FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.), LAS CRUCES, NM

STATED SESSION MEETING

TUESDAY, February 21, 2012

 

Moderator Reverend Norm Story convened the meeting at 7:00 PM and Buildings & Grounds Ministry Team Elder Janet Loman opened it with a meditation and prayer.

 

Elders present: Lon Anderson, Corina Armendariz, Austin Breck, Gene Christensen, Jerry Grandle, Brian Griffith, Jacqui Jones, Lloyd Kirschenmann, Janet Loman, Martha Mitchell, Tom Morehart, Jim Parks, Richard Paul, Kate Puckett, Roger Sellers, Greg Sherman, Stephen Taylor, and Nora Yaryan.

 

Guests: New member applicant Steve Harbaugh, and Deacon Moderator Rusty Smith.

 

Establish Quorum: The Clerk of Session established that a quorum was present. 

 

Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved as published.

 

Reception of New Member: Steve Harbaugh was introduced as a new member applicant joining by  letter of transfer from First Presbyterian Church in Carlsbad, NM.  The Elders introduced themselves, described their role as a church officer, and offered a brief comment on what the church means to them and how membership in this church provides for them.  Mr. Harbaugh described what membership means to him and why he chose to join this church in particular.  Mr. Harbaugh will be presented to the congregation on Sunday, March 11, 2012.

 

Pastor’s Report:  Reverend Story recognized Elder Nora Yaryan for her leadership of the committee she Co-Chaired with Marianne Maley that hosted the Joint Presbytery meeting here on February 17 & 18.  Pastor Story invited Steve Loman to present a Commissioner’s Report on the Joint Presbytery meeting.  Commissioner Loman said that because of the number of members that First Presbyterian has, we should have 3 votes (Steve Loman, Lloyd Kirschenmann, and a third commissioner to be selected by the Session in the near future) at the next Joint Presbytery meeting in April in Socorro.  He said that many attendees were impressed with the involvement of our youth in the activities that we provided during the various meetings.  The Saturday morning Hymn Sing was organized and conducted by Dan Molloy and our youth impressed many of our visitors.  Our youth’s involvement in the various meeting activities pointed out to many visitors that our church is alive, vital, and that we have a real future.

 

The primary factors driving our Presbytery of Sierra Blanca to explore combining with the Presbytery of Santa Fe are both funding ($) and politics.  We have a mission Presbytery that receives $75,000 per year for staff support from the General Assembly.  However, this funding support will cease at the end of 2013 and this loss, coupled with a total cost of approximately $280,000 for a staff of 3 people requires a significant change to our “business model”.  Our current “Governance Structure” will probably change in 2016 when the Synods will be eliminated nationwide.

 

The committee looking at combining the two New Mexico Presbyteries is still working on their recommended organizational structure and will present it at the Joint Presbytery meeting scheduled for April in Socorro.  Although all interested Presbyterians are invited to this upcoming meeting, only the Commissioners elected by each church can vote on the proposed changes.

 

Commissioner Lloyd Kirschenmann was sitting at a table with people from Tucumcari who were very impressed with our Salt & Light program.  He said that everyone that he talked to was happy to be here and liked the way they were welcomed and treated.  The Clovis church is trying to decide whether they want to stay with the proposed combined Presbytery, leave the PC-USA, or go to a different Presbytery.

 

Reverend Story and Jenell Kane from Corona are the two representatives that our Presbytery is sending to the PC-USA General Assembly in Pittsburg, PA from June 30 through July, 2012.

 

Reverend Story reported that at his Continuing Education trip to the Fellowship of Presbyterians convention in Orlando last month, there was focus on forming a new Presbyterian denomination.  He passed around the Fellowship Covenant which is a very strong exposition of Reformed Theology, but explained that the polity portion was not as well developed.  He informed us that there are approximately 8,000 Presbyterians in New Mexico, with approximately 6,000 in the Presbytery of Santa Fe and 2,000 in our Presbytery of Sierra Blanca.  Our First Presbyterian Church membership of approximately 360 is the single largest church in the Presbytery of Sierra Blanca.  There is a task force looking at forming one New Mexico Presbytery from the two, but there are still lots of issues to be worked out.  (When the big fish eats the little fish, it doesn’t necessarily benefit the little fish.)   

   

He reminded the Elders that the March 17 Elder Planning Retreat is critical as we need to consider our committee structures, and since everyone agreed on the date in January, everyone needs to fulfill that commitment and be present.  The retreat will focus on our future and what we want to happen at, and to, our church.  These are very challenging times and we need to be fully committed to Christ, to our church and our mission.

 

Clerk’s Report:  The Clerk’s Report was as written in the meeting agenda.  The Ordination and/or installation of Elders Lon Anderson, Austin Breck, Janet Loman, and Deacon Mike Bartholomew was scheduled for Sunday, March 11; with Elder Brian Griffith acting as Clerk of Session.

 

Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the Stated Session Meeting on January 17, 2012 were approved without any changes or corrections.

 

Deacons Report.  Deacon Moderator Rusty Smith stated that the Deacon’s had no action items for the Session.

 

Committee Reports:

 

Administration:  Written with 2 action items listed in their minutes. The action items are: 1) To move the Financial portion of the 2011 Annual Report to the Sanctuary for presentation during the Annual meeting; 2) To present the 2012 Budget that was approved by the Session in the Sanctuary, along with item 1; 3) To present the Pastor’s Terms of Call to the congregation for their approval; and 4) To send a letter to the Foundation requesting they return $36,216 to the church for church improvements.  All four Action Items were discussed and to approve these items was made, seconded, and approved by acclimation. 

Buildings and Grounds: Written with no action items listed in their Minutes.

Christian Education: Written with 1 action item added in addition to their Minutes.  The action items requests approval for a High School Youth Retreat at Mo Ranch on March 2-4, 2012.  This is the retreat for the Santa Fe Presbytery youth, and we were invited to join them during the Joint Presbytery meeting.  The Session voted to approve the requests by acclimation.

Congregational Life and Outreach: Written with no action items.  Nora Yaryan’s financial support for the Joint Presbytery meeting on Feb. 17 & 18 is covered under Old Business, below.

Missions: Written with no action items.

Music and Worship: Written with no action items.  The Session approved the Ministry Team’s endorsement of Gena Breck as Pulpit Supply person on Sunday, March 25, with Pastor Story serving as liturgist.  The Team Moderator brought up the problem with reviewing the monthly budget report because it is not available sufficiently prior to Team meetings to allow adequate review and discussion.  After some discussion, it was moved and seconded “That Financial Reports should be provided to all members of all committees via email no later than 4 days before the committee meetings.  Emails should be sent with confirmation of receipt.”  The motion was approved by acclimation.

Foundation: No report.

 

Financial Report for January 1- January 31, 2012

                                               

     Jan (Actual)     Jan (Budgeted)        YTD (Actual)      YTD (Budgeted)

Income       $31,909.07                                      $31,909.07

Expense     $34,983.72                                      $34,983.72

 

Omnibus Motion to receive all Committee Reports and accept Financial Report: Approved by consent.

 

Old Business: a)  Nora Yaryan reported that the income received from the two Presbyteries for meals exceeded our expenses by approximately $825.06, with only one small bill outstanding.  We also received $169.00 in donations to our youth ministry.  She moved that we return $200 to each Presbytery, transfer $50.00 to the Salt & Light program to cover the cost of kitchen supplies used for the joint meeting, and transfer $367.00 to the church General Fund.  Her motion was seconded and approved by acclimation.

                         b)  Reverend Story advised the Session that we needed two more Elders on the 2012 Nominating Committee.  After some discussion, Elder Jim Parks agreed to Chair the committee and last year’s Chairman, Jerry Grandle, agreed to be the Assistant Chairman for this year.  They will join Elders Austin Breck and Martha Mitchell, along with a Deacon who will be named in March.

 

New Business: a)  Request from Rev. Al Kissling for Session support for conducting Grief Counseling to groups at the church starting Monday evening, April 9, 2012 was discussed and approved by acclimation.

                          b)  Request from Elder Richard Paul for Session support for his journey to being Commissioned to Particular Pastoral Service.  He described the process that brought him to make this request.  It started about 3 years ago when he joined Bruce White in his Kairos prison ministry efforts, and became stronger during his “Walk to Emmaus”.  It became even stronger as he listened to Janet Loman describe her path to making a similar decision.  He said that he feels called to a prison ministry and that is Presbytery point-of-contact during this journey is Marjory Davidson.  A motion was made and seconded to approve and support Richard’s journey to being Commissioned to Particular Pastoral Service.  The motion was approved by acclimation.

 

The next Stated Session Meeting will be Tuesday, March  20, 2012 at 7:00 PM. The Christian Education Ministry Committee will be responsible for opening prayer and meditation.

 

Adjournment: Reverend Story adjourned the meeting with prayer at 8:05 PM.

 

 

 

______________________        ______________________                   _____________      

Carlton Connor                                   Rev. Norm Story                            Date Approved

Clerk of Session                                 Moderator