COUNCIL MINUTES -- JUNE 11, 2009

• Lighting of the Christ Candle
• Praise and Thanksgiving

• Secretary’s Report — Approval of last council minutes (M/S/P – Kraft/Trapp).
  
• Treasurer's Report — Financial report for May approved (M/S/P – Maier/Larson).
  

•  Confession and forgiveness (Pastor Bruce)
  
•  Scripture and response (Pastor Bruce)

• Chuck Nelson presented/reviewed the new LCC  Staff Handbook for Council review and approval.

• Strategic Planning goals

• Council Retreat
  We‘ll reschedule, or see about going through the material & conversation over a series of regular Council meetings. 
  
• 50th Anniversary
  A huge thank you to the scores of members who worked under Sally Hodgson‘s direction to provide a highly celebrative and memorable weekend. What will be our legacy in the next 50 years?
  
• Review of 4-5 year Strategic Planning Goals -  to date
  
• Increase the number of members actively participating in the ministries of the church. Our Director of Lay Ministries has received 155 Time & Talents sheets, filled out – an all-time high.  She is painstakingly going through each one, and passing along the information to the appropriate people/committees. This, and the upcoming "ACTS" ministry will continue to address this goal.
  
• Increase active participation of Jr. and Sr. High School students in LCC’s church life. Growth of Weds. evening youth ministry for high school, who are beginning to invite their friends; Jennifer Pelowski is directing a small youth choir, withplans to build it; Saturday evening alternative/contemporary worship service now underway.  Increased participation by children and youth in Sunday morning worship as readers, ushers, greeters, cantors.
  
• Continue to support excellence in music ministry, and establish a task force to explore and implement, e.g., contemporary music, alternative liturgies, healing services, non-Sunday morning worship opportunities. Saturday evening alternative/contemporary worship service now underway; healing services in Lent, summer, and fall.
  
• To minister to the needs of our members, develop and support fellowship opportunities, based on similar needs or interests. N/A to date.
  
• Develop and implement a plan to engage members in contributing time and talents to Lutheran Social Services (Brainerd). N/A to date beyond two Adult Forums re: LSS services.
  
• Explore and develop Wednesday evening as "church night," which might include any combination of activities. Ongoing conversation about what to add first, etc.
• To encourage lifelong learning, develop a comprehensive schedule of Bible studies, with a variety of lengths, formats, and difficulty. A variety of offerings year-round . . mornings, evenings, Sunday AM Adult Forums.  Request from parishioners to continue Sunday AM forums through summer. 
  
• Establish Small Group Ministry. NA to date
  
• 4-5 year Strategic Planning Goals - Summary – After 2 years, we are making major headway with 4 of the goals. It is my personal hope that, by next summer (3 years), we will also have made headway on goals #6 and 8 in particular (#8 also addresses #4).  One thing that didn‘t emerge as a goal has to do with "evangelism" – reaching beyond our doors with the message of Jesus Christ.  Several members are now beginning to recruit and organize that ministry – "Playing with Fire." Another goal that didn‘t emerge has to do with visiting some of our members we haven‘t seen in several years, to see if there are needs we might be addressing, and to invite them to some type of involvement again.  Two of our members have begun making contact with some of these members, as they are being identified from our congregational records.
  
• Saturday evening worship
  A great start on May 30, with good worship and 84 worshipers. Numbers will very likely
  fluctuate over the summer, as people explore it and decide whether it‘s "for them" or not. More in Pr. Bruce‘s report.
  
• Discussion of book:  Antagonists in the Church (handout, attached) 
  
• Continuing Education & Vacation
• Continuing Ed. - ELCA event for pastors of large congregations, June 15-18, Burnsville, MN
  
• Vacation – June 23-26

• Outreach/Evangelism
• Calling upon inactive members has started and continues
  
• Focus on Stephen Ministry
• Applications are now being taken for Stephen Ministry training. Each applicant will be interviewed by Stephen Leader Cindy Hannem. Stephen Minister training should begin in July.
  
• Focus on ACTS program
  
• Classes are postponed as many council members are either unable to attend or can only attend one or two sessions. Optional times were presented.
  
• Focus on third worship service
•  Our first Saturday evening service started May 30. We have had 84 and 77 attendees respectively. Response from those attending has been favorable. We anticipate that these services will continue year around.
  
• Vacation plans
  
• Vacation plans from July 6 - 14 with the exception of council meeting on July 9 and evening service on Saturday, July 11.
  

• The  Summer Organ Series will include two in our church. The dates are Wednesday,
  June 17th (organist is Laura Raedeke) and July 1st (organist is Cathy Taylor). Performance is noon to 12:30 with coffee and goodies to follow. 
  

• The new office copier will need to a dedicated power circuit installed.
• Bids on new roof and furnaces are being taken.
  

• IHN week completed June 7th. No families were in the program that week; they are now at two families. I am grateful for our wonderful volunteers who were "on call" for the week.
• Missions Team meeting in May...continuing to refocus on not just asking for handouts,
  but finding more volunteer opportunities for church members. Will be holding a missions
  Sunday this fall with a round table forum/discussion about various agencies and opportunities in the Brainerd Lakes Area.
  
• Evangelism ("Playing with Fire") underway… will be starting a fishing group to meet
  weekly, with shore lunch to follow. Possibility of starting a water ski group for teens/
  young adults. Will be starting a Bible study for moms this fall to meet at McDonalds.
  The goal is to "get out" of the church walls and spread God‘s love… not meant to be in
  your face, but meeting people where they are.
  
• ACTION ITEM: Mark Swenson as Evangelism Chair. (M/S/P – Kraft/Both).
  

• Summer Stretch, 6 weeks starting today! 12 youth involved.
• Colorado Trip, June 20-27. Pam Sandelin & Bill Whiteman will be chaperones. Driving
  to Sky Ranch, west of Ft. Collins, CO.
• College-age book study group starting next week. Eight individuals planning to participate.

  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