Emmanuel Church Vestry Minutes September 26, 2007
Present: Robin Bewley, Penny McLanahan, Gillian Ball, Betsy Turner, Katherine Byrne, Wren Howard, Erwin Greene, Amrey Harden, John Becker, Robin Krause, Bill Connerat, Phillip Cofer, Tom Odom, Father Robert, John Ballard
Absent: Naomi Norman
Father Robert called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM and opened with a prayer from Praying in Silence of the Heart. “Everything can be a prayer—even silence.”
Additions to the Agenda:
John Ballard will have a request for funding.
Naomi’s “Outreach Summit Words” will be omitted from the agenda.
Commission Reports:
Reports were filed electronically.
Spiritual Formation Commission report addendum: Katherine added that Jackie Anderson and Georgia Collier, who leads Children’s Liturgy, had wondered about the possibility of the three rooms in the Christian Connection be used for children’s Sunday School (since they will be vacated by the youth moving to the soon-to-be-available Community Connection space). Fr. Robert mentioned that our newly hired Director of Faith Formation will be starting soon and will have some input, as well.
Information Items:
Bylaws Revisions: Amrey
Vestry members have received proposed by law amendments and will have thirty days to consider them before they vote on changes. Amrey asked that vestry members send him any questions via e-mail by October 10. The bylaws committee will review revision proposals on October 17. Final revision should be ready for vestry vote by October meeting.
2008 Budget Process: Amrey
Deadline for submitting budget requests from commissions and committees to Finance Committee: October 14
Bob Wood will “get budget in shape.” The budget will be presented in November for adoption. Revisions, if needed, will be presented in January. Gillian said that there is no specific monetary goal for stewardship; instead it is a faith- based budget. Amrey said that the goal of the Finance Committee is to have a balanced budget.
Nominating Committee Update: Robin B.
Nominations for vestry candidates are being received. There will be no nominations from the floor at the annual meeting. The candidates will be asked to submit:
- Biographical information
- A summary of skills and gifts they can bring to the vestry
- Their vision and mission for Emmanuel
- A statement about why they said ‘yes’ when asked to run for vestry
The committee is meeting weekly to prepare the slate.
CASA and ALT update:
The subcommittee of CASA and ALT is working out details of an agreement for the transfer of the cottages. The vestry does not yet have a signed agreement.
Stewardship update: Gillian
So far there are 50 pledges amounting to $170,540.00. Gillian thanked the vestry members for attending and facilitating the dessert meetings; some were well attended; others were not. She distributed pledge cards, time and talent sheets, and Networking, the newsletter of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS). Robert distributed pledge statistics. Parishioners who have not pledged by October 15 will be mailed a letter and a pledge card.
Senior Warden’s Report: Robin B.
Robin thanked all who came and helped with the Outreach Summit. The vestry will meet for an afternoon retreat November 4 to decide how to use the information gathered at the summit.
Other dates:
October 7--Vestry Forum: Present Vestry Organizational Chart to Parish
October 21--Welcome Matters Luncheon
November 4--Half-day Vestry Retreat - Subject: Outreach
Rector’s Report: Father Robert
October 7, 10:30 service: The parish will honor Leslie de Haseth for her service as Acolyte Warden working with the youth acolytes. Betsy’s commission will provide refreshments after the service. [Update: This event will be moved to October 14 since many of the youth acolytes will be on retreat October 7.]
Fr. Robert asked the vestry if they would like to change the format of their annual retreat and meet as part of a joint vestry conference with other parishes on January 4-6, 2008, at Kanuga Conference Center. There will be national speakers and a variety of programs. There will also be time for the Emmanuel vestry to meet by itself. Nine members who will remain on the vestry in 2008 voted to attend this conference instead of holding their own individual retreat.
Robert distributed “The House of Bishops’ Response to Questions and Concerns Raised by Our Anglican Communion Partners.” He believes the vestry should accept the document.
In order to keep all financial matters of the parish transparent, Robert shared how the Rector’s Discretionary Fund is used. He provided specific amounts spent under the various general headings (housing, utility bills, food, etc.). Although this account is owned by the parish, it is privately used by the rector. It is also an account that is included in the parish’s audit each year.
A letter has been sent to the Community Connection asking them to vacate the building on the Emmanuel campus when their lease expires on December 31, 2007.
David’s contract as Youth Director is open-ended.
Robert said that some parishioners have raised the idea of establishing a full day Episcopal school. He said that exploration will “take a long time.” Wren reported that the Emmanuel Day School Commission has discussed the possibility of establishing a half-day kindergarten or expanding the two- and three-year-old classes. Amy Wraga, Day School Director, will explore the options. The commission would like to have a report by November. A discussion followed about who would benefit from the expansion.
The delegates to the Diocesan Council are invited to a pre-council meeting at Grace Church in Gainesville on Saturday, September 29, 2007, 10:30-12 noon.
Robert announced that Emmanuel’s endowment funds will go into the Episcopal Foundation and will be invested by the State Street Bank in Boston.
New Director of Faith Formation:
Robert thanked Katherine and Wren for their work on the search committee. He distributed the resume of Rev. Nancy Malloy whom he has hired to fill the position. She will arrive October 26, 2007, from a parish in Colorado and will begin her duties on November 2. The parish will pay her moving expenses. Robert added, “She is passionate about education.”
Action Items
Budget Requests
John Ballard proposed two budget requests:
• From the Bloomfield Fund—a 30-day prescription for an Alps Road Elementary student in the amount of $136.29. Approved.
• A request from Bethlehem Ministries for this year’s donation of $20,000.00 for scholarships for the students at the school in Haiti.
The vestry discussed the request and noted that there is no firm agreement between Emmanuel and Bethlehem Ministries. Bethlehem Ministries has not submitted a proper financial statement. The vestry had previously decided not disburse any funds while the parish’s Outreach is being developed and discussed. However, since students at the school in Haiti depend on the scholarship money and traditionally Emmanuel has donated to the school, the vestry approved (with one abstention) to allocate $5000.00 for one academic quarter. John Ballard will communicate this decision to the Bethlehem Ministries and inform them that Emmanuel needs a full financial statement before any additional requests will be considered.
Amend Facilities Budget:
John Becker had said that an air conditioning unit in the church had broken and was replaced for $1950. It was more economical to replace the three old units because the church could save on the cost of the installation equipment required. The total cost was $7500.00 for the three units. Bill moved to amend the current budget to fund $7500.00 for three air conditioning units.
Seconded. Approved.
Holy Cookers
Katherine asked for volunteers for the vestry’s Holy Cookers evening on October 17.
Outreach Request: Phillip
Phillip requested help with the purchase of a $3500.00 automobile for Lena Watkins who has cooked the Thanksgiving meal at Emmanuel for many years. She has recently lost her husband and her house burned down; she needs reliable transportation.
The vestry declined the request because the vestry is not disbursing Outreach funds until the parish’s new Outreach policy is developed and is in effect. The request was officially withdrawn.
Good of the Order
Robin B. said that the vestry has received three “thank you notes”:
· the Community Connection thanked the parish for allowing it to use the office space next to the Thrift House
· a young parishioner thanked the vestry for the scholarship which enabled him to attend summer camp at Camp Mikell
· The Athens Nursing Clinic thanked the parish for its support.
Father Robert closed the meeting with a prayer at 10:15 p.m.
Next meeting: October 24, 2007 in 540 Prince
Submitted by Clairelis Baxter, clerk of the vestry.
October 1, 2007
Approved electronically by: Robin Bewley, Amrey Harden, Wren Howard, Penny McClanahan, Tom Odom, Gillian Ball, John Ballard, Katherine Byrne, Robin Krause, Betsy Turner, John Becker, Bill Connerat, Phil Cofer, Erwin Greene
October 14, 2007
Robin Krause
|