Meeting Minutes

Board of Elders (“BoE”)

July 11, 2015

Present: Liqin Chen (Chair), Pastor Caleb Chang, Joshua Chang (Board of Deacons [“BoD”] Representative), Ke-Chieh Chu, Yuguang He, David Ho, Timothy Lu, Haiguo Wu (Head Deacon), Terry Yang (Secretary)

Present for Web Ministry review: Elder Ming-Jer Tsai (Web Ministry Advisor), Bryan Che (English Ministry Leaders Core Chair), Kai Fang (Web Ministry Team Co-Lead), Cary Shao (Web Ministry Team Co-Lead), Ligong Xu

Present for MetroSouth Charter Membership discussion: Ida Shaw (MetroSouth Core Co-Worker Team Chair), Hongyu Liu (MetroSouth Charter Membership Lead), Pastor Wei Jiang

Elder Liqin opened meeting with prayer at 9:05 am.

1. Brief Sharing

Elders K.C. and David shared major events occurring in their family lives.

2. Update on State of CBCGB

Pastor Caleb gave a quick update on:

• His recent speaking engagement at Pittsburgh Chinese Church’s 50th Anniversary celebration
• Completed repair of Sanctuary Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”) projector
• JP Lee retirement as Choir Director; search for successor underway
• Upcoming Chinese Ministry (“CM”)-Fellowship Ministry leadership meeting on July 19
• Completion of initial Friday night room assignments by the pastoral staff; ownership passed to BoD
• Upcoming CM baptism candidate examiner workshop on July 26
• Staff annual reviews underway
• Upcoming ordination of Minister Jennifer Lin (tentative) on August 9 at 1:30 pm
• Upcoming ordination of Minister Steven Bowman (tentative) on October 18 after congregational meeting and lunch on CBCGB Anniversary Sunday
• Transfer of CBCGB-supported parachurch/vocational ministry workers to the care of the Community Outreach Committee
• Short-term mission teams: Hopi, Lynn, New York City, East Asia orphanage
• His upcoming speaking engagement at Chinese Gospel Church-Portland (Maine) retreat over Labor Day weekend
• Possible reasons for underusage of upper level (gravel) parking lot.

3. BoD Update

Deacon Haiguo provided update:

• No official June BoD meeting due to Church Council (“CC”) meeting;
• Unofficial meeting after CC meeting to gather initial responses to proposed vision statement present during CC meeting;
• Initial Friday night room assignments.

4. Web Ministry Review

Elder Ming-Jer presented an overview, current status and future plans for the ministry:

• New ministry logo
• Website now secure (https vs http)
• Recap of origins:

• BoE directive to revamp website approved 4/4/2012
• Goal to improve internal as well as external communications under a unified banner for all ministries under CBCGB authority
• Desirable website features:

• Attractive
• Easy and secure to use
• Informative
• Easy to maintain

• Implementation: Internal using Drupal 7 with Content Management System

• Current Status

• Phase I (completed): New content framework, transfer content from original website
• Phase II (near completion): Approved initiatives, including: online congregant directory, event/announcement dissemination, CM Sunday School online registration, ministry user workshops, co-worker recruitment (including graphic designers)
• Phase III (in planning)
• Web Team Organization: Elder Ming-Jer serves as Advisor, Cary Shao and Kai Fang serve as Team Co-Leads

• Elder Ming-Jer demonstrated current website, including streaming sermons, online directory (requires user account and log-in for security purposes), Sunday School online materials, CBCGB library contents, and access to online church services (e.g., room/van reservations)
• Website requests from surveyed ministries:

• Youth

• Improved graphic design
• “Forum” and links to social media
• Mobile-friendly
• Easy-to-use calendar

• City Outreach Ministry (“COM”)

• Online Bible study plan
• COM-wide calendar

• Phase III Future Plans Under Consideration

• Mobile-friendly web site (30%  of web traffic is mobile/on a tablet)
• Better graphic design
• Easier navigation
• Optimize engine searches (27% current visitors come from Google searches)
• Integration with social media

• Requested support

• Advocacy

• Ministry leaders fully embrace and utilize website
• Congregants visit website often for information about CBCGB

• BoE decision on future Web Ministry oversight, whether:

• Under BoD/Stewardship/Information Technology team, or
• Independent task force/committee under BoE (current/preferred by Web Ministry team for continuity purposes)

• BoE establishment of guidelines, including but not limited to:

• Copyright issues (e.g., posting choir hymns)
• Posting of photos of children
• Responsibility for coordinating the publishing of announcements and church events on website

• Assistance with:

• Appropriation of pictures for banner on main home page
• Publishing comprehensive, up-to-date church policies on website
• Publishing up-to-date contact information for ministry leaders on website
• Semi-annual update of online directory database
• Encourage the use of the “suggestion box”
• New initiatives, such as special webpages for special ministries, blogs by pastoral staff and/or Elders, and forums to engage the larger church community

Bryan Che presented an overview, current status and future plans for the ministry in relation to English Ministry (“EM”):

• Current, in-progress initiative to define EM identity, based on EM vision, values, 5-year focus and desire to be cultural Chinese-American “bridge”
• Practical implications for EM identity initiative could include new name, brand and marketing materials
• Cultural considerations:

• Aesthetics vs. functionality
• Simplicity vs. complexity (graphics vs. text)
• Language barriers

• Proposed continued presence on existing website coupled with EM identity “branded” parallel website
• Beyond website, EM identity initiative includes outreach to target EM demographic, improved internal operations and new EM/CM ministry opportunities

BoE discussed EM proposal regarding parallel web presence; tabled until August BoE meeting due to lack of time to fully digest implications.

5. MetroSouth Charter Membership

Hongyu Liu presented overview, current status and future plans for MetroSouth Charter Membership:

• Reviewed process by which Charter Membership proposal was completed
• Charter membership requirements include Christian of at least 18 years of age, baptized in CBCGB or equivalent, committed to and attending MetroSouth worship regularly, and application approval
• Charter Membership proposal submitted to BoE for approval; requests approval by August BoE meeting with expectation of initiation of charter membership application process by end of 2015

BoE reviewed charter document and requested a number of revisions related to accounting processes and definition of “approval” related to organizational decisions. MetroSouth Charter Membership team to review requested revisions and submit final proposal for BoE for approval during August BoE meeting.

6. Benevolence Fund Committee Chair Appointment

BoE discussed potential appointments for Chair due to current Chair stepping down due to relocation. Tabled until next month’s BoE meeting.

7. CC August Retreat

Elder Liqin provided overview and current status of vision proposal process:

• Summarized feedback from recent pastoral staff meeting regarding proposed vision
• Discussed potential structure of vision discussion at CC August Retreat:

1. Logistics for communicating vision to congregation
2. Presentation to remind CC of definition of vision statement, mission statement and strategic goals
3. Possible special presentation topics
4. Break into small groups to brainstorm potential mission statement/strategic goals

8. Support of CBCGB-ers in Vocational (Parachurch) Christian Ministry Policy

BoE approved original tabled document from November 2014 BoE meeting with approved revision from June 2015 BoE meeting expanding definition of mentorship and additional revisions to align policy with Community Outreach Committee Charter approved during January 2015 BoE, as attached.

9. COM Building Fund

Tabled to next BoE meeting.

Pastor Caleb closed meeting with prayer at 1:15 pm.

長老團2015年七月會議記要

2015年7月11日

出席：陳利欽（主席），章開第牧師，張子剛（執事會代表），朱克傑，何煜光，何明治，盧忠信，吳海國，楊德禮（秘書）

網路事工代表：蔡明哲長老（網絡事工顧問），車文健（英語部主要同工），方凱(網絡事工主要同工)，邵可鑲（網絡事工主要同工)，徐立功

南區會員代表：邵利方（南區核心同工會主席），劉宏宇（南區會員委員會主席），韋江牧師

上午九點零五分，利欽長老做開會禱告

1. 簡短分享

克潔長老和明治長老分享了最近各自家庭發生的事

2. 教會最新進展

開第牧師作簡要報告：

• 他個人參加匹茲堡華人教會50週年慶祝活動並講話
• 主堂的 LCD投影儀修理完畢
• 詩班班長李建平退休，正在尋找新的人選
• 華語部團契召集人會議將於7月19日舉行
• 牧師團通過了了週五晚上房間分配方案，交由執事會做决定
• 華語部考浸人員座談講習會將於7月26日舉行
• 同工年度考核正在進行
• 林珍妮傳道按牧典禮將於八月九日下午一點半舉行
• 鮑斯文傳道按牧典禮將於十月十八日教會週年慶典後舉行
• 對福音機構同工的支持工作轉到社區宣教委員會
• 短宣隊：Hopi， Lynn, 紐約市，東亞孤兒院
• 勞動節週末開第牧師將在緬因華人福音退修會講道
• 坡上停車場使用不足的原因

3. 執事會最新信息

海國執事簡報：

• 六月份因有牧長執聯會，執事會正式會議停一次；
• 牧長執聯會後將舉行非正式會議收集在聯會中討論的有關教會異象的反應；
• 週五晚上房間初步安排

4. 網路事工檢討

明哲長老對網絡的現狀和將來的計劃做了概述：

• 新的事工標識
• 網頁現在從http轉至https提高了安全性
• 回顧建立新網站經過的路程：

• 2012年4月4日長老團決定更新當時的教會網頁
• 目標是建立教會統一的內部及對外的信息交流系統。
• 希望達到的網絡功能：

• 更具吸引力
• 使用簡單並且安全
• 足夠的信息量
• 易於維護

• 實施：採用具有內容管理功能的Drupal 7系統

• 目前狀況

• 第一階段（已完成）：新的界面，把舊的网上信息轉至新网页
• 第二階段（即將完成）：基本通過：包括網上教會會員通訊錄，事件/通知发布，教會主日學網上報名，事工培訓。同工招募（包括平面設計）
• 第三階段（在計劃中）
• 網絡工作組：明哲長老做指導，邵可鑲和方凱做負責同工。

• 明哲長老演示現在網站包括講道實況，網上通訊錄（為安全起見，要求用戶登記賬號），主日學網上查詢資料，教會圖書館信息和教會網上各項服務項目（房間，用車等預訂）
• 各事工對網頁的要求：

• 青少年

• 改進圖像設計
• 論壇及與社交媒體的連接
• 與手機等移動通訊設備的聯接
• 容易使用的行事曆系統

• 城區事工

• 網上查經安排
• 城區堂的行事曆

• 第三階段：還在計劃中

• 更適合於移動通訊裝置（佔網站總流量的30%是用於移動裝置）
• 更好的平面設計
• 信息尋找更簡易
• 優化被搜索機制（27%訪問來自谷歌搜索）
• 與社交媒體整合

• 需要支持

• 宣傳

• 各事工負責人盡量使用網站
• 教會會員經常使用教會網站索取教會信息

• 長老團對未來網站的想法和展望。是否：

• 归在執事會/產物部/信息技術部下面
• 还是在長老團領導下獨立的事工）

• 長老團將制訂準則，包括但不限於：

• 複製版權（譬如：詩班歌譜）
• 兒童照片的發布
• 在網上發布教會的通知和事件的職責

• 請求協助：

• 網站主頁的適當圖片。
• 在網站上發布教會全面的、更新的各項教會政策、規定。
• 在網站上發布各事工負責人的聯絡信息。
• 網上教會會員通訊錄每半年更新一次。
• 鼓勵使用意見箱
• 新項目，比如特別講道網頁，牧師同工長老博客和各個教會之間的論壇

車文建對最近英語部事工有關事宜和將來計劃做了概述：

• 最近，英文部身份認同正在進行中，基於英語部未來五年的異象將致力於做中美文化之間的橋樑。
• 英文部最新身份倡議包括新的名字，標牌和市場資料
• 文化因素考慮：

• 美學和功能性
• 簡潔或複雜（圖像或文字）
• 語言障礙

• 建議繼續在網頁上平行使有英文部的標識
• 不只是在在網站上，英語部身份認同還包括向英語人員傳福音，增加內部運作和新的中英文堂的事工機會。

長老團討論了英語部關於雙向網頁的使用，這次沒有足夠的時間來討論了，推遲到八月長老團會議繼續討論

5. 南區會員章程

劉宏宇做了概述，南區會員章程最近的進展情況和將來的計劃：

• 會員章程的審核過程已完成
• 會員資格要求：年滿18歲並在本教會或其他教會受洗，保證能正常參加南區主日崇拜，並且申請被批准。
• 會員章程要求報長老團通過，要求八月長老團會議通過，希望今年年內能通過會員章程決議

長老團審查了章程內容和要求一些財務內容方面的修改，通過要和團體決定有關，責成南區章程制定小組將新的修改版本最後上報八月長老團會議討論

6. 指定慈惠基金委員會主席

因為主席近期因搬遷離職，長老會討論了下任主席候選人，推遲到下月長老團會議繼續討論。

7. 八月牧長執聯會退修會

利欽長老提供了教會異象的綜述和提案讨论的進展：

• 對近期牧師團關於異象的討論反饋做了總結
• 八月退修會將討論未來異象的構架：

1. 向會眾提出教會異象的步驟
2. 再次说明教會異象，使命計劃和戰略目標的定義，
3. 可能的特別題目
4. 分小組對宣教和目標形式集思廣益

8. 教會會員對福音機構基督徒支持的規定

長老會初步通過了2014年11月決議和修訂決議，2015年6月長老團召開的會員擴大會議的增訂版以及2015年1月長老團通過的社區宣教委員會的政策都附在後面

9. 城區植堂基金

推遲至下次長老團會議討論。

下午一點十五分，開第牧師做會議結束禱告.