CHURCH COUNCIL MINUTES
December 15, 2011
We Assemble in God’s Name (Fireside Room), Devotions
Officer Reports
- Call to Order, 7:02 pm
- Approval of previous month's minutes (M/S/A Kraft, Sandelin), Steve Lanz.
- Treasurer's report (M/S/A Karlgaard, Thorson), Colleen Both.
- Motion to repay the general fund from the Mission/Vision funds made to the building fund (mortgage payments) in previous years to make the Celebration Center mortgage payment. There is no change in our overall balance; this is moving money from the Mission/Vision fund for the mortgage back to the general fund, from which we had previously borrowed (M/S/A Sandelin, Karlgaard).
- Update on new pastor by Marvin Green. There will be a meet and greet with our new Senior Pastor, Andy Smith, and his family on January 22 between services.
- Budget 2012 presented by Colleen Both. It will be given final approval at a special meeting of the council January 5, 2012.
- Sanctuary sound. The Music and Worship committee is recommended to form an action group.
Interim Senior Pastor, Pastor Glenn
- I have listed the areas where I have worked in the last 18 month. This listing of areas of responsibility includes those assigned or assumed:
- Administration: oversight of staff in day-to-day operation.
- Liaison to the Council with expectation of leadership inclusive of training/Executive Committee/Congregational meetings, etc.
- Carry a sense of Vision for the mission and purpose of the congregation as LCC moved ahead Transition process.
- Stewardship Ministries with a Capital Appeal and two Fall Stewardship Campaigns. Move Stewardship Committee to reorganization and a goal of Year-round stewardship.
- Worship and Music Committee with reorganization for how we do our work together in this area. Pastor is key to leadership as this impacts a weekly gathering of the congregation around Word and Sacrament.
- Life-Long Learning Vision for Bible Study, Forums and Small Groups- a small beginning as we now have an on-going planning group for Forums and the other areas are happening because of lay leadership.
- Transition Team Process with an intense focus for nine months -- October 2010 to June 2011.
- Call Committee support -- more of an initial involvement with focus on preparation of Ministry Site Profile and support for committee goal formation.
- Nominating Process -- two years
- Word and Sacrament Ministry with 160+ worship services.
- On-going visitation within the congregation following 35 one-on-one in home visits within the first six weeks and then continuing as needed.
- Special Gifts and Memorial Committee.
- Memorial Garden/Columbarium Committee.
- Endowment Fund Planning/Committee.
- Community Outreach and representation.
- Conflict Management, which has included conflict creation in some instances.
- Ministry of Presence -- means you show up for many gatherings to simply "be there."
- I am grateful for the wonderful support from my colleagues on the LCC staff and for the gifts that the people of LCC bring to this faith community. Most of the ministry I have experienced here has been fun and I am grateful for the time I have been able to be with you at Lutheran Church of the Cross.
- Through December 9, visitation included six visits to homes or nursing facilities, one office visit and three hospital visits. Our Eucharistic ministry team completed four visits.
- Starting with a $65 investment, our ninth grade confirmation students will be sending a little over $400 to local charities, including the food shelf. This has become somewhat of a tradition for our ninth grade class and what they did is a result of a class spent discussing stewardship and what we as a congregation can do when we work together.
- We now have a tentative schedule of Sunday forums through May 6 of 2012.
- A total of 175 inactives were removed from the membership rolls. This is in addition to the 249 inactive who were removed from the membership rolls at the end of September. Total 424 removed. As of December 13, we have 1376 active members, 603 households. Our cleanup of the membership rolls is now complete, from this point we will do a "routine" clean every year.
- We have five new families joining LCC on at the second service on Sunday January 15. The following list is for council approval: Craig Fink & Heidi Paurus-Fink, Rickard (Dick) & Judy Rickbeil, Terry Frovik & Pauline Gustafson, Carol Jane Smith (M/S/A Karlgaard, Thorson).
- Senior High youth did the soup kitchen and a Lock-in.
- Over 100 people attended the Thanksgiving eve Bundt cake social.
- Finishing employee handbook and job designs document, the council will review prior to January meeting.
- Spent $3,500 to repair the Celebration Center furnace, replacement would cost approximately $25,000.
- Ordered a carpet cleaning machine costing $2,300 to reduce cleaning costs. Each professional cleaning of just the Celebration Center costs $1,000. The machine can also clean hard floors and upholstery.
- Upcoming 5th Sunday is January 29. We've tried to do something different and fun on these Sundays, and we are planning to have this service feature Gospel style music. Stay tuned!
- Much discussion was focused on the issue of organ volume in the front of the church. A committee from worship and music comprised of Brian Stubbs, Mike Smith, Chris Fogderud, Cathy Taylor and Laura Raedeke was formed to deal with this important issue along with our sound technician, Steve Lanz.
- Worship and Music was asked to lead two adult forums on Feb. 19th and 26th.
- Lent is right around the corner, and we will be using a different format than the Holden Service for Lent this year. We are currently using this "service of light" for our Advent midweek service.
- New business: it was brought up that the current LCC logo, while very creative, might not capture all that we as a church would like to see represented in our church identity. We would like to recommend that council consider looking at this.
- 14 Thanksgiving baskets were delivered to local families. Thanks to all who participated.
- Christmas Families: 13 local families will be receiving gifts from members of LCC. Thanks again to all who helped and contributed gifts.
- IHN Hosting: Our next week of hosting is January 8 through the 15th. The guests will be spending the previous week in a motel as there is no church committed to host that week. Two churches are interested in hosting but have not said when.
Closing Prayer
Meeting Adjourned
All are welcome at Council meetings. Approved minutes and approved financial reports are available in the church office to any member upon request. If you would like to have something on the Council meeting agenda, please submit it in writing addressed to President Carol Smith and delivered to Joy in the church office no less than one week prior to the monthly Council meeting. The Council meets the second Thursday of the month. If the request is submitted less than one week prior to the next Council meeting, it will be addressed at the following monthly meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Lanz, secretary
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