Laurens Cluster

Present: Lawrence Peebles, Laurie Peebles, Janet Meadows, Kanova Wright, Elaine Bishop, Judi Merritt, Cynthia Beatie, Herb Codington, Neil Crisp, Hampton Hunter, Eunice Ridings, David Bonner, Bruce Mc Murtury

Meeting opened with devotion and prayer

Thank you note from Judi Merritt for assistance with her Israel trip.

Linking Conference

Full backing of Presbytery – Met with them to de-brief. Final totals (finances)?

About 100 registered attendees, others from cluster as well.

On the whole well received, initial reaction –“do it again here”

Information from 8 clusters of churches working together to put into a directory.

Next year we need practitioners to speak

(See article by Diana Stephen)

Recent meeting with folks from Puerto Rico synod at Massachusetts Wee Kirk- possibly help them financially to be able to attend next year.

Continue to have a track on congregational renewal – Annaline Drake, George Bullard, Danny Murphy – possible speakers

Arrange a field trip on Thursday to visit cluster churches

Meal times – designated tables and persons (resource)

Do it again?  Montreat thinks it should happen here, Presbytery $, workshop at Montreat, opportunity to network

Some problems with accessibility at Thornwell, change to PC, if after graduation, meeting soon with PC and Thornwell to set a time to plan.

PC offers the possibility of dorm space and accessibility, Thornwell did not charge for use of its facility.

Next year :

Set up a separate account for the conference

Tape or video conference

Involve other practitioners in the planning process

Train the trainers

Elements to keep :

International link

PFR Renewal Link

Outreach Foundation Link

Transformation Link

Racial Ethnic component

Periodic e-mail to others involved in clustering

Shady Grove Bar B Q Event ??

PC Workday 8-20 or 8-21 What churches need help?  Finalize plans on 7-18

Personal calls to churches not at meeting about both PC Workday and

7-18 event

Preacher Exchange possibilities  7-18

Lisbon – Herb 10:00

Piedmont – Herb 11:15

Bethany – Lawrence 11:00

Lydia – Hampton 9:00

Todd – Bruce 10:15

Little River – Neil 11:00

Joanna – Norman 11:00

Shady Grove – Sadie 11:00

Hampton – Migrant Ministry appeal for assistance

Batesburg-Leesville through the summer months

Next Older Adult Outing – Saturday, July 3 – Montreat parade and picnic to share, leave 1^st Pres – 7:30 AM

Youth Camp – 85 Campers

Bake sale for Federation for Blind did not occur – suggest a donation to them of $250.

Motion made, seconded, carried

Fliers for School Lunches for Haiti distributed

Invite Presbyterian churches as observers to cluster ?  ok

Needs identified from Camp – AMI Kids don’t all have family members involved and available for visitation on Sunday between 2 and 4 PM.  Invite cluster churches to participate with BLT in this outreach.

Judi Merritt is 1/3 of the way to her needed funds for the Israel trip, costs $4500, she currently has $1800.  Trip is Oct 21, she needs to have raised the $$ by August.  $750 from cluster to date, suggest increase by $250 to $1000 total, motion made, seconded and carried.

Meeting at Presbytery early next week

Little River Dominick to do a series – Fall Festival of Faith – “Revival” outreach to surrounding community, Bible study in homes, needs prayer, expertise and choir music. Event scheduled for Oct 24, 31 and November 7.

Disabilities and special needs involvement – special worship services? Location needs to be identified. Sunday PM – Hampton will talk to Jason about this and get more information.

Meeting closed with prayer requests and prayer.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Minutes of Cluster Meeting 5-30-10

Present: Ann Leopard, David Bonner, Alan Arnold, Marcia Bronson, Judi Merritt, Sadie Goldsmith, Bruce Mc Murtury, Elaine Bishop, John Gartrell, Kanova Wright, Herb Codington, Lawrence Peebles, Hampton Hunter, Debbie , Eunice Rydings, Laurie Peebles, Jordan Murphy, Janet Meadows, Ann Felten

Meeting opened with the reading of Psalm 19, a brief devotion and prayer.

Introductions were made for all present.

Presbyterian College Freshman Service Day – no date has been set yet.

Thank you from Joseph Galloway was read

Thornwell – reports that Hayes Noble is no longer with them.

In preparation for the first summer work camp group, the deck has been started by a group from Spears Creek Baptist church.

July 18 is Small Church Sunday, various preachers will rotate among some of the cluster churches that day. Hampton reports that 6 or 8 churches have already indicated an interest in doing this.

Linking Conference – last minutes details.

Registrations – there are currently 41 registered by the Presbytery website. Margaret will send a thank you e-mail to them.

The registration and information table will be set up in the narthex of Thornwell Church. Kanova Wright and Ann Leopard will be in charge of this with other volunteers helping as needed.

Thursday from immediately after the noon lunch until 2:00 there will be tours of the Presbyterian Home for any interested parties. A bus will be waiting at the dining hall to transport them.

Meal preparations are complete. We will not eat any meals outside.

Set up of the dining room for meals and displays will be early Wednesday morning with Bruce and David. Ann Felten will assist in the set up for displays.

Packets for registrants are complete. Marcia will complete bios and workshop descriptions to put in packets. Also an evaluation form and a form to begin a directory of churches involved in some form of cooperative ministry.

In the packets will be the new directory, which also tells what the cluster is and does.

Airport pickup – Laurie Peebles, and the Meadows and Susan Galloway. Wednesday. Raymond Anglin will arrive late Wednesday

Airport returns will be handled as needed.

John Gartrell will set up media for all workshops.

Parking will be directed by Janet Meadows.

Judi has arranged for child care Wednesday evening.

Hampton, Lawrence and Herb will manage honorarium to speakers. They will decide and report back. A motion was made,seconded and carried for this action.

Tuesday events with Moise Sam and Herve Pierre at the Harmony House, the breakfast will be underwritten by the McCullough Church. Noon meal will be “dutch” and evening (7:00 PM) will be a snack for the youth.

Cleanup- Most folks will participate in this.

Alan does not expect to be at Conference due to an impending birth. Danny, Nora, Lisa will represent the Presbytery.

First Aid – Thornwell Nurse will be available during the day, otherwise we would use the ER.

Tape Plenaries? May not be possible. Charles Blackman has the expertise to do this, Bruce will contact him to see if he is available and willing to do this.

Participant list – may be available to hand out the last day.

5th Sunday hymn sing at Presbyterian Home – do we want to continue with this?

Meeting Schedule

June 27 – 2:00 – Shady Grove

August 1 – 2:00 – Little River Dominick

September 12 – 2:00 – ?

October 3 – 2:00 – ?

November 7 – 2:00 Presbyterian Home

December 5 – 2:00 – ?

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Minutes of Cluster Meeting 3-7-10

Present: Donald Marsden (PFF), Bruce Mc Murturey, Elaine Bishop, Herb Codington, John Gartrell, Judi Merritt, David Bonner, Lawrence Peebles, Jean Glenn, Doris Straight, Cynthia, Sadie Goldsmith, Eunice Rydings.

Moderator: Lawrence Peebles

Meeting opened with devotion and prayer

Minutes of 2-7-10 meeting approved as presented

1.Event on Thursday – Lawrence will not be able to attend. This will be the third Presbytery event and will be at Calvary Presbyterian in Winnsboro. A bus will leave CLC at 5:15 PM. The format will be: Panel Discussion, Theory, Displays.
3.Finley Ohio – Reports from Moise and Erve regarding Haiti and the DR and the recent earthquake will be given. To date approximately $20,000 has been given from local efforts to rebuild the La Hatte School. We will have specifics after the board meeting in March.
4.Older Adult Ministry – only 5 attended the trip to the Columbia museum as a result there was no meeting to speak of local and foreign mission projects. Friday 19th the group will leave CLC at 5:00 PM to eat at Yoders. If there is good representation, the meeting will be held during this outing.
5.Legal issues – Lawrence will not be able to do this due to tax season. By-laws and the non-profit status need to be completed. John Ferguson, an attorney who attends First Presbyterian was recommended as a contact person.
6.St. Simons Event – May 3,4,5. Synod of South Atlantic website has particulars. Phil Tom of GA office was to lead a workshop, however, he will be leaving his current position and will not be leading.
7.Federation for the Blind in Laurens County – David Bonner is on the board and is asking how the cluster might be of help to them. It is suggested that a bake sale be held during the Block Party at Lydia Presbyterian and the proceeds go to the Federation for the Blind. A note will be sent to all cluster churches regarding this proposal.
8.David Torrey – supply for Queens and chair of the Presbytery committee for church transformation, working with Danny Murphy on this committee. He is asking for participation on this committee. The person volunteering does not have to be an elder. Bruce Mc Murturey is interested and will contact David Torrey about this.
9.PFR and Outreach Foundation have asked members of the Laurens Cluster to attend the Wee Kirk in Massachusetts to present a workshop on clustering. This is a bi-lingual conference involving the Northeast and Puerto Rican Churches. The Conference is May 11 to 13.
10.Qeeens and 96 have both asked to join the cluster. Queens has already been “adopted” and 96 has gained approval from their session to join. We will need new updated guides to the cluster churches. The cost is now $2000 per 3,000 copies. The first printing was for 6,000 copies and has been exhausted. Phil Tom has given $2000, PFF $500, Outreach foundation $500, David Torrey’s Committee $500, PFR $500 or a total of $4000 for the printing. Someone suggested a printer in the Whitmire church.

Discussion of the layout of the new directory:
1.Page 1 & 2 will have an article introducing the Cluster, who we are, what we are about.
2.The remainder of the directory will introduce the Cluster Churches, no maps and two Churches per page.
3.There will be a section on the key concepts of clustering.
4.A section on the activities of the cluster.I.E. CIH, Mission Possible, Operation Inasmuch, Camp, etc.
5.The agencies the cluster has worked with who are small church friendly: Trinity Presbytery, PFR, PFF, The Outreach Foundation, The GA office, etc.
Motion made, seconded, carried to prepare the new document per plan. Herb will need assistance to complete the information gathering.

Motion to include 96 in cluster, made, seconded and carried.
Suggestion: Oakgrove in Prosperity – should we be reaching out to that small church?

11.Request by Laurens County Disability and Special Needs board to have the cluster churches work with the local agency to provide special events in the 20 cottages where clients of the DSN reside. Churches will be encouraged to make individual determinations about “adopting” a cottage.
12.June Event: Need Worship Planning committee – 3 services during conference
Skip Stansell will speak the first night, possibly PC President another night, Need determination of Preaching, Music, etc. Paul Detterman suggested to work with the worship committee. For the evening worship events and plenary we will invite churches in Joanna, Lydia Mill, Mountville and Whitmire to attend.
There will be a Friday lunch post conference at Bethany to debrief main speakers and workshop leaders.

We need to have a T-shirt designed with the logo of the Conference and website of Cluster on reverse side for volunteers to identify them to the attendees. Cost will be approximately $300 for the T-shirts. Motion made, seconded and carried to proceed with the T-shirts and with Laurie Peebles as the designer.

During the conference we would like to honor Phil Tom for his interest and support to the cluster. With a plaque and a letter of appreciation. Motion made, seconded and carried.

Next meeting – April 11 at Thornwell – 3:00 PM
May 2 also at Thornwell – 3:00 PM
June 6 at Presbyterian Home – 3:00 PM

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Minutes of Cluster Meeting 2-7-10

Present: Bruce Mc Murtury, Sadie Goldsmith, Neil Crisp, Norman Dover, Hampton Hunter, Herb Codington, Tina Childress, Jean Glenn, Doris Straight, Elaine Bishop, Janet Meadows, John Gartrell, David Bonner, Ann Felten

Meeting Opened in Prayer

Presentation of information regarding St. Simons Event and Massachusetts event following on May

June Event – Brochures presented

Accommodations: complete list is on our website. Columbia has only a few options listed on Presbytery website.

Deadline for registration is 5-15-10 (Please let us know by that time if you plan to attend.)

Food for event: Wednesday _ Covered Dish Dinner
Chicken strips
Veggies
Mac & Cheese
Bread & Rolls
Salads
Desserts

Thursday _ Lunch
Sandwiches
Tea, lemonade
Cookies

Thursday _ Dinner
Wise Bar B Q $7.00 to $7.50 per person
Banana Pudding

Begin to promote the event in the cluster churches and other churches close by.

Announcement on the floor of Presbytery ?

Optional use of Gymnasium at Thornwell for Mission Fair and Store . Dining room at Thornwell will seat 310 maximum. If eating outdoors need 40 tables and 300 chairs

The registration fee of $50 is to cover cost of 3 meals and snacks and drinks.

Snacks between sessions : Coffee, Water, Cookies

Members of Laurens Cluster Churches will be charged $10 each, Volunteers will not be charged, but may not be able to attend much of the conference due to volunteer needs.

Haiti Report – Herb Codington

Event for March 11th presentation by cluster members in Winnsboro at Calvary Presbyterian. Participants need to be at 1st Presbyterian at 5:15 PM for bus to Winnsboro.
We will use the panel approach followed by reports from various ministries of cluster and displays from these ministries.

Suggested practice for Cluster – To better serve each other, the Cluster would focus on one congregation for period of time. Attend their events, pray for and encourage that congregation. Help them to start up a specific ministry, etc.

Proposal – Cluster host one weekend for exploratory dimension of SSJ for the cluster churches.

Report from Older Adult Ministry

Next event : February 16, meet at 1st Presbyterian’s CLC at 9:00 AM to go to State Museum in Columbia. Meeting will be held over lunch.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Present: Hampton Hunter, John Gartrell, Cynthia Beatie, Elaine Bishop, Janet Meadows, David Bonner, Bruce McMurtury, Webster Curry, Doris Straight, Eunice Rydings, Lawrence Peebles, Neil Crisp, Herb Codington, Ann Felten

Meeting opened with prayer

Hampton – Treasurer’s Report: $100 less than what we started at the begging of the month, contributions from Thornwell, Saxe Gotha, Lisbon, and Presbytery.

Herb, Lawrence, Hampton discussed finances for June event: to date we have $5500 in cash or pledges, Presbytery will contribute, permission requested to open an account for the June event – this should cover $3500 -  General Assembly, $1500 Outreach Foundation, $500 Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship. Presbyterians for Renewal offered to produce flyers.

E-Mails read from those interested in small cluster event in Laurens and thank you for coffee and information.

Regrets from Alan Arnold who could not be here today.

Herb passed out flyer for June event for inspection as well as literature about clustering featuring Laurens Co. Smaller Church Cluster.

1. Discussion of Clustering Event in June 2010.

Herb is suggesting 10 – $200 scholarships, 1 for each of the Wee Kirk gatherings throughout the country – to help some to attend the June event. (Provision follows vision.) Motion made, seconded and passed for a total of $2000 for this.

Columbia Seminary and other Presbyteries will distribute the flyers.  There are few seminaries that offer coursework in ministry to smaller congregations.

2. Laurens event this Thursday, 14^th at First Presbyterian in Laurens, 7:00 to 8:30, we need to be there at 6:00 to set up room and displays. Bring cookies and pop.

a. Panel discussion

b.1-2 minute blip on displays before folks visit them

c. Theory – Herb

3. Haiti and DR – spring break mission trip for students – Wee Kirk wants it offered to new pastors as well.  1^st week of March – continuing ed. for pastors, they need to see a cross-cultural experience to know how to be more effective in states. Marilyn Borst and Bonnie Sue Lewis will also be in attendance. It would be useful for Sadie Goldsmith to go as well – she is also on the planning team for the St. Simons event in May.  Phil Tom is providing a grant for $2000 for this, PFR $500 for the event. The cost includes $550 in country expenses plus airfare. Sadie will receive $300 from the grants for travel, could the cluster also assist with her costs?? Motion made, seconded and passed for a $550 scholarship for Sadie. PC students attending may receive some assistance from First Presbyterian.

4. Older Adult outing – Tuesday, 12^th, need to be at 1^st Pres. CLC at 10:00 AM to go to Sheeley’s.

5. Focus on one of cluster churches for 3-month period of time:

prayer support

special services, special music, etc.

promote their plans, events

enhance their ministries

walk with and serve this church

Lawrence and Herb will write a formal proposal to submit to the sessions of the cluster churches.

6. Hayes Noble – installed today at Thornwell, would like to participate in cluster meetings, but Sunday is his busiest day of the week.  Could we meet occasionally on a Thursday afternoon or evening? Lawrence will visit with him about this.

Next meeting will be Sunday, Feb 7 @ 3:00 PM @ Thornwell

Meeting closed with prayer, Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Cluster Minutes 12-06-09

Present: Lawrence Peebles, Little River; Bob Bryant, Duncan Creek; Calley Weir, Duncan Creek; Cynthia Beatie, Little River; Elaine Bishop, Joanna; Herb Codington, Bethany; Doris Straight, Bethany; Norman Dover, Shady Grove; Hampton Hunter, Lisbon; Janet Meadows, Shady Grove; Gordon Meadows, Shady Grove; Ann Leopard, Shady Grove; John Gartrell, Bethany; Ann Felten, Bethany.

Meeting opened in prayer

1.Communication and Organizational Issues

Do we have an EIN number?  Milling Blaylock has found no file on the Cluster

By-Laws and Incorporation Papers need to be completed before June Event

Suggested that we start over with this project

We need only rudimentary By-laws. Question as to what happened to the By-laws sent to the churches in 2002.  They seem to have been lost since that time.

2.Clustering Promotion Event in Abbeville went well. About 8 churches attended. The next event like this will be January 14 (Thursday) 7:00-8:30 PM @ Laurens First Presbyterian.  January event will use a panel; little theory will be presented, but emphasis on the June event.  Set up will have to be a little more functional for attendees to interact with the presenters and displays. We will have to be there earlier to do this.

3. Officer training event – attendance was only 3 each time. Needs a broader appeal, information for more than just elders. Bible Study, Mission Fair, Optional workshops suggested, but not before June event – perhaps next fall.

4. Sponsorship of La Hatte School in Haiti discussed. They have 150 students and 11 teachers and staff. Herb and Finley will see them when they go to the pastors conference tomorrow. Information about the sponsorship by the cluster churches will be taken to all the cluster churches. Bruce will see Whitmire and Queens. Contact for Owings is Charles Blackman (864-833-9068)

5. June event – June 2,3,4 2010 on clustering “Linking for Ministry”

Presbytery will do the registrations on line and manage the $$.

Herb will introduce the concept and the cluster development to date.

All Churches will need to participate.  Final decisions about the schedule and the workshop offerings will be made before the first of the year.

A list of 15 event responsibilities was presented.  Herb and Lawrence will co-direct the event. Doris, Elaine B. and Ann Leopard will coordinate Housing and Meals.  Thornwell will be asked to coordinate the worship element. Finley will be asked to manage the workshop support. Mission Fair and Store – Ann Felten, Presbytery staff will be financial officers and registrar. Lawrence and Herb will MC the event. Other areas include Volunteer coordination for Greeting, Hosts, Child Care, Refreshments, Clean up. Publicity and promotion, t-shirts for volunteers, transportation will also have to be addressed.

6. Gift to small churches in the Presbytery – There are 35-40 of the 67 churches qualify as small. Gift will include coffee from Haiti, Card imprinted with Cluster, Letter to Churches, Book regarding benefits of clustering, announcement of the June 2010 event. A motion was made, seconded and carried to provide $400 to complete this project.

Next meeting Jan 10, 2010 @ Thornwell, February meeting on 7^th at Little River Dominick, March 7 at Shady Grove, April 11 at Todd Memorial.

Meeting closed in prayer

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten clerk of Cluster

Cluster Minutes 11-01-09

Present: Ann Fuller, Herb Codington, Hampton Hunter, Lawrence Peebles, Neil Crisp, Ann Leopard, David Bonner, Bruce Mc Murtury, John Gartrell, Germain Di Sasa, Ann Felten, Eunice Ridings

Meeting Opened with devotions from Revelation and Prayer

Unfinished Business

Organizational Issues :

Structure of Organization;
EIN #, currently do not have one;
By-laws , sent to churches for approval, not completed;
Name, Greater Laurens County Cluster of Smaller Membership Presbyterian Churches
This was moved, seconded and carried as the official name of the organization. Incorporation papers;
Tax exempt status, this will cost $300 now
Attorney was Milling Blalock (now retired)
Will probably need to file tax form next year 2010
Motion made, seconded, carried for Lawrence to move ahead on this.

Abbeville Event: November 12 , 6:30 -8:00 PM
Format: 1. Panel discussion
2. Theory of Clustering
3. Displays – Networking

Clustering Conference – Linking Event

Business Cards for those with displays to allow attendees to contact those who have already done the various activities – Display Folks ( Name, Event, Contact Info )

We will need an army of volunteers to do what needs to be done

Pot Luck dinner on Wednesday evening

Cluster Dinner @ Lisbon November 15, 6:00 PM

Invite Owings, Whitmire, Queens – Bruce
Thornwell – Ann
Duncan Creek, Bob Bryant – John
Rocky Springs – Neil
Charles Richenbaugh – Ninety Six – Ann

New Business – Herb to go to Haiti, Lawrence is not able to go at this time.

Urbana Herb will be taking a group and requests assistance financially for students who will not have any help from either PC or Thornwell. Motion made, seconded and carried.

CIH update.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Cluster Minutes 10-04-09

Present:Herb Codington, Bruce Mc Murtury, Hampton Hunter, John Gartrell, Lawrence Peebles, Ann Felten

Meeting opened in prayer

Introduction – potential sponsorship of Haiti, La Hatte School by cluster

This would mean promoting the sponsoring of children at La Hatte, this school is in the poorest area and is the second smallest of the Mission Possible Schools. Herb would like to see a Boy Scout camp out there. He will be going again to the Pastors’ Conference, December 7th to 11th. At this time Steve Lancaster is planning to go with Herb. He has also asked Finley Sutton Thornwell’s Christian Educator to go and Lawrence is also considering going to the Conference in December. His role would be a “visioning” trip on behalf of the cluster. The in-country expenses are about $325 and with flight costs the total is about $800 per person. If Little River Dominick would provide some $$ for the trip, the cluster could supply the rest. Motion made, seconded and passed to provide up to $800 from cluster funds for Lawrence.

Herb has referred to Acts referral to Fergia, Galatia, and Troas and the Man of Macedonia as biblical examples. He also spoke of opened doors and blocked ways. It was moved, seconded and passed that the Cluster will adopt La Hatte School as its special project. It was suggested that a powerpoint presentation be created and presented to each of the cluster churches, asking them to participate. Our goal will be to raise the $30,000 needed for the school to function on an annual basis as well as to encourage the teachers and staff and students with prayer and contact via “Operation Priceless”, other correspondence and care packages.

As there is a trip planned to the area in December, we would promote La Hatte school in February and March.

Discussion of March continuing education event – Herb has invited Marilyn Borst to go to DR with the next group from here.

Officer Training @ Lisbon, November 1, 8, and 15. Among other things would be instruction on how the Presbyterian Church works. Continuing Ed. For current officers as well as new or potential officers. On the 15th there will be a Cluster-wide covered dish meal following the class at 6:00 PM. At this event coming events will be introduced and promoted. Motion made, seconded and carried for this event.

Next event is the Shabbat Meal on 10-16-09 and further instruction on Saturday, 10-17-09 with Steven Lancaster and his wife Donna. Churches to call and inform were alotted to Lawrence, Hampton, Bruce, Herb and me.

Thornwell is to have it’s new pastor, Hayes Noble the 3rd Sunday of October.

Christmas International House will be getting revved up shortly. To date we do not have any students. We still need a church to volunteer for the International Dinner.

The Older Adult Ministry will have a trip to the mountains on 10-27, to see the leaves and have a picnic; leaving from First Pres at 9:00 AM.

90 Minute event in Abbeville 11-12-09.

Urbana Mission Conference in St. Louis– Dec 27 to 31, PC students have scholarship from Presseau Fund, does the cluster want to provide scholarship to college students not attending PC? These would be students from cluster churches. I.E. Kathleen Brown, Mollie Demott, Lawrence’s daughter if wanted to attend. Motion made, seconded and carried to provide $300 per student or a total of $1000 to up to three students who want to attend Urbana, but do not have other assistance.

Initial flyer – save the date- for Conference in June 2010 presented – “Linking for Ministry”

John will put a page on our website with space for name and contact information to be e-mailed to cluster e-mail. Meeting of planning group Thursday, October 29 at noon at Thornwell.

Thank you note from CEF Joanna and Shady Grove for funds for the program at Joanna school.

Treasurer’s report : as of 8-31-09 we had $7,127.66 in cluster funds.

Meeting closed with prayer.

Next meeting Sunday, November 1, 2009 at Lisbon 2:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Ann Felten, Clerk of Cluster

Notes from Task Force meeting re: Cluster Conference 2010            Oct, 2, 2009

Present: Lawrence Peebles, Lisa Mallory, Nora Hope, Sadie Goldsmith, Charlotte Johnson, John Gartrell, Herb Codington, Doris Straight, Bruce Mc Murtury, Hampton Hunter, Eunice Ridings

Intent: To investigate the feasibility of the Laurens Cluster doing a Clustering Conference.

Herb introduced some resources : Lyle Schaller, From Geography to Affinity;  Phil Butler, Well-Connected; Surrat, Ligon, Bird, Multi-site Church Revolution; Diana Steven, Cooperative Ministry.

1. Clustering is not new
2. Clustering has not been done as a Conference
3. Cluster is already planning to do three events on clustering

Potential keynote speakers: Phil Tom – available first week in June, latter part of week

• Diana Steven
• Marilyn Borst
• Cody Watson
• George Bullard
• Tom Malone –works with a cluster

10 Clusters – contact information

Develop promotional flyer – save the date type card

Venue – PC – Hartness-Thornwell Church and Dining Room

Components – Volunteers

Leadership – Herb

Venue – Doris, Alan will call John re: PC

Dates – June 2 to June 4

Save the Date card ready by Wee Kirk

Notice initial – Nora, John, Herb, Sadie

Program – Agenda – Leaders and Alan

Accomodations – Hotels – group rates – Doris

PC – Hampton

Camp Fellowship – Charlotte

Registration, Publicity, Finances (fees and cost) John, Lisa (what can Presbytery do?)

Meals – cost is part of registration fee

1 meal – soup and bread and dessert – Cluster Churches?

Publicity – John, Lisa, Bruce

Contacting Clusters – Herb and Ann

Name of Conference – Spiritual Vitality for Cooperative Ministry, Linking for Ministry, Together We Can

Publicity Team will decide – needs to be ready by Wee Kirk to distribute including: Name, Dates, and short blurb

Next Meeting Thursday, October 29, 2009 at Noon at Thornwell , back of church, classrooms, first classroom on left after entering building.