Council minutes

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church
Arlington, Massachusetts

12 November 2012

Council Members Present: Katherine Corneilson, Pastor Ross Goodman, Maile Hedlund, Mark Olson, Dana Ramish, Alison Roberts, Heather Sheridan, Brian Sniffen, Chris Trost, George Wilson.

Also Present: Vicar Dan Eisenberg.

Absent: Wendy Stack.

Gathering

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.

Agenda

The agenda was accepted.

Devotions

George Wilson then led a devotion on thankfulness. Next month, Dana Ramish will lead devotions.

Word

Minutes

The minutes of last month were accepted as amended.

Financial Reports

Financial secretary’s report

The income report is slightly confusing; it seems low but we’re short on detail without the secretary here. Last month’s report said we were well above budgeted income.

Treasurer’s report

None submitted.

New business

Personnel committee

George Wilson reports that the personnel committee has terminated the employment of Clancy Chan, the Parish Administrator. Pastor Goodman talks a bit about her work here.

Taryn Weaver has agreed to step in until January. The personnel committee will be producing a new job description and starting the search. George will talk about that description and about employment policy next month.

Strategic visioning

This work comes from the retreat last summer, and through several dozen meetings of a varying working and planning group since then. We’ve been good at one-year planning; not so good at multi-year plans.

The most recent incarnation has met six times over the last month, working on a five-year plan—tight for three years, more vague for the last few. They have several goals to propose in each of the four core pillars of this congregation (Gathering, Growing, Giving, Supporting).

He asks us to pull four people: Pastor Goodman, Daniel Eisenberg, George Wilson, Mark Olson, plus himself, to work on the next stage of this project. They’ll have more to report at the January meeting—and perhaps will bring something before the Congregation to endorse.

Pastoral reports

Pastor Goodman speaks about his coming sabbatical. The Lilly fund doesn’t have funds available this time, so we’ve been setting money aside. He’s thinking about May 5–Aug 6. He has a few pleasant pastoral duties in May, but is hoping to spend much of that time preparing and then traveling to Jerusalem. The next intern is also lined up, tentatively.

He endorses Daniel’s plan for “gathering groups.”

Vicar Eisenberg reports on his new “gathering groups” project. He’s advertising in November, hoping to have many signed up by December. The box—shaken—sounds full! The Golden Agers are having their first meeting this Thursday. Adult Confirmation is very exciting: five people, and some great conversations about what it means to be Lutheran.

Meal

Pastor Goodman gathers us in prayer and leads communion at 9:15pm.

Respectfully submitted, Brian Sniffen

_________________________________________

Next regular council meeting: 10 December 2012 at 7:30pm.

These minutes can be found online at http://evenmere.org/~bts/Church/.