Council Members Present: Airin Cherian, Vicar Judy Converse, Beverly Dougherty, Nicole Giese, Pastor Ross Goodman, Sergia Hay, Don Mitchell, Jen Nahn, Mark Olson, Susanne Olson, Dana Ramish, Cindy Reuter, Alison Roberts, Darcie Sunnerberg, Brian Sniffen, Marilyn Waehler.
Absent: none.
A quorum was gathered and we came together in God’s name at 7:33 pm. A candle was lit to remind us that Christ is present with us as we meet.
Don Mitchell quickly reviewed the schedule of the council meetings and welcomed the new members.
The agenda was accepted.
The minutes of January 2009’s Council meeting were accepted.
Don Mitchell then lifted us in prayer and led a devotion on Acts 8:27–35. He combined this month’s check-in and devotions. Next month, Dana Ramish will lead devotions.
We sang Let all things now living, #818 in the New Red Hymnal.
Mark Olson is nominated to serve as President of the Congregation. Sergia Hay is nominated to serve as Vice President of the Congregation. Beverly Dougherty is nominated to continue as Treasurer of the Congregation. Cindy Reuter is nominated to continue as Financial Secretary of the Congregation. Brian Sniffen is nominated to continue as Secretary of the Congregation. The whole slate is moved, seconded, carried.
We pause for a few moments to welcome Airin, Alison, and Dana.
We thank Don, Nicole, and Susanne for their service.
Beverly raises them and this Council up in prayer.
Copies are available here and by e-mail. Perhaps they can be posted on the new web site?
Cindy gives a tour of the monthly reports. A new report of the income to funds and dedicated accounts will be useful particularly to the committees. We are behind $3000 for the snowy January, which had very light attendance. We are also behind $5000 for building usage, which was pre-paid by MetroPCS in December for January.
Money is still coming in marked for the U2 capital campaign. It will not soon accumulate an amount useful for re-amortization. Should we use this to pay down additional principal?
Bev gives a tour of the monthly reports. Some funds are now reported on an annual budget, while others are reported on a monthly budget. Translation tables are needed. We are overspent for January on Electricity and Gas, which we hope to make up with a mild Spring.
Mark passes the signup sheet: six weeks each as Teller, one calendar month as Deacon. Sheets are passed describing the Deacon’s duties as relate to Communion and in the prayers of the Church.
Brian passes a sheet to collect names and e-mail addresses. These will be used for minutes and for reminders of Deacon and Teller duties.
Mark asks us to help collect a list of which members of the Congregation are on which Committees, and to assign representatives to various committees.
We believe the current complete list of committees is: Adult Education and Faith Formation, Audit, Christian Education, Endowment, Executive, Inclusion, Intern, Mutual Ministry, Natural Church Development, Nominating, Personnel, Property, Social Ministry, Stewardship, Welcoming, Worship & Music, Youth.
We approve the minutes from the 25 Jan 2009 Congregational Meeting. moved, seconded, carried.
St. Paul Lutheran Church accepts Ann Flentje’s resignation and the Council sincerely thanks her for 12 years of devoted service. moved, seconded, carried.
Marilyn and others suggest setting some time to thank Ann for her years of service and celebrate her membership in the Congregation.
The Worship & Music and Property committees will be working to find a new organist, director of music, and perhaps minister of music. The sense of the council is that the Congregation wants a musician who will be involved in the life of the church. We will be beginning an open search.
Colleen Henry, who has been serving as an interim organist and music director during Ann’s absence, is particularly invited to apply.
Colleen’s interim contract is done at Easter, the twelfth of April.
We approve the transfer of the $18.81 remaining in Pastor Henry’s R2 account to R1. moved, seconded, carried.
We need some people to think about the issues with renting office space in the church to Lutheran Social Services, and to coordinate the work at Hillside Ave.
We establish an ad hoc committee for rental property management. We name Mark Olson, Pastor Goodman, Darcie Sunnerberg, and (tentatively) Connie Fagone to that committee.
Transfer the remaining $171.39 from the Stevens Ministry fund (P4) into Spiritual Nourishment (P7). moved, seconded, carried.
Transfer the remaining $2241.74 from Pastor Henry’s Lilly Grant (Q4) to Adult Faith Formation (N12). moved, seconded, tabled until next session.
Pastor Goodman begins by talking about our own spiritual well-being. He now has the Lord’s Prayer books we’ll be using for Lenten study. The format lends itself particularly well to devotional and small-group reading. He asks the Council to be at the Wednesday sessions and join in the small group study.
This coming Sunday, the fifteenth, is St. Gloria Grumney Sunday, but he’ll install us as the council on the twenty-second.
AT&T wants to update their tower here. It’s installed inside the cross. They’d like to update their antennas. The council’s happy to let Pastor Goodman handle the negotiations.
He thanks the congregation for their support of him and his family during his father’s radiation treatments and his son Zeb’s injury.
She’ll be writing her Approval Essay this week, working up to ordination in May. The YouthQuake event was wonderful. The kids were great, all had a great time.
Pastor Goodman gathered us in prayer and led communion at 10:00 pm.
Respectfully submitted, Brian Sniffen
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Next regular council meeting: 9 March, 2009 at 7:30 pm.