August 21-23, 2015

August 21-23, 2015

1. The Ministry Council met Saturday and Sunday, August 22-23, 2015, at Faith Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Bartlett, TN, in both joint and concurrent sessions with the Ministry Teams. An Orientation was held on Friday afternoon August 21 for new Ministry Council and Elected Ministry Team Members, new Ministry Team Staff and invited guests from the Unification Task Force and Memphis Theological Seminary.
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 worship coordinated by Rev. Dr. Milton Ortiz, Missions Ministry Team Leader and Sunday morning reports from each Team and from the Council.
4. Twenty of the twenty-one Ministry Council members and staff were present. Members: Rev. Donny Acton, Ken Bean, Rev. Jill Carr, Rev. Michele Gentry de Correal, Rev. Troy Green, Elizabeth Horsley, Rev. Lanny Johnson, Rev. Phillip Layne, Rev. Paula Louder, Rev. Ron McMillan, Adam McReynolds, Gwen Roddye, Rev. Sam Romines, Rev. Thomas Sanders; Advisory Member: Rev. Mike Sharpe; Youth Advisory Members: Caleb Davis, Emily Mahoney; (excused: Carolina Gillis); Director of Ministries Edith Old and Executive Assistant Biana Witherspoon. Also present: Rev. Kip Rush, Vice Moderator of the General Assembly.
   Forty-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 August 21 orientation, along with Rev. Joy Warren of the Unification Task Force, Rev. Kip Rush, Vice Moderator of the General Assembly, and Rev. Dr. Andy McClung, adjunct professor of Memphis Theological Seminary.
5. Elected Officers: Rev. Sam Romines, President; Rev. Lanny Johnson, 1^st Vice President, Rev. Jill Carr, 2^nd Vice President; Adam McReynolds, Secretary; Gwen Roddye, Assistant Secretary.
6. Received written financial highlights report from Dan Scherf, Accounting Supervisor. Total Our United Outreach giving through 8/4/15 is $1,275, 995.01. As of 8/19/15, 27 Our United Outreach distributions have been made. The completed financial audit presented at General Assembly required no adjustments. Cash flow accounting is being watched daily and we commend the work of GMLT, Dan Scherf and Jinger Ellis.
7. Heard the report of the Director of Ministries, Edith Old.
8. 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 2015/16, and to assist in scheduling/hosting a Pastors Gathering within their presbytery/Synod in 2016.
   3. Edited Bylaws according to the action of 185th General Assembly to reflect “There shall be five Advisory Members to the board of directors, who shall be the Stated Clerk, the Moderator of the General Assembly and three youth Advisory Members appointed by the member.”
9. Received report of the Missions Ministry Team about our work in Mexico. The Ministry Council commended the efforts of Rev. Lynn Thomas and Rev Dr. Milton Ortiz and encouraged them to proceed with the development and expansion of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church mission work in Mexico.
10. Heard report of Rev. Jill Carr on her budget findings. Expressed appreciation to the staff for improvements to the budgeting process. Ministry Council has asked Team Leaders in the 2017 budgets to work with the goal that all projects break even. Those projects with a 20% overage or deficit should be brought to the attention of the Ministry Council with recommendations.
11. Heard the Fund Development Committee report from Ken Bean with recommendations related to grant writing.
12. Heard the report of Retiring President Rev. Troy Green. The Ministry Council will include a brief training module in each Ministry Council Meeting and each MC member will provide a list of personal skills or ideas that can be shared in response to the report.
13. Noted the following upcoming opportunities:
    1. The Forum – November 8-11, 2015, at Brenthaven CPC, Brentwood, The speaker will be Dr Mitzy Minor. The Spiritual Guide will be Rev. Lisa Anderson and the Prayer Leader will be Elder Leon Cole, Moderator of the CPCA General Assembly. http://ministrycouncil.cumberland.org/theforum.
    2. The 2016 Ministers Conference – January 12-14, 2016, at Brenthaven CPC, Brentwood, TN. The keynote speaker will be Rev. Dr. Rodger Nishioka.
    3. IGNITE – Youth Evangelism Conference – December 27-30, 2015, in Louisville, KY. At YEC this year we will hear powerful messages from Jeff Bethke. Paige Clingenpeel will lead workshops and YEC participants will be able to practice servant evangelism.
       http://youth.cpc.app-staging.com/youth-evangelism-conference-registration-now-open/
14. Renewed Ministry Council Member Covenants; completed self-evaluations and set personal goals for leadership development during the coming year.
15. Reviewed the informational report regarding the SCOTUS ruling on same sex marriages and its impact upon the church from Stated Clerk, Rev. Michael Sharpe who had been in consultation with the denomination’s attorney, James Jordan. The report answers common questions being raised by the church at large and has been distributed to presbyteries and churches along with an excerpt from the Confession of Faith.
16. Reviewed and responded to the communication received from the New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian, Yale, Illinois.
17. Received report from the Personnel Policy Committee and will send the proposal to GMLT then to general counsel James Jordan prior to email voting by the Ministry Council.
18. Accepted the invitation of Rev. Donny Action to hold the April 15-16, 2016 Ministry Council meeting at the New Hope Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama.
19. Heard reports of the work of the four Ministry Teams.
20. Adjourned to meet in joint/concurrent sessions with Ministry Teams, January 29-30, 2016, at the Center in Cordova, TN.
21. Following adjournment on Sunday morning, Ministry Council and Ministry Team elected members and staff disbursed to attend worship at one of five local churches. The Ministry Council appreciates the hospitality and warm welcome extended to its members at these churches: Brunswick Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Faith Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Korean Cumberland Presbyterian Church; Morning Sun Cumberland Presbyterian Church; and New Salem Cumberland Presbyterian Church.