Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Council Meeting Minutes – September 25, 2006

 

 

 

Present: Val Jorgenson, George Price, Jen Woodford, Doug Tollefson, Erik Schlicht, Michele Saack, Pastor Dave Berg, Tim Olson, Tina Livingston, Karin Neuvirth, Cynthia McLaren, Gayle Olsen, Paul Evers

 

 

  1. The meeting was called to order by Doug Tollefson.

 

 

  1. Devotions were led by George Price.

 

 

  1. MMS to approved agenda (George/Jen). Motion carried.

 

 

  1. MMS to approved August meeting minutes (George/Val). Motion carried.

 

 

  1. Cynthia stated that programs are getting going. The groups are getting smaller every year but hopefully they will grow during the year.

 

Pastor noted Welcome Ministers have started. There have been many visitors recently. Also starting is small groups for young adults.

 

 

  1. Committee Reports accepted as written.

 

 

  1. August was not good financially but that is not unusual since several one-time items were paid. Budget will be discussed at next month’s meeting.

 

 

  1. Old Business

 

    1. Safe Haven – Nothing new to report the Personnel Committee is still working on the policy.

 

    1. Automatic Coffee Maker – Redeemer Church was contacted for more information on what they use. Redeemer uses a company different than the one that was contacted by GSLC. More details still need to be worked out for this with the Property Committee. Since this will end the use of Fair Trade coffee by the church there is a desire to make it available for purchase to congregation members for home use to continue support of this cause.

 

 

  1. Thank Yous were sent to Scott Shaw for mowing the church lawn and the Landscape Committee.

 

 

  1. New Business

 

    1. Congregational Meeting (one per year) – The Finance Committee would like to have the regular congregational meeting annually instead of semi-annually. The reasons for the change are the budget process is challenging to complete in the current time frame, the hope that the problem of getting a quorum at the meeting will be resolved, and combining the business of the church. MMS to change bylaws to state there will be one regular meeting of the congregation for the year and the meeting will be on or before the last Sunday of February (Tim/Paul). Motion carried.

 

    1. Committee Meetings – Staff would like Committee night to be one night per month instead of committees meeting at times spread throughout the month. Also, the Executive Committee will work on a plan to get more members for the committees.

 

    1. Rainbow School Cookbooks – Rainbow School would like to sell cookbooks after services again. The request is for two Saturday nights in November. MMS to let Rainbow School sell cookbooks during Saturday night (Doug/Gayle). Motion carried.

 

    1. Congregational Meeting will be December 3rd – There will be a potluck after late service and the meeting will start at 1:00 p.m.

 

 

  1. MMS to adjourn (Karin/Paul). Motion carried.

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Tina Livingston

Volunteer Coordinator’s Report to GSC Council

October 12, 2006

 

 

Activities Completed:

1)    Training sessions for ushers and communion preparation people.  Mailings to those who didn’t attend training.  Mailings to Communion Assistants who help on Sunday at both services.  Bought trays for grape juice cups for communion.  Posted new

instructions in the Sacristy for volunteers.

2)    Attend Rochester area Volunteer Coordinators meeting

3)    Schedule Welcome Ministers through November

4)    Schedule bread delivery to second time visitors.  Mike Thilges will now

Coordinate this ministry.

 

 

Activities in Progress:

1)       Research Equipping Church Guidebook

 

 

Vicky Mulvihill

Volunteer Coordinator

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Finance Committee

 

Next Meeting:

Date: 11/13/06

Time: 7 pm

 

Meeting Date: 10/9/06

 

Present: Grant Christensen, Joleen Mainz, Tim Olson, Michele Saack, Molly Schmidt, Sue Titus, Pastor Dave Berg

 

General Agenda Items (discussion points, action items, follow-up items, etc.)

 

1) September financial summary - Expenses exceeded income by $8,508. The year-to-date shortfall has increased to $49,220, despite expenses for the first 3 quarters slightly below budget. Payment of ongoing expenses/bills continues to require temporary borrowing of liquid savings from the building fund.

 

2) Deficit – A long discussion was held over concern about the increasing 2006 budget deficit. It was decided to use multiple approaches, e.g. newsletter, bulletin, separate mailings, to inform the congregation about our financial situation and to encourage year-end giving. A brief financial summary will now be publicized each week (rather than monthly) and Molly has agreed to draft a special letter to the congregation. Within the next week or so, the letter will be finalized and mailed out.

 

3) Banking – Michele will proceed with switching from Wells Fargo to Home Federal based on better customer service and options, including direct payroll deposits and an interest-bearing checking account.

 

4) Memorials – The Gifts/Memorial account, with a balance of $5,908, is comprised of a relatively large number of individual gifts. The account is undergoing review to ensure that those gifts designated for a specific purpose are used as intended.  

 

5) Fall Pledge Drive – Several pledge forms were received on pledge weekend (Sept. 30/Oct. 1). Additional pledges are still coming in, but early results show a favorable trend compared with last year at this time, in both the number of pledges received and the amount pledged.

 

6) 2007 Budget – A preliminary draft of the budget suggests that expenses will be roughly equivalent to 2006 expenses. Final review will be carried out at the next Finance Committee meeting, coupled with a more complete picture of pledged giving for 2007. The Council will be presented with the proposed budget at its November 27 meeting, prior to the congregational meeting on December 3.

 

Agenda Items Requiring Assistance from Council

None.

 

Council Liaison: Tim Olson

Worship Committee Report 10/09/2006

Present: George Price, Bruce Larson, Cynthia McLaren, Pastor Dave

 

                                                                                                                                Next Meeting:

                                                                                                                                Date:   11/13/06  Time: 5:30 p.m.

General Agenda Items

 

1)      Holiday Worship Times – Finalized the holiday worship times as follows:

·         Thanksgiving Eve (11/22/06)  7:00 pm service

·         Thanksgiving weekend (11/25-11/26/06) normal service times

·         Christmas Eve morning (Sunday) 9:30 am service

·         Christmas Eve Services (Sunday evening)  3:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 10 pm

·         New Years Eve morning (Sunday)  9:30 am service

 

2)      Adult Forum – Children Receiving Communion – Pastor Dave will hold an adult forum on 10/15/06 and asked George to also attend, as Worship Committee chair.

 

3)      New Tables for Communion Change – Bruce brought in the new tables to use for placing the baskets & trays (for communion) on.  Group discussed & felt the tables will work quite well.   Trays purchased to hold grape juice were too large; George discussed with Vicky and smaller trays were then purchased. 

 

4)      New Hymnal Display – Display poster board will be taken down after Sunday, October 15th.   Discussed possibility of putting display back up next year, as a reminder. 

 

5)      Suggestions to Worship Committee – Would it be possible (at some time) to have a few chairs in the sanctuary that have arms on them?  It would be beneficial for those who need help getting up, such as elderly, handicapped, individuals with bad backs, etc..   George talked with Ellen Herder about having the chair company give feedback to this suggestion.   The chair company will be in contact as to when they can come in to check issues with existing chair backs (being higher than others) and then also give input/feedback to adding arms to some chairs. 

 

Agenda Items Needing Assistance from Council:

 

1) Nothing at this time

 

Council Liaison:  George Price

Date Submitted:  10/16/2006