Education Minutes January 05

 

 

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

 

1)We are in need of new committee members.  We will be making phone calls and possibly putting a request on the clip board

 

2)Bible Sunday is January 23.  We will provide soup, drink, buns, sandwich condiments

 

3)Sunday School teacher’s meeting planned for January 24th – Cynthia will lead

 

4)A children’s Lent event is planned for Feb. 20th.  This will give the teachers a break from planning.  The students will plant flowers and decorate their pots.

 

5)Offering suggestions for Sunday School moneys:  Red Cross, IHN, Good Earth – kids will vote

 

6)Cynthia’s sabbatical – Beth Krolak – day to day

                                    Jenny McHenry – preschool summer camp

                                    ?                      -  K-4 Good Earth Camp coordinator

 

7)Palm Sunday the 7th graders will lead Stations of the Cross for K-6

 

Agenda Items Needing Assistance from Council

 

1)

 

2)

 

3)

 

Status Report on GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan (use this space to communicate current status, accomplishments, concerns, or open issues relevant to the GSLC Visioning goals for which your committee is a champion)

 

1)

 

2)

 

3)

 

Does your committee need assistance from Long Range Planning to work through any aspect of the GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan?

 

 

 

 

 

Council Liaison:

Date Submitted:

Jan ’05 Youth Committee Report

 

 

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

Attendees: Mark Hannan, Ken Neuvirth, Jeff Brown, Kelly Laures

Mark Manges, guest from Good Earth Village

 

  1. Mentorship program – time line:
    1.  mail mentorship packets to prospective mentors in the next week
    2. follow up phone call to prospective mentors soon afterwards
    3. mentorship/conformand meeting Sunday before Lent
    4. 6 week mentorship
    5. closing ‘ceremony’ last Sunday of Lent
  2. Candy sale – Ken researched a fund raising option for youth to attend mission trips/retreats.  50 percent of sales goes to youths account.  Jeff suggested youth fund raisers need some publicity … We’ll see about getting some foot notes in the Happenings.
  3. Youth room – committee plan to visit other churches youth room/programs looking for ideas for GSC to use.
  4. Confirmed youth ‘attraction’ space – a new space is needed to provide a ‘hangout’ for confirmed youth during normal Sunday school hours.  Amusements must be available to attract and encourage youth to show up.  Again, the youth committee will attempt to visit other churches youth rooms and see if we can learn from their examples.

 

Agenda Items Needing Assistance from Council

            Nothing at this time.

 

Status Report on GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan (use this space to communicate current status, accomplishments, concerns, or open issues relevant to the GSLC Visioning goals for which your committee is a champion)

1.      Mentorship progam – directly facilitates getting youth more involved with GSC and building relationships between youth and adults.

 

Does your committee need assistance from Long Range Planning to work through any aspect of the GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan?

 

No, but thanks for asking…

 

 

 

 

Council Liaison: Mark Manges

Date Submitted: 01.10.05

            CHURCH IN SOCIETY

January 10, 2005

 

PRESENT: Paul Willimssen, Jen Woodford, Betty Lund, Val Jorgensen

                    Welcome to Mardel Carey, and Chuck Akre

 

  1. IHN: We have one family so far this week; need a few more volunteers for over nights.  Our next week to host will be the last week of March and into the first week of April.
  2. Hunger outreach: We had a mini campaign with Sunday school boxes for money etc. for the children.  Connie Delorme led a forum for hunger on Jan. 3 which all together was successful.
  3. Change for Change will go to the Community Food Response this month and at our next meeting we will revise our list for this coming years giving and see if there are any new places we want to include in our giving.
  4. Cookbook:  There is a committee forming for this project.  There will be a potluck to spearhead this project? Feb. 6 just before Ash Wed.  Let Paul know if you are a willing helper in this project.
  5. Ronald McDonald House Valentine Drive:  We will provide a tree in the narthex with items to purchase for the house-ie: supplies to help keep the house clean and such. Paul will get this under way. Also saving pop tops to provide to them.  These items will be delivered on Valentines Day.
  6. Cookies for Hope Lodge:  Our month will be in June.

Help from the council:  we recommend that “Other Relief” on the offering envelopes be designated for Florida hurricane victims and the tsunami victims.

Submitted by Val Jorgensen 

 

 

 

REPORT OF PASTOR CHRIS BREKKE TO THE CHURCH COUNCIL

January 25, 2005

 

I.                   PASTORAL ACTS. In December there were no baptisms, weddings, nor funerals.  Known hospitalized: none.  I took days 23-25 of my 2004 vacation.  Visits/ appointments with members or prospects: 29. 

 

II.                 GSC EVENTS.  December’s highlights included these: Sunday school programs, Staff Christmas luncheon, Brassworks benefit concert, the Choir Service, Caroling, and Christmas Eve.

                   Yet to come in January: Winter Retreat at GEV (28-30); potluck and “white elephant” exchange (29th).

 

III.              “ADD-MINISTRATION”.  One of the gifts that God gives His Church is administration. I Corinthians 12:28 says: “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of administration, various kinds of tongues.”  This may not seem very “spiritual”, this gift of administration.  Yet ‘tis surely a vital gift for God’s people.  To you who help us manage things well, who help us think and plan wisely, who seek to “add ministers” in all the arenas where the church has need, I say “thank you!  And God prosper your efforts!”

 

IV.              SUGGESTION BOX.  In the box this month:

1.     “Let’s sing happy”

2.     “I ♥ Jesus and the Church”

3.     “We need a humidifier in the sanctuary”

 

V.                NEAT, EASY, INSPIRING PROJECT?

          The Lutheran magazine noted a wall-art project that a church did, where members could donate a cross, to have mounted on one wall, resulting in a wall full of various crosses.  (I’ll show you the picture.)  Our room C, with these small crosses around our huge original chancel cross, would be striking. [?]

 

VI.              LOOSE ENDS…(may be covered elsewhere)

a.     A major goal in 2005 will be to focus and move forward with some long-range matters.  Responding to ideas from the “12 Keys” study and the November congregational meeting will help set the course for GSC.

b.     One of these long-range items is future staffing.  To add programs and meet needs as we grow, a wise decision on the expensive matter of personnel will be important.

c.     We should set dates for council installation and council retreat.

d.     If you want a key to the building, let me know.  (or, if you have one you don’t use, please turn it back in.)

e.     Please check your file folder weekly.

f.       2004 council…get your Annual Report in ASAP.

 

VII.           HOT ISSUE.  On January 13, 2005, the ELCA, our Church, released the latest edition in the long line of studies, documents and statements on human sexuality.  Much emotion swirls around the topic because it centers on the church and homo-sexuality.  Specifically, it has recommendations for action at the Churchwide assembly to be held in August of 2005.

 

                   Here are a few points for you to note:

1.     Jesus Christ is Lord.  Issues come and go; He remains.  Trusting that God will bring fulfillment in Christ gives great hope in the short-term struggles we face.

2.     By the water and Word in Baptism, you were made a member of the body of Christ.  We are kin, and like all families we will agree and disagree, but our bond is more profound than any disagreement.  We have a call from God to find ways to be one in Christ.

3.     Pastors will be leading conversations on the new report.  It will be an opportunity for us to gather for prayer, study and conversation on the church and homosexuality.  At GSC these will be February 13 and 20, at 3:30pm.

          I realize that this is an important topic for many of you, and I am committed to a full and open conversation.  I also need honestly to share that I grow weary of the topic.  My mind has been made up for quite some time, and I see greater pressing issues facing our Church: challenges for evangelism, world missions, the care and advocacy for the poor and the intentional faith formation of the children and adults of our congregations.  We need to reaffirm and commit to a shared vision as congregations and pastors.  God expects us to.  Keep serving and honoring Him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(In light of Tsunamis and Mudslides, our problems too are more like a sliver, eh?)