BELMONT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD MINUTES

March 1, 2009

Herb Mather offered the blessing and Sue Mather reported briefly on their recent trip to Malawi with Kara and Jeff Oliver.  Kim Hawkins, chair of the Board, called the meeting to order. Minutes of the January meeting were approved. New church members were introduced and welcomed.

FINANCE COMMITTEE:  John Pearce presented a status update for the Five-Year Financial Plan. He stated that the Trust Fund Committee is focusing on growing the corpus of the fund. He reviewed our loan relationship with SunTrust. The silent phase of the 2009 Capital Campaign has pledges of $465,000. Jim Bradford will lead the congregation-wide campaign to be kicked off April 19 and ended June 1. The Operating Budget for 2009, with unanimous approval of the Finance Committee, was presented:  Current Operations - $1,377,961; Weekday School - $581,103; Rental Property Fund - $96,093. During comments and questions, it was urged that there was better continuous communication with the congregation of the financial status of the church. Following other comments, it moved that we amend the budget to include and additional $24,000 to fund 100% of the apportionments. Motion was seconded. It was called for the question on the amendment and this was seconded.  The amendment motion failed to pass and it was moved that the Board go on record declaring “that the intent of our heart is to pay 100% of our apportionments.”  The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. A vote was then taken unanimously accepting the Operation Budget for 2009 as presented by the Finance Committee.

The Administrative Board meeting was adjourned.

CHARGE CONFERENCE:  Rev. Garie Taylor called Charge Conference into session. June Batsel, co-chair of Lay Leadership Committee presented the following nominations:

            Dianne Gore – Treasurer

            Gary Hines – Finance Committee

            Jim and Cynthia Harris – At-large Members

The nominations were approved.

Chris Steele, chair of Staff-Parish Committee, presented the compensation packages for the appointed staff, which all remained the same as last year. Even though Linda Johnson’s total compensation remained the same a vote of approval had to be taken as there was a change in the distribution. The change was approved.

Charge Conference was closed and Administrative Board meeting resumed.

MINISTRY COUNCIL:  Kara Oliver presented the Discipleship report. Thoughts from the Discipling Committee and the visioning of Belmont by the Administrative Board and small groups were combined into:

-         Awareness of the presence of God

-         Individual and corporate practice of the presence of God

-         A clear pathway for the way of discipleship at Belmont.

The Board affirmed the Discipleship report.

MINISTRY MOMENT:  Jim Strickland presented an overview of the plans for Belmont’s 2010 centennial celebration, “Celebrating the Past, Visioning the Future.”

MAIN POINTS:

-         Number 1 priority is to pay 100% of apportionments

-         GIVE

-         Exciting new discipleship program

-         Celebrate Malawi

-         Own our own church

-         Have a five year financial plan

-         Have a concrete plan for centennial celebration

-          

Meeting was adjourned.

Betty Jane Taylor

Secretary