Present: Beverly Dougherty, Nicole Giese, Sergia Hay, Vicar Judy Converse, Don Mitchell, Jen Nahn, Susanne Olson, Mark Olson, Cindy Reuter, Pastor Ross Goodman, Brian Sniffen, Darcie Sunnerberg, Marilyn Waehler.
Absent: None.
We give thanks for the prayer group, Alison Roberts, Beverly Dougherty, and Cindy Reuter, and those who support their financial work; the oft-unnoticed Ken Heyda and those who help make the Church function; Gloria Grumney, Ann Flentje, and Colleen Henry; the acolytes and crucifers; the Altar Guild; Alicia Peterson in the nursery; Diane Davidson for her work with Coffee Hour; Lois Mitchell for making Godly Play work; the Property Committee.
Minutes of December Council Meeting are accepted with a fix to the date line.
Judy Converse leads us in devotions on Bruggeman’s Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth. Don Mitchell will lead devotions next month.
We sing “Arise, your light has come!”
Next month will be the first meeting of the new council and the last meeting of the old. Nicole Giese, Susanne Olson, and Don Mitchell are ending their terms. We haven’t heard from the nominating committee who to expect for next term.
The financial secretary hasn’t heard from the audit committee. Deb Clasby is organizing the audit, but she and Cindy haven’t spoken yet. Darcie will connect Deb and Cindy. Beverly will get the synod documentation to Darcie and Deb.
We ended $36k behind for the year. Some pledges were behind and will make it up in 2009. The loss of Greentree rent hurt, but the new tower rental offset much of that.
We spent 105% of our projected expenses.
We approve a fundraiser using coffee hour contributions for 18 Jan to 8 Feb to support the Seafarer’s Mission board challenge. moved, seconded, carried.
Contributions are down, largely due to families responsible for $75k of donations moving away or suffering hardships. Building use is up, though we still won’t rent Greentree for a year. Our expenses are similarly lower.
LSS very much wants the Greentree House back, but they have talked us down to $2500 rent plus $500 directed to repair of the parsonage. They’re also interested in the office space at $2000/month. The youth room would not be changed in this deal.
The Korean Congregation will work towards the $3300 we’ve asked of them, but cannot reach it immediately.
We slightly over-donated to the Synod (based on budgeted contributions, not actual). We’re spending less on this year’s intern (she has her own housing and continual supervision from Pastor Goodman).
The Personnel committee’s asked for money for recruiting and for awards, farewell gifts, etc.
$36000 were requested for Christian Education staff. We’ve budgeted $15000. Our new custodian is less experienced and so less costly. We’re hiring a second nursery attendant.
Service contracts for snow removal and groundskeeping take an increasingly large amount.
The final mortgage numbers will be in this next week.
Beverly will write a short thank-you note for the Messenger to the congregation for paying down the mortgage and saving the church $9000/year for the next ten years.
Pastor Goodman is still jazzed about being a pastor. Marilyn asks for something new and interesting and important. We’ll be using the Book of Faith initiative next Lent. Several marriages are coming up. He’s looking at a few new books for congregational reading. He met an Egyptian family through the Stole. They’re new immigrants without a Coptic church nearby. He’s been ministering to them as well as to the rest of the congregation. Property management with the MetroPCS workers has taken some time. He’s very excited about the group moving into the parsonage. Some congregational lawyers have volunteered to help find the legal assistance helpful to the children there.
Vicar Converse is almost half-way through her year here, coming up to her six-month evaluation. She’ll be taking some kids from the youth group to YouthQuake in Worcester in a month. Lent is coming soon.
Development of the church proceeds naturally. We’re planning something different for Lent.
Nicole raises these issues in prayer.
Pastor Goodman gathers us in prayer at 10pm.
Respectfully submitted, Brian Sniffen
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Future Council Meetings: February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 15, July 13, August 10, September 14