Board of Elders (“BoE”) Meeting Minutes

        August 10, 2013

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

Invited for Social Concern Ministry (“SCM”) Review: Yang-Sheng Tzeng, Lance Pan, Mark Liu

Invited for Special Devotional Sharing: Zhong Xin Wang

Elder Tsai opened with prayer at 9:00 am.

1. Devotional and Ministry Sharing

Zhong Xin shared background, purpose and current status of his ministry with Chinese scholars.  Buddhism and Christianity are two main focuses for religious research in many universities in mainland China, and Zhong Xin desires those professors to have correct views on Christianity to teach their students.

2. Update on State of CBCGB

Pastor Caleb provided the following updates:

• Seven pastors have completed their annual review.

• Young Professional Fellowship (“YPF”) will move from Friday nights to Saturday in October.  
• Average attendance for Sunday worship service for Metro South (“MS”) has grown to about 70.
• Three short term mission teams (Lynn, New York and Hopi) had fruitful results.
• Preaching Schedule:

• Chinese Ministry (“CM”)/English Ministry (“EM”)/Youth: After concluding book of Joshua in August, will focus on book of Haggai and the post- exile prophets from September through November, followed by Advent series of sermons in December.
• Considering topical sermons in future summer months.

• City Outreach Ministry (“COM”) & MS: Book of Luke in upcoming quarters by lay preachers.
• Upcoming events include COM retreat (8/18), pastoral retreat (8/19), baptismal service (8/25), STEMI Boston rally (9/19-21), COM Gospel Camp and Concert of Prayer
• Spiritual formation value of theological seminars need to be reconsidered.

3. Update from BoD

Loren Shih provided update on major BoD tasks (current and in planning), including purchase of Workers’ Compensation insurance; policy for personal donations to pastors; boiler replacement in Church office building; possibility of renting trailers for use during 151 building renovations; and training programs for fire and emergency management.

4. Ministry Review: Social Concern Ministry

Yang-Sheng Tzeng presented brief update, including current status, goals, accomplishments, problems, difficulties and requests for support.

• Current Status: Charter for the standing Committee established in March 2010; recent changes in leadership structure; annual expenditures of $30 +0.5k; currently supported activities and organizations; and CM, COM and youth involvement.
• Goals: Overview of goals established by SCM charter, with a scope of mercy and justice; near-term CM; and mid-term youth.
• Accomplishments: Fund-raising goals consistently met; CM Social Concerns Sunday School (since Spring 2010); multiple youth service trips.
• Problems/Difficulties:  Passive, low interest in CM; decreased involvement in EM; decreased service opportunities in winter for youth.
• Other Bright Spots: North Grafton community farm activities; book drive; Route One Ministry partnership.
• Request for Support:  Messages from the pulpit; more counselors and mission/service trip leaders for youth.
• Pastor Caleb Suggestions: Sharing during worship offering or announcement time and prayer meeting to better promote SCM programs and initiatives.

5. Pastoral Staff

Discussed and approved position of CM Pastor with initial focus on Fellowship Ministry requested by Senior Pastor. Search Committee to be formed to select candidate; Human Resources Committee charged with assisting in selection and hiring process.

6. Mid-Year BoE Self Review

Reviewed responsibilities/duties of BoE according to Bylaws:

• Reviewed a number of ministries that resulted in a number of positive follow-up activities, including prayer meeting improvements, establishment of CM fellowship shepherds and discussion of Chinese Worship Ministry direction.
• Outstanding items for the BoE include church-wide visioning and completion of the review of the Bylaw Revision Study Committee’s recommendations.

7. Elder and Deacon Nominations

• Approved nomination of Timothy Lu as 2013 BoE candidate. BOE approved nomination of Yuguang He as 2013 BoE candidate in July BoE meeting.
• Approved nomination of five 2013 BoD candidates proposed by Deacon Nomination Committee (“DNC”): Christopher Cheng, Liang-Shang Gan, Ji-Yong Wang, Haiguo Wu and Jimin Xiong.
• Discussed and approved change to Deacon nomination process: Charge to DNC will no longer include automatic nomination of sitting Deacons for a second term; DNC will propose best candidate slate available, with credit given to first term Deacons’ service, to BoE for approval.

8. Church Building Expansion (“CBE”) Status

• Elder Chu raised question about permit application for Phase I Part 2 and the design direction for Phases II and III; discussion tabled to e-mail or special BoE meeting.

Elder Yang closed with prayer at around 1:00 pm.

長老團會議紀錄

2013年8月10日

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

受邀社會關懷事工的參加者：曾陽生, 潘瀾, 劉茂欣

特別靈修分享受邀者：王忠欣

蔡長老早上九點作會前禱告

1. 靈修以及事工分享

王忠欣分享他與帶領的中國學者宣教事工的背景,目的,以及現況; 佛教與基督教乃是目前中國大陸許多大學主要的宗教研究重點. 王忠欣希望這些學者可以用對基督教正確的觀點來教導學生.

2. CBCGB的最新現況

       章開第牧師更新以下訊息:

• 七名牧師已經完成他們的年度檢討.
• 社青團契十月開始將把聚會時間由禮拜五晚上改成在禮拜六舉行.
• 南區植堂的主日崇拜平均參與人數已增至七十人.
• 三個短期宣教隊（Lynn, New York and Hopi）有豐碩的成果.
• 主日講台日程安排：

• 華語部事工/英語部事工/青少年事工：在八月講完約書亞記之後, 九月至十一月以哈該書以及被擄歸回後的先知書為重點, 十二月將會有耶穌誕生一系列的專題佈道.
• 正考慮未來的暑期中採用主題式佈道.

• 城區事工和南區事工: 未來的幾個季度中, 將講解路加福音

• 即將來臨的事項包括城區事工退修會(8/18), 教牧退修會(8/19), 受洗(8/25), 唐崇榮國際佈道團(STEMI) 波士頓佈道大會(9/19-21), 城區事工福音營會以及合奏禱告會.
• 神學研討班的屬靈建造價值需要再重新被評估.

3   執事會的更新事項

施志寧提供執事會目前以及計劃中的主要工作,包括購買教會職員的補償保險, 關於個人奉獻給牧師的政策, 更換教會辦公室的暖氣鍋爐; 考慮151 裝修期間租用拖車的可行性;以及火災及危機管理的演習計劃.

4    事工檢討: 社會關懷事工

曾陽生簡報, 包含近況,目標,達成事項,所面臨的問題以及難題,以及要求支援事項.

• 目前狀況：2010年三月設定常設委員會規章, 領導結構近期改變; 年度支出金額約為三萬美元, 變動在500美元上下;目前所支援的活動以及組織; 以及華語部事工,城區事工和青少年事工的投入.
• 目標：縱覽社會關懷事工規章目標,遵循範圍包含憐憫及公理的原則, 近期重點在的中文部事工,中期在青少年事工.
• 成果：募款目標一致地達成;華語部事工開設社會關懷主日學（2010年春季開始）; 青少年事工多次社會關懷服事活動.
• 問題與難處：華語部事工被動,興趣不高; 英語部事工的投入程度降低; 青少年冬季服事的機會減低.

-    其他亮點：North Grafton社區農場活動, 圖書分享活動, 參與1號公路事工.

• 需要支援：講壇信息的支持; 需要更多青少年宣教／社區服務的帶​​隊者, 輔導員.

• 章開第牧師建議: 在主日崇拜財務奉獻的時候以及在禱告會可以作簡短分享，來推動社會關懷事工.

5.  教牧同工

討論並通過主任牧師所要求的新增一名華語部事工牧師的職位, 該新增牧師起初主要是先負責團契事工. 將組成薦聘委員會以負責尋找合適的候選人;人事資源委員會負責協助選聘過程.

6.  年中長老團的自我檢討

根據教會憲章回顧長老團的責任:

• 檢討數個事工活動所帶來的諸多正面效果, 包括禱告會的改善, 華語部事工團契牧養事工的建立,以及討論華語部主日崇拜事工的方向
• 長老團尚未解決事項包括教會的異象, 以及完成教會憲章修訂委員會所建議的教會憲章的修訂.

7.  長老以及執事的提名

• 通過提名盧忠信為2013的長老候選人. 長老團於2013年七月的會議中通過提名何煜光為2013年候選人的提議.
• 通過由執事提名委員會(DNC)所提的五名2013年執事候選人, Christopher Cheng, 甘良生, 王繼勇, 吳海國, 熊繼敏.
• 討論以及通過執事提名過程的改變：執事提名會將不再自動提名現任執事來對於連任的; 執事提名會將提出最佳候選人名單, 但給予第一任執事優先考慮;再交給長老團來通過.

8. 教會擴建計劃(CBE)的現狀

• 朱長老提出的問題包括：第一階段的第二部分的許可證申請;第二階段以及第三階段的設計方向; 討論將交於電子郵件或是特殊長老團會議解決.

楊長老於下午一點以禱告結束會議.