KENT MEMORIAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
CHURCH COUNCIL MEETING
OCTOBER 17, 2006
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Ken Mueller, President.
Karen Pragman led the devotion.
Members Present: Deanne DeJarnette, Pat Garrett, Lois Gonseth, Linda Kimberling, Harvey Lembke, Ken Mueller, Joe Poretta, Karen Pragman, Joe Proch, Fred Tetley and Pastor Lingwall
Members Excused: Wayne Langton and George Patterson
The minutes of the September 19, 2006 meeting were amended on Page 2, Christian Education to say “Trunk or Treat.” On Page 3, Stewardship, to say “Shared Mission Challenge.” A motion was made by Fred Tetley and seconded by Linda Kimberling to accept the minutes with the corrections. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Linda Kimberling and seconded by Fred Tetley to accept the minutes of the Special Council Meeting of October 1, 2006 as written. Motion carried.
Treasurer’s Report – It was suggested that it would be helpful if the Treasurer’s Report could reflect the amount budgeted for the year and the amount received for the month in each category. Ken will discuss this suggestion with Gail Kruse to determine the feasibility of providing this information without too much additional work for her in her capacity as a volunteer treasurer. A motion was made by Linda Kimberling and seconded by Pat Garrett to accept the report as written.
Building Fund Report – Ken will check with Barbara Patterson to see if she has a report that will reflect the status of giving for the current three-year pledge period, in an effort to determine the current status. A motion was made by Linda Kimberling and seconded by Karen Pragman to accept the report as written.
Pastor’s Report – Pastor Lingwall shared information concerning a Stewardship Meeting at St. Andrew’s in Columbia, MO on Sunday, October 22. Pastor reported a very general-type letter was received from LifeLine Screenings, a for-profit company looking for a location in the community to perform medical screenings. It was the consensus of the Council members present that in view of the for-profit status of the organization and the general nature of the request that a response would not be necessary. A letter for assistance was received from the Society of St. Andrews and will be forwarded to the Social Ministry Committee for disposition. A request was received from the Camdenton Chamber of Commerce to support their food drive. It was recommended that we continue to direct our food support to Community for Christ in Sunrise Beach. The City of Laurie has requested financial support through a $50 donation for the Star of David display which is part of the Christmas Lighting Tour in the Laurie Fairgrounds. A motion was made by Linda Kimberling and seconded by Pat Garrett that we continue to support this program. Motion carried.
Emphasis on the Shared Mission Challenge will be Sunday, October 29, 2006 with envelopes to be available in the Sunday bulletin. Harvey Lembke will provide a brief word of explanation to the congregation at both services on this stewardship opportunity.
A New Member group will be meeting in November with the plan to receive them into church membership on the first Sunday in December.
Pastor Lingwall reported his interim ministry seems to be going well and welcomed any comments. In response to an inquiry concerning the possible need to occupy the parsonage, Pastor Lingwall reported that his lake home has been very comfortable, even during the recent cold spell.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Christian Education – Karen reported Sunday School attendance has dropped somewhat. Work has begun on the Christmas Program. A magazine rack has been received for the Library. Some free books are still available. Those remaining will be sent to the Lutheran Seminary in Africa. Dorothy Engelstad has offered to pay the postage.
Evangelism – New alphabet letters have been received for use on the outdoor sign. Two 60th anniversaries will be celebrated in November. Who’s Coming to Dinner? sign up continues. Fred Tetley will determine how many persons have signed up for the dinner and who is handling the home assignments.
Finance – Budget preparation work was completed by the Committee and submitted to Ken Mueller and Harvey Lembke to finalize for submission to the Council.
Property Committee – In Wayne’s absence, Ken reported on work at the parsonage. New light fixtures need to be installed in the garage bathroom to brighten up the space; otherwise, work is essentially complete. The building will be sprayed for insects. As soon as the work is completed, a time will be set aside to allow interested members of the congregation an opportunity to see the improvements firsthand. As mentioned in the Pastor’s Report above, Pastor Lingwall thanked the Council, but declined an offer to occupy the parsonage for the remainder of his interim.
Stewardship – Harvey Lembke will be attending a meeting in Columbia this Sunday on the subject of “stewardship.”
Worship and Music – Pastor Lingwall reported some changes have been made in the order of worship, Some have not worked out as well as expected and will not be continued. Youth are being asked to participate more frequently in the Sunday worship experience. Volunteer nursery attendants will be asked to report to the Nursery prior to the beginning of the worship service, so that visitors and members with small children will feel comfortable in leaving their children during worship. A special service of music is planned for Kathleen Marco’s last Sunday.
Social Ministry – Pat Garrett expressed the committee’s feeling of loss at the passing of Rosemary Moore, the committee’s chairperson. Bill Ferretti and Georgia Cline have agreed to join the committee. Eileen Moeller will be responsible for recruiting “bell ringers” for the Salvation Army. The committee recommends working alone at an assigned location, rather than sharing the bell ringing time with another church. Linda Kimberling stressed the importance of assigning someone the responsibility of picking up the kettle at the end of the shift, counting the donations and preparing the bank deposit for the next day. A date has not yet been set for the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Discussion continues on the process to be used for adopting children for Christmas.
Youth – Deanne reported on the positive impact of having youth participate in the Sunday worship experience. Sponsor volunteers are needed for our high school age students. The amount of time required to support this group and plan activities is considered minimal.
OLD BUSINESS
Columbarium Update – Stucco work needs to be completed. Ron Baehr is coordinating this portion of the project. Name plates will be installed when all brick and stucco work is completed. Guidelines for purchasing and maintaining the niches have been completed by the Columbarium Committee. Dedication will be November 5. It is suggested that the Bylaws be amended to include the Columbarium Committee as a standing committee.
Organist Replacement - Advertising has begun outside the church. Networking continues with local music sources. Letters will be sent to the Music Department of area colleges/universities as part of the recruiting effort. A reception and gift will be coordinated for Kathleen on her last Sunday.
Budget – The proposed budget was available for review. After considerable discussion, a motion was made by Linda Kimberling and seconded by Harvey Lembke to present the proposed budget to the congregation for approval at the November 12, 2006 Congregational Meeting. Motion carried.
Congregational Meeting – November 12, 2006 after second service. A pot luck lunch is planned with the congregational meeting to follow.
Pastoral Call Committee – Our church profile was completed and has been sent to the Synod. It was reported that the names of three interested pastors were submitted to the Call Committee and have since been forwarded to the Synod for consideration as part of Kent’s pastoral call process.
Temperature of the Sanctuary – In an effort to maintain a more comfortable temperature in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings, Nip Moeller (who was responsible for installing the system) has offered to review the HVAC system with members of the Property Committee and those individuals assigned responsibility for adjusting the temperature on Sunday morning. After a review of the system, definitive action will be taken to maintain the integrity of the thermostats. Filters will be changed as part of the review process.
Rotary Benefit Dinner – On behalf of the local Rotary Club, Pat Garrett requested permission to use the Fellowship Hall for a benefit dinner. Outback Steakhouse will again be asked to cater the meal. A tentative date of March 29, 2007 has been selected. A portion of the proceeds is expected to benefit the local Aquatic Center.
Adjournment – A motion was made by Fred Tetley and seconded by Linda Kimberling that the meeting adjourn at 9:10 p.m. with the Lord’s Prayer. Motion carried.
Next Meeting – November 21, 2006 with Joe Proch leading the devotion.
Darleen Mueller,
Recording Secretary
