This month we receive non-perishable food items for our yellow bag offering.  You may drop food off at the church during business hours.  In August our contributions go to the Covenant Presbyterian Food Pantry.  Covenant is a PCUSA congregation in west Wichita.

Session Summary: May 18, 2020

• The Session met via Zoom and began with prayer.
• The confirmation class and Kirk Anderson (Director of Student Ministries) joined this meeting.
• Session members and confirmands were divided into Zoom break-out rooms for discussion. Session had read the confirmation class statements of faith before the meeting.
• After the breakout rooms it was moved and seconded to welcome the confirmation class into membership on May 31, 2020. Annabelle Merten, Elliott Merten, May Phares, Isaac Snook, and Grace Westbrook will join by public profession of faith.  Mitzi Darmstetter and Grace Stark will join by baptism and public profession of faith.
• Martin gave an update on the Deep Roots work. The ceiling work in the kitchenette and Bell Choir room is next.  Parlor furniture is still not here.
• Session discussed the return in in-person worship. Catherine shared what others in the neighborhood were doing as well as other Wichita PCUSA congregations.
  • Session looked at ways to be safe when we do return as well as alternatives such as outdoor worship.
  • Session voted to remain online only through June.
• Kirk Anderson reported that the Youth mission trip to Tennessee will not happen, but plans are underway for a mission week in Wichita.
• Bible School work is underway. It will be a hybrid model.  A virtual VBS (videos) go online June 15-19, and the team does a modified in person VBS for JLL children that week.
• A finance report was given then received and approved.
• The job description for the new Director of Music Ministry was approved, however there was much conversation about whether or not the timing is right given what we do and don’t know about singing. Catherine, Dave, and Pam will talk with the search team.
• JLL received two grants related to the pandemic to support staff and supplies.
• Catherine reported that the PCUSA General Assembly will be virtual and not in Baltimore as planned. She is a commissioner.
• Catherine noted that the May presbytery meeting was cancelled.
• The meeting was closed with prayer.

Session Summary: June 15, 2020

• The meeting was held via Zoom and was opened with prayer.
• There was a long discussion about the return to in person worship including safety precautions.
• The Session voted to begin in person worship on July 5 with one service in the Great Room and then to go to two services after that (9 and 11). A letter will go out to the congregation from the Session detailing the precautions that will be in place.
• Deep Roots work continues in the Bell Room and kitchenette. We’re still waiting on the Parlor furniture.  We also have to get the Parlor window coverings and wall things.  After those spaces are done we’ll start on the remodel of the bathroom across from the elevator.  It will become a “family” room.  Deep Roots income continues to come in.
• Catherine noted the Christian Discipleship Team’s 14-Day Challenge and encouraged Session members to participate.
• Catherine had sent out information to the Session about the PCUSA Matthew 25 initiative and asked them to read over it, reflect, and come ready to talk about it in July.
• Financial reports were approved and received. Income in May was okay.  We have the Paycheck Protection Program loan/grant, so we are okay right now.
• It was reported that the BOT approved buying equipment to support live streaming. The bid is just under $13,000.  (Right now we stream from an iPhone).  We may have to hire someone on Sunday mornings to help run the equipment.
• Martin is working with someone from the personnel team and our local insurance agent to determine insurance for our staff as our current plan has increased by 14%.
• Session voted to celebrate Sean Foster’s ministry on July 19 and to invite a love offering.
• Session voted to put the music search on hold and pursue an interim coordinator.
• It was shared that that youth mission experience is still on but with many questions.

Session Summary: June 29, 2020

• The Session met via Zoom and opened the meeting with prayer.
• The purpose of the called meeting was to revisit our plan for return to in-person worship and to update our communication strategy as necessary.
• Catherine invited doctors in the congregation to join the Session for a conversation on June 28. Session was joined that day by Tom Bloxham, Ron Brown, and Mac Smith.  Bloxham pointed us to the Sedgwick County Covid Dashboard and the 14-day rolling average of positive tests.  He also suggested watching hospital rates.
• There was a lot of discussion about what an appropriate metric is and if we need one. There was discussion about whether or not staff felt safe, given that staff does not have a choice about coming back.  There were also some who named that people need to be able to choose.
• Catherine noted that she thinks we’re losing people’s attention and focus with online only worship.
• It was voted on to use the 14-day rolling average of the percent of positive tests to determine our return. If/when the number is at 5% or below, we will be in the building.  When it is above, we will not.  This may mean some on again off again.  The decision for the week is based on what the numbers are the Monday/Tuesday before the Sunday.
• Outdoor worship continues to come up as an option.

Pre-Pandemic we regularly published Session minute summaries in Grace this Week.  Since we have not been together some of you have asked if we could publish them online.  What follows are summaries of the minutes from March and April 2020.  May and June are in another post, and we’ll continue to share this way.  Full copies of the minutes are always available upon request.

Session Summary: March 16, 2020

• The session met via Zoom and began with prayer.
• Steve Hooper was elected as the clerk of Session (and secretary of the corporation).
• Catherine gave an update on the Next Church Conference she attended in early March.
• Sunday, March 15, worship was online only, and the Session voted to continue this through the month of March.
• Jacob’s Learning Ladder remains open.
• A discussion as held about how long we could guarantee to pay Grace staff (Jacob’s Learning Ladder (JLL) included). Session voted to continue to pay staff through the April Session meeting (regardless as to giving or JLL tuition) and to work with the trustees to evaluate things before then.
• The Parlor is ready to be painted as part of the Deep Roots campaign, and the BOT approved ordering the furniture selected by the Parlor team.
• Financial reports were approved and received.
• The staff is working to communicate with the congregation through calls, Facebook, emails, and texts.
• The meeting was closed with joys, concerns, and prayer.

Session Summary: March 30, 2020 (called meeting)

• The meeting was held via Zoom and opened with prayer.
• The Session voted to continue online only worship through April.
• Martin Burch gave an update on the church financial status.
• Jacob’s is currently at about half of its pre-mid-March enrollment. We expect the same or lower enrollment in April.  The Food Ministry will lose money in this time.
• Martin took a webinar on the Payroll Protection Loans and will continue to investigate them. He is working with our local Citizen’s Bank on this as well as the Board of Trustees.
• Catherine shared that the PCUSA has changed its stance on virtual communion and is now permitting it.
• Catherine led a discussion about how we could have a baptism on Easter.
• The meeting was closed with prayer.

Session Summary: April 20, 2020

• The meeting was held via Zoom and opened with prayer.
• A report was given on Deep Roots updates. The painting in the Parlor is done, and the carpet and furniture are ordered.
• A discussion was held about how online worship is going, what’s working and what could be better. Catherine noted that we will continue online worship long after people can return to the building.
• A discussion was held about when to return to in person worship. The Session voted to stay online only through May 17 and to revisit this at the May 18 Session meeting.
• The financial report was given then received and approved.
  • Martin noted (previously emailed) that we received the Paycheck Protection Program loan, and that it will most likely become a grant.
  • Jacob’s Learning Ladder numbers were discussed.
• Sean Foster has resigned and will enroll in graduate school.
• It was noted that many Grace teams continue to meet virtually. The Grace zoom account is very active.
• The session voted to rescind our invitation to host presbytery on May 12. (Catherine said it was all but certain that the meeting would be either virtual or cancelled.)  In the event that it is virtual, Dave McIntire and Darcy Eads were elected as commissioners.
• April was to be the month to meet with the confirmation class. That will happen in May, either via Zoom or in person.  Confirmation Sunday is set to be May 31.
• The staff and others continue to cultivate online community building opportunities.
• Our church, with the presbytery, applied for a grant from the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to benefit the Wichita International Rescue Committee. We received $5,000 for IRC.
• A called Session meeting is set for April 27 to elect a search team for the Director of Music Ministry position.
• The meeting was closed with joys, concerns, and prayer.

Session Summary: April 27, 2020 (called meeting)

• The meeting was held via Zoom and was opened with prayer.
• There were two items on the agenda:
  • To elect a search team for the Director of Music Ministry position
  • To determine steps for worship
• The Session approved the search team: Pam Head, Janet Rhoads, Charlene Randle, Dave McIntire, and Bill Vavra
• The Session voted for worship to remain online through May.
• Because a Grace staff member tested positive for the coronavirus, worship this week is pre-recorded from the homes of staff members.
• The building is currently closed, including JLL.

Dear Grace Community,

Last Sunday we offered a blessing to Sean Foster in worship.  Sean’s last official Sunday with us is August 9.  This spring when Sean announced that he was leaving, the Session formed a search team to find a new Director of Music Ministry.

It was two years ago that Sean was hired for the position.  Several of the people on that 2018 team were uniquely qualified to serve again, so we started building the team from there and added new members.  At a called meeting on April 27, the Session approved the following people to serve on the 2020 search team: Pam Head, Dave McIntire, Charlene Randle, Janet Rhoads, and Bill Vavra.  I also serve on the team.

Our team met a couple of times via Zoom and laid out a job description and timeline for our process.  Then we began to learn more about the Covid related dangers of singing.  Sean participated in multiple webinars focused on the high-risk factors and shared with us what he learned.  By late May, the Session put the search on hold.

At its July 20 meeting, the Session approved a job description for an Interim Coordinator of Music Ministry.  This is a three-month position.  Music is central to the life of the church, but without regular gatherings for ensembles, we need less of a director and more of a coordinator.  The plan is to evaluate where things stand related to singing and the virus in mid-October and either continue with an interim or re-start our search.  We receive applications for this new position through August 10.

Regarding in-person worship, the Session continues to monitor the Sedgwick County Covid dashboard here>

We know that there is no perfect metric for determining when to return.  The Session meets again on August 2 at 1 pm via Zoom to discuss this more.  We are considering many options.

You can reach out to Session members anytime, but I know it’s harder when we don’t see each other on Sundays.  I encourage you to contact Session members, and as always, you’re welcome to attend Session meetings.  Please let me know if you’d like to attend on August 2 (or anytime), and I’ll send you the Zoom info.  (Session members are Sandy Blaylock, Dennis Buteyn, Darcy Eads, Pam Head, Fred Heismeyer, Dave McIntire, Betsy Ross, Elyse Scholl, Ginny Vincent, Joe Wangombe, and Alisa Watkins.)

In Christ,
Catherine

Links

Mission Spotlight: July 2020

PCUSA General Assembly and (Catherine Neelly Burton) Part III

Grace Book Club

Emergency Food: Thank you!

Church Directory Pick-up

If you did not pick up your church directory before we shut down, you are welcome to come by and get it.  Call the church to let us know, and we’ll have it outside the volunteer office with your name on it.

IRC Backpack Drive

Thank you for your generous donations to the refugee backpack drive.  We are no longer receiving physical supplies, but financial donations are welcome.

Worship and Connection Opportunities:

Sunday, July 26 at 10 am

Worship via Facebook live at 10 am or watch our services at mygpc.org

You do not need a Facebook account to watch.  Go here:

Week 4 of our Unraveled worship series

Sermon scripture: Jeremiah 29:1-7

Catherine Neelly Burton preaches.

Hymns: #291 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness; #803 My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

Download the Bulletin here

Monday, July 27 at 8 – 8:15 am: Morning Prayer

Start the day on Zoom with prayer with Catherine Neelly Burton.

Join by computer/tablet/smartphone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89934835947

Join by phone: 1 346 248 7799

Meeting ID: 899 3483 5947

Monday, July 27 at 11 am: Memorial Service for Julia Carter

We gather to witness to the resurrection and give thanks to God for Julia.  You are welcome to attend the service at Grace, and if you prefer to attend at home, it will be livestreamed on the Grace Facebook page. You do not need a Facebook account to watch.  Go here: https://www.facebook.com/mygpc.org

Tuesday, July 28 at 2 pm: 4 Week Study of the Holy Spirit with Martin Burch: Week 3

What do we know of the Holy Spirit? What does the bible say about the Holy Spirit? How does the Spirit work in the history of the church and in our lives now? We’ll explore these questions and more. Bring your questions and join us for this study.

Join by computer/tablet/smartphone: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81629686558

Join by phone:  1 346 248 7799

Meeting ID: 816 2968 6558

Wednesday, July 29

If you have a youth in your family who wants to connect, contact Kirk@mygpc.org

This week the youth continue a book/Bible study using the Bible and Rob Bell’s book What Is the Bible? The book costs $6.  Contact Kirk with questions.