Ministry Council
December 6, 2004

 

Present: Ken Fong, Jim Wolff, Jim Ramsey, John Merchant, Janet Forbes, Kathy & Dale Balu, Marie Fornof, Chris Wilterdink, Sherry Merrill, Elizabeth Laurvick, Ralph Lawrence, Sandy Larson, Doug Wagner, Jenita Rhodes, Lynda Fickling Martha Boon, Cheryl Wolff

Martha opened the meeting in prayer. We first discussed the possibility of having next year’s meting on Tuesdays. It was decided that we should meet on the 4th Tuesday.

Note: Attendance prior to JCS, was significantly increased, as well as giving.

Budget

Janet distributed a first stab at a budget revision. Pledge income is now at $775,000 and John has projected a pledge amount of $889,400. We still have 100 members that pledged last year but have not yet pledged this year.

Currently stewardship is contacting those who have historically pledged and have not this year, haven’t pledges but are active members and they are thanking those that have pledged. With estimating, 87% actually income from pledges and adding in other estimated income from Loose Plate, Grocery Certificates, donuts and rental income and Missional giving, our total estimated income is $1, 078,100.

We then discussed each Ministry and Work area. Below is a brief summary. Column “From 2004” reflects the change from 2004 to 2005, Column “From 2005 Request” reflects the difference of the present 2005 budget from what was requested by the group.

Discussion ensued surrounding Mission giving and our historic commitment to Missions. Janet offered that placing Missions in the budget actually limits the amount we give. It is also a soft item that can go, if we need to pay the utilities and are short on funds. We also give more than is reflected by the budgeted amount and this needs to be accounted for in our totals. The proposal for 2005 is an increase in the Mission budget from last year, but down from the 2005 budget request. Janet would like to try Advent and Lent offering which would go towards local Missions. Her experience is that we could raise $10,000 for local Missions in this way. An estimate of $15,000 for these funds is now in our income amount. Missions will have control over the distribution of these funds and this will be reflected in our Missions’ budget giving.

We also discussed the moneys raised from Benefit Concerts and Drama performances. It was suggested that Missions and Music coordinate the decisions on who will benefit. The Missions Team, as with the offerings, would have control over the distribution of the funds as part of our Mission giving/ budget. $13,000 has been added to our estimated income for the proceeds from the Benefit Concerts. It was recommended that plans for all Missional giving and projects be reported at Ministry Council so that all groups are aware and a part of this commitment to Missions. Information on what all the different groups are planning Missional needs to be shared so that St. Lukes’ Mission efforts can be coordinated by our Missions Team.

We also discussed our philosophy for Ministry. With the current proposed 2005 budget, Music and Drama proceeds do not offset their expenses as they have in the past. It was discussed that this is the philosophy of doing Ministry that we would like to have, but that all groups do not have this luxury in this budget. Fellowship & Support and Education are still self funding many areas by participant charges, especially in Children’s and Adult Education. It was suggested that we try to move all groups gradually toward this goal, rather than having one group there while some of the others are behind.

The budget for 2005 will be carefully tracked by line item, however Ralph had Janet clarify that line items can be adjusted within the group’s total budgeted amount, but all expenditures need to be reflected accurately as line items.

So in brief, we are adding

Increase staff to Music, Drama, Pastoral Care, Youth

Painting the building

Increased international support through Missions

Financial support for Worship & Membership Ministries

Increased support for Churchwide Fellowship Ministries

What are we not doing that we wanted to do?

SPRC

Ministry Development Staff Member

Retirement Funding

Staff Recognition

Decreased Data Base support

 

Operations

Trustees-

Replacement Carpeting for the Fellowship Hall, Narthex, main floor classrooms

Parking Lot repaving

Communications-AMC Theatre Advertising, 1 additional canvas

Stewardship- Catered Leadership Dinner & Celebration Lunch

 

Missions

Increase our Apportionment giving to the Conference

 

Education

Children’s- Partitions for Goliath Area

Youth- Youth Room completion

Outreach Concert Series

Adult – Maps & Study Aids

Current Events Class

Christian Believer Class

Disciple Facilitator Training

Jesus in the Gospels Training

Additional TV/DVD with carts

 

Worship

Worship- Candelabra and Lectern

Music- musical Instruments for Kidz Prayz, another set of Orff instruments and percussion instruments, used WNL Kidz Prayz

Drama- additional lighting

 

Ministry Development- Church Library improvements

                                  Less funds for Staff & Lay Leadership Planning Retreat

 

In order to gain a balanced budget, it was decided to increase income in three areas

Grocery certificates            $6,000

Loose Plate                     $10,000

Donut/ Coffee Collections    $1,000

This will nearly make up for our $18,000 deficit.

Janet will take on loose plate donations with a campaign to never let the offering plate go by with out a contribution. Jim Wolff will work with the Grocery Certificate committee to increase sales and Dave Rhodes and Paul Shea are starting a project to increase coffee and donut sale/ donations. Reports on these plans will be given at the January MC meeting.

Executive board will meet Dec. 12 at 12:15 to finalize and approve this budget. They will also plan for how this will be communicated to the Congregation.

Meeting adjourned,

Respectfully submitted,

Martha Boon