Council Minutes April 17, 2023

Our Mission: 

Celebrating God’s Love and Forgiveness, We Serve Others

 

Our Vision:

Following Jesus’s example we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, nurse the sick and visit the imprisoned as we see Jesus in the faces of those we serve.

 

Our Core Values:

·        PRAYER

·        ACCESSIBILITY

·        SERVICE

·        COMMUNICATION

·        EDUCATION

·        WORSHIP

·        YOUTH

·        HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS

 

Purposes of Church Council:

1.       The Council is responsible for the general oversight of the life and activities of this congregation, especially its worship life. All decisions are made to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the Word of God, and the faith and practice of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

 

2.       The Council taps into the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to inspire and lead St. Mark’s into God’s future.

 

3.       The Council monitors, guides, and supports the ministries of St. Mark’s.

 

4.      The Council monitors and adjusts operational activities in accordance with the Constitution, By-Laws, God’s Word and good business practice in order to ensure efficient and effective management and growth of St. Mark’s ministries.

   Date:       MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2023 : IN PERSON  

                    ZOOM ACCESS:  (For member emergency & congregational access) – For all 2023 meetings!

Participants:   Congregation Council

Time:                6:30 – 8:00 PM  

Facilitator:      Sheri Barker, Vice President

Materials:       Agenda 4-17-23, Minutes 3-20-23, Council Binder with agenda & March financial              

Members Present:   Pastor Karla Halvorson, Pastor Alicia Saenz, Chris Lewis, Sheri Barker, Erick Posada, Krystina Torres, Margarita Alvarez, Dennis Coughlin, Dorothy Geier, Melissa Hernandez, Skip Knudsen , Robert Nava, Gerd Pfeiffer (*Strike-through absentees)

  Visitors:   Dick Bolin, Legacy Committee

  Meeting Purposes: 

·         Ensure smooth and effective functioning of St. Mark’s Church to serve God’s purposes

·         Monitor and refine the financial operations of St. Mark’s to ensure God’s mission is fulfilled

·         Build our capacity to lead and work as a team to guide St. Mark’s to fulfill God’s plan

AGENDA

TOPIC COUNCIL MOTIONS
March Minutes & Financial Reports Approve March Minutes and Financial Reports in one motion. Motion: S. Knudsen. Second. D. Geier. Approved 
   
   

                                               

TIME Topic Activity Lead
6:30 PM Call Meeting to Order   Sheri
6:30-6:35 Meditation and Prayer    Rob
6:35-6:55 Check-in (1 min each) & Leadership Training. (Definition of Leadership) From the 4 corners, which kind of leader do you most identify with and why? Sheri
6:55-7:00 Agenda Review, Time Keeper     Erick
7:00-7:05 Review 3-20-23 Council Minutes Consent Agenda:  

·         Approve March Minutes and Financial Reports in one motion.  Motion: S. Knudsen. Second. D. Geier. Approved 

Erick
7:05-7:10 Review March 2023 Financial Reports ·         Income is 2% short of where we need to be 

·         Building maintenance over budget due to tree removal

·         Running low on Reserve funds

Krystina
7:10-7:20 

 

Pastor Reports ·         Pastor Alicia ordination: Finalizing Letter of Call, job description, and compensation package. Will have a Q&A day on May 7th between services. Congregational vote to call Pastor Alicia will be on May 21.  

·         Pastor Alicia’s ordination on June 10th. Will begin as half-time through remainder of the calendar year.

·         Moving towards having all renters and ministries contribute equitably to the upkeep of St. Mark’s and works together in harmony.

·         Moving forward would like to train new lay ministers.

Karla 

Alicia

7:20-7:25 

Time Certain

Legacy Committee Report   Dick Bolin
7:25-7:50 Discussion Items 

·         Property Updates

·         Tree removal and crowning

·         Fire code maintenance and declutter

 

·         Process to get loan pre-approval has started. 

·         S. Barker interviewed potential renter from Christian elementary school. The school’s board will also visit St. Mark’s campus to view the property.

·         YMCA will visit the campus again as they are interested in talking about the property.

·         St. Mark’s will ask current renters if they can assist with the yard-work and general clean up.

·         Horizontal paperbark tree removed from property, standing tree needs to be crowned ($2,500). D. Coughlin reports that SDGE says tall pine tree is not endangering power lines.

 
7:50-7:55 Reports: (Top item only, if any) 

·         Children & Youth

·         Melissa to promote VBS on Sundays. Will also get kids ready for Confirmation Camp.  

·         SeaWorld trip planned on April 29th.

Melissa
  ·         Member Care   Dorothy
  ·         Music ·         Concert series scheduling change: Organist will play in November 

·         Violinist has agreed to play on May 24th

·         Piano and Organ duet on July 7th playing patriotic pieces.

Skip
  ·         Security Training ·         Will show the congregation a training video on what to do in case of an active shooter. Planned for the summer in Jacobson Hall. Rob
  ·         Campus Revitalization Task Group   Gerd
  ·         President’s Report & Visioning ·         C. Lewis out of town Chris
TBD Executive Session (optional)    
7:55-8:00 Closing Prayer Who will lead meditation & prayer for APRIL Council meeting?  Rob
8:00 PM Motion to Adjourn Meeting   Sheri

 

TASK LIST Reminders:

TASK By Whom? By When?
     
     
     
  UPCOMING Calendar Items:   

·         May Executive Committee Meeting: May 8

·         Next Council Meeting:  Monday, May 22, 6:30 PM

·         C. Lewis will not be here on April 13-18 as well as May 11-16.

 

Posted in Council Minutes.