Session Update: November 2021 to January 2022
Here is a summary of Session Activity over the last three months. Please continue to hold this hardworking group of people in your prayers as they seek to make wise and faithful decisions for this church community. Session receives monthly reports and recommendations from our various ministries and taskforces to guide its deliberations. Meetings usually run for two-and-a-half to three hours and are typically held on the last Wednesday of every month.
Among many other things Session:
Elected Sandy Sherrard as President of the Corporation, replacing Stan Krystek who is no longer. Thanks to Stan for his service.
Addressed the Boy Scouts of America Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Settlement. HPC is a Participating Chartered Organization in the Bankruptcy Settlement, and in 2020 filed a “Proof of Claim” to enable HPC to make a claim for payment in this bankruptcy case if need arose. Session was presented with options including to vote for or reject the settlement. On the advice of our attorney and from the Presbytery Session determined that Hopewell Presbyterian Church need take no additional action in the matter of the vote on the Boy Scouts of America Chapter 11 Plan of Reorganization.
Approved the use of the sanctuary for the Girl Scouts on January 9 at 3pm.
Approved the applications for membership of Seminarians Breeann Blumenthal and Ruth Amadio.
Approved the appointment of Deborah Jodrey as full time Minister of Youth Outreach and Director of the Hopewell Youth Collective.
Approved applications for time off by the Pastor.
Approved the next steps for the Sanctuary Taskforce Consultants’ Proposal for Upgrading the Sanctuary. Detailed discussion on this major project is ongoing.
Approved the Church’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Plan. Prepared by Deborah Jodrey, this comprehensive document aims to secure a safe church environment for all our children, youth and vulnerable adults.
Formally adopted the Mission Giving Policy prepared by the Generosity ministry.
Authorized Pastor Melissa Martin to select and hire three interns from Princeton Theological Seminary for the 2022-2023 Program Year. These positions include two pastoral interns and one youth intern to support HPC youth programming and the Hopewell Youth Collective. The PTS internship for the Hopewell Council of Churches will be supervised by one of the other Council pastors.
Approved the 2021-2022 Mission Giving budget presented by the Generosity ministry. About $26,000 will be disbursed under this heading. This forms only a part of our overall outreach effort.
Ian Burrow
Clerk of Session