By The Rev. Dr. Carl Grosse

In this installment, I’d like to highlight some organizational markers for the year to date so you know more about what’s going on in that department. 

• We hired Ashton Hicks for the new Church Administrator position. The role covers a range of responsibilities such that Business Manager or Operations Director might be valid titles. Like all of you, Ashton is a gift from God who brings a wonderful servant heart with his amazing skills and abilities. 
• We conducted an audit using an external firm, giving us important details on what we’re doing right and where we can improve. Already we made small changes to how we count and record donations, and we strengthened our controls for expenditures.  We’re updating policies and looking at better ways to create financial reports. 
• The Youth Committee is doing an excellent job of maintaining that ministry while also reviewing what we might need for staffing. They will provide a recommendation to the Personnel and Faith Formation committees sometime in Q1 of 2025. 
• Current and elected Session members went through officer training. We learned how the Presbyterian system works in our congregation, and we got practical help on running effective committees, including budgeting. 
• Session approved updated bylaws that reflect current organizational structures and processes. 
• Dan Rhea, our Clerk of Session, is working on getting our Minutes and Church Register current. This project requires way more hours than you might think. 
• A church management software product called Realm® was purchased to replace PowerChurch. During October and November we will move data into Realm®, run parallel in December to make sure everything works, then cut over in January. 
• Your PNC is getting close to posting the new pastor position on the PCUSA’s Church Leadership Connection website.

Working on these projects has given me first-hand exposure to how caring and hard-working your leaders are. You’re blessed to have Session and committee members who genuinely love God and want to help make Fountain City Presbyterian Church a vital, effective witness of God’s love for the world. Individually, these organizational markers might not look very noble or saintly. I am convinced that all the work put into them is sincerely done for Christ and for you, and I’m honored to work alongside the folks putting in amazing time and effort behind the scenes. Thank them.