August 23-24, 2014

August 23-24, 2014

1. The Ministry Council met Saturday and Sunday, August 23-24, 2014, at Fogelman Executive Conference Center, Memphis, TN, in both joint and concurrent sessions with the Ministry Teams. An Orientation was held on Friday afternoon August 22 for new Ministry Council and Elected Ministry Team Members.
2. Participated in a fellowship dinner for Ministry Council Members Friday evening. Ministry Team Leaders hosted evening meals for their respective Teams as team-building events.
3. Joint sessions included Saturday morning devotional; Saturday morning review and discussion of the Unification Task Force Report facilitated by Elder Leon Cole, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America; Saturday lunch and dinner at the conference center; Sunday morning worship; Sunday morning reports from each Team and from the Council.
4. Opportunities for Friday evening activities included “Step Out: Creating Church Hospitality” Workshop, presented by Rev. T.J. Malinoski; assembling “Blessing Bags” to give to the homeless in the Sacred Sparks Ministry directed by Lisa Cook in Nashville; recording “Faith Story” videos. Saturday evening opportunities included “Safe Sanctuary” Workshop presented by the Discipleship Ministry Team, and “Faith Story” video recording.
5. Twenty-one of the twenty-three Ministry Council members and staff were present. Members: Rev. Donny Acton, Ken Bean, Jill Carr, Mary Ann Cole, Rev. Michele Gentry de Correal, Rev. Troy Green, Elizabeth Horsley, Rev. Lanny Johnson, Rev. Ron McMillan, Adam McReynolds; Gwen Roddye, Rev. Sam Romines, Rev. Thomas Sanders (Excused: Sally Allen, Rev. Carlton Harper.); Advisory Members: Rev. Lisa Anderson, Rev. Forest Prosser, Rev. Mike Sharpe; Youth Advisory Members: Carolina Gillis, Emily Mahoney; Eddie Montoya, Jr.; Director of Ministries Edith Old and Executive Assistant Megan Warren. Also present: Rev. Paula Louder, Vice Moderator of the General Assembly; Elder Leon Cole, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America.Sixty-nine Elected and Staff Ministry Team members and invited guests were present.Twenty Elected and Staff Ministry Council /Ministry Team members participated in the Friday orientation, along with Rev. Paula Louder, Vice Moderator of the General Assembly, and Elder Leon Cole, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America.
6. Elected Officers: Rev. Troy Green, President; Mary Ann Cole, 1st Vice President, Rev. Lanny Johnson, 2nd Vice President; Gwen Roddye, Secretary; Michele Gentry, Assistant Secretary.
7. Received written financial highlights report from Dan Scherf, Accounting Supervisor. Our United Outreach giving through 8/19/14 is $1.4 million, up $60,000 from July 2013. As of 8/19/14, 28 Our United Outreach distributions have been made. The Building and Maintenance Loan will be paid off it October, leaving only the Computer loan, which is estimated to be paid off in March 2015. Celebrated the completion of these loans, freeing up money for the ministries of the church.
8. Heard the report of the Director of Ministries, Edith Old.
9. Took the following actions in response to the Director of Ministries report:
   1. Assigned Ministry Council members to serve as liaisons to the Ministry Teams.
   2. Committed as individual Ministry Council members to participate or help with leadership at a minimum of two Ministry Council/Ministry Team events in 2014/15, and to assist in scheduling/hosting a Pastors Gathering within their presbytery/Synod in 2015.
   3. Edited Article IV, Item B of Ministry Council Bylaws regarding election of officers to read: Elected Officers may not exceed serving a total of 3 consecutive years on the Executive Committee and are not eligible to serve again until at least one year has elapsed since the conclusion of three consecutive years as an officer.
   4. Elected Ministry Council Representative and Alternate to attend General Assembly 2015 in Colombia: Representative Ken Bean, Alternate Rev. Sam Romines.
   5. Agreed to invite Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America Leaders to attend the January 2015 Ministry Council meeting in order to broaden and deepen shared understanding of the potential for cooperative ministries.
   6. In order to broaden understanding of the Ministry Council’s goal to implement servant-empowered leadership, agreed to extend to members of the General Assembly Nominating Committee an invitation to attend the January 2015 MC/MT meeting and the Servant Empowered Leadership Workshop that is planned for that meeting.
10. Received report of the recent resignation of DMT staff member Susan Groce. Approved a revised job description for the Discipleship Ministry Team Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and affirmed the process of announcement and promotion of the ministry opportunity will proceed in accordance with Ministry Council Hiring Policy.
11. Welcomed Rev. Charles (Chuck) Brown, who will officially begin as Pastoral Development Team Leader October 13, 2014
12. Heard a brief presentation Rev. Cliff Hudson, Our United Outreach Fund Development Director.
13. Noted the following upcoming opportunities:
    1. Sabbath Retreat- October 17-19, at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, AR. Attendees will experience Sabbath practices and will come away with tangible ways they can implement some of those practices in their daily lives. Kathy Wood Dobbins will serve as facilitator of the event. http://ministrycouncil.cumberland.org/befreetoenjoygod.
    2. The Forum- November 2-5, 2014, at Tally Retreat Center at Camp Copass in Denton, TX. The keynote speaker is Rodger Nishioka, Professor at Columbia Theological Seminary and cutting edge Christian Educator. Ten workshops will be offered to spark the imagination of all church leaders passionate about discipleship. Go to http://ministrycouncil.cumberland.org/theforum.
    3. The 2014 Ministers Conference-January 13-15, 2015, at Lake Hamilton CPC, Hot Springs, AR. The Keynote Speaker is Rev. Dr. Cleophus J. LaRue from Princeton Theological Seminary.
14. Renewed Ministry Council Member Covenants; completed self-evaluations and set personal goals for leadership development during the coming year.
15. Reviewed the General Assembly directives to the Ministry Council/Ministry Teams.
16. Developed a plan for collecting information regarding Ministry Teams associations/shared programs/partnerships with the Presbyterian Church USA for evaluation in the January 2015 meeting.
17. Approved a revised version of Cumberland Presbyterian Policies of the Global Mission Program.
18. Heard reports of the work of the four Ministry Teams.
19. Adjourned to meet in joint/concurrent sessions with Ministry Teams, January 30-31, 2015, at the Center in Cordova.