Church Council Notes
THE CHURCH COUNCIL met on November 3. We began with a Bible Study on selected portions of Genesis 22. These notes will also include discussions and decisions from our Open Forum (November 8) and the Voters’ Meeting (November 15).
PASTOR’S REPORT: Pastor Schroeder gave a report for Visitations and Ministrations for Year-to-Date, January-October 2009. So far, perhaps a dozen have contacted the pastor regarding the value of this newsletter to say that they read it.
ELDERS’ REPORT: Changes in membership: Mike & Brooke Scharrer and their children, Caleb and Zachary, transferred their membership to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Livonia. Larry & Irene Luedeman were received from St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church (LC-MS) in Northville by profession of faith.
WORSHIP / EDUCATION: Monday evening services will resume on Monday, April 12. The Sunday School children will rehearse for the children’s Christmas program on Sunday, Dec. 6 (11:30 AM-1:00 PM), Sunday, Dec. 13 (11:30 AM-1:00 PM), and Saturday, Dec. 19 (11:00 AM-1:00 PM – dress rehearsal and party). The program will be Sunday, December 20 at 10:00 AM. Parents are encouraged to work with their children at home on speaking parts and songs.
FINANCIAL REPORT: Cf. Page 4 for report. Offerings for special services have been designated as follows:
Thanksgiving HVL General Fund
Advent Vespers Good Shepherd General Fund
Christmas Eve & Day Good Shepherd General Fund
New Year’s Eve Pregnancy Counseling Center
STEWARDSHIP: Mike Casanova said that he and Joel Trim would soon be preparing and presenting a calendar of events for outings in 2010. These outings will be posted on the Good Shepherd Facebook site, as well as Good Shepherd’s web site.
UPCOMING FELLOWSHIP OUTINGS
December 6 Christmas Decoration at Church
December 13 Christmas Caroling to Shut-Ins
December 2,9,16 Advent Supper and Vespers
EVANGELISM: The Evangelism Committee reminds you that the best way to bring people to Christ is still by inviting a friend to church or bringing a friend to Church or to Bible Class. You may also invite Pastor Schroeder to meet your friends at your home if that would be less intimidating for them. Due to budget concerns and questions about its effectiveness, we will likely discontinue our postcards that are sent to those who have recently moved into Novi. We will not advertise our Christmas services in the Novi News. Instead, we will have postcard invitations that members may hand out or mail to friends and relatives. If you have not already done so, bookmark the new website: www.GoodShepherdNovi.org.
PROPERTIES: The Bell Tower drawings are being discussed with a few tweaks being suggested to the design. David Rumics encouraged us to get new bids for the more ornate Bell Tower so that we will know how many funds are enough funds to begin construction. If you would like to make a contribution for this project, please designate your offering “Bell Tower.” Future projects include: erecting a bell tower, adding to the insulation in the WEF roof, upgrading the electrical service to the parsonage, replacing the windows in the parsonage, and adding an emergency egress to the parsonage basement. While all are worth our time and effort, funds limit what we can address right now. The updated Wish List has been posted at church. Bob continues to update the Task List for the Properties Committee. If you have the time and the ability, please see Bob for tasks that need to be addressed.
OTHER REPORTS: Huron Valley Lutheran High School (HVL) is looking for people who are willing to commit a monthly offering to be sent directly to HVL. If you can commit to gifts of $100, $50, $30, or even $20 a month, this will help to insure HVL can meet its obligations to pay their monthly mortgage. Details and forms for commitments are at church. Keep HVL in your prayers, and consider HVL for the high school education of your children.
A gift of $400 was given to the church without any designation. It was suggested to use that gift to purchase software for tracking membership information. This software is called The Shepherd’s Staff, and will just about be covered by the amount of the gift.
The Ladies of Good Shepherd are making a few purchases for the improvement of our services. These include altar linens, a brass shell to be used for baptisms, and contributing to some tables and chairs for the Sunday School, and. The Ladies also sent gifts of money to the WELS Lutheran Radio Hour (broadcasting every Sunday at 10:30 AM on AM 1500) and to Cristo Palabra de Vida, the WELS multicultural outreach in south Detroit.
The Newly Elected Church Council Officers are: Secretary, David Rumics; Financial Secretary, Ken Reisig; Properties Committee Chairman, Russ McClelland, and Evangelism Committee Chairman, Dan Schneider. Only one of two positions for Elders was filled. Rob Skrycki was elected as Elder. Newly elected Church Council Officers are welcome to attend our December 8 Church Council meeting, and will be installed on Sunday, January 3.
The 2010 Budget was approved at our November meetings. For a final copy of the budget, you may speak to Dan LeFevre or Dan Rauchholz.
The Church Council is....
Dan Rauchholz, President (313) 562-1902
Secretary, vacant (248) xxx-xxxx
Bob DuBois, Financial Secretary (248) 347-2947
Dan LeFevre, Treasurer (734) 591-2097
Mark Casmer, Elder (248) 919-0808
Kjell Johnson, Elder (248) 477-4927
Jim Hobley, Elder (734) 856-0999
Bob Wozniak, Properties Chairman (248) 698-1566
David Kirvan, Evangelism Chairman (734) 425-3421
Joel Trim, Stewardship Chairman (616) 828-9373
THE NEXT CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING is Tuesday, December 8, 2009 at 7:00 PM. If there is any issue which you would like brought before the Council, please speak to any one of the men listed here. They are eager to serve you.
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The Augsburg Confession
On Mondays at 7:00 PM (beginning January 11), we will begin a study on the Lutheran Confessions. To start with, we will look at the Augsburg Confession. We will consider why it was written and what it confesses about being Lutheran. Materials will be provided at church. All are welcome.