Blog

 

As of July 9, 2018, TCCC is running at capacity with 72 children and fully staffed with 29
personnel.

Building/Projects

• HVAC: new HVAC units were needed for the Williams Building’s first floor.
• TCCC is funding the project along with generous donations from several church
  members. The work is in progress and is expected to be completed the week of
  July 9, 2018.
• Kitchen floor: a new floor was installed as required for the Richmond Health
  Department for licensing purposes. There have been issues with the
  installation, which have yet to be resolved. TCCC and the church are equally
  sharing this project’s cost.
• TCCC purchased a new stainless topped work prep kitchen table which will
  replace one table currently in use in the kitchen. This has arrived and is awaiting
  assembly.

Junior Kindergarten

• Due to increased rigor in education practices and a demand in services, TCCC
  will expand its programming to offer a Junior Kindergarten classroom for older
  4 and 5 year olds, beginning September 2018.
• There will be two classrooms, each with a licensed teacher and one
  assistant. The hope is to grow the program to include 20 students in total.
• An open house for the Pre-K and JK will be held in August to meet the new
  teachers and answer questions families may have.

Scholarships

• A Scholarship Committee has been formed as a sub-committee of the TCCC
  Ministry Committee.
• A Scholarship Mission statement has been developed.
• A Scholarship Agreement has been developed and shared with three potential
  scholarship families.
• The Scholarship Committee will continue building a process timeline to
  establish practices and protocol for the 2019-2020 academic year.
• Three scholarships for the 2018-2019 school year have been offered, consistent
  with last year. A deadline of July 15, 2018 was indicated for families to respond
  with a confirmation to allow time to extend offers should they chose not to
  attend TCCC. As of July 9, 2018, one family has met with the director and
  returned required paperwork and deposits.

Swim lessons

• Pre-K classes have participated in group swim lessons via the YMCA,
  transportation by the Richmond City busses.
• The Yellow Room is currently taking swim lessons. New bus routes have altered
  the logistics, but it is working out when the appropriate number of chaperones
  are included.

Retention bonuses

• Full time employees were offered the opportunity to earn an additional
  employment bonus based on six months of employment and positive
  performance appraisals at the conclusion of the new director’s six months in
  service. Ten out of eleven employees remained employed during the transition
  period and will receive bonuses to recognize the added efforts and support they
  have shown.

Manual Updates

• A Parental Leave Policy was adopted and added as an addendum to the
  Employee Policy Handbook.
• New Emergency Management Manuals were developed and follow-up fire drills
  have been conducted and logged.

Increased Capacity

• New Occupancy Permit was finalized in April 2018, increasing TCCC capacity to 80
  children.

Special Activities

• In May, TCCC celebrated its teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. The
  parents helped to treat the teachers to lunches, snacks, and coffee throughout the
  week.
• The 2017-18 Pre-K class held their graduation ceremony at the end of
  May. Families, church members, previous staff, and former director Frances
  Thrift were in attendance. Portraits were completed by Sterling and presented
  to the children as gifts from the church during the ceremony.
• TCCC children continue to participate in a weekly chapel conducted by the
  director and pastoral staff on a rotating schedule every Wednesday. Miriam and
  Vincent have been added to the summer schedule.

Financial status

• As of June 30, 2018 (mid-year), TCCC’s financial condition continues
  strong. For more detail, please see TCCC Financial Reports included elsewhere in this
  Quarterly Business Report.

Kristen OSullivan, TCCC Director

The Deacon Board continues to meet monthly. Participation in the meeting has been
excellent and the deacons continue to endeavor to provide support to our pastoral staff and
the congregation in whatever ways possible and needed. Some highlights of the past three
months follow.

April

• The Youth Minister Team presented their recommendation that Hogan Brock be
  offered the position. After appropriate discussion and dialogue, the deacons
  unanimously approved the candidate.
• The deacons received a report from the deacon who met with the concerned
  member regarding his recommendations. The member’s concerns were things he
  had been thinking about for quite some time, thus there was not urgency in
  responding. In the absence of the pastor and several members further discussion
  was tabled until the next meeting.
• The deacon family lists were discussed, and suggestions were offered to assure
  that children who come to worship with grandparents are appropriately included
  in deacon lists.
• Reports were received from the Race Dialogue team, the Marriage Enrichment
  Group, and the pastor.

May

• The Children’s Team reported the process and status of the search team that is
  working on the part-time children’s minister position. After a lively and
  productive discussion, the deacons unanimously approved the recommended
  salary. The search team includes Mark Snipes, Jessica Corbitt, Patrick Braford,
  Karen Herman and someone from the Burmese community (TBD).
• The deacons discussed at length the items included in the concerned member’s
  letter. The member wished to be proactive in pointing out several potential
  problems and issues. The deacons agreed with many, if not most, of these items:
  deacon minutes will include those present and absent; approved minutes will be
  available to members; confidentiality will be assured in handling sensitive
  information among staff and the membership.
• The Hunger Ministry was discussed regarding recent issues involving members of
  the ministry team. The process of handling problems was the biggest concern
  among the hunger ministry team. These concerns have been noted and ongoing
  dialogue will be available to those involved.
• Reports were received regarding the pastoral staff evaluation process, marriage
  enrichment group and the Fellowship Fund.

June

• The pastor reported that he continues to be available to anyone who has questions
  about the Hunger Ministry incident. He explained the process and assured the
  deacons that there is accountability in the way issues are handled. While we seek
  to be transparent, the privacy of individuals must be respected. Deacons were
  asked to continue to reach out to all involved to provide support and care.
• Deacons received a report on the status and ongoing progress of the Tabernacle
  Child Care Center. This included their plans for adding another classroom which
  will permit additional capacity and possibly allow for additional scholarship
  grants for refugee children. No vote was needed by the deacons; simply their
  blessing.
• The Marriage Enrichment Group presented their recommendations. The process
  was explained in detail and materials were distributed to the deacons. Deacons
  were requested to prayerfully review the material and come to the next deacons’
  meeting prepared to discuss the recommendations.

Grace and peace,
Woody Jenkins