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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.), LAS CRUCES, NM
STATED SESSION MEETING
TUESDAY, MAY 20, 2014
Moderator Reverend Dr. Norm Story convened the meeting at 7:02 PM and
Elder Lon Anderson of the Congregational life & Outreach Ministry Team
opened it with a prayer.
Elders Present:
Lyn Ames, Lon Anderson, Blaine Goss, Susan Grandle, Nancy Johnson, Roger
Sellers, Greg Sherman, Stephen Taylor,.
.
Elders Excused Absence:
Corina Armendariz, Brad Class, Jacqui Jones, Bill Kuyper,
Winnie Quinzi, and Dennis Thomas.
Guest:
Deacon Moderator Steve Johnson.
Establish Quorum:
The Clerk of Session established that a quorum was present.
Approval of Agenda:
The agenda was approved as published.
Pastor’s Report:
Pastor Dr. Story advised the Session that the Presbytery has approved
Dr. Janet Loman’s application to become a
Commissioned Ruling Elder, and he expects she will be commissioned
sometime in August.
He discussed the new process for handling applications for membership in
our church family, and asked Elder Lon Anderson to describe the process
that has taken place with the membership applications of Jeanette A.
Smith and Aline Lyly Pangoup. Elder Anderson described a process
that followed the draft of the “Basic Process for Joining Our Church”
dated 4/14/2014 that is Attachment 1 to the April 15, 2014 Session
Minutes. After Reverend Story had met with both applicants and
advised Elder Anderson to proceed with their applications, he got 3
Elders to join him and meet with both applicants at church. They
discussed the many opportunities to join groups that interested them and
he provided them with copies of a list of 16 church circles, groups, and
other activities they might want to join, as well as a 3 page summary of
Ways I can Serve. After each applicant reiterated their
desire to join our church family, he advised Pastor Story of their
decision, and scheduled a Membership Commission meeting for Tuesday, May
20th at 6:15 PM, just before this Session meeting. The
Membership Commission, chaired by the Clerk of Session, Carl Connor, met
with applicant Jeanette A. Smith and voted to accept her into the
membership of our First Presbyterian Church. She will be
introduced to the congregation on Sunday, June 8, 2014. The
minutes of our first Membership Commission meeting will be provided at
the next Session meeting. Elder Anderson said that the Membership
Commission meetings will hopefully introduce the new member to different
members of the Session than those that he or she met during their
initial membership meeting; but they will proceed with those Elders who
can attend. Elder Nancy Johnson volunteered to join Elder Anderson
at the next Membership Commission meeting. It was recommended that
we get photographs of the new members and include them with a short
biographical article in the Good News in order to introduce them to our
membership at large.
Pastor Dr. Story advised the Session about the break-ins on May 11-12th
in the Sanctuary and Jones Hall. The theft of the Faith &
Fellowship keyboard from the Bride’s closet in the Sanctuary and the
Flat screen TV from the West wall of the Library in Jones Hall were
significant in that it appeared that the thieves were “shopping” for
specific items from specific locations. The Administration and
Buildings & Grounds Ministry teams are following up on filing the
necessary insurance claims and improving our church campus security.
Clerk’s Report:
The Clerk’s Report was as written in the meeting agenda. The Clerk
received no new correspondence during the May reporting period.
Our Presbytery’s Stated Clerk has not responded to our suggestion that
we try to have him inspect our church books along with those of our
sister churches from Deming and Santa Teresa via our Presbytery Go-To
Meeting video conferencing connection. A date for this inspection
remains unknown.
Approval of Minutes:
The Clerks Report and the approval of the Minutes of the STATED SESSION
MEETING on April 15, 2014 were on the Agenda Consent Docket and were
APPROVED BY CONSENT.
Deacon’s Report:
Deacon Moderator Steve Johnson reported that the minutes of their May
15, 2014 meeting have been submitted and stand as written. He said
that this was the shortest meeting they have had.
Committee Reports:
Administration:
Written with no action items. The committee discussed the use of
our church buildings by non-church members. They reaffirmed their
support of the use of our facilities by Public Schools and Civic
Organizations without charge. They also reaffirmed the existing
policy of charging non-members a $200.00 fee for use of our facilities.
Buildings and Grounds:
Written with no action items. The discussion of the purchase and
erection of a sail cover to provide shade cover for the Columbarium was
updated by Carl Connor, Chair of the Columbarium Committee. He
said that although the cost for the sail cover shade was to be funded by
a private donor, the donor wanted the church to make the actual
purchase. The Session was reminded that when the church agreed to
provide the site for the Columbarium, it was with the understanding that
church funds would not be used for the operation or maintenance of the
Columbarium. Columbarium Chair Carl Connor will review the status
of Columbarium funding and report back to the Session before proceeding
with the purchase of the sail shade cover.
Christian Education:
Written with no action items.
Congregational Life and Outreach Support:
Written with no action items.
Missions:
Written with no action items.
.
Music and Worship:
Written with no action items. The Pulpit Supply dates during
Pastor Story’s absences were corrected to read: June 15 – Rev,
Carrol Blevins, June 22 – Rev. Larry Hicks, June 29 – Dr. Janet Loman.
Foundation:
No meeting, therefore no report.
Financial Report
for April 1 - April 30, 2014
Apr (Actual) Apr (Budgeted)
YTD (Actual) YTD (Budgeted)
Income $30,795.38
$130,795.40
Expense $28,478.31
$117,121.91
The Consent Motion to receive all Committee Reports and accept the
Financial Report was approved.
Old Business:
a. Feedback from Ministry Teams about their teams’ discussions about
how can we get more church-wide participation and involvement in:
Church Adult Sunday School classes; Church fellowship and leadership
activities; Church Stewardship; and recruitment of new members of all
ages was very low. Several teams reported no discussions about
this issue. One of the questions raised was the effectiveness of
the Faith & Fellowship Ad in the Las Cruces Bulletin, but we have no
metrics that allows us to judge it’s effectiveness. A question was
raised about how we try to connect with our visitors. Do we send
them postcards? We send them letters, emails, and contact them by
phone, but we do not send them postcards. Rev. Dr. Story reminded
the Elders of the need to have this discussion within their ministry
teams; and the Deacon’s Moderator said that he would include this
discussion in the next Deacon’s meeting.
New Business:
a.
.Rev. Dr. Story reminded the Session that he would be away from the
church from June 9th through June 30th and that it
might be appropriate for the Session to consider not meeting in June
instead of July like we have done in the past few years. The
Christian Education Ministry Team said that they would be meeting in
June in preparation for Vacation Bible School on July 7 thru 11.
This year VBS will start with dinner at 5:30 and then move to the
Sanctuary at 6 PM. After a brief discussion about the individual
Ministry Teams meeting as needed in June, a motion was made and seconded
for the Session to not meet in June, but to resume our regular monthly
meeting schedule on July 15, 2014. The motion was approved by
acclamation.
The next Stated Session Meeting will be Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 7:00
PM. The Missions Ministry Team will be responsible for opening prayer
and meditation.
Adjournment: Reverend Story adjourned the meeting with prayer at 8:16
PM.
______________________
______________________
_____________
Carlton Connor
Rev. Dr. Norm Story
Date Approved
Clerk of Session
Moderator
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