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Fitchburg WI 53711
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| Council minutes, March 10, 2009 |
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Present: Jon Boldebuck , Barb Gallogly-Turner, Kristin Gorton , Phil Haslanger , Kelly Jetzer, Michael Magness , Wendy Proctor, Ron Reichert, Shirley Robbins, Sonjia Short , Keith Von Der Heide. Absent: John Hilliard Phil led the Council in prayer. It was moved by Sonjia and seconded by Mike that the minutes of the February meeting be approved. Motion carried. Pastoral Reports Phil: ---The new website is up, after tremendous work by Josh and Vicki Gormley. The Council discussed a gesture of thanks to the Gormleys, and delegated Phil to see to it. It was noted that worship times are incorrect on the Website. This is due to computer inconsistencies. Josh will look into this problem. We can sign up for the Wisconsin Conference E-Newsletter through a link on our Website. ---A "Library Task Force" (Loma Klossner, Nona Suhr , and Carol Williams) is reorganizing the church library. The task force will be attached to the Adult Programming Committee. ---Found in the furnace room, the baptismal font from the old church on Madison Street . It is now in the Music Room. ---Five new members were received on Sunday, and there are several other potential members" in the pipe line". Phil is continuing to visit members not seen at church for a while. All of those he has seen consider themselves still connected with MUCC and contribute as they can. Next he will visit "inactive" members, those who have not supported or participated for a long time. Some may no longer be in the area. ---Plans are afoot for celebrating our 20th anniversary in Fitchburg , on April 19. It was moved by Kelly and seconded by Barb to give a Youth Award and a Life Service Award on this occasion. Motion carried. These would be special occasion awards, not yearly. Kristin: --- She has been participating more in worship, doing some pastoral calling with Phil, and generally connecting with the congregation. She described the Amazing Grace event (April 26) for youth from Confirmation age up. It is a competition something like a scavenger hunt. Financial Report (Keith): pledges are behind, but not more than at this time last year. The Trustees will be watching the favorable-unfavorable lines, and if necessary, appeal to the congregation to update our pledges. Plan B is to cut committee budgets as necessary. Sonjia moved that this report be accepted; motion seconded by Mike and carried. Committee Reports: ---Trustees (Keith): Decided that those shopping for the church should not pay sales tax when it can be avoided. When a business insists on it, after we have asked, we should shop somewhere else. Several businesses we use do accept our tax number. ---Adult Programming (Mike): The first game night was small. Ideas are needed for a way to separate kids' and adults' activities. It was noted that any group using the church on a Saturday night must clean up thoroughly before leaving. ---Children's programming (Kelly): The Heifer Breakfast was great; a Reading Log project, open to adults as well as kids, is underway; the Spring Play is in rehearsal and going well; "Heifer" root beer floats will be served on the same Sunday as the play, March 29. The possible Sunday schedule change in still in very general discussion, and it was agreed that the Worship Committee and Strategic Planning Committee should be part of the discussion. ---Membership (Wendy): Planning for Fitchburg Days in May, with the same food as last year, which was the healthiest and cheapest there. (Milio's) ---Outreach (Phil): Housing and Hope fundraising will be tied in with our 20th anniversary. To think about: if the congregation gives more than $1000 to this project, should the Endowment Fund, committed to bring our 2009 pledge to $2000 by an additional $1000, still give the whole $1000? We would be "paying ahead", and owe less in the fourth and fifth years of our pledge ($10,000, at $2000 per year). St. Vincent Food Pantry volunteer opportunities will be publicized. Kristin Borst will be our contact person for Habitat for Humanity. ---Worship (Sonjia): The sanctuary is being decorated Sunday by Sunday during Lent. ---Building and Grounds (Jon): Spring Clean-up Day is ahead. A future dishwasher is under discussion. Old Business: ---The Constitution Committee plans to review the Constitution in "chunks" and bring suggested revisions to the Council. ---Special committees: Lists of names for possible members of the Strategic Planning Task Force and the Search Committee for an Associate Pastor were given to the Council members for additional suggestions. These committees will be finalized at our April meeting. They should begin work right after Easter. If an Associate Pastor is to start on October 1, that committee's work should be done by mid-August. New Business: ---A request had been received for use of the church for a large high school graduation party in July. Since it came from people with no connection to MUCC, and we are not a community hall, they also plan to serve beer, and we have liability concerns -- the consensus was to say "no". Phil will give the message. Requests for use of the building will be considered case by case, but we should update our Building Use Policy and fees. ---Faith and Service Award: The Stewardship Committee wants the Council to decide several issues by next January; 1)Can the award go only to members, not to friends (some of whom give a great deal of time and effort to the church)? 2) Paid staff are not eligible? 3) Can a person receive this award a second time, after many additional years of equally devoted service? (Those present who had received the award said they would not want it a second time.) 4) Could we give a "Youth Faith and Service Award" or a "Life Service Award", not necessarily every year? (See note above in Phil's report on the 20th Anniversary.) ---Ron handed out the 2009 Church Council "Members and Terms" document and the 2009 Council schedule. Moved by Sonjia and seconded by Barb that the meeting be adjourned. Carried. Next meeting: April 14, 6:45 p.m. Shirley Robbins, Recording Secretary |