Council > Council Meeting Minutes > June 8, 2006

MGLC Council Meeting Minutes

June 8, 2006

Council Members Present: Steve Hanson, Todd Treml, Rick Moulton, Steve Wagner, Shelly Halverson, Jon Brandon, Peg Turnquist, Jim Vaughn, and Laura Winge

Committee Chairs Present: Mike Eggers, Jamey Larson, Jennifer Martinson, Mary Monge and Suzanne Wimer; Absent: Sue Hanson

Staff Present: Pastor Chris, Pastor Durk, Ruth Blom, Todd Grover, Jeanne Gronholm, Dean Henke, Kurt Schwedler, and Ken Turnquist

Pastor Durk opened the meeting with prayer. A lovely dinner was served and prepared by Deb Valen, Mary Anderson and Pam Henderson.

After dinner, we did introductions around the room.

Facilities Team Update
Teri Johnson, the Facilities Team Leader gave an overview of SMSQ’s plan that they previewed on Monday. Items include: 4 private offices and seven cubicles, plus a workroom. There will be a small chapel to seat 70, a bigger nursery, bigger bathrooms, more gathering space, and a music rehearsal room. In the current gym space it would be an activity hall for 300-350 with a kitchen on the south end. Options for three large rooms or six smaller rooms in children’s church room, more resource and storage area, and more bathrooms are being discussed. The windows would go way down and overlook a patio. Youth room would also overlook patio.

Sanctuary is the first priority – build and then remodel. In another phase they are looking at adding four large classrooms or eight smaller classrooms and another phase includes 2 large rooms or four smaller rooms.

A timeline will come in the next week of so. They would like to see us start this fall. If we start in November we could have sanctuary ready by May. June, July and August could be remodel time. They are also beginning to look at numbers and discussing payment analysis. There is a Facility Team Updates bulletin board going up in Fellowship Hall. The team wants everyone to have ownership in the project, so share your ideas.

Administrative Orientation
Shelly distributed folders with current directories, fundraising policy, constitution and by-laws, check request forms, and facility use forms. All information was briefly reviewed to get all people on track. Made sure that all people that needed keys to the building got them or will get them soon. Jon Brandon, Rich Moulton, Peg Turnquist, Mary Monge and Jim Vaughn all needed keys.

Organization Structure Orientation
Todd reviewed the benefits of the change:
1. Council will provide strategic/visionary role,
2. Committees empowered to do ministry,
3. More participation/more freedom,
4. More continuity on council – expanded terms,
5. Proven model – used in larger churches

There is no more executive committee – council serves that purpose. Nothing has changed from the day-to-day operations – teams are still in place and we can add more. Committees are more strategic and visionary. Recruiting people to serve on the committees. Each Committee has also been assigned staff partners. Question when adding a new team – does team align with our purpose and where we are going? If it falls in your ministry team and it’s budgeted – go for it. Empower and encourage – if it fits, make it happen.

All Committee Chairs were asked how they were doing in recruiting. Some committee chairs wondered how large their committee should be.
Jennifer has a few on the team – more than five may be necessary.
Mary has a list to contact.
Suzanne said to ask after her graduation party.
Mike needs to contact people – has a broad range.
Jamey – working on it – it may be larger than five people.

Team Building
Pastor Durk shared a handout (yellow) called MGLC Team Training and Game Plans. Encourage people to get involved and use their gifts – a centered life. Each committee is a mini church council over all their teams. How can we help facilitate this? Fall will be about people getting involved – there will be a low-key emphasis on money. We want to encourage more participation. The building will take care of itself, if we focus on people and ministries.

Closed with prayer and Committee Chairs were dismissed.

Council meeting official began.

Steve Hanson reminded the council that we are here to conduct business, but also to support one another – prayer requests are welcome anytime.

Council will be reading a new book “A Balcony Perspective – Clarifying the Trustee Role”. Insert the word “council” in trustee place – this applies to churches/non-profits. For next council meeting read chapter 1. Think about our role as servant leaders, work closely and encourage our staff, have a “big picture” concept. We on council will be visionary/strategic and mentoring – how we work with staff/Pastors and other committee chairs.

We need to discuss our vision – Kairos will come to our August meeting to talk about our next steps.

Financial Update
Steve Wagner shared the financial reports.
$5,000 per month in capital is paid each month on the mortgage. Operational cash = $30,000. Every three years a capital fund will need to be done in order to service our debt. After capital appeal reminder letters were sent we are up to $925,000. Steve also reminded all of us that we budgeted at 100% of pledges and that we had to cut back benevolence to balance the budget. The budget has been organized according to our new structure – Personnel is a line item as we have received special gifts in the past to fund positions – we don’t want to continue to fund positions this way. We are living in reality with this budget, which is good.

The land is on the market with Collier since April.

Staffing – we are currently staffed for worship attendance of 600, which is about what we worship. Before we were staffed for worship of 700. Dean Henke is hired on a month-to-month basis – we need to decide long term. Personnel Team is working on a job description for Office Manager – we will post the position for two to three weeks and also in the local newspaper. We will commit with Dean through the end of July.

Shelly will step into the summer receptionist role, as Tanya Peplinski and Jeanne Gronholm are unable to do this during the summer.

Kairos Reports Review
Steve Hanson reviewed the recommendations and we found that we are working on 3 tasks, in process with 3 tasks and completed 2 tasks. Dick Wehrs will come to our August meeting to look at a strategic plan – this is part of our contract as well as them helping us to implement it. We are also looking at a Centered Life Survey and he will look at that with us. The strategic plan should involve staff – Durk should invite all staff to come to the August 10 meeting. We may want to consider an off-site meeting for ½ day in a retreat setting after the August 10 meeting.

New Business
Group Workcamp is coming soon – they are looking for additional help with power washing June 23 and 24 – need more hands to help with prep. Dave McCarty is handling PR and more prayers are always needed.

Approve May Minutes
Motion to approve the minutes from the May 4 meeting made by Steve W and seconded by Laura W. All approved.

Meeting closed with prayer.

Respectfully submitted,
Shelly Halverson, Secretary

Next Council/Committee Chair Meeting: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 – 7:00 pm (note this is a change from the previously scheduled July 13 meeting) Devotions/Prayer – Steve Hanson.