Mission Minutes Request

Request for Identities and minutes of hidden committees and councils.

These listed below were sent this certified letter return receipt requested on February 6th, 2007

February 5^th 2007

Dear XXXXXX

 We are members of Bellevue Baptist Church. As members, pursuant to T.C.A. 48-66-101 et. seq., we respectfully request the following:

• A copy of the last three years of meeting minutes from the Bellevue Baptist Church Executive Missions Committee.  Pursuant to the statute, we will expect these records to be made available five business days from the receipt of this letter. We are requesting them to review the grants and to whom they were paid. The missions committee has granted monies in the past with out the best interest of the church.

• We are asking for the names of all Committees, Councils and Advisory Boards as well as assigned staff members not listed in the Lay Ministries Handbook for the past three years and their minutes, including dates of their term of office beginning and ending.. If there are assigned staff members or committees over the Executive Missions Committee, or Finance Committee please submit these for the past three years.  Please provide a list of all current and past ad-hoc committees as well as the Personal Committees and Development Council Members and minutes not listed in the Committee Handbook titled Lay Ministries  published each year for the 2005-2007. Please include any governing documents pertaining these committees or councils.

• Please provide a list of deacon officers and deacon nominating committee members along with and advisory administration directing this committee to include the Chairman of the Deacon Nominating Committee for the past 10 years And their minutes.

• A copy of the mailing list (of members) most commonly used by Bellevue Baptist Church for membership mailings, complete with names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses. We request this document so that we, as members of Bellevue Baptist Church, may communicate in an open, civil, and transparent manner with our fellow members regarding recent matters in the Church’s life. This reason comports with T.C.A. 48-66-102. Pursuant to the statute we will expect these records to be made available five business days from the receipt of this letter.

• A copy of the Bellevue Baptist Church, church-wide membership meeting minutes for 2005 and 2006 (24 month period). We, as members of Bellevue Baptist church, request these minutes so that we may verify their existence and inspect their contents, thus assuring Bellevue Baptist Church’s compliance with its own bylaws (BBC Bylaws, Section III). We would also like to assess the direction of the Church’s business meetings over the last two years. These reasons comport with T.C.A. 48-66-102. Pursuant to the statute we will expect these records to be made available five business days from the receipt of this letter.

• A copy of The Finance Committee meeting minutes for 2005 and 2006 (24 month period). We, as members of Bellevue Baptist Church, request these minutes so that we may verify their existence, examine the actions of The Finance Committee, and assess the direction of this committee over the last two years. These reasons comport with T.C.A. 48-66-102. Pursuant to the statute we will expect these records to be made available five business days from the receipt of this letter.

• A meeting room in the church which will accommodate a minimum of 1,000 church members. The room is needed any weeknight between March 1^st 2007  and March 31^st of 2007. It will be needed between the hours of 6:30 and 10:00 pm. It would be needed for three and a half hours anytime between the hours of 9:00 am and 10:00 pm.

Thank you in advance for your assistance in this matter. We will expect your response in writing to the address below.

Sincerely,

  Riad Saba                                        Tim Coggins                       

  David Green