Reminder: Next Vestry Meeting is October 19, 2016

Minutes of the Vestry

St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church

September 21, 2016

The regular meeting of the Vestry opened at 6:45 with reading and discussion of the September 2016 pastoral letter to churches from the House of Bishops.

Vestry Staff

Kate BuckleyMarvin Foltz, Rector

Jim Clark

Jon Hotra

Caroline KelseyOthers

Adrian Moore Rick Sharp, Treasurer

Rob MuschanyAnne Teymouri, Clerk

Nancy Setzer

Mitzi Uyemura

Michael Wyland

Minutes: A motion to accept the minutes from August 17, 2016 was seconded and approved.

Treasurer’s Report: Rick Sharp reported that pledge income was down in August. He looked at trends for the past few years to try to project final income figures for the year and expects it to come in low. Expenses remain on target at 66% as the year just passes the 66% mark. Marvin Foltz added that, on the positive side, plate income is strong this year.

Rick provided vestry members with a summary of weekly average attendance of services for 2014, 2015 and 2016 that shows attendance trending downward. Jon Hotra suggested that checking to see which parishioners are missing from services would help predict final budget outcome. Budget planners will project this year’s ending budget and add 7% of that total to use in planning the 2017 budget.

Gift Acceptance Policy Status: Rick provided a draft version of a gift acceptance policythat he and Rob Muschany have both reviewed for vestry members to consider. Rick reported that he recently learned at a budget meeting that the Endowment Committee also has a gift acceptance policy. He urged vestry members to move forward with adopting a parish policy on gifts and to compare the two policies to ensure harmony between them.

A motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report was seconded and approved.

New Business—Vision Mission Ambition Plan:

•Staff Search–Job Posting: Jon Hotra provided copies of two proposed job descriptions for the part-time staff position that he, Amy Conard and Heidi Clark put together. The position has already been advertised at Eden Seminary, but the position must next be advertised at multiple sites, including local universities. Jon suggested a committee form to continue the process of conducting the search and evaluating responses. He noted that Amy Conard expressed her interest in serving on that committee. Marvin suggested that Heidi’s input would also be helpful. Kate Buckley agreed to serve on the committee to respresent the vestry. After discussion, vestry members agreed that the shorter version would work best for the posting, but the longer version provides a more thorough job description that could be used later in the process. Jon agreed to add the basic background check requirements to the shorter version of the posting and to send it to Kate to post to parish social media sites. Nancy Setzer suggested the posting also include response instructions. It was agreed that the posting should instruct candidates to respond by emailing resumes to Marvin.

A motion to authorize the posting “widely and online” of the shorter version of the job description with the additions discussed was seconded and approved.

A motion to appoint a committee including Amy Conard, Kate Buckley and others to be determined to assist with distributing the job posting, evaluating responses and scheduling interviews was seconded and approved.

Discussion of the format of the posting raised the issue of a parish logo. Mitzi Uyemura and Caroline Kelsey suggested that St. Timothy’s use the Jerusalem Cross as the logo, especially since one can be seen on the outside wall of the new Education Wing. Caroline suggested that she could work on the logo since she already had done some preliminary work on it in the past, though it would not be ready in time for this particular posting.

•Vestry Liaison Reports:

Youth Christian Formation: Mitzi reported that the first two weeks of Sunday School showed classes at least as big as last year or larger. She attributed part of the enthusiasm to Heidi’s work sending out cards and emails to families before classes began.

Membership: Marvin reported that the parish needs to follow up greeting newcomers with incorporating them into the parish missions and community. He stressed the value of personal invitations in bringing newcomers into the parish. He also noted that he and Susan Moenkhaus have been discussing an event for newcomers to give them the opportunity to meet more parishioners.

  • Stewardship Update: Jon reported that Stewardship is going well, and the campaign will be ready to launch in October. Marvin’s letter will go out first; then pledge letters will follow. Vestry members received their pledge information tonight so they can complete their pledges in advance of the campaign. Vestry members also signed a form so their signatures can all appear on the letter accompanying the pledge information for parishioners. Marvin stated that stewardship announcements should start with the speaker’s own personal expression of gratitude in the form of personal testimony of what they have experienced of God’s grace.

Old Business:

•Bequests: Marvin informed vestry that Chuck Kiefe, Endowment Chair, was unable to attend the vestry meeting this evening but plans to come to the October meeting with updated by-laws and possibly their gift acceptance policy for those contributing via the Legacy Society or directly to the Endowment fund. The default has been that any bequests made to the parish without specific directions go to Endowment. Jon and Mitzi voiced their wish for more clarity in the process to make sure wishes of givers are honored but to give the vestry more latitude in cases in which the giver did not wish to specify how the gift would be used. At present two bequests totaling close to $65,000 remain in the general account.

A motion to request the Endowment Committee to draft and present at the October vestry meeting a document by which Legacy Society members can share their wishes with their personal representatives and with vestry on where they want to distribute their bequests was seconded and approved.

A motion to move the two current bequests into the Endowment Fund was seconded and approved with one abstention.

•Kitchen Contract: Nancy Setzer reported that the caterer has been extremely busy, but plans to sign the contract in November. He still has to purchase the refrigerator to add to the kitchen for his use.

•Facilities Management: Larry Holmes was not able to attend, but Marvin reviewed the Larry’s written repair log with the vestry. Michael Wyland designated the painting of one of the new doors and maintenance on the bioretention pond in front of the property as tasks for the next work day. Kate agreed to write thank you letters on behalf of the vestry to parishioners who generously donated funds to make the recent HVAC repairs. Marvin reported that some work remains on his office, but what has been completed, especially the woodworking,has been done with skill and careful attention to detail.

•Rector’s Report and Closing Prayer: After the closing prayer, Marvin reminded vestry members to focus on all the positive life going on within the parish as well as on the challenges. Heidi Clark provided a written report for vestry review.

Respectfully submitted,

Anne Teymouri, Clerk