These are the attachments that were available in electronic form at the time of the meeting.

Copies of all attachments are kept in a binder in the library along with the minutes of the vestry meetings.

Draft minutes of the meeting

Rector's Report
Senior Warden's Report
Junior Warden's Report
Administrator's Report
Personnel Committee
Buildings & Grounds Committee
Finance Committee
Treasurer's Report
Johnson Intern Program Exploratory Committee
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Rector's Report
1. I hope you all received electronically a copy of Watty Bowes’s report for the Johnson Intern Program. During this transition year, I have been meeting regularly with Watty, Ted Vaden, and Jim Crow, members of the transition board, as well as Mary Agnes Rawlings, to continue to move forward in putting JIP on firmer footing, especially financially. We are very excited to have Ruth Peebles begin to work with us.

2. Great thanks to Joe and Christine Khoury for hosting the Vestry Christmas party. They did a wonderful job, including providing Joe’s musical talent!

3. At my request, Frances Gravely, who had donated Vietri Pottery plates and bowls to the parish some ten years ago, replaced those and more: 100 large plates, small plates, and bowls, 35 coffee mugs, and a number of serving platters and serving bowls (two sizes). These are in attractive colors and are a great addition to our hospitality ministry. We need to thank Frances for her generosity. Last week Tammy Lee, Mary Anne Handy, Mary Brenda Joyner, and Alice Ellington did a thorough cleaning and revamping of the kitchen, including washing all the new dishes and arranging them in the cupboards. Barbara Hastings will now provide a “map” for the kitchen so that things can stay orderly. A great step forward! VESTRY ACTION NEEDED.

4. We have received a check from the estate of Marty Ensign for $2800 as an undesignated bequest. We have also received notice of a $5,000 gift from the estate of Annie Lee Jones, to be used “to improve and beautify the interior rooms in the building.” We need to accept these gifts. VESTRY ACTIoN NEEDED.

5. My father-in-law, A.C. Elkins, has given the parish 1000 shares of Wachovia stock as a memorial gift to his wife, Shirley W. Elkins. He would like it to be used to establish a rose garden and an endowment for its upkeep. The specific proposal is still being discussed with the Building and Grounds Committee, but we need to accept the gift now with the designation to be worked out in the future. VESTRY ACTION NEEDED.

6. Ted Vaden asked me to tell you that he still has tickets available for the Twentieth Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Banquet at the Friday Center on Sunday, January 15, 2005. Howard Lee will be the speaker. Tickets are $25 apiece. Ted’s new email is ted.vaden@newsobserver.com

7. I hope you have had a chance to reintroduce yourself to David Frazelle. He is getting adjusted and meeting lots of new people, who are all very happy to have him here. He will preach at the 9:00, 11:15, and 5:15 services this Sunday.

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Senior Warden's Report
This is a very exciting time at the parish -- the strong response to the annual giving campaign, David Frazelle joining the staff, the good progress on the budget process, and the wonderful rhythm of beginning of another liturgical year.

Most of my activity as warden has been conversation with parishioners and the Rector and clergy about various items of parish life.

You received the letter from the Pringles and our response.

Ted Vaden is off and running with the Next Steps Committee on planning implementation.

Rob Sullivan has begun work on the Program Review Committee also flowing from the planning process.

I met with the Vision Committee on Campus Ministry and we should expect to receive a full report from Janet Turchi, Chair, in February as to reorganization of the governance of campus and university ministries.

I chaired the Christian Formation Subcommittee of the budget and enjoyed meeting with program staff and vestry representatives about our varied programs and the need for support of those programs.

Along with Paul, I met with the Treasurer core and worked on the 2005 budget.

It is my privilege to have become more aware than I have been before about the richness of the contribution to our parish by so many people – being the Senior Warden has given me that opportunity.

We are blessed.

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Junior Warden's Report
The annual giving campaign is moving along smoothly and the latest results will be provided at the vestry meeting.

It is time for the vestry to make their follow-up contacts to those who have not pledged. Call-out cards will be distributed at the vestry meeting. I realize that making these “reminder” calls could complicate an already busy holiday season, but they should take only a few minutes to complete and the results are definitely worth the effort. What was that? Did I hear “humbug?”

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Administrator's Report
Volunteers' Luncheon
On December 20, our administrative staff will host a thank you luncheon for parishioners who regularly volunteer their time to help us. Our administrative volunteers contribute more than 80 hours of time each week on average. That is the equivalent of two full-time (and free) positions. Forty-four tellers, office volunteers, proof readers, websextons, kitchen linen washers and Cross Roads labelers are invited. Each volunteer will receive a small Christmas decoration and a thank you from the staff.

New Computers
We have purchased and installed 2 new computers and an anti-spam server. The anti-spam software was a free download. It is working wonderfully well. We have seen a great reduction in the amount of spam that is getting through to work stations.

DocStar, our document storage and retrieval system, has been moved to a new computer because the hard drive on the old one crashed. With some considerable technical support from the company, we are now back in operation.

Direct Debit Trials
We need to test the direct deposit system. If anyone would allow us to make a trial debit of $5.00 from your account, we will reimburse you. We need a canceled check from those willing to be “test subjects”.

Vestry Election
I have attached a copy of the schedule for the vestry election.

Reorganization of the Dining Room and Kitchen
Several staff members and parishioners worked in the dining room and kitchen this week to clean cabinets, organize items for better use, and wash and put away new dishes. Their hard work is much appreciated. When parishioners use the kitchen, they may not find items in their former places. There is a graphic plan for the drawers and cabinets and an index of locations on the bulletin board and refrigerator to help you find things. We ask that as we all use the kitchen and dining room that we honor the work of many people by returning dishes and utensils to their proper place after using them.

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Personnel Committee

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Buildings & Grounds Committee
1. Chapel Committee report
The exterior design of the organ has been nearly completed(copies are on a bulletin board in the parlor)and was discussed. Also discussed were the changes required in the sacristy, lighting design in the Chapel, conditions that need to be addressed in the balcony, and the schedule for these changes to be made before the new organ is installed. The bell has been repaired, needs to a new clapper and to be rotated. New lights have been placed in the four chandeliers using some new energy saver bulbs.

2. Church Window cracks
Terry is working with a contractor to correct the cracks.

3. Parlor
Some new furniture has been placed. Those pieces that need to be recovered will be rotated to the upholsterer. Drapes are ordered and much of the work should be completed by the Holidays. Pictures to be hung will be determined by the B&G Committee.

4. Other
-The price for a battery operated sump pump for the boiler room is estimated at $585 plus $200 for installation.
-One bollard was broken and should be paid for. Fortunately we do have a spare to be installed. (cost $500)
-Ten new tables have been ordered for the ground floor class-rooms
-The Town’s new impervious surface tax is $846.
-The maple tree that died in the parking lot adjacent to the Arboretum needs to be replaced. Ken is checking this out.
-An electrical connection for the dishwasher in the student commons (cost $250) was approved .

5. Rose Garden Gift
A 24-plant, nine-foot rose garden has been proposed for the right street side of the walk in front of the Church. The cost of planting and continued maintenance of the garden is to be funded by a gift. Environmental, design, maintenance, year round appearance and location issues were discussed by the committee which decided that the location is inappropriate.

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Finance Committee

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Treasurer's Report
We are closing in on the 2004 year anticipating a budget performance relatively close to our plan.  The overall Revenue is at $1,038,828 versus a year-end projection of $1,216,352 or 85.41%.  The expected year-end contributions should bring us close to the targeted amount.  For reference the Revenues at the end of November 2003 were 85.19% of budget.  The Expenditures continue to be managed well overall and we have expended $1,092,473 of the $1,216,352 budgeted or 89.82%.  The year-to-date position at the end of November is a negative $53,645.  This compares to a negative $76,080 at this time last year.  

The increases in anticipated pledge revenue for 2005 is encouraging and should make it possible to support some of the necessary and desired increases in the coming year.

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Johnson Intern Program Exploratory Committee
The 501(c)(3) application has been rewritten to conform to the recently revised guidelines and will be submitted. This filing will establish the Johnson Intern Program as financially independent of The Chapel of the Cross but closely associated administratively and programmatically. The Board of Directors will be appointed by the Rector, and will consist of members from the parish and from the community.

The Exploratory Committee has also engaged the services of Ruth Peebles, President of Innovative Nonprofit Solutions, for consultation and assistance in both short-term and long-term fund raising. Ms. Peebles has extensive experience in strategic development planning and board resource development and training for small non-profit organizations. Ms. Peebles, a faculty member at Duke University, comes highly recommended by other local non-profit groups for whom she has provided similar services.

Appointment of the new board of directors will begin promptly in the new year.

Respectfully,
Watson A. Bowes Jr.
Exploratory Committee
Johnson Intern Program

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