Board of Elders (“BoE”) Meeting Minutes

        November 9, 2013

Present: Ming-Jer Tsai (Chair), Pastor Caleb Chang, Pastor King-Fai Choi, Liqin Chen, Ke-Chieh Chu, David Ho, Terry Yang (Secretary), Loren Shih (Chair, Board of Deacons [“BoD”])

Observers: Yuguang He (Elder Elect), Timothy Lu (Elder Elect)

Invited for Metro South Review: Pastor Wei Jiang, Hongshu Guan, Ping He, Ida Liao

Invited for Quincy Fellowship Ministry Briefing: Nancy Cintolo, Jimin Xiong

Elder Tsai opened with prayer at 9:03 am.

1. Brief Sharing

Elder K.C. shared thanksgiving; Elder Ming-Jer, Elder David and Elder Terry shared recent wedding experiences; Elder Elects shared thanksgivings; Elders shared thoughts regarding last night’s combined Missions/Social Concerns conference session.

2. Update on State of CBCGB

Pastor Caleb reflected on model of church leadership in light of last night’s combined Missions/Social Concerns conference session.

Pastor Caleb provided the following updates:

• Upcoming church events, including holiday services, Chinese Mission Convention 2013 and First Night Concert of Prayer.
• Pastoral annual reviews for the current year.
• Conversion to natural gas heating for 151 Spring St. and Church Office buildings; to begin in Spring 2014. Pastor Caleb continuing to assist Stewardship Committee with investigating alternative methods of heating the church office building in the short term this winter in light of building’s aging boiler.

3. BoD Update

Deacon Loren provided update on major BoD tasks (current and in planning), including security concerns and logistics regarding special speaker during this weekend’s combined Missions/Social Concerns conference; information technology projects (such as security cameras) currently underway; initiative underway to document standard policies and procedures for standing events and tasks (such as fire drills); and thoughts on how to address pressing Stewardship leadership needs and completion of current and future required tasks.

4. Ministry Review: Metro South

Pastor Wei Jiang presented brief overview on:

• Attendance trends, with growth to approximately 60 per week, with 10% seekers;
• Growth factors: Move to Sunday morning worship service, additional families moving to Sharon area, more families committing to Metro South campus;
• Newcomer visitation trends;
• Financial situation, including offering of approximately $110k last year;
• Fellowship groups: 3 general groups, 1 sisters’ group (more than 20 attendees), youth group (approximately 10 attendees, led by Angie Piao);
• Ping-Pong Ministry;
• Development of Sunday morning youth program;
• AWANA Ministry (20-30 weekly attendees);
• Prayer Ministry;
• Sunday School Ministry (attendance approximately 50% of Sunday morning worship service);
• Caring Ministry, with team assigned to address newcomers and special needs;
• Finance and offering policies and procedures;
• Emphasis short-term on fellowship groups, youth program development and teaching and pulpit training;
• Emphasis long-term on AWANA program, evangelism, facilities and missions;
• BoE suggests Metro South undergo visioning process in parallel with Lexington campus process; solicit feedback for both future Metro South growth and increased attendee participation in Metro South ministries; and establish criteria, parameters and procedures for future independence from Lexington campus.
• Challenges:

• Evangelism strategy, both corporate and small group-specific;
• Consolidation of attendees to Sharon area;
• Spiritual growth in light of lack of enthusiasm due to cultural factors;
• Sunday School teacher and pulpit training;
• Youth program, including contingencies to cover upcoming staffing needs;
• AWANA program, including staffing needs;
• Facility limitations.

5. Bylaws Revision Voting

Discussed proposed schedule (including lead-up to) and format for Special Membership Meeting on December 15, 2013 to vote on proposed bylaws revision, including additional revisions to the original proposed bylaws revision from October 2013 and inclusion of white paper outlining views on leadership in the church related to gender. Question posed to pastoral staff regarding potential format for Special Membership Meeting; final approval for schedule and format pending answer to question.

6. Annual Meeting Review

Reflected on successes and lessons learned from the October 2013 annual meeting and annual report processes, such as great attendance and universal input from ministry coordinators, and lack of adequate time for questions and answers and to complete annual report graphic design and production. Follow-up items from annual meeting include CBCGB strategic plan and vision.

7. Mission Committee Chair

Discussed nomination for replacement for Elder Liqin Chen. Eric Chiu nominated for Mission Committee Chair for calendar years 2014-2015; nomination seconded and approved by BoE.

8. Quincy Fellowship Ministry

Nancy Cintolo presented brief overview on proposal for CBCGB to engage in outreach ministry to battered women in Quincy:

Challenges:

• Stable, larger meeting place to accommodate 50-80 attendees;
• Caring and guidance for depressed, suicidal and violence-prone women and their children;
• Survival skill training, including job, language and parental training;
• Stresses of shepherding ministry on principal leader Lisa Wu.

Proposals:

• Use of Central Baptist Church in Quincy on third Saturday of every month, with a requested donation of $80-$100 per month;
• Financial support of approximately $10k per year to cover space rental, food and teaching and children’s materials;
• Identification of professional services to assist with improving mental health and survival skill training;
• Involvement of Stephen Ministry, Social Concerns Ministry and AWANA to provide spiritual health services and survival skill training for both women and their children.

Tabled proposal until special BoE meeting to be scheduled, due to time.

9. Thanksgiving Special Offering

Elder K.C. proposed applying this year’s offering to the Church Building Expansion (“CBE”) instead of the Benevolence and Seminarian Funds due to expected sufficient resources in those two funds this fiscal year; approved by BoE.

10. CBE Update

Elder K.C. presented brief update on Phase I of the CBE Project. Town Hall meeting scheduled for November 17, 2013 to solicit feedback on alternative Phase II under consideration by the BoE, which includes a new Chapel and second entry foyer and additional parking. Next steps to be determined based on feedback from the Town Hall meeting.

11. Church Council December Retreat

Retreat to be held at Elder K.C.’s house in Lexington.

12. Lobby LCD and Website

Elder Ming-Jer proposed to form two teams under direction of Office Manager to manage lobby LCD and website; approved by BoE. Team member nominations to develop, implement and maintain content and infrastructure to be forwarded to Office Manager Ying Yuan Zhang (for the lobby LCD) and Deacon Joshua Chang (for the website).

13. New Elder/Deacon Orientation

Elder Ming-Jer proposed to conduct, in collaboration with BoD, new Elder and Deacon orientation meeting. Deacon Loren agreed to discuss proposal with BoD at next week’s meeting.

Elder David closed with prayer at 12:34 pm.

長老團會議紀要

2013年11月9日

出席：蔡明哲（主席），章開第牧師，蔡景輝牧師，陳利欽，朱克潔，何明治，楊德禮（秘書），施志寧（執事會主席）

觀察員：何煜光（當選長老），盧忠信（當選長老）

南區分堂彙報特邀：韋江牧師，關洪書，何平，黃玉琴

Quincy (昆西)團契事工簡介特邀：嚴美莉，熊繼敏

上午9:03蔡長老以禱告開始。

1. 簡要分享

朱克潔長老分享感恩；蔡明哲、何明治和楊德禮長老分享了最近婚禮的經歷；當選長老們分享, 表示感恩；長老們就昨晚的宣教/社關年會情況交換了想法。

2. 教會狀況的更新

就昨晚宣教/社關年會的情況，章開第牧師對教會領導模式有所反思。

章開第牧師提供了以下最新情況：

• 即將舉行的教會活動包括節日崇拜，2013年華人差傳年會和新年的跨年禱告會。
• 本年度牧師的年終評估。
• 在2014年春天將151號房子和教會辦公樓轉換為天然氣供暖事項。在教會辦公樓鍋爐日漸老舊的狀況下，章開第牧師將繼續協助理事會同工尋求教會辦公樓取暖的替代方法，作為今年冬天臨時的措施。

3. 執事會近況

施 志寧執事彙报了執事會當前和規劃中的主要任務，其中包括本週末宣教/社關年會關於特邀講員的安全和後勤安排；正在施行的信息技術項目（如安全攝影機）；對 長期例行事項（如消防演習）的標準程序和政策，提議進行記錄存檔；以及如何解決教會迫切需要的理事會領導和當前與未來所需任務的完成。

4. 南區教會事工回顧

韋江牧師作了簡要介紹：

• 出席率趨勢：增長到每週約60人，其中有10％的慕道友;
• 增長因素：崇拜改到星期天早晨、更多的家庭搬到Sharon地區、更多家庭願意委身於來南區。
• 新人來訪趨勢。
• 財務狀況：包括去年的奉獻約$ 110K。
• 團契小組：3個普通組，1個姐妹會（超過20人），青年組（約10人，由Angie Piao帶領）。
• 乒乓球事工。
• 主日早晨青少年事工的發展狀況。
• AWANA兒童事工（每週約20-30人）。
• 禱告事工。
• 主日學事工（出席率約是崇拜人數的50％）。
• 關懷事工：有專門同工小組負責與新人和有特殊需要的人聯繫。
• 財務及奉獻的政策和程序。
• 近期重點在團契小組和青少年事工的發展，及教學和講台的培訓。
• 遠期重點在AWANA兒童事工、佈道、設施及差傳。
• 長老團建議：南區進行異象的尋求和建立, 與母堂的異象同步進行；對南區未來的發展以及增加參與南區事工的人數，徵求反饋意見；為將來能夠從母堂獨立出來，建立準則、參量及程序。
• 挑戰：

• 傳福音的策略，包括整體的及每個團契小組的;
• 加強Sharon當地人的出席;
• 由於文化因素，對靈性成長缺乏熱情;
• 主日學老師和講台的培訓;
• 青少年事工，包括有應變措施，來供應即將而來的同工需求。
• AWANA兒童事工，包括同工需求;
• 設施有限。

5. 教會憲章修訂投票

討 論了預定於12月15日舉行特別會員大會，對教會憲章修訂提案投票的安排及日程（包括準備程序），包括對2013年10月以來，原憲章修訂提案的進一步修 改，及增加了對教會領袖性別相關看法的白皮書。詢問教牧同工關於特別會員大會可能的形式的問題；最後通過的大會程序和形式，將會取決於對此問題的答覆。

6. 年會回顧

回思2013年10月年會和年度報告，成功的部份和學到的功課。例如很高的出席率和幾乎全部事工負責人都提供建議，缺乏足夠的時間在年會時作問題解答、在準備年度報告時及時完成圖像設計和製作。年會後的跟進事項包括本教會的策略規劃和願景。

7. 宣教委員會主席

討論替代陳利欽長老的人選。Eric Chiu被提名為2014-2015年度宣教委員會主席；提名獲得長老團的附議并通過。

8. Quincy (昆西) 團契事工

嚴美莉簡要概述了關於建議教會參與向Quincy受傷害的婦女的外展事工。

挑戰：

• 穩定、較大的聚會場所，可以容納50到80人；
• 關懷和引導那些抑鬱的、有自殺和暴力傾向的婦女及其子女;
• 生存技能培訓，包括職業、語言和家長培訓;
• 主要領導Lisa Wu在牧養事工上的壓力。

建議

• 在每個月的第三個星期六使用Quincy Central Baptist Church (昆西中央浸信會教堂)，每月需要80-100美元的奉獻；
• 每年財政支持的需求約一萬美元，用以租用場所，購買食品、教材和兒童的物品;
• 確立協助改善心理健康和生存技能培訓的專業服務；
• 有司提反事工、社會關懷事工和AWANA的參與，提供靈性健康的服務，以及婦女及其子女的生存技能培訓。

由於時間的關係，這些建議將延至特別長老團會議討論。

9. 感恩節特別奉獻

由於慈惠基金和神學生基金，今年已經足夠，朱克潔長老建議今年的特別奉獻用於擴堂事工，長老團批准了這一提議。

10. 擴堂事工更新

朱克潔長老簡短介紹了第一期擴堂項目的最新情況。準備于2013年11月17日召開擴堂事工座談會，徵求對長老團正在考慮的第二期計劃替代方案的回饋意見。這個新計劃包括新的副堂、多加一個門廳，以及新加的停車場。下一步決定，將要視擴堂事工座談會的意見而定。

11. 教牧長執12月退修會

退修會于朱克潔長老的Lexington家裡舉行。

12. 大廳LCD和網站

蔡明哲長老建議建立兩個團隊管理大廳LCD和網站，由辦公室主任負責。長老團批准了這個提議。會後將提議兩個團隊的成員，擔任開發、實施、和內容與架構的維護，并將發給辦公室主任張應元（負責大廳LCD）和張子剛（負責網站）。大廳LCD和網站。

13. 新長老/執事培訓

蔡明哲長老建議與執事會一同進行新的長老和執事培訓的會議。施志寧執事同意在下週的執事會會議上討論這一提議。

何明治長老在下午12:34時帶領結束禱告。