St. John-St. Matthew-Emanuel Lutheran Church
Congregation Council Meeting –Tuesday, December12, 2017
Present: Barbara Gruenberg, Gene Hiigel,Eric Johnson,Brian Kurtz, Kirstie Pendergrass, Sarah Sampson,Pastor David Parsons. A quorum was present.
Excused: Susan Greig, Aaron Thompson, Kuye Youngblood.
Also Present: Tammy Johnson, Treasurer.
Devotions: Devotions were led by Pastor Parsons.
Approval of Agenda: The meeting was called to order at 7:35 pm. A resolution was moved, seconded and adopted to approve the presented agenda with an addition to new business.
Approval of Minutes: A resolution was moved, seconded and adopted to approve the minutes of the Council’s meeting of November 14, 2017 as presented.
Reports:
Senior Center: There will be a discussion at the January 2018 Council meeting on what the church wants in terms of future senior center programs and, if necessary, a search committee for a new Senior Center Executive Director will be appointed.
Financial Reports: No financial reports for November 2017 were presented to the Council by the Treasurer because of computer problems. Tammy Johnson reported that the church was moving forward with engaging John Litke to provide accounting services. Discussions with Mr. Litke will continue as to when his services will commence.
Pastor’s Report: Written and oral reports were presented to the Council by Pastor Parsons. Pastor reported that attendance in November was steady as compared to prior years (and just slightly down from November 2016). Pastor also reported that he, Andrew Kjoller and Darnelle Bernier had accompanied a Nigerian gentlemen to his asylum hearing at the Elizabeth Detention Center, that he had presided at communion at St. Lydia’s Dinner Church in Gowanus, that he had taken communion to Margaret Baer and Eleanor Smith, who are unable to attend services, and that he continued to participate in the Antiracism Committee of our Synod.
Property: The Pastor reported that the Senior Center had been nominated as a possible recipient of funds from Council Member Brad Lander’s Community Fund. If received, the funds would be used to renovate the kitchen. As part of the application process, a preliminary bid and rough plan for the renovation are being obtained.
Eric Johnson, a member of the Property Committee, reported that the Committee will get together to remove half a pew for handicapped accessibility and that a quote for roof repairs in the range of $1,600 to $3,000 had been received.
Program: The Pastor has obtained a box to be used as a Little Free Pantry and will seek volunteers from the congregation to administerit. It was suggested that the youth undertake the painting of the Little Free Pantry box as a project and the Property Committee work on how to place the box securely in front of the church.
Unfinished/Continuing Business:
Council Nominations. Kuye Youngblood and Eric Johnson were appointed to the Nominating Committee for the Council elections in 2018.
Year-End Gifts. A resolution was moved, seconded and adopted to make year-end gifts in a total amount of $4,375 as set forth below:
Church
Pastor$750
Music Director 275
Sexton 300
Secretary 400
Treasurer 400
Youth Director 325
Senior Center
Executive Director$700
Manager 100
Program Assistant 250
Cook 300
Assistant Cook 250
Custodian 225
Kitchen Aide 100
Annual Meeting Date. A resolution was moved, seconded and adopted setting February 4, 2018, immediately following worship, as the date and time for the congregation’s Annual Meeting.
New Business:
New Members/Baptisms. A resolution was moved, seconded and adopted to acceptBenjamin Lim and Leocadie Welling as new confirmed members of the congregation.
The Pastor also announced that Leocadie Lim will be presented for baptism.
Directory and Name Tags. The Council discussed the preparation of a congregational directory. Kirstie Pendergrass volunteered to manage the formatting and printing of a directory and Pastor will work on the photography portion.
The Council also discussed the wearing of name tags at services as a way to make new attendees more comfortable. The receptivity of the congregation to name tags will be measured, including by bringing up the subject at the 2019 congregational Annual Meeting.
Next Meeting: The next meeting of the Council was scheduled for 7:30 pm on January 9, 2018.
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 8:55 pm with the Lord’s Prayer.
Submitted by:
Gene Hiigel
Secretary