MINUTES OF A CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING ON JANUARY 12, 2006

Present: Pastor Joan, Pastor Chris, Mary Backlund, Dave Brabec, Jim Eitrheim, Sharon Ingvoldstad, Tami Lueck, Elizabeth Saudey, Ernie Teie, John Wallin and John Windh . . plus, by invitation, all retiring members of the 2005 council: Kari Campion, Connie Meyers, Chuck Nielsen and Laura Raedeke.
  1. Call to order at 7:07 p.m.
    1. Pastor Joan led devotions.
    2. The minutes of December 15, 2005, were approved with one change . . to include the names of three newly elected 2006 council members who accepted an invitation to attend that meeting: Jim Eitrheim, Sharon Ingvoldstad and John Windh (M/S/P Windh/Ingvoldstad).
    3. Treasurer's report. Dave Brabec reported that we ended 2005 with an overall negative balance of $829.04 and achieved that result only by sending some $9,900 less than budgeted in 2005 to Synod Benevolence.
      1. M/S/P (Wallin/Meier) to accept this report.
      2. M/S/P (Backlund/Eitrheim) to approve the action of the treasurer in under-paying our Synod Benevolence as budgeted.
      3. M/S/P (Windh/Teie) to offer the congregation an opportunity to make up the shortfall in our 2005 Benevolence giving. All moneys earmarked for that purpose and received between Jan. 29 and Feb. 10 will be sent to the Synod as part of our 2005 Benevolence.
  1. New Business: President's message
    1. Dave Brabec welcomed new 2006 council members and warmly thanked retiring 2005 members.
    2. Each month he would like all "committee reports in writing and to include action items for any points that need council action or areas of special interest to the council that should be highlighted." Each month he would like us to accept the treasurer’s report and approve the treasurer’s actions. Each month he would like the secretary to distribute minutes by email and mark them “tentative” until approved by council. 
    3. He will welcome new items from council members under New Business but require others wishing to address the council to arrange in advance with him for a place on the agenda. 
    4. He will insist on orderly discussions under Roberts Rules of Order with no interrupting, much listening, and a focus on our mission.
  1. Pastors' reports
Pastor Joan
    1. We have received letters of resignation from Joanne Forrest (effective Jan. 22) and Heather Grell (effective when a replacement is found). Both desire full-time employment. 
    2. We need to move quickly on personnel matters, to clarify our job descriptions and evaluation procedures. 
    3. A staff retreat is scheduled for Feb. 16. Volunteers will staff the office that day. 
    4. With thanks we look forward to receiving an undesignated bequest from the Clarence Holden Trust.
    5. Pastor Joan is attending a weekly Lutheran clergy text study group and a monthly ecumenical Ministerium, and she will be one of four presenters at the Luther Crest Winter Women’s Retreat on Feb. 24-25.
    6. With unanimous council approval, she will attend a “Training and Head of Staff” seminar from Jan. 30 to Feb. 7. 
    7. With compelling excitement, Pastor Joan spoke of creating an engaging "planning and visioning" process.
    8. Council responded to Pastor Joan’s report with these actions: 
      1. M/S/P (Gunderman/Backlund) to accept with regret the resignations of Joanne and Heather.
      2. M/S/P (Wallin/Ingvoldstad) to extend our warmest thanks to Joanne and Heather on behalf of the council and the congregation.
      3. M/S/P (Wallin/Eitrheim) to seek volunteers to staff the office on Feb. 16.
      4. M/S/P (Teie/Backlund) to designate $3,500/month of Pastor Joan's salary as housing allowance, as requested in a letter to council from Merle Gunderman. Council will receive a follow-up request in this matter from Pastor Joan.
Pastor Chris
  1. He wishes to be involved in hiring the next Director of Christian Education.
  2. He’s helping plan summer Jr. High and Sr. High trips and Fishing Extravaganza parking.
  3. He spoke of a need to define "outreach" in our congregation as our mission in the community outside our membership.
  4. He will seek materials from Synod which show the enormous good we do by giving to Synod Benevolence.
  1. Old Business
    1. The job of revising the constitution and bylaws remains unfinished. 
    2. We continue to await the arrival/installation of the organ pipes. 
    3. We discussed money-handling procedures and found volunteers through Feb. 5.
  1. New Business, continued
    1. Next meeting we will discuss a purchase order policy. 
    2. The Vice President will serve as the chair of the Personnel Committee. Dave appointed Ann Bergin and Becky Melby to serve another one-year term on the Personnel Committee and Chuck Nielsen to begin a two-year term. 
    3. We discussed the agenda for the congregational meeting on Jan. 29. 
    4. We set a budget for 2006, working from a budget proposal prepared by last year’s treasurer (and this year’s president), Dave Brabec.
      1. M/S/P (Ingvoldstad/Eitrheim) to correct the proposal before us by adding $4,000 to the Pensions/Medical line item. 
      2. M/S/P (Windh/Meiers) to move $300 from All State Lutheran Choir to Synod Benevolence. 
      3. M/S/P (Windh/Meiers) to set the Synod Benevolence figure at $32,000, same as approved by the congregation in the 2005 budget last January.
      4. M/S/P (Wallin/Ingvoldstad) to delete $3,900 from Office Equipment. 
      5. M/S/P (Windh/Wallin) to approve the budget with the above changes. 
  1. Committee Reports 
John Wallin pointed out that we’ve spent relatively little for a long time on upkeep to the parsonage, and Elizabeth Sawdey protested that the pop machine is still broken.

After prayer, the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
John Windh, secretary
Contact us:
Lutheran Church of the Cross
On Hiway 13 just east of Hiway 371 at Sportland Corner
P.O. Box 29
Nisswa, MN 56468
Phone: 218/963-2564     Fax: 218/963-0294
Email: lcc@lccnisswa.org