January 2025

1984.

February 7, 1984. Navy Captain Bruce McCandless became the first human to perform an untethered spacewalk while in orbit 170 miles above the Earth. He exited the U.S. space shuttle Challenger and maneuvered freely using a bulky white jet pack of his own design 320 feet from the shuttle. He brought the jetpack to a halt and became a human satellite, orbiting the Earth in tangent with the shuttle traveling at 23 times the speed of sound.  He felt no sense of movement until he looked down and saw the earth rotating like a pin-sharp relief map unspooling at four miles per second. After about an hour and a half he re-entered the shuttle.

The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was a world’s fair held in New Orleans from May 12 to November 11, 1984. It was held 100 years after the city’s earlier world’s fair, the World Cotton Centennial in 1884. The theme, “The World of Rivers: Fresh Water as a Source of Life”, showcased the vital role of freshwater systems. As of 2024, there has not been a world’s fair in the U.S. since the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition.

February 14, 1984. Session Minutes.  Pastor’s Report. Youth Bash at Westminster Woods - Rev. Anderson requested that the church share the cost with the youth planning to attend. He would like six youths to attend.  Pastor’s Study Leave - Rev. Anderson requested study leave April 4 - 10, 1984, to attend a seminar in Lodi sponsored by San Francisco Seminary and also to attend School of Evangelism of Billy Graham on October 15 - 18, 1984 and possibly a trip to the Holy Land. A motion was made and seconded to approve his study leave plan for a total of 4 weeks.  The Junior High Youth are making plans for a trip to DisneyLand.  Rev. Anderson reported due to some technicality of him being considered self-employed, the Session voted to pay additional salary to Rev. Anderson in-lieu of the social security in the amount of 7%.

February 28, 1984. Special Session Minutes.  A Special Meeting was held to consider participating in the Sacramento Presbytery New Church Development.  Ms. Feenor made the presentation on the plans that Presbytery has made for a three year project to earn funds for new churches in the Sacramento Presbytery area. After some discussion the Session voted to participate in the project for the three years with a goal set at an annual giving of $900, totaling $2700 over the three years. Funding would be from special gifts and not from the general fund. A chairman will be selected at a later date.

March 13, 1984. Session Minutes. Pastor’s Report. Four youths attended the Youth Bash, three from Countryside and one from Guinda. The students enjoyed themselves and it was a good weekend.  Rev. Anderson requested approval to use his study leave in San Diego attending Institute of Pastoral studies June 11 - 15, 1984 for $85. Topic is Christian Counseling. Session voted approval.

Special Request: Robin and Jeanne Han were present for a short time during the meeting. Robin Han has been selected to attend the National 4-H Citizenship trip to Washington D.C. representing Yolo County. She has to raise the funds for the trip herself and she was requesting help in raising the funds.  After Robin and her mother, Jeanne, left the meeting the Session voted to contribute $75.00 considering this as a local mission from the church.

July 17, 1984. Session Minutes. A letter was received from Mrs. Beth Phillips and Mrs. Linda Creamer requesting the use of a room for a special class, tutoring 5 students for two hours. The class would be held during regular school hours. A motion was made by Don Warren and seconded by Clarence Schaupp to approve the use only on a letter from the Esparto Unified School District Board of Trustees approving the class. The Session would work out the details after the approval from the school trustees has been received. 

September 11, 1984. Session Minutes. Communications. A Letter from Superintendent of the Esparto Unified School District, Mr. Doug Martin, requested the use of a classroom for a special education class with approximately 12 students. The class would be held Monday through Friday from 8:15 - 3:15 pm through October 31, 1984. After some discussion, Don Warren moved to approve the request with the school district making a donation for the use. Motion was seconded by Henry Van der Stoel and approved.   A letter from Sierra Mission Area Office concerning reporting of the New Church Development pledges and collections.

Rev. Anderson reported that he would be officiating at two marriages in September. Richard Nichols and Deborah Mathies on September 15th, and Gregg and Deborah Stephens on September 29th.

Rev. Anderson reported that he would be on vacation September 21 - 24. He will be on study leave September 17 - 20, October 5 & 6, October 15-21, 1984, and that he will have used 3 weeks of study leave with 3 weeks left and with approximately $700 left in funds.

October 9, 1984. Session Minutes. Communications. A Letter from Synod of the Pacific regarding a workshop on Homosexuality.

Pastor’s Report. Rev. Anderson reported that he did not use September 17 - 20 or October 5 & 6 as planned for study leave and requested time on November 7, 12 and 13 instead. Also requested that when he takes study leave on October 15 - 21, to include October 22 - 25 as vacation time. Session approved the request.

Rev. Anderson reported that Don Warren, Henry Van der Stoel and Lonnie Hemphill had met with the Guinda church Board and that the Guinda Church would like to change the arrangement for the Pastor’s time to one quarter time instead of the one third time. This would reduce the time-share and the financial percentage paid by Guinda for the support of the pastor.

Don Warren reported that this committee also recommended that the Pastor’s salary be increased by 4.6% in the budget for 1985. After some discussion the Session appointed Don Warren, Clarence Schaupp and Rev. Anderson to work out a tentative budget and anticipated income for 1985 and for a special session meeting on Sunday October 28th, following the worship hour to go over it and be able to make a recommendation to the congregation.

Nurture Committee. Rev. Anderson reported that there will be a C.E. Convention in Sacramento and requested $50 for leadership training so that 5 teachers would be able to attend. Session voted approval.  Rev. Anderson reported that the 7th and 8th grade class would be going camping at Solano Park near Winters October 14th & 15th.   The Junior High Class would like permission to sponsor a fundraising dinner here at the church to raise funds for the Esparto School District Jr. High Sports program to buy uniforms. This would be an outreach to the community as a service from the church school youth. The Session voted their permission to hold the fund raiser dinner.   The Jr. and Sr. High youth classes will be going skating in Woodland in November.

Rev. Anderson requested study leave on January 7 - 11, 1985 to attend Congress on Renewal in Dallas, Texas. Session voted their permission to go.

October 28, 1984. Special Session Minutes. Purpose to go over the proposed budget for 1985.  Members present were Moderator, Rev. Frank Anderson, and Elders Henry Van der Stoel, Don Warren, Robert Hayes, Ruth McGinnis, and Jean Errington.  Don Warren presented 2 budgets, a bare bones budget in the amount of $47,495 and a challenge budget in the amount of $54,195. Both budgets included a salary increase for the Pastor and Sec/Cust of 4.6%. After some discussion the Session could not come to any agreement on either of these budgets as a recommendation to the congregation. A motion was made by Don Warren and seconded by Ruth McGinnis that three budgets be presented to the congregation at a special called congregational meeting to be held on November 18th following a potluck stewardship dinner. The three budgets to be presented will be the 1984 budget and the bare bones budget and the challenge budget as prepared by Don, Clarence and Frank. The motion was approved and so ordered.  

Rev. Anderson made a request on behalf of Linnea Herger and I. King to use the church basement social hall for a party for the youth on Halloween night. This would be a party by invitation and the youngsters would not be allowed to run in and out of the party. The Session voted to approve the use of the room for the party and to waive the use fee. They are responsible for cleaning up the room and leaving it in good order.

Being no other business, the meeting was closed with prayer by Henry Van der Stoel.

November 18, 1985. Special Congregational Minutes.  A special congregational meeting was held for the purpose of approving a budget for 1985. The meeting was opened with prayer and a quorum was present.  Rev. Anderson moderated the meeting.

Don Warren presented three proposed budgets to the members: a challenge budget, a bare bones budget, and the same budget as 1984. Don also reviewed the anticipated income for 1985 with a dollar amount of $39,800. 

Before discussion Rev. Anderson excused himself from the meeting so the members could review his salary. Jean Errington requested to read a letter to the congregation requesting her resignation as an employee of the church, to have the month of December as a vacation with pay. Resignation to be effective December 31, 1984. The congregation stated their regrets on Jean’s decision to resign.

A time was spent discussing the Pastor’s salary and expenses and how he spends his time. Reviewed the three budgets with great concern on the elimination of some of the programs from the bare bones budget and in the funds allocated to general mission.   A motion by Cathy Wicks and seconded by Linda Mitchell that the $2500 listed under General Mission be changed and allotted as follows: $500 to youth mission and $2000 for local and general mission. The motion carried.

A written ballot was taken to choose which Budget the congregation would accept for 1985.

The vote was as follows: 4 votes for the 1984 budget;  14 votes for the 1985 bare bones budget;  and 2 votes for the 1985 challenge budget. The Bare Bones budget was accepted which included a salary increase for Rev. Anderson.

Following the vote, Rev. Anderson returned to the room.  Since Rev. Anderson was out of the room before Jean Errington resigned, Don Warren informed him of her action.

The members of Session present requested a special session meeting immediately following the congregational meeting to take action on Jean’s request.

There was no other business for the congregation and the meeting was closed with prayer. Respectfully submitted, Jean Errington, Clerk of Session.

November 18, 1984. Special Session Minutes.  The purpose was to take action on Jean Errington’s resignation as church secretary and custodian.

Members present were Don Warren, Robert Hayes, Lonnie Hemphill, Rose Russell, Ruth McGinnis, Clarence Schaupp, Jean Errington and Moderator Rev. Anderson.

A motion was made by Lonnie Hemphill and seconded by Don Warren to accept Jean Errington’s resignation to be effective December 31, 1984. She will take the month of December as vacation time with pay.

The Session members thanked her for the more than 16 years of service to the church.

It was decided to get some temporary help for the month of December.

The meeting was closed with prayer.