Session Minutes for February 28, 2008

Grace Presbyterian Church, Round Rock, Texas (PIN 11794)

Minutes for February 28, 2008

Held in the Sanctuary at Grace Presbyterian Church

Our Vision: The vision of Grace Presbyterian Church is to create a joyful community of faith that invites and welcomes all people to share their faith and doubts while celebrating the gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, study, and service.

Our core values:

1. An inviting, informal and loving atmosphere

2. Embracing all as family members in Christ

3. Encouraging all ages to discover and share our God given Gifts

4. Encouraging everyday faith in a seeking and learning environment

Our Goals

Opening Prayer: Kristi Gardner

Discussion questions: How is God present with you during this Lenten season? Have you been able to add a new activity for Lent? How has that blessed you?

Prayer Concerns: Those who are ill: Nancy Reeves, Howard Smith, Robert Brown, Bruce Peterson

Those with ill family members: Henry Dominquez’s mother, Sharon Roberson’s mother, Andrea Jones’ father, Ken Krusley’s mother, Lou Ann’s sister in-law

Adam Smith as he goes before Presbytery to be confirmed as a candidate for ministry.

Clerk’s report:

1. Communion: The sacrament of communion was celebrated on the following dates:

8:30 worship service: Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 17, 24

10:30 worship services: Feb 3, 17

Ash Wednesday: Feb 6

2. Baptisms: none

3. Marriages: none

4. Births: Kaydence Elizabeth Smith, January 27

5. Deaths: none

6. ****Motion made and seconded. January, 24 2008 Session Meeting Minutes were approved as presented.

7. Membership: Current membership is 256.

8. New Members: Zach Barrett, Amy Smith

Pastor’s Report – Nancy Reeves

1. We continue to have a GREAT group of volunteers working on our buildings and supplying food. If you can’t work we would deeply appreciate you supplying food!

2. A new family recently left the congregation because they felt they were unable to make friends. It is vitally important for us to help people make friends. As elders we must model for others how to do this!

After much discussion, it was decided to table this until the next meeting. It was recommended we all think and pray about this situation and come back with ideas to help address this in the future.

3. I am on study leave at the National Pastor’s Convention in San Diego. I will be hearing John Ortberg, Chuck Colson, NT Wright, John Townsend, Henry Cloud and many others. Mark will be preaching next Sunday.

4. Marti has definitely decided to retire in April. The Staff Team will be looking at the job description. If you have suggestions, please give them to Bill Britcher. Also we need to have some kind of reception honoring her years of service.

5. A summary of how I spent my hours this past month is attached.

Associate Pastor’s Report – Mark Tarrant

Group attendance records for the month of February are as follows:

 

Week Begin-ning	Guitar	Bible Study	Worship	Trinity	Middle Youth Grp	Middle SS	High School Youth Grp	High School SS	Com-ments
1/27/08	2	0	17					8
2/3/08	2	4	16				7	7
2/10/08	2	7	22	6	8	5	4	6
2/17/08	vacation	4	14				8	11
2/24/08	2	8	15			5		12

I performed an impromptu marriage recommital ceremony on an airplane in route for Las Vegas this month for a young married couple. They were very appreciative and send their thanks to Grace Presbyterian Church.

-The Wednesday evening Bible studies intergenerational group is going extremely well. The numbers continue to increase each week and the conversation is more in depth than usual.

-the new Children's Worship is starting to take shape. More feedback on this as we have an opportunity to evaluate a month or so worth of gatherings.

-I took four days of vacation beginning February 15 and ending February 18.

Music Director’s Report-Adam Smith – nothing to report

Ministry Team Reports:

Discipleship Team – Connie Roalson, Kristie Gardner

Adult Discipleship:

Lenten Classes

Sunday Morning

“Living the Resurrection”

“What Do We Believe, Anyway?”

Wednesday Evening

“Boundaries”

“The Life You’ve Always Wanted”

“Youth Conversation”

Lenten Devotional Book

After Lent

“Slightly Used Bible Study”

(Other classes to be determined)

Children’s Church

Has met 3 times, good beginning

Thanks to Carl Burkland for cross and table

Sunday School

Attendance fluctuates but relatively stable

Preparations for V.B.S. (“Power Lab”) in process

July 14 First planning meeting after Easter

Good News Club

Taking break for 3 weeks

Restructuring being considered

2.  Building & Beautification Team – Richard Willis

Portables: They are getting closer to completion.  We still have some railings, benches, and other exterior projects, but they should be completed soon depending on the weather.  The inside office building now has wall and doors, and as of this memo we are working on getting the electrical and communications wiring installed, and with that completed, we will put up sheet rock, lighting, etc. 

The most critical part of the project is installation of the primary in-ground wiring to the portables.  We acquired about $3,000 worth of free aluminum wiring the Baptist church had used, but the city changed their code and no longer accepts aluminum wiring.  We are in process of trying to get them to make a special allowance for our situation.   If not, we will have to purchase hundreds of feet of copper cable.

Again, we are grateful for all the volunteers, including those who brought food, water, and drinks for our use.  More importantly though, we have built some wonderful relations among the volunteers, from young kids to seniors.   Several with limited skills were paired off with those having experience, and as a result learned to use power tools and acquire some knowledge of construction.   

3. Fellowship Team-Nancy Hunter

We had a successful "We Love Grace dinner".  Didn't do a count but there were 6 full tables plus servers. We had games to get to know one another better and dinner family style.

 The 29th is the second event of the month which is the chili cook-off and game night. Information will be given to get out to congregation next week.

 Serena Eller is still working on a singles group. She has contacted several other churches and found out there are no singles groups but anxious to join us when we get it going.

 March events are all centered on Ester and the breakfast cooked by the men in the church.

 We are trying to do two strong events every month to build and strengthen relationships in the church.

We are looking for a volunteer coordinator to look at the data from the time and talents statistics.

4.  Health Ministries Team – Shirlee Peterson

Nothing to report.

5. Grounds Team – Henry Dominguez

6. Mission Team – Nancy Porche

Mission Project Day: Members are working on ideas for the next Mission Project Day – to be held in April. Ideas range from a project with the Red Cross to preparing Homeless Bags and continuing to make ribbons for Cancer Connection. We also will invite our youth to deliver flyers to the neighborhood regarding our paper recycling bin.

Mission Trip: We will start to take names for the June trip in April. Reservations have been made at the work place and the hotel. EVERYONE will need a passport. We fear the youth have not yet made their applications and we may be short on participants. Some Georgetown youth may also participate in the trip.

Serving Center: Food has been delivered regularly after our Sunday service. The Center really needs more volunteers as the number of “clients” in our community keeps growing. They especially need a few men to help with unloading and driving the truck to pick up donations.

Agape Pregnancy Center: Grace will participate in the annual “Change for babies” program – baby bottles will be provided and members will be invited to toss in their loose change for a couple of weeks during April.

No motions at this time.

7. Outreach Team –– Lou Ann Moore

1. The Outreach Team met Sunday, February 10.  The team agreed to offer for sale t-shirts, baseball caps, and magnetic buttons with the Grace logo.

2. Thanks to Tina Rocha, price and required minimum number of orders are very reasonable.  The t-shirts will be red, with white lettering.  The Grace logo will be the same as before on front and back, with the addition of Round Rock, TX to the front.  Youth small, medium, and large and adult sizes small through 3X will be offered.

3. A survey will be distributed immediately to determine an estimated number of each item and the ultimate price.  Estimated prices for the survey are:  t-shirts ($8.50 to $10.50), baseball caps ($7.50), and magnetic buttons ($4.00).

4. Samples of actual sizes will be on display when t-shirts go on sale to help limit the number of requested exchanges.  Prices charged will allow for extras to be purchased, as well.

5. Sean Luhr was not able to attend to share information about The "Conspiracy of Kindness" program.  This program will begin after the congregation has received their orders for new t-shirts, caps, and buttons so that volunteers will have the option of wearing a variety of Grace identification. With the loss of this coordinator, this program will probably not be pursued at this time. *** A motion to postpone was made, seconded and approved.

8. Staff Support Team – Bill Britcher

9. Stewardship Team - Matt Mereness

January finances submitted for review (in elder boxes)

Session to consider new report format. Takes some extra time from Stewardship Team to generate report, but willing to provide if important to Session.

At next meeting we will discuss the new format presented.

The changes presented were appreciated.

Audit for 2006 is completed and 2007 is in process.

10. Worship Team – Jimmy Guckian

Worship Attendance

	8:30 AM	10:30 AM	Other	Totals
1/27	63	156		219
2/3	54	125		179
Ash Wed 2/6	-	-	121	121
2/10	51	138		189
2/17	48	112		160
2/24	50	118		168

11. Board of Deacons-Joy Dehls

The deacons are looking at possible dates after Easter to do the small cluster meetings.

New Business

1. Mari Lyn Jones has heard the “Call of God” and has decided to enter seminary to pursue her Masters of Divinity degree and discern her Call to Ministry. She will present her desires to our Session tonight so she can seek Inquirer status with Mission Presbytery.

*** A motion was made, seconded and approved to accept Mari Lyn Jones as an inquirer and recommend her to Mission Presbytery.

2.  Ask Worship Committee to look at finding a time during worship for a “Minute for Community” to allow groups to make more detailed announcements – not everyone every week. Notice that someone wants to speak would need to be given to Worship Elder the week before.

3.  Recommended removing the “Happy Birthday” singing and move celebration to Prayers of the People.

Upcoming Dates:

Feb 29 Chili Supper

Mar 13 Rabies Clinic

Mar 20 Seder Mean/Maundy Thursday Worship

Mar 21 Tenebrae Worship

Mar 23 Easter

Mar 27 March Session Meeting

Other Business:

1. Discuss the pastor’s time spent each week as presented in attached handout. These were handed out, but everyone wanted time to look at these and asked to table the discussion until the next meeting. (See scanned attachments.)

Closing Prayer:

Respectively submitted, Approved:

Melissa Hutcherson Mark Tarrant

Clerk of Session Moderator