BCHFS Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes

July 17, 2021

I. Call to Order

Rebecca Whittington called to order the regular meeting of the BCHFS Board of Trustees at 9:05 a.m. July 17, 2021 GraveHaven Pregnancy Resource Clinic, 4227 Lincolnshire Drive, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864. The meeting began five minutes late due to the advisory committee meeting which ran over by a few minutes.

The Chair notes that today’s board meeting is also a retreat that will serve as an orientation to new board members and be a time for the rejuvenation of effort, rekindling of spirit, and refreshing of relationships within the board.

II. Scripture and prayer

Denny Hydrick and Sandy Absher shared during our devotional time. Denny shared on how to be “plugged in” so that the ministry has impact and changes lives. He recalls the “What If” questions we often ask in life. In the biblical context:

What if outcome of those decisions would have had generational impact.

. . . God hadn’t provided a ram in the bush for Abraham & Isaac?

. . . Noah had not built the Ark?

. . . Moses had turned and ran from the burning bush instead of running to it?

. . . Jonah had remained stubborn inside the belly of that great fish and not gone to Nineveh?

Carrying this thought further, into our BCHFS context:

What if

. . . Today I decide I’m not going to go to this meeting?

. . . Today I decide that I’m not going to speak my thoughts?

Sometime little decisions that we make at a crucial moments can not only impact the present but the work we do here can have generational impact. Denny notes that throughout scripture, God often references generational work, changes, and outcomes. Specifically referencing the Book of Joshua where the Children of Israel miraculously cross the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land. In celebration of that miracle, Joshua has one man from each tribe bring a stone and build an altar in Gilgal memorial so that when their children ask what the stones represent, they can recount to those generations how God delivered them. Sadly, we learned in Judges 2:10:

“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.”

They didn’t do a good job of passing on to their children the testimony of the stones and what the Lord had done for them at the River Jordan.

So often in the work that we do we are not privileged to see the results of those changes. Continuing in this theme, Denny asks Sandy Absher to share her childhood testimony, which she calls her

“Delores Petticoe Story.” Sandy shared her of coming to faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 6 because Delores invited her to VBS. She particularly shared the impact that childhood decision for Christ has had in her family for current and future generations. Sandy “fell in love with Jesus.” Mom and Dad also fell in love with Jesus and never missed church. By the time, Sandy graduated high school, 14 other family members came to know Jesus at that time, but that’s not the end of the story. In 2020, Sandy and Bill saw their 8 yr. old granddaughter come to Jesus. “Suffer the little children to come unto me.” Matthew 19:14 Children are fearless in sharing Jesus, and they are our greatest resource!

What if Delores had decided not to ask Sandy to VBS that day long ago? Generations were impacted by Delores’ invitation & Sandy’s acceptance. Denny closes our time in prayer

III. Roll call

Board President Rebecca Whittington prefaces Roll Call by providing the set up of the Introduction & Connection section that will immediately follow Roll Call. Everyone is asked to introduce themselves and share how God connected them to BCHFS.

Cheryl Dorsey conducted the Roll Call. The following members were present: Sandy Absher, Brock Bauer, Sarah Clark, Cheryl Dorsey, Tom Denton, Jake Gray, Tina Grooms, Danny Hampton, Diana Henry-Aten, Kevin Hutchinson, Rick Layne, Chris Slusser, Emily Tynes, Rockell Warren-Daniels, and Rebecca Whittington. Absent members: Sarah Ballard, Doug Haile, Mark Lee, Bennie Tomberlain, David Smith, and Sherman Smith.

Also attending today’s meeting were Denny Hydrick, Mark McCormack, Bill Foote, Sarah Usery and Krystal Donelson.

IV. Introduction & Connection

As prefaced in the sections above, as part of the Board Retreat & Orientation, the Introduction section was expanded so that all Board members and staff present could introduce themselves and share their unique connection with BCHFS of Illinois.

A powerful, tearful, and joyful time.

There were many powerful testimonies of strong connections wrought through: 1) their love of Jesus, 2) their love for and work with children in their work, church and family life, 3) seeing children come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, 4) God’s faithfulness through crises pregnancies and other life experiences, 5) personal experiences as an adoptee or an adoptive parent, 6) God’s power through counseling ministry through life challenges & tragic loss, as well as 7) many who God drew through their church’s belief in and support for BCHFS.

Danny Hampton commented about the diversity of life experience around the table noting that, “the ground is level at the foot of the cross.”

After sharing her connection, Rebecca Whittington shares Psalms 56:8, which the Holy Spirit brought to her remembrance as she listened to the many testimonies: “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?” Our tears aren’t futile, this as been a powerful bonding experience.

After all the shares, Pastor Jacob Gray closes this section with prayer. To God be the glory.

V. Approval of the April 17, 2021, Board Meeting Minutes

The motion to approve today’s board meeting agenda was made by Jake Gray and seconded by Danny Hampton. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

VI. Adoption of the July 17, 2021, Board Meeting Agenda

The motion to approve today’s board meeting agenda was made by Jake Gray and seconded by Danny Hampton. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

VII. Welcome to Visitors and Announcements

While we had no visitors today, Rebecca Whittington has invited a guest encourager. The honorable David Overstreet and his wife Suzanne are strong Christians and friends of the ministry, and in his position, David can testify to the impact of the BCHFS ministry on his family and Mt. Vernon. He was unable to attend today but will hopefully a guest at the January meeting.

VIII. Board Retreat and Orientation

Due to the constraints of the pandemic, we missed our normal new board member orientation. Consequently, Rebecca Whittington shared how God had laid on both she and Denny’s hearts the need for a board retreat and orientation to inform new and refresh current board members. So the reports’ sections will not be like our regular quarterly reports, but will be from the perspective of what board members need to know to be informed ad plugged in.

IX. Executive Director’s Report – Denny Hydrick

1. General Report.

A. Denny had donor related meetings and preached at several of IBSA churches since the April board meeting, including Freedom Baptist, Oblong, Clay City, Ten Mile.

B. Attended Critical Incident Training in April 2021.

C. Conducted a Strategic Planning Retreat at the Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center, staff and two or three board members were in attendance.

D. Met and signed an agreement with an architect who will draw up rough plans for the consideration should we decide to replace some of our older cottages. This was budgeted for this year.

E. We are very near completion of the transition to one electronic record system, where Pathways, Residential Care, and Angels Cove will all be using the same system. While challenging, it’s moving along.

F. Timber Stand Improvement Plan has been initiated in 2021. Ozark-Corolli Ecosystem Services will be marking trees and has completed and will do another controlled burn in the Fall. In addition, they will be spraying invasive species discussed in our previous report.

G.As reported in late 2019, BCHFS signed an agreement with a local energy company to drill for oil on our property. Then, the bottom fell out of the oil market. Last month they notified me that they are ready to proceed, they have dug one well, and it is a good producer. While doing that, they have located an even more promising site. So, through this God may provide supplementary income.

H. We’ve hired a new couple to house parents in Carmi, the Landings, who come with house parent experience from Arkansas. A former house parent couple, Don, and Dora Riley have returned to Angel Cove. We’ve also hired a new staff accountant who will replace Emily, who is expecting a baby any day now. We continue to interview for the development position, and still have an opening for house parents.

We have created a commercial video featuring house parents discussing their call to this ministry. It is designed and appropriate for a pastor or church to share during service. It is available on the website. There may be a couple in our churches called to this type of service.

I. On July 1, 2021, the BCHFS staff received the pay raises budgeted and approved by the board, and the staff communicated its thanks to the boards via emails to the executive director. Denny read a Thank You Card received from a long-term staff member.

2.Denny reviewed the Service Delivery Report published for this quarter. Total services provided in June, 498. You will notice that GraceHaven service numbers are now included in this report, and we have worked with 10 women who will probably keep their babies. A doxology moment, Rebecca Whittington observes.

X. Financial Report – Krystal Donelson

Krystal Donelson gives a brief report noting that hardcopies of the Financial and Investment reports in our folders She summarizes by saying, “God is Good!” Krystal is available happy to answer any Board questions.

PPP Forgiveness is still pending. Krystal is in regular contact with K-Services provider, who asks us to be patient. The forgiveness portion of servicing has been handed off to a different service provider. We have done all that we can on our side. Responding to Sandy’s question on terms of repayment, Krystal notes that worse-case scenario is we’d have to pay back the loan at an estimate 1 percent over three years (to be confirmed).

Denny anticipates that we will have a definitive answer by the next Board Meeting as the deadline falls in August.

The motion to accept the Director’s and the Financial reports was made by Jake Gray and was seconded by Sandy Ashber.

XI. Board Orientation– Denny Hydrick

Regularly the scheduled new board member orientations were canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to inclement weather and the pandemic. As a result, in this retreat Denny Hydrick provides a wealth of information for a board member orientation & refresher. He reviews the history, mission, and ministries of the BCHFS, and the responsibilities of board members and board committees (as noted in the board packet, bylaws, and his PowerPoint presentation).

BCHFS ministries include: 1) The BCH (Residential Care/Carmi), 2) Angels’ Cove Maternity Home (Mt. Vernon), 3) Faith Adoption Ministry (statewide), 4) Pathways Counseling (11 locations), and 5) GraceHaven (Mt. Vernon).

BCHFS Funding. Denny reviews the sources of BCHFS funding. We have always raised our own money for the BCHFS. In meeting with pastors and churches, Denny is careful to share that we do not receive funds from the Cooperative Program and have not in 104 years.

Board Composition. Denny provides an overview of BCHFS BOT composition (materials provided in board packets/notebooks) and reviews the standing committees of the BOT (as delineated in our bylaws).

Highlights: o You are encouraged to “be engaged, be curious, & ask questions.”

• There are 21 board members with 4 ex officio members who are IBSA board officers, who have voting privileges. See bylaws (located on the Board Portal) for specific details.

• Due to Illinois licensing requirements, our board meets quarterly (unlike other IBSA boards who meet twice a year).

• This year, new board members were seated via Zoom meetings. Denny reminds board members of their roles and responsibilities.

• Standing Committees responsibilities are detailed in the bylaws, “Section VI –Committees of the Board of Trustees.” Standing Committees of the BOT are: o Advisory Committee. Bylaws – Section VI, paragraph A.

Denny shares an addition he has made to the responsibilities of the Advisory committee pursuant to the practice by which we operate, and felt it should be recorded for future generations:

“The Advisory committee shall meet with the executive director prior to the July board meeting for the purposes of the review and evaluation of the executive director’s performance and recommend any corrective action needs or recommend any salary change.” o Administrative Committee. Bylaws – Section VI, paragraph B. o Program Committee. Bylaws – Section VI, paragraph C. o Finance and Development Committee. Bylaws – Section VI, paragraph D. o It is the Board’s responsibility to establish, review, and ensure the agency stays in compliance with the mission. o Set policies to make sure the mission is fulfilled. Policies are integral our ability to function. o Establish long- and short-term goals and work with the agency. o Establish fiscal guidelines. As a board, the fiscal oversight of the ministry is the responsibility of the board, as a whole. While these things are monitored more closely by the finance committee, but each person on the board is responsible for the oversight of that. o Help to provide adequate financial resources and support. “Friend-raising.” Be an ambassador, a champion for the ministry. o Recommend others with desirable skillsets to serve on the Board. See bylaws, Section III, paragraph 3, Qualifications.

• Your Role as a Board Member. The Mission of the agency is not set by the executive director or the staff.

• Denny shares these Helpful tips:

7 Deadly Sins of Board of Trusteeship

1. Acceptance without commitment

2. Membership without attendance

3. Affiliation without dedication

4. Meetings without participation

5. Decisions without integrity

6. Involvement without advocacy

7. Identification without giving

7 Deadly Positions of Trusteeship

1. “We’ve never done it that way before.”

2. “It can’t be done.”

3. “It will cost too much.”

4. “We’re doing alright without it.”

5. “Let’s put it off for now and discuss it later.

6. “We tried it that way and it didn’t work.”

7. “We’re not ready now.”

Group Prayer Chain Email Pray@BCHFS.com. Denny Hydrick has established a group email to share with those who are willing to pray for the agency, staff, and board member needs

Update the Board Contact Sheet. Denny Hydrick asks that the board complete the contact sheet and questionnaire. If you are willing to participate in the prayer chain, note “Yes, I’d like to participate,” and add this to the to the bottom of the sheet

Lunch break: As we prepare to receive “natural food,” Rebecca Whittington asks Kevin Hutchinson to pray and give thanks for the “spiritual food” we received this morning and ask the Lord’s blessings on our lunch.

XII. Strategic Planning – Denny Hydrick

Denny gives a report and summary on our strategic planning process so far. We recently held a 2-day retreat at Pere Marquette, where we began the strategic planning process. Denny looks at our origins and the faith exhibited by those who started the BCHFS.

“Many wondered if the Baptist community of Carmi, would have a strength to continue the ambitious plans for the orphanage, since many southern Illinois citizens were taken by the influenza. But as is so often does, necessity overrules the luxury of doubting. The burden of parentless and homeless children had grown even more during the Spanish Flu Epidemic, quickly outstripping the amount of orphans left in the wake of WWI.”

We now see the results of that faithfulness, and we are in a position today to set similar foundations for the future.

Denny provides an overview to questions discussed during strategic planning retreat, define a SWOT analysis, and reviews the employee survey.

• We received 39 responses from staff, which were anonymous o Clarity of our mission – 38 strongly agreed they had a good understanding of the mission. o The greatest need for the agency’s leadership to address in the next 3 to 5 years

 30% fell into staffing/corp. structure/organization

 Program improvement o The SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, & Threats) Analysis o Core Values – Denny felt strongly that we need to land strongly on our core values. While not formally read for board action, here are some of the core values discussed during the strategic planning retreat. Our filter.

 Top three strengths – 50% of responses noted that we were Christ-centered, a called staff, & our ministry focus; 13% Leadership & Vision; 10% Programs & Benevolence (the people we serve); 10% We are a “trauma informed agency;” 10% listed our funding and donors (staff is appreciative that we have donors that pay the paychecks); 4% listed our history/longevity; and 3% fell into miscellaneous topics.

 Top three weaknesses – 77 responses; 17% Programs not diverse or our processes/outcomes were a weakness; 16% felt staff (short staffed or turnover); 16% technology, training, tools to do your work (safety/physical environment); 14% communication (top-down, flow of information from supervisors); 12% lack of promotion (marketing/advertisement of our services/public relations); 10% Lack of a strong plan for expanding donors or diversifying funding; 8% facilities, programs, location; 8% leadership structure.

 Opportunities for the future of the ministry – 50 responses; 32% Enhance or expand our programs; 26% New programs (transitional living); 20% Help More/Share Christ More/Support More; 12% Promote/Network more; 8% Technology uprades & upgrades to our facilities.

 Threats to the BCHFS, current or future – 39 responses; 36% political/social/govt. interference for a faith-based service.

Example: In KY the governor threatened not to sign the religious waiver allows Sunrise (our counterpart in KY) service residents and receive state funding. The governor changed his/her mind and signed the waiver. Without that waiver that agency would have gone out of business.

21% staff retention/fatigue; 18% aging donors/church closures/denomination decline; 13% litigation/lawsuits; 11% program death (not meeting contemporary needs).

 Areas or items you feel we must address in the next 3 to 5 years? 51 responses; 25% staffing issues (retention/development needs); 24% program structure/design (staffing model); 12% replace cottages & staff housing; 10% “I don’t know.” 8% outcomes/models of care; 8% communications; 6% promotion/marketing; 6% miscellaneous.

 BCHFS C. A. R. E. S.

C – Christ focused (centered)

A – Attitude focused (gratitude, grace, & mercy)

R – Relationship focused (Customer: client, donor, churches, coworkers)

E – Excellence focus (Self Spiritually; become an outcome driven program w/the metrics that confirm)

S – Stewardship focus (Resources, staff & clients)

A preliminary report of concepts discussed during our strategic planning retreat included:

• Organization & Leadership with enhanced review of and revision of our staff structure and job descriptions. Collaborative management style. Focus on and implement a staff training protocol. Training our supervisor. Risk management. Improve our communication. Focus on staff retention and improvement. Discipling & mentoring staff. Discussions about branding.

• Operational Needs – Communications; IT and enhanced systems. Functional space in our offices, cottages, and staff housing. Maintenance of property long-term. Transitional plans in our leadership. Move from the fire-fighting mode. Disaster plans. Creating a collaborative culture and support. Networking and professional growth for staff.

• Programs – Create a process to review our programs. Relevance to 2021 & 2022. Stabilizing our programs. Expansion of current programs: teaching life skills, job skills, & trades. Expand our scholarship fund & encouraging our kids to use it. GraceHaven Mobile Unit. Improved Marketing of our services. Increasing the number of therapists. Transitional Living, which is 18 to 20 years old. Homes for sex trafficking victims (DCFS advises that rural setting are the ideal place for these homes). Specialized services around residential care. Family care model around residential care. Statewide community hubs for the ministry; satellite offices/outposts around the state (mobile units). Establish and maintain an alumni association.

• Infrastructure & Facilities – New cottages. Hathaway renovation. Ropes course: without certified staff it’s a liability (it’s staff intensive and an attractive nuisance if it remains idle). It’s Denny’s opinion that it is a liability and should be removed. Properties – Aging and current facilities. Need for fiberoptics on the campus. Allow outside groups to use our facilities, like a seminary extension or additional Sunday schools rooms to local churches.

• Finance & Funding – Donor engagement and expansion. Minimizing social media; advertising constraints. Emphasize our independence / we do not receive Cooperative Program dollars. Corporate matching donations. Our insurance is partially self-funded and so we carry liability and need to minimize our risk.

• From the Executive Director’s perspective – Threats/Concerns – denominational changes; engaging with the churches; reach across denominational lines to have like minded people support the ministry. Finalize our core values. We have significant social and legal challenges against faith-based agencies. Licensing changes and requirements. We have no religious exemption or waiver in the State of Illinois. Education – home district must fund education for BCH kids. Minimize risk, cost of our benefit package. Resident staff property security: how do we secure our properties. The heaviness of our non-liquid assets.

XIII.Miscellaneous Business – Denny Hydrick & Rebecca Whittington.

Budget Preparation Denny notes that the Directors meet next week to prepare the budget for the BOTs approval in October.

Rebecca Whittington asks the Board, “Where to we fit in?” As we moved out of the pandemic, we need to be plugged into the base. We also need to be plugged in to one another. The prayer email will help us focus on the needs of the ministry and one another.

What can we do to be better friend-raisers and fundraisers? In every board packet folder, you’ve been provided with an “elevator speech” for sharing and building relationships with BCHFS.

We reviewed the giving by association, we looked at our budget (we are looking at a $1M gap), and we need to be a resource and a support to our Developmental Director and Officer. As we reflect on the 7 deadly sins of a trusteeship, and the 7 deadly positions of trusteeship, how do we measure up? What’s our commitment?

Thank you & Congratulations, Mark McCormack on your retirement! Mark shares a watchword he lives by: “Every day you get a chance to be either grateful or hateful.” I’ve been really grateful for you and my clients. Thank you.

Closing Prayer – Chris Slusser

Motion to go into Execution Session was made by Tina Grooms, and seconded by Sandy Asbher.

The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

XIV. Executive Session – Rebecca Whittington.

Motion to open executive session by Brock Bauer and seconded by Rick Layne. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call. A quorum of 14 was present.

Motion to go into regular session made by Danny Hampton and seconded by Tom Denton. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

XV. Return to Regular Session

The chair entertains a motion to accept the Advisory committee’s recommendation for the executive director salary The recommendation from committee was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

The chair entertains a motion to accept the executive director’s proposed staff salary schedule. Motion made by Chris Slusser and seconded by Brock Bauer. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call.

XVI. Adjournment

Rebecca Whittington entertained a motion to adjournment subject to prayer; the motion was made by Emily Tynes and seconded by Rockell Warren-Daniels. The motion was unanimously approved by Roll Call, and the meeting adjourned after a closing prayer by Brock Bauer at 2:21 p.m.

Submitted by Cheryl Dorsey

October 7, 2021.