Technology Committee Report

 

Next Meeting:

Date: 12.14.05 Time: 7pm

 

 

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

 

            Members able to attend – Lori Gartner, Paul Willemsen, Steve Howe, Mark Manges,

 

1)      resolved printing problems on Cynthia’s and Marks’ computer

2)      made backup copy of CyberSitter for youth computer

3)      inventoried additional machine added to computer lab (PC’s PC)

4)      discussed replacing teller computer … new machine will be ordered so it will be up to date with the other hardware on the GSC network.  The teller machine is running without sufficient antivirus protection and the old enough to not justify maintaining.

5)      Norton Antivirus multi copy license needed and will be pursued.  Cynthia’s machine license will expire by end of month.

 

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)  no direct visioning plan action on our plate.  We were assisting with a worship visual assistance system … but the absurd cost ($16K+) and timing of staff turnover shelved the idea.

 

Does your committee need assistance from the Long Range Planning Committee at this time to proceed with implementation of the GSLC Visioning Plan?

 

            Not at this time   Does the Long Range Planning Committee have something for the Technology committee to think about?  Does anyone else?

 

Date submitted: 11.09.05

Council Liaison: Mark Manges

 


Volunteer Coordinator’s Report to GSC Council

November 10, 2005

 

 

Activities Completed:

1)      Fill open spots in Nov. worship assistant schedule

2)      Provide updates for next worship assistant schedule and instruct Mike T. on distribution process

3)      Contact volunteers to change communion method to intinction Nov. 6

4)      Attend Rochester area Volunteer Coordinators meeting

5)      Cathy Pickett will be one of our team leaders for Funeral Lunches

 

Activities in Progress:

1)      Attend congregational meeting

2)      Research Equipping church Guidebook

3)      Confirmation students – gather sheets with interests

 

 

 

Vicky Mulvihill

Volunteer Coordinator

Good Shepherd Church

 


Church in Society

November 14, 2005

NEXT MEETING-DECEMBER 12, 2005

 

 

1.      COOKIES FOR HOPE LODGE; Went well for October.  The Lodge needs money.  Will bring to council as a place to use extra monies at the end of the year.

2.      COOKBOOK; sales are slow but will put books out for the Christmas tea and Paul will take some to the Salvation Army to sell.  I will place an ad in the Mayo paper.

3.      IHN:  The week in October went well.  Our next host week will be in Jan.  Curt Accola to be recognized with a certificate for work above and beyond.

4.      GLOBAL OUTREACH:

5.      CHANGE FOR CHANGE:  is for Habitat this month.  Pastor Tom thought maybe we should find a new way to promote this effort as the flower at times keeps disappearing.  Ideas of at home coin boxes or containers and having a quarterly time to return them to church and dividing the monies between 3 or so charities at that time. Check with Cynthia for some ideas about this as well. We will revisit after the holidays. 

6.      GIVING TREE:  A tree for the Crisis Nursery will be up after Thanksgiving for items they need and a tree for Circle Center will be up with items for specific folks who are in need.

7.      COMMITTEE REVIEW:  Jen will be on council next year and we won’t know until after the first of the year if she will remain with us or maybe if I go to another committee.  We hope we both can stay.

8.      UP COMING ACTIVITIES;  Would be the Ronald McDonald House for Valentines Day.

 

TO BRING TO COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT THE HOPE LODGE COULD USE SOME HELP IF WE HAVE FUNDS TO SPARE END OF YEAR.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED;  VAL JORGENSEN

 


REPORT TO CHURCH COUNCIL

November, 2005

Cynthia McLaren

 

 

MUSIC

            All of our music groups have been working very hard this fall to provide a variety of music for our worship services.  We are very fortunate to have so many talented and committed individuals!  Preparing music for services takes a lot of time and on most weeks, over 75 individuals (children, youth, adults) meet to practice.  Please take time to thank your favorite musicians!   New this fall is our very own GSC brass quartet!  They have played for worship three times this fall and look forward to playing for additional services in the coming year.  (By the way, it’s never too late to join a music group!!)

           

            Our organ dedication on Sun., Nov. 3 was a grand event!  We literally pulled out “all the stops” to make this a special occasion!  Visitors commented on our wonderful choir and the great variety of music.  However, several of my music colleagues also shared with me the poor quality of our sound system for both speaking and singing.  Our sound system concerns need to be addressed so that services can be enjoyed by everyone!

 

            Advent and Christmas services will be filled with a variety of music.  Sun., Dec. 18 will be our annual “music service” involving our Youth and Senior choirs and Celebration and Jubilation chimes along with organ and instruments.  Please check your weekly newsletter for additional events in Dec.

 

            Now that our organ is complete, I have presented a request to the Executive Committee and Church Council for the permission to offer organ lessons to youth/adults who have a desire to learn to play this instrument.  Details of this proposal will be available at the Nov. Council meeting.  

 

EDUCATION    

            Our Sunday School teachers are the hidden “heroes” of our congregation!  They are often not visible to many on a weekly basis, but they are always in the classroom doing their best to encourage our children in their faith journey!!  Please keep them in your prayers.

 

            Teachers met in early Nov. with Pastor Tom to review the basics of Lutheranism for S.S. teachers and to share ideas for Advent and Christmas.

 

            The Education and Youth Committees are planning a St. Nick event on Sun., Dec. 4 at noon (Youth soup fund raiser).   Everyone is invited to come to learn more about the traditions behind St. Nick, have your picture taken and enjoy a Christmas craft.

 

            Christmas programs for Pre-s-gr. 5 will be held Dec. 11 and Dec. 18.  Thanks to all who provide leadership for these events!

 

 

Worship Committee Report 11/14/2005

Present: George Price, Cynthia McLaren, Pastor Tom Hanson, Mary Jones, Vicky Mulvihill,

Bruce Larson

 

                                                                                                                                Next Meeting:

                                                                                                                                Date:  12/12/05  Time: 5:30 pm

General Agenda Items

 

1) Holiday Worship Services – Christmas Eve services will be held at 3:30, 5:30 and 9:30 p.m., noting the change from 10 p.m. service to 9:30 instead.   All three services will be by candlelight and all offer communion.  Christmas Day will have one service at 9:30 a.m. with communion.  New Year’s Eve service will be held at regular Saturday time of 5:30 p.m.  New Years’ Day will have one service at 9:30 a.m., also with communion.

 

2) Bulletin Cost and Changes – Worship Committee appreciates the time & effort Pastor Tom put into revising the bulletins, as a cost & time saving measure.  After much discussion, Worship Committee decided to have the hymns continue to be printed in the bulletins, as previously done in the past.   On the few occasions that hymns will not be printed, the presiding pastor will direct the congregation on which hymnal to use to locate hymn. 

 

3) Credence Table  – Pastor Tom will schedule two training sessions on how to set up the credence table for services.  Training session will be for volunteers (altar guild, ushers, etc.).

 

4) Communion-  Discussed use of white grape juice for intinction, with extra communion server to hold the chalice.   Decided to continue this practice for intinction only.   Vicky noted that only two rows of cups should be filled with grape juice (not white grape juice) when not doing intinction, effective immediately.

 

5) Chalices and Cup Holders  Mary Jones was contacted by individual making the chalices, that she had fired new chalices and wanted us to try to see if these work better.  Mary will pick them up when ready.   Mary will also talk with Paul Claus on making new cup holders and new stands for cup holders in sanctuary.  More discussion at December meeting.

 

6) Sanctuary Chairs – New chairs have been incorporated into the sanctuary.  Pastor Tom is working with janitors to secure the new chairs with chair locks.  

 

7) Piano Bench – Cynthia was contacted by Paul Mainz regarding money left in memorial fund (for music enhancement) to purchase new, adjustable piano bench.  Bruce will follow-up with Cynthia in ordering a bench.

 

8) Wedding Policy – Agenda item for December meeting.

 

 

Agenda Items Needing Assistance from Council

 

1)  None at this time

 

Council Liaison:  George Price

Date Submitted:  11/22/2005

 


Finance Committee

 

Next Meeting:

Date: 12/12/05

Time: 7 pm

 

Present: Grant Christiansen, Joleen Mainz, Tim Olson, Wayne Peterson, Sue Titus

 

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

 

1) October financial summary - Expenses exceeded income by $3,822 for the month and by $16,011 for the year to date. This is attributable to a combination of decreased income and increased expenses for the month and year. A brief financial summary will continue to be placed in the newsletter, to keep members of the congregation informed about our financial status. We hope to see some year-end “catch up” in pledged and non-pledged giving. 

Items of note in the financial summary include:

• the final organ payment of $15,875 was made

• $1,583 was transferred from the Memorial account to cover the shortfall for the sanctuary chairs

• $1,500 was paid to Tricia Neale for Seminary Aid

• a refund check for $550 was received from Concordia Publishing for the Shepherd Staff software

In November, $20,000 had to be transferred from Mission Investment, leaving a savings balance of about $50,000 (excluding ~$200,612 in Mission Investment Certificates).

 

2) Stewardship – There was a general discussion about strategies for promoting stewardship and enhancing giving in the coming year. One idea was to put together an audio-DVD that would highlight the ongoing activities of our church in carrying out its mission. The various committees could assist in creating a list of items to include. The DVD could be viewed by small groups of congregational members in homes or at church and coupled with the distribution of pledge forms. Successful implementation of this approach would require identifying creative members of the congregation with audiovisual skills who could assist in recording video/picture/audio clips and in creating the DVD.

 

Agenda Items Requiring Assistance from Council

 

Request for feedback on item #2.

 

 

Date submitted: 10/23/05 (meeting held on 10/21/05 at 7 p.m.)

Council Liaison: Tim Olson


Fellowship Committee

 

Next Meeting Date:  December 7th

 

 

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

 

Recap of Past Events – What went well; what can we improve on

 

Fellowship Hour:  Diane has heard some nice comments.  People like the variety of drinks.  Janis will make a sign-up sheet to put by food on Sunday mornings to get more people to sign up to bring food.  Caroline to do the week of 11/13.

 

Upcoming Events-  What do we need to plan??

 

  • Potluck - November 13th:  Buy milk.  Paul to check with council host about making extra coffee.

 

  • Thanksgiving Pie Fellowship:  Make sign-up sheet to put out.  What did we use for centerpieces? 

 

  • Holiday Light Tour:  Janis called and got rates.  Way too high for our budget.  $450.00 for 2 hours and the trolley only holds 30-35 people.  What about the bus companies?  Call Paul Kanz to find out when they publish the addresses for the lights. 

 

  • What else could we do in December?:  Caroling -   Diane to check with Cynthia about the 18th

 

Items to Publicize:  Pie Fellowship

 

 

Agenda Items Requiring Assistance from Council

 

              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)

 

            N/A    

 

Does your committee need assistance from the Long Range Planning Committee at this time to proceed with implementation of the GSLC Visioning Plan?

           

           

Date submitted:  October 13, 2005

Council Liaison:  Paul Evers