BELMONT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD MINUTES
April 15, 2007

Kara Oliver led the members in a centering activity and offered prayer. Bill Cooper, chair, opened the meeting; minutes of the January meeting were approved. Members new to the church since last meeting were welcomed. Chris Steele conducted Administrative Board 101 focusing on the positions of elder, deacon and local pastor.

STAFF PARISH RELATIONS: Mike O'Neal thanked the committee for their diligent work during the last few months. He introduced Heather Harriss, Pastor to Children and Parents, and shared his excitement of the projected appointment of Ken Edwards as Senior Pastor. Garie Taylor called into session a Charge Conference. Staff Parish presented for endorsement Justin Collett as a Candidate for Ordained Ministry and Sandy Sakarapanee as a Candidate for License as a Part-time Local Pastor. The vote was affirmative for both. The Charge Conference was closed.

PASTOR'S REPORT: John Collett, reporting for the Lay Leadership Committee, nominated Keith Roberts for membership on the Lay Leadership Committee replacing Melissa Eckert in the class of 2007. The nomination was accepted. Also presented to the Board were the nominations for the Golden Triangle Fellowship committee:
Integration Into the Church (elected for one year to study the integration issues and report back to the Board):
Chair: Garie Taylor; Members: Eddie Gwock, Allison Henry, Esther Hluan, Lisa Wiltshire; Staff: John Collett
Heather Harriss, Lisa Gwock, Linda Johnson, Sandy Sakarapanee
Mission of the Church (permanent committee sunder Sending/Serving):
Chair: Katherine Esquivel; Members: Mary Barr, Thompson Barr, Anna Cramer, Mary DuBose, Linda Fields,
Eddie Gwock, Marmar "Marcy" Khin; Staff: Linda Johnson, Sandy Sakarapanee
The nominations were accepted.

Rev. Collett presented the plan for BUMC to become a Martin Methodist College Partner Congregation. This partnership has the consent of the Finance Committee and Trustees. The BUMC Ida Long Rogers and Frankie Graham Memorial Scholarship at Martin will be endowed through individual contributions to total $10,000. This may be accomplished over a period of time. Earnings from the endowment will be used first to assist members of the congregation who attend Martin. Tina Hazelwood is to be the Martin Methodist Representative from Belmont. A motion was made, seconded and passed approving the partnership.

Rev. Collett addressed the transition time ahead for Belmont with a new Senior Pastor, relatively new staff, and the Legacy Campaign unfolding. He expressed his gratitude for being privileged to work with the leadership of BUMC over the past 15 years. "Being your Senior Pastor these years with all we've accomplished together has been and will always be the best of my years in ministry, and I'll be most proud to be your District Superintendent."

BUILDING COMMITTEE: Hayne Hamilton presented the latest schedule for renovation and construction with a detailed plan addressing parking concerns.

FINANCE COMMITTEE: John Pearce emphasized the need to stay focused so we can take care of all of our responsibilities. Currently, we are behind in our estimated giving.

TRUST FUND: Hatton Hardison reported a balance of $2,484,000 and approval of the following requests for funding:
$4,500 Youth 2007 meeting
$2,000 Bowman Scholarship
$4,500 VIM Mexico
$6.600 choir robes
$5,000 Brighter Days Program

LIVING THE LEGACY: Kim Hawkins led the members in sharing ideas for use of the new facility and "transforming" ideas or those "outside the box."

MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Susan Utley and Herb Mather gave the history of our 7-year relationship with the church in Malawi, shared plans for their Conference Center which Belmont's Legacy Campaign is helping build, and told of Herb and Sue Mather's plan for spending several months in Malawi this fall.

The chair led the group in discerning the main points from the meeting (available on the Administrative Board Web site). The meeting was adjourned.

Betty Jane Taylor
Secretary