CELEBRATE THE JOURNEY
2005-2006

Committees of the Session
  Committees of the Diaconate
 Auxilliary Committees

Committees of the Session

Clerk of Session Report, Jim Stevens, Clerk

The governing body of the church, the Session, worked throughout 2005 providing leadership to our congregation.  Meeting monthly for its stated meetings, the Session carried out the mission of Hidenwood Presbyterian Church with the help of the Holy Spirit. 

Throughout the first half of the year, our Temporary Supply Pastor, Jerry Helms, provided pastoral support in association with the Moderator of the Session, Associate Pastor Miki Vanderbilt.  The various committees of the Session worked extraordinarily hard during the year, as documented in the following reports, to advance the programs and mission functions of the church.

Upon the installation of our new Head Pastor and Head of Staff, Reverend Bill Lamont, on August 28th, the Session warmly greeted our new Moderator and is looking forward to the 2006 church year with eager anticipation as we continue our journey of faith together.

Christian Education, Patty Feely, Chair

Believing that Christian Education is essential in revealing God’s grace through Jesus Christ to the Hidenwood congregation, we determined to expand in scope and variety the opportunities for children, youth, and adults to grow in Christian formation.
This year, under the leadership of our Director of Children’s Ministries Kaye Aguirre, we were able to accomplish the following:
o    Newborns:  upon birth, child’s family will be presented with “Baby’s First Year Calendar”
o    Baptism:  upon baptism, child’s family will be presented with Baby’s First Bible
o    Pre-school: upon entering preschool, the child will receive My First Bible
o    Elementary:  third graders will be presented with The Edge Devotional Bible
Our Youth Program, under the direction of Dick Knowles and a dedicated support staff, offered:
Joanna Jacoby accepted the position of Director of Adult Ministries.  The committee first met at the end of May.  The committee has greatly increased participation in Adult Studies producing:

Congregational Care, Rubette Patterson, Chair

The congregational Care Committee meets one night per month, currently the first Wednesday at 7 pm, with Miki Vanderbilt as the staff representative. 

The main responsibilities of this committee are:
Other more specific activities/programs that come under the Congregational Care Committee are:
Future goals for the committee are ongoing Shepherd Ministry for the districts, continue updating the active and inactive rolls, and encouraging new members to become active in the church.

Leisure Time, Audrey Arthur, Coordinator

The group gathers together for fellowship on the fourth Tuesday of every month from September through May.  The group nurtures faith and fellowship among the members of the church and community.  Leisure Time features speakers on special seasonal programs, community programs, and special trips to plays, etc.

Presbyterian Men, Russ Cofer, President

Our purpose is two fold:  to nurture Christian fellowship among the men of Hidenwood Presbyterian Church, and to have an opportunity to "know the person and not just the face." Monthly meetings, from September through May, are held on the third Wednesday at 6:05 PM with social and dinner followed by a program.  We feature speakers on community interest, special seasonal programs, and include great meals prepared by our men.

Presbyterian Women, Judy Ahearn, Moderator

Presbyterian Women is committed to nurturing faith, supporting the church's mission, working for justice and building community.  2005 was a busy year for the PW.  Highlights include:
Ongoing projects for 2006 include:

Evangelism Committee, Willard Hoskins, Chair

The Evangelism committee responsibility is to equip all members to model and communicate a message of expectancy and hope about the work and purposes of our church to the neighborhood and the larger community.  The excitement as expressed in Luke is when a lost sheep and a lost coin are found; the joy of the father who embraces his lost son, give purpose to this committee.

During the year 2005, the creation of the “Visitor Packet” found in the narthex was completed.  This packet contains descriptions of the various church activities and a map of the building.

The committee continued to reach out to visitors attending our Sunday worship services.  The Friendship Register is the key to this effort.  The committee will often call church members who are seated adjacent to our visitors for assistance in reaching out to them.  The pause to greet each other during the worship service is an excellent opportunity to welcome visitors. 

Hal Darby introduced his class entitled, “Sharing the Good News.”  His first session was very well attended.  This class is considered to be very helpful for members interested in serving on the Evangelism Committee.

The development of programs with Christopher Newport University continues to be a point of emphasis.  We are beginning to realize that mid-week programs offer greater opportunities for success than weekend programs.  Our ministers are participating in a mid-week worship program for the CNU students along with clergy from other denominations within our community.

The committee has realized that the most effective way to attract new members to our church is for the individual members to ask their friends and neighbors to visit.  The first Friendship Sunday was held November 13 with excellent results.  This event should be repeated not only on a church-wide basis, but also by the individual groups within the church (Sunday school, Presbyterian Men, Presbyterian Women, etc.)

We continue to utilize the information technology expertise we have in our congregation.  The church’s website offers the opportunity to archive Sunday services and offers a point of reference for all the organizations within the church.  Go to www.hidenwood.com.

Mission Committee, Charles Spencer, Chair

The Mission Committee (MC) of Hidenwood Presbyterian Church (HPC) is the conduit through which HPC supports organizations that feed, heal, and nurture people outside of the church and its local area.  The committee was formerly named the Outreach Committee.  A major portion of the MC budget is directed to the mission work of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia (PEVA).

In 2005 the members of the committee were:
Class of 2005: Mary Sherwood Holt, Dot Sandahl, Nancy Sharkey
Sue Snyder
Class of 2006: Etienne Bote-Tshiek, Raye Gwyn, Bill Sharkey,
Charles Spencer (Chair), Suzanne Williams

The MC developed “Minutes for Mission” which were presented at our regular Sunday worship services once each month for most months during the year.  The purpose was to make the congregation aware of the work of the MC.

Early in the year Nancy Sharkey concluded her efforts on behalf of the MC to procure support for the Peninsula Free Clinic.  The MC had been made aware of this clinic and its needs in 2004.

The old “Nickel-A-Meal” program was restarted under its new name, “Centsability.”  This program was organized and run by Raye Gwyn. It held three collections during the year and raised funds to fight hunger.

The MC initiated a letter writing program addressed to members of Congress asking their support to fight hunger throughout the world.  This program, called “Bread for the World,” was managed by Bill Sharkey.

Dot Sandahl represented the MC and HPC on the Midtown Interfaith Association and reported on its programs to the MC and to HPC.

Suzanne Williams represented the MC and HPC on the Presbytery’s Peacemaking Committee (PPC), which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2005.  She reported on the activities of the PPC to the MC and to the HPC.  She was able to attend two conferences and coordinated a visit to HPC and to PEVA by an international peacemaker, Wafa Goussous from Jordan.

The MC hosted a dinner reception at HPC by Presbyterian Homes & Family Services in May.  The attendance was good with churches throughout PEVA represented. 

Etienne Bote-Tshiek is the facilitator for the International Partnership Committee (IPC) of PEVA and was the liaison with the MC and the HPC on the many activities and programs of the IPC.  Through the MC, HPC contributed to the mission programs of PEVA with designated funds to support the IPC for which our own Etienne Bote-Tshiek is such a vital part.  Because of an anonymous donor we were able to send and additional amount  to support the medical clinic at Yolo-Sud, our sister church in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.  We were unable to provide any funds, however, for the request from the Session of Yolo Sud to provide for continuing education of Yolo Sud’s senior pastor, Rev. Germain Kalombo Ntambue.   The MC hopes to be able to meet this request this year.

The MC also provided funds to Makemie Woods, Massaneta Springs Conference Center, Presbyterian Homes & Family Services, and the Midtown Interfaith Association.

The MC raised suplemental funds with personal contributions, special collections and one very visible program, “The Pumpkin Patch.”  Pumpkins were sold to friends, neighbors, and members of the church.  Charles Spencer was the coordinator of the program, which involved many members of the church and staff.

A listing of Special Offerings sponsored or endorsed by the MC in 2005 and which raised in excess of $20,000 in suport of:
 
One Great Hour of Sharing
 Installation Offering: Seminary Scholarship
Centsability
 Katrina Disaster Relief
Pentecost
 Peacemaking Offering
Asian Disaster Relief
 Yolo-Sud Medical Center
Mother’s and Father’s Day
 International Partnership Committee
Heifer Project
 Thanksgiving Offering (Pres. Home & Family Services)

Christmas Joy Offering

Personal Commitment, Lynne Forrester, Chair

The Personal Commitment Committee held the Lenten Dinner Series with a study of “Spiritual Gifts.”  The series was led by Shannon Jordan.

Our participation in the One Great Day of Fellowship and Sharing was a prayer vigil held in the Chapel for the hours of the program.  Those who joined the vigil were given a list of areas of concern to stimulate their prayer.  The participants stayed as long as they wished and then went to other activities.
Eighteen members of the church attended a family conference at Massanetta Springs.  The conference concerned church programs that help to develop family participation.  The group has met since to make suggestions to various committees, including Personal Commitment, that would support families of Hidenwood and attract families to Hidenwood.

The New Consecration Sunday stewardship program this fall was led by the Personal Commitment Committee.  The aim of the committee was to make clear our commitment to give back to God a portion of what he has given us.  The program was very successful.  The commitment of the congregation is evident in the response in the pledges for the upcoming year.

Worship Committee, Marvin Lulofs, Chair

The Celebration Service, which was introduced by the Worship Committee in the summer of 2004, has continued to grow and become an integral part of our worship services.  An evaluation of this service in 2005, by those attending the service, was so positive that the Session approved continuation of the service at 8:30 am with one combined service each month at 11 am.  Bill Lamont has incorporated the use of PowerPoint to display the words of songs, which has also been well received.

The Music Program at Hidenwood continues to flourish under the direction of Deborah Carr.  The choir has gradually increased over the year; the bell choirs are developing the abilities to present more complex offerings; and the children’s choirs are always a treat for the congregation.  The “Music in the Woods” concert series has been well attended and enjoyed by both members of Hidenwood and the community.  The Academy of Music continues to enroll new students and enlist new instructors. 

The Flower Guild, made up of a group of women talented in flower arrangement, uses its talents to praise God through the beautiful flower arrangements on the flower shelf each Sunday. 

Under the direction of the Worship Committee, several people work to make Hidenwood a comfortable place to worship God.  This includes the greeters who welcome members and visitors as they enter the church; ushers who pass out the bulletins and direct people to seating in a courteous and friendly manner; those who work on the sound and light systems; and past and present church officers who serve Communion on the first Sunday of each month.
The committee also has a Bereavement Service Team to assist the ministers, families, and funeral directors for funerals and memorial services held at Hidenwood Church.

All of these various functions are coordinated to make Hidenwood Presbyterian Church a friendly place to worship God in pleasant, comfortable surroundings.

Pastor Nominating Committee, Bill Espich Chair

We must begin by giving thanks to God for answering our prayers during the search process and by saying thank you to each member of the congregation for the opportunity to serve, for giving us the freedom of time and choice as we served, and for witnessing your faith in the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the process. We all participated; the PNC from the perspective of committee members representing the entire congregation; and the congregation from the perspective of faithful watchers, waiters, and encouragers. It continues to be an exciting journey and a wonder-filled experience! Thank you!

The PNC membership level has remained at ten and we are: Lorraine Austin, Leslie Brooks, Nancy Hayes, Bob Kent, Gayle Rauch, Charles Sigrist, George Webb, Christina Williamson, Alice Heldenfels as secretary, and Bill Espich as chair.

During 2005 we continued our weekly meetings into August when we gave up our searching ways and became callers.

At a Meeting of the Congregation held on June 19th, the members of Hidenwood Presbyterian Church voted to extend a call to The Reverend William G. Lamont as Pastor/Head of Staff. He accepted, was examined and was welcomed into membership by the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia on July 26, 2005. The Lamont family moved to Newport News the first weekend in August and Rev. Bill Lamont’s first Sunday in the pulpit was August 7th.

Since Bill’s installation on August 28th and in accordance with the covenant between the congregation and our pastor, the PNC has continued to meet as a team of ten on a monthly schedule. Also in accordance with the covenant, we have divided into the three subcommittees that meet monthly; one to work with Bill on issues concerning the covenant, another to work with Bill on issues related to management and finance which includes taxes, immigration, and health insurance, and a third to work with Miki on issues related to the transition process.

We all prayed that we would sense the movement of the Holy Spirit during the search process and we believe that our prayers were answered. Please give thanks as we continue to pray for and welcome the presence of the same Holy Spirit, asking for the energy, the imagination, and the determination necessary to live up to our agreements in Bill’s covenant and necessary to achieve our goals in the 2004 Mission Statement. Our mission is His mission: to proclaim the gospel for the salvation of humankind; to provide shelter, nurture, and spiritual growth for all, to maintain divine worship, to be faithful stewards of all gifts from God, to promote social justice, and to demonstrate love to the entire kingdom of God.

Committees of the Diaconate

Community Service Committee, Nancy Gibbons, Chair

The purpose of the Community Service Committee is to minister to human needs and work for the transformation of our community by reaching out to the less fortunate.

The committee provided financial support as a means of outreach to such local agencies as the Salvation Army, United Campus Ministries, LINK, Habitat for Humanity, Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center, Friends of the Homeless, Preschool Partners, Seamen’s Friend House, Menchville House, Meals On Wheels, Peninsula Rescue Mission, Transitions Family Violence Services, Youth Challenge, Shop With A Cop, and Safehaven.  Funding was also provided for Hidenwood’s basketball and tutoring programs. 

The emergency fund was used to help families in financial crisis referred by the community and members of the congregation, for PC(USA) Tsunami Relief, for Menchville House’s utility bill and to Hampton Roads Katrina Housing Resources for hurricane evacuees on the Peninsula.

The committee offered to the congregation opportunities for service such as building homes for Habitat for Humanity, two Red Cross blood drives, donating videos to Seamen’s Friend House, “Undie Sunday” for Friends of the Homeless, donating cell phones to Transitions, exam snacks for CNU students through United Campus Ministries, donating coats to the homeless at PORT, sorting food collected by the Girl Scouts for the Food Bank, donating school supplies to Newport News Social Services, tutoring at Hidenwood Elementary School, coaching and playing basketball in the Church League, ringing bells to collect money for the Salvation Army, providing Food Closet groceries to persons referred by United Way First Call, holiday food baskets for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas and Christmas gifts for families on the Angel Tree referred by Newport News Social Services.

This is the first year that Hidenwood participated in “One Great Day of Fellowship and Service” planned by the Community Services Committee.  Members of the congregation ate lunch together and worked on projects helping many of the other committees in the church.

Committee members:  Jim Aguirre, Audrey Arthur, Leslie Brooks, Patty Goodson, Jeff Gregg, Raye Gwyn, Nancy Horgan, Julie Lewis, Ivy Mitchell, Frances Ellen Parry, Tom Parry, Ann Penrose, Dorothy Julian, Secretary, Nancy Gibbons, Chair, and Barbara Adams, Staff Advisor.

Communications Committee, David DiPersio, Chair

This committee was formed in 2004 after the restructuring.  Here are a few of the items the committee accomplished in 2005:
Still feeling our way as a relatively new committee

2006 will be a transition year as the original members will be moving on. A new chairman will be selected by March in order to have a smooth transition. The current chairman will remain on the committee until the end of the year. This gives the new chairman 8-9 months with the existing committee.

Finance Committee, Wallace Sink, Chair

The Finance Committee oversees the financial condition of the church and is responsible for reporting on church financial matters to the Diaconate, Session, and the congregation. The committee is also responsible for preparing a proposed annual church budget for presentation to the Diaconate for its review and recommendations and to the Session for review and approval. Also, the Finance Committee is responsible for assigning deacons to count and deposit all offerings collected by the church and for supervising this activity.

Food Service Committee, Sharon Slater, Chair

During the past year, the Food Service Committee has been responsible for several projects and events, some of which directly benefit church membership and others that benefit those in the community. Food Service initiatives include: Lenten lunches and dinners, Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, PORT, Salvation Army meals, and Kids Café.

PORT (People Offering Resources Together) provides emergency shelter, dinner, and breakfast to the homeless during the winter months. In February 2005, Hidenwood provided support to PORT, serving approximately 75 people hot meals and providing overnight supervision at the PORT shelter.

Hidenwood continues to make sandwiches for the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen each month.  Kids Café provides free, prepared food and nutrition education to children in need.

The Food Service Committee’s goals for 2006 are to continue to maintain our support of worthy community causes, such as Salvation Army and Kids Café, as well as to continue to organize and carry out the food programs within the church that have provided opportunity for fellowship and spiritual growth, such as Lenten dinners and lunches and the Shrove Tuesday event. We are also committed to keeping attuned to other unmet needs in the community or within the congregation that might be met through the mission and functions of this committee.

Property Committee, Charles Sigrist, Chair

The Property Committee is responsible for the maintenance of the building and grounds of the church; supervising the janitorial and grounds staff; and mobilizing teams of volunteers as needed. 

While there are always minor problems to face, the two larger projects were those in finishing the HVAC system and painting in the Education Wing, and replacing and adding to the outside lighting by the Fellowship Hall.
A few of the many projects on our 2006 list include:
There is no way we can really reward those who gave assistance to our programs this year, but we do appreciate your every effort.  We do need to give special thanks to the Elders and Deacons for their support and encouragement, to Rob Collins for his valuable advice, and to Ian Jacoby for his generous devotion of time and efforts in every project.

Auxiliary Committees of the Session

Personnel Committee, Nelson Kelley, Chair

The Personnel Committee, chaired by Nelson Kelley, had a productive year.  Review and updates to all staff job descriptions were completed.  Individual meetings with each staff member were held.  Annual Performance Reviews were instituted and completed in a timely manner.  A Sexual Misconduct Policy was drafted in accordance to insurance requirements.  After many years, an entirely new Employee Handbook was drafted; pending Session approval, it will be distributed to all staff this winter. 

Endowment Fund Committee, Stan Mitchell, Chair

The purpose of the Endowment Fund Committee is to enlarge the scope of the congregation’s work and influence by:
The Endowment Committee is responsible for receiving, promoting, investing, expanding, and managing donations to the Fund under the general oversight of the Session.  In 2005, the Fund provided a scholarship to the Office Manager to begin her Certification in the Administrative Personnel Association. 

Memorial Fund Committee, Sandy Kane, Chair

The purpose of the Memorial Fund is to provide a way for person to make contributions to Hidenwood Church in memory of or in honor of loved ones and friends.  With approval of the Session, the Memorial Fund provided the funds for the following:

http://www.hidenwood.com
updated 2/1/06
© 2005 Hidenwood Presbyterian Church
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