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

STATED SESSION MEETING

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2015

 

Moderator Reverend Norm Story convened the meeting at 7:00 PM and Elder Nancy Johnson of the Administration Ministry Team opened it with a meditation and prayer.

 

Elders Present:  Lyn Ames, Brad Class, Blaine Goss, Nancy Johnson, Dennis Thomas, and Stephen Taylor.

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Elders Excused:  Larry Felhauer, Susan Grandle, Bill Kuyper, and Winnie Quinzi.

 

Guest:  Deacon Representative Bea Connor.

 

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 Story told the Session that the World Communion service on Sunday, October 4, 2015 had many moving parts that blended together into a smooth service that brought the 4 worshiping communities that meet here, together in a common Communion service.  Our Faith and Fellowship congregation, Rev. Orozco’s Iglesia del Pueblo Spanish speaking congregation, the Korean worshiping community led by Pastor Yu, and our large traditional congregation joined together to lead parts of our common Communion service.  Members of all 4 worshiping communities were also well represented at the Deacon’s Hamburger Fry after Church services on October 18^th.

 

    Pastor Story gave the Session an assessment of our individual staff performances and almost everyone was performing at very high levels.  However there were two problem areas that need to be addressed in the immediate future.   They are:  1) Our acting bell choir director, Rebecca West, is moving to California at the end of the year.  The Music & Worship Ministry Team is aware of this, and is working to solve it.  2)  Our volunteer Parish Associate, Rev. John Himes, is stepping down at the end of the year.  Although Rev. Himes is a dedicated and highly effective pastor to our sick and home-bound members, he is also retired and has been working much harder to minister to the needs of his 35 to 45 sheep each month than he thought he would initially.  He stepped forward to temporarily fill the vacancy caused by the sudden death of Rev. Carrol Blevins, and expected that her replacement would be found in a reasonably short time.  That has not happened, but he has lots of unattended personal & family needs that he has put off while he served us.  He will leave us to address those personal & family needs.

 

    Pastor Story told the Session that the search committee that hired him said they wanted a Pastor who would focus on Sermons, Growing the youth program, and Administering all facets of our Church Operations.  His current workload does not allow him to do more than make a few hospital visits to our seriously ill and dying members.

 

    He told the Session that it is ultimately responsible as a body, to find a way to provide pastoral care and communion to our sick and home-bound members.  He opened the floor for discussion about how we could best meet this need.  In the discussion that followed, the Session agreed that what we need to find is an ordained pastor who is retired and/or available and willing to work approximately 1 week (40 hours) per month to minister to our sick and home-bound members.  We discussed how to best find a pool of this type of talent, such as retired military chaplains or other pastors living in the Las Cruces, Alamogordo, and El Paso area.  The Administration Team of Elders Ames & Johnson, with help from Pastor Story will draft a statement of need that can be published in the Church Bulletin, Lantern, and Good News to inform the congregation and the public of our need.  It will also form the basis for developing a Job Description for the position we need to fill.

 

Clerk’s Report:  The Clerk’s Report was as written in the meeting agenda.

a. The Deacon Moderator’s remarks in the April 16, 2015 minutes of the Deacon’s Meeting stated that Deacons “Barbara Sauter and Charlotte Anderson advised the committee that they are resigning their positions effective May 30^th.”

b.  Elder Danielle Gurnea resigned on May 21, 2015 and  Elder Susan Carlson resigned on October 5, 2015.

c. Rev. Norm Story married Scott J. Burns and Melody E. Hagaman in the Sanctuary on Saturday, September 19, 2015.

d. The Clerk reported that Communion was served to 220 people on October 4, 2015, in addition to the 31 people that Rev. Story served Communion to on the Youth trip to during their October 8-11 Fall Retreat at Lone Tree in Capitan, NM.

e. New member Donna McGaughey into was introduced to the congregation during church services on Sunday, October 18, 2015.

f. The church has not receive any new Membership Data forms since the September 15^th Session meeting.

g. The Clerk reported that the following members had passed away:  Member Evelyn Horst (#3350) on July 31, 2015, Member Arden Baltensperger (#3342) on October 6, 2015, Member Miriam Walstad (#4329) on October 6, 2015, and Member Warren Boozer (#4452) on October 12, 2015.  The Clerk requested Session approval to remove Evelyn Horst (#3350), Arden Baltensperger (#3342), Miriam Walstad (#4329), and Warren Boozer (#4452) from our Membership Rolls.  A motion was made, seconded, and approved by acclamation to remove Evelyn Horst (#3350), Arden Baltensperger (#3342), Miriam Walstad (#4329), and Warren Boozer (#4452) from our Membership Rolls. 

 

Approval of Minutes:  The Clerk’s Report was written, and the approval of the STATED SESSION MEETING, September 15, 2015, and MEMBERSHIP COMMISSION MEETING, August 23, 2015 were on the

Agenda Consent Docket.  The minutes were APPROVED BY CONSENT.

 

Deacon’s Report:  The Deacon’s met on Tuesday, October 6, 2015 and a written report will be provided after that meeting.  Deacon representative Bea Connor reported that the Deacons hamburger fry fundraising lunch had served approximately 162 lunches and grossed $1,653.00 including $215.00 received in the church collection plates. The Transportation report for Sept. 2015 will be reported in the November Deacon’s Report.

 

Committee Reports:

 

Administration:  Written with 1 action item.  The Team recommended the Session approve an increase for required Wedding deposits.  The current fee for use of the Sanctuary for non-member weddings will be increased to $400.00.  The use of the Sanctuary is free for members, the use of Jones hall is subject to a custodial fee and usage will be revised as well.  The recommended motion was approved by acclamation.

 

Buildings and Grounds:  No meeting, no report.

 

Christian Education:  Written with 1 action item.  27 youth and 4 sponsors/chaperones participated in the

youth Fall Retreat at Lone Tree in Capitan, NM during the public schools fall break on October 8-11.  Planning

for the Summer Trip to either Colorado or South Dakota are in work with a new company, Team Effort.

Rondla Hardin has donated a quilt to raffle off for one of the trip fundraising efforts.  The Team is planning to

have numerous other fundraising events like car washes, calendar sales, pancake breakfast, luncheons,

sub sandwich sales, and garage sales.  Once the dates for these activities are finalized, they will be brought to

the Session for approval.  The Team recommends that the Session approve of selling raffle tickets for a quilt

and selling calendars to raise funds for the Summer Youth Mission trip.  The motion was amended to

include:  CONTINGENT ON CHECKING WITH THE CHURCH CALENDAR TO ENSURE THERE ARE NO

CONFLICTS.  The amended motion was approved by acclamation.

 

Congregational Life and Outreach Support:  Written with no action items.  The team continued to be focused on the planning for the upcoming October 31^st Trunk or Treat activities in front of the Sanctuary and in the adjacent parking lots.  They are working on different ways to make sure that visitors feel as welcome and included in our after church fellowship activities as they do during worship services.  The Team added a Soup & games event after church services on Sunday, December 6^th in Reeves/Watkins Fellowship Hall.  Moderator Taylor will contact Linda to make sure it gets on the Church Calendar.  The Team will discuss a proposal for an updated picture directory via email before the November meeting.

 

Missions: No meeting, no report.

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Music and Worship: Written with no action items.

 

Foundation:  No meeting, no report.

 

Financial Report for September 1 - September 30, 2015

 

                   Sept (Actual)    Sept (Budgeted)      YTD (Actual)      YTD (Budgeted)

Income        $ 25,311.26                                                $ 318,972.57

Expenses     $ 31,448.27                                   $ 288,044.22

 

The Consent Motion to receive all Committee Reports and accept the Financial Report was approved.

 

Old Business:  None.

 

New Business:  None

 

The next Stated Session Meeting will be Tuesday, November 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM. The Buildings & Grounds  Ministry Team will be responsible for opening prayer and meditation.

 

Adjournment: Moderator Rev. Norm Story adjourned the meeting with prayer at 8:00 PM.

 

 

______________________                ______________________                     ___________________ 

          Carlton Connor                                Rev. Norm Story                                     Date Approved

          Clerk of Session                                    Moderator

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