Church Council Notes

The Church Council met on Monday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room. Eve Bour served as Chair of the meeting in the absence of Glenn Gillis. Anne Payne opened the meeting with prayer.

EDUCATION - Drew Grant reported the following for the Education Committee:

Kids of Grace: Planning a Parents Night Out during December.

YOG: The youth packed cookies to send to our college students. December 18 at 6:30 p.m. will be

Christmas Caroling in the Community. ROCK is coming up on the first weekend in February. Some of our youth and adults will attend.

Sunday School: There has been lower attendance during this fall. Postcards will be sent to children who have not been attending. There will also be attendance awards given quarterly. Advent Calendars will be given to all the children and youth on Nov. 27. The Sunday School and congregation will participate in the Red Stocking special offering for the Board of Child Care during the Advent/Christmas Season. There will be no Sunday School on the Sundays of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. We will have one worship service on each of those Sundays.

MISSIONS/OUTREACH - We are providing gifts for our “adopted families” for the holidays. Connie Scott needs some volunteers to help distribute the gifts. Joy Payne announced the dates that we will serve at The Sharing Table during 2017: March 25 and November 11.

MOPS/Mothers of Preschoolers - Autumn Sowders reported that the Sunday Shop held on Nov. 6 was a success. 61 families came and took winter clothing.

PARISH NURSE - Rose Lyman reported on her ongoing work: Diabetic Support Group Meetings, Blood Pressure Clinics at Grace Church and Martha’s Meal, Hospice Visits, Funeral Meals, Ann Kemper Circle, Needle Guild, and Al-Anon just to name some of her activities. The Wednesday Evening Community Meals have been serving approximately 90 persons each week. A new rule was established about person(s) attending the Wednesday Meals with a dog. The animal must be a service dog and the person will be served in the back of the hall so the dog will not be distracted.

WORSHIP - Dennis Stewart reported that in addition to the worship schedule affirmed in the previous meeting, we will also have 2 special services on December 18: 11 AM - Children’s Christmas Pageant and at 4:00 p.m. - Festival of Lessons and Carols.

UMW - Ruth Bender reported the following for the women:

- The UMW is handling the Nativity Display in the Sanctuary during Christmas Street - 8 am ‘til 2 pm.

- The Chocolate Festival will be held on Saturday, February 11. There is a need for someone to do online

advertising - Anne Payne agreed to do this.

- The UMW has decided to fund a new stove for the kitchen due to problems with the current stove.

- At the recent Executive Meeting, funds were dispersed to various ministries in the church as well as

organizations in the local community and district.

UMM - Dick Price reported for the Methodist Men. The group met on Nov. 12 with 13 men present. $80 was collected for the Scholarship Fund. The men are planning to sponsor the Night at the Ironbirds Game again in the summer of 2017.

FINANCE - Joe Yancone reported for Financial Secretary Deb Ault that October giving was less than the needed budgeted amount. The Finance Committee has put together a budget for 2017 which the Council will review.

TREASURER - Andy Payne reported that at the end of October bills were paid and there was a positive operating balance of $27,171.00. The Finance Committee asked Andy to go ahead and pay the balance of the Apportionments in November. Andy then presented the full budget for the approval of the Council. The 2017 reflects a slight decrease from the 2016 budget. The Council then approved the new budget.

TRUSTEES - Dave Payne reported that the Trustees made the following decisions at the November meeting:

- $3,900 was approved to make concrete repairs in front of the church - from the Maintenance Budget.

- 200 New Chairs and 12 New Tables with carts were approved for purchase for Fellowship Hall. The

funds will come from a generous donor(chairs) and the tables will be funded from the Duguid Memorial.

- Additional landscaping was approved for the Raingarden (parking lot) at a price of $5,000 - from the

Duguid Memorial.

PASTOR BOB - The Pastor would like for us to utilize the kitchen to have dinners as fundraisers for the Building Fund/Mortgage. He is asking various groups in the church to sponsor a dinner.

The meeting closed with prayer by Anne Payne. The next Council meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 23 at 7:00 p.m.