Annual Congregational Meeting (Party) Jan. 28, 2018

Transcription

1 Annual Congregational Meeting (Party) Jan. 28, 2018

2 CALL TO ORDER AND OPENING PRAYER PRESIDENT'S REMARKS GENERAL BUSINESS: Approval of Congregational Meeting Minutes: February 5, 2017 Annual Meeting CELEBRATE THE 2017 MINISTRY: 1. Pastor's Report 2. Director of Education and Youth Report 3. Auditor's Report 4. Treasurer's Report 5. Introduction of Current Council Members 6. Team Reports OLD BUSINESS: JOY LUTHERAN CHURCH 46th ANNUAL MEETING January 28, :45 a.m. AGENDA NEW BUSINESS: Council Goals 2. Constitutional Change 3. Election of Council Members Introduction of Nominees From the Nominating Committee From the Floor 4. Election of Luther Park Delegates (2) 5. Election of Members of the 2018 Nominating Committee 6. Election of Joy Delegates for the Northwest Wisconsin Synod Assembly 7. Mission Plan Review 2018 Budget Approval 8. Adjournment Benediction and Lord's Prayer (all join hands) 1

3 Table of Contents Page Average Attendance and Membership Information....2 Pastor's Report and Goals... 3 Mission Statement and Core Values Joy Lutheran Flow Chart.. 5 President s Report... 6 Treasurer's Report Income Statement Spending by Category Pie Chart Balance Sheet..10 Mortgage Statement & Total Annual Income Statement Spending Budget Spending Budget Explanations 13 Faith Education & Director of Education and Youth Ministry Report...14 Minutes from February 14, 2016 Joy Lutheran Church Annual Meeting...15 JWELCA Report...17 JWELCA Treasurer's Report..20 Auditor's Report...20 Endowment Report...21 Property & Grounds Committee Report and Basement Remodel Project Giving Committee Report...23 Outreach Committee Report Service Team Report Worship & Music Committee Report Fellowship Committee Report Northwest Synod of WI Bishop s Annual Report Church Council Members: Steve Meyer Joan Northouse *Tom Gujer *Kristin Tibayan *Tom Peterson Open Position Wayne Lundgaard *Marcia Lindseth Chris Stanke Bobbie Flatz *Hope Olson Phyllis Hoffmann *term ends Pastor President Vice President Treasurer Secretary/Communications Faith Education Giving JWELCA Worship & Music Service Outreach Fellowship The 2017 Nominating Committee: Ed Glaubitz, Ron Stanke, Donna Boatman, Stefanie Brantner, Kristen Grey

4 Average Attendance and Membership Information Average Weekly Worship Attendance (Includes Christian Holidays) Average Weekly Worship Attendance (Per ELCA Congregational Report) Average Yearly Sunday School Average Fall Sunday School End of Year Baptized Membership End of Year Confirmed Membership Membership Report New Members Ron Stanke Christel New Members Stanke Confirmation: 4/24/2016 Ed *Kinsley Glaubitz May Schommer Jacob Boatman Smaida ` *David Joseph Koehler Confirmation: 5/7/17 Mary Glaubitz Natalie Canfield Michael Jacob Dosdell Charlie Canfield Jim Lawton Olivia Dolan Emily May Dosdell Patrick Haas Jana Lawton Alex Ewing Izaiah Dosdell Andrew Heinze Jenna *Jacob Lawton Michael Dosdell Jackson Hundt Luke Hillman *Skye *Wilhelmina Marie Hammond May Linder Zachary Maaske Madeline Johnson *Arnold *Aaron Walter Joseph Kettner Glood Lerum Kyra Miller Jaden Kenow *Kayson *Isabella James Rose Robert Marie Helgeson Marcum Emily Pederson Ashley Rieken *Leo *Zoella Robert Lynn Haen Marcum Chloe Rohl Brandon Rundquist *Kolton *Penelope John James Kellogg Westbrook Carson Schroeder Payton Sanford (*Baptisms *Addilynn Ann in 2016) Jorgensen Andrew Ella Shelstad Schultz Gabe Jorgensen Calihan Sterud Jana Weber Angie Jorgensen Christian Timmins Mark Turner Barb Turner Kyla Truttman Troy Viegut First Communion: Robert Rickers Nicholas Brellenthin ( ) Pam Rickers Samantha Rickers Nov. 19 and Dec. 3, 2017 Camryn Rickers Dravin J. Larson *Samuel Forrest Konopacki Owen T. Etter *Harrison Riley Wilson Austin L. Johnson (*Baptisms in 2017) Corbin J. Theis Addison R. Kellogg Emilie J. Cook Funerals Ruby E. Bernick Brad Ryan Elisa J. Stoeckel *Betty Tynes Kinser A. Hanson Ava Christianson Ryder W. Doyle (* Joy member) 2

5 2017 Pastor s Report 2017 was a great year for Joy. Thank you to all who participated in our ministry,and there are many of you. We are blessed to have so many gifted leaders and dedicated volunteers. We have an incredible staff. Working with Shannon, Christy, Sue and Hope makes coming to work a real joy. A special word of thanks to Kristin Tibayan, our Treasurer, for helping us navigate changes and improvements to our financial recording and reporting system. In following best practice procedures from the ELCA, we decided to separate the duties of Financial Secretary (managing the income) and the Bookkeeper (managing the disbursement of funds). We are thankful for Sue Hood who did both these jobs for us for many years. Going forward, Sue Hood will be our Financial Secretary, so if you have any questions about your giving please contact Sue. The other bookkeeping duties will be covered by our Parish Administrator, Shannon Clarke, so if you have questions about bills or reimbursements for expenses see Shannon. It has been a privilege to share in your faith milestones, baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, funerals, and so much more this past year. I love that the congregation encourages me to be creative in my preaching and teaching every week. I love the energy of Wednesday nights with the community meal and awesome youth ministry we have. We have a wonderful JWELCA group that is integral to the mission of Joy and very energetic Joyful Seniors who keep this place going. Our music ministry never ceases to inspire. The generous response to the Capital Appeal, on top of an already very challenging budget, showed me that generosity is indeed a core value of our congregation. Thank you for calling me to serve as your pastor. Pastor Steve Meyer Congregational Goals for 2018 Our goals for how to be relevant, hopeful and generous in 2018 are similar to our goals for 2017 Relevant 1. Continue to offer high quality, creative and imaginative worship and education - Explore streaming or creating higher quality production for sharing our worship 2. Be more present in the community -Evaluate and develop plans for kitchen upgrades to keep us in compliance for public meals Hopeful 3. Be more intentional about our hospitality, follow up and integration of new members -Develop a plan for using and staffing the welcome desk Generous 4. Continue to build financial stability and a spirit of generosity - increase benevolence, electronic giving and deferred gifts, consider Synod appeal 5. Create a plan for developing our outdoor space -memorial garden, campfire, playground, access to lower level, etc. 3

6 OUR VISION A growing, generous, and hopeful Christian community, working together to connect in a spiritually relevant way with God and our neighbor. OUR MISSION We gather to be renewed in the joy and love of God through inspiring worship and caring community. We seek to understand and live by God s Word. We serve those in need of God s healing through Christ, reaching out to our community and world. OUR CORE VALUES GENEROUS We believe in God s abundance, not scarcity. Therefore, we week to grow our generosity in all aspects of our lives to further God s goodness and impact in life. HOPEFUL We are grounded in in the gifts of mercy, love and grace. Therefore, we seek to be uplifting and compassionate, seeking to share the healing gift of Christ with others. SUPPORTING We build, connect and help all to experience and live in God s mercy and grace. OPEN & SAFE We are a welcoming, inclusive and caring place of sanctuary, providing freedom, openness and a non-judging environment. CONNECTED We seek to be genuine and transparent in who we are and what we do. We see the relevance of Christ to our daily lives, and we seek to equip and involve one another in connecting God s Word to our relationships and our acts of service to other. LIFE-LONG LEARNING We are committed to continual Biblical learning about Christ in our lives -from the young to the experienced. Adopted by Church Council May 2013 created from research from Kairos Vision Project/Member Survey 4

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8 President s Report OUR MISSION We gather to be renewed in the joy and love of God through inspiring worship and caring community. We seek to understand and live by God s Word. We serve those in need of God s healing through Christ, reaching out to our community and world. PRESI DENT OUR VISION A growing, generous, and hopeful Christian community, working together to connect in a spiritually relevant way with God and our neighbor. I have always loved serving others in some capacity, but mostly in the background. Accepting the position of president of the congregation has been an opportunity to work outside of my comfort zone and teach me the business side of Joy. Many members of Joy are quietly volunteering for the day to day tasks that create a welcoming environment at Joy Lutheran Church, that place we call home. This past year we have made a conscious effort to do some housecleaning and create a list of projects to make Joy more relevant to our community. The member support provided to update the youth areas and replace the sanctuary furnaces are the most visible physical projects but we have also participated in many community and global projects with support from Thrivent Action Team monies. Just refresh your memory by looking at the postings in our hallway. Like any home, Joy is a work in progress. We can t become complacent. I challenge all of us to be proactive in meeting Joy s needs, through volunteering and financial support to keep this great community spirit thriving. We don t know what we can do until we try! Joan Northouse Joy Vision Council President 6

9 2017 Treasurer s Report I am so impressed and thankful for the generosity of the members and friends of Joy. Giving comes in many forms and I continue to be amazed at everyone s willingness and commitment to give of their time, talents, and money. This year the church had an immediate need to replace several furnaces and improve the youth space within our church. Your response was remarkable and we exceeded our goal within record time. Thank you! 2017 proved to be another year where we were able to meet our funding needs without using our line of credit. Giving increased by 6%, but fell short of our original target. Total expenses exceeded giving by $1,229, however, our cash position improved slightly due to December payroll taxes that will be paid out in January. Joy prepares its financial statements on a cash basis income is recorded when received and expenses are recorded when paid. As we continued to refine the church s accounting processes and reporting, we continue to make changes to Joy s financial reports to ensure they are consistent with cash basis reporting. We ve made many changes and improvements within Joy s bookkeeping and financial reporting. Sue Hood s role has changed to Financial Secretary and she is responsible for the tracking and recording of member giving. Shannon Clarke has assumed the additional responsibility of bookkeeper and will be responsible for the processing and payment of all expenses, and the reconciliation of the accounting records. This change ensures that the proper segregation of duties exists between monies received and monies paid out. We have also spent the latter half of 2017 converting Joy s accounting records from Client Connect to Quickbooks. Quickbooks will be the financial system of record in In the spirit of creating more financial transparency, we committed to providing quarterly financial updates to the congregation. There were several months in 2017 where expenses consistently exceeded giving. I believe that keeping the congregation informed of Joy s financial position raised awareness to the church s needs, and provided the time and opportunity for members to generously meet these needs. As we look forward to 2018, we should be optimistic about what we as a Church have accomplished and look forward to what yet remains to be done. Financial reporting and internal controls will continue to be refined and improved, including the creation of work instructions and standard operating procedures. We will continue to provide transparency through quarterly updates and monthly financial summaries. I am excited for 2018 as we continue to improve Joy s financial discipline and we realize what is possible in the spirit of generosity through time, talents and monies. Respectfully Submitted, Kristin Tibayan, Treasurer TREASURER 7

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16 2017 Director of Education and Youth Ministry Faith Education Report The Vision of the Joy Faith Education Team is to provide quality Faith Formation marked by the characteristics of presence, partnership, and to equip families and individuals for Christ centered ministry. community Faith Education 2017 projects, events, and learning activities including the following: Sunday School (3years-5 th grade) All age Christmas Program Worship, Service, Learning, and Fun Bibles 1 st Communion Confirmation Service Projects SHIFT 67 Vacation Bible School 9 th Grade Retreat His Arms Youth 2017 projects, events, and learning activities including the following: Youth Space projects TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) Camping Trips High School and Middle School Nerf Games High School Summer events Youth card making events for victims, shut-ins, and life situations Youth Guitar Camp ½ the year Shanty Town Caring for those who are homeless and those affected by poverty Easter Breakfast Mission a thon walking Luther Park Bible Camp Summer mission trip to Canada Service Projects Popup meetings Outreach Retreat Looking forward to 2018 ELCA National Youth Gathering Fundraising events for National Youth Gathering Completion of youth space projects Increased youth music opportunities Christy Canfield Director of Education and Youth Ministry 14

17 MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 5, 2017 JOY LUTHERAN CHURCH ANNUAL MEETING JOY LUTHERAN CHURCH 45TH ANNUAL MEETING The meeting was called to order by President, Tom Peterson at 11:48 am. Tom noted that this year Joy is passing a sign-in sheet. 33 is quorum and we had 48 of 220 members were present, so a quorum is present. President's Remarks Tom thanked congregation for their generosity, stating that Joy's horizon is unlimited. And the ride in 2017 will be a fun one. Tom then reviewed the agenda for meeting. GENERAL BUSINESS Minutes of the 2016 Annual Congregational Meeting were presented. A motion was made to approve Minutes by Bobbie Flatz. Seconded by Kristen Gray. There was no discussion. Motion was approved. CELEBRATE 2016 MINISTRY In addition to his written report, Pastor Steve thanked the great leadership of Tom, the Vision Board, staff and volunteers. He thanked the congregation for welcoming Diane and himself, Joy now feels like home. He noted that a young monk, 500 years ago that started the Reformation from which emerged the Lutheran church. Today as then, joy and hope, they are our future. Christy Canfield, Director of Education and Youth noted written report and said thank you for greeting and engaging our teens. Treasurer's Report was given by Kristin Tibayan, her first year as Treasurer. This year there was a lot of transfer of knowledge with Tom Gujer and Sue Hood. The other theme has been to be more transparent and increase the clarity of how funds are used. Dedicated and General Fund works for the checkbook but gray areas occurred when creating a financial picture, therefore Joy has worked and has moved to a cash basis. At the beginning of the year, Council committed to being very intentional and living within our means. At the beginning of the year, we were projecting a $29,000 loss for year. At the end of 2016, Joy had only a $3,000 loss for the year. See Financial Summary & cash position documentation. The trend in giving is linear with a slight positive increase. Growing membership and giving will alleviate Joy's issues. 85% of our expenses are staff salaries and building expenses. Please note that we had only spent $800 for maintenance in This is not enough. We are borrowing against building/church future. Administrative costs will go up next year as we did not have a Admin for entire year this year. Motion by Tom Gujer to approve the Treasurer's Report, Alan Klein seconded. There was no discussion. Motion Approved Council Members. Tom introduced/thanked each Council member and provided a description of each Team: Pastor Steve, Wayne Lundgard, Marcia Lindseth, Joan Northouse, Bobbie Flatz, Phyllis Hoffman, Kristin Tibayan, Kristen Gray, Hope Olson, Donna Boatman, Tom Gujer & Tom Peterson. Tom thanked all for their service. Team reports were in packet, please review. No discussion was held. He also recognized Christy for her generous work with our teams. OLD BUSINESS NEW BUSINESS Council Goals Pastor Steve reviewed 2017 Church Council Goals. Continued on next page 15

18 Continuing to offer high quality, creative and imaginative worship and education. Being more present in community Being more intentional about our hospitality, follow up and integration of new members. Continuing to build financial stability and a spirit of generosity. Addressing the needs of the building, both present (furnaces, finishing the basement) and the future (long-range maintenance and outdoor space use). Engaging more volunteers & being better about thanking and appreciating those we have. Council Goals were adopted by congregation on unanimous vote. Constitutional Change Changes to Joy's constitution were submitted to align with ELCA, regarding who can be Minsters of Sacrament. ELCA is expanding language to allow pastor and/or lay leader/deacon to lead a church as needed. Richard Horken made the motion to align with ELCA, Marcia Lindseth seconded. Discussion included clarity that the congregation will be informed. The goal is flexibility for churches. Luckily, Joy is close to Twin Cities and may be easier to find a pastor (versus a very rural area). A unanimous vote occurred. Motion pass. Council Members. Donna Boatman and Kristen Gray are leaving the Council. Chris Stanke has agreed to run. Tom did not open the floor for nominations. Council can ask to add another Council member throughout the year, as needed. A unanimous vote occurred. Motion passed. Election of Luther Park Delegates (2). Marcia Lindseth nominated Georgia & Dennis Freidel. They were unanimously approved. Election of 2017 Nominating Committee. Their role is to gather next year's Council members for Tom Peterson nominated Donna Boatman and Kristen Gray. Seconded by Stephanie Brantner.. Stephanie Brantner was nominated by Peter Gray, seconded by Sue Hood. Ron Stanke nominated himself and Tom Peterson seconded it. Ed Gloubtz was nominated by Tom Stanke and Tom Peterson seconded. Donna, Kristen, Stephanie, Ron, & Ed were approved by unanimous vote. Election of Joy Delegates for Northwest Synod Assembly. This event is now one day, Saturday, April 29 th. Carol Lehman nominated Marcia & Marv Lindseth. Tom Peterson seconded. Ron & Chris Stanke were nominated by Cathy Martin, seconded by Sue Hood. Nominations were closed and Ron & Chris were elected by paper vote. Mission Plan Kristin Tibayan reviewed the proposed 2017 Budget. A budget is an outlook to guide decisions. Similar to last year we project a short fall of $34,000 in We have big changes in There are two capital improvements (3 furnaces/ac) included this year, which will be a special financial initiative to vet out and communicate this year. Note that as on cash basis now, we cannot compare back to 2015 and prior budgets. We are looking for at a small, realistic 3.5% increase in contributions (unpledged and other giving). We have budgeted in Staff increases, Youth, Admin (full year), Building & Utilities normal increases and for Property & Ground as mentioned in capital improvements. Kristin Tibayan moved to accept budget. When furnaces would be installed was confirmed (spring). Benevolence giving was clarified. Pastor Steve noted Joy no longer has Alternative High School rental income. Due to these changes, a linear budget still means we need to give more as a congregation. Motion approved. After the Lords Prayer, President Tom Peterson adjourned the meeting. 16

19 JWELCA Annual Report for 2017 As a community of women Created in the image of God Called to discipleship in Jesus Christ And empowered by the Holy Spirit We commit ourselves to Grow in Faith Affirm our Gifts Support one another in our callings Engage in Ministry and Action, and Promote Healing and Wholeness in the Church, The Society, and the World. The words above are the Purpose Statement for the Women of the ELCA, an organization to which all the women of Joy Lutheran Church belong. This is the purpose of the Joy Women of the ELCA and this is what guides all our actions and activities. In 2017 we were involved in many activities that helped us grow in faith, engage in ministry and action, affirm our gifts as women, and promote healing and wholeness in our church, the society, and the world. Some of these activities were as follows: + Offered three monthly Bible Studies one called Galations: Christian Faith and Christian Freedom which was an exploration of the book of Galations, especially centering on the doctrine of justification by grace through faith for Christ s sake, another study called All Anew, which was the theme of the 10 th Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA, and the third study which explored the Apostles Creed. In addition, an Advent study was held in December and an ecumenical summer Bible Study was held in August and attended by women from Joy, Prescott UCC, St. John s UCC, and St. Joseph s Catholic Church. Special thanks to our Bible Study leaders in 2017: Marcia Lindseth, Emilie Horken, Diane Meyer, and Pastor Steve Meyer. + Continued our Joyful Quilters group that made seventy one quilts for Lutheran World Relief. Over 45 Personal Care Kits were also assembled and shipped to Lutheran World Relief for distribution around the world. We encouraged people to fill 81 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, an outreach of Samaritan s Purse. School supplies for Prescott School District students were collected as were items for Shantytown socks, men s underwear, knit hats, and hand warmers. Items to help many local Twin Cities agencies involved in outreach were collected and taken to the Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA for distribution. An Alternative Gift Fair was held for the sixth time this year, giving church members the opportunity to purchase a meaningful gift at Christmas to benefit the ELCA Good Gifts program. $3573 was collected from the 2017 Alternative Gift Fair. Thanks to all the members of Joy Lutheran who contributed to the JWELCA Mission Outreach Projects in 2017! + Donated cakes and ice cream and served at one birthday party at Prescott s Nursing and Rehabilitation facility, and encouraged members to help with the food for our congregation s twice a year visits to Sharing and Caring Hands. + Sponsored a child in Kenya through the His Arms orphan ministry. A total of $300 was sent in 2017 for the support of our child, Sarah. This ministry was established by Nancy Rowe, a former member of Joy Lutheran Church. Continued on next page 17

20 + Conducted our annual Treats and Treasures sale which helped us raise $2731 in funds which will help our JWELCA support camperships for our congregational youth, purchase needed items for our own church, including purchase of Bibles for our third graders, books and other materials for our Joy Library, and materials for our quilting ministry and for our card ministry, give donations to places such as Luther Park Bible Camp, Turning Point Shelter and Our Neighbor s Place, Global Health Ministries, Lutheran Social Services and, His Arms Kenya Orphan Project, provide money for shipping costs for Lutheran World Relief, and give special offerings to the Churchwide Women of the ELCA and our Northwest Wisconsin Synod Women s Organization. In 2017 JWELCA distributed $800 more in donations than in Conducted the annual Thank Offering/Bold Women s Sunday on February 26. Rev. Amelia Houdek, Pastor at First Lutheran Church in New Richmond, WI was our guest preacher. Special litanies, scripture, and hymns were part of the worship service. A special Thank Offering was taken to support the total outreach of the churchwide Women of the ELCA. $500 was collected for the Thank Offering. + Participated in the ecumenical World Day of Prayer on March 3, enjoying the fellowship of other Christian women in our community, as we joined together with women around the world to present a service written by women of the Philippines. Am I Being Unfair to You, was the theme of the 2017 World Day of Prayer. Women of the UCC Church in Prescott hosted the 2017 World Day of Prayer service. + Offered a prayer ministry for those in need of our prayers, and a card ministry that made approximately 1000 cards and other items to send to people in our congregation and community who are ill, grieving, or facing other issues. The cards are also for sale at church for $2.00/item. Thanks to the many women who are participating in these special ministries of outreach. + Organized our church library with the help of several volunteers who encourage reading and checkout of books and DVD s offered in our church library. Thanks to those who donated library materials in Offered special inter-generational programs such as our Spring Banquet where we enjoyed fellowship with one another and were entertained by special programs and shared delicious dinners. + Arranged for serving at funerals in our church, helping bereaved families with food and kitchen service. + Provided an Altar Guild that prepares the elements for Holy Communion each Sunday and changes the altar linens and banners at appropriate times of the liturgical year. + Initiated a Care Committee which is responsible for providing care to people or families who are experiencing hardship, need, family emergencies, and/or times of trouble. + Joined with women from our St. Croix Conference and Northwest Wisconsin Synod for special programs, conventions, and retreats where we enjoyed fellowship, learned new things, and were inspired by special programs. Emilie Horken, member of Joy Women, continued her second two-year term as the St. Croix Conference Representative on the Board of the Synod Women s Organization. Marcia Lindseth continued her work as one of five trained Racial Justice Advocates for our Synod Women s Organization, offering presentations throughout our synod on anti-racism/white privilege. Sue Hood and Cathy Martin serve on the St. Croix Conference Board. Continued on next page 18

21 + Helped to send five women from our congregation to the 10 th Triennial Gathering of the Women of the ELCA which was held in Minneapolis on July 13-16, The women from Joy who attended were Diane Meyer, Marcia Lindseth, Kathy Sommer, Mandy Bernick, and Stephanie Brantner. Our Joy women were part of the 3400 women who attended this Gathering to hear outstanding speakers, attend inspirational worship services, participate in several interesting workshops, and work in the Servant Events area. The theme was All Anew which took in the fact that we were celebrating the 500 th Anniversary of the Reformation in Special thanks to Marcia Lindseth who served in 2017 as JWELCA s Representative on the Joy Church Council. The Women of Joy Lutheran Church are busy, dedicated, and committed to living out our purpose. We are blessed to be a community of women growing in faith, affirming our gifts, and supporting one another in our callings as we engage in ministry and action and promote healing and wholeness. We invite ALL women of our church to join us in fulfilling our purpose! Submitted by JWELCA Steering Committee: Emilie Horken, Marcia Lindseth, Deanna Roen, Charlotte Burgeson, Kathy Sommer, Phyllis Hoffmann, Sue Hood, Hope Olson, Cathy Martin, Wilma Timm, Diane Meyer, Chris Stanke,and Mandy Bernick. 19

22 JWELCA ANNUAL TREASURER S REPORT 2017 Beginning Balance $ 4, Income $ 8, Disbursements $10, Balance as of December 31,2017 $ 2, DONATIONS AND PURCHASES FOR 2017 $ Alternative Gift Fair $ Luther Park $ Thankoffering $ His Arms sponsorship and gifts for Sarah our child $ Shipping costs of quilt and kits for Lutheran World Relief $ In Kind Gift Cards given at Triennial Convention $ Women s Triennial Convention Offering $ Our Neighbor s Place (Backpack program) $ WELCA 30 th Anniversary Program $ Women of the ELCA- 10% of Treats and Treasures 2016 $ Third Grade Bibles $ Joy Library Fund $ Luther Park Camperships $ Sponsorship of 4 women from Joy to Triennial Convention TOTAL DONATIONS AND PURCHASES $4, FUND RAISERS: Treats and Treasures 2017 $2, Alternative Gift Fair $3, Emile Horken, Treasurer 2017 Audit Report The Audit Team meets on January 24 th, A separate print out of the complete Audit Report will be available following the Audit Team meeting. 20

23 Joy Lutheran Endowment Report 2017 During your lifetime, donating appreciated assets to charity can make sense. If you have held those assets for more than one year, you ll get a deduction for the assets current value. The paper gain will avoid income tax. ENDOWMENT I Example: Joy Member XYZ wants to donate $10, to Joy Lutheran Endowment Fund this year. Instead of writing a check, Member XYZ donates $10, of stock that was purchased a year ago, for $4, Member XYZ receives a $10, tax deduction for the donation and the $6, gain is never taxed. Check with your financial advisor for additional ways to make charitable donations and avoid taxes. Endowment Balance as of December 31 st, 2017 Edward Jones $ 7, Thrivent $22, Savings $ 2, TOTAL $31, Property & Grounds Report: 2017 Committee Members: Marvin Lindseth, Ernie Schultz, Alan Klein, Larry Schaak, Jeff Doyle, Dick Hoffmann, Bill Satchel. Property and Grounds has a focus: Get Things Done. Commercial buildings always need attention and our church is no different. It s hard to believe, but our building is no longer new! Furnaces, air conditioners, carpeting, roofs, and parking lots all wear out. Each year it gets more expensive to maintain. Our member volunteers use their God given talents to maintain and improve our building, while saving cost. Examples of maintenance completed in 2017 include: replacing lights and ballasts, converting to LED where practical, repair leaky faucets, repair leaky skylight, roofing repairs, maintain sidewalks, maintain furnaces and air conditioners, repaint walls, windows and siding, demolition of an old office, kitchen stove and refrigerator repairs, spray for insects, prepare building for inspections, remove saplings, mow lawns and spray weeds. The BIG project this year of course, was replacing three old (1989) furnaces and A/C units that service the sanctuary and narthex. An incredible outpouring of financial support from Joy Continued on next page 21

24 members made this possible. Member Jeff Doyle from Big River Design completed the installation in an efficient and cost effective manner. The updated units will deliver substantial energy savings for many years to come. Have you ever wondered how the church stays so clean? Dick Horken and Bill Satchell coordinate two member volunteer cleaning crews. The crews are: Tag & Linda Johnson, Norm & Shirley Johnson, Dick & Phyllis Hoffman, Larry & Joan Schaack, John & Rosie Culhane, Gloria Sebion, Julie Fiedler, Carroll & Karen Lehman, Marv Lindseth, Jerry & Betty Pederson, Ken Roen, Russ Jenson, Ken Knight, Peter Gray, Lee and Joan Northouse, Barney Voelker, Darrell & Rosemary Alexander, and Ron & Chris Stanke. We thank these volunteers who work hard to keep the building clean. We also want to thank our Joyful Gardeners. Dick and Phyllis Hoffmann along with Darrell & Rosemary Alexander, Georgia Freidel, Ron Stanke, and Carroll & Karen Lehman work in the gardens and plantings, keeping them attractive throughout the year. Thank you to Rudy Jungwirth, Alan Klein and Bill Satchell who donate their time, money and equipment to keep the lawn looking great. A big thank you to Pat Swanson at Concrete by Design for donating part of his services each year (snow plowing). Thank you to Ken Wilson and Ron Stanke who often see something that needs fixing and get it done before anyone asks (we notice). Thanks to Larry Schaak and John Culhane for their fine work of re-painting. Thank you to all the unnamed members who always volunteer their time when called for certain projects. We can t do it without you! Finally, thank you to Jeff Doyle, Marv Lindseth, Alan Klein, Larry Schaak and Bill Satchel who each bring specialized knowledge to the Property and Grounds Committee. Without you, this committee would not function. Respectfully Submitted, Ernie Schultz Basement Remodeling Project In 2017, we set a goal of finishing the basement to make it a more usable space for ministry. In the spring, we had a capital appeal, raised $10,000 for the project, and are nearing completion. Thanks to all who made this possible: Nicole Doyle, design work, donation of fixtures Pastor Steve, construction and lighting Ron Stanke, construction, painting, donation of barn boards John Nahorniak, construction, painting Marv Lindseth, electrical work Gloria Sebion, painting Ken Roen, upholstery Christy Canfield, painting, donation of rough saw pine Continued on next page 22

25 For those interested in the cost break down: Electrical supplies, fixtures $1,200 Construction materials $250 TV, DVD, and mounting $980 Paint $415 Demo (dumpster) $300 Furnishing $340 We are still waiting for the bills to come in for the sound system, upholstery work and final furnishings Giving Committee Report Giving is much more than our financial gifts. When we look at Joy Lutheran Church and try to list all the activities where people are giving of their time and talents, it would be difficult to list them all. We have great musical groups donating their time each week for practice and Sunday worship. We have volunteers cleaning the church, supplying the cleaning materials, taking care of the property and grounds. We have our Youth Ministry, Card Ministry, Joyful Quilters, Wednesday Night Suppers, Sunday School Teachers and volunteers that do all our maintenance work on a weekly basis and others that I have failed to list but; This Is Stewardship. A special word of thanks for your generous response to the Capital Appeal we had last fall. We exceeded our goal and where able to replace the failing furnaces and AC and finish off the basement, making it a wonderful center for ministry. I do want to thank all of you that have returned your Estimate of Giving Cards and encourage you to consider electronic giving. If we think about what God has given us and put our faith and trust in the Lord, we will find the resources needed to do His work. Sincerely, Wayne Lundgaard 23

26 2017 Outreach Team Report OUTREACH The Outreach Teams purpose is to reach out to members, non-members or inactive members to spread the hopeful and generous spirit of Christ in the Prescott area. Outreach activities have been fun and successful this year! A continued focus is to be more intentional about our hospitality, integration, and follow up with both members and visitors. The new Welcome Center will be a great opportunity towards this goal. Some of our 2017 activities included: Continue with visitor follow up cards Action Team seed money through Thrivent Financial (in coordination with other Joy Teams) Kick off to Summer Prescott event gaga pit! Prescott Daze parade Rock Around the Clock - Best Music award! Participation in Wednesday night suppers Updating Prescott church signs Operation Christmas Child 81 boxes Continue updating member information in Logos data system Thank you to all for your involvement and support of these activities!! Please feel free to contact Hope Olson with additional ideas and if interested in participating. Respectfully Submitted, Hope Olson Outreach Team Leader 24

27 Service Team 2017 Joy Lutheran is a relevant, hopeful, and generous church. The following is a list of many of the places Joy was able to serve within both our church doors, the community and the world. Some of these events are duplicated in other team reports. SERVICE There is an addendum to this list of the activities afforded by the Thrivent Financial. Caring and Sharing 2 times Joy Quilters 20 times Card Ministry Personal Care Kits for LWR Loaves of Love for Malawi Prayer Shawl Ministry Winter Coat Drive Supported Walking Together Provided Wed. Night Community meals Plant Market 9 th Grade Retreat Joyful Seniors Men s Bible Study TEC Support World Day of Prayer Support PACA Support Bre Kinneman benefit Lifeline Screening Provided space for Community members to give recitals Support Community Day of Service Attend Synod Assembly Shift Lock-in Senior Recognition Joy Cleaning Crews Vacation Bible School Campfire Worship Red Cross Drive Canada Mission Trip MS Bike Group overnight at Joy Overeaters Anonymous Support Luther Park Prescott Flying P Football Dinner 2 times Prescott Daze Parade Provide space for private parties Supported His Arms Walk-a-thon Shanty Town Prescott HS Youth Cleaning Crew Support Turning Point Provide Nursery for both Services on Sunday morning Respectfully Submitted, Service Team Bobbie Flatz 25

28 2017 Worship & Music Committee Report Psalm 95:1-2 1 O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! Worship & Music Team Members: Pastor Steve Meyer, Phyllis Hoffmann, Marcia Lindseth, Karen Lundgaard, Joan Northouse, Lee Northouse, Carol Peterson, Tom Peterson, Deanna Roen, Joan Schaack, and Chris Stanke. Activities this year: o Led worship with songs and provide musical messages throughout the year. o Traditional Worship: Joy Choir, Joy Unlimited (mixed octet), Joyful Bells (hand bells), Sing 4 Joy (men s quartet). o Contemporary Worship: Spirit of Joy (Praise Band). o Enlisted lay people to assist with services as worship leaders, greeters, readers, communion assistants, ushers, altar guild, and A/V technicians. o Hung liturgical paraments and banners and prepare for communion. o Purchased various banners (indoor and outdoor). o Decorated the sanctuary for each season. Large initiative at Advent/Christmas and Easter. o Recorded and distributed copies of services. o The traditional service is replayed on the Prescott cable channel and DVD copies of baptisms are provided to parents. o Sermons are available on YouTube ( o Some videos are on Joy s website (joy-church.org). o Lenten services used Holden Evening Prayer Service. Theme was the movie "Frozen" o Seder meal was hosted by Pastor Steve on Maundy Thursday. o Participated in Community Easter Sunrise Service at Freedom Park and Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service at Prescott High School Auditorium. o Continued one Sunday worship service at 9:30 am and Wednesday evening outdoor worship at 6:30 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Wednesday Campfire Worship centered on Psalms and Ephesians. Outdoor worship included campfire, hotdogs, and S mores. Our final Wednesday of the summer season included Blessing of Pets. o Now in our second year of using narrative lectionary for weekly scripture readings. A timeline banner in the sanctuary helps us understand the timing of events, prophets, and leaders in the Bible. Short videos near the beginning of the contemporary worship service explain the scripture readings to younger members before they leave for Sunday School. o Advent season included cantata entitled Hope and "All Ages Christmas Program". o In conjunction with new TVs on mobile carts, greater audio and video capabilities were added this year to enable higher quality transmission of worship service to the nursery and fellowship hall. o The addition of a hospitality center is underway. A rack for nametags has been added to encourage members to wear nametags during worship services. o Downstairs area continues to be remodeled for enhanced youth worship. Joy continues to grow under the leadership of Pastor Steve Meyer. The educational classes he teaches between Sunday morning worship services provides great insights into Biblical and Lutheran understanding. His knowledge, musical talent, and technology integration are a wonderful asset to our congregation. We continue to look for ways to improve and enhance our sharing God s word. 26

29 Continued on next page I would like to thank all who participated in enhancing the worship services at Joy. It is a blessing to have you share your talents with the congregation. A special Thank You to Pastor Steve, Pastor Carol Peterson, along with member of Spirit of Joy, pianist Joan Schaack, and the two leaders of our musical groups: Karen Lundgaard and Deanna Roen, for their dedication to worship and music at Joy. I also want to recognize Marcia Lindseth for her faithful recruitment of worship assistants. Respectfully submitted, Lee Northouse Worship and Music Team Leader Chris Stanke Joy Vision Team Worship 2017 Fellowship Committee Report Building Relationships at Joy Fellowship is the heartbeat of our congregation. It is the life of a church family. Joy has a desire to form a sense of community with others, creating warm support and friendship. We treasure Joy s people and enjoy being with them. Some of the Fellowship opportunities in 2017 included: *Wednesday Night Suppers *Apple Pie Missions *Spring Potluck Sunday *Treats & Treasure Sale *Joyful Seniors *Plant Market *Men s Saturday Breakfast *Musical Groups *Card Ministry *Joyful Quilters Group *Women s Bible Study *Joys Women Spring Banquet *Fellowship coffee and muffins between services *Lefse Making *Sharing & Caring Hands A BIG thank you to all Team members and Joy congregation members who make it work. Respectfully Submitted, Fellowship Team 27

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