movie night on December 8th.
Their recommendation was approved by acclimation
Congregational Life and Outreach:
Written with no action items
Missions:
Written with no action items.
Music
and Worship:
Written with no action items. The team reminded the Session that the
In-Betweeners will help with the Advent decorating of the Sanctuary
starting at 9 AM on Saturday, December 1st. All members are
invited to attend and participate. They plan to take down and store
those decorations on Saturday, January 12th.
Foundation:
No report.
Financial Report
for Oct. 1- Oct. 31, 2012
Oct.
(Actual) Oct. (Budgeted) YTD (Actual) YTD (Budgeted)
Income
$33,365.23 $364,379.85
Expense
$35,642.18 $362,896.21
Omnibus
Motion to receive all Committee Reports and accept Financial Report:
Approved by consent.
Old
Business:
The Session tabled the review and discussion of the Duties and
Responsibilities of the Buildings and Grounds Ministry Team, but will
focus on them during the December meeting. This effort is part of our
on-going effort to formalize each Team’s Duties and Responsibilities in
order to ensure that everyone knows what they should be doing and that
no one is duplicating the efforts of others. The Session had previously
approved the Christian Education Team’s list of their Duties and
Responsibilities; which were provided for the record, as an Attachment
to the approved minutes of the October 16th Session meeting.
New
Business:
Reverend Story announced that he would recuse himself from the
discussion of the new business; and turned the meeting over to the Clerk
of Session. Several Elders spoke in recognitation and appreciation of
the hard work that Reverend Story had done in almost singlehandedly
developing and selling the reorganization of our Presbytery of Sierra
Blanca into the structure that was approved at the Special Meeting in
Ruidoso on October 24, 2012. This new structure reduced the Presbytery
labor overhead cost to essentially one (1) part-time Stated Clerk and
will enable us to keep each member church’s annual Per-Capita cost at
approximately the same as what we have historically paid to the
Presbytery. All of the Elders recognized the added stress and burden
that organizing and leading this innovative and very critical effort has
placed on Reverend Story over the past two years and that he had done it
while tirelessly tending to the needs of his sheep here at First
Presbyterian Church. They were unanimous in wanting to recognize
Reverend Story’s 10th Anniversary as our Pastor, and to
express our appreciation for all of his hard work in developing the new
organizational structure of our Presbytery of Sierra Blanca. They
thought that the best way to do so would be to give him some of the rest
he needs. A motion was made and seconded to award Reverend Story a paid
sabbatical for the month of July 2013 that would be in additional to his
regular paid vacation time. After some discussion and verification from
the Administration Ministry team that the cost of this additional paid
time off will not adversely impact our projected 2013 Budget, in part
because of volunteers who will fill the pulpit in his absence, the
motion was approved by acclimation. Reverend Story was called back to
the meeting and resumed as Session Moderator.
The
next Stated Session Meeting will be Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 7:00
PM. The Missions Ministry Committee will be responsible for opening
prayer and meditation.
Adjournment:
Reverend Story adjourned the meeting with prayer at 8:27 PM.
_____________________ ______________________ _____________
Carlton
Connor Norm Story Date Approved
Clerk
of Session Moderator
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Last update
2012-12-18 14:21:12