Here is an update on our progress to date. We have completed the Church Information Form. After the Session approves it, we will send it to the Presbytery for their approval. Once that happens, we will begin to receive Personal Information Forms (resumes) from prospective pastors. 

  

SESSION MEETING - MARCH 4, 1964  (condensed)

A meeting of the Session of Faith United Presbyterian Church was held at 8 PM, March 4, 1964 in the former First Church building with the following elders present:  John Kritzer, Arnott Keating, David Allison, Allen Morrill, Thomas Wallace, James Lipes, Dorothy Beveridge, Katherine White, David Hallam, Gerald Carlson, Donald Patterson, Samuel Thompson, Harry Rhea, J. Douglas Connell, James Armstrong, Merritt Jewell, John Simpson, Harry Manley, Glen Rankin, James Marshall and James Ebersole.  Also present was the moderator, Rev. H. D. Finley and David Moffet, chairman of the Board of Trustees.  By action of the Session the following elders were excused:  Harry Royer, Adrian Wells and Glenn Parsons. 

• Report by Clerk of Session regarding progress being made in compiling the roll of Faith Church.  Transfers out approved for Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson to Sugar Tree Grove; Maud Albert to UCC Port Byron, IL; Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Frazier and Miss Paula Frazier to First Congregational, Emporia, KS; and Mr. and Mrs. Harold Sanders to First United Presbyterian, Canton, IL. Communication read from Hugh Lamson Moffet, stating that since he is now a member of a church in Evanston, IL, his name should be removed from the roll of Faith Church, approved. 

• Report from Trustees:  Request made that the Session authorize the establishment of a special trust fund in the following name:  FAITH UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MONMOUTH, ILL. BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT FUND.  Moved and carried.

• Church Treasurer: Motion by Kritzer, second by Thompson, that Mrs. Katherine White be asked to serve as Church Treasurer through the annual meeting of the congregation to be held in January 1965.  Carried.

• Report of the Worship Committee presented by Samuel Thompson as chairman, as follows:  The Worship Committee met on Sunday, March 1, 1964 at the home of Samuel Thompson, chairman.  Present were the chairman and James Lipes, Arnott Keating and David Hallam, committee members.  Also present was the Rev. Wm. Phillippe, serving in an advisory capacity.  The committee also met just prior to this Session meeting with all members in attendance and with Dr. Finley present as an advisor.  The committee makes the following recommendations:

1. That the Session reaffirm its continued and increasing interest in the phase of the work of Faith Church in the months and years ahead in the former Ninth Avenue Church building.  Building is to be retained by Faith Church as the center of its youth and special interest program to the area in which it is located. Since this building is definitely to be retained and extensively used as a part of Faith Church and since it is entirely likely that two of the other three buildings now a part of Faith Church will not be used in the church program, the Session further is of the opinion that services of worship during the period of time immediately preceding the decision as to which of the three buildings, First, Second, or Grace, will be finally used, should be rotated on a two month basis among these three churches and that this rotation be on the following schedule:  April and May in Grace Building; June and July in Second Church building; August and September in First Church building.  Services to be held at the hours of 9:30 and 11:00 AM except during the months of June, July and August when services shall be at 8:30 and 11:00 AM.
2. The downstairs room at Second Church building to be set up with a worship center and public address system when this building is in use in order that those having difficulty in climbing stairs may more conveniently attend and participate in the corporate worship of the church.
3. That an order of worship be worked out by the stated supply pastors with the understanding that the following shall be included:  Processional Hymn (when the choir participates), Call to Prayer, Payer (responsively) of Confession, Assurance of Forgiveness in Christ, Gloria Patri, one or more anthems by a choir or by a soloist, etc, reading from the Holy Scriptures both Old and New Testament, Offering prayer which may be followed by a Prayer Hymn if so desired, Sermon, use at times of the Apostles' Creed or other appropriate creed of the church, Recessional Hymn (when choir participates), and Benediction to be followed by a brief period of silent meditation, choral response.  The exact order of these components to be varied and adapted from time to time.  The committee also recommends the use of responses in which the officiant, people and choir take part.  
4. The music staff of Faith Church function as a unit with the first Sunday in April and that the following be asked to serve in the capacities hereinafter set forth:  C. P. Patterson, choir director; Mrs. Douglas Peterson, Director of Youth Choirs (i.e. High School, Choristers, Carolers, Cherub, etc. as may seem feasible); Elwood Ball, organist and interim chairman of the music staff and Mrs. Lloyd Arthur, assistant organist, all appointments to be worked out in consultation with the Board of Trustees.  The committee further calls attention to the Directory for Worship which explicitly states that the pastor of the church is in charge of overseeing the music staff and that he, together with the Session, shall direct the musical activities of the staff.
5. That the Sacrament of Holy Communion be observed at both services of worship on Sunday, May 31 and that the Sacrament of Baptism be administered at one or both services on Sunday, April 19.  Also, that a service of Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday be held in the former First Church building at 7:30 PM, March 26, 1964.
6. That the preaching be divided among the stated supply pastors with Mr. Phillippe to have the heavier schedule during April and May but that the sermon on April 5 be preached by Dr. Finley.

• Report of the Christian Education Committee:

1. Motion to approve a trip by Senior High students of Faith Church, by public conveyance, to visit National Mission work in Chicago, carried. Moved and carried that the financing of this project and other such projects be referred to the Strategy Committee for a recommendation to the Session.
2. Moved and carried that church school promotions in the various former church groups be held as planned during June.

• Noted by Armstrong, chairman of the Evangelism Committee, that the names of prospective members of faith Church should be submitted to him or a member of the Evangelism Committee at once.

• Report from the Strategy Committee:  Motion made and carried that a Session retreat be scheduled and that Elder Ebersole be in charge of inviting the Rev. Ellis Butler of Chicago to be present to lead the retreat, with scheduling to be done in consultation with him, with a report to be made to the Session as soon as possible regarding a time for the retreat.

• Motion made and carried by Connell, that a newsletter be sent from time to time to the membership of Faith Church regarding the progress being made and plans formulated.

• Moved by Marshall, second by Simpson, that Mrs. James Lipes be named a representative from Faith Church to the Monmouth Council of Churches, carried. 

• It was agreed by the Session that persons be named by the Committee on Nominations to record the histories of the former congregations now a part of Faith Church in order that these histories may be properly preserved.

• Ebersole reported to the Session that the Rev. Mr. Ayoub had borrowed the sum of $300 from the former Ninth Avenue Church prior to the union of the churches and that it now appears that he is unable to repay this loan.  Following discussion it was moved by Ebersole, second by Connell, that this loan not be collected. Carried.

• Next Session meeting to be held at 8:00 PM, March 18 in the former First Church building.  Carried.

• By agreement the following were named as commissioners to the regular meeting of Monmouth Presbytery on March 17, 1964 at Trinity United Presbyterian Church, Alexis, IL:  Katherine White, Harry Rhea and David Hallam.

• Request made by moderator Rev. Finley for permission to be away from the city on March 9 through 12.  Permission granted by agreement.