Christ the King Lutheran Church Council, New Brighton, MN Congregational Council Meeting Minutes 18 th, 2013 Call to Order: Call to order by Council President at 6:00 pm Members Present: Pastor Chris Hagen, Pastor Hannah Johnson, Pastor Deb Birkeland, Mark Edwards, Eerik Villberg, Cyndi Lesher, Mark Chace, Kristen Goligowski, Scott Black, Lisa Howard, Tom Wilson, and Larry Kachina Member(s) Absent: Kevin Ebben Opening Devotions and Prayer: Pastor Hannah lit a candle to remind us of the Holy Spirit s presence. She handed out copies of Philippians 1:3-11 and Lisa Howard volunteered to read it for the group. Pastor Hannah asked us to practice being more thankful by using the three starting sentences: I thank my God every time I thank you for I am thankful for Consent Agenda/Pastors Report: The agenda and monthly reports had been previously distributed by email. Pastor Deb shared a report on the experimental transportation services to seniors attending Christ the King. She also shared a draft telephone survey for new members. She raised two questions about the survey that should be answered before implementing it: what is the goal and how will we use the results? Pastor Hannah: Growing Together, held on Sunday 17 was a great success. Pastor Chris: Personnel Committee Presentation Todd Stachon, Cindy Larson, Kirk Kleckner The personnel committee gave a presentation on their draft report to the council. After discussing the Motion: Council approves 40 extra hours of time for the business administrator between now and January 31 st as directed by the Senior Pastor. Move: Tom Wilson Second: Scott Black Discussion: 40 hours probably isn t enough, and we should wait for the Personnel Committee s final report. The final report will be sent after their next meeting on Monday (11/25/13). Motioned: Withdrawn. Motion to Register Ron Salber for Candidacy for Ordination Christ the King has a rich history of partnership with the St. Paul Area Synod and has nurtured many people into pastoral ministry. Identifying, encouraging and then recommending through a registration process people for ordination is one aspect of that partnership. Most recently CtK has registered Sheryl Bousu as candidate for ordination. Ron Salber has demonstrated character, commitment, ability and faith for pastoral ministry. He is well-qualified for ministry and has good standing in this congregation. A council designated fund name Reserve Fund has been used in the past for this purpose. It is under the direction of the council and currently has about $49,000 in it. The revenue for this fund comes from interest accumulation on bank accounts. There has not been much activity in this account recently.
Motion: Be it moved that Council approves Congregation Registration of Ron Salber for the St. Paul Area Synod candidacy for ordination requirement, and that the registration fee of $750 be paid from the Council Designated Reserve Fund. Move: Larry Kachina Second: Lisa Howard Discussion: none Motioned: unanimously passed Motion to Designate the 2013 Seasonal Offerings Recipients Each year council designates who are to be the recipients of the special holiday/ seasonal offerings, i.e. Lent mid-week worship, Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve/Day offerings. Social Ministry Committee has taken on the task to suggest recipients for council consideration. This committee is in the best position to understand community needs and to coordinate their ministry with the seasonal offerings distribution. Their rational is in the attached document. Motion: Be it moved to designate the seasonal offerings received in 2013 to those causes as suggested by the Social Ministry Committee. Move: Pastor Chris Second: Scott Black Discussion: none Motioned: unanimously passed Motion to Designate the Seasonal Offerings Recipients Each year council designates who are to be the recipients of the special holiday/ seasonal offerings, i.e. Lent mid-week worship, Easter Sunday and Christmas Eve/Day offerings. Social Ministry Committee has taken on the task to suggest recipients for council consideration. This committee is in the best position to understand community needs and to coordinate their ministry with the seasonal offerings distribution. Their rational is in the attached document. Motion: Be it moved to designate the seasonal offerings received in to those causes as suggested by the Social Ministry Committee. Move: Tom Wilson Second: Scott Black Discussion: none Motioned: passed Important Dates: Next meeting: Monday, December 16 th Pastor Chris s exit interview December 17 th at 6pm Pastor Chris s last Sunday is December 29 th 2013 Pastor Peter starts January 15 th ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth Eaton will be at Ctk on January 19 th, Annual meeting is currently scheduled for February 9 th (subject to change) Reflection on the meeting: 1) How did our conduct reflect Christ? 2) Which of our decisions seem to be of God? 3) How did we build up this community of faith?
Closing Prayer: The Lord s Prayer Motion to Adjourn: Move: Second: Motioned: Tom Wilson Lisa Howard unanimously passed at 8:29 pm Motions address via email between October and Council meetings: Motion to approve HR Audit previously approved by the Personnel Committee. Move: Second: Motioned: none Passed Motion to approve Second Half 2013 Foundation Grant Requests Grant Title Grant Requestor Amount Requested Christ the King Mobile Website Software Upgrade Carrie Gubsch $5,000 Arusha Lutheran Medical Center Nursing College Trish Blomquist $5,000 Young Adult and Family Ministry Pastor Shen Lin $2,000 Move: Second: Motioned: upgrade.) none Passed (Kevin Ebben abstained as his company is the one doing the website
Budget for the Benevolent Ministries recommended to receive 2013 seasonal offerings. The Social Ministry Committee met on Monday, October 21 to prepare a budget for the distribution of the 2013 seasonal offerings. Benevolent groups and organizations that bring faith, love and justice to people in our community will be considered for Seasonal Offerings. The committee also looked at the recipients that received monies from the CtK seasonal offerings in the past for guidance. It was decided that seasonal offerings should not be transferred to our own CtK committees for distribution, but should be disbursed directly to the organization. The distributions will be made as soon as we have the amount of our Christmas offering and before the end of the year. The Congregational Council has directed that our Thanksgiving Offering be given to World Hunger. Lenten, Easter and Christmas offerings are approximately $20,000 annually. We will use that number as our budget number. Anything over or under will be increased or decreased proportionately. The following budget for our Seasonal Offerings for both 2013 and will be brought to the Congregation Council for consideration at their meeting: $1020 to the Agriculture Extension Program, Tanzania to support an environment for economic growth and sustainability through agricultural development. The goal is to help move the region from 80% subsistence to being 120%. CtK has 5 plus members deeply involved in this ministry. $1000 to Alexandra House, located in Blaine. Alexandra House provides domestic violence and sexual violence services in Anoka County. Their free services include 24-hour emergency shelter, support services and advocacy to victims of domestic and sexual violence. They serve victims of domestic abuse across the state of Minnesota. $2000 to Community Partners with Youth, located at Christ the King. CPY is a non-profit organization which supports families by providing supervision and direction for youth through after-school, holiday and summer enrichment programs in New Brighton and the surrounding areas. They provide a safe, nurturing environment where youth can strengthen their personalities and develop educational and social skills. $1080 to Daily Work, housed part-time at Christ the King, who provides free one-to-one coaching and technical help to struggling job seekers. They help with a resume, learn insider interview tips, connect to resources for housing, clothing and job training, and so much more. $750 to Hmong Central Lutheran Church, located in St. Paul, evangelizes Hmong people in the twin Cities to mobilize believers for active involvement with the ELCA s mission for Christ. Hmong Central is a CtK Local Mission Partner. $3,000 to Lutheran Social Services, located in the Twin Cities. LSS helps Minnesotans by providing a wide range of human support services related to the basic necessities of life food and shelter, physical health and safety and emotional and spiritual well being. This gift to Lutheran Social Service will be dedicated to support for homeless youth. Services for these youth include counseling, shelter, medical services, a connection to supportive adults and community resources. $100 to Metro Lutheran. Metro Lutheran is a newspaper which provides the broadest point of connection of Lutherans currently in the nation. They are independent, and don t receive funds from any judicatory body. The board includes people from six different Lutheran church bodies. $750 to Minnesota Faith Chinese Lutheran Church and Joy Fellowship, located in St. Paul, who provides outreach primarily to Chinese Christians and seekers throughout the metro area. This is a CtK Local Mission Partner.
Budget for the Benevolent Ministries recommended to receive 2013 seasonal offerings - 2 $5,000 to the New Brighton Community Support Center, housed in the old Pike Lake School building in New Brighton. This organization serves the hungry, poor and homeless in our immediate neighborhood. It is staffed by a social worker who interviews clients and makes decisions on how best to serve them in their need. When additional resources are needed to help someone with rent, etc., area churches that support the Center are contacted, and we all work together to make a difference in the life of a neighbor in need. A large food shelf is also part of the Support Center. Supporting this program relieves CtK W&E Ministries Director of spending so much time interviewing people in need. They are directed to the CRC program, where more in depth help is available. $500 to Plymouth Christian Youth Center, Minneapolis. PCYC exists to enrich the skills, prospects and spirit of North Minneapolis area youth and adults in partnership with families and communities. They benefit children, youth, families and adults through programs of education, cultural, arts, human services and community building. CtK has given to this worthwhile organization for many years. $750 to Pueblo de Fe Lutheran Church, located in West St. Paul. This is a vibrant Latino-Hispanic mission development, rooted in Word and Sacrament, and committed to serve the community in a holistic fashion in order to bring about transformation in people s lives with the saving love of Jesus. Pueblo de Fe is a CtK Local Mission Partner. $750 to Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, St. Paul. Redeemer is a vibrant, urban congregation located in the Summit-University community of St. Paul. Founded in 1890 by German immigrants. It has become a diverse congregation, with 30% African American, in a multicultural, changing community. Redeemer Lutheran is a CtK Local Mission Partner. $300 to St. Paul Area Council of Churches, St. Paul. CtK has a long history in supporting this very important ministry in St. Paul. Guided by Christ s example, the Saint Paul Area Council of Churches builds a more just and compassionate society. They connect congregations, faith communities and civic organizations to overcome poverty, promote peace and dismantle racism and other barriers that divide our community through their programs. $500 to Union Gospel Mission, a Christian ministry dedicated to serving the homeless, poor and addicted in our community. By meeting physical, spiritual, emotional and educational needs, their mission is changing lives. $1,000 to Wapogasset Bible Camp, Amery Wisconsin for their camping and retreat ministry serving youth, adults and families throughout the year, with thousands of campers participating every summer in the life-changing experience that is discovering Jesus Christ through Christian community in an outdoor ministry setting. $500 to Wycliffe Bible Translators, for Scott and Paula (Seim) Starker. Wycliffe s mission is to translate God s Word into each the languages of the remaining 1,967 people groups in the world who have no scripture and are still waiting. Specifically, as Wycliffe members, Scott and Paula are also assigned to the Mexico branch of SIL, Wycliffe s sister organization, that works in the host countries around the world. They translate unwritten languages, create dictionaries, grammars and literacy materials and they translate the Bible in each of the 240+ languages of Mexico. Scott is the Webmaster, and also serves as programmer on www.scriptureearth.org to promote scripture use and distribution for the Bibleless peoples of the world. Paula grew up at CtK and her parents, Howard and Vonnie Seim, are still members. $1,000 to Zoom House, located in South Minneapolis, provides low-income and homeless families with affordable housing in a loving, supportive community. Housing is provided at an affordable rent during the time a parent is working. An individual goal plan is developed for each participant which includes support services, education, career exploration and counseling, job skill building and life skills training.
CTK Congregational Council Action Log 18 th, 2013 Action Revise financial reports Treasure and Business Administrator to recommend changes to reporting Finance Committee to review and recommend Strategic Plan updating and usage Update the Strategic Plan Coordinate with the Implementation Subcommittee Develop method for Council to maintain the Strategic Plan Create timeline for Strategic Plan, see Appendix E of the report Council Reference Manual See Appendix G or the Report for content recommendation Assemble currently available materials Identify materials that are unavailable and a method to get them Prepare copies of the manual for council Provide council orientation to the manual Meeting Agenda Template President to use recommended template Annual Council Calendar See Appendix J of the Report Identify current events to be listed Prepare a calendar for 2013- Plan for inclusion on the monthly council meeting agenda Council Member Orientation See Appendix K of the Report Identify items to include in the orientation Plan Council orientation for February Train current Council members on necessary items Promote the St. Paul Area Synod Tool Kit events Executive Committee Orientation See Appendix L of the Report Identify items to include in the orientation Council Original Action Date Leader Larry Kachina Lisa Howard / Candi Phelps / Cyndi Lesher & ex- Presidents & ex- Presidents Time
Plan Executive Committee orientation for February Update current Executive Committee members on necessary items Promote the St. Paul Area Synod Tool Kit events Revise and recommend job descriptions of the Council members and officers President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Council Member Compliance with the By-Laws, B11.01 See the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for sample job descriptions. Committee Orientation See Committee Orientation Plan orientation process for committees Get committees to comply to reporting to council Nominating Committee Train the current Nominating Committee in their role and responsibilities Update the Nominating Committee job description as noted on p.4 of the Report Assist in the identification of Nominating Committee candidates for the Congregation Annual Meeting Clarify Council tasks & actions See pp.4-5 of the Report Determine the kind of actions to be taken regarding 7.c. of the Report Sr. Pastor Succession plan Determine tasks, documents, procedures, initiatives, passwords, etc. to be recorded and passed to the next senior pastor See Succession Planning-Calendar of Duties for Senior Pastor Plan the turning over of documents, etc. from interim senior pastor to the next senior pastor Audit & Best Practices Review Independent Annual Audit and Best Practice Analysis report Determine which practices have been implemented and goals achieved Plan for practices still to be implemented and goals still to be achieved in cooperation with the Business Administrator Communications with Congregation See pp.5-6 of the Report Pastor Chris / Cyndi Lesher / Scott Black Pastor Chris Complete
Exit Interview with Pastor Chris Annual Housing Allowance for pastors Contracting for financial audit Motion to approve Senior Pastor Job Description Annual Council Member Orientation Annual Executive Committee Orientation Annual Authorization to Sell Stock Follow up w/ Property Committee on equipment and systems replacement schedule, with estimated costs December 17 th 2013 December 2013 January February February February February Cyndi Lesher Cyndi Lesher Cyndi Lesher Cyndi Lesher