DEACONS APPROVE CHANGES IN MINISTERIAL STAFF
Congregation To Vote In January

At the regular meeting of the Deacons, held November 21, the Deacons present voted unanimously to approve a series of four recommendations offered by the Personnel Committee regarding changes in our ministerial staff during the coming year. 

The process of discernment leading to these recommendations began in the lay leadership and the personnel committee several months ago when Hannah Coe requested that the church leadership consider whether she could be allowed to transition to a part time ministry role in our church beginning sometime in the late spring or early summer of 2012. That request was carefully considered by the Personnel Committee, the chair and chair-elect of Deacons, and the liaisons to the ministry division and the administrative division. Before a final recommendation was offered to the Deacons, the leaders of the children’s, youth and mission teams were consulted, as was the chair of the Finance Committee.

After that process, a slate of recommendations was made to the Deacons, which was unanimously approved after thorough discussion. Now these recommendations are offered to the congregation for final consideration:

1. That Hannah Coe become the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church effective at some time between May 15, 2012 and August 1, 2012, working part time (20 hours per week)
2. That the congregation authorize the creation of a new full time ministry position with the title Minister of Youth and Mission. The new position would oversee the continued development of our youth ministry while also working with the mission team and mission division to foster greater intentionality in our mission efforts in Athens and beyond.
3. That a search committee be nominated to the congregation to conduct a search for and entry level minister to fill the new position. That committee will be nominated by a Special Nominating Committee, including the chair of deacons, the chair of the church council and the chair of the personnel committee. The committee would consist of 9 elected members, including 2 youth representatives and church members with significant involvement in our youth and mission ministries and a capacity to see how this position benefits the entire congregation.

The outcome of these recommendations will be an expansion in the size of our ministerial staff, adding a part time ministry position. This expansion gives us another chance to live into our desire to move from a “survival” mode to a “growth” mode of church life, and allows us also to take next steps in our stated priorities of building capacity for Christian Formation and fostering greater intentionality in mission. Those who have worked on the recommendations believe they will empower a strengthening of our key ministries with children and youth while also paving the way for important next steps in missions. Because we anticipate calling an entry level minister, because of other savings experienced since the 2012 budget was adopted, the transition can be made with a manageable financial impact.

A final congregational vote on these recommendations will not be held until late January to allow plenty of time for congregational consideration and discussion. To that end, more details will soon be posted on the church website and provided through other publications. Then, an information meeting will be held on January 8, 2012 at 8:30 AM in Fellowship Hall to provide a detailed presentation to church members about this proposal and allow opportunity for questions and answers. Then, on Sunday, January 22, 2012, the church will be called into conference at the Morning Worship Service for the purpose of voting on these recommendations. Should the congregation approve the recommendation, which will include the slate of nominees for the search committee, the search would begin at the end of January. Watch future publications for more information, and please contact Lamar Houston, Chair of Deacons, Mark Sanders, Chair-Elect of Deacons, Donna Hopper, Chair of Personnel or Paul Baxley, Senior Minister if you have questions about these recommendations.