Draft Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting

The 143rd annual meeting of the parish was held on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014 following the 10:45 liturgy and lunch. The draft minutes of that meeting, which follow, are subject to approval at the annual parish meeting to be held in January, 2015.

Agenda item I. Opening of meeting

A quorum of voting members being present, the Rev. Chris Arnold convened the 143rd annual meeting of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Emporia, at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014, in the parish hall. Fr. Chris led prayers for St. Andrew’s and for those who had died in the previous year: Shirley Schoap (June 24) and Gary Janssen (Sept. 20).

On Fr. Chris’ recommendation, it was moved and seconded that Karen Whittlesey be minute-taker. Motion passed.

Agenda item II. Approval of minutes of 142nd annual parish meeting

Lynn Bonney, scribe of last year’s meeting, explained that she has been unable to provide minutes from that meeting, as she could locate neither them nor her notes. She will distribute them if she does find them.

Agenda item III. Vestry and Wardens

Recognition of out-going vestry members

Fr. Chris recognized service to St. Andrew’s by those members of the vestry whose term expires with this meeting: Patrick Kelley, Jordan Kline and Sue Wilson. Following applause for these outgoing members, Junior Warden Rick Mitchell rose to acknowledge Patrick’s extraordinary service as senior warden during the time St. Andrew’s was without a regular priest. More applause ensued.

Affirmation of senior and junior wardens

The four candidates running for three seats on the vestry were asked to introduce themselves to the parish. Millard Harrell, Jordan Kline and Trish Weidert did so; Carolyn Lackey was at work and was unable to attend the meeting. Paper ballots were counted by Jean Runge and Nancy Garcia. Fr. Chris announced that Millard, Jordan and Trish had been elected to serve from annual meeting 2014 to annual meeting 2017. He then asked the parish to affirm his selection of senior warden, David Mai. Moved by Gould Garcia and seconded by June Hubert, the motion to affirm David passed with applause. The junior warden will be selected at the next meeting of the vestry, February 13.

[The meeting moved on to committee reports, before returning to the stated order of items.]

Agenda item V. Reports (Clergy, Wardens, and Committees)

Fr. Chris noted that reports from the priest, both wardens and committee chairs were available in the annual meeting booklet and would not be read aloud. Chairs were offered the opportunity to summarize their reports and respond and anyone with comments or questions were offered an opportunity to make them.

Rick Mitchell, junior warden, explained how St. Andrew’s benefits from historic tax credits for the repair of the roof over the nave. Because the church is an historic building in an historic district, we will receive tax credits of 45% of what remains after insurance payments for the roof. June asked if the slates removed for the re-roofing could be recycled or re-purposed; Rick thought not, due to their fragility and destruction during removal.

Trish Weidert, head of the altar guild, stood to encourage more members to join in this ministry.

Referencing the campus ministry report, Fr. Chris noted that he and Sue McKinney will be in touch with the new diocesan campus missioner, the Rev. Stephanie Jenkins, who has ideas to share with the parishes of the diocese.

June Hubert talked about the representative payee program that she manages at St. Andrew’s for Episcopal Community Services, noting that this is the tenth year of the program here and that more people are needed to greet clients and distribute checks and to be check-signers.

There was discussion about ministries and potential ministries that come under the purview of the outreach committee, chaired by Lynn Bonney. She said there are new mechanisms in place, written in her report, that will help sort out projects that have meaning to this parish.

In response to the request of several parishioners who said they would like a list of our current ministries, Lynn noted that details about selecting and encouraging ministries will be explained further in the next issue of Crossroads [February 2014] and there will be a regular column about outreach ministries.

Fr. Chris said that the new policy stipulates better communication with the parish at large about our ministries and brings a greater level of accountability to our projects than before.

Bill Barnes noted the importance of knowing costs of any ministries undertaken, as the budget does not provide extra funding for spur-of-the-moment projects and if a project is to become a line item, its finances need to be thought out carefully.

June Hubert gave a brief explanation of our jail ministry by which parents in jail can read a book on tape recorders to their children; children receive a copy of the book and a tape recorder to hear their parents reading to them.

David Mai, chair of the parish life committee, rose to encourage more parishioners to join the committee. He also announced a wine-tasting event on Feb. 9 at 4 p.m.

Patrick Kelley, on behalf of the stewardship committee, thanks those who were able to get there pledges in quickly, despite a late start to the stewardship drive.

Sue Wilson reported on Sunday School and children’s chapel, saying that attendance varied over the year from no children to several. She noted that since this past January (2014) four new children have joined the group, three of them age 4 and one age 7. The regular attendees range from kindergarten age through fifth grade. Sue said that she would welcome people to help with this ministry to children.

After discussion of the committee reports, Trish Weidert moved and Gould Garcia seconded that all the reports be accepted together. Motion passed.

Agenda item IV. Convention/convocation delegates

Returning to the previous item on the agenda, election of a delegate and an alternate to diocesan convention, Lynn Bonney nominated Jean Runge to serve another term as delegate. The motion by Bill Barnes, seconded by Millard Harrell, passed unanimously. Lynn moved that Patrick Kelley be elected to serve as alternate; Gould Garcia seconded and the motion passed unanimously. Jean and Patrick will serve from the annual meeting 2014 to the annual meeting 2016.

Agenda item VI. Reports (Financial)

Treasurer Mary Mingenback reported on parish financial activity during the past year.

Total pledges in 2013 were $100,296, down $7,225 from the previous year; gifts were significantly higher this year. Total receipts were $133,142 – more than budgeted, but slightly less than the 2012 total; disbursements were also down, due primarily to reduced clergy expenses. Transfers from the endowment were down from last year, but more than budgeted for 2013.

Gay Barnes moved and Trish Weidert seconded that the treasurer’s report be accepted. Motion passed.

Agenda item VII. Address to the Parish from Chris Arnold

Fr. Chris Arnold presented an address to the parish in which he acknowledged those who kept St. Andrew’s afloat during the turmoil of being without a priest and reassured parishioners that he is here. He said, “My job is to love everyone here, and to do my best to support you in your journey with Christ. And I’m very glad you have called me here. I’m glad and grateful and honored to be your priest.” He closed his address by asking for prayers for himself: “Finally, my dear people, pray for me. I am not perfect and I never will be. Like all Christians, I am a sinner in need of grace. But I take seriously the conviction that as a priest of this parish I will be held accountable before God for the souls which have been given to my care, which means all of you. I need your prayers, and so I ask for them – for my life, my work, my marriage, my ministry here with you. For myself, I pray for you everyday.”

After applause, Rachelle Smith thanked Fr. Chris for his statement and said she looked forward to next year. More applause followed.

Agenda item VIII. Budget

Rick Mitchell presented the proposed budget for 2014. Total receipts are budgeted at $130,800 – up from last year – and total disbursements at $170,576 – also an increase over last year, leaving a deficit of $39,776 before the carry-over of cash on hand from 2013. Adding that amount in, the parish is carrying a deficit of $31,535. To balance the budget, we need receipts of $3,280 a week or $14,215 a month.

Bill Barnes moved and Gould Garcia moved that the proposed budget for 2014 be approved. Motion passed.

Agenda item IX. Blessing and dismissal

There being no other business before the meeting, it was moved and seconded that the meeting be adjourned; the motion carried. Following a blessing from Fr. Chris, the assembly was dismissed at about 2:20.

Karen Whittlesey

Church Secretary