Minutes – May 18, 2010

Approved 6/15/2010

 

Present: Vestry members: Linda Eilers, Loyd Swope, Greg Puckett, Shea Weidner, Rolf Wilkin, Dale Green, Charlie Russell, Martha McNair

Staff: Lowell Grisham, Suzi Freeman, Suzanne Stoner

Guest: Laura Wilkins

Clerk: Sara Milford

Absent: Christine Klinger, Nicole Olmstead, Terri Chaddick, Ellen Hayward

 

I. Opening prayer: Fr. Grisham

II. Old Business:

• Rolf reports that First Baptist Church is not interested in selling their parking lot property.

• Lowell raises the concern about Chuck serving bloody marys in the sacristy being in violation of our alcohol policy. After careful discussion and clarification, the vestry approves to allow Chuck's bloody marys (as it was approved in April), now being fully aware that it is an exception to the policy, not within the current alcohol policy.

III. New Business:

• Alcohol requests:

  • Technicolor Promise

    • After discussion that this is a parish event, vestry determines that it falls within the policy.

    • Furthermore, should it be interpreted as an event for youth, the vestry grants an exception. Motioned by Linda, seconded by Loyd. Approved.

  • Nunsense: benefit for Haiti – motion to approve by Shea, seconded by Martha. Approved.

  • Parish Picnic – approved, within policy.

• Rolf suggests that the 10:00am parenting class would like a finance-advising series.

  • Suggests the Dave Ramsey DVD for initial cost. Participants would then pay $89 for materials for the 13-week course

  • Mark Fanatico might be willing to do a summer class, as he has presented in the past; Rolf will contact him.

  • Rolf will gauge interest from the parenting class

  • Will have to find time

  • BNC does financial planning, too. Rolf will also contact them, per Greg's suggestion.

IV. Rector’s Report:

• Overcrowding

  • Some of Bob Gallagher's (BG) first advice in phone conversation was

    • Do anything? (bricks & mortar)

    • Do nothing? (leave footprint the same, add services, staff, etc.?

    • At some point the vestry has to decide and take lead; right now, the vestry role is to listen as church finds common mind and to be open facilitators in this conversation.

  • BG says to state the situation → the church is full

    • Make sure congregation feels this way, too, and wants to do something because doing nothing isn't off the table

  • BG: expect to have two options and “other” after taking “doing nothing” off the table

    • Options: 1) Build new, 2) Expand present, 3) Other

    • Have people draw near their favorite option (signs on walls); discover how congregation feels; invite people to work on their option, building a team; randomly assign vestry members to the options to help facilitate conversation

  • Lowell shares letter he and Rolf have drafted

    • Loyd suggests adding vestry contact information

    • Charlie thinks it's stated positively

    • Shea suggests having a Parish Conversation at the 10:00 hour

      • Greg thinks this helps keep it finite

      • Next available time is June 27^th – will be first opportunity to discuss this

      • Have NAG committee there to present the numbers, problems

      • Goal: present compelling issue and then ask whether to do something or nothing; whether can take “doing nothing” off the table

      • May take 2-3 sessions to do this.

  • Loyd states that adding services doesn't necessarily alleviate overcrowding; remodeling or adding on could create problems in meeting the fire code

• Parish Picnic – June 6^th

  • Phillip from Lewis Ford will be cooking

  • Vestry helps with food transport, clean-up, and supervising alcohol

  • Alcohol supervision: Dale will be in charge of beer & wine; will also ask Bill Brookshire to help, and Linda Jones and Jules Taylor

  • Vestry will wear name tags, identifying themselves as vestry members

  • Also need to get photos of vestry for a bulletin board (or add to staff board)

• CREDO2

  • Some anxiety in the system because of Lowell's approaching retirement age

  • While on retreat, realized that he had let age set an arbitrary timeline for retirement/decisions. He's letting go of this and will let retirement come organically and spiritually, continuing his grace-led path.

• Per inquiry, shares that Bob Gallagher is doing well according to the doctors, but Bob says it's slow going. His mantra for most of his life is serving him well now: “All shall be well.”

• User-friendly printed bulletins will resume Pentecost Sunday, and Lowell has already sent an apology to the Gaia Guild. Newcomers truly benefit from the full bulletins.

 

Senior Warden’s Report: nothing to report

 

Junior Warden’s Report:

• Per Gaia Guild's recommendation, Suzi is on top of getting the condensors cleaned

• Mike Hayes and Mary Miller are at the Halsell's lecture on how to cut utility bills

Administrator’s Report:

• Financials

  • error in January finally resolved; everything now caught up

  • pledge income is up (addressing Loyd's concern)

  • Shea asked about the money transferred from the Bank of Fayetteville. Suzi says this will show up in April.

  • Loyd asked if January financials/budget reflects raises. Yes.

  • Loyd moves to approve financials. Shea seconds. All in favor.

• Suzi shares that she was also very grateful for her CREDO experience, especially since it is now no longer available to lay people.

• Suzi is meeting with CPAs to get accounts all set up.

• Suzi has updated the financials on the bulletin board outside her door, so all is current.

Other Business: n/a

Consent Calendar:

• The April minutes were moved to be approved by Loyd, seconded, and approved by all.

• The next meeting will occur on Tuesday, June 15^th. Time is to remain 7pm.

  • Will have program for the Parish Conversation to present

  • Need to invite Hershey and Mike

Adjourn: Greg moves to adjourn. Martha seconds. Approved.

Closing: There being no further business, Lowell closed with prayer.