Council Members Present: Airin Cherian, Beverly Dougherty, Sergia Hay, Mark Olson, Dana Ramish, Alison Roberts, Pastor Ross Goodman, Brian Sniffen, Wendy Stack.
Also Present: Vicar Andrew Heisen, Ken Heyda, Jen Nahn, Bob Waehler.
Absent: Darcie Sunnerberg, Marilyn Waehler.
A quorum was gathered and we came together in God’s name at 7:30pm. A candle was lit to remind us that Christ is present with us as we meet.
We shared highlights of what we’re thankful for and the light of Saints in our lives.
The agenda was accepted.
Brian Sniffen then led a devotion from the Lutheran Handbook on banishing the Devil from our lives. Next month, Marilyn Waehler will lead devotions.
We sing Holy Spirit, ever dwelling (582).
Mark Olson asks the Lord for help with our work tonight.
The minutes of October were accepted as amended.
We’re slightly ahead on regular giving, just balancing out the shortfall in building use. The new money into the tower fund leaves us 2% ahead for a 13-month assumption as of October.
Motion 1 We appoint Ken Heyda to continue as Treasurer through the end of January. moved, seconded, carried.
We have $18000 more in income-less-expenses than we’d budgeted for so far, and expect it to go higher yet. It is very important that we attribute expenses to the proper account, even if it drives us past the budget in that field, to make proper decisions about the budget for next year.
Pastor Goodman reminds that we’ve received an “Identity Grant” of $764. We now expect to use it to support the new web site.
Ken also presents a pair of documents describing St. Paul’s financial accounting system and dedicated accounts. These aim to provide an initial tutorial in our fund accounting system and a clear understanding of the uses for each budget fund. It turns out that nobody has been using n4, otherwise unallocated Coffee Hour Contributions.
Motion 2 We contribute $2000 from n7 as our annual gift in support of the ministry of the Seafarer’s Mission. moved, seconded, carried.
Motion 3 We contribute $2000 from n7 to the Massachusetts Alliance of Visually Impaired Students (mavis). moved, seconded, carried.
This funding is used to provide conference calling for the group. We have supported this work since 2002. The group holds weekly calls with participants from all over the country. It is an opportunity for blind students to network, socialize, gain emotional support, and obtain tech support for specific software for the blind.
Alison speaks in support of the motion and thanks for the support St. Paul has provided to mavis.
Motion 4 We contribute up to $1000 from n7 to cover the cost of gifts for the lss clients. moved, seconded, carried.
Members of St. Paul are making personal contributions toward the purchase of gifts. This request is to cover the amount needed should not enough members contribute to the purchase of gifts. This way St. Paul will meet its obligation as a community no matter what.
We’d like to hire a Pastor and Web Developer named Mark Huber who has done work on the web sites of Trinity Seminary and a number of non-profit web sites. He’s an expert in the Joomla content management system.
Alison notes Joomla’s poor accessibility and asks about the use of other tools. The Council is generally supportive of adding a requirement for accessibility.
Motion 5 We allocate $1000 to build the structure of a web site for St. Paul. moved, seconded, tabled.
We will resume discussion of this by e-mail and at the December meeting.
Vicar Heisen, Susanne Olson, and Wendy Stack will meet with Pastor Huber on the 29th. They’ll be meeting also on the 17th to hammer out requirements. They want input from the congregation.
From e-mail:
Motion 6 St. Paul Lutheran Church hire Thomas Senesi as Sexton for a three month trial period beginning Oct. 28th. He will be compensated $12 per hour. moved, seconded, carried.
Sergia reports that Thomas worked a few days and quit. We received a recommendation from a Unitarian church to hire John Grullón, which we’ve done until his deployment to Baghdad at the end of November.
She’s received a new resume and will interview him tomorrow along with Steve Dougherty. He seems to have maintenance skills as well, which we quite want.
Pastor Goodman briefly speaks about lss moving in, but the latest plan has fallen through again. Clearwire has told us that our steeple is in their second-phase deployment plan for New England. He’s looking for a new intern for next year. The response to the Book of Faith initiative on Sunday morning has been fantastic. Nancy Tiedeman has surveyed the hymnals in the pews. We may need to buy a few more to support our Advent services.
Vicar Heisen reports that the Wednesday Bible study has also been successful. He’s been working with Mary Rose at Hillside House. There are tutors there Tuesdays through Thursdays of each week. The young men there are coming out of their shells a bit. He’s been spending a lot of time with the youth here, enjoying ministering to them. He’s also asked by the Synod to engage with the Roman Catholics on the Apostolicity of the Church. He expects reunification early in 2010.
Jen Nahn talks about the bibles distributed to the three-year olds and third graders on Reformation Sunday. She’s begun sending out a newsletter to young families with supportive material for bringing faith into a family life. Class sizes are deeply asymmetric. Pre-K to grade 4 attendance is less than half of what it could be. Children’s church is going fine but still really needs help engaging the parents of those children who regularly go and other adults who are willing to lead once in a while. We’re looking for an attendant for the Nursery. The Christmas Pageant is beginning preparations. Paul Corneilson has written a pageant based on Luke—no Magi—and will direct.
Pastor Goodman gathers us in prayer and leads communion at 9:25pm.
Respectfully submitted, Brian Sniffen
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Next regular council meeting: 14 December 2009 at 7:30pm.
These minutes can be found online at http://evenmere.org/~bts/Church/.