Prince of Peace

Council Minutes January 2014

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Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Council Meeting

January 21, 2014

 Present:   Pastor Chad Brekke, Bill Fredrick, Sue Johnson, Melissa Johnson, Julia Sevald, Morgan Holle, Bev Alsleben, Dan Cassada, AIM Natalia Terfa, Georgia Larson

Absent:  Erik Hasse, Jennifer Follestad

Guests: Rachel Henderson, Richard Habstritt

 Call to Order:  President Bill Fredrick called the meeting to order.

Devotions:  AIM Natalia Terfa led us in devotions.

Adoption of Agenda:  The pm should read am on the bottom of the agenda. A motion was made by Sue Johnson and seconded by Julia Sevald to adopt the amended Council agenda.  Motion approved.

Approval of Previous Minutes:  A motion was made by Morgan Holle and seconded by Julia Sevald to approve the minutes from the December 17, 2013 Council meeting as written.  Motion approved.

Reports of Officers:

Treasurer’s Report:

Notable December activity:

  • December receipts were greater than expenses.  The general fund activity for the month was a gain of $50,309.  This is favorable to budget for the month and to prior year. 
  •  Total December offerings & receipts were favorable to budget by $28,889 and $37,791 to prior year.  This is mainly driven by holiday offerings, Give to the Max, Thrivent Choice match funds received and building income.  Disbursements are favorable to budget by $5,295 and to prior year by $7,494 for the month. All told, December was a great month!
  • Although for the full year we spent more than we received, our cash balance at the end of year is positive and we are favorable to the budget.  Our net loss at the end of the year of ($9,027) is favorable to budget by $3,178 and to prior year by $2,469. 
  • Our cash balance is $23,557 in December, which helps the cash position going into 2014.  The congregation had a great push at year end in giving and staff did a great job of holding expenses to a minimum to allow us to finish the year strong! 
  •  Give to the Max appeal generated a grand total of $17,010 for 2013.
  •  Thank you Prince of Peace for a strong finish to 2013!  The Lord does provide when we open ourselves up to His greater plan.   

 

A motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report was made by Bev Asleben and seconded by Dan Cassada. Motion approved.

 

President’s Report:

  • Please see attached work list, which will be prioritized by Roger. This list gives us an idea of some items that will be coming up for us down the road.

 

 The property committee would like the council to consider the following:

  • Not to allow drinks and food in sanctuary except for babies and very young children. We are getting too many stains on the carpet and pews. Too many people are bringing coffee and drinking containers during church service and setting them on the pews etc.  Would like to have the appropriate signs posted and listed in the bulletin each time.
  • Using LED candles instead of wax candles. The pews are really looking bad from the wax. One pew has an image of an iron used to get wax out of the upholster. Wax also gets dripped on the carpet. It could also drip on people’s clothing. It’s also very hot if it drops on skin especially on small kids.   

 

After discussion, it was decided that we will continue to use candles, but we will look for better cups in order to better catch the wax. Food and drink in the sanctuary was not discussed at this meeting.

 

  •  We discussed the council/staff retreat and perhaps carpooling.

 

 We looked over the agenda of the Annual Congregational Meeting. The new council members will come to the front at the very end of the meeting so that the congregation can meet them.

 

 

Vice-President’s Report: 

  1. Disbursement Requests:
  •  The Committee voted to recommend to the Congregational Council that a benevolence disbursement of $1,050.00 be made for the 2014 Bible Distribution by the Children & Family Ministry program.
  • The Committee voted to recommend to the Congregational Council that a benevolence disbursement of $1,000.00 be made for Mission Jamaica for the 2014 mission trip.

**This is the third and last year for this disbursement**

A motion was made by Julia Sevald and seconded by Sue Johnson to approve the two disbursement requests. Motion approved.

  • The Committee discussed a request by Brent Haglund for a $4,000.00 benevolence disbursement for a Tanzania Vision Trip for Youth. After discussion, the Committee decided to invite Brent to the next committee meeting on February 6, 2014 to provide more details about the request and trip. Sue will contact Brent to invite Brent to the February 6, 2014 meeting.

 

 

Secretary’s Report:  No Report.

 

Student Report/Update from Brent:  No Report.

 

Pastoral Reports: 

Pastor Chad’s Report:

  • The Christmas Eve services were beautiful worship experiences.  All of our musicians, singers, staff and volunteers worked together to provide a welcoming and engaging atmosphere. The new schedule seemed to work well with three services offered at 3pm, 5pm and 10pm.
  • The New Visions Childcare Academy at Prince of Peace is officially up and running. Classrooms that sat cold and empty all week are now filled with the sounds of little ones learning, singing and playing.  Except during nap time when a hush falls over the education wing! 
  • HOPE Liberian church has begun to worship on Sundays at noon in the CLC.  Pastor Glenn has been introduced to our congregation and Pastor Chad has addressed the people of HOPE to welcome them as well.  They are a fun and friendly group and they are so thankful to have a place to worship together.
  • Pastor Chad will be traveling to Tanzania February 17-28. The February trip is a time for him to do some oversight work on the projects supported through the POP Africa Fund and to make arrangements for the Tanzania Vision Trip June 12-26.  A very generous supporter of our Vision Trip to Tanzania program at POP has made a donation of $25,000 to help offset trip costs for youth who want to participate.  There are about 17 people registered for the June trip.
  • Pastor Chad is looking forward to the council/staff retreat on February 15.  The retreat will take place in the auxiliary dining hall of Luther Seminary. We will start with coffee and rolls at 8:30am and finish after lunch by 1:30pm.  We look forward to a presentation by Dr. Dwight Zscheile, professor of Congregational Leadership and Mission at Luther Seminary.

 

AIM Natalia’s Report: No Report.

 

Council Reports

Each ministry team is to submit a written report each month.  These will be attached to the official minutes.  Highlights will be included in these minutes.

 

Executive Team:  No Report.

 

Spiritual Growth: No Report.

 

Sunday Morning Experience:  No Report.

 

Congregational Care: No Report.

 

Outreach:

The team discussed these goals for the coming year:

  • Supporting the fundraising for the youth safehouse in Brooklyn Park.

Ideas were to hold a bake sale, offer a concert (by local performer Robert Robinson?), poster information or a Giving Wall.

  • Helping with a shared event between the Liberian congregation and ours.

Perhaps a lunch or shared coffee if times work.

  • Doing something to show the daycare families they are welcome in our community.
  • Adding more volunteers at Park Brook and helping with new opportunities there.

Advertising for more volunteers, holding a dinner for families, serving at conferences etc.

Perhaps Pam Miller can help suggest additional opportunities.

  • Staying connected to TreeHouse and finding a way to support the kids and its work.

Another service Saturday and asking Ash how we can support them and at the same time get to know the kids.

  • Continue service at Loaves and Fishes Brooklyn Center the 4th Monday (10-12 volunteers). We have tremendous support!
  • Seeking new opportunities for service Saturdays.

These might include Sharing and Caring Hands, Impact Lives, medical supply packing

 

Community Life:  No Report.

 

Modern Worship Arts: No Report.

 

Children and Family Ministry:

  • POP Tots first meeting will be on Saturday, February 1st @ 9:30
  • The Kids Choir is doing a Spring Showcase instead of Musical where they will highlight their songs from the year as well as have some solos, duets, trios.  Details are still being worked out, but Val is very excited about trying something new.
  • Katie is working on finding 1-2 Nursery Coordinators as Nikki Bauernschmidt is done.  She is willing to help out until we find someone.  She has put feelers out to some members of the congregation as well as to Hennepin Tech.  Katie will be looking into posting at the U of M as well.

 

 

Unfinished Business:  None

 

New Business: The council and staff retreat will be in place of our February Council Meeting..

 

Action Items:

 

  • Make sure to put the following dates on your calendar:
    • Saturday, February 15th – Our council/staff retreat will be held in the morning. This will take place at Luther Seminary. We will begin with coffee and rolls at 8:30am in the Auxiliary Dining Room which is in the main Olson Campus Center building.  Lunch will also be provided there and we will conclude by 1:30pm.  Please see Pastor Chad’s e-mail for more information, including directions.
    • There will be NO Council Meeting on Tuesday, February 18th, 2014.

 

  • The council committee members have been given a goal setting form to fill out and return to Bill for planning purposes. These should be returned to Bill by the Council Retreat.

 A motion was made by Julia Sevald and seconded by Morgan Holle to adjourn the meeting.  Motion approved.  Meeting adjourned.

 Georgia Larson led us in closing devotions.

 Respectfully submitted,

Melissa Johnson

Secretary