Session Notes: November 2023

Your Session sat this week for its regular monthly meeting, and its last with Pastor Laura.  Rev. Erin Counihan, representing the Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry, moderated parts of the meeting.

 We heard an update from Elder Ari Brose about the Building for the Future task force.  You, the congregation, will be increasing involved in this process as we work to meet our March 2024 completion date.

The draft 2024 budget received a first reading.  In its present form, revenue decreases 15% (mostly member giving) as do expenses (mostly salary lapses for unfilled positions).  The drawdown from the investment fund pays for half of our budget.

 We have contracted with Rev. Dean McDonald -- who served ably as our summer supply pastor -- to take a similar but expanded role as our “bridge pastor” beginning with Advent.  Dean has committed to serve for a number of months (but not years) as we walk the path to find Laura’s successor. 

Many will remember the regimented process we went through when John Wimberly retired.  Expect something much more expedited (and formatically different) this time.  Our General Presbyter John Molina-Moore will tell us more next month at our December Session meeting. 

In the meantime, the Session is organized, engaged and prepared to act as necessary. Needless to say, you’ll be hearing much more from us in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, please talk to us. Reach out to Session members with questions or concerns.

Finally, we emerged from executive session to approve, with gratitude and regret, the terms of the dissolution of Laura’s call to Western.  We feel that we’ve learned something important about ourselves as a community in this turn of events.  This will inform our actions and deliberations – and be a theme we discuss with you -- as we move forward to call the next pastor in Western’s long history.      

Thank you, 

Paul Fiddick