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,.

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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 20^th 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 11-12^th 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.

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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 9^th through June 30^th 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