Parish Planning Committee – October 18, 2016
Attending: Dann Keiser, Pastor French, Bill Crum, Jake Rogers, Candace Shaffer, Jeff Baumgarn, Jerry Ripke, Russ Shoemaker, Christopher Rowan, Ben Schoon, Steve Berman
I. Opening Prayer & Devotions
a. Opening Prayer by Pastor French. Bill Crum, Board of Elders Chair, led the Devotions. Today’s Reading: Luke 10:1-9. Daily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 17: 1-20; Matthew 14: 1-21.
II. Approval of September 2016 meeting minutes – Pastor French identified an error under New Business/Cash flow issues and policies and Russ Shoemaker identified an error under Board of Church Properties/Food Pantry. Motion to approve as amended by Dann Keiser and Pastor French seconded. All was in favor, approved.
III. Unsung Servant – Mindy Schlotman, Ashley Northington, Starlah Smith and Julie Grott for stepping in during Nola Hecht’s absence. All was in favor, approved. Pastor French described he received a recommendation that the Unsung Servant agenda item indicate specifically who is identified. Board Secretary, Steve Berman took note of the recommendation for future PPC minutes.
IV. New Business
a. Line of Credit policies
- Dann Keiser indicated that the line of credit policies are in effect. Steve Strauch, District Vice President, LCEF helped with this process.
- Need to set amount limits and setup policies on reporting. Board of Finance to make recommendations on protocol and limits.
b. Business Manager and financial methods
- Brief discussion regarding internal controls
- Discussion on communicating financial activity to the congregation. Publish in Bulletin:
1. If line of credit is used
2. Weekly offerings. Run a week behind in order to capture electronic offerings.
c. Planning Committee
- Dann Keiser described this committee would be a group to look at the future of the Church, how we grow and ministry opportunities. There was a fair amount of discussion including the forming of the committee, the work process, importance of the planning committee to work in concert with the Boards and a timeline for results. Discussion results include:
1. The planning committee should be identified as “Ministry Action Team”
2. Dann Keiser will make a recommendation of a baseline vision statement, charge
for the Ministry Action Team and a time limit for their work at the next PPC
meeting.
d. Audit
- Quotes are coming in. There was discussion on how far back the audit should go. No Board action was taken.
V. Old Business
a. Protecting Our Ministry – Constitutional review
- Three people met at last meeting (Bill Crum, Michael O’Donnell and Mark Bowman) to discuss the constitution and by-laws of the congregation as it relates to the Protecting Your Ministry document that was released by the synod in collaboration with the Alliance Defending Freedom.
- The CCM (Commission on Constitutional Matters) has released recommendations for congregations in regards to the composition of their constitution and by-laws.
- The current governing constitution and by-laws will be compared with the recommendations from these documents to determine those amendments that would be most beneficial while attempting to minimize whole sale changes.
- This may be an opportune time to update language, processes and duplicate language in the documents without changing the meaning or intent of the current articles. – Such as Property Use policy and change of budget approval from January to June.
- Board of Christian Education in cooperation with the Principal will need to review their own handbook and other publications for potential changes. The Board of Human Resources will face a similar task given recommended updates to policies related to condition of employment.
- The synod recommends brevity as policies, updates and revisions are considered.
- Bill Crum mentioned the importance of consistent application of policy
b. Call Process
- Peter and Hannah Heckert were in town this weekend. Pastor French explained that a call service/ceremony would be held on October 28 and then estimated that the Service of Ordination would be the first week of November and then Installed at St. James the second week of November.
c. DCE Position
- Brief discussion that the direction of the DCE Position can be part of the Ministry Action Team’s work.
VI. Pastor’s Report – Pastor French
a. Communion at all services for Reformation weekend.
b. Six hospital visits, 2 shut ins, 7 counseling and 4 walk ins
VII. Board of Elders – Bill Crum
a. Worship Attendance
- September 4 (Labor Day) total attendance – 259, # Communed - 155
- September 11 total attendance – 312, # Communed - 88
- September 18 total attendance – 342, # Communed - 131
- September 25 total attendance – 310, # Communed - 109
- September 25 YTD Sunday Average – 364
VIII. Principal’s Report – Jake Rogers
a. Total School House 238 students 156 (K-8) + 97 (In, Td, Pre-school & Pre-K)
b. Happenings at St. James Lutheran School
- Fall Break/Professional Development
1. Faculty did not go to LEA due to financial restrictions, however, we did have professional development at "home".
2. Jake presented on Data-Driven Instruction, Amanda presented on New Data
offered throughSTAR/Accelerated Reader Program, and Kris presented on
Implementation of Google Classroom.
3. Need to schedule PD for new math curriculum (which we paid for) and our new
formative assessment for this year. AimsWeb+.
1. Need personnel for our hot lunch program. Move program from PTL to School
side of responsibilities?
1. Along with collecting for PTL classroom baskets, students are also asked to
collect for Operation Christmas Child, a program of providing Christmas
presents in poverty and war stricken countries around the world.
- First and 2nd graders musical – “David and the Giants” and 5th-8th graders for their Fall Concert
1. Great Job by everyone!
2. School will now start to transition into the Christmas program prep for
December and Fall/Winter sports
1. 10/20 & 24 – Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3:20-8:00p
2. 10/21 – Pumpkin Patch, 9-11a
3. 10/28 – Grandparent’s Day, Grades K-8, 12:45p
4. 11/6 – PTL Carnival (change of date), 1-5p
5. 11/17 – Social Studies Fair, Gr. 1,3,5,7; 6p
IX. Board of Christian Education - Candace Shaffer
a. Discussed with Board of Elders status of call for Music Director Amanda Goodspeed
X. Board of Youth – Karrie Tarter (absent)
a. Brief discussion on peaceful release motion of DCE position
XI. Board of Parish Education - Jeff Baumgarn
a. Karrie Tarter needs a key fob
b. Need a Sunday School Superintendent
XII. Board of Human Resources – Mark Bunton (absent)
a. No report
XIII. Board of Evangelism – Jerry Ripke
a. Trunk or Treat 10/23/16 2:45 – 5:00p
- Program is coming right along. Expect 500.
- Three gates need to be manned. Need 4 more volunteers
- Need to cover the Arch books $350 for 200 to be given out. Only 5 were left over last year.
- Would like 20 trunks to participate
b. International Thanksgiving Dinner 11/12/16
- Expect 80-100 international students/families
- Word is out at all the LCMS churches requesting food, cash and/or time
- Requesting help to make program a success – setup, take down
c. Nametag Report
- Encourage others to wear name tags
- Wear name tags at events
- Good idea to wear name tags to help the new Pastor get to know the congregation
XIV. Board of Church Properties - Russ Shoemaker
a. Status Summer Projects
1. Ordered 10/6 – will arrive in 8 weeks
2. Discuss contractor for concrete slab – Steve Miller/Greg DePew
* Contractor from CityBus quoted too high. We will handle on our own
3. Russ working on permit with City of Lafayette
* Contractor work is completed
* Mural work to be completed - Mural Artist is James Werner.
- Sanctuary Exterior Repair – revised quote Spring 2016 $47,820
1. Revisit Gothshall on cost increase – original quote $38,720
2. Discuss revised quote estimated $43,270
* Status on new quote being received for approval?
* Estimated start date Spring 2017 of restoration work?
b. Sanctuary HVAC System
- Board of Church Properties discussed Century of Faith Committee wanting to pull Pews project ahead of Sanctuary restoration project and HVAC project
1. Board of Church Properties made recommendation on what to do with HVAC project to Ben Schoon.
2. New Pews
* 2-20-14 quote cost $43,329 delivered and installed
* 38 pews 14’x6” long(note: existing pews are 15’ – 6”)
* Do we need kneelers – above quote does not split out kneeler cost
* If money is available when to install
* Need additional quotes – visit Stockwell-Church to see new pews
c. Hinshaw Roofing Quote
- Pre-School lower roof replacement – cost $24,900
- Fellowship Hall roof replacement – cost $18,600
- Also looking at quote for repair
d. Century of Faith
- Approximately $37,000 needed to meet $200,000 goal.
XV. Board of Stewardship - Christopher Rowan
a. Reformation Dinner is coming up (October 30th). Need side dishes.
b. Trunk or Treat – October 23rd
- Need 5 more trunks
- Opportunity to pass out Arch books and count people coming in
- There will be a food truck and activities
XVI. Financial Report – Ben Schoon (absent)
- Brief discussion regarding:
1. Budget
* Income – voucher deposit
* Computers and technology – Chromebooks
2. Balance Sheet
* Consolidation of designated funds list
XVII. President’s Report – Dann Keiser
a. No Report
XVIII. Other
a. Next meeting November 15, 2016. Board of Christian Education – Devotions
XIX. Closing Prayer by Pastor French
Respectfully submitted by Steve Berman