MINUTES OF CHURCH MEETING HELD 4TH JULY 2007

PRESENT: (Members) Gail Aiken, Noleen Andrews, Trish Antognelli, Paul & Sandy Bainton, Tom & Anne Bishop, Debbie Briese, Wayne & Wendy Coady, Meg Fitzgerald, Sue Fulton, Jonathan Geddes, Rohan Geddes, Siân Hewitt, Glenise Hildebrandt, Danny L’Estrange, Aidan Luke, Marian Luke, Phil & Jenny Malone, Simon & Lisa McAlister, Debby McGrath, Becky Milburn, Julie Millward, Steven & Christine Mogg, Steve Orme, Bevan & Sally Parker, Andrew Roma, Kathy Rusin, Ruth Sawtell, David Silberman, Glenn & Lin Smith, Peter & Liz Simpfendorfer, Ellie Stevenson, Graham Stitz, Cathy Taylor, David & Leanne Wakeling (45)

NON MEMBERS: Wayne Martin, Barb Geddes

APOLOGIES: Gary Antognelli, John & Rowanne Bowman, Ian Hewitt, Brigita L’Estrange, Scott & Carolyn Lovett, Debbie Lorenz, Vanessa Luke, David Sibley, Heidi Silberman, Lily Stitz, Ros Thackray, Chris Simons (14)

Wayne Coady opened the meeting with prayer at 2000 at Connexion.

Quorum was achieved with 23 members required.

Minutes of the previous meeting, including amendment 1 to these minutes, were motioned for acceptance by Glenn Smith and seconded by Paul Bainton. The motion was carried to accept the previous meeting minutes and the amendment of 24 June 2007.

Steve Mogg outlined the agenda for the meeting. The three recommendations from the Facilitation Team report were to be considered, discussed and voted on. Steve briefly outlined the content of each of the recommendations, re-read the Terms of Reference for the Facilitation Team and revised the initial diagram which began the process.

ITEM 1 – That the issue of leadership for Youth be looked at closely and a search for a Youth Pastor be considered

A reasonably short discussion ensuedwhich included the Facilitation Team clarifying the intent of this recommendation to focus on the need to address this issue at this time rather than to immediately find a solution. The eventual solutions may or may not include the separate search for a youth pastor.

Further discussion among highlighted the issues of youth being a pressing need, that BBC is losing youth from traditional programs, and that current financial position of BBC cannot sustain a senior and youth pastor concurrently.

Steve Mogg suggested that if the motion were to be carried that a small team may need to be set up outside the PLT to look separately at this issue in greater detail.

Moved that the Facilitation Team Recommendation 1 be accepted. (Steve Mogg /Graham Stitz). CARRIED.

ITEM 2 – That BBC commit a period of 40 days, to focus on and implement the following proposals:

  • We each, as members of the body, commit to supporting our senior pastor and commit to supporting our associate pastors and leadership 100%. We will each commit to supporting them whole-heartedly as God’s choice for BBC. We will support them financially, verbally, emotionally, spiritually, practically and in prayer. We will commit to trusting them, as God’s provision to us and be responsible for their care and well-being.
  • We commit, as a body of believers, to spur each other on to love and growth, through an environment of encouragement, support, building up and blessing within this church. We will stand against a spirit of judgmentalism, slander and a consumerist attitude. We will commit to treating one another with love, as described in 1 Cor 13. We will not dishonour the cross of Christ by placing burdens on others to behave in a certain way. We will have an attitude of love and encouragement.
  • We commit ourselves to personal growth through small group bible study, church, accountability groups, inner healing programs, such as “Search for Life”, personal prayer time and meditating on God’s Word and whatever else we believe is God’s heart for our growth.
  • We seek teaching on Christian disciplines with a desire to help grow us closer to God.
  • We commit to serving in and through our church, using our God-given passion and skills to further God’s Kingdom. We will commit time, energy and finances to the ministry of our church, in the areas God has called us to. We will not allow our ministries to be undermined by over-commitment. We will keep firm boundaries. We will not dishonour the cross of Christ by acting out of guilt or a sense of condemnation.

A short discussion ensuedwhich centred on whether the expectations of the motion were “too much” for the congregation. Predominant view was that the focus of this recommendation was that it was both a call and a reminder for what God expects of us as Christians and support for our Church. Everything should not be loaded on leadership.

Steve Mogg read out Amendment 1 to the minutes of 24 June 2007 as relevant to the discussion on this issue. This extract is attached to these minutes.

Steve Mogg also provided an overview to the meeting of what is the Baptist Union’s experience with churches that both grow in size and lose a pastor that has been a member for a long time. The major points made were that:

  • The average period of service for a pastor following one that has been at a church for a long time is generally eighteen months to two years.
  • Churches that invest time during their interim periods in self or assisted evaluation usually benefit greatly in terms of the follow on pastor success and church growth.
  • Interim periods used for re-focusing can help churches move forward significantly and revitalise them
  • Interim periods not used wisely can lead to history being repeated and unrealised expectations
  • Churches of varying sizes require different leadership styles (eg. Up to 50 – one on one approach; 50 to 125 – team based approach; 125 to 200 – program based approach)
  • As churches grow and these boundaries are crossed, problems are invariably encountered as the church transitions from the requirements of one leadership style to another.
  • As a church BBC has concurrently faced a long-term pastor leaving and bumping against membership ceilings that requires real leadership structural change.
  • Transition for BBC to make in this current interim period is made is doubly difficult.

Subsequent discussion centred on the following points:

  • The need for the pulpit to communicate some of the issues described above to the general congregation
  • That Recommendation 2 represents a personal challenge to us all. Commitment to its intent and coming before God will lead to growth.
  • The need for notices and memory joggers to be used throughout the 40 day period to remind all BBC members about this commitment.

Moved that the Facilitation Team Recommendation 2 be accepted. (Steve Mogg /Wayne Coady). CARRIED.

ITEM 3 – That a search committee for a new Senior Pastor be set up after a period of 40 days.

This recommendation generated a lot of discussion.

The facilitation team clarified for the meeting the intent behind this recommendation. In summary, the 40 days was seen by the Team as a clear direction by God to be faithful before Him, get our hearts straight and then be in a position to commit whole heartedly, trust and act with certainty. It was the Team’s view that to commit to a search team concurrently to the 40 days was both a distraction and would not change God’s timing on the outcome.

A question was raised to the Team regarding whether the Intention Interim Minister (IIM) option had been disregarded. Wayne Coady and Jonathan Geddes jointly provided the members with an overview of both the 5 step IIM process and the skills of an IIM pastor. This information had only just come to light and was not available at the time of the survey work undertaken by the Facilitation Team. The key points were:

  • IIM role is twofold – coach/transition & maintain ongoing functions
  • IIM is a dedicated five step process (usually 12 months), in BBC case Facilitation Team and other work may shorten this
  • IIM process usually lasts 12 months
  • IIM pastor does not become the new senior pastor – usually stays until senior pastor is found
  • IIM pastor is specially trained – only a handful exist within Baptist Union
  • IIM process works – examples cited where churches in crisis have been significantly turned around as a result of IIM.
  • Analogy made of “renovation while tenants inside”.

Further discussion revolved around two questions:

  1. How does the survey response to “start search straight away” relate to what has now become apparent regarding the role and function of the IIM pastor.
  2. What is the current leadership capability & capacity to cope if a senior pastoral search were to be conducted after 40 days? – noting that the search may take up to 18 months to 2 years, and

Key discussion points:

  • IIM not supported in survey – maybe through lack of knowledge of both role and function of IIM by wider congregation
  • Terms of reference for Facilitation Team worded such that if clarity of vision become evident then senior pastor action would follow.
  • The existence of Recommendation 2 as a recognised “sore spot” may suggest that we are more broken than we like to think
  • What we want to do (ie. Have a senior pastor as soon as possible), may not necessarily be what we should do.
  • Agreement that 40 days and the work of the Facilitation team would be a very good foundation for the IIM to build upon and use. It would not be wasted effort.
  • Need to honour the Facilitation in tangible ways.
  • Current leadership ability to cope with load is considered marginal at best.
  • Burning out of leadership, particularly Wayne Coady should be a major consideration in how this interim period between senior pastors is progressed and managed. There is a reality to be considered.

The meeting then broke for prayer at 2145 and reconvened at 2150.

Jonathan Geddes & Gail Aiken made the point that the Facilitation Team’s work should be publically honoured. The weight of words attached to Recommendation 2 and the thrust of what is to be taken seriously forces us to consider an amendment to Recommendation 3 as proposed.

Sandy Bainton then proposed a motion to amend Recommendation 3 which read:

That after a period of 40 days, that a decision will be made regarding a search committee for a new Senior Pastor be set up or we call on an IIM.

The amendment motion was seconded by David Silberman. CARRIED.

Steve Mogg then proposed a motion that the amended Recommendation 3 be put to a vote for approval. The motion was seconded by Meg Fitzgerald. CARRIED.

The PLT were to determine a suitable date as near as possible after 40 days from the date of this meeting in which to hold a church meeting to vote on the decision following the 40 day period.

OTHER BUSINESS

Paul Bainton raised the issues of how we can celebrate the completion of the 40 days and that the PLT take up the issue of Recommendation 1. Debbie McGrath further raised how we can become more aware of the PLT needs and how the congregation can help. PLT would take up these issues and in particular highlight the need for a small team to be drawn together to look more closely at Youth Leadership – this would be highlighted at the service on 8 Jul 07 and canvassed further with the whole congregation.

The meeting broke for prayer at 2230 to pray for Wayne and Wendy Coady.

Steve Mogg called for three volunteers to champion, invigorate/market the 40 days within BBC to prepare us for decision in early August. The volunteers were: Trish Antognelli, Ruth Sawtell & Gail Aiken.

Paul Bainton asked that the minutes record the formal recognition of each member of the Facilitation Team:

Sandy Bainton, Carolyn Lovett, Ros Thackray, Andrew Roma, Rohan Geddes, Aidan Luke & Sian Hewitt

For their commitment to the task, commitment to prayer, commitment with wrestling with the difficult issues, and their commitment of time. Their work has contributed greatly to BBC moving forward in their walk with God.

The meeting concluded in prayer at 2235.