Education Minutes June 05
General Agenda Items (discussion points, action items, follow-up, etc.)
1) 13 classes will be needed for Sunday School. We are still in need of 9 teachers. We will advertise in the Happynings and bulletin. The sign will be placed in the Narthex again. We will ask PC to make an announcement in church.
2) Rally Day theme is BEAD. Students will make bracelets and learn about the colors of faith.
3) A concern was brought to the committee about SS classes taking field trips without parents permission. After discussion, a proposal was written to bring to council for a vote.
4) A decision was made after comparing bids to order cabinets for the workroom to be installed before Rally Day.
1) Field Trip Policy proposal
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
Council Liaison: Melissa
Lamb
Date Submitted:
CHURCH IN SOCIETY
NEXT MEETING-WE WILL NOT MEET IN JULY
Submitted by Val Jorgensen
Worship
Committee Report
Present: George Price, Pastor
Chris, Brenda Booth
Next
Meeting:
Date:
General Agenda
Items
1) Technology Committee Suggestion - Will ask Technology Committee to look
into issues/cost related to projector or visual enhancement for services. (Cost, how many needed, volunteers to run it,
etc.) George will speak with
2) Grape Juice for Communion- Sign now posted in Sacristy to add
one more row of grape juice into the individual cup holders for communion. Will begin this in the
fall.
3) Sanctuary Chairs - Sixty chairs
have been ordered and should completely fill the sanctuary.
4) Organ Update- Discussion
at next Worship meeting for organ dedication.
5) Communion Cup Washing - Brenda has used dishwasher for
communion cup washing & takes approx. 4 minutes per load. Vicky Mulvihill is working on training altar
guild volunteers on this. Brenda will
call restaurant supply store on cost of a cart to transport cups back &
forth from Sacristy to kitchen.
6)
Agenda Items
Needing Assistance from Council
1) None at this time
Council
Liaison: George Price
Date
Submitted:
Next Meeting:
Present: Erik Havelick, Duane Grosz, Karin Neuvirth,
Pastor Jack Friedli, and Doug Tollefson
General Agenda Items (discussion points, action items,
follow-up items, etc.)
1.) Visioning Surplus – We had discussed possible uses for the $5,000 surplus, and attempted to come up with a recommendation to bring forward to Council.
The recommendation is as follows:
$2,000 – Lighting for the Parking Lot
$1,000 – To help start the new Small Group Ministry program
$2,000 – Host an Educational Session for Lay Leaders for the
2) We discussed the possibility of changing our
meeting date and time. This would make
it easier to meet with other committees to discuss if they need any assistance
from the LRP in completing the Visioning Goals.
It was decided that we would keep the current meeting schedule. In June, we will meet with the committees
that are champions of the Visioning goals prior conducting our committee
business.
Agenda Items Requiring Assistance from Council
Approval is requested from Council for proposal of the Visioning Surplus.
Date submitted:
Council Liaison: Doug Tollefson
REPORT
OF PASTOR CHRIS BREKKE TO THE CHURCH COUNCIL
I.
PASTORAL ACTS. In May there
were no funerals, 1 wedding (Wytaske/Sanford) and 2 baptisms (Brig Poppe &
Alyia Bice). Known hospitalized: Rod
Rosaaen, Brent Anderson, Dean Rinde, Dave Herder, Michelle Lee, Sasha DeAngelis.
Visits/ appointments with members or prospects: 24. I attended the annual Synod Assembly May 6
& 7.
II.
GSC EVENTS. Highlights of May included: wrap-up
events for choirs, Sunday School and confirmation; the
ethnic potluck; the new youth room; car wash; presidents’ lunch; the beginning
of summer outdoor worship, and the pre-school VBS.
III.
“PRODUCING
FUTURE PASTORS” By Pastor Lowell Hennigs. The ELCA is
experiencing a shortage of pastoral leaders for congregations. This shortage is due to a number of
facts. Many pastors from the postwar
generation are retiring. Small
congregations in rural and inner-city settings have trouble compensating
pastors adequately. Spouses of potential
pastors have careers that deserve pursuing but may be geographically
limiting. Undergraduate and seminary
education costs force people to look at high paying jobs in order to service
the debt incurred. Scandals and
misconduct have reduced the esteem with which some people hold the office of
pastor. Our culture is less Christian
and less “churched” than it was a generation ago. People are finding other ways to serve the
Church well without becoming pastoral leaders.
As a congregation, we can’t do much about those large social and
cultural realities. However, there is
another factor that contributes heavily to our shortage of pastoral
leadership. Congregations in this
generation have not done a good job of identifying, nurturing, encouraging and
supporting people who are considering pastoral ministry as their vocation. Many congregations have benefited from the
services of several pastors in the last thirty years without having produced
one new pastor for the Church. That’s a
formula for trouble. Instead, let’s be
incubating! Here’s the IDEA.
·
Invite them to consider public ministry of the Church
as a vocation;
·
Discern whether the Holy Spirit is calling them to
that vocation;
·
Excite them about the incredible gift of full time
service in the Church
·
And help them to Act on that sense of call by entering
the process that results in ordination or other certification for Church
service.
IV.
LOOSE
ENDS…(may be covered
elsewhere)
a.
The
Gideon Bible Society would like to come to present their ministry to us one
Sunday, with a temple-talk, and a free-will offering in the narthex.?
b.
Remember
to check your file folder; and to be clear with your committee –
(and with the office) – on when you are and are not meeting.
c.
Let’s
gather and print the goals of the committees, so the congregation can
get in on our progress.
d.
On
the reverse of this sheet is an outcome of my 2005 New Testament reading. The keys
may be helpful to your knowledge and faith.
e.
I
will take a week of vacation –(days 10-16 of my
2005 4 weeks) – on July 18-24.
f.
Let’s
keep the congregation appraised on our big undertakings: (e.g. Room
dividers…small group ministry…2nd pastor…sanctuary chairs…organ
completion…etc.)
g.
Kudos
to Donna and Evangelism for the unique water project! Well done!
And to those who have filled in for Cynthia while she’s been on sabbatical:
Sr. Choir-Bruce Larson…Education-Beth Krolak…2 VBS sessions-Jenny McHenry &
Becky Bruinsma…Musicians-lots!
NEW TESTAMENT KEYS
MATTHEW. Key Word:
“King”. Matthew presents Jesus as the
promised King, fulfilling the Old Testament, and bringing in the
MARK. Key Word:
“Servant”. Mark presents Jesus as the
sacrificial servant of our race, who took strong action to reveal God’s
love. Key Verse: “For
the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a
ransom for many." (Mark
LUKE. Key Word:
“Savior”. Luke presents Jesus as the
Savior of the World, reaching out in love to rescue the lost. Key Verse:
“To you is
born this day in the city of
JOHN. Key Word:
“Son of God”. John presents Jesus as the
divinely sent enfleshment of the Father, the Son of God come to bring us
eternal life. Key Verse: “But
these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah,
the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”
(John 20:31)
ACTS. Key Word:
“Witness”. In his sequel, Luke tells the
acts of the early church, led by the witness of Peter and Paul. Key Verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
you will be my witnesses in
ROMANS. Key Word:
“Righteousness”. Paul’s major epistle
summarizes our Christian doctrine, centered in God’s righteousness, not
ours. Key Verse: “But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed,
and is attested by the law and the prophets.” (Romans 3:21)
I CORINTHIANS. Key Word: “Beneficial”. Paul counsels this spiritual congregation on
everyday conduct that applies love and is beneficial to all. Key Verse:
"All things are lawful,"
but not all things are beneficial. "All things are lawful," but not
all things build up.” (I Corinthians 10:23)
II CORINTHIANS. Key Word: “Sufficient”. Paul learns through opposition and
tribulation that the Lord will be sufficient for all his needs. Key Verse: but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is
made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my
weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (II Corinthians 12:9)
GALATIANS. Key Word:
“Freedom”. Paul argues hard for
Christian freedom, lest we be just another “earn your way to heaven”
religion. Key Verse: “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand
firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians
5:1)
EPHESIANS. Key Word: “Purpose”. Paul lays out the blueprint of God’s glorious
purpose for His Church and for the world.
Key Verse: “So that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might
now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This
was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ
Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10-11)
PHILIPPIANS. Key Word: “Rejoice”.
Paul, even in prison, exudes the joy and contentment that is ours in
Christ. Key Verse: “Rejoice
in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
COLOSSIANS. Key Word:
“Complete”. Paul explains the complete
adequacy of Jesus, and that we are complete in Him without need for
add-ons. Key Verse: “I want their hearts to be encouraged and
united in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding
and have the knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ himself.” (Colossians 2:2)
I & II THESSALONIANS. Key Word: “Encourage”. Paul instructs and encourages the believers
especially those who are alarmed regarding Christ’s return. Key Verse:
“Therefore encourage one another
with these words.” (I Thessalonians
4:18)
I TIMOTHY. Key Word: “Pastoral Advice”. Paul instructs a young pastor, Timothy, on
matters of godliness and the church. Key
Verse: “I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing
on the basis of partiality.”
(I Timothy 5:21)
II TIMOTHY. Key Word: “Pastoral Farewell”. Paul writes again to Timothy, near the
conclusion of his life, urging
him to guard the faith.
Key Verse: “I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (II Timothy 4:7)
TITUS. Key Word:
“Pastoral Teaching”. Paul warns Titus to
be diligent in sound teaching. Key
Verse: “Declare these things; exhort and
reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.” (Titus 2:15)
PHILEMON. Key Word:
“Runaway Slave”. Paul urges Philemon to
receive Onesimus, a runaway slave, as now a Christian brother. Key Verse: “No longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother.” (Philemon 1:16a)
HEBREWS. Key Word: “
JAMES. Key Word:
“Works”. James pens a powerful and
practical tract to promote an active faith that works, not a passive
religiosity. Key Verse: “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is
dead.” (James 2:17)
I & II PETER. Key Word: “Hope”. Peter writes letters of encouragement and
advice, that Christians be filled with hope.
Key Verse: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great
mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (I
Peter 1:3)
I, II & III
JOHN. Key Word: “Love”. In these brief epistles, John bids the children
of God to abide in the love that is Christ.
Key Verse: “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (I John 4:8)
JUDE. Key Word:
“Contend”. Fighting for the truth of the
Gospel, Jude contends against false teachers.
Key Verse: “Beloved, while eagerly
preparing to write to you about the salvation we share, I find it necessary to
write and appeal to you to contend for the faith that was once for all
entrusted to the saints.” (Jude v.
3)
REVELATION. Key Word: “The End”. In this symbol – saturated vision of the end
of history, John has ultimate news: “God wins!”
Key Verse: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and
the end." (Revelation 22:13)
Finance
Committee
Next Meeting:
General Agenda Items
(discussion points, action items, follow-up items, etc.)
1) The financial summary for April was reviewed. Year-to-date income has exceeded expenses by $8,533.
2) The third of four payments has been made for the Phase II organ project, with a remaining balance of approximately $15,875.
3) The financial software is in need of an upgrade (last upgrade was 5 years ago). Anticipated costs are $550.
4) Savings in the ELCA Mission
Investment Fund ($311,139.97 balance as of
Agenda Items Requiring
Assistance from Council
1) Request approval from Council to proceed with agenda item #4.
Date submitted:
Council Liaison: Tim Olson
Personnel Committee Report
Next Meeting:
Present:
General Agenda Items (discussion points, action items,
follow-up items, etc.)
1) Becky Bruinsma reviewed the activity of Task Force for Additional Staff. A survey was conducted to obtain feedback from the congregation on the need for additional staff is underway. 70 responded to the survey (approximately 10% return) with a string majority in favor of adding a new pastor, probably on a part-time basis. A vote by the congregation will be needed to authorize a Call Committee, which will occur in the fall.
2) The performance evaluation forms were reviewed and modified to reduce redundancies.
4) Annual goals for the committee were developed finalized and are attached.
Agenda
Items Requiring Assistance from Council
1) None.
Status Report on GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan (use
this space to share with council current status, accomplishments, new
developments, or outstanding issues relevant to the goals your committee is
tasked with as one of the champions)
1) Assessment of staff leadership abilities will be included on staff performance evaluation.
2) Personnel Committee will meet with Adult Education Committee to collaborate on activities for leadership development.
Does your committee need assistance from the
Date submitted:
Council Liaison: Gayle Olsen
|
Goal # 1 |
Continue staff support and maintain clear communication between committee and staff by having each committee member meet with assigned staff member twice yearly to discuss job satisfaction and review any concerns of staff member or congregation. |
|
Goal # 2 |
Review and make recommendation for personnel budget. |
|
Goal # 3 |
Implement process to review/assess staff performance. |
|
Goal # 4 |
Continue to work on development of leadership abilities of staff in conjunction with Adult Education Committee. |
|
Goal # 5 |
Work closely with Call Committee in the process of adding additional staff. |
PERSONNEL COMMITTEE GOALS 2005:
Technology Committee Report
Next Meeting:
General Agenda Items (discussion points, action items,
follow-up items, etc.)
1) Software updates/upgrades – Verified all staff systems are up to date on Windows patches and Anti virus rules. Shepherd Staff Database software has been upgraded from 3.0 to 7.3. One year of phone support comes with this upgrade.
2) Used church computers – a few retired church computers need to be cleaned (data wise) up before allowing interested folks to take home.
3) remote head set for secretary – Laurie is using one on approval from The Phone Station. Last check it was working fine.
4) control over long distance phone calls – The church phone system supports entering account codes before enabling long distance dialing. Installation manual is required to program, but can’t locate one online or through the dealer. Still chasing this down.
5) telephone/cable modem/security contract review – didn’t get this done. Work on this for next meeting.
Agenda Items Requiring Assistance from Council
1) Nothing at this time.
Status Report on GSLC Visioning Implementation Plan (use
this space to share with council current status, accomplishments, new
developments, or outstanding issues relevant to the goals your committee is
tasked with as one of the champions)
1) Discussion with worship committee is occurring on visual aids. This isn’t a direct visioning goal but relevant to general appeal to younger church members…maybe.
Does your committee need assistance from the
Nothing at this time.
Date submitted: 06.27.2005
Council Liaison: Mark Manges