BOARD OF ELDERS MEETING

5-7 February 2005

Present:

Absent:

Executive Director’s Report from Kerry Lobel

As a denomination, we are losing traction. Over the past 5 years, among the 20 largest churches we have 52 more members now than 5 years ago. In the same period, attendance has dropped by 20,000. At the same time, per capita and overall giving have increased slightly.

As the spiritual leaders, our primary task is to be Truth Tellers.

Willing to work with the BOA to study Kerry’s report.

Transfer to Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, Executive Director

Tipping point: In epidemiology, the concept that small changes will have little or no effect on a system until a critical mass is reached. Then a further small change “tips” the system and a large effect is observed. This effect is very similar to the “crown fire” phenomenon in forest wild fires.

Financial management/fund development/asset management

Armando Sanchez Judiciary

Implications:

1. Lack of training for Elders

2. Immersion into radically different cultures without access to supports that are needed to navigate the cultures

Church PlantingTeam

Rev. Dr. Cindi Love, Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, Rev. Elder Arlene Ackerman, Rev. Elder Armando Sanchez, and Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston.

Call Arlene when a church planting project is anticipated.

$31,000 available for grants, as of 30 November 2004. $89,900 is in the account.

Never try to bullshit a crowd! Troy Perry

If you don’t know something, find the answer and get back to them.

05.02.07.BOE.01 MOTION: Move to approve the criteria for awarding MCC Church Planting Initiative Grants, as amended to include:

· Targets a location where there is a significant presence in public education, institutions of higher learning, and seminaries of opposing forces to our movement.

M/S-Passed (Storey-No)

Accountability Systems

Bylaws Idea

Propose an amendment that would make accountability of the Elders more clear. This would include some added accountability to the ED, especially in the areas of work plans and budgets.

05.02.07.BOE.02 MOTION: Move to approve the Performance Evaluation process for the Elder accountability system and to authorize Rev. Elder Don Eastman and Rev. Elder Lillie Brock to finalize the instrument.

M/S-Passed (Unanimous)

Team (Eastman & Brock) will flesh out a policy statement that will allow the ED to be added to the list of those to whom Elders are accountable, particularly in the area of work plans and budget management.

Report from the Appointments Team:

05.02.07 Announced that Rev. Nancy Wilson was appointed to the Church Planting Team.

05.02.07 Announced that Rev. Elder Debbie Martin was added to the Appointments Team.

Rev. Elder Troy Perry will write a letter to the BOA letting them know that their ideas on Bylaws amendments will be addressed in April. He will invite the BOA to dinner on July 20. Also, he wrote the folks in Australia saying that their ideas would be considered in April.

INFO ITEM: Rev. Elder Gill Storey and Rev. Elder Lillie Brock asked Rev. Elder Darlene Garner to resource their churches in South America and Rev. Elder Armando Sanchez asked Rev. Elder Darlene Garner to resource the churches in Brazil, pending outcome of the GRB boundary review process.

05.02.07.BOE.03 MOTION: Move to appoint a task group charged with the task of designing a Board of Elders internal disciplinary process, in accordance with MCC Bylaws. The proposed process is to be submitted to the Board of Elders for consideration at our April 2005 meeting.

M/S; Passed

Rev. Elder Diane Fisher and Rev. Elder Gill Storey are the task group.

05.02.07.BOE.04 MOTION: Move to appoint a task group charged with the task of designing a process for response and intervention when an Elder might be in crisis or might not be functioning effectively. The proposed process is to be submitted to the Board of Elders for consideration at our April 2005 meeting.

M/S; Passed

Rev. Elder Don Eastman and Rev. Elder Lillie Brock are the task group.

05.02.07 Church Revitalization Team

Elders on the team are Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston, Rev. Elder Lillie Brock, Rev. Elder Debbie Martin, and Rev. Elder Darlene Garner.