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JULY 2010 ISSUE 2
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Date: May 10, 2010
Attendance: Dar VanderArk, Dick Thompson, Nancy Bender, Doug Cutler, Pastor Gerke, Linda Gerke, Betty Hall
Pastor opened with prayer.
Secretary’s Report: Minutes of April 12, 2010 Council Meeting were approved.
Treasurer’s Report – Eric Tuori – Absent – Written reports dated April 30, 2010 were distributed and reviewed
Notes to Council
Summary of Receipts as of April 30, 2010
Summary of Expenses as of April 30, 2010
Preschool Fund as of April 30, 2010
General Fund receipts are below budget again. Receipts are down almost $4,000 from prior year at this time. Building Fund receipts were up this month, bolstered by the Ruth Martin Memorial. Preschool continues to struggle.
Committee Reports:
Elders – Dar VanderArk
There has been an offer to donate a baby grand piano to the church and the Elders recommend we accept the donation. A Motion was made, seconded, and passed to accept the gift of the baby grand piano provided there are no additional costs except for tuning after the piano is moved. The location of the piano in the facility will be determined by the Music Committee.
The Elders will host a workshop on Saturday, May 15, to develop a vision statement as part of the Strategic Planning Process.
Administrative Trustee – Nancy Bender
Doug Cutler, Eric Tuori, and Nancy Bender met regarding church employee benefits. It was noted we currently have a contract with Concordia Planned Services for short-term and long-term disability. Nancy will research this contract further.
Fellowship – Bill Browne – Absent – No Report
Trustee – Ken Ritz – Absent – No Report
Dick Thompson distributed and reviewed a Boiler/Building Management System Cost spreadsheet.
Education – Tiffani Dollarhide – Absent – Written Report was submitted
Three dates have been set for scrapbooking fundraisers for the preschool.
Ways to save money in the preschool are being explored; i.e. only free advertising being utilized.
Policies are beginning to be implemented regarding tuition payments and other issues.
Another Preschool Board Meeting is scheduled.
It was noted the current Preschool Board consists of Tiffani Dollarhide, Linda Gerke, Eric Tuori, Julie Rop, Kathy Hossler, Mark Stephenson, and Jan DeGood.
The preschool assistant position was vacated and Linda Rothenthaler has been hired to fill the position.
Preschool graduation will be held June 6.
Missions – Linda Gerke
Linda is currently looking at two potential candidates for Missions Chairperson when her term is up next year. She would like to mentor them prior to leaving the position.
Vacation Bible School will participate in Caledonia’s July 4th parade. A hot dog lunch will be provided for parade volunteers.
A mentoring process for VBS leadership is being implemented.
Treats for Trunks is being planned.
Assimilation – Judy Ritz – Absent – No Report
Youth – Doug Cutler
Currently working on this summer’s “Alive” activity.
Doug shared growing relationships in our church as a result of the Youth Group.
Fundraising communications were discussed.
Stewardship – Pastor Gerke
Worship attendance is approximately the same as last year. It appears the decline in membership has diminished.
Pastor’s Report – Pastor Gerke
Pastor will be on vacation June 13 and August 22. Dave Britton will lead both worship services and will provide an activity during the Sunday School hour on June 13. The Elders will be leading the worship services on August 22.
Unfinished / Old Business:
Sexual Abuse Prevention Policy: Elders continue to work on the policy. It will possibly be complete next month.
Church Facilities Use Policy: Nancy is still waiting for comments from Council. Dar will have the church office email the comments from the Elders to Council members. Comments are to be sent back to Nancy before the next Council Meeting.
Draft of Employee Handbook: Dick will look into developing a Personnel Committee that understands our employee positions, wages, benefits, etc.
Church Office Safe Accessibility: This issue has been resolved.
Lutheran College Scholarship Guidelines: The policy needs to be defined. Nancy will request a copy of the current guidelines/practices from the church office.
New Business:
A request was made to the Council to replace church road signs at various locations. A Motion was made, seconded, and passed to remove the church road signs that are in poor condition. Replacement is currently cost prohibitive.
A Motion was made, seconded, and passed to designate contributions totaling $369.45 from the Easter Breakfast to the K-12 Scholarship Fund.
Dick will invite Council members that will take office in July to the June Council Meeting.
Dick closed with prayer.
Respectfully Submitted, Betty Hall, Church Council Secretary
SUMMER WITH THE GOOD SHEPHERD
“I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep as the Father knows me. My sheep know me as I know the Father. So I give my life for my sheep. I also have other sheep that are not from this pen. I must lead them. They, too, will respond to my voice. So they will be one flock with one shepherd.” (John 10:14-16 GWT)
Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. As you know, shepherds take care of sheep. Just as it is in all things, some shepherds are faithful, and others aren’t so dependable. Jesus described the Good Shepherd as one who knows the name of every single sheep. He said that He knows them, and, because He spends so much time with His sheep (and they spend so much time with Him), they know Him. They hear His voice and follow Him. He said that, if one of them were missing, He would go looking until He found it, no matter where it was or what danger it was in. He said the Good Shepherd would even die in order to save His sheep.
Well, isn’t that just what Jesus did? He loves us so much that He left Heaven to come looking for us, His lost sheep here on earth. He makes us His own sheep through Baptism and He speaks to us through His Word, the Bible, so we can learn His voice. If we wander away from Him, He doesn’t just forget about us; He comes looking for us. We must never forget that He gave His life for us on the cross, so we’d be safe forever from anything that could harm us.
Jesus said there are sheep, though, who don’t know His voice. They don’t know He’s come looking for them. They don’t know that He gave His life to save them from their sins. They are in great danger, and many of them don’t even know it.
Do you know someone who doesn’t know Jesus as their Good Shepherd? Could you tell that person about the Good Shepherd? Some of your friends may not have been baptized. They may not go to church or Sunday School. They may not even know that the Bible is how God brings them into a living relationship with their Good Shepherd. The most important thing you can do for people is bring them to Jesus or bring Jesus to them.
This sounds like a hard thing to do, but it is not. Can you invite them to join you at a worship service? Of course, you can! And Jesus expects you to. That is why you live where you live, play where you play, work where you work, and vacation where you vacation!
In His Service and yours, Pastor Gerke
