The Shallowford Session consists of 25 elders (or leaders) to govern the 11 active committees that make up the church (committees listed below). To become an elder, you commit to serve a three-year term. Elders come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. The session includes a balance of individuals whose ages range widely from 17 to 78, including a youth elder who serves a one-year term.

Meeting Highlights

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Approve minutes of Called Session Meeting on December 15, 2024 to receive new members.
  • Approve minutes of the Stated Session Meeting on December 18, 2024.
  • Approve minutes of Congregational Meeting on January 12, 2025, to approve the 2025 Budget and Installed Pastors’ Terms of Call.
  • Approve December Membership Report totaling 979 members.
  • Approve 2024 Church Statistical Report.
  • Call a Congregational Meeting for March 30, 2025 for the purpose of electing officers.

Financial Report – Mike Johnson and Andrew Lyles reviewed the December 2024 preliminary financials and 2024 preliminary Year-End Financials. Some expenses are still out, some significant for heating costs, but Shallowford will still end the year favorable to budget with some expected surplus. End-of-year 2024 cash balance is 31% higher than 2023.

Review Khai Samte’s Candidacy for Ordination – Anna reviewed the steps to ordination in the PCUSA. Pastor Khai desires to become a candidate for ordination under the care of our session.  Anna introduced Khai. He was ordained in India and is currently the pastor of the Zo American Presbyterian Church. Khai shared his faith journey, and session members were invited to ask questions. The Session unanimously endorsed his candidacy for ordination. Prue Swerlick will serve as his session liaison.

Personnel Committee Report –

  • Anna’s maternity leave will be Jan. 27-May 3, 2025.
  • Bradley Bond will serve as acting head of staff. 
  • David Rogers will serve 15 hours per week to help with pastoral care and occasional preaching. 
  • Landon Dillard, Associate Pastor for Faith Formation, and Rev. Joseph Jumper, Associate Pastor for Mission and Youth, will continue in their roles.

Committee & Staff Updates –

  • Joseph reports that confirmation has started. Super Bowl of Caring is Feb. 9. Please bring in assigned items for the food pantry.
  • Bradley reports that the next Discovering Shallowford class will be January, 26, 2025, at 9:30 am. Elders Diane Prucino, Carolyn Shaffer and Billy Kendall will attend. 
  • Lucas is forming a women’s chorus to sing in worship on March 30. Rehearsals will be Sundays in March after 11 am worship and will be 30 minutes long. All Shallowford women are encouraged to participate.   

Youth Ministry Spotlight – Joseph gave an overview of the Youth program: Sunday night activities, Sunday school, small groups (a favorite!) and trips. There may be changes to the Sunday night programming in the spring to divide the middle and high school youth into more manageable groups. Will need volunteers to help teach Sunday school in the spring as Joseph is leading confirmation class. Please sign up! February 9 th is youth Sunday.

Approved Session Action Forms – SAF 2025.01 Approve 2025 Communion Dates/Offerings  

Meeting was adjourned with prayer at 8:15 pm.

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Approve Minutes of Stated Session Meeting, November 20, 2024.
  • Approve November Membership Report totaling 976 members.
  • Approve the baptism of James Arthur Tashiro, son of Kim and Andrew Tashiro, on March 23, 2025.

Stewardship Update –

2025 Budget:

  • Number of pledges toward 2025 operating budget: 252
  • 2025 pledge total so far: $1,769,402, this is $30K off aspirational goal, and $50K over last year’s pledges

2025-2028 Capital Campaign

  • Number of pledges toward Ripple Effects Capital Campaign: 197
  • Capital Campaign pledge total so far: $3,431,969

Discussion Questions Raised by the Greater Atlanta Presbytery –

  • Name a time when the presbytery helped your church fulfill its mission.
  • Name a time when the presbytery could have been more helpful in assisting your church to fulfill its mission.
  • What does it mean to your church to be Presbyterian?
  • How does being Presbyterian impact your ability to reflect Christ in your community? 

Committee chairs are to discuss these questions, and Clerk of Session forwarded to presbytery office before January 15, 2025.

Approved Session Action Forms

  • SAF 2024.20 – Approve the Support & Endowment Policy Revision to allow the growth from the Endowment Fund to support the ongoing ministries of Shallowford while continuing to protect and grow the principal of the investment.  
  • SAF 2024.23 – Approve the 2025 operating budget.

Meeting was adjourned with prayer at 8:30pm.

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Approve minutes of Stated Session Meeting, October 16, 2024
  •  Approve October Membership Report – totaling 976 members

Financial Report – Mike Johnson provided an overview of the financial results for October 2024.

  • Revenue is unfavorable to budget by $21K.
  • Expenses are higher due to payments to mission partners.
  • Year to date income is slightly below budget and expenses are about $39K below budget.
  • Available cash is $282K.
  • Andrew noted that revenue is expected to be flat at the end of the year; however, around or
    better in revenue month over month so we are in a good place.
  • Budget requests have been received and the finance committee is renewing them.

Update on Solar Recommendations for SPC Campus– Andrew Lyles reported the Finance committee reviewed six proposals from 4 to 5 vendors. There are options to purchase or lease the solar panels. Finance committee believes purchasing is the better option. Next steps are to bring the Green Team up to speed and have them do a little more digging on investing in a more complete system. Finance committee will continue to work with Green Team

Ripple Effects Capital Campaign Progress Report – Michael Hoffer reports that the Capital Campaign smashed the goal by almost $500k. Project team is meeting soon to finalize budget and cash flow proposal to send to the Session for approval. Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the
successful Capital Campaign!

2025 Annual Stewardship Campaign Progress Report – Stewardship goal is close. We are about $50K behind last year. The goal is $1.8 million and we are at $1.6 million. Stewardship committee and Bradley have made many phone calls this week to folks that pledged in the past that haven’t pledged yet this year. Confident they can reach the goal.

Youth Ministry Spotlight – Joseph gave an overview of the Youth program: Sunday night activities, Sunday school, small groups (a favorite!) and trips. There may be changes to the Sunday night programming in the spring to divide the middle and high school youth into more manageable groups. Will need volunteers to help teach Sunday school in the spring as Joseph is leading confirmation class. Please sign up! February 9 th is youth Sunday.

Approved Session Action Forms

  • SAF 2024.21 – Approve Offering at Sounds of Christmas Concert, December 15, 2024
  • SAF 2024.22 – Approve a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 12, 2025 (after worship) to approve 2025 Budget and Installed Pastors’ Terms of Call.

Meeting was adjourned with prayer at 7:57pm.

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Minutes from Called Session Meeting to receive New Members September 1, 2024
  • Recap of Session Items and vote from September 2024
  • Minutes from Called Session Meeting to receive New Members September 22, 2024
  • September Membership Report – 978 Members

Shallowford Presbyterian School – Meredith Moseley Head of School reported on the following:

  • Reviewed SPS mission statement: At SPS, our mission is to nurture the whole child by accepting uniqueness and developing an academic, spiritual, and social foundation.
  • Current Enrollment is 133 students, 2-year-old through 8th grade; 35 staff members
  • Students support Shallowford missions including St. Francis School in Haiti, Shallowford Food Pantry, LaAmistad and more.
  • Cognia Certification in 2022
  • SPS contributes financially to the maintenance of Shallowford and to the church’s operating budget.
  • Ways SPC can support Shallowford School include contribution to the Judy Hemenway Tuition Assistance Program, substitute teach, and read to classrooms.
  • Joy of Giving Program returns this year on Dec. 7. Meredith encouraged all to participate.

Financial Report – Mike Johnson provided an overview of the financial results for September 2024.

  • Revenue is favorable to budget by $12K.
  • Expenses are favorable to budget.
  • Year-to-date income is slightly below budget and expenses are about $90K below budget.
  • Available cash is $248K.
  • Mike noted a sizeable pledge payment was made in Sept. that was not recorded but will be reflected in the Oct. financials
  • Committee budget draft requests due Oct. 31

Ripple Effects Capital Campaign Progress Report – Rev. Traynham reports we have received 54 pledges totaling $2.3 Million. Once all pledges are made, the budget for the projects will be developed.

2025 Annual Stewardship Campaign Progress Report

  • 45 families have pledged to the annual campaign
  • Please submit pledges by Oct. 27, before follow up calls begin.

Meeting was adjourned with prayer at 8:20pm.

Due to the Capital Campaign Leadership Event, there was no formal Session Meeting held during the month of September. The Omnibus motion and below and supporting documents were distributed via email.

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Minutes of Stated Session Meeting, August 18, 2024
  • Minutes of Called Session Meeting to Receive New Members, August 25, 2024
  • Minutes of Called Session Meeting to Receive New Member, September 1, 2024
  • August Membership Report – 975 Members
  • Approve Baptism of the son of Toby and Monica Isaac, in 11:00am worship on September 22, 2024
  • Approve Baptism of the daughter of Joel and Maki Carmical, in 11:00am worship on October 20, 2024
  • Approve Baptism of the daughter of Nichole and Nathan Crocker, in 11:00am worship on December 15, 2024
  • Approve Baptism of the daughter of Julia Styles and Derek DeJesus in 11:00am on December 22, 2024

The motion passed with no objections.

Omnibus Motion – The following items were approved:

  • Minutes of Congregational Meeting, June 2 ,2024 to call Rev. Joseph Jumper as Associate Pastor for Mission and Youth
  • Minutes of stated Session Meeting, June 19, 2024
  • Minutes of Congregational Meeting July 14, 2024, to vote on Rev. Landon Dillard’s move to Installed Pastor
  • June membership Report – 991 Members
  • July membership Report – 975 Members

Asia Lerner’s Candidacy For Ordination – Rev. Traynham introduced Asia Lerner who has been an Inquirer under the Shallowford Session’s care Asia is applying to move to the Candidate phase of the ordination process. Asia introduced herself and spoke a little of her faith journey. She was questioned by the Session. The Session unanimously endorsed her enrollment as a Candidate for Ordination.

Financial Report – Mike Johnson provided an overview of the financial results for July, 2024.

  • Revenue is flat to budget.
  • Expenses are lower than budget by about 15K due to lower spending in outreach and faith and fellowship categories.
  • Year to date income is about $37K below budget and expenses are about $96K below budget.
  • Available cash is $293K. Rev Traynham pointed out that the size in cash on hand for the past couple of years is in part due to the Payroll Protection program during COVID.

Capital Campaign Progress Report – Rev. Traynham shared the logo for the Capital campaign. The theme is Ripple Effects. She noted over 100 church members attended one or more of the four listening sessions held this summer. Based on feedback, the congregation is most excited about improving accessibility. The priorities and accessibility project ideas have shifted based on that feedback.

Personnel Report – Dianne Smith reported that following the presentation of Update to Medical Insurance Policy for Pastors-SAF 2024.19 at the May Session meeting, some session members voiced concern about cutting benefits to our pastors. After further discussion and consideration with members of the Finance Committee, the Personnel Committee is withdrawing the SAF. The committee will be discussing benefits options pastor by pastor – some may choose family benefits through their spouses. The committee will revisit the situation year by year.

Meeting was adjourned with prayer at 8:30pm.

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