LORD OF GRACE COUNCIL MINUTES

April 17, 2007

7:00 pm

 

Members Present:  Vicki Shearer, Corliss Jenkins-Sherry, Pandora Larsen, Pastor Dale Moe, Dan Scott, Mike Stein, Ron Paul, and Intern Andrew Schlecht, Carol Buuck, Pastor Christopher Hermansen, Don Lawler, and Chris Pendleton.

 

Guest: Carolyn Nichols

 

Call Meeting to Order:

Vicki Shearer, President, called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

 

Opening Prayer:

Pastor Moe led the Council in prayer.

 

I.  Facilities Report

Dan Heston presented information from the facilities committee. This information will be presented at the annual meeting. A handout will be given to members prior to the annual meeting.

 

II. Modifications to and approval of the Minutes

­­A. Dan Scott moved to approve the February minutes as written. Joan seconded the motion.  The motion passed unanimously.

 

 B.  Action items  

1.  The re-keying process cannot be completed until the front doors are replaced. Hopefully, this will be completed in the next six weeks. (3/20/07) Do not have to replace the doors; can replace the hardware. Hopefully this will be done in the next three weeks. Keys will be reissued. Each key will have an individual code. (4-17-07) Continue

2.  Regarding the bowing of the North wall in the Fellowship Hall.  There was no written report, however Interim Pastor Schlecht reported that he had been in conversation with Chestnut Construction and may have something to report by next week. (3/20/07) Work has begun should be done by the end of the April. Completed

3.  The Worship Enhancement Team has been identified and will have their first meeting in March 2007. (3/20/07) Pastor Chris met with the tech team regarding the amps. It has been difficult to coordinate with the other teams. There is a new computer in the tech room. Team will meet monthly. Nuts and bolts will be taken care of by tech team. Completed

  

 

III. Pastors’ Reports                                                                        

Pastor Moe

See Attached Report

A special thanks to Don Lawler, Joan Travis, and Corliss Jenkins-Sherry for all their work and efforts on the council. A special thanks to Gina Hermansen for her work with MOPS

 

Pastor Hermansen

See Attached Report

 

Intern Andrew Schlecht

See Attached Report

 

IV. Ministry Team Reports                                                             

Youth: Chris Pendleton

No report submitted

Property/Building: Mike Stein

There have been more AC problems. Attempts to comb out coils have not been successful. It may result in replacement of the unit.  The ice machine is working again.

Outreach: Corliss Jenkins-Sherry

See attached report

Gift Giving: Don Lawler

No report submitted

Worship/Stephen Ministry: Dan Scott

See Attached report

$13,500 is still needed to purchase the organ. The contract gives us 8 months to complete the purchase.   The organ company will include a $2000 sound box. Organ committee will draft a proposal to present at the annual meeting. A chart of organ fund donations will be posted. Ron will include the organ fund in the newsletter. Sound chamber can be built later.

Dan will present this information at the annual meeting. 

Education: Pandora Larsen

No report submitted

Fellowship: Joan Travis

See Attached Report

Kitchen needs to be kept clean. Each team that uses the kitchen needs to clean up after

themselves. If the kitchen is not kept clean then the kitchen will need to be locked.

The office staff will follow up with kitchen. 

Treasurers Report: Ron Paul

See attached report

Pre-school Report: Pandora Larsen

Report will be sent out this week.

 

V. Old Business                                                                                

     A.  Yearly event calendar by all teams-Continue

     B.  Ministry Team Leaders- Prepare for annual meeting reports

     C. Thrivent- Need to have list of annual activities so we can prioritize activities to be funded

          by Thrivent matching funds. Add line item for unplanned benevolent giving in next year’s

          budget. The Thrivent committee will meet once a month. National grants from $500 to

         $100,000 grants are available from Thirvent.

VI. New Business                                                                             

      A. Contract for storage unit-Corliss will send the contract to Vicki

      B.  Shed and storage room clean out-Scheduled for June 30, 8AM

      C.  Nominees from the nominating team.

      D.  Employment Policy- See Attached

           Ron moved to accept the Employment Policy.  Corliss seconded the motion. The motion 

           passed unanimously.

 

 

     E.  Letter from Carolyn Bernheim regarding the nominating committee-

          The council will take this under advisement and make proposals for changes for next year.    

    F.  Council acknowledged the receipt of Pastor Moe’s resignation.

           

VII. Closing Prayer/Adjournment                                                    

Dan moved to adjourn the meeting. Ron seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

 

This will be the last council meeting for Don, Joan and Corliss.  We will sure miss you around this table and thank you so much for all of your hard work. You have given lovingly and willingly of your time and talent, for that we are forever grateful.

 

 

 

Nominees for annual meeting 2007

 

 

Current Nominating Team

 

Jim McCarty

Julie Salaz

Nathalie Janke

Len Mowinski

Tom McKenna

 

New Nominating Team for May 2007-May 2008

 

Don Lawler

Corliss Jenkins-Sherry

Joan Travis

Tom McKenna

Len Mowinski

Luanne McCarty

 

Synod Assembly

 

Gary, Lynette and Adam Chupp

 

Council positions and nominees

 

Vice President……………Ron Paul

Outreach………………….Ken George

Worship…………………..Dan Scott

Fellowship………………..Rose Motzko

Treasurer………………….John Berdahl

 

 

Pastor Dale Moe’s Council Report—April 2007

1)       Thanks, thanks and thanks for your partnership in the Gospel.  Holy week and the Easter season were a true blessing.   Easter breakfast was splendid as was the egg hunt and all the festivities.  Many volunteers assisting and helping for these events.  All the worship services were certainly a way to give glory to God.      

2)       The health of our ministry here is credited in many ways to the fact that we tend to the day-to-day tasks in this place; and all of you contribute in a splendid way to these tasks—thus, we are a healthy congregation.  Thanks for your day-to-day ministry energy—this posture of day-to-day care keeps us healthy in His Spirit and in the Oneness we share in the body of Christ.  In many instances we are proactive to what stands before us rather than reactive and this serves us well.   

3)       VBS is the week of June 11th-15th and Sunni Moe and Shannan Heston are our co-chairs for this event.  We have always had a splendid VBS—wonderful outreach, blessed discipleship.  Your assistance in this week is greatly appreciated.  We can always use folks to do all kinds of things (ministry) during this week.       

4)       Nominating team has been meeting in preparation for annual meeting and is moving forward.  Vicki and I are liaisons to this team.  Nathalie Janke is the chairperson.  A final ballot is being worked on for our annual meeting.

5)       EDGE service will move to Wed. night in the summer?  Start Wed. May 30th and the Wed. night time will be 7:00p.m.  Last Sunday night service for this school year will be—May 20th and then all will adjust back to Sunday night schedule when school starts again in August.   

6)       Confirmation Sunday in the Fall of 07 is set for Sept. 30th.  Confirmation for this school year will conclude Wed. April 25th and classes will begin again in the Fall on Wed. Sept. 5th.    

7)       Vicki—Annual meeting—May 2nd   = Time 7:00p.m.  Please recruit and sequester members to attend.  It will be good to have the fellowship of believers present so as to share in our mission and vision: “Making Christ Jesus Known!”    

8)       Working with staff (day-to-day) so as to accomplish the demands of ministry.

9)       The staff has spent significant time reviewing/sharing our own individual/personal strengths and weaknesses.  It has been quite a journey for us to look inward at ourselves and yet it has allowed us to better understand each other and the chemistry which makes our group function.  I feel our staff is a very healthy staff—much love for the church and the Lord.  

10)    Hospital visitation and the prayer chain have been full and active.  Follow-up calls are happening.    

11)    We celebrated (Johnson family and Dahnke family—this Sunday, April 15) a couple of baptisms and I am also doing some premarital counseling with a couple of upcoming summer weddings.   

 

 

12)    Many ministries events happening in our midst.  The life of the church is full, thus let us promote this full schedule as that of spiritual growth in the Lord.  Our worship life together is a foundation of our being—so I encourage you to take every opportunity so as to gather in His name and sing His praises.  Yes, praise the Lord!

13)    MOPS ministry is coming to a conclusion for this school year and this again has provided us an avenue for outreach and discipleship.  Thanks to Gina Hermansen for all her leadership with MOPS.

14)    The Thrivent board from Lord of Grace meets Monday night April 16th.  This will now become a monthly meeting. 

Pastor Chris Hermansen’s Council Report—April 2007


Easter/Holy Week went well.  It was great to see so many people involved and
taking positions of leadership.  Too often we see the same people doing all
the work and possibly burning them out.  I am going to take a page out of
Andrew's book and try to expand our involvement base.  Andrew did a great
job getting some newer people involved with the vigil (and some of the old
faithfuls).

I was in charge of Good Friday service.  If you attended I hope you found it moving
and meaningful.  I helped coordinate the Easter Breakfast and a huge thanks
to Sunni and her crew for staffing the kitchen.  The youth helped serve the
food and clear the tables.  The church was very generous in support of these
efforts and helped raise some much needed funds for the youth program.  We
will still need to do some more fundraising to keep the youth program in the
black.  This budget process has been a learning experience both in regards
to a need for better planning and an understanding of what kind of a budget
is needed for an active youth program.

Sr. High youth has been meeting at the church for about a month now and it
seems to be a successful switch.  It has done a lot to simplify location,
directions, meeting time, etc.  I have drafted a letter that will be hand
delivered to all parents of children in our church addressing a desire to
expand the faith life in the home.  I will also run this by Chris Pendleton
to get his thoughts and input.  Following the delivery of this letter we
will hold a seminar/class/discussion group to better equip parents with ways
to foster faith in the home.

I brought this up a while back and we haven't discussed it much in recent
meetings.  We still have a large amount in our savings account and I restate
the need to reinvest that into our ministry.  Giving is stronger when there
is a need and less when there isn't.  Maybe it is time we seriously consider
where that money could be used to enhance what God is already doing in this
place.  Let's get the ball rolling and see where the spirit takes us.

 


I will be gone April 24-26th for a required continuing education conference in CA. 
I will also be gone the weekend of Memorial Day to attend an annual family
gathering with Gina's family in Indy.  The first trip is on my continuing education
time and the second is vacation time.  The dates that I will be gone this
summer are more or less set.  The plan is to leave following Sunday worship
on the 15th of July and be back by the end of July/first part of August -
this will be all vacation time.

Other summer activities include an overnight motorcycle trip and possible
youth trips (if we can raise the money).

The nursery has been somewhat of a constant challenge.  I have suggested
that we "hire" someone to be the nursery coordinator.  The position would be
funded by a small salary and that individual would be in charge of staffing
the nursery, ordering supplies.  This is just an idea that I share with you
to consider and share your thoughts.  Over the past couple of years we have
struggled with consistency in the nursery and now that I am a parent of
young children I see the need more than I did before (or Gina sees the need
and I hear all about it).  If someone visits for the first time and we
cannot offer nursery care it might hurt our chances of seeing them return
for a second visit.

Thanks again for all of your help and partnership in the ministry.  An extra
thanks to those whose time on council is coming to an end.  Thank you for
all you have done and God's blessings as you look to serve in a new
capacity.

 

Intern Andrew Schlecht’s Council Report-April 2007

 

1.       Christ is Risen!  Easter week was a wonderful blessing and also exhausting!  I especially thank you for allowing me to experiment and lead the Easter Vigil this year!  Many people were involved, but I would like to especially thank the following for all their hard work and sharing of their gifts: Ernie Jones, Pat Jones, Phyllis Teager, Melissa Elias, Dawn Calkins, Pastor Dale Moe, Pastor Chris Hermansen, Vallorie Schlecht, J. D. Larsen, Samantha Urbina, Darlene Paul, Mykel Frank, Victoria Schlecht, Chelsea Moe, Phyllis Teager, Christopher Leon, Wayne Lundeberg, Vicki Shearer, Carolyn Bernheim, Erin Bernheim, Lou Smith, Rose Motzko, Linda Reeves, Julie Salaz, Dawn McKenna, Richard Krohn, Cappie Bennett, Carolyn and Ken Nichols, Dan Heston, George and Maggie Sherman, Debbie Pickard, The Mount Zion Lutheran Church Bell Choir, and of course the Wonderful Children of Lord of Grace!  And it was a special blessing to celebrate the baptism of Brett Paul! 

 

This was the traditional day to celebrate baptisms in the early church.  Approximately 140 people attended the service.  Thanks for all you do in His name!  He is risen indeed!

2.       Grace Groups

a.       Three groups up and running (Monday 1:00, Wednesday 5:00, Friday 1:30).  These are a great joy and keep me on my toes.   

3.       “The Surpassing Greatness of Knowing Christ Jesus my Lord!” 

a.       I am putting a curriculum together.  My hope is that additional Grace Groups will grow out of this experience.

b.       64 people have expressed an interest in the group.  Actual attendance will depend on date, time and other conflicts.

c.       Anticipate four sessions of ±1 hour each.  Contacting people who signed up to determine best time: Sunday at 12:00 (with lunch, so session will be longer than 1 hour), or 4:00 or at 6:30 or Wednesday at 6:00. 

4.       Healing Prayer Group

a.       Meeting weekly at 3:30pm on Mondays beginning April 30.  Group will meet at the home of Raul and Barbra Padilla.

b.       Suggested by LuAnn McCarty.  She is contacting 6-7 people to participate.

c.       Using the book “How to Pray for Healing” by Mark Dahle. 

5.       Facilities Committee

a.       Analysis complete.

b.       Great group of people!  It has been an honor and blessing to work with everyone.  Great vision and passion! 

6.       Prayer Service

a.       Continues.  This has been a wonderful time to enjoy quiet time, listening to God and offering up our prayers.  John Reeves has led several of the prayer services and continues to be a great blessing.

b.       Held four special services at the end of Lent: remembrance of baptism, confession/forgiveness, healing and intentions communion.

7.       Grief Support Group

a.       Looking forward to continuing to work with Carolyn Nichols.

b.       Rescheduled to resume Friday May 4 at 10:30. 

8.       Walk Across the Room

a.       Possibility of 4 week sermon series after Easter; Pastor Dale is coordinating with Pastor Jim at TVLC.

b.       Lead four week adult class.

c.       Need to establish dates.   Waiting for word from Pastor Jim

9.       HVAC Issues

a.       Received word from mechanical engineer, Ken Cauthorne, who contacted both Carrier and the maintenance company confirming that the compressors in the units were under an extended warranty (parts only).  Discussing options with Mike Stein. 

 

10.   Craycroft Towers

a.       Nothing in the works at the present time.

11.   Mission Church

a.       Contacted Pastor Dale and Vicki regarding names for committee.  Will be asking Beautiful Savior and Resurrection if they would each like to send one person to serve as well.

b.       I will be attending the conference gathering April 18 from 12 to 4 at New Spirit. 

12.   Continue with home and hospital visits.

13.   Continue working with Pastor Dale and internship committee.  They have all been wonderfully supportive!

a.       Pastor Dale and I are scheduled to be in Phoenix May 3 and 4 at the Franciscan Renewal Center for an internship cluster meeting.  We will be gone both days.

14.   Val’s surgery is Thursday at around 7:30/8:00am at TMC.  Pastor Dale has graciously offered me some medical time off during the surgery.  I will be out 4/19 to 4/24 to be with my wife and get things set for her return home.  She will have rehab for 2 months.  Thanks for the time off!

15.   Please note that Seminary classes for the remainder of this quarter are all day on April 21, May 5 and May 19.  Also I will be gone for summer class on July 5-6, and 9-14.  I will be returning on Saturday July 7 for Erin Bernheim’s wedding.

Outreach Report Submitted by Corlis Jenkins-Sherry -April 15, 2007


1.  Some members of the outreach team will be cooking meals to freeze
for the shut-ins on April 23rd.
2.  A storage unit has been rented for Outreach and LOG, we will share the
space.  The unit is 10 x 10 foot located at the Atlas storage on Ina.
3.  A Tucson House birthday party is being held on April 25th.
4.  The food drive for the Marana food bank will start on May 6th.  We
will be handing out lists of items that the food bank needs the most.
This drive will last the month of May.
5.  Outreach held a neighbors helping neighbors event in March and April
and we are grateful for the folks who volunteered to help.  Thanks to
Pastor Chris and James Sweeney for their assistance at the Padillas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Worship Report-Submitted by Dan Scott-April 15, 2007

 

There is nothing new to report for the worship team. Everything was successful for the Easter services.  As far as the organ committee, we would like to get approval from council to make a "gauge" to post in the narthex.  This would keep track of the donations given vs. the total amount needed.  I believe the organ fund is near $33,000.  This amount includes $10,000 that we gave as a deposit on the organ.  I will discuss at the meeting the proposal that the organ committee would like to present at the annual meeting. 

 

 

Property Report-Submitted by Mike Stein-April 15, 2007

1.      HVAC

·        Continued issues with units

·        Paul Myers to discuss problems and make recommendations to Council