Summary of the Stated Session Meeting - January 9, 2012 

The Session of First Presbyterian Church met on Monday, January 9, 2012, at 5:30 pm in the Session Room. Fourteen Elders were present.

The Moderator read from Philippians 2 and Listening to your Life by Frederick Buechner.

The following minutes were approved as amended: Stated Meeting December 12, 2011.

The Session heard and approved the following request: Wedding of Aaron Barrett and Kendyl Mygatt, October 20, 2012.

Order of the Day - Election of Clerk: Motion was made to elect Jennifer Watts clerk of the Session; Elected by acclamation.

Ministry Team reports are, as follows:

Personnel:

2011Christmas giving for the church staff totaled approximately $4,000.

Finance:

The preliminary 2011 year-end report was reviewed. Elder Ray noted that pledges are down from last year with 157 pledges this year while 184 pledges were received last year; however, pledges are still being received and Finance projects $700,000 in pledges for 2012. The Capital Fund Committee will meet with RSI representative Joel Mikell on January 25, 2012.

Worship:

The 2012 summer worship schedule was discussed. From May 27, 2012, to August 5, 2012, there will be one worship service, at 10:00 a.m. Lunch will be served on June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24, July 22, July 29, and August 5. There will be one service on Labor Day weekend, September 2, 2012.

Amended Motion made and passed unanimously to approve a distance variance waiver regarding alcohol sales between First Presbyterian Church and Taylor's Pub consistent with a prior variance given to Petra which stops at existing structure.

Motion to expand the co-op nursery by use of the FPC 3-4 year old room was unanimously approved.

Amended Motion to set aside up to $8,000 for the use of the anniversary committee was unanimously approved.

Motion to budget $500.00 in the 2012 operating budget for Matt Bowman was unanimously approved.

2012 Presbytery dates are February 7^th at Greenwood Presbyterian Church, May 1^st, and October 2^nd at Camp Hopewell. Elders Ann DeVoe and Ben Pettis will serve as Presbytery representatives for 2012.

Reverend Jonathan Scanlon was thanked for his service to First Presbyterian Church.

The next Stated Session meeting will be February 13, 2012, at 5:30 pm in the Session Room.

Clcik on the link below to view the Finance Update:

February Financial Statement

 

 News from the Pews

A FLASH OF HISTORY...AND WHAT IS A SESSION ANYWAY?

                                    by Carole Haney, Anniversary Chair

          As we approach the 175^th birthday celebrations on July 14-15, 2012, I thought I would share a few excerpts directly recorded from the early history of our church. These are recorded in a booklet entitled "The History of the First Presbyterian Church of Oxford, Mississippi" by Maud Morrow Brown (1952). The following is taken directly from her book and, in many cases directly from Session documentation.

          "Lafayette County, Mississippi, was a part of the Chickasaw Cession of 1834 and was organized as a county in February, 1836. Under the terms of the treaty certain of the lands involved were granted by letters patent from the United States Government to individual Indians. Section 21 was thus grated to Ho-Ka, an Indian woman. In June, 1836, Ho-Ka sold this land to Messrs. Chisolm, Martin, and Craig for $800.00. In July of that year these three men sold '50 acres more or less' of this section 21 to the Board of Police of Lafayette county 'as a place on which to locate a seat of justice.' This 'seat of justice' was soon the town of Oxford.

          "In this town one year later, on July 15, 1837, a group gathered in a carpenter's shop to organize a Presbyterian church.

          "The following account is copied from the first session book:

                   'Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi, July 15^th, 1837. Agreeably to a Notice previously given a meeting was held in this place on Saturday the 15^th day of July, A.D. 1837, for the purpose of organizing a Presbyterian church.

                   Preachers Present:

                             Rev'd. Daniel L. Gray

                             Rev'd. Samuel Hurd

                             Rev'd. Jesse Stratton

                             Rev'd. Thos. Davis

          "A sermon was delivered by Mr. Gray from 1^st Kings, 18^th Chapter 21^st verse, 'How long halt ye between two opinions?'

          "The Confession of Faith being explained by Mr. Gray a call was then made for those who had been members previously of the Presbyterian church elsewhere to come forward that they might be recognized and have their names recorded as members....'"

          It was then noted that after some "practical remarks" by the Rev. D. L. Gray on the duties and necessities of Elders in the church, the members elected five Ruling Elders "almost unanimously."

          Continuing in the spring, 1838, it was noted, "In accordance with the ...direction of the session, Mr. Craig provided the little leather bound book in which the proceedings of the session, written with a quill pen in ink now faded, are recorded through April 15, 1878. It contains also the approval with some reservations of the Presbyteries to which it was submitted.

          "Since this history is based for the most part on sessional records, it may not be inappropriate to pause here a moment to speak of the session. The history of Presbyterian churches is largely determined by the character of their ruling elders. Pastors come and go, their influence waxes and wanes, but the session is an abiding factor....The character and personality of the group, their weight and influence in the community must be noted in any study of the church history.   

          "The first group who were elected were pioneer settlers in the little community, and the group was, as it has been ever since, made up of men of varying training and gifts. The arrival of the State University in the community gave assurance that from that time on there would continue to be in the session men of high intellectual training such as there had already been from the first. Associated with these, however, there were always also simple men of gentle spirit and a godliness and purity of life that daily left its impress on the community. Firmness and decision of character, fearlessness and aggressiveness when needed for the kingdom of God have been always notable. The writer has often thought, as from her early childhood she has seen the elders gather for the Lord's supper, that surely nowhere in the world could a group be assembled with more firmness written in their faces. Yet she has seen Col. Barr with his arm around Annie Fulton Hume when she, at five years old, would leave her parents to sit with him in church-but she had to behave! She has seen Dr. Isom wiping his eyes as he turned from the death bed of an old friend--, 'I'm her doctor and I can't do any more!' and Dr. Chandler gentle as a woman with a sick, fractious child. She has seen the long line of boys that Mr. Edgar Kimmons helped to education by caring for them in his own home where surely they got more value from his sweetness of spirit, fearlessness in pursuit of his duty, and blameless life than the University could ever give them. She has known Dr. Somerville with his mind and heart and hand always open to work for God. She calls no names of those still living but the torch is still aflame.

          "The influence of the session of this church on the pastors of the church is also not to be forgotten. The high spiritual ideals of the elders left their imprint on those who came to the pulpit. No man who was consecrated to the things of the spirit could fail to be uplifted and inspired by these contacts. Hence it has often happened that a young preacher who has come to the pastorate eager for organization and enlargement in material development in the church has gone away burning with zeal not only for these but for spiritual growth first of all.

          "And now we return to the records of these men in their dealings with the business of their King. This was mostly of three kinds as recorded in the early books: the reception or dismissal of members, the election of representatives to Presbytery or Synod, and the handling of discipline. The first of these is found in this history in the roll of members...; the second belongs rather to the history of Presbytery or Synod than to that of this church; the third forms an interesting phase in the development of the church but hardly needs a really detailed treatment in this history.

          "The record shows discipline enforced for various offenses: striking a man; profanity on the public square; intemperate use of intoxicating liquors; endeavoring to contract matrimonial alliances when a wife was living in Ohio; dancing or allowing the children to dance; absence without just cause from public worship.

          "The elders took their office seriously and frequently in greatly vexed questions asked elders from neighboring churches to sit with them. They often voted to admonish offenders and to try to bring them to penitence and to a resolve to abstain from offense in the future. In many cases the admonition brought the desired result and the case was closed; if however the offense had been flagrant and public, due announcement was made from the pulpit of the penitence of the offender.

          "Nor did the session spare themselves. Several instances are recorded in which one of the elders himself confessed to his brethren some failure on his part and his sorrow for it. Stern probity and righteousness were their ideals and they considered their office as shepherds of the flock a sacred trust to be tempered by mercy and patience toward the erring. No consideration, however, was allowed to out-weigh what they thought was best for the 'good name and standing of our beloved church.'"

          And so we have some recordings from the earliest history of our "beloved church"...175 years strong.

 _________________________

Youth contributions:

"Our church has been another home for me since we moved here. I love everybody here and I am so glad I have such a loving church."     Sophie Semmes

"First Presbyterian Church is like a second home to me. I love this church and would never change churches."                                                     Anonymous

"The Church has been my life every since I became close to everyone. They are like my second family. I don't know what I would do without the church."

                                                                                                Alli Hayward

FIRST DATES:

Men of the Church meet Tuesdays at 6:45 am for breakfast.

The Diaconate will meet Wednesday, February 8.

Piecemakers meet Wednesdays at 9:00 am and Saturday, February 11 at 1:00 pm in Fellowship Hall.

The Session will meet Monday, February 13 at 5:30 pm in the Session Room.

The Book Club will meet Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 1:30 pm in Conference Room 101.

This month's book is Lanterns on the Levee, by William Alexander.

The Grief Support Group will meet Tuesday, February 28 at 10:00 am at the home of Fannie Elliott.