The following items were discussed at the Session Meeting held on March 15, 2015:

 

Â… The Session received a request from the Presbytery of East Tennessee for volunteers to help out at the Big Tent event July 31 – Aug. 1 at University of Tennessee in Knoxville. This is a big deal for our Presbytery to host.  More information can be found in this newsletter.

Â… The clerk received a letter from Judd Shaw concerning the Presbytery vote on the definition of marriage amendment. The Session decided that the letter should be forwarded to members of our congregation via email.  It will also be included with the April newsletter and separately in the narthex.

Â… The Session finalized the revised committee structure for New Hope Church.  This has been a lengthy discussion over the past several Session meetings.

* The new church committees are: Worship, Fellowship, Education, Mission and Buildings & Grounds. Subcommittees will be established as needed.

* These committees are intended to be congregational committees with facilitators from the Session.

Session facilitators will be: Worship: Barbara Krupp & Jon Geerlings – Education: Lizz Savard & Linda Brandon – Fellowship: Gerai Kocher – Mission: Shaun Townley, Lizz Savard & Linda Brandon – Buildings & Grounds: Ron Young and Peter Savard.

Â… The Pastor Nominating Committee submitted a report of its meeting with the Committee on Ministry on March 10, 2015.

* The following members of the committee submitted our Ministry Information Form to the COM: Ron Young, Lynne Brock, JoAn Wright and Peter Savard.

* Our PNC took the picture book from the 40th Anniversary celebration and passed it around.  It was very favorably received.

* The COM approved our paper work which will allow us to proceed to the next step in the process of calling a new pastor.

* The PNC will put together a set of criteria for evaluating applications and schedule a meeting in the near future.

Â… The Session discussed the importance of the One Great Hour Of Sharing offering on Easter Sunday.  The Mission committee will help to choose a project, set a goal and present this to the congregation.

Â… The Session authorized the initiation of a church audit.  This has not been done in two years and should be completed by the time a new pastor arrives.

Â… As per a request from Rev. Jump, there will not be a Sunrise Service this year.

Â… There will be a potluck lunch after church on Palm Sunday, March 29th.

Â… The Worship Committee recommended and the Session approved beginning a Taize service in the summer for a period of 6 week to see how it is accepted.

Â… The Education Committee reported that there will be a meeting of all those interested in planning for the Vacation Bible School on Monday, March 23, 2015.

 

The next Session meeting will be April 14th at 6:30 PM.