Vestry Minutes
RE Lee Memorial Episcopal
Church
Present: Melissa Cox,
John Burleson, Gerry Locher, Buddy Atkins, Brian Shaw, Paula Cushman, Gretchen Walden,
Roger Crockett, Libby Cumming, Bob de
Maria, Bob Glidden, Jerry Nay, The Reverend Barry Miller
Opening: Melissa Cox called the meeting to order at
Worship: Daniel
Brinson opened the meeting with a hymn. Paula Cushman led the worship.
Minutes: Melissa Cox
asked for approval of the minutes from the March meeting.
The motion to accept was
approved without dissent.
Rector Search Committee - Brian Shaw
The search committee has met twice
and had a social gathering to get to know each other. The committee has
divided itself into working groups for specific tasks: minutes, development of
search profile, treasurer, chaplain, etc. Brian urged everyone to
attend the April 29 even, Learning from
the Past, which is the first public event in the search process.
Finance Committee - Buddy
Atkins.
Buddy presented the
balanced Budget recommended by the FC with a review of some important
lines, in particular the use of income from the Rectory Fund as a new
endowment to provide funds for the Operations Budget; noted that the
proposal represented a 6% increase over the 2005 Budget and a 4% increase over
2005's actual expenses; called attention to the revenue problems caused by the
high percentage of members (33%) who do not pledge and the very small income
from freewill gifts as opposed to pledges and expressed how difficult that
uncertainty about funding made it for the FC to plan and fund the programs and
outreach the parish wants. He then moved for the FC approval of the balanced
2006 Budget as presented. Approval was unanimous.
He then moved for the FC that the
line of credit with BB&T be paid off from the Jones Fund, treating that as
part of the Jones Fund contribution to the Capital Campaign. This motion was
recommended by the FC because of the increase in interest rates of the
variable rate account and the fact that those funds
were being used for the steeple and capital campaign as was planned
for part of the Jones Fund. The motion was approved.
He then moved for the FC that the
vestry approve funding from the Memorial Fund $2,000 in capital
expenses for purchases for the Parish Hall requested by the Parish Life Guild.
The motion was approved.
He then moved for the FC that the
vestry approve moving the memorial gifts in the Tyree, Simpson, Brubaker, Traugott,
and Conklin Funds, approximately $800, into the Memorial Fund. The motion was
approved.
Treasurer’s Report - Buddy Atkins
Buddy distributed to the vestry an
Income and Expenses report for the First Quarter 2006 Budget and also a first
draft (incomplete) of a "matrix" showing Christian Outreach
funding from all sources at
Youth Committee – Gretchen Walden
The newly created Youth Committee reported
that they will meet the second Thursday of the month and will include youth as
members of the Committee.
At Gretchen’s request, Brian Shaw
said that the last Mission Shepherding Group (MSG) meeting spoke to the filling
of the positions with the money remaining in the budget after Rhonda and Nick
leave. He said that in a perfect world we would like to have a full-time DCE
and Youth Minister just as we currently have. We do not have the funding this
year to entertain this idea.
The MSG and various members of the
parish who have spoken to the MSG unanimously stated that we do not want to
diminish the quality of either of these ministries. Brian posed that
discussions called into question if one person could fill both jobs and it was
decided that indeed, one person could fill both jobs particularly if we get a
younger ordained person just out of seminary.
Brian noted that it is the consensus
of the Committee that since Rhonda has shaped the DCE mission during her four
year tenure and presupposing that we can continue to get strong qualified lay
leadership from the parish, we can count on one person to fill both jobs. Brian
asked that on behalf of the MSG Committee that we head toward that scenario
providing we do not suffer a diminution of services in either area. Brian went on to say that he had contacted
the Administration and Personnel Committee by e-mail and shared the thinking of
the MSG and had received positive responses , all
agreeing as long as there would be no diminution of services in either of the
two areas. The budget would allow us to hire one person to do both jobs. Brian
is in the process of writing a job description for the job and once it is
vetted, we will post it by May 1 and we hope to bring candidates in by the
second week in June. The process will be similar to the one we just completed
when we called the Reverend Barry Miller. Our goal is to have a person in place
by August 1.
Gretchen Walden suggested that these
are both fulltime positions and that what we propose are stop gap measures due
to budget constraints and that once we are on a better financial footing, we
again have two positions. She noted that if we do have a clergy in that
position that he teach more than he preach.
The Reverend Mr. Miller spoke to the
current state of affairs and the comments that Gretchen just made. The Reverend
Mr. Miller noted that we are a large parish and one clergy member is not enough
for a parish this size. He further noted that we cannot depend on retired and
supply clergy like we have been doing. That said,
another ordained person on staff would be optimum for our situation. A
qualified ordained clergy person can empower the laity. There are a good number
of seminarians about to graduate and be released by their bishops who are
seeking employment.
Melissa asked that should we
consider the calling of a deacon. The Reverend Mr. Miller pointed out that the
August 1 date would be optimum for a candidate to accept and move to the area.
Jerry Nay pointed out that if we call a deacon that this person’s duties not
spread him or her too thin. The Reverend Mr. Miller pointed out that the person
should spend 90% of the job in Youth and DCE Ministries. The question was
called.
Brian made the motion that we
proceed with the process outlined. The motion was seconded and carried with
Jerry Nay abstaining.
Yellow
Paula gave an update on
Paula asked, on behalf of the Yellow
Brick Road Board, that the lease on the undercroft be extended until
Worship
Committee – Melissa Cox
(as liaison)
Melissa thanked everyone involved in
the Holy Week and Easter worship services and preparation. She noted some
changes to the liturgy that have been implemented: the Prayers of the People
will be said from the pews and Rhonda and the chalicists
will now be present up at the altar during the Consecration. During the Easter
season, we will dispense with the saying of the confession of sin and we will
use the contemporary version of the Lord’s Prayer.
Wardens
Report:
Melissa urged the Vestry
to attend the Learning From
the Past meeting to be held Sunday, May 1 after the
Brian reported that John
Knapp has agreed to be the Honorary Chair of the capital campaign. Barton Dick
has agreed to be the Working Chair, pending approval of the Vestry. Brian made
the motion to approve Barton, Melissa called for a second, the
motion was seconded and passed without dissension or abstention.
Brian noted that the
work has now begun. Jerry Nay announced that the architect, David Oakland, will
be here for the next meeting on May 15 to discuss VMDO’s
steeple proposal.
Interim
Rector’s Report – The Reverend Barry Miller
The Reverend Mr. Miller
commended the parish for being so open and welcoming to both him and The
Reverend Nancy Miller. He said that this is a wonderful place to be. He noted
that there are a few people who are seriously ill and that he will continue to
pay pastoral visits to them.
He will also continue to
visit parishioners at Kendal. He also noted that we are seriously lacking in
technology and that Lloyd Goad has recommended the addition of four new desk
computers and one laptop and a DSL line, which is imminent. .
Paula Cushman closed with a prayer.
The meeting adjourned