Church Council Update – March 5, 2012

The RLC Council gathered in regular session on Monday, March 5, 2012, at 6:30 pm. Members present were: Alison Bale, Nina Gearin, Marcia Lee, Carolyn Sorge, and Cindy Tahlier-Nerden. Marcia opened with prayer.

Highlights included:

Bathroom Project: The signed contract has been received for the architect to draft plans for an outside bathroom.

Cry Room Letter re redirection of cry room funds has gone out and donors have until Mar. 30 to respond.

Financial Report was reviewed and discussed. Members of the congregation are welcome to view the financial reports. They can go to church office to view the report.

Call Committee: Amy Sjolander is taking on the leadership of putting together the call committee.Procedures per our constitution will need to be followed. Discussion followed on the varied demographics that will need to be represented within the call committee.

Council Positions: Discussion on how to use the interests of members to fill vacant Council positions.

Part Time Staff Meeting was held after services on Sunday, March 4. Eric Heilman, Sabrina Heim, Marcia Lee, Sherri Miller, Ethan Smith, and Cindy Tahlier-Nerden attended. Included was some discussion about the logistics of planning the 11:00am traditional service.

Program Support: Women’s ministry meeting was scheduled. Delena Wellmer has a tentative May date for the Women’s Tea.

Congregational Survey: Most of the issues raised by the survey are being worked on in various ways, so the steering committee has agreed to disband at this time. There was discussion about conducting periodic surveys.

Facility Use Fee: Alison Bale is trying to get an attorney to look at the document that has been prepared.

Sharefest Presentation: Attending this portion of the meeting to discuss the Sharefest landscaping proposal included: Art Alaniz, John & Martha Bauman, Dale Hoffman, Jerry Hernandez (RHLS parent and landscape contractor), Paul Kasper, Phyllis Nolan, Kimberly and Scott Speranza (RHLS parents and affiliated with Sharefest), and Dorian Theberge.

  • Phyllis Nolan made opening remarks on the founders of RLC and RHLS.
  • Dale Hoffman spoke and noted that at school board meetings the school is viewed as the number one mission of the church. He spoke of this opportunity as an information exchange and a project that could affect the entire property.
  • Kimberly Speranza explained how the idea to involve Sharefest was developed.
  • Video was shared that explained the Sharefest organization and its inception.Sharefest is a charitable organization that plans, funds, and implements beautification projects for schools in the South Bay. Typically, underfunded schools are chosen by Sharefest for these projects. One work day is scheduled each year, April 28, for this year and about 300 projects will take place on that day. Scott Speranza explained his involvement with Sharefest and the projects that he has coordinated and implemented over the past 8 years.
  • Questions were raised by Council members re: organizational aspects, funding, and the contractorsthat would do the work.
  • Jerry Hernandez presented his drawing and proposal for the grounds in the front of the property, fromthe preschool parking lot to the church driveway.
  • Discussion & questions: Concerns were raised about the scope of the project, removing the grass infront of Rygh Hall, amount of prep work required, spreading the project out over more than one year.
  • Parents spoke of the desire for their children to learn to grow things and for the area in front of RyghHall to be a place for people to gather.
  • RHLS has agreed to help fund the proposed project with $25,000.
  • Scott Speranza reported that Thrivent has also committed some funds for the project.
  • The Speranzas reported that an additional part of the project is to refurbish the RLC teacher’s lounge and that there could be as many as 40 volunteers available to work on other small projects aroundthe grounds. Kimberly noted Ascension Lutheran Church has offered to help at Sharefest.
  • Marcia asked if interested parties could meet to work in a collaborative way during the week to come to agreement about going ahead with part of the project.
  • Scott Speranza asked for Art and RLC team to come up with their version of a plan and share it withthem.
  • A meeting between interested parties, including Scott, Jerry, Art, and John was scheduled that week.
  • All parties were thanked for their time, dedication, and involvement. Motion MSC that the Council gives conditional approval for the Sharefest plans to go forward with the understanding that final plans will be put together by a combined effort of RHLS parents and RLC members who have volunteered. Final approval is contingent upon the final plan presented to Council.

Upcoming Events:

- March 11th – Testimonials - Youth

- March 18th – Bishop Nelson preaches

- March 19th – 6:30pm Council to meet with Bishop Nelson

- March 25th – Testimonials – El Salvador

- April 9th – Council Meeting

- April 28th – Sharefest Work Day

- May 1st – All Ministry Teams Meeting

The meeting was adjourned at 9:35pm.

Nina Gearin/ed. Judy Gordon