In the last few months, the council has found it necessary to have more than one scheduled meeting due to the various items that require attention outside of our normal schedule.
Our first meeting for November was on the 11th and started with Interim Planning. We were presented with the upcoming teaching series and held a brief discussion on the need for an interim Senior Pastor. It was decided that for the immediate the team and process that are in place is strong and effective and have the situation covered for now and that we will address the idea later if it becomes necessary prior to the SPSC presenting a viable candidate for consideration by the congregation. A time was set to discuss the final report to the council from Adrian Pei on his recommendations and suggestions moving forward on Racial Reconciliation. Options for the ministry retreat were presented for consideration. An update was given on the church calendar and the Bylaw renewal process. The schedule for the current round of listening/ lament with a report out to the council on the listening sessions at the following meeting.
A financial update was given with a recommendation for a budget and re-organization task force going forward to address the changes brought on partly by the pandemic and what will be needed to address the shortfall and how it will affect operations throughout Lake.
Our additional meeting was held on the 30th and opened with the Pastoral Lead Team giving us a rundown on the Advent series, The Servant Leader Worship Experience to address the needs of the volunteers that don’t always get to participate in Sunday worship because of their various task while service is going on, what it will look like and when the monthly experience is slated to start to give volunteers a time of worship that caters to them.
Timelines for the Bylaws update to the congregation were discussed with a recommendation for an opportunity for questions and comments to be made available. The dates for the Ministry Council retreat were set and a recap of the current listening series was presented with observations and common themes highlighted.
The Finance Committee discussed the year-end giving campaign, and the Personnel Committee had some housekeeping annual process items to update us on followed by parliamentary procedures of minutes review for divisional and council meetings.
That is a recap of what the Ministry Council has been working on excluding certain specific items that will be forthcoming in more detail from the Chair and the Pastoral Leadership.
As always we ask for continued prayer for our pastors and staff, elected leadership, and especially for our church Lake Avenue.
Blessings,
Stephen Welch