New Hope Christian Fellowship
Guidance Team Meeting
February 11, 2002
Billy Bland opens the meeting with a prayer.
Billy Bland brings up getting a love Gift for Carson Rogerson. The church got Brenda Kneece a gift Certificate to Lowe’s. Discussion ensued and a vote was taken . The church will give him $100. Billy volunteered to take care of it since he was the Treasurer, and the suggestion carried.
Billy Bland asks the church for help. He needs to know what to do about giving up some of his duties in the church. He doesn’t’ want to turn over the Treasury to just anyone, because it is a lot more responsibility than just writing checks. The Treasurer’s position alone, takes over 10 hours a week. He is giving up Guidance Team Leader (GTL) tonight; but doesn’t know what to do about the other odd jobs in the church that no one else does. Since the church hasn’t had a pastor for a while, he has basically taken care of most of the church matters, because someone has to do it.
Melissa Goudelock asked Billy what he wanted to do. Billy said it wasn’t that cut and dry. Stephanie and Tom Morris both suggested that he keep doing it now and we should try to have a smooth transition. It was agreed that he would keep the Treasury position for now. Wendy Berg said that if no one at the meeting wanted to take the Guidance Team Leader position, then there was probably no one else in the church that would do it. If they weren’t at the meeting tonight, then they probably wouldn’t have the dedication to be at others. Discussion around the table . Jef Tobias volunteered to take the GTL, but was told that he could not because he was the Pastor.
Stephanie Morris and others at the meeting said that they have no complaints with Billy being the Guidance Team Leader.
Lynnette Bland stated that the person that brought up the original complaint was not in attendance at this meeting.
Jef Tobias said that in his opinion, if someone was going to lodge a complaint against the Guidance Team leader and did not feel the need to be at this meeting, then the complaint was meaningless. Jef said that he needs Billy to keep doing what he’s doing.
Tom Morris agrees to take GTL position on a three-month temporary basis. This was agreed upon by all in attendance.
Billy Bland presented the question about the Treasurers position. Discussion was presented about having an outside accountant do all of the bookwork except the check writing. Tom Morris asked Beth Long if she would be willing to work with he and Billy and look into the cost of using an accountant to do Quarterly tax returns, etc. Beth Long agreed to get quotes.
Lynnette Bland asked if the church could afford an accountant due to the fact that contributions were way down so far this year. Billy said that he did not have a feel for that yet. He hopes it is just a slow time and contributions will pick up again.
Billy Bland discussed changing the Charter of the church at this time because we are going to be setting up a Constitution and By-Laws. The Charter that was started in 1994 specifies that right now if we decided to close the doors of the church, the CBF would get ½ of everything the church owns; and the SC Baptist Convention would get the other half. Billy asks do we want to change that? To change the Charter, you must take it before the church. Everyone at the meeting agreed that we want all of our assets to go to the CBF.
Billy Bland stated that we need Ping Pong Balls and Badminton birdies for the boys that come on Sunday Night. Lynnette says that we need to have a place to secure these things so that the small children won’t lose and or destroy them. Billy asked for a volunteer to be in charge of this, and Wendy Berg volunteered Lynnette because she was a PE teacher. Lynnette agreed to take the job.
Billy brought up the Youth Bank account. There needs to be some accountability there. He told Tom Morris, who is in charge of that account that someone else needs to balance that checkbook from time to time. Billy stated that he trusts Tom, but it needs to be done. Tom said that Donna Wilson was the other signature on the account. Billy told Tom that he needed to get a card and get that changed.
Billy needs Bibles to keep in his Sunday School Class. Jef Tobias said that they were on sale at Lifeway. Billy said that we have a $75.00 credit at Lifeway. Billy will get with Jef later and discuss this.
Billy brought up the suggestions that Tom Morris has put out online and in church about the Constitutions and By-Laws. There is no way we can go through this tonight. Tom hopes that we can take it off line and maybe get some groups together to put out some suggestions and bring them back. Jef said that Clyde Waters and his wife have volunteered to help with the Constitution and By Laws.
Wendy Berg stated the four members, that are coming to Choir regularly, have expressed an interest in changing Choir to another night besides Wed. We will try Mondays for a while and see if we can get some other people to participate in the Choir. Billy asked about Guidance Team night. Wendy stated that we would either start earlier than 6:30 or we would just have a shorter practice that Monday night.
FACILITIES AND MAINTAINANCE COMMITTEE.
Stephanie Morris suggests that we have a covering over our fluorescent bulbs in the sanctuary. Frank said that he would get a locker for Lynnette to put her recreational equipment in.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
Melissa Goudelock that she has put Volunteers on the list already and if she hasn’t heard from you, she will contact you and give you a job. Beth Long asks for the dates. June 10th-14th. 6:30-8:30. This will not interfere with Passport. Melissa needs a storage cabinet to put all of the material and supplies.
Fellowships
Nothing at this time.
A few folks have used the bulletin inserts to make suggestions, which is fine, but feel free to tell me face to face. If there is something that you don’t like or do like, let me know. The worship planning team will be meeting more frequently so if you have suggestions about the services or music. If you know someone that needs a visit or call, or is going to the hospital or whatever. Please let me know. Leave me a message and at least for a time and tell me which hospital and how to get there. Wadene said that maybe a Shepherd could go with them.
Please don’t be afraid of offending me. I need feedback. I really do want you to be honest with me and I won’t hold it against you. Beth Long said that everyone should put their name on the sheets if they have a suggestion or complaint. Jef said that if they do not write their name on the slips, he files them in the trash. Tom Morris says that you are going to hear some conflicting recommendations at times.
Unless anyone has objections, the Office hours will be Monday – Thursday 8:30-12:30. That is when I will be here unless there are emergencies. During the afternoons I will be doing Hospital visits, getting things for worship services, and Friday will be my Sabbath.
Everyone agreed with the Office hours.
Someone mentioned in the passed that there have been several infants born, maybe having a baby dedication for all of the infants. Possibly having a Memorial Service for Kyle the first weekend in March. Melissa and I have talked. What do you think? Frank Bender suggested asking the entire family and let them make the decision. I don’t want to do anything that is offensive. Stephanie suggested that it follow the worship service. Jef said that maybe doing it on Sunday evening. Jill suggested that Jef go and talk to Gay. Melissa said that she would be glad to be there when Jef went to talk to her.
Donna Raines took a meal to Beth Hodge, and to Kirk and Judy.
Billy Bland stated that we haven’t voted on the Budget yet. It is finished and there are copies in the foyer. It is $25,000 more than what we took in last year; but what we took in, we didn’t spend all of it. Billy does have the laptop updated and can tell you anything you want. We will announce the Budget this Sunday and vote on it the next Sunday. Does anyone have any questions about the budget? Billy passed around copies of the Budget. In the Checking Account there is $18,993. Our Reserve Fund has $11,631.That is what we go to if Collections drop off. We are covered for probably a year even if they stay like they are right now. In our Building Account we have $7,618. We at some point when everything settles down, we have some suggestions on putting Restrooms in the lower building, and that will probably take most of that. We will make copies of this and put them out front. Are there any questions?
Donna Mills is sick tonight. Tom Morris said that there was one Passport meeting. Dates were selected and the church was going to go ahead and register and have the parents pay the church back. There are 10 registered. A male chaperone is going to be needed. Tom said that he was hoping that the pastor would volunteer to go with the group. Jef'’s reply was that he would go but he is worried about being gone from the church for the entire week.
Pat Bender, Lynnette Bland, and Beth Long: More children. Stephanie suggests that maybe we could hire people to take care of babies so that young adults could come to Sunday School. Tom says that we need childcare and a Young Adult Class. Jo Eller said that she talked with Carole and Clyde about teaching their Bible Study class. Melissa suggested to Jo that the young folks meet with the older class until they had a class of their own. Jo and Jill have offered to help with the babies. Jef said that he is working on starting a Young Adult Bible Class.
All is well.
Melissa is still trying to get in touch with Marion so that we can have another meeting with the church. She feels that there were some people that did not get a chance to talk that wanted to. Billy asked about the evaluation procedure. Melissa is working with the team and Marion Aldridge, Terry Brooks, and Brenda Kneece about getting a survey out about the church and the needs of it.
Billy asked if anyone else has anything else.
Stephanie did not know about [plans for] the second meeting. She was not there but she heard that it was not a very pleasant meeting. She thinks that if you have a problem with someone, you should go to that person and talk it over. Melissa said that not everyone got to speak that night, and she wanted to make sure that everyone got their opportunity to do so. Tom asked what the issues are. Billy isn’t sure what the issues are, but the Pastor Search Team has started this process and it would be detrimental if it is changed now. Frank Bender suggested to bring it before the congregation and see if they want to have another one.
Beth Long came in and turned the heat on. She said that her key did not work in the door of the portable across from the activities building door. Will be checked into.
Frank Bender said that we need to watch the budget closely and maybe get a team to start some fund raising ideas. Billy said that the Stewardship is the responsibility of the Finance Team and they have not been doing a very good job of it. It will be incorporated into the by-laws.
Billy Bland : If there is nothing else, did everybody get to say what they wanted to say?
Wendy stated that she had not been home yet and it had been discussed previously that the Guidance Team Meetings were going to try to be confined to 1 hour. Billy said that this meeting was an exception, and they would try to reach the 1 hour time frame.
Jef Tobias asked all to stand.
Tom Morris closed with a prayer.