R.E. Lee Memorial Church

Vestry Minutes

December 19, 2005

Vestry members present: Melissa Cox, Libby Cumming, Paula Cushman, Peter Fyfe, Bob Hehre, Ned Henneman, Mo Littlefield, Gerry Locher, Cindy Mullen, Jerry Nay, David Partlett, Anne Sauder, Brian Shaw, Jonathan Webster.

Newly elected vestry members: Buddy Atkins (treasurer), John Burleson, Roger Crockett, Bob DeMaria, Bob Glidden, Gretchen Walden

Staff: Rev. Tom O’Dell, Nick Gorham and Kay Horner.

Visitors: John Milford, Anna Crockett

Opening Hymn and Meditation: With Kay Horner on the piano, all assembled sang Stuttgart (“Come, thou long expected Jesus”). David Partlett gave the opening meditation.

Welcome: Tom O’ Dell welcomed the newly-elected vestry folk (Buddy Atkins, John Burleson, Roger Crockett, Bob DeMaria, Bob Glidden, Gretchen Walden) and expressed his confidence in the work that they and the rest of the vestry will do, which tempers somewhat his sadness about leaving RE Lee Memorial. He also thanked those going off vestry for their service (Peter Fyfe, Bob Hehre, Ned Henneman, Mo Littlefield, Anne Sauder, Frank Settle).

Minutes: Some slight adjustments are in the works for the November minutes, so approval was postponed.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Endowments: Bob Glidden, Endowments Committee chair, noted that only a few slight adjustments were made to the “ Endowment Policy and Procedures” and “Planned Giving Guidelines and Procedures” document after the last meeting. He credited Christ Church, Raleigh as the major source for the document the R. E. Lee Endowments Committee has drawn up. Ned Henneman voiced particular problems and concerns he had about the document, namely: 1) the policy change again, back to professional investment counseling; 2) the assumption that we do want to have and build up a large endowment; and 3) the separation of the endowment into 3 categories. He wondered if the vestry had fully discussed this and noted his desire to table the report until completion of such a discussion. Bob Glidden addressed Ned’s questions, noting that we really do already have professional investment counseling, that the report assumes we have an endowment but doesn’t say that we have to have one, and that if we choose to have an endowment, we need to have policies for dealing with it. Brian Shaw opined that by our acceptance of the Ad Hoc Committee’s report, we basically accepted the idea of having an endowment. Cindy Mullen and Jonathan Webster noted that we had had the document in hand for a month to “ digest.” Mo Littlefield asked for further comments and thoughts on being an endowed parish, observing that we’ve had an endowment for ~100 years. Libby Cumming responded, her thinking being that she’d like this and other issues that come before the vestry to be more fully discussed. It’s good to have an endowment to take care of the building. Ned agreed with her on that, but also thinks the congregation should pay for programs it wants and not rely on endowment to make up the difference. David Partlett and Buddy Atkins also can see reasons for having an endowment, noting the importance of ensuring that a donor’s wishes are honored, and if a donor’s wishes are not specified, we have the responsibility to be good stewards of those monies. Roger Crockett spoke of a parish he formerly attended which hit hard times, spent its endowment, and as a result is paying now, struggling with only a few families. Jonathan Webster agreed that we should be paying our way for the programs we want rather than relying on endowment. Discussion ended, and Jerry Nay moved (Peter Fyfe, 2^nd) acceptance of the Endowment Committee’s report. The motion carried, with Ned Henneman voting “No.”

Interim Priest and Rector Searches: Brian Shaw reported that we have received a couple of résumés for the Interim position. He hopes we get a couple more, and “ we will go from there.” Brian and Melissa will be going to Roanoke to Evans House Thursday (12/22) to meet about the search process for a new rector. More information will be forthcoming at the special vestry meeting on January 4.

Stewardship: John Milford handed out an updated Stewardship report [attached]. As of December 19, pledges received totals $282,818.30. Things have not proceeded as quickly as he had hoped. An additional appeal was sent to the 115 who hadn’t yet responded to the first appeal. The forty or so household expected to pledge would yield about $60,000 more, bringing the estimated pledges for 2006 up to $342,818.30, almost $9500 more than the 2005 pledge total.

Finance: Anna Crockett gave a thumbnail sketch of this year’s budget process, noting that the 3 constituencies which had requested particularly large increases were invited to a Finance Committee meeting to discuss the reasoning behind those increased requests. Another lengthy committee meeting ensued to make adjustments that the majority of the Finance Committee felt somewhat comfortable making. The long and the short of it is that anticipated revenues and even the revised expenditures numbers would yield a budget with what the committee considers to be an unacceptable deficit. Thus, the Finance Committee, seeing the value in the programs for which funds have been requested, being unable in good conscience to recommend to the vestry a budget with such a large deficit, as that would be fiscally irresponsible, and being unwilling to be the ones to make the big cuts, has tossed the ball into the vestry’s court for suggestions as to what to do. Peter Fyfe inquired about where the COLA (cost of living adjustment) and merit increase numbers come from (COLA – diocesan recommendations; merit increases – supervisor, aka Tom O’Dell). Jerry Nay questioned the large cut in the Youth budget request and asked to come to the next finance committee meeting to discuss that. Ned Henneman noted that outreach requests were being cut by a larger percentage than other requests. As a stopgap measure to enable Anita Ramp to pay the bills, Mo Littlefield proposed a short term budget, (which is essentially the identical budget approved for fiscal 2005 with minor exceptions, but reflects a deficit of less than two thousand dollars.) copies of which he handed out. Gerry Locher moved that we accept the temporary budget – the shaded column on Mo’s handout (Bob Hehre, 2^nd) - for at least 30 days to let the vestry and finance committee see where the Every Member Canvass figures settle out along with the results of the Feasibility Study and the cost of the Interim Rector, and then decide what to do with the 2006 budget. Brian Shaw noted that since 2006 will be a year of much transition that the vestry should review very carefully the budget at least quarterly. Anna Crockett, observing too that change is a given this year, and that we’ll have more reliable information a bit further down the road, suggested tabling the working budget sent by the Finance Committee and accepting Mo Littlefield’s temporary budget for a month. The temporary budget was adopted unanimously.

Emergency Relief – Operation Golden Rule: Jerry Nay said that about $13,000 has been taken in for emergency relief to date, and that money continues to come in. About $6000 of that is “obligated,” leaving a $7000 balance. He expressed his appreciation for all of the support for the relief effort. He also presented to Tom O’Dell a cross (and crown) fashioned from some of the wood from the old steeple.

REPORTS

Wardens: Mo Littlefield called our attention to the basket on the table, for collecting a cash gift from us to Super Sexton Connie Bryant. We can also get money to Kay Horner as soon as possible if we are without cash at the moment. Mo has appointed a nominating committee charged with coming up with a slate of vestry offices for 2006. Committee members are David Partlett, chair, Jonathan Webster, and Jerry Nay. Also distributed for the meeting was a document entitled. “Bylaws and Committee Descriptions” for the vestry’s consideration. Mo, noting that to his knowledge and to all others he has asked, the church has no bylaws. He therefore proposed that the vestry accept this proposed set of bylaws on a non-binding basis to “see what works and what doesn’t.” Ned Henneman commented that he doesn’t feel we need them, and in fact sees some harm… “As one who has opposed increased bureaucratization, it would behoove me to speak against this too… ” and noted a number of things that he thinks need more study. Mo asked Ned to help him work through those, to which Ned agreed. David Partlett, noting that he and Ned, as colleagues in the law profession, occasionally took opposite sides on issues, and endorsed the concept of the church having a set of bylaws. Gerry Locher moved (Peter Fyfe, 2^nd) accepting the bylaws on a non-binding basis for a year and to make adjustments as necessary. Brian Shaw asked if there should be a particular committee or group that would assume responsibility for and monitor this. Mo agreed and suggested that a decision about what group that would be should be left to the Vestry to decide during the coming of the year – “perhaps the new vestry members?” The motion carried.

Melissa Cox reported that there will be a special vestry meeting at 5 pm on January 4 to elect officers and to hear a report on the search process. There will be brunch chez Cox for vestry members and their families after the 10:30 service on January 15. It’ll be a potluck. The recent tradition of having an annual vestry “retreat” continues. Possible dates are February 11 or 25, or some time in March, and may focus on lay leadership, given the transition period we’re in. Melissa also discussed the possible additional roles of the vestry in the transition period, perhaps making announcements at the Sunday services, and attending various scheduled functions. She also expressed her thanks to Mo Littlefield for his leadership as senior warden this year and presented him with a card from the vestry.

The Worship Committee has created a group to plan a Jonathan Daniels event which will be at the 5 pm service on March 26. Ruby Sales, whose life Daniels saved, will be the homilist at the service. A feast will follow the service.

Priest in Charge: Tom O’Dell gave the vestry some homework – things that we need to do or think about. There needs to be an orientation for new vestry members in January, who need to be commissioned as well. Additionally, as we embark on a search for the new rector, Tom called to our attention the issue of housing costs in and around Lexington which could be a problem for the new rector.

Gerry Locher asked us to thank Bob Hehre for all he’s done for the parish for many years. A hearty round of applause followed.

Tom closed the meeting with a prayer. Adjourned for yummy treats at 6:35.

Respectfully submitted,

Anne Sauder, clerk