Church Council
About Ted Lee
My name is Ted Lee, and I am blessed to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined. The Chair is elected each year by and from within the Board of Trustees. (See note below)
The Board of Trustees serves Coker by…
Ensuring the physical property of the church and its gifts are used for ministries of the congregation in a manner pleasing to God. A trustee in a United Methodist Church is responsible for the supervision and care of equipment and property belonging to a particular United Methodist Church. The Trustees function as Christian stewards of the property God has entrusted to the congregation. Being a good steward includes maintaining and supervising the physical property of the church, as well as the gifts made to the church, so the ministries of Coker are satisfied in a manner that is effective and meets all legal requirements.
As Trustees Chair, my responsibilities are…
Guiding the work of the Trustees, including preparing for and communicating an agenda for the monthly meetings and following up on assignments for implementing and coordinating the maintenance and use of the physical properties of the church. In addition to living a Christian spiritual life, the Chair needs to consult regularly with the Pastor and/or his staff on property matters for the congregation. The ultimate objective of a Board of Trustees Chair is to ensure a smooth working group of Trustees that successfully manages the physical property of the congregation in a Christian, loving manner that successfully spreads the Word of God.
Protégé Note:
With a couple of exceptions, the members of the Trustees at Coker United Methodist Church are “older” individuals. One of the things the Trustees needs to do is to develop younger members to keep a thriving, growing population, but at the same time, not forget the experience and wisdom of the older members of the congregation that brought Coker UMC where it is today. Because I am fairly new as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, I have not taken a protege under my wing to eventually take over my position. There are a couple of younger Trustees that I would like to develop as potential Chairpersons of the Board of Trustees. In addition, Timothy Christley is an Eagle Scout from Troop 285 and regularly attends church. He is now graduated from college and a schoolteacher. I would like to see him more actively involved in matters of the congregation.
On a personal note, I hope and pray that the good Lord, lets me live long enough to see my grandson, Chance Lee, develop and grow in a way that would be pleasing to God. This is my greatest mentor/mentee challenge.
About Richard Garrett
My name is Richard Garrett; I am privileged to serve as the Coker UMC Lay Leader. As a continually growing Christian who loves God and serving the people of this church, Coker has provided me a place as Lay Leader where I can keep Him in the forefront of our lives.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined. Dennis Westberg is currently considering my invitation to succeed me.
The Lay Leader serves Coker by…
Serving as Lay Leader, my role positions me as a liaison between the clergy and staff and all of Coker’s boards, committees, and ministries. Working directly with the clergy and staff, the Lay Leader helps fulfill Coker’s mission and vision for the church as a representative on each board/ committee/and ministry.
As Lay Leader, my responsibilities are…
The Lay Leader serves as the key spokesperson between clergy/staff/church committees and the laity (congregation). This vital position allows me to understand the various responsibilities of each clergy and staff position, as well as the role of the many church committees. As the Lay Leader, I serve as a voting or ex officio member on all church committees. Further, this allows me to participate in their respective meetings and activities throughout the year providing guidance and assistance as needed to accomplish Coker’s vision and community mission. What a fulfilling experience. I set an example of Christian faith, hope, love and discipleship, while serving the Coker congregation as their representative, spokesperson, and role model of these Christian attributes. Perhaps there is a plan for .you in this rewarding ministry. Come join us
About Scott Matkin
My name is Scott Matkin; I serve Coker as the Chair of the Finance Committee. I have an extensive background in business and finance that has guided me to serving the church in this way.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined.
The Finance Committee serves Coker by…
We oversee the financial activities of the Church including, but not limited to: 1) reviewing and approving the annual church budget, 2) quarterly reviewing the financial position of the church relative to the budget, and 3) reviewing and approving the emerging financial issues or proposals of the church (such as budget variations, capital expenditures, large expense items, fundraising proposals, etc.). It can be a place to serve the church for those with a background in business
and leadership.
As Finance Chair, my responsibilities are…
My role is guiding Coker’s financial activities in addition to interacting annually with the Church’s independent auditor. In performing this work, I must insure our financial statements accurately reflect the financial activities of the Church, while also reviewing and assessing existing internal financial controls. Further, I serve the Coker Leadership Council to which I am responsible for reviewing the annual budget for approval, presenting Coker’s quarterly financial position, and presenting any miscellaneous financial issues for review and/or approval. One additional task is serving as an ex officio member of the Coker Permanent Endowment Fund Committee, participating in discussions on the investment and disbursement of endowment assets. While it is not necessary to be an accountant or financier, a strong business and leadership background is quite helpful. An understanding of financial statements and being able to present this financial information to church leaders and the congregation can make this position a rewarding experience in serving Coker. This could be the place for you.
About Rick McManus
My name is Rick McManus, and I am blessed to serve as the Fund’s Chair.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined; will know soon. As with the Board of Trustees, the Chair of the Endowment Fund is elected by and from with the committee.
The Endowment Fund serves Coker by…
Providing grants for unbudgeted community and church ministry needs. Coker members serving on the Fund Committee enjoy a fulfilling experience as they support special programs, missions, and ministries not included in the church’s budget. Approved grants are awarded strictly from the earnings of carefully managed investments, thus perpetuating this ministry into future generations. It’s a rewarding ministry open to anyone wanting to serve the Lord in a special and caring way. Can you picture yourself serving with us?
As Endowment Fund Chair, my responsibilities are…
Presiding over the nine members at monthly meetings, leading the Committee. The Chair ensures the proper investing of the Fund and once a year calculates the available grant pool from the investment earnings. While the accuracy of necessary reports and minutes throughout the year is important, the year-end report to the congregation is part of the reward…revealing our role in doing God’s work for His church. The role, reviewing and authorizing grants with eight other enthusiastic members, is the true blessing of serving on the Endowment. In further support of Coker’s ministries, the Endowment Chair also serves as an ex officio voting member of the Coker Church Council and Capital Campaign Committee and as a non-voting member of the Finance Committee. It’s truly a place for a person to deeply feel part of the Lord’s work.
About Pam Fosdick
My name is Pam Fosdick; I am truly at home serving as the Worship, Music, and Arts Committee Chair.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined.
The Worship, Music, and Arts Committee serves Coker by…
Supporting and strengthening the worship, music, and arts ministry. The legacy and reputation for high quality programs enhance the congregation’s worship experience, the faith walk of music and arts participants, and mission outreach in the community. The Committee works closely with the Director of Music and Worship Arts identifying worship and music experiences helping people within and beyond the Coker congregation to develop a closer relationship with God and each other. We assess where we can and should develop or extend music programs. As required, we undertake the search process for interviewing and calling musicians into leadership in our congregation. This is a wonderful place for those with a love of music.
As Chair, my responsibilities are…
• Coordinating with the director, musicians, pastors, etc., as needed to develop and refine guidelines and job descriptions for musical leadership.
• Identifying committee members who represent the music and arts group as well as non-musicians in the congregation from various age groups and cultural heritages.
• Working with the director and Committee to become familiar with the pastors’ and congregation’s understanding and expectations of the music ministry. The Committee then helps ensure the music staff and participants regularly evaluate and reassess the goals of the music program in light of the musical needs of the pastors and congregation.
• Guiding discussions with the director, musicians, and Committee to offer solutions to challenges related to the music and arts program.
• Informing the congregation about the goals, needs, and resources of the music and arts program.
• Working with the director ensuring the financial needs of the music and arts ministry are met. If necessary, help the director develop an adequate budget for
(1) purchase of new music, equipment, supplies, instruments, etc.,
(2) fair pay and benefits for paid musicians,
(3) funds for the purchase and regular upkeep of musical instruments,
(4) monies for workshops, training, and continuing education and other program needs.
• Recognizing, encouraging, and nurturing music leadership and the music ministry in Coker’s congregation to include the cultivating potential music leaders by supporting the training of people in the congregation.
A love for music makes this a wonderful place to serve the church
About Lee Willis
My name is Lee Willis, and I am blessed to serve as the Capital Campaign Committee Chair.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined
The Capital Campaign Committee serves Coker by…
Planning for and locating the funds needed to implement an approved Building Committee plan for improving the Coker campus. The Capital Campaign Committee is made up of five experienced business members, however, it remains an inactive committee until called into action by the Senior Pastor. This occurs once a capital campaign is approved by the Leadership Council. The skills of its experienced business members enable the strategies for funding a capital campaign.
As Capital Campaign Chair, my responsibilities are…
Activating the Capital Campaign Committee when a capital campaign is approved by the Coker Leadership Council and called into action by the Senior Pastor. My role is to initiate and guide the capital campaign for the church in raising funds for meeting the targeted building needs. I personally talk with individual leaders and givers within the church, soliciting their help in meeting the church’s goals. My personal experience, coupled with the business skills represented among committee members, plays a key role in the success of a Coker capital campaign. It is a gratifying position that allows my personal business experience to contribute to God’s work in the church. As a successful businessperson, perhaps you would find this to be a gratifying position for you as well.
About John Roy
My name is John Roy, and my place at Coker is serving as Building Committee Chair.
My protégé’s name is…
Undetermined. A Building Committee and Chair are appointed by the Church Council to lead the execution of the church’s Master Plan for campus development as needed.
The Building Committee serves Coker by…
Implementing physical improvements of the church campus in alignment with an approved Campus Master Plan.
As Building Committee Chair, my responsibilities are…
Serving on the Church Council and serving as a liaison between the church staff, Board of Trustees, and outside consultants, including but not limited to architects, engineers, attorneys, real estate brokers, contractors and subcontractors in developing the physical improvements of the church campus. To achieve the goals and objectives of the church requires patience, persistence, and an overall ability to adapt to the changing dynamics within the church, in addition to being a good listener and an effective communicator. A keen sense of “big picture” vision with a sharp eye on details is a key skill for the Building Committee Chair. The optimum skill set for this position requires development and construction knowledge that comes from a lifetime of working in either development, construction, engineering, architecture in a project management role. It’s preferable that this person has a four year degree from a university and a minimum of 20 years of experience in project management, well versed in budgets, proformas, estimating and contract documentation. It is fulfilling to apply my professional skills in making Coker a more welcoming and effective campus for sharing God’s word and doing God’s work.
