October 7, 2008

Present – Patti Bryce, Murry Haber, Tom Ledoux, Tom Proctor, Ed O’Sullivan, Asa Rogerson, Chris Sasser, Dan Schwab, Barb Sibley, Julie Spitzer, Carla Starr, Ken Taylor, Hope Tharrington, Bill Walker

Absent – Lynn Asaki, Jeff Hancock

Also in attendance – Kirk Dittmar, Brad Gwinn, Chris Radke, Alicia Ross, Elizabeth Voiers, G Walker

1. Ken Taylor called the meeting to order, and the new elders were introduced.

2. Ken shared devotion and we held a time of prayer.

3. Minutes from the September 9, 2008 Board of Elders’ meeting were approved.

4. Tom Ledoux reviewed the September attendance and financial report.

5. Ken outlined the plan being considered by the communication team to communicate the need for a “capital” campaign designed to raise sufficient funds to allow the church to regain sound financial footing.

6. Chris Sasser reported that a team had been identified to discuss the vision of the church and a process to update this going forward.

7. Tom led a discussion of expense reductions to be considered in the budget process.  The board approved the following reductions and authorized the management team to notify the staff:

   1. a. Eliminate funding for the part-time facility assistant position effective December 31^st.

   2. Eliminate funding the paid Stephen Ministries Coordinator position effective December 15^th.

   3. Eliminate 401(k) matching contributions for participating staff in 2008 and 2009.

   4. Eliminate funding for youth interns in 2009.

   5. Reduce the budget for part-time children ministries positions by eliminating one position in 2009.

   6. Reduce the budget for children’s ministries special events and volunteer appreciation activities.

   7. Eliminate funding the budget for coffee.  Once the present supply of coffee has been used, we will ask the company we contract with to remove all of the equipment and we will no longer provide coffee on weekends or for any meetings including in the office.

8. Carla Starr provided an update from the Personnel Committee.

9. Ken led a discussion of the e-mail request from Bob Herrick for the board to consider distributing the link to a web site designed to give people non-partisan information regarding political candidates.  The board re-affirmed the position of past boards to refrain from this type of activity.

10. Agreed next meeting would be held October 28^th.

Submitted by:  Ken Taylor

September 9, 2008

Present: Ken Taylor, Bill Walker, Patti Bryce, Tom Proctor, Barb Sibley, Ed O’Sullivan, Jeff Hancock, Tom Ledoux, Chris Sasser, Carla Starr

Absent: Asa Rogerson, Lynn Asaki, Julie Spitzer, Hope Tharrington, Murry Haber

1.      Ken Taylor called the meeting to order at 7 pm.

2.      Carla Starr shared  a devotion, and we held a time of prayer.

3.      Minutes from the July Board of Elders’ meetings were approved.

4.      Patty Bryce facilitated a discussion of a chapter from George Barna’s

a.       book The Habits of Highly Effective Churches entitled “Ensuring that Leaders Direct the Church.”

b.       Ken Taylor will facilitate discussion next month.

5.      Tom Ledoux distributed the July giving and attendance figures for review. Discussed line of credit and concerns about cash flow for remainder of the year. Ken Taylor and Tom Ledoux given approval by Board to increase line of credit to $250,000. They plan to meet with Bobby Ross at North State Bank this week to discuss line of credit options. Increasing line of credit is considered a short term option. Board has given David Osborne, Treasurer, approval to sign increased line of credit if approved by bank.

6.      A motion was proposed, seconded, and approved to accept the new class of elders: G    Walker, Brad Gwinn, Alicia Ross, Elizabeth Voiers, Kirk Dittmar and Chris Radtke.

7.      The board approved scheduling a congregational meeting for Sunday, Sept 28th, at

       the 11:00 service, for the purpose of electing the new class of elders.

8.      Discussed need to expedite Worship leader search. Carla Starr to call Heather Hancock to thank her for her commitment and do discuss possibility of extension since search is taking longer than expected. Board to send gift certificate as a thank you. Patty Bryce to take care of gift card and will notify Board members of costs.

9.      Tom Ledoux shared 400 responses have been received from membership survey. Staff will review list and distribute to elders the names of members that we have not heard back from. He will also provide elders with a list of questions for conversations. He expects each elder to receive 20-25 members to call.

10.   ABRO letter from Linda and Al Myakis – Barb Sibley and Dan Schwab have met with Roy Noel and Chandler Ellis and will talk with Linda and Al. Barb received evaluations from ABRO families for review. Dan and Barb to report back to board.

11.  Body Builders Sub group – Bill Walker and Patty Bryce reported 20 people signed up to be a part of this ministry.

12.  Additional Board meeting planned for Tuesday, Sept 23^rd. Regularly scheduled meeting will be October 7, 2008.

Submitted by: Carla Starr

August 5, 2008

Present:  Patti Bryce, Asa Rogerson, Tom Ledoux, Dan Schwab, Tom Proctor, Murry Haber, Jeff Hancock, Hope Tharrington, Barb Sibley, Ed O’Sullivan, Ken Taylor, Chris Sasser, Bill Walker, Julie Spitzer

1.      Ken called the meeting to order at 7 pm.

2.      Julie shared a devotion, and there was time of community prayer.

3.      The financial statement/audit was presented to the board and leadership team.  The result was a clean audit.  The audit was approved by the board.

4.      Minutes from the July 1 meeting were approved.

5.      Barb facilitated a discussion on chapter 2 from George Barna’s book The Habits of Highly Effective Churches entitled “Structuring the Church for Impact.”  Patti will facilitate the discussion of chapter 3 in September.

6.      The July attendance and financial reports were reviewed.

7.      Ken gave an update on the Elder nominating process.  Fourteen names are on the table for consideration, and the process of speaking to the candidates will begin.

8.      Jeff gave an update on the music director search.  Five people are at the top of the list to be considered.  The music committee will meet 8/6.

9.      Tom gave an update on the membership information request.  There has been a 40% response to date.  Approximately twelve families have responded that they are attending other churches.

10.  Murry gave an update on Celebrate Recovery.  The program ended in June.  He shared his own thoughts as well as some thoughts from two other leaders on why the program ended.

11.  Bill gave an update on Body Builders.  They have thirteen volunteers signed up.

12.  Tom Proctor gave an update on the planned work day and potluck.  There is good participation on the signups.

13.  Asa gave an update on extending the Elder training time prior to serving.  They are working on defining the role of Elders being assigned to certain areas such as staff support or specific ministries.  A description will be distributed with the agenda for September.

14.  Sass introduces a new program series – Parental Guidance Required.  These will be family focus meetings.

15.  There was a question about the adult discipleship pastor.  This position is still being discussed.  No definite decisions have been made due to budget concerns, the focus on the music director, and many staff being out for so much of the summer.

The meeting was closed with prayer at 8:59 pm.

July 1, 2008

Present: Ken Taylor, Bill Walker, Patti Bryce, Hope Tharrington, Tom Proctor, Barb Sibley, Ed O’Sullivan Dan Schwab, Julie Spitzer, Murry Haber, Jeff Hancock, Tom Ledoux

Absent: Asa Rogerson, Lynn Asaki, Carla Starr, Chris Sasser

1. Ken Taylor called the meeting to order at 7 pm.

2. Barb Sibley shared a devotion, and Jeff Hancock led a time of prayer.

3. Minutes from the June 3 and June 17 Board of Elders’ meetings were approved.

4. Tom Proctor facilitated a discussion of the first chapter from George Barna’s book The Habits of Highly Effective Churches entitled “Ensuring that Leaders Direct the Church.” Topics included defining vision and/or direction of Grace; probing how leaders are typically raised up in a congregation; and exploring whether the Leadership Team feels it has the needed support from the elders as the church moves forward. Barb Sibley will facilitate discussion on the second chapter of Barna’s book at the August meeting.

5. Tom Ledoux distributed the June giving and attendance figures for review.

6. A motion was proposed, seconded, and passed to adopt the resolution to amend the 401 (k) plan to comply with IRS regulations.

7. Tom Ledoux led a discussion regarding a policy change for the selection make up and timing for the Nominating Committee. Motion was made, seconded, and approved for the changes.

8. The board approved scheduling a congregational meeting for Sunday, July 20, at the beginning of the 9:15 service, for the purpose of electing a Nominating Committee.

9. The board approved the names of those willing to serve on the Nominating Committee, including Pat McInnes, Cliff Layman, Holly Cook, Sallie Matlack, Carla Starr, Patti Bryce, and Asa Rogerson, with Ken Taylor serving as chairperson. One more person would be added by July 7, when the church office plans to send a letter to the congregation informing the members of the congregational meeting on July 20 and asking members to update their contact information and membership status at Grace. (Subsequent to the elder meeting, Les Crenshaw also agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee.)

10. Ken Taylor led a discussion about wording on the elder nomination form, suggesting the requirement of seeking a person’s permission to be considered for nomination to the Board of Elders be removed. Omitting this requirement was approved, and similar language will also be removed from any Web information and letters sent to the congregation.

11. Tom Ledoux reintroduced the discussion of options regarding our facility needs in the future. Of the five possibilities introduced at the June 1 meeting, Option 1, renewing our current lease for an additional three years once the current lease expires, and Option 2, negotiating with our landlord to renew the lease for the North Building only, were considered viable and reasonable at this time.

12. Tom will discuss with member Steve Brown, who originally helped Grace secure its current space, the best leasing strategy to pursue. Tom will also bring this issue to the staff in the near future to elicit their input regarding needed space and logistics.

13. Jeff Hancock provided an update on the search for the director of music position. The church received approximately 120 responses to the advertised role; Jeff will contact about 12 respondents  and will further narrow the field to possibly 4-6 before bringing these candidates to the music/worship committee.

14.  Jeff led a follow-up clarification and discussion of the sub-group recommendation introduced at the June 17 meeting to have an elder as a contact person for a particular ministry at Grace. Connection points between the elders and the staff would include relationship building with one another and prayer support. This concept will be further developed at the August board meeting.

15. Murry Haber shared care concerns in the congregation.

16. Ken Taylor reminded the board of the monthly time of prayer on July 9 at 7:30 am.

17. Murry closed the meeting with prayer at 9 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Barb Sibley

June 17, 2008

Present – Bill Walker, Asa Rogerson, Carla Starr, Tom Ledoux, Ken Taylor, Murry Haber, Barb Sibley, Jeff Hancock, Patti Bryce, Tom Proctor, Ed O’Sullivan

Absent – Chris Sasser, Hope Tharrington, Lynn Asaki, Dan Schwab, Julie Spitzer

1.      Ken Taylor called the meeting to order

2.      Community prayer

3.      Tom Proctor led a discussion of the key points taken from reading “Habits of Highly Effective Churches” by George Barna.  It was agreed to incorporate a detailed discussion of each chapter at a time as part of our monthly meetings.  Tom will start at the July 1 meeting.

4.      Sub-Group for recommendations regarding elders:

a.       Member information

                                         i.      Step one involves updating our member profiles for the congregation, which was last done in 2005

                                         ii.      In the next couple of weeks, Tom will send out a communication to members requesting they update their profile information

                                         iii.      We will allow 4 -6 weeks to receive and accumulate the responses

                                          iv.      Elders agreed to call directly all members that did not respond

1.      Elders will be provided a form to complete to document questions and responses

                                         v.      The updated information can then be used for e-mail distribution lists and completing a church directory

b.      Elder terms

                                          i.      It was unanimously agreed to adopt the recommendation to extend the training for elders by moving up the nominating and election process so that elders are elected in June of each year and will be in training for 6 months before beginning their elected term in January.

1.      This allows for adequate training so that new elders can start their elected term having a thorough knowledge of the issues being addressed

2.      This is a change in policy and does not require a change to the by-laws

c.       Nomination process

                                           i.      Timing will not allow us to have elders elected in June 2008, however the board agreed to speed up the process so that next class of elders can receive as much training as possible

1.      Tom is going to re-write policies to reflect the changes

a.       Separate the time between the two yearly called congregational meetings for seating a Nominating Committee and then calling the elders.

b.      Only present or resting elders will be asked to serve on the Nominating Committee

2.      Patti, Carla, and Asa agreed to serve on the Nominating Committee and to recruit 5 resting elders to complete the committee

3.      Ken will serve as chair

4.      Plan to have slate for the Nominating Committee for the board to approve at July 1 meeting

5.      Will then schedule congregational meeting to elect the Nominating Committee as quickly as possible

6.      Once the Nominating Committee is elected, it can begin work, and the meeting to elect the slate of elders will not be called until the elders have accepted nominations.

                                                 ii.      Work to create a “season” for calling elders

1.      Communication from pulpit

2.      Elder communications

3.      Posting the elder profile information

4.      Clearly communicated nominating process designed to engage the congregation

                                               iii.      Work to hold congregational meeting to elect elders in mid-August

d.      Elder Training

                                         i.      Once elected elders will participate in a 6 month training period before joining the board as a voting member in January

e.       Discussed recommendation to assign elders to specific ministry areas

                                           i.      Agreed to develop a write-up of what this would look like and how it would work

                                          ii.      Agreed that priority is for the elders to develop relationships with the staff; offering prayer, support, encouragement, etc

                                         iii.      Second priority is to provide an elder connection to the people participating in specific ministries

                                         iv.      Third goal is to communicate to congregation that elders are involved in the different ministries of the church

5.      Sub-Group for recommendations regarding:

a.       Agreed on the mission of the team

                                          i.      Grace Body Builders is a team whose mission is to build church-wide community and broaden engagement in community activities among the congregation

b.      First step is to recruit team members to join the team to help brainstorm new ideas, aid in overall planning or to help in implementing specific activity or event.

c.       Also agreed to engage staff in discussions before acting on any recommendations

d.      Board approved the installation of the flatscreen TV in the Atrium

e.       Agreed to participate in a meeting with the past 2 new member classes to solicit input and meet elders

6.      The meeting was then adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Ken Taylor

 

June 3, 2008

1. Dan led the devotion.

2. Jeff gave an update on the Arrow Leadership program and how it has impacted him. He thanked everyone for allowing him to go.

3. Family ministry update:

            -In August the middle school ministry time moves to 6PM on Sunday

-Casey and Sarah ask for continued prayers on their desire to return to S.A

            -VBS is scheduled for June 17,18 &19

4. Tom reviewed attendance and giving. No current proposals for budget cuts.

5. Jeff talked about the proposed music and worship position. Jeff Cash and Heather would report to the new person. Chris Sasser had conversations with both Heather and Jeff Cash and they are in agreement with the plan. The job description is ready to post. Dan made a motion- Asa R. seconded- all in favor.

6. Tom gave a presentation on five options to consider regarding lease end possibilities.

7. The job descriptions were approved (Carla presented).

Next Elder meeting is July 1^st.

May 6, 2008

In attendance:  Ken Taylor, Carla Starr, Hope Tharrington, Asa Rogerson, Tom Proctor, Tom Ledoux, Barb Sibley, Murry Haber, Dan Schwab, Ed O’Sullivan, Bill Walker, Patti Bryce, Julie Spitzer, Chris Sasser 

Absent:  Jeff Hancock, Lynn Asaki 

1. Ken Taylor called the meeting to order.
2. Asa Rogerson led a devotional.
3. Community prayer.
4. Minutes of April 8, 2008 meeting approved.
5. Changes to the Corporate Authorization Resolution were introduced and discussed.  The changes give Chris Sasser, Pastor of Family Ministries, the ability to write checks from the church bank account.  The changes were unanimously approved by the board.
6. Tom Ledoux presented April’s financial numbers.  April giving was over budget for the month by 35.8% due to three large gifts totaling $58,000.  We are now 4.8% under budget for giving this year.  Discussion continued on these items and it was agreed that communication, whether good or bad, with the congregation is critical.
7. Changes to the budget, introduced at the elder retreat, were discussed.  Numerous cutbacks were discussed and due to April’s positive financial numbers the cutbacks approved were not as severe as originally anticipated.  The cutbacks were moved by Ken Taylor and 2^nd by Asa Rogerson, all voted in approval.
8. Chris Sasser gave a Family Ministry update. 

·     iMarrage Series:  Conducted in the evening the previous month, was a big success for all who attended.  Suggested that more events such as this be planned.

·     There will be 3 interns working for Grace Youth Ministries this summer.

·     Brian Worley will be attending to his duties with YCM from the end of May through the beginning of August.

·     Discussed new setup for children’s worship

·     Discussed shifting middle school youth group to 6pm in order to encourage the high school youth to help lead/mentor.  High school youth group would still begin at 7:30pm.

9. Bill Walker gave an update on the Congregation Implementation Committee.  The committee has been meeting and they hope to be finished identifying the implementation procedures by mid-June.
10. Asa Rogerson gave an update on the Elder Implementation Committee.  The committee has had one meeting and hopes to be completed with identifying the implementation procedures by mid-June.
11. Chris Sasser gave an update on the Worship Committee.  Elders gave approval to the Leadership Team to engage employment discussions with Jeff Cash on a continued part-time basis.  Motion made by Asa Rogerson ; 2^nd by Ed O’Sullivan
12. New member roll was presented and approved by the board with unanimous approval.
13. The Board of Elders will schedule two meetings in June due to the increased discussion items.
14. Meeting adjourned by Ken Taylor

April 8, 2008 

In attendance: Ken Taylor, Carla Starr, Tom LeDoux, Murry Haber, Lynn Asaki, Hope Tharrington, Tom Proctor, Jeff Hancock, Barb Sibley, Asa Rogerson, Chris Sasser, Julie Spitzer, Dan Schwab

Absent: Ed O’Sullivan, Bill Walker, Patti Bryce

1. Jeff Hancock called the meeting to order.

2. Tom Proctor shared a devotional.

3. Ad hoc committee (DJ, Les, Caryn, Holly, Jim, Drew) shared the results of their study of Grace’s culture that may contribute to pastor turnover. Committee members discussed findings and presented a report for elder review.

4. Minutes of last months meeting were approved.

5. Tom LeDoux presented March’s financial numbers and suggested further discussion at the upcoming elder retreat. Ken Taylor suggested an email to the congregation summarizing first quarter financials. Discussion continued as to how the elders might present this info during or after an upcoming worship service. April 19 and 20 selected as weekend for Barb Sibley to share her testimony regarding our financial situation. Elders agreed to be there to support her after each service.

6. Tom Proctor distributed Pastor job description for board review and briefly discussed. Board agreed to delay advertising the position at least until after the retreat.

7. Heather discussed her interim role as music director and presented the board with an “Update for the worship scene.”

8. Jeff Hancock discussed communication issues and need for board/leadership team transparency. Asa Rogerson moved that, in the future, anyone bringing substantive issues to the board (i.e. the Keith McDonald situation) should submit their information to the board prior to the meeting scheduled for discussion so the elders would have time to review. The motion passed.

9. Barb Sibley, of the Personnel committee, discussed their three meetings prior to meeting with Jeff and Heather. Barb presented three recommendations regarding interim role of music director. 1) Extend interim role for six month period. 2) when ready to advertise position, consider Heather as well. 3) communicate with congregation regarding status of interim position. Julie Spitzer agreed to communicate this info to the band. Further discussion will be needed at the retreat.

10.  Elder retreat planned for April 23.

Jeff closed us in prayer.

Respectfully Submitted,

Tom Proctor

March 4, 2008

In Attendance: Ken Taylor Carla Starr, Ed O’Sullivan, Tom LeDoux, Murry Haber, Lynn Asaki, Hope Tharrington, Bill Walker, Tom Proctor, Jeff Hancock, Barb Sibley, Asa Rogerson, Chris Sasser

Absent Julie Spitzer, Dan Schwab

1.      Jeff Hancock called the meeting to order.

2.      Ed O’Sullivan shared a devotion and personal faith journey.

3.      Keith McDonald shared is view of Biblical beliefs, followed by some questions and discussions. Ken led a discussion and Jeff then shared his thoughts with us. We will prayerfully read, pray and discuss again then reply to Keith.

4.      Last month’s minutes were approved.

5.      Ken updated us on D. J. Hill’s group progress. They will join us at the April meeting.

6.      Bill Walker distributed information on the Pastor Selection Committee. The Committee consisting of Tom Buzzard, Chris Radke, Michelle Starbuck, John Turnburke and Caleb Weir was approved by the Board. Tom Proctor will chair the committee and Barb Sibley and Jeff Hancock will also serve.

7.      Job description for the Music and Arts position were distributed by Tom.  We were asked to approve. The Personnel committee will look at all the information and get back to us.

8.      A revised policy was approved that merges the Liaison committee and the Personnel committee.

9.      The frequently Asked Questions were discussed by Ken and will be enhanced in the future.

10.  Prayer time for Congregation and Elder will be held on 3/12/08.

11.  Each person was asked to write his or her thoughts on ‘What does Worship Mean to you?’

12.  Next meeting will be held on 4/8/08.

13.  Jeff closed the meeting with prayer at 10 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Ed O’Sullivan

February 5, 2008

In attendance:   Ken Taylor, Carla Starr, Ed O’Sullivan, Tom Ledoux, Murry Haber, Lynn Asaki, Julie Spitzer, Hope Tharrington, Bill Walker, Tom Proctor, Jeff Hancock, Barb Sibley, Dan Schwab

Absent:  Asa Rogerson, Chris Sasser

1.     Jeff Hancock called the meeting to order.

2.     Patti Bryce shared a devotion and personal faith history.

3.     Ken Taylor has agreed to serve as Moderator in addition to Clerk of the Board.

4.     Board reviewed Year End Financials for 2007:  savings in expenses and salaries netted a surplus for the year of $23,000. 

5.     Board received the proposed Budget for 2008 of projected income and expenses of $1.66 million.  This includes salaries for a new Director of Music and Pastor for Adult Education, as well as interim funds to pay Jeff Cash for filling in for Casey .  (It was suggested that an announcement be made to the youth and congregation that Jeff will be taking over many of Casey’s duties during his absence.)  Carla moved to approve the budget, Bill seconded.  The motion was approved. Tom announced that Lisa’s job as a paid accompanist could no longer be justified, but that she was needed full-time in the office.  He and Murray planned to meet with her on Wed., Feb. 6.  The board also approved salary increases and the housing allowances for Jeff Hancock, Murry Haber and Brian Worley.

6.     Board reviewed the flyer to be distributed to the congregation regarding church finances.  Only one change was made.

7.     Tom reported that designated funds have already been raised in support of Casey and Sarah Prince. The Board agreed that these funds be distributed to them up to an amount of $11,000.

8.     Board agreed to the schedule and process for hiring of Music Director and Pastor for Adult Education.  Tom Proctor, Patti and Bill will comprise the subcommittee to select members of the congregation to serve on the Selection Committee.  They will propose members at the March meeting.

9.     The group led by D.J. Hill has reported that it has looked at ways to protect and encourage the Leadership Team and will have their final meeting March 8 and will make a proposal to the Board at the April meeting. 

10.  An announcement was made that the March 1 5:30 service will be held in the Chapel in order to accommodate the Hispanic Clinic.

11.  Jeff led a discussion re:  Music & Worship.  He noted that a policy of customer satisfaction in design of Worship has not stopped complaints.  He cast new vision and distributed the Values/Vision  and Commitment  document Heather produced for the Worship Team. 

12.  Keith McDonald has asked to meet with the Board at the next meeting to share some doctrinal concerns.  He will meet with Barb and  Ken in the meantime.

13.  David Osborne was approved for the office of Treasurer.

14.  Tom Proctor closed the meeting with prayer at 10:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Patti Bryce

January 8, 2008 

Present: Jeff Hancock, Murry Haber, Chris Sasser, Tom Ledoux, Ken Taylor, Carla Starr, Bill Walker, Doug Ferguson, Holly Cook, Tom Proctor, Ed O’Sullivan, Hope Tharrington, Bill Walker, Patti Bryce, Julie Spitzer, Lynn Asaki

Absent: Asa Rogerson, Dan Schwab, Barb Sibley

 1. Jeff Hancock brought the meeting to order.

2. Lynn Asaki led the board in devotion and prayer.

3. The minutes from the December 4^th meeting were approved.

4. Ken Taylor has agreed to serve as the Clerk for the Session. As Clerk, Ken will act as the spokesman for the board, act as lead Elder, make announcements to the

congregation, receive calls from the congregation, sign official documents as secretary of the board, gives information to the Leadership Team when necessary, keeps the board on task, and handles staff issues.

 A motion was made to accept Ken Taylor as the Clerk of the Board of Elders.  Carla Starr made the motion to approve Ken as the Clerk of Session and Bill Walker seconded the motion. It was approved by all.

5. Tom Ledoux shared the ‘good news’ of the favorable December budget and attendance. Discussion followed.

6. Barb Sibley reported that the Personnel, Staff and Budget Team will meet next Tuesday and will present the 2008 Budget at the 2.4.08 Elder meeting.

7. Jeff Hancock mentioned the Elder Time of Prayer and its importance. Discussion followed; Hope suggested that we meet monthly, starting in February, in The Chapel, at 7AM, on the second Wednesday of the month.

8. Julie Florin has turned in her resignation as Music Director; her last day is January 20^th.  Discussion took place regarding her farewell and immediate solutions to this loss.  Jeff mentioned that Heather Hancock is willing to fill in temporarily for Julie, perhaps a few weeks, until another option is found. Tom Ledoux mentioned that there are Church WEB sites where we can advertise for the position, once we have a job description prepared. Patti Bryce would like the position to be advertised to the congregation, as well.

9. New Elders Ordination will take place at all three services the week end of 1.26 and 1.27.  Elders are asked to attend all three services and come to the altar for the ‘laying on of hands’ prayer.

10. On January 19th and 20^th, Julie Florin and Carol Davis will be recognized for their service to Grace Community.  Refreshments will be served after the 11AM service.

11. There will be a Small Group Leader’s meeting on Saturday, 1.19 from 10AM-12PM.  Everyone is urged to attend.

12. Murry mentioned the new ministry, Celebration Recovery, which will meet at 7PM on Thursday, 2.7, in The Chapel. People with 12 step experience, are welcome to fill out a leadership application.

13. Jeff closed the meeting with prayer. The meeting was adjourned at 9PM.

 Respectfully submitted,

Lynn Asaki

December 4, 2007

Present: Lynn Asaki, Doug Bergeson, Patti Bryce, Holly Cook, Pat Johnston, Chris Latta, Ed O’Sullivan, Tom Proctor, Asa Rogerson, Dan Schwab, Barb Sibley, Julie Spitzer, Hope Tharrington, Tony Voiers, Bill Walker, Murry Haber, Jeff Hancock, Tom Ledoux, Chris Sasser

Absent: Curtis Clark, Carla Starr, Ken Taylor

1.      Murry led the board in devotion and prayer.

2.      The minutes from the November 6 meeting were read and approved.

3.      Jeff reported on the leadership team’s recent meetings with youth leaders and Stephen Ministers. The purpose of the meetings, and others that are planned, is to initiate a dialogue with members. Jeff said the meetings went well and there was a sense of being on the same team working together. The next meeting, with small-group leaders, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 19. The elders are encouraged to attend.

4.      The board voted to approve three year-end financial gifts: $10,000 to Faith Ministry/ Ministerio de Fe, the Mexican border ministry with which Grace has strong ties; $6,000 to Communidad Cristiana Sin Fronteras, to be given monthly throughout 2008 in $500 increments; and $4,000 to Building Together Ministries in Raleigh. The money will come from designated accounts that are outreach-oriented and have approximately $85,000 in them.

5.      Holly reported for the leadership liaison team. The liaison team recently met with the leadership team to discuss some procedural issues. First, the teams agreed to be accountable to each other and to keep communication open and honest. They also decided that when performance or salary issues involving a leadership team member are brought to the entire board, members of the leadership team (except for the person being discussed) will remain in the meeting for general discussion (i.e., information gathering) to ensure that the information presented is accurate. Once general discussion is finished and the decision related to salary or performance is at hand, the leadership team, including any team members who are elders, will leave.

6.      The board continued discussion from recent meetings of the church’s priorities as we move into 2008 and face potential budget reductions. The discussion focused on Grace’s core values and identity, as well as each person’s perception of the ideal church. The board then scheduled a season of prayer for the following week, to be held in the chapel. An additional time of prayer to which the congregation will be invited will take place Dec. 19 at 6:30 am. The discussion involving budget reductions and possible reorganization will continue at the January board meeting. The six elders who are moving off the board will attend this meeting, although they will be non-voting participants.

Next meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.

November 6, 2007

Present: Holly Cook, Pat Johnston, Dan Schwab, Hope Tharrington, Lynn Asaki, Tom Ledoux, Jeff Hancock, Chris Sasser, Murry Haber, Carla Starr, Chris Latta, Ken Taylor, Tony Voiers, Curtis Clark, Bill Walker, Barb Sibley, Julie Spitzer, Tom Proctor, Asa Rogerson, Ed O’Sullivan, Patti Bryce      

1.      Chris Latta led the board in devotion and prayer.

2.      The minutes from the October 2nd meeting were approved.

3.      The elders met with DJ Hill who proposed forming a study group to examine structural elements of our church system. After some discussion with DJ, the board of elders agreed to authorize DJ to move forward with establishing the group. However, he will be asked to delay scheduling meetings until after the first of the year. Bill Walker will serve as the board’s representative and co-chair of the group.

4.      Jeff shared with the board the leadership team’s proposal to meet with various groups within the church for the purpose of initiating an open dialogue with members. The elders will be invited to attend these meetings.

5.      Jeff informed the board that he has been accepted in the Arrow Leadership program. The cost for the program over the next two years will be $7,500.

6.      The following staff changes were announced:

-Casey requested a leave of absence for approximately 10 weeks beginning at the end of February so that he and Sarah can serve in ministry in Africa

-Sarah shared with the elders that when they return from Africa she will not be returning to Grace as an employee but rather feels called to work in missions.

-Tom shared with the board that Carol Davis will retire as of the end of this year.

-Tom also shared with the elders that he will seek to reduce his hours beginning next summer and hopes to gradually decrease his responsibilities and role over the next few years.

7.      Tom shared with the elders a proposal from the leadership team that attempts to address the potential decrease in next year’s budget through reductions in expenditures and staff reorganization. After much discussion the board asked the personnel committee and any other elders who are interested to form a group to meet with the leadership team to formulate some additional proposals.

8.      Carla updated the board regarding the progress the Leadership Liaison team was making in laying some of the groundwork for overseeing the leadership team.

9.      The elders then met without the leadership team present.

October 2, 2007

Present: Doug Bergeson, Holly Cook, Pat Johnston, Dan Schwab, Hope Tharrington, Lynn Asaki, Tom Ledoux, Jeff Hancock, Chris Sasser, Murry Haber, Carla Starr, Chris Latta, Ken Taylor, Tony Voiers

Absent:  Curtis Clark, Bill Walker

1.      Ken Taylor led the board in devotion and prayer.

2.      The minutes from the September 4^th meeting were approved.

3.      Tom provided an overview of the August financial statements and September attendance levels.

4.      Carla reported that the Leadership Liaison Team had its first meeting.  A template for accumulating job description information was created and has been given to each member of the Leadership Team to complete by October 12^th.  The Leadership Team and Liaison Team are scheduled to meet on October 23^rd to review the results.  In addition, Bill Walker is going to present a management by objectives tool for consideration in assisting with the process.  Barb Sibley has agreed to participate in these meetings and will be a member of the Liaison Team when she joins the Board in January.

5.      Chris Sasser informed the Board that he will be away for two weeks (one in October and one in November) to complete courses for seminary. Chris thanked the board for providing the financial support to complete his seminary studies.

6.      Ken and Jeff led a review of the discussions with DJ Hill.  It was agreed to invite DJ and anyone he would like to the November meeting of the Board.  Ken will issue that invitation.

7.      Doug suggested we consider adding comments in the GraceVine that informed readers of some of the activities going on at the church.  For example, that we have a Hispanic church using our facilities on Sunday afternoons.  It was agreed to incorporate this kind of information into the communication.

8.      Tom and Jeff led a discussion of the Priorities list distributed at last month’s meeting.  These priorities represent areas that require some improvement and are meant to add to the core objectives for each Leadership Team member.  The Leadership Liaison Team is to work with the Leadership Team in prioritizing the items and assigning them.  They will also be considering whether to drop some items in order to focus on those that are at the top of the priority list.  It was agreed to add an additional item calling for assuring that the pastor responsible for preparing the sermon for any given week has the time and resource needed (12 – 18 hours) to properly prepare.

Out of this conversation came a commitment from the Board to communicate church structure and expectations on how staff are to allocate their time to the congregation

Submitted by Ken Taylor                        

September 4, 2007

Present: Doug Bergeson, Holly Cook, Pat Johnston, Dan Schwab, Hope Tharrington, Lynn Asaki, Bill Walker, Tom Ledoux, Jeff Hancock, Chris Sasser, Murry Haber, Carla Starr, Chris Latta, Ken Taylor

Absent: Curtis Clark, Tony Voiers

1. Carla Starr led the board in devotion and prayer.

2. The minutes from the August 7^th meeting were approved.

3. Jeff provided an update regarding the nominating process.

4. Carla shared with the board that the Leadership Liaison Team would be meeting within the next few weeks to discuss the process for evaluating the leadership team.

5. Jeff led a discussion regarding the reaction to the decision to cancel the traditional service. The elders agreed that the communication could have been handled better but there was agreement that the decision was correct. Murry is planning to meet with some of the traditional folks and will solicit feedback from them. Ken Taylor agreed to write an e-mail announcing the decision to the entire congregation. The draft will be sent to all of the elders for their input.

6. The board discussed the status of the report and recommendations that resulted from the staff interviews conducted by the Long Range Organizational Committee. The elders agreed that some of the recommendations had been acted upon and that others were no longer relevant. The leadership team shared a list of priorities that included many of the remaining items. These priorities will be review at the October meeting as well as with the staff.

7. Jeff asked all of the elders to craft a sentence describing, “Who is Grace”.

8. The leadership team was asked to leave the meeting so that the board could address a personnel matter.

August 7, 2007

Present: Doug Bergeson, Holly Cook, Pat Johnston, Dan Schwab, Hope Tharrington, Lynn Asaki, Tony Voiers, Bill Walker, Tom Ledoux, Jeff Hancock, Chris Sasser, Murry Haber, Curtis Clark (by phone)

Absent: Carla Starr, Chris Latta, Ken Taylor

1. Julie Florin gave an overview of the problems of staffing two services at 11AM. The attendance at the Traditional service has been as low as 28 and has dwindled significantly over the past year.

2. The devotion was led by Dan Schwab.

3. The minutes from June were approved.

4. Tom Ledoux