Trinity Together | October 2015

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CONGREGATIONAL SURVEY: SUMMARY OF RESULTS

BY Drew Field, Executive Pastor

SEPTEMBER MEETING NOTES

Full Session Meeting, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

The full Session met on September 10 and welcomed visitors, including Dan Marotta and two ministry candidates. The Session, led by Greg Thompson, reflected on Scriptures and prayed for the congregation and ministries of the church.

The Session then processed the common administrative actions of approving minutes and releasing members who moved away. The Finance Committee presented a report to the Session about year-to-date finances and our low cash reserves, to alert the elders about the need to increase giving throughout the fall. Teachers were approved for Sunday School, and the current elder/deacon nomination process was discussed.

First, Dan Marotta reported on his progress as a church planting intern with The Falls Church. Dan, a former staff member and supported candidate in ministry, is now ordained as an Anglican minister. He presented his plan for a Richmond church plant, which will hopefully begin next year. We prayed for his work in church planting.

Second, the elders discussed three ministry candidates: Kyle O’Donnell, Ben Melchers, and Robert Cunningham. Kyle shared his testimony and call to ministry (Ben and Robert shared in previous meetings). We affirmed these candidates, recommending them to our Presbytery, and prayed for them.

Third, the majority of the meeting was spent discussing the five major Leadership Team charters. These Leadership Teams, led by groups of lay people, staff, and officers, guide the major ministry areas of the church under the direction of the Session. After a lengthy discussion about the process, carefully covering each aspect of responsibilities for these teams, the Session approved all five. This vote is the culmination of a process going back to spring 2014 with multiple discussion points along the way. The hope is for greater clarity in ministry, increased accountability and information, and a well-principled delegation of authority to ministry teams that carry the work of our church into their area.

Fourth, updates were presented covering the Strategic Planning process, congregational surveys, and the Women in Leadership task force. The Personnel Committee presented a quarterly review of Greg Thompson’s role as Senior Pastor with time for questions and discussion.

The Session appointed another elder to a three-year term on the CGC: Lee Livingston. Another elder for the CGC and committee assignments will be brought to the next Session by the REOC, pending confirmation with those nominated.

Next Meeting: Thursday, October 9, 7:00PM in room 201 as a CGC meeting

Questions? Email: session@trinitycville.org

Session FAQ

What will elders do with the new Leadership Teams?

The five Leadership Teams (Worship, Community + Care, Spiritual Formation, Local Missions, and Global Missions) report directly to the Session. The elders have full approval of team charters, members of the team, ministry goals, budget, staffing, policies, and any major changes. These teams will report quarterly to the Session, keeping elders up to date with what’s happening in all areas of the church. Elders retain their responsibility to govern the church on behalf of the congregation, supervising all of these teams. The expectation is that the clarified structure will help our ministries thrive.

deacon ALEX PIEDRA

Alex and Amy Piedra met during their undergraduate time at UVA through Reformed University Fellowship. They were married in 2010, and the following year both received master’s degrees in education from UVA. Since then both have worked for the Charlottesville City Schools—she at Clark Elementary and he at Walker Upper Elementary. When they have free time, they enjoy gardening and board games. Alex plays softball and Amy works with “Girls on the Run”—a track and mentoring program helping young women through a challenging stage of life. For the past three years Alex and Amy have been engaged in the process of international adoption, which they anticipate completing over the next six months by bringing two toddlers into their family.

Having attended Trinity since 2006, the Piedras have been involved in a variety of Trinity ministries and outreach activities. Amy was an active tutor with Abundant Life during her college years and as a Spanish major, later helped found Trinity’s ESL program with which both Alex and Amy continued to serve until this year’s program hiatus. They also have worked with the Special Needs Ministry and enjoy participating in Friends for Life. In 2013 Alex was ordained as a Deacon and has served on the Diaconate’s Mercy Team. Additionally, Alex is currently serving as co-chair of the Local Missions Leadership Team, and both he and Amy are engaged with the work of local missions here in Charlottesville.

Alex expresses two desires for others in our congregation. His first concern is to see many more volunteers for the various programs that serve the Prospect neighborhood (Jobs for Life, Abundant Life, Prospect Prayer Group, and others). Second, because he and Amy found so much loving support from their small group as they have gone through the adoption process, he wants to encourage everyone to experience this special part of church life by making the commitment to join a small group.

Elder DAVID MILLS

David and Eleanor Mills met during their college years at an InterVarsity Leadership camp. After they married and David completed his PhD, they moved to Charlottesville so he could join the UVA faculty. Soon after arriving they met a young pastor and joined a group meeting together to start a new Presbyterian church. The following year, 1976, Trinity was established with the Mills as two of its charter members. David says that our practice of using baskets to receive the offering dates from Eleanor’s provision of her own bread baskets for one of the first services. Founding pastor Skip Ryan asked David to be trained as an elder, joining with three older men to form the church’s first Session. David remembers that prior to being ordained, all were examined by another PCA pastor, Tim Keller, who served a church in Hopewell at the time. Eleanor helped start the Trinity choir and continued to sing with the alto section for more than 30 years.

David remains a professor in the UVA Dept of Economics with a focus on micro-economic theory and regulation of industry. His hobbies include aerobic swimming, genealogy, and gardening—a pastime he shares with Eleanor. She has served Trinity in many ways over the years and has recently been involved with overseeing care of the gardens as well as inside plants and décor. The Mills’ sons were raised at Trinity and after periods of time away, both have returned with their wives to live in Charlottesville. Andrew, a CPA, and Dixie, a nurse-anesthetist, have a two-year-old and a son due to arrive any minute and all are part of Trinity. Jonathan played bass for a number of years with our music programs. He is now a psychiatric nurse practitioner and his wife, Maria, teaches at Venable Elementary.

David has a deep love for Trinity and compassion for its people that is evident as he speaks of Trinity’s long history and the ups and downs encountered along the way. He is encouraged by the continuing arrival of new members and excellent younger officers, an increasingly outward focus in service, and the rekindling of our faith lived out in an unbelieving world. David says he has always seen our people taking care of each other and that while turnover is a natural part of our church, it is encouraging to have those who spent a few years with us return or report their gratitude for the time they were here and the things they learned as part of Trinity. Many have told him that it was their first positive church experience.

SEPTEMBER 2015

The elders and finance committee urge our members to support the work of Trinity Church generously so that we can accomplish our mission without further cutbacks. As Trinity heads into the final three months of the year, we are hoping for at least $840,000 to reach our annual giving goals. September ended with giving behind the Year To Date goal by $33,000. Year To Date spending was exactly on budget. Lower giving, however, and extra funds used from our reserves means that our cash balances are low. We've asked ministries to hold back on discretionary spending where possible as we look forward to increased giving.

UPCOMING EVENTS