CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

MARCH 9, 2011

The meeting was called to order by President Steve Wangerin at 8:30 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Steve Levin, Jeff Levin, Tiffany Rietzke, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer. Vince & Kim Rietzke were invited guests.

Pastor presented information on the Consolidation possibilities. The North Church committee that had been meeting with our committee was also presenting information to their church council that evening. Pastor felt that meetings had been positive.

The Minutes of the January 30 meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; was given by Joann. It showed that we are slightly ahead of the budget thanks to a large donation.

Treasurer’s Report; no report.

Pastor’s Report;

- Confirmation will be held on Palm Sunday with 7 kids being confirmed.

- First Communion testing will be held March 7 with the Elders. First Communion will be held on March 13. There are 3 kids in the class.

- Discussion over the offering for Lent services was held. Pastor will discuss this with the North Church. Tracy will put a note in the bulletins on Sundays to remind people to be sure and use their Lent midweek envelopes.

Board of Elders; Tracy stated that the Elders were going to have a Care & Concerns meeting with Pastor & Susie soon.

Board of Education; there was no report. Pastor talked about several items including the Sunday School opening, CFF activities and the 30 hour Famine project coming up.

Board of Evangelism; Tiffany Rietzke talked about having a Spring Tea later this Spring.

Board of Stewardship; Steve had nothing new to report.

Board of Trustees; Jeff reported on the following;

- Petersen’s Lawn Care sent their quote on lawn care for 2011. Jeff will get this prepaid for $376.00 in order to save money.

- 5 new emergency lights have been ordered and will be installed in the Parish Hall, hallway and Sanctuary.

- The trustees will get the old refrigerator out of the closet in the Sanctuary and make room for the banners to be hung.

- The trustees will also try and get a manlift in order to get the new ceiling fans hung in the Parish Hall.

Old Business; Tracy visited with Galen Larson about redoing the sound system up by the keyboard to reduce the mess of wires and clutter. It was decided to go ahead with this project

New Business;

- Lent plans were discussed. The windows will need to be blacked out for Good Friday. Pastor will do the Sunrise service at the cemetery with breakfast to follow. Our Easter service will be held at 10:00 a.m. with no Sunday School.

- We will have a potluck dinner on Palm Sunday for the new Confirmands.

- The next Council meeting will be April 6th following the Lent Service.

- The Voters Meeting will be held on Wednesday evening April 27th at 7:00 p.m.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:30 p.m. We closed with an AMEN.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

JANUARY 30, 2011

The meeting was called to order by President Steve Wangerin at 11:30 A.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Joann Brooks, Ryan Rietzke, Jeff Levin, Steve Levin, Tiffany Rietzke, Becky Kirchoff, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.

New Acolyte robes were shown to the Council. A motion was passed to order the robes as presented for $590.50 and to pay for them using donations.

Pastor asked about Feb. 13th when he will be gone. After discussion a motion was passed unanimously to rescind a previous resolution and allow Eldean Holthus full rights and privileges as a member, including preaching on Sundays that Pastor is gone..

A motion was passed to adjourn at 12:00 p.m. We closed with an AMEN.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lauri Smith, Secretary

2)
New Business;
- The Voters Agenda was set. It includes
1. Regular reports of Boards and Officers
2. Outdoor Electronic Sign decision
3. Appoint a nominating committee.
4. Any other new business.

Discussion was held on the signs and posters that were being taped to the glass entry doors and the walls in the narthex. A motion was passed to inform all members not to tape any posters or signs to any of the entry doors or the walls in the narthex. All signs and posters are to be put on the 2 bulletin boards in the hallway to the Parish Hall and by the mailboxes.

The need to republish the Council’s resolution on the use of the new white tables in the Parish Hall was also discussed. Tracy will publish a statement in the newsletter and bulletins that “The new white tables are to remain in the Parish Hall and not be taken out of the building. If anyone needs some tables, please use the old wooden tables. This includes the round and rectangle tables” Tracy will also post a sign in the storage room with this statement.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 12:05 p.m. We closed with an Amen.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tracy Smith, Recording Secretary

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:05 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Deb Levin, Jeff Levin, Tiffany
Financial Secretary Report; was given by Deb.

Treasurer’s Report; Tiffini had a written report..

Pastor’s Report;
Pastor discussed the recent presentation given Rietzke, Tiffini Gross, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, Rob Bogart, Kurt Forell, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.

The Minutes of the January meeting were approved as read.

- at the Planning Event by Pastor Bonine.
- There is some plumbing work to be done in the parsonage.
- Pastor is still looking for catalogs for new chancel fixtures.
- The Lent & Easter process went well again this year with good attendance at all the services.
- Liz Hagman will be leaving this summer which will create a shortage again for accompanists for services.
- There will be a “Holy Smoke” event on April 30th at 7:00 pm.
- The Church Directory pictures are scheduled for April 26 & 27.

Board of Elders; was given by Rob.
. - The Holy Week services went well.
- At the Elders meeting, the Constitution Committee was discussed, as well as the Planning Event. Rob stated that the Council & Voters should pay more respect to the will of the congregation in deciding projects, etc.
- The issues of ushering out and worship assistants wearing robes has gone on long enough and will be put to a vote at the April Voters meeting.

Board of Education; was a written report. VBS will be held June 1st – 4th. Some money will need to be transferred into the VBS account. Tiffini will check into it.

Board of Evangelism; Tiffany Rietzke has purchased the tickets for the trip to Denver in September.
- The Spring Tea will be held on May 2nd.
- The Committee is planning to make packets for the graduates.
- The Committee has been sending out sympathy and get well cards to Congregation and Community members.
-
Board of Stewardship; none.

Board of Trustees;
- A motion was passed to prepay $376.20 to Robinson’s Lawn Care for 4 applications to the Church yard. This will result in a 5% savings.
- The cupboard door in the Parish Hall kitchen is fixed.
- Need to have an outside clean-up and landscaping day.
- The mowing contract went to the Wallgren boys this year.
- The bushes in the front of the church need to be trimmed.

Old Business; none.

(2)
New Business;
- The Voters Agenda was set. It includes
1. Outdoor Electronic Sign
2. Computer update in both offices.
3. Consider gift to the KS District for financial shortage.
4. Ushering out decision.
5. Remodeling for Preschool computer room.
6. Audit Report.
7. Fans in the Parish Hall.
8. Constitution Committee report.

Linda Hommon will be attending a conference/ education course to be our Parish Nurse. A motion was passed to pay the cost of meals and course materials of $75 + mileage to and from Liberty Missouri.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

JANUARY 13, 2010

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:40 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Deb Levin, Jeff Levin, Tiffany Rietzke, Tiffini Gross, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.

The Minutes of the December meeting were read. A correction was made to the Evangelism report. Their trip will be to “Women of Faith” in Denver on September 24 – 25. The minutes were approved with the correction.

Financial Secretary Report; was given by Deb. The “Fan into Flame” project goal for last year was met. The TIM project was also funded with donations and matching funds from Thrivent.

Treasurer’s Report; Tiffini had reports for December and the entire year..

Pastor’s Report;

- The Planning Event will be held on February 7 with a different theme and agenda than in the past. We will be discussing the church and our history, where we are now and where we are going and what the church will be in 20 years. A catered meal of roast beef sandwiches, potato salad, chips, baked beans and ice cream will be served.

- We will be discussing the Joint Lent plans at the January Voters meeting.

- On June 5th, Jesse Arment and Claire Cole will be getting married and asked to use the Parish Hall for their reception.

- Pastor had picked up a faucet for the sink in the kitchen in the parsonage. The trustees will see to getting it installed.

Board of Elders; had a short meeting after church to get our new elder, Kurtis Forell, familiarized with the duties of the elders.

Board of Education; was a written report.

Board of Evangelism; Tiffany Rietzke talked about having the “Anniversary Sunday” possibly on Feb. 14th.

- They are also tentatively planning a trip to the “Women of Faith” conference in Denver on Sept. 24 – 25. The tickets for the conference are $89. They are looking at ways to help defray the costs. A sign-up sheet will be put out next week.

Board of Stewardship; Deb Levin talked about sending out an appreciation letter to all our members.

Board of Trustees;

- The furnace has been checked and hopefully fixed. Duane Peterson from Agra installed a smaller vent pipe to help the draft pipe to work better to avoid tripping the limit switches and shutting the furnace down. They are also going to look at the a/c to see if we need a larger unit or fan.

- Jeff had installed the new garbage disposal in the parish hall sink.

Old Business; Tracy has prices for new chairs in the parish hall. After some discussion a motion was passed to buy 12 new chairs for Pastor’s office, the conference room and to replace the 2 chairs in the front of the sanctuary.

(2)

New Business;

- Tracy presented a bid from David Stephens to replace all the windows on the North side of the church, including the North windows and the west window in the conference room Jeff requested that Tracy & David go back and check on replacing them with solid pane windows that do not open except for the far east window and the far west window and the North window in the office. They will try to get this done by the Voters meeting.

- Tracy inquired about updating the programs on the church computers so they can open files from the newer computers. He also asked about getting flat screen monitors to give them both more room to work. Steve Wangerin will check on prices.

- The Voters Meeting agenda is as follows:

§ Joint lent Possibilities

§ Nominations for Synod Officers

§ Window replacement

§ Form an audit committee

§ Reports of the Boards

- A motion was passed to have the church pay the remaining tuition for a preschool child.

- Deb Levin asked about getting a new pulpit for the sanctuary. Pastor will check into the styles and prices.

- A motion was passed to invite Pastor Jon Bonine of Downs, and pay him $100 for mileage and speaking fees, to attend the Planning Event to speak on the topic of where our church is headed. Pastor Bonine recently graduated from seminary and knows firsthand what they are being told by the seminary.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. We closed with a loud AMEN.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lauri Smith, Secretary

Tracy Smith
Parish Coordinator
First Saint John Lutheran Church
Kensington, KS 66951
Ph. (785) 476-2246
email - pigpalace@hotmail.com

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

December 2, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:40 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Deb Levin, Tiffini Gross, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the November meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; was given by Deb. We had a good month financially in November. Currently we are better than last year by $2000. The "Fan into Flame" project goal for this year is almost met.

Treasurer’s Report; Tiffini had no report.

Pastor’s Report;

The Thanksgiving Praise Program held here at First St. John in the parish hall on November 22nd went very well with 85-90 people in attendance.
The "Christmas Event" date has moved from Dec. 12th to Dec. 9th due to a basketball tournament in Downs. There will be plenty of music for the evening.
The decorating crew was smaller than last year but went well.
The Christmas Eve service will be a cantata performed by the choir.
Pastor will have a slate of nominees for the Synod offices at the January Voters Meeting.
A discussion was held on the TV’s in the Parish Hall. There is no real need for them now with the new projector.
Board of Education; The kids Christmas program practice is continuing. It will be held on the 20th during the service. Renae Snyder is the director again this year..

Board of Elders; was given by Tracy. The committee to review the constitution is being formed.

Board of Evangelism; Pastor and Tracy noted that Tiffany Rietzke is working on a bus trip for women who are interested to the "Women First" gathering in Omaha next summer.

Board of Stewardship; no report .

Board of Trustees;

The light in the men’s bathroom needs fixed.
The thermostats in the buildings needs to stay on during the winter. The temperature needs turned down but leave the heat on.
The kitchen sink in the parsonage needs fixed.
Old Business; Tracy has not gotten prices for new chairs in the parish hall yet..
New Business;

The date for the 2010 Planning Event will be February 7 after church with a catered meal. Tracy will check with the grocery store to see if they are interested. The agenda will be different this year. It will be as follows:
The church we inherited
The church we are.
The church we will become
Constitution revision possibilities
A motion was passed to adjourn at 8:50 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Tracy Smith, Recording Secretary
　

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

November 4, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:45 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Deb Levin, Rob Bogart, Tiffini Gross, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the October meeting were not available.

Financial Secretary Report; was given by Deb. It showed we are short for the year.

Treasurer’s Report; Tiffini’s report showed that we are under budget for the year by $37.

Pastor’s Report; Pastor reported on:

The Thanksgiving Praise Program will be held here at First St. John in the parish hall on November 22nd at 7 p.m.
The "Christmas Event" will be on Dec. 12th. It will be along the same lines as last year with the annual soup supper fundraiser.
Nov. 29th is the date that we will decorate the church for Christmas right after church service. We will need to purchase a new tree for the sanctuary.
Board of Education; written report.

Board of Elders; was given by Rob. Pastor’s report covered most everything.

Board of Evangelism; Rob reported that there was a good turn out of 50 – 60 people for the Fall Harvest Party.

Board of Stewardship; no report .

Board of Trustees; A new phone needs to be purchased for the kitchen in the parish hall. Also, 2 new trash cans for the narthex and hallway.

Old Business; none.
New Business;

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

October 7, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:45 p.m. Members present were Tracy & Lauri Smith, Jeff Levin, Dale Lyon, Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the September meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; no report.

Treasurer’s Report; no report.

Pastor’s Report; Pastor reported that he was elected as the alternate Pastoral delegate to the National Convention by the circuit forum. The Pastoral delegate is from Norton. Pastor also reported on:

The Thanksgiving Praise Program will be held here at First St. John in the parish hall on November 22nd at 7 p.m.
The "Christmas Event" will be on Dec. 12th. It will be along the same lines as last year with the annual soup supper fundraiser.
Sunday School Christmas program practice will begin on Nov. 1st.
Pastor will be gone from Oct. 11th – 18th. He will attend the Professional Church Workers Conference in Kansas City, then go to his mom’s for a couple of days before attending the anniversary celebration in Strong City.
Board of Education; no report.

Board of Elders; was given by Dale.

Nov. 1st the Fall Harvest Party will be held at the park.
Nov. 8th will be the All Saints Service.
Oct. 18th we will have Pastor Joel to lead the service.
Due to the flu season we will continue not to usher people out. This issue will be revisited at a later date.
The elders continue to discuss the future of our congregation. Some of the items they are discussing include:
The Preschool needs to be moved up out of the basement.
The need to grow must be met by the changing of the facility to meet the needs.
Board of Evangelism; no report.

Board of Stewardship; no report due to the committee working on the budget.

Board of Trustees; Jeff reported that the fire alarm system had been checked. The representative also looked at the parish hall to update the system all together. The detectors will cost $25 each and we will need to have an electrician to wire in the system.

The lawn sprinkler system is being checked to see what can be done to get it fixed.
The problem in the basement is not mold, it is water seeping in from outside.
Tracy informed the council about the programming updates needed for the church’s computers. He also inquired about replacing the color printer. Steve Wangerin will talk to the school about one they are not using. Tracy will get prices on new ones.
Alan asked about updating the hanging microphones and the podium mike. They do not pick up the voices as well as they should. The problem will be looked into.

Old Business; none.

New Business; The Voter’s agenda was set. Items include the election of Officers and the 2010 Budget and Housing Allowance.

A donation jar will be put out to try and raise the $150 necessary to reach the yearly goal of $1000 for the Fan into Flame Synod donation.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:15 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary
　

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

September 2, 2009

The meeting was called to order by Jeff Levin at 7:45 p.m. Members present were Tiffini Gross, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Jeff Levin,and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer. Liz Hagman and Becky Kirchoff were also present.
The Minutes of the August meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; was a handout, which showed we are short $4603 year to date, memorial fund of $17,082, and a general savings balance of $63,729.

Treasurer’s Report; was a handout presented by Tiffini.
Board of Education; no report.

Board of Elders; was given by Tracy.

From now on Peace plants will be given from the church for funerals instead of bouquets.
The Sept. 27 service will be led by the elders and will focus on the "Time, Talents and Treasures" of First St. John and how we can use them to move the church forward.
Pastor will be gone Nov. 1st so the All Saints Day service will be on Nov. 8th.
Communion might be changed to the 1st and 4th Sundays in October and the 2nd and 3rd Sundays in November.
Board of Evangelism; no report.

Board of Stewardship; no report

Board of Trustees; Jeff reported that the Radon level had been tested again and the level had gone down.

The back stairway in the basement has mold and will need to be taken care of.
Pastor inquired about extending the basement room by knocking out a wall of the small room. Jeff will look into this matter.
Old Business; The fire escape window in the basement is finished.

New Business; none.
Pastor’s Report; Pastor discussed with the council the third in a series of moving the church forward and where we are headed in the next 10 – 20 years. Due to the small number in attendance, the length of the report was reduced.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 8:35 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary
　

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

August 5, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:40 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Rob Bogart, Tiffini Gross, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Jeff Levin, Steve & Deb Levin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer. Donna Levin was also present.

The Minutes of the May meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; Deb Levin provided a handout which showed we are $2895 short for the year. We had a good month in July, which helped to reduce the deficit.

Treasurer’s Report; no report.

Audit Report; Donna Levin presented the results of the Audit of the financial books for 2008. She made several recommendations for improvements that would help our bookkeeping process. The Council thanked Donna for all her efforts and hard work for producing another outstanding report. After her report, Donna left the meeting.

Pastor’s Report; Pastor stated he will be gone on October 18th to attend the anniversary celebration in Strong City. .

The book study on "The Shack" is finished. A large group attended these sessions and a good discussion was held.

Board of Education; no report.

Board of Elders; was given by Rob.

An evening lake potluck and devotion will be held on August 30 at Harlan Lake with afternoon activities beforehand.
On Sept. 19th we will hold a "Country Cook-out" with details to come later.
A motion was passed that bans throwing any type of grain or rice at special events, especially weddings. Only bubbles or balloons will be allowed from now on.
A motion was passed that sets a mandatory rate for janitorial fees for weddings. This fee must be paid before the wedding rehearsal.

Board of Evangelism; no report.

Board of Stewardship; Steve Levin reported on the booth for Old Fashioned Saturday Night. Jeff & Pam Thompson will bring their unique talents to help with the Church’s booth.

Board of Trustees; Jeff reported on the lawn sprinkler system. He stated that the system needs to be updated or replaced before Robinson’s will work on it.

The basement in the church was tested for Radon and initially tested high. A second test has been sent to the state for verification. Dan Billings will put in a venting system for approximately $1250.00 that is guaranteed. A motion was passed to have the trustees take care of this matter immediately if it is necessary, and to have it done before Preschool begins.

Old Business; The fire escape window in the basement should be finished by the start of Preschool.

New Business;

A motion was passed to set the date for the October Voter’s meeting for October 25th with a noon potluck dinner.
The second session on issues and challenges facing our church was held. This session dealt with the changes in the church’s stature in society and how it has evolved over the last few decades and how the church is going to have to change the way it presents itself in society today. Pastor had a good handout and presentation. There was a good discussion on where we as a church – both locally and nationally are headed.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:50 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

June 3, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:40 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Dale Lyon, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Steve Wangerin, Jeff Levin, Deb Levin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the May meeting were approved as read.
Financial Secretary Report; Deb Levin provided a handout which showed we are $2300 short for the year. We had to transfer $800 from savings to checking.
Treasurer’s Report; no report.

Pastor’s Report; Pastor and Tracy will be headed to Topeka from Thursday until Saturday for the KS District Convention. Pastor will also be going on vacation to Indiana from June 16 – June 22nd. Pastor also said that the Strong City Church where he served will be having an anniversary celebration in November and has asked him to be a guest speaker at the event.

Board of Education; was a written report.

Board of Elders; was given by Tracy. The elders had received some complaints about noise in the sanctuary before the service begins. A note will be put in the bulletin to help address this issue.

The Elders also discussed with the council about congestion at the entrance of the Sanctuary before Services. It was decided to move the ushers and the elders out into the narthex to try and open the entrance area up a little.
The church needs to prepare a written plan for what we would do in case of a flu or illness pandemic. The Council decided to remove the toys and the toybox from the narthex to prevent the spread of germs. Other ideas included wiping down the backs of the pews after services with a disinfectant and putting out more hand disinfectant.
The church will need to transfer another $100 to the VBS fund. Each church is doing this to finish up paying all the bills for the year.
Board of Evangelism; no report.
Board of Stewardship; no report.

Board of Trustees; Jeff stated that that the lawn sprinkler system needs to be repaired. He will get a quote from Robinson’s for the repairs.

The yard has been sprayed twice.
World Pest will spray the buildings for bugs.
David Stephens had finished repairing the roof and will need to be paid.
Old Business; none.

New Business; The first part of a series of discussions on the issues facing our church and the church-at-large was held. The first discussion included a review of the officers and board members over the last 35 years. We also discussed where our church came from and what we as a church have inherited such as liturgy, songs, etc. The discussion was very helpful to all in attendance. The next discussion will be held during the July meeting.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:20 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

Treasurer’s Report was given by Tiffini Gross.

Pastor’s Report was given by Pastor Dave. He stated that the phone number for the Parish Activity Center had been changed due to a constant barrage of fax calls. The number was originally a fax number. The new number is 785-476-2132. An extension phone will be looked into for the quilting room.
Board Reports:
Board of Education. Report by Pastor Dave. VBS is in the works.

Board of Elders. Report by Rob Bogart. The Elders are looking to schedule an Anniversary Celebration at the American Legion in honor of both Pastor Dave’s 25th year in the ministry and Staci Cole’s 20th year as our Preschool educator. A church service would be held with the possibility of a meal or potluck following. Tentative date has been set for September 6th.
Rob moved to have the Anniversary Celebration. Steve seconded the motion. Discussion concerning the date was held. Possible alternative date would be the following week on September 13th. Vote was unanimous. Motion carried.
Rob also reported that the house owned by Evelyn Levin south of the church was available if First Saint John would like to acquire it and the property.
He also reported that the Elders discussed better use of our assets that we have acquired. Discussion evolved into growth, building plans, and younger leadership within our church. On a trial basis, future Council meetings will take care of church business that needs to be handled and devote the rest of the meeting to discussions of where the church needs to be in 10 or 20 years. For the next Council meeting attendees are asked to bring their vision of what our church will be like in 10 years and/or 20 years.

Board of Evangelism. A successful, nice Tea was held.
Board of Trustees. There was a short discussion concerning mowing.
Board of Stewardship. There was no report.

Unfinished Business:
Donna Levin has consented to perform the annual audit.

New Business:
There was no new business.
Deb Levin moved to adjourn the meeting. Rob Bogart seconded the motion. Motion carried. Meeting was adjourned with an Amen.
SUBMITTED FOR THE SECRETARY, Steve Wangerin

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

April 1, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 8:10 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Dale Lyon, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Tiffini Gross, Jeff Levin, Deb Levin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.

The Minutes of the March meeting were approved as read.

Financial Secretary Report; Deb Levin provided a handout which showed we are $1245.21 short for the year. She also stated that the Organ Fund total was $3200.00

Treasurer’s Report; was given by Tiffini, who also had a handout. A discussion was held on the food expenses for the funerals. Deb stated she thought that the Ladies Aid had received some money from the families for the food expense. Tracy will check with the Ladies Aid to see if they received any donations for this.

Pastor’s Report; Pastor reported that Pastor Joel has been elected as our Circuit Counselor. He also discussed some of the changes that will be brought to the floor of the Synod Convention next year. They include:

A possible change from the name "Missouri Synod"
Reducing the number of districts nationwide from the present number down to 7 or 8 mega-districts.
Changing the representation of delegates. Currently each Church has a Pastoral and a lay delegate regardless of size. The larger churches want it changed to one delegate for a certain number of members, which could adversely affect rural churches.
The Kansas District Convention will be held the first week of June.

Board of Education; was a written report.

Board of Elders; was given by Dale Lyon. He discussed the plans for Holy Week including a choir cantata to be held during the Maundy Thursday service. He also discussed the accompanist pay and the reasons for it, and how it will be disbursed.

Board of Evangelism; was a written report. The Spring Tea will be held on May 2 with musical entertainment and a short program.

Board of Stewardship; no report.

Board of Trustees; Jeff stated that Robinson Lawn Care is taking care of the church lawn and Rahjes are taking care of the parsonage and the PAC. Other items covered included:

The lawn mowing contract was given to the Foreman’s with the stipulation that the walks will be swept and kept clean.
The trustees will cover the windows in preparation for the Good Friday service.
Dave Stephens replaced the shingles that had blown off of the PAC. It was decided to have him put in a different ridge vent system to help to prevent this problem.
The trustees will check on the situation with the water heater in the parsonage.
Pastor stated that the carpet was to be installed on the new risers in the Parish Hall shortly. He also had removed a bunch of the cedar trees surrounding the porch area of the parsonage.

Old Business; Tracy stated that the new oil-filled Advent candles are in and Evelyn Levin paid for them with the Arnold Levin Memorial fund.

New Business; The Voter’s meeting agenda was set. Items included on the agenda were;

Appoint an Audit Committee,
Accompanist pay,
Review the Planning Event Goals
A motion was passed to purchase and install the expanded fire alarm system and emergency lighting for the sanctuary and the parish hall. Jeff will contact the gentleman that installed the new system in the preschool and have him install this so the whole system is the same.

A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:20 p.m. We closed with a loud Amen.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

March 8, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 12:15 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Dale Lyon, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Tamra Portenier, Galen Arment, Steve Wangerin, Tiffini Gross, Steve & Deb Levin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the February meeting were read.
Financial Secretary Report; Deb Levin provided a handout which showed we were long for the month of February, but are $896.71 short for the year. The "Breakfast Sunday" donations netted $88.55 extra after paying for the food that was purchased. A motion was passed to use this money to purchase a new roaster oven for the kitchen and any other items needed.

- Deb received a letter that stated the memorial funds from the Ellen Rust and Laura Holthus funerals were to be used to help fund the new emergency exit from the basement.

Treasurer’s Report; was given by Tiffini, who also had a handout. She stated that the annual Lutheran Witness subscription was paid in the month of February.
Board of Education; Tamra reported on the upcoming VBS plans. Will need to have the money for VBS transferred soon. They already have some of the teachers lined up. She also noted that they were busy getting materials and supplies for Palm Sunday and Confirmation ordered.
Board of Elders; was given by Tracy. First Communion will be held for 3 girls on March 15th. The examination for the girls will be Tuesday, March 10th at 5:15 pm. Tracy also reported on:

There are concerns developing over the need for accompanist for church services. The Elders feel there is a need to begin paying $25 per service for the accompanist so that if the need arises to hire an accompanist in the future we will already be paying those already playing. It was decided to put this item on the April Voters meeting agenda.
The use of the Parish Activity Center was discussed. Recently the center was used by different groups and the place was completely trashed. The Ladies Guild cleaned it up once and Janna had to clean it up again. A motion was passed to remove the key from public access to allow better knowledge of who is using the facility, and to put up signs in the center stating the policy of leaving the facility clean and in good repair for any group using it.
The Elders discussed the idea of expansion/ remodeling the sanctuary. Tracy asked the Council if they thought a congregational survey needed to be taken to see if there was enough interest to continue to pursue this project. After some discussion, a motion was passed to table expansion discussions until a later date and make the construction of a direct access from the basement as well as expanding the fire alarm system a priority.
Board of Evangelism; Tracy received a call from Tiffany Rietzke stating that the committee would be making plans for the Spring Tea soon.
Board of Stewardship; Steve Levin stated they had nothing new to report. They are still planning to send out a letter to keep the congregation aware of the budget needs.
Board of Trustees; Pastor stated that he and Jeff Levin discussed spraying the church yard. Robinson Lawn Care sent a proposal for the church yard only and Rahjes were taking care of the parsonage and PAC. Also, World Pest Control would be contacted to resume spraying and checking for pests. Pastor will also be checking with the Fire Marshall about installing a half-door in the kitchen in the basement.
Pastor’s Report; Pastor asked if the Council wished to make a donation for the Post-Prom committee. It had not been done before. After discussion, the council decided not to donate.

- Pastor also asked if the church should donate money to the Kensington Community Store fund for new compressors. After discussion, a motion was passed to donate $500 to the fund to be taken directly from savings as soon as the store needed it.

Old Business; none.
New Business; A motion was passed to pay for carpeting for the new risers in the Parish Hall with money from the Building Fund.

Tracy informed the council that new oil-filled candles will be purchased for the advent wreath in the sanctuary. Evelyn Levin has offered to use money from Arnold’s memorial fund to pay for them.
Tracy & Pastor received information, pictures and price quotes from the sign company regarding a new outdoor electronic sign to replace the existing sign. After discussion, it was decided to put this item on the agenda for the April Voters meeting.
Tracy & Deb Levin passed out a brochure showing a pamphlet rack and table to be used in the narthex to hold all the papers and pamphlets, as well as the boxes of cards. This would be used in place of the white table that is in the narthex now. After discussion, a motion was passed to approve the purchase of a wall rack and adjoining table to replace the white table using money from the Memorial Fund.
Several items were discussed to put on the April Voters Meeting agenda.
A motion was passed to adjourn at 2:00 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

FEBRUARY 4, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:10 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Dale Lyon, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Rob Bogart, Steve Wangerin, Tiffini Gross, Steve & Deb Levin, and Pastor Dave Hutson who opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the January meeting were approved as read.
Financial Secretary Report; Deb Levin provided a handout which showed we are $961 short for the year.
Treasurer’s Report; was given by Tiffini, who also had a handout. There was some confusion as to how the mileage was to be paid. It was established to continue paying Pastor $500 per month and then 50.5 cents per mile on any miles driven per month over 990 miles.
Pastor’s Report; Pastor reported that Gary Niehoff wanted to come to First St John on April 26 for a "Wills Awareness" program. After discussion it was decided to move this to a later date as spring work would be in full swing. Pastor also reported on the following;

Lent Process; we will host 3 services this year and the north church will host 2. We will have our own Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday services with communion, a joint Good Friday service here, a Sunrise service at the cemetery at the north church at 7 a.m., breakfast at the north church at 8 a.m. and our own Easter service here at 10 a.m.
First Communion will be held for 3 children on March 15
Confirmation will be held on Palm Sunday April 5.
March 1 we will hold a "Breakfast Sunday" to kick off the Lenten season.
Board of Education; Tracy read a report sent to him by Tamra.
Board of Elders; was given by Rob Bogart. The Ash Wednesday service will be held at 7 p.m. instead of 7:30 with communion. A discussion was held about the organ. An organ fund was designated for the memorials given at the Jeff Grauerholz funeral. No action was taken at this time. The money will be put into an account for the organ fund. A discussion was also held on how to properly deal with the memorials given at funerals.
Board of Evangelism; no report.
Board of Stewardship; Steve Levin reported that the board is discussing the possibility of sending out a letter to the congregation to keep them aware of the size of the budget and the financial needs to keep up with it. They are also discussing other possibilities.
Board of Trustees; no report. Steve Levin is going to discuss with the trustees on the possibility of putting a direct access staircase out of the basement to the outside on the east side of the church for the preschool kids in case of a fire or other emergency. They will need to check with the Fire Marshall about this also.
Old Business; none.
New Business; The District is wanting an alternate delegate to the District Convention in June in case the nominated delegate is unable to attend. A motion was passed to send Dale Lyon as the alternate.
Discussion was held on the need to have a celebration for Stacy Cole as she will have been the Preschool Director for 20 years in 2010.
A motion was passed to adjourn at 9:00 p.m. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING

January 7, 2009

The meeting was called to order by President Alan Bates at 7:05 p.m. Members present were Alan Bates, Steve Wangerin, Galen Arment, Jerry Rietzke, Tiffany Rietzke, Dale Lyon, Steve Levin, Deb Levin, Tracy Smith, Lauri Smith, Tiffini Gross, and Pastor Hutson who arrived a few minutes late. Dale opened with a prayer.
The Minutes of the previous meeting were approved as read.
Financial Secretary Report; Deb passed out reports for the month of December as well as the fourth quarter. It showed we ended up a little over $4000 short for the year. The Christmas Event brought in $733.35 with matching funds by Thrivent. These funds will be used for the TIM fund.
Treasurer Report; Tiffini had a handout. She stated that actual expenses for the year were $300 over budget.
Pastor’s Report;

The Christmas Eve Service was well attended with 158 people in attendance.
The "Christmas Event" was also well attended and comments were very favorable and positive.
The District Convention will be held in June.
We will need to discuss the joint Lent possibilities at the Voter’s Meeting.
Bd. of Education report; A report from Tamra was read by Tracy.
Bd. of Elders report; Dale discussed the meeting of the Elders earlier that day. He noted the need for a council resolution putting a cap on the temperature that the thermostats are to be set in the Church and the Parish Hall.

A "Care & Concerns" dinner meeting with the Elders and Pastor & Susie will be held in Franklin on Jan. 24th.
First Communion will be for 3 children on March 15th.
Discussed a Breakfast Service during Lent.
Confirmation will be on Palm Sunday for 3 children.
Bd. of Evangelism report; Tiffany R. announced that the Anniversary Sunday will be held on February 15th will possibly a potluck dinner.
Bd. of Stewardship; Galen & Steve noted that with the economic times the 2009 Budget will be a challenge.
Bd. of Trustees report; Jerry reported on the items that they have taken care of recently including installing the soap and towel dispensers in the restrooms and repairing the fans. Also the kitchen sinks.
Pastor noted that the Fire Marshall recommended that emergency backup lights needed to be installed in the Sanctuary and the Parish Hall.
Old Business; none.

New Business;

Discussed whether to hold a 2009 Planning Event. A motion was passed to hold the event every other year and to put the 2008 goals on the agenda for the January Voter’s meeting.
A motion was passed for a resolution by the Council that the Sanctuary thermostat have a locking cover installed and that signs placed in the Parish Hall that the thermostats are not to be set above 69 degrees during the winter and not below 74 degrees during the summer. This is due to the large electric bills that have been occurring because the thermostats are being set too high in the winter.
Tracy discussed the need to have an audio visual specialist come and look over the sound and video system and to recommend the correct procedures to install a DVD recorder.
The agenda for the January Voter’s meeting was set.
A Motion to Adjourn was passed. We closed at 8:10 p.m. with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lauri Smith
Secretary

Church Council Meeting

November 5, 2008

The meeting was called to order by President Steve Wangerin at 7:50 p.m. Members present were; Steve Wangerin, Steve & Deb Levin, Dale Lyon, Tiffini Gross, Ron Rice, Tracy & Lauri Smith, Lynn Wallgren, Rob Bogart, and Pastor Hutson, who opened with a prayer.
The minutes of the October meeting were approved as read.
Financial Secretary Report; given by Deb Levin showed we are short $3800 on the budget. Offering figures have decreased in the last 2 months.
Treasurer Report; Tiffini provided a handout. The Lance Stiger fund was $983.00.
Pastor’s Report; Pastor reported he is on the District Pastor-Teacher committee. He also stated that the Lucado study is going well with around 20 people attending.
Board of Elders; Rob stated that the Pack the House Service will be held on November 23rd in the Parish Hall to accommodate a larger crowd. He also talked about how the Elders are seeing a need for more involvement in the community.
Board of Education; no report.
Board of Evangelism; no report.
Board of Stewardship; Lynn had nothing new to report.
Board of Trustees; no report.
Old Business; none.
New Business; A motion was approved to set the Fan into Flame donation at $5000, to be raised over 5 years. The money is to be raised totally non-budget with fund-raisers.

The First Saint John Church Council meeting was called to order by President Steve Wangerin at 7:35 p.m. Members present were: Steve Wangerin, Deb Levin, Lynn Wallgren, Tiffini Gross, Sandi Reneberg, Tracy & Lauri Smith, and Pastor Dave Hutson, who opened with a prayer.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as read.

Treasurer’s Report; a handout was given by Tiffini. She also discussed the Sunday School financial account. The discussion was moved to New Business.

Financial Secretary Report; Deb provided a handout which showed the church is short $3000 year-to-date. There were withdrawals taken from the memorial fund for sanctuary ceiling fans and a video cart. Withdrawals from the general savings were for the roofing project from the hail storms. Deb also discussed the church’s credit card application.

Pastor’s Report; given by Pastor Dave. Items included;
The situation that occurred with Pastor Don White and the reason he was not at the service on Sept. 28th.
The District Professional Workers Conference will be in Great Bend on Oct 19 – 21. Pastor will leave for the conference after the Voters meeting. After the conference, he is going on to Chanute for a couple of days and will return on Oct. 23rd.
Confirmation classes started on Wed. Oct. 1st.
Sacramental class will begin on Oct. 7th.
LWML Sunday will be held on Oct. 12 in the regular morning service.
The accompanist schedule is set for October and November.
Anyone needing to borrow tables are reminded to check out the old tables and not the new ones.

Board of Education; Sandi reported on Sunday School and CFF. She stated that things were going well.

Board of Elders; Tracy discussed the accompanist situation and how it was resolved.
November 23rd will be a “Pack the House” Sunday. We will use the Parish Hall for the service and the potluck dinner to follow to see how the hall will work for services when we have an overflow crowd.
The “Family Life Ministry” will be held in Phillipsburg on Oct. 25th. More to come under new business.
There will be a bonfire/hot dog roast at Dale & Delores farm on Saturday Oct 4th beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Board of Evangelism; no report.

Board of Stewardship; Lynn reported on the SOS fund-raiser held in Sept. Also. A budget meeting was set for Oct. 2nd at 7 p.m.

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Board of Trustees; Pastor reported on the following;
The fire alarm system has been updated and is now certified for use by the State Fire Marshal.
The trustees need to check on having the buildings sprayed for bugs.
- Tracy asked about the towel and soap dispensers for the church and PAC. Lynn will make sure they are all here, and the trustees can install them.
A question was raised about the lawn mowing bids and how they were approved and if the work that was in the bid was actually being done. It was noted that grass clippings were left on the sidewalks and entrances.

Old Business;
The Barn Christmas Survey results were given by Tracy. It showed that an overwhelming number of members wanted to continue this event, and were willing to help with the preparations of it. The Barn Service will be held on Dec. 6th at 5:30 & 7:00 p.m.

New Business;
The Sunday School financial account was discussed. It was decided to reestablish this account.
The first of a series of four, Family Life Ministry meetings will be held in Phillipsburg on Oct. 25th. The total cost will be $100 ($25 for each session) for each member attending. A motion to pay the $100 fee for each member was approved. So far Becky, Liz, Pastor, and Tracy are attending.
A request was presented from Kathy Holthus for a special offering on LWML Sunday, Oct. 12th, for the District Retreat Center in Herrington. It was decided to allow all loose offerings that are not in envelopes to go to the Center, and a basket to be placed in the narthex for a month, to allow anyone wishing to contribute may do so.

A motion to adjourn was passed. The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. with a loud AMEN.

Respectfully submitted,
Lauri Smith, Secretary

The "Praise in the Park" event was well attended with 43 people attending. Pastor was the only clergy there.
The October Voter’s meeting will be held on October 19, with a noon potluck.
Pastor will be attending the Professional Church Workers Conference in Great Bend from Oct 19 – 21.
Education Report; Tracy received an email from Sandi Reneberg who was unable to attend. Christian Education Sunday will be Sept 7th with the 2nd graders receiving Bibles. All the Sunday School teachers are lined up.

CFF will begin on Sept. 3. There will be no evening meal. Instead there will be an afternoon snack provided. All 3 churches will be in charge of snacks on different months. Our church is in charge in September and December. There will be a sign-up sheet for donations for the snacks. The meal idea will be revisited in December. Sandi will be the liaison between the CFF Board and the Education Board.
Board of Elders Report; given by Tracy. We are going to change the annual Lake service to an evening service next year as it hurts Sunday attendance to have it in place of a regular Sunday morning service.

November 23rd will be a "Pack the House" Sunday. We are going to set up the Parish Hall for the Service to see how it will work for Sundays when we know we will have an overflow crowd.
Pictures of the Church and a letter of explanation were sent to the architects for their input on the possibilities of remodeling and/or expansion of the Sanctuary.
We are in need of new keyboard/organist musicians. Pastor Dave and Kristi Reneberg are the only two we are using at this time. The elders have decided to start reimbursing organists for playing on Sunday. Suggestions of names were Bridgett Lyon, Katy Larson, Kristi Reneberg, and Kim Baumann. Pastor and Tracy will schedule a monthly meeting with all of them to work out schedules.
October 4th we will have a bonfire/cookout at Dale & Delores Lyons’ farm at 6:30 p.m. with a short evening devotion after.
Pastor & Susie will be gone on vacation from Sept 21 through the 28th. Our circuit counselor, Pastor Don White of Atwood, will be here on the 28th to preach and will have an information meeting during the Sunday School hour.
Board of Evangelism; no report.
Board of Stewardship; Lynn reported that the SOS fund-raiser meal would be held at the Kensington Legion at noon on Sept 14th.
Board of Trustees; Jeff reported that the shingles have been ordered. David Stephens will do the work, starting first with the church. Jeff is waiting on quotes for the new siding on the Parish Activity Center.

A gentleman from Hays is coming to install the needed updates on the fire alarms in the basement.
The soap dispensers are installed in the Parish Activity Center.
Old Business;

A survey will be taken to see what the congregation attitude toward the Barn Christmas is. The Council feels that if the Service is to continue, more volunteers are needed to help with preparing the barn for the service and the soup supper. A survey will appear in the bulletin and the results will be announced at the October voter’s meeting and a decision made.
Lynn reported that the new plastic round and rectangle tables for the parish hall have been delivered.
Lynn also reported that the contractor will be here shortly to install the new ceiling fans in the sanctuary
The lights in the conference room and Pastor’s office were discussed. Lynn will get a bid from the hardware store in Phillipsburg.
New Business; none.
A motion to adjourn was passed. We closed with the Lord’s prayer at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted;
Lauri Smith, Secretary

The previous minutes were approved as read.

Financial Secretary’s report: Deb reported we were long on the yearly budget by $85.00. This is the first time in recent memory that we have been long during the summer months.

Treasurer Report: Tiffini provided a handout.

Pastor’s Report: Pastor noted that his report would come under the Elder’s report.

Board of Education Report: No report.

Board of Elder’s report: Rob reported on the following dates:
September 28 – Pastor will be gone. We will ask the Circuit counselor, Pastor Don White of Atwood to be our Guest Pastor.
August 24 – We will hold a Lake Service at Harlan Lake at the South Shelter house at 11:00 am, followed by a potluck, followed by boating activities in the afternoon. Pastor will hold a Devotional Sunday School Service at 9:15 for those not going to the Lake.
August 10 and 31 will be Pre-service Sing-along Sundays.
October 26 – Pack the House Sunday followed by a potluck.
We discussed the letter from the architect consultant from LCEF to provide his service to our congregation about expansion and remodeling possibilities. The only cost to our congregation would be his traveling expenses.
The Elders inquired if the committee to investigate remodeling or expansion possibilities had been set up.
Discussed the possibility of Pastor Dave and Pastor Joel switching places on one Sunday so Joel could come here to discuss the Fan into Flame program during the Sunday School hour.

Board of Evangelism: Jeanne informed the board that they would assist with Pack the House Sunday. She would like the Church to do something for Old Fashioned Saturday Night. She will discuss this with the Evangelism Board.

Board of Stewardship: Lynn reported they are making progress on the SOS project. Will need volunteers to help with the fundraiser to be held sometime in September.
Lynn gave a bid on the 3 ceiling fans for the sanctuary. The total cost for materials and labor will be around $1480 to $1680. This would include 14 to 18 hours of labor. A motion was passed to approve the bid.

Board of Trustees: Jeff reported on the new smoke detectors with the battery backup. Will cost approximately $500 to install and $200 a year to maintain and inspect. Motion was passed to have the Trustees follow up on this ASAP and have them installed.
Jeff is getting quotes for the shingles for all the buildings and they need to have 2 quotes.
Lawn sprinkler system is in need of repair. Jeff will call Robinsons to get it repaired.
Concrete slab behind the PAC will be poured as soon as they get enough man-power to do the job.
We need to set up a work day to clean out the rock and replace the ground mat around the Church.
It was reported that the fan was out in the women’s restroom.
Tracy and Pastor inquired about putting 4-foot fluorescent lights in Pastor’s office and the conference room.
A motion was passed to install soap and towel dispensers in the Church restrooms. Lynn will order them for the Church. Also the dispensers need to be installed in the PAC.

Old Business: A motion was passed to contact the architectural consultant to have him come out and give his recommendation on the possibility of Sanctuary remodeling or expansion.

New Business: It was decided to change to the dollar-bill sized offering envelopes for 2009.
Discussion was held on the round and rectangular tables in the Parish Hall. A motion was passed to purchase 6 8-foot rectangle tables @ $85 each and to purchase 8 5-foot round plastic tables @ $102 each. These will be paid for out of remodeling funds.
After much discussion a motion was passed to have the Church get a credit card with Pastor Dave as the only signer.

A motion to adjourn was passed. We closed at 9:06 pm with the Lord’s Prayer.

There were no minutes due to Lauri’s absence.

Financial Report – given by Deb Levin. Report showed we are short $1200 so far. We have 3 CDs coming due. Discussion was held on the Orschlein rebate program. The balance in the building fund is separate from the fund for the sanctuary. Discussed putting the fund for the sanctuary in an account that
would draw interest. No decision.

Treasurer Report – Tiffini gave a quarterly report, which showed we were $3000 to $4000 over on non-budget items. It was decided to give Joel $100 for filling in for Pastor Dave.

Pastor’s Report; Music Sunday is going well. Will be held on the 2nd and 5th Sundays. There was a full church for Nancy’s funeral, ended up putting 16 people in the parish hall. A good example of why we need to expand. Pastor Joel will preach on July 20, due to Pastor being gone to Pastor Radtke’s retirement
in Lincoln. July 27 will be a lake service in Cawker City with a service at 11:00, followed by a potluck.
Aug 10th a baptism will be held for Spencer & Amanda Levin’s daughter. That same day there will be cardboard sculptures, lawn mower races, and a pool party. Pastor’s mileage for June amounted to $693.87
at 50.5 cents per mile. A motion was passed to pay the $375.00 budgeted plus the $318.87 to cover the total.

Board of Education – Sandi reported that the Board of Ed will oversee the CFF program. Sandi will meet with Becky and Liz regularly. All the Sunday School teachers are in place for fall. It was decided by the board to have a closing at the end of Sunday School for the kids using songs and prayers. Pastor is going to preach a kids sermon on the 2nd and 5th Sundays.

Board of Elders – Dale reported on the Elders meeting. Discussed whether to keep the Barn Service. No decision has been made. They had a member upset about the way we handle communion. The Elders and the Council have decided to add a statement of our beliefs in the bulletin just before the Service of the Sacrament. Pastor noted that communion practices are decided by each individual congregation and not
the District or Synod.

Evangelism – no report.

Stewardship – Lynn reported that there will be a fund raiser to raise money for the SOS project. It will probably be held in Sept. They hope to get all the Churches involved. Lynn is getting a quote on installing 3 ceiling fans in the Sanctuary, to bring to the Voter’s meeting. The money would be taken from
the remodeling fund.

Trustees Report – Deb Levin reported that Jeff Levin had given her checks totaling around $60,000 from State Farm regarding the Storm damage. The money was put in savings for now.

Old Business – none.

New Business – Pastor Dave, Lynn Wallgren, and Tracy Smith are the nominating committee. The audit report was done by Donna Levin, who reported it all went very well and everything looked good.

A motion was passed to adjourn. We closed at 10 p.m. with the Lord’s prayer

Respectfully submitted, Sandi Reneberg – recording Secretary

The meeting was opened by President Steve Wangerin at 8:25 p.m. There were 8 members present and 2 visitors along with Pastor Hutson.
The minutes had been sent to all Council members on-line. They were approved as read. We will use this format from now on. The minutes are also on-line at the Church’s web site.
Pastor’s Report-Pastor announced the return of the Dinner Caravan. We will be meeting the people of Downs in Mankato on June 21st. Downs would also like to host a Sunday Lake Service as a Thank-you to our Congregation for allowing Pastor Dave to fill their vacancy, at the Cawker City Park. A motion was passed to hold the Service at 11:00 on July 27th. Pastor will check with Downs to see if that Date will work for them. There will be no service in the Sanctuary that day.
The Praise in the Park event is in the works for sometime in July or August. Becky Sadler will be assisting Pastor. If possible, hot dog roast with home-made ice cream might be included. On Friday July 25th, we will hold lawnmower races and people are being asked to make creative cardboard box sculptures, sturdy enough for kids to play on and in. Pastor reported that his devotions being sent out via e-mail are being sent to 125 -130 people.
Elder’s Report – Tracy reported on the Ablaze meeting being held in Phillipsburg on June 11th at 7:00 p.m. Pastor and several members will attend. He also reported that Pastor will be gone on June 15th to attend Luke’s wedding. Pastor Joel will officiate the communion service on that Sunday. Pastor will also be gone on July 20th as he is the guest speaker at Pastor Radke’s retirement. Pastor Joel will also officiate that service. A discussion was held on the mileage allowance for Pastor, due to dramatic increase of gas prices.
Stewardship Report – Lynn and Janeen reported that Melanie Elliot was asking for donations to send Care packages to our soldiers. It was decided to hold a fund raiser to help pay the shipping costs.
Education Report – Sandy e-mailed Tracy and told him VBS went great, also they will be varying teachers for the kids through the summer for Sunday School.

Old Business – The kitchen and bathroom floors have been cleaned and waxed by Hoffman’s. The front door on the Parsonage was discussed and a motion was passed to replace the door. Pastor and Susie will see to this matter.
New Business – After discussion a motion was passed to offer the Parish Coordinator position to Tracy Smith. He accepted the position and he will start on June 8th.
Possible names for The Parish Expansion Possibilities Exploration Committee are Steve Levin, Jeff Levin, David Levin, Josh Kirchoff, Steve Wangerin, Ron Rice, Rob Bogart and Tracy Smith. Steve will contact all these members to be on the committee.
A motion to adjourn was passed. Pastor closed the meeting with a prayer at 9:45p.m.

A discussion was held on the purpose of the Council meetings, as to the reports of various officers, and whether it was useful to have the same reports read at the Council meetings and the Voter’s meetings. It was decided to discuss this more in New Business.

Board of Evangelism – Jeanne B. announced “A Ladies Night Out” on June 8. All the women of the community will be invited. The group “Eternity Focused” will be performing. The time will be determined. She also reported that the Greeter program is going well.

There were no other Board reports.

Pastor’s Report – Pastor Dave discussed the service on the second Sunday. There will be pre-service singing and special music. The KS District is beginning a land project at Lake Harrington. A retreat and Conference center is planned and the District is asking each Circuit to donate $1000. Pastor informed the Council that Oberlin had fired it’s pastor after several disagreements. He also stated that it appeared that Downs would install their new pastor on July 27 or August 4.
Pastor will be gone on June 15 for Luke’s wedding, so Pastor Joel will fill in for the communion service. Pastor will also be gone on July 20 for Pastor Radke’s retirement service. Pastor Dave has been asked to speak at this.

New Business – Discussion was held on the Council meetings. A motion was passed after lengthy discussion to hold a “Parish Life Meeting” instead of a Council meeting each quarter in the month following the Voter’s meeting. All Board members and Council officers would be expected to attend these meetings to discuss various topics pertaining to life and future of our Church.
It was also decided to hold the first “Parish Life Meeting’ on June 4 AT 7:00 p.m. The topic for this meeting will be “Sanctuary Expansion Possibilities”.

Old Business – The new powerpoint/overhead projector and laptop computer were on display. This projector and computer were purchased with funds donated by Mitch Holthus and family. It will be a valuable asset for our Church to use in many different presentations. Steve showed the Council several of it’s many different functions.

The Parish Coordinator position will be advertised in the bulletin and newsletter. Steve will take applications until May 31. The Council will hire someone at the June 4 meeting. It was decided to hire someone in the
Church rather than someone from outside, so this person will have a working knowledge of the various functions going on in the Church.
The front door of the Parsonage was discussed again. Pastor and Susie will bring quotes to the June meeting for replacement of the door.
Phillipsburg will be hosting a District “Ablaze Meeting” on June 11 at 7:00 p.m. All circuit churches are invited to attend.
A motion to adjourn was passed. We closed with the Lord’s Prayer.