Greetings all -- Happy New Year! This is the first post in a year that will keep us all busy doing the usual as well as the extra. The extra will include forming a Transition Team, small group meetings and surveys and completing a Ministry Site Profile, and later appointing a Call Committee. On tap for Council will be, hopefully, three Healthy Congregations Workshops. More about some of these items in this week's update.
Christmas report
I thought the Christmas services went very well. Many thanks to everyone who went above and beyond to make it all happen -- music and office staff, volunteer decorators, all who provided poinsettias, just to name a few. Don't have the exact attendance in front of me, but numbers were very close to last year's, about 150 for 5pm and 100 for 9pm.
Transition Team
One of our agenda items for January Council Meeting will be to appoint a Transition Team. Rather than type a lot more about this in this paragraph, I will simply link some documents that will explain what the Transition Team does and the process for forming it. Please read the docs linked below:
- Forming the Transition Team
- Transition Team Job Description
- The Work of the Congregation During the Interim Period: Focus Points
$2500 gift received from Samuel S. Johnson Foundation
We received a check in the mail from the Samuel Johnson Foundation -- not sure I have the details right, but my understanding is that Elizabeth Hill Johnson (daughter-in-law of Samuel?) was a former member of St. John's. The gift was for $2,500, and the accompanying letter requested that it be used for something physical at the church, or for community outreach. This should be an agenda item for next week's Council Meeting. You can find more information about the Samuel Johnson Foundation here and here.
Congregational Picture Directory
At our December meeting, we heard a presentation from Universal Church Directories, with sales rep Lyndon Loewen from the company making a presentation. The company could only promise a one day picture shoot on a weekday, first a Tuesday, then a call from Lyndon to say Monday, April 22. I now have serious reservations about how realistic this is, fearing that a one day shoot during the week will severely limit the number of participating families.
I asked around a bit and learned that Doug and Cindy Klein are professional photographers in Bellevue. I gave them a call and left a message, and Cindy returned my call with a message, and said they would be interested in talking more about helping St. John's do a picture directory. They are currently out of town on vacation, but Cindy said she would call me next week to set up an appointment for a conversation about this. My hopes for such a conversation is that they would be willing to do the photography for a new directory, giving them the rights to sell portraits to anyone who sits for photos, and giving us the rights to use digital copies to create our own directories.
Our Church Management System, Breeze already allows us to create directories, but will also quickly create a photo directory with uploaded digital photos. This could create on online directory at no additional cost to us. Our costs would include per copy printing costs. One option would be lulu.com. Our costs might also include royalties for digital photos, although we won't know this until speaking with the Kleins. Would anyone be available and willing to take that meeting along with me?
Council Installation reminder
Just a reminder that Congregation Council members will be installed at the 10am service on Sunday, January 6. We will do this after the Sermon, Hymn of Day and Creed. I will call you forward, and you'll stay through the prayers, and will return your place after the Peace. Ann P., Linda B. and Ron A. were not re-elected to council because of term limits, but continue to serve on their respective committees. I have included their names in the bulletin, and would like them to come forward with Council members for the installation service.
Larry the piano guy and George the furnace guy
There were two service people in the building this week that I'm aware of. Larry the piano tuner was here and tuned half the pianos. He'll come again in the summer to do the other half. Also, there was a guy who I assume was the furnace repair person. I know there have been some issues with the furnace, but I'm unable to describe it in detail. I didn't talk to him as I did to Larry, so I don't know his name, but I'll just call him George.
Some pastoral care
On Wednesday a returned a phone call to someone who had called asking for help. Needed money for a train ticket to San Antonio, Texas to visit son who had stroke, and whose wife also had stroke an is on life support. She had no idea of where exactly her son was, or if she knew, how she would get there when she arrived. Just spent some time on the phone with her, and then offered to bring her a Subway sandwich and some milk and OJ. On Thursday I went to visit Frank and Nancy O. Frank is under hospice care. This was my first visit with Frank. Will plan to make regular, likely weekly visits.
Supply pastor for February 10?
Just a reminder that I leave for my continuing education early on Sunday morning, the 10th of February. We need to decide how to cover the Saturday and Sunday services. In previous interims, I either didn't take vacation Sundays as I saved them for the end of the interim, or a lay member of the congregation did the service. Do you want to consider that before engaging the services of a supply pastor? I could provide the text for a sermon; we would not be able offer Holy Communion, although there is a service in ELW called Service of the Word that is very nice. Heather S. had indicated her willingness to step up and help. Let's talk more about this at the Council Meeting. And, just a reminder that I leave early on Sunday, February 10, and return late Friday, February 15. You can read more about this continuing education experience here.
Healthy Congregations Workshop
In the December 21 Update I mentioned two possible dates for the first of our Healthy Congregations Workshops, Saturdays January 26 and February 2 from 9-1. I wondered if either of those dates was a problem for anyone, and I had one who said February 2 would not work. I'm waiting to hear from Pr. Johnson if either of those dates will still work for him. I'll let you know as soon as I hear more, which hopefully will be soon.
Committee Meetings
There were two committee meetings scheduled this week -- Education and Stewardship. Education canceled, because of the death of Sherri's father-in-law. Stewardship met (I did not attend) but in a phone call with Linda, learned that they are working on a thank you letter for those who returned Commitment Cards. I informed LInda that the office is planning on running the 2018 final offering statements, and that the thank you notes could be inserted with the giving statements for those who responded. There are other things that can be included in the giving statements. These are enumerated by Pr. Kent Wilson in his fifth issue of STEW-About-It. Good stuff for Stewardship and everyone else, too! You can read it here.
Attendance last week
Total attendance for last weekend was 85.
Office Update
I know that many of you have already met Kristen, and if you haven't and have the opportunity, stop in and say hi and introduce yourself. There's a lot to learn in this job, but Kristen is learning fast and doing well. I have introduced her to the "The Big Red Book" which needs some updating with permanent entries for pastoral acts, something that we as pastors are expected to do or delegate. The annual report forms have arrived, and need completed by February 15. Shaun's help is needed for the financial aspects of this report. Also, I spent some time this week reprogramming the phones, so Kristen's name and voice are heard instead of Terri.
Adult Class will resume Sunday
On December 23, we covered chapter 10 of the Healthy Churches Faithful Pastors book and discussion. We'll come together again on Sunday and to a summary and wrap up of what we've learned. There may be some helpful info here that could be incorporated into the Ministry Site Profile.
Christmas Un-decorating Party
Don't forget the Christmas Un-decorating Party which will be held Sunday after worship. Many hands make for light work, as the saying goes.
Weekend Bulletins
You can view this weekend's bulletins as listed below. I'll need to make an announcement about Confirmation on Wednesday the 9th, as they should be returning to their regular Wednesday night schedule.
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