March 2025
1986.
1986 started out with a bang, setting a tone for the year with grief.
January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, killing all seven crew members aboard. The spacecraft disintegrated 46,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
February 19, 1986, after the eighth day of rain in Northern California, the Sacramento, Cosumnes, Eel, Napa and Russian Rivers and Clear Lake reached flood stage. Flash flood warnings were issued for 10 counties. The Sacramento River was threatening to overflow its levee in Glenn County and in Tehama County the Sacramento River broke though its levee. The high water broke through a cofferdam near Auburn sending 100,000 acre feet of water into Folsom Lake and nearly filling it to its 1 million acre foot capacity. The lake rose to within 2 inches of the top of Folsom Dam, forcing officials to release the largest volume of water in its 31 year history into the American River - 125,000 cubic feet per second.
April 26, 1986, a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine, releasing radioactive material across Europe. This is still considered the worst nuclear disaster in human history.
Astronomers have now linked the Halley comet’s appearances to observations dating back more than 2000 years. Halley was last seen on February 9, 1986 at its closest point to the sun and in March when the European spacecraft Giotto became one of the first spacecraft to encounter and photograph the nucleus of a comet, passing and imaging Halley’s nucleus as it receded from the sun; and April 8 & 9, 1986 when it was crossing the Milky Way. It will return in 2061 on its regular 75 year journey around the sun.
March 11, 1986. Session Minutes. Moderator - Pastor Mark Hollingsworth. Elders present - Joe Haden, Linda Mitchell, Mary Anne Schaupp, Ray O’Neal, Suzanne Riley and Henry Van der Stoel. Mark requested permission to baptize Cliff Garrison,III, and Benjamin Cooper. A motion by Mary Anne, second by Joe and carried.
The Christian Youth Group will be going to Disneyland on March 22 - 27th. Russ and Linda Mitchell will be taking about 12 fifth and sixth graders to the snow on March 21 & 22, 1986.
Nancy Hollingsworth is organizing a prayer chain group.
The Session elected a new President and Secretary for the Board of Trustees. Henry Van der Stoel as President and Tom Wicks as Secretary. Meeting closed with prayer.
March 23, 1986. Special Session Minutes. Prospective new members Nancy Hollingsworth and Helen Stephens told of their faith in God and their desires to be members of this church. Nancy joining by transfer of membership and Helen by re-affirmation of faith. Melissa Mast explained her reasons for not joining at this time. Don Warren moved that we receive Nancy and Helen into membership of this church. Seconded. Unanimous vote in favor. Meeting adjourned.
May 13, 1986. Session Minutes. Pastor’s report. Mark will be doing 3 weddings this month. Motion by Don to approve 2 of them in the church. Motion carried.
Mary Anne moved to have a policy that youth’s not be able to drive while on any church youth functions. Seconded and carried. Linda will be leaving her position in Christian Ed to allow her more time for evangelism work.
Mark will be presenting Robin Han, a graduating senior in our church with a gift and a prayer from the church. A suggestion from Rose Russell that we support Nancy Schaupp with a $100.00 donation from the church for her Christian education. The motion by Don, seconded by Mary, carried.
A motion by Linda to change from communion wafers back to bread. Seconded by Suzanne, carried.
A motion by Linda to give Christian Ed teachers a gift, not to exceed $75.00, and a card for a job well done. Seconded by Don, carried. Meeting closed with prayer.
June 10, 1986. Session Minutes. Pastor’s report. Mark requested approval to baptize Matthew Warren. Motion seconded by Suzanne, carried. A New Members Class will be starting in June.
A motion by Don to approve Mark’s vacation and study leave August 4 -29, 1986. Seconded and carried. John Reimers will be the pulpit supply on August 10, 17, 24, 1986. Mary Anne moved to approve extra money for Mark to stay in a motel while on study leave. Seconded and carried.
The church secretary will be leaving. Motion by Mark to advertise for a new one, and pay $50.00 per week for 8 hours, work hours to be flexible. Mark will add a probationary to the job description - carried.
Jim Mast will fix the fence on the east side of the church.
There will be no Regular Session meetings during July and August. Meeting closed with prayer.
June 20, 1986. Special Session Minutes. To Hire a Secretary. Mark has found a new secretary, Laurie Harlow, and would like approval to hire her. A motion by Joe to approve, second by Don. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted, Tom Wicks, Clerk of Session.
July 29, 1986. Special Session Minutes. Bids for Roof Repair.
Special Request: Mark would like to go on his vacation earlier than planned. July 31 - August 24th. Motion to accept by Joe Haden. Seconded and carried.
Don presented bids for the construction of a new roof. The cost came to $19,625.00 total. Motion by Mark to not go ahead with the roof bid; second by Don, carried. There was some discussion as to what to do with the leaking roof. Joe, Don and Mark will work on a program to deal with the leaking roof. A motion by Mark to go ahead with some patching; second by Mary Lewis, carried. A fall work day is planned for September.
A motion to put dead bolts in the Manse. Seconded and carried. Respectfully submitted, Tom Wicks.
September 9, 1986. Session Minutes. Pastor Hollingsworth, Don Warren, Joe Haden, Suzanne Riley, Tom Wicks, Henry Van der Stoel attended.
A letter received from Mary Lewis to resign from Session. Motion to accept by Joe, second and carried. Session agreed not to replace her until the Annual Congregational Meeting.
Mark has 3 people for the new Member Class September 15th. There are plans for a fall Stewardship campaign dinner November 9th after worship.
Christian Ed: There will be an Open House September 28th after church. Sunday School teachers convention is on October 10 -11. Would like approval to send 12 people at a cost of $10 each. Motion by Mark, seconded and carried.
Memorial Committee. Mark reports the addition of a cross to the church. New flags will be purchased for the platform.
Joe Haden will be checking into putting spotlights around the windows of the church.
Mark asked for approval to take an offering for Peace Making in church on October 5th. Seconded and carried. Meeting closed with prayer.
October 14, 1986. Session Minutes. The meeting was opened with prayer by Joe Haden and Pastor Mark read from Colossians 3:12-17.
The first order of business was to introduce prospective members Pat Harrison and Russell Strong. Both Pat Harrison and Russell Strong professed their faith in knowledge of Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. A motion by Joe and second by Don to accept Russell Strong as a member and be anointed with oil, to accept Pat Harrison by baptism and membership, and by children’s baptism accept Jennifer Harrison during church on October 29, 1986. Motion carried.
Pastor’s Report: Mark expressed appreciation for the recent workshops and overnight Pastor’s retreat that he attended. A lecture series at U.O.P. in Stockton on “Sexual Abuse” and the Evangelism Retreat in Auburn. The main focus at the Evangelism retreat was:
The Pastor is the key role person for the church to evangelize.
The relationship between the evangelist and God is most important.
“Where there is a passion, there is a method.” Passion to reach out to others with good news of Jesus Christ.
Worship report: There will be no change in the size of the cross in the Sanctuary at this time.
The Memorial Committee will look into a cross for the outside of our church. Janet Hayes to report at a later date. Ruth Circle will work on banners to put on the right-hand side of Sanctuary wall.
Relationship with Christian Youth Group: The Christian Youth Group is an outreach of Countryside Church, however, it is not directed by the church and is therefore not under the CE Committee or direction of the Pastor. The church supports and encourages what the group is doing in the areas of drug and alcohol prevention, self esteem awareness, fellowship and outreach, however, it is to be clarified to Session that the group is non-denominational and its primary focus is not religion. All business or approvals necessary should be presented to Session directly by leaders and will not need to go through the channels of the CE Committee, since the program operated independently of other CE programs.
Respectfully submitted, Linda Mitchell for Tom Wicks, Clerk of Session.
