Thursday, June 25, 2009

Education, Growth and Fellowship

Meeting Minutes of June 4, 2009

Attendance: Margaret Thibodeau, Amy Foster, Terry LaPoint, Jan Bosse, Jana Frank, Rod Redstone.

Starting Time: 7:00 p.m.

Minutes – The 5/7/09 meeting minutes were read and unanimously approved.

Introductions were made and Margaret gave an overview of the Education Growth and Fellowship Team’s responsibilities for those who attended the meeting and are considering joining the Team.

Team Members Updates:
• Nursery (Amy) – Jenn Harle will cover most of the summer. A couple of names are there for backup.

Scholarship (Amy) – Scholarship has no needs at this time.

Elder Luncheon (Margaret) – People have volunteered and it’s all set.

Elsa’s Report – The Faith Formation Update prepared by Elsa was handed out and reviewed. The group discussed Homecoming and how to get people to sign up to volunteer. We will explore how other churches get people involved.
The Veggies Tales special event idea appealed to the team and an October or November evening was discussed. YM is still looking for adult volunteer.

Hospitality Events – Some hospitality events were reassigned to the Spiritual Life and Worship Team.

The meeting was concluded at 8:00 p.m.

Recorder: Amy Foster

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Administrative Team

Meeting Minutes of June 4, 2009

Present: Ron Bennett, Jim Otis, Deb Sandler and Guy Gledhill.
Absent: Eben Marsh, Chris Mills and Cyndi Alden.

The meeting was called to order by the Meeting Chair Jim Otis at 7:05 p.m. Ron Bennett was appointed Meeting Secretary.

The minutes of the May 8, 2009 meeting were reviewed and accepted.

Old Business:
Financial Statements and Budget: Cyndi provided a review of our financial statements and budget. Revenues are approximately on budget except for rental property. Expenses are in line with budget.

Tenant review: We are behind 6 months ($7,200) at 329 Cottage due to tenant turnover. Tenant at 509 Sawyer is current, but rent has been reduced to $700.

Guy reported that new tenant at 329 Cottage (Secure Control Systems) should be in by July 1. The rent will be $1,200 with a one year renewable lease. There will be unit fix-up required consisting of painting and floor work. Guy is currently dealing with South Portland Board of Zoning Appeals, and hopes to resolve tenant use approval soon.

Council Finance Concerns: In response to Council request, agreement was reached that a meeting with the independent accountants will be scheduled for this summer. Lori-Anne Wilson of Smith & Associates will be asked to meet with Jim, Ron & Cyndi to review last year’s financial statement review. At the meeting a protocol for the review should be established, with the understanding that the accountants will be reporting to representatives of the Administrative Team in the future.

It was also agreed that we should begin evaluating the internal control systems and procedures at the Church. Ron was requested to explore Church member CPA’s who might be able to conduct an internal control review without charge.

Groups within the Church whose activities are not currently included in the financial statements were discussed and will also be discussed at the meeting with Smith & Associates. One major group, The Discovery Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Church, was highlighted. Cyndi was requested to gather a file of historical records of the Church’s connection with The Discovery Center.

Growth Group: Jim will provide descriptions of all Administrative Team sub-groups for submission to the Growth Group.

Committee Reports:
House: Guy reported that the food pantry will be redone. Carpet will be removed and linoleum will be added. It will also be painted and have new shelves. Windows for the top floor have been ordered. Computerized thermostats have been installed throughout the Church.

Counting: Brian Wallace the following report:

The current plan is for me to schedule through the Labor Day weekend, to try to increase the number of counting teams, and to phase out of this function around the end of the summer. Then, depending on further discussions, either Peggy or Rick will take over the scheduling and training at that time for the remainder of the 2009-2010 church year. Beyond that, we anticipate the other person will be able to be the counting committee chair for the 2010-2011 church year.

We hope this arrangement will allow the counting process to continue smoothly over the next two years.

Brian

Planned Giving: Ron & Chris will meet this summer to prepare a poster and insert for September Beacon.

New Business:
Homecoming Sunday: Deb agreed to coordinate the Administrative Team’s involvement at Homecoming Sunday on September 13.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:12 p.m.
The next Administrative Team meeting will be held on September 10, 2009.

Respectfully submitted by: Ron Bennett, Meeting Secretary

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Food Pantry

Meeting Minutes of May 28, 2009

Present: Gail Dransfield, Betty Crane, Frances Jane Addor, Sandy Dyer, Barbara Merrill, Kathy Sahrbeck, Judith Hardy, Joyce Freeman, Nance Driscoll, Burt Rendall.

Balance: $8,707.45

Requests: Jan. 9 – May 31 138 requests 244 Adults 180 Children

Old Business:
1. Thank You Notes
- Gail has written to Artascope for $80.00 donation, Kelly Amadei Scouts for food
collection, CE/SP Rotary, Cape Elizabeth H.S. National Honor Society,
CE Interact Club, CE Volunteer Club for food collection and $149.00 donation, United Way for $3,243.00 grant, People’s Methodist Sunday School food collection.
- Notes were written to Nicky Tibbetts, Barbara Sydleman, Holly Culver, and Kathy Cotter.
- Judith Hardy will write to AnnElissa Leveque and Ayres.
2. Pantry Remodeling Fund
- The Holly Daze Bazaar donated $750.00 for this project.
- “Let’s Make A Deal” coffee hour swap raised $104.25.
3. Staple Shopping Needs
- Please check expiration dates and donate soon to expire soups and pasta with each request.
- Sandy Dyer, Natalie Charles and AnnElissa will purchase food staples during the summer months using the United Way grant money. These staples include peanut butter, jelly cereals, canned fruits, small jars of mayo, crackers, toilet paper, coffee. Other items as needed, of course. Copies of sales receipts should be made for the grant accountability. Place in food pantry mail slot.
- Barbara Merrill will purchase $300.00 in $10.00 Hannaford gift cards. Families with 1-2 children will receive on $10.00 gift card. Families with larger numbers will receive 2 gift cards. Again, copies of receipts need to be placed in the food pantry mail slot for grant accountability.

New Business:
1. The Pantry received a grant of $3,243.00 from the United Way of Greater Portland.
- The grant stipulated that all money must go towards food inventories. There is also an accountability form to return once the funds have been spent. The form asks for the pounds of food purchased and an estimated number of people served. We decided to begin spending the grant money immediately.
- First, we are increasing the amount of the gift cards and buying a larger number of staples with each shopping.
- There is no time restriction.
- Nance Driscoll is making a general recipe for canned tuna casserole. Foods necessary for this casserole should be included in each order. It is hoped that this will use the overstocked pastas, creamed soups and tuna before their expiration dates.
2. Pantry Renovation
- Gail spoke with Tom (church sexton) Elsa and Cyndi regarding the timing and handling of the pantry renovation. It was decided to schedule the work when Tom was available to help and to use the kitchen in Guptill Hall to store the pantry foods.
- The Pantry is scheduled to be emptied on Monday, July 6, beginning at 9 a.m. All available volunteers with any family member are asked to help.
- Sandy Dyer will write a request for the Beacon asking for additional volunteers. Volunteers will also be needed the following week to move back.
- Fresh paint, new flooring and shelving are scheduled. Gail will contact Guy Gledhill with our timing request. We have $854.25 to contribute towards this project. Tom will probably ask to do the painting continuing with the standard church wall color. The committee is to purchase the shelving and will be asked to choose the flooring color when the Building Maintenance Team directs us to the type and store chosen by the team. Judith Hardy volunteered to choose the flooring color. Others are encouraged to join her.
- During the pantry renovation it was decided that we would distribute larger than usual Emergency Bags. 12-15 of these bags will be made up and stored in the closet across from the pantry before moving the pantry supplies to Guptill Hall on July 6. As requests come in, Jen will explain the pantry is offering emergency bags only. The volunteer must still place the bag in the stairwell, include any gift cards and staple the clients’ name on the bag. The gift cards, file boxes and yellow pad will be kept in the machine room in the office area. The regular accounting routine will continue.
- NOTE: Those given emergency bags during this time are eligible for a larger order once the pantry is back to routine.
- If all prepared bas are used before we move back to the pantry volunteers are asked to make more and to place them in the closet. Those who have difficulty carrying the bags upstairs should leave the full bags in the kitchen and send an e-mail alerting the group that they are ready to be brought upstairs.
3. Summer Office Hours (June 8 – Aug. 21): 8:00 a.m. – 12 noon
- Requests are filled to be ready the next day for pick up at 8:00 a.m. Requests calls on Friday are filled with an emergency bag Friday morning or regular bags will be available the following Monday morning.
4. Homecoming Sunday is Sept. 13
- AnnElissa will be asked to write an article for the Beacon by Aug. 31 announcing the annual Homecoming Sunday food collection. The new pantry should be open for all to see that morning.
5. Sensitive Client Issues
- Please write in red ink any specific requests from clients on the index file card. These requests would include food allergies, sugar and gluten restrictions, no toiletries, etc.
6. Summer calendars completed
- NOTE: Still need substitutes for Aug. 21 and Sept. 4. Please keep these dates in mind as that time nears.
- Email the group if you need to arrange coverage during the summer months.
7. Next meeting: Sept. 24, 2009 at 4 p.m. in Laity Room.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Council

Meeting Minutes of May 28, 2009

Members Present: Chris Keiter, Chris Dow, Dave Allen, Sally Sutton, Nancy MacLean, Carol Zechman, Elsa Peters, Jean Siulinski. A quorum was not present. All discussions will be considered recommendations that will be voted on via email after the meeting. (6/8/09 – The members of the Council voted by email to approve all the recommendations in these minutes. However, there was some disagreement regarding the Jesus birthday cake recommendation, so it will be revisited at the June meeting.)

Special Guest: Kathy Sahrbeck

Minutes Review: April’s meeting minutes should be amended to say “Delegates from our church will be attending the Maine Conference meeting on June 6th to discuss the conference’s properties.”

Minister’s Time: Elsa distributed the church calendar for the upcoming year and the updated contact list for teams and committees. She discussed a new system for distributing information to team members via email. Each team will have a distinct email instead of individual Team member’s emails appearing in any distribution list (e.g. stewardship@fcc.org ). John will set these up when he returns in the fall.

Several area musicians and other groups have been sending Elsa CDs and making requests to use our sanctuary for events. Elsa is not comfortable with the event content for some of the groups. We reviewed the current sanctuary rental protocol. Chris read parts of an email from Shirley Curry expressing her concerns about use of the sanctuary/ communication related to its use and potential conflicts with her practice schedule. The team discussed the potential need for better guidelines to determine appropriate use and who should be included in the oversight and clarification of rental fee structure. Currently John McCall and Cyndi Alden have approval oversight and Elsa reported that there is an easily available schedule of events being held in the sanctuary. The Council recommends that John and Cyndi continue to have sole decision making authority. It also recommends that the Admin. Team work to define appropriate uses and revise the rental fee structure, as appropriate. Deb Andrews is currently researching information on what other comparable sites charge for rental fees

Elsa requested guidance on distribution of Pilgrim Lodge camperships. There is $2,000 in this year’s fund. The Council recommends that each camper be given $100 towards one camp session. Family members should each be given $100 each towards to cost of the family session.

CCM Fund Raising Question: Kathy Sahrbeck requested guidance on how she might raise funds from church members to assist an individual with compelling needs. The Council suggested various community sources and going directly to the Missions Team, but any solicitation to church members, via the church service, Beacon, etc. were deemed out of line with our church fundraising policy.

Council Nominations: Chris reviewed the nominations for Council to be presented at the annual meeting on 5/31. Bob Morse, Roger Addor, and Carrie Skeffington will be joining the Council.

Business Referral Directory: Discussion for all interested church members will be held after church on June 14.

Comprehensive Church Budget: Admin. Team continues to work on this initiative.

Beacon Promotion: Council members agreed that the AIRE Theatre promotion to church members appeared to be a business advertisement and perhaps should not have been printed in the Beacon. Sally Sutton and Chris Keiter agreed to form a committee to talk about how outside groups might promote products and services to the congregation members.

Hospitality Tasks: EG&F has expressed concerns that their Team should not have sole responsibility for all major “food events”. Each event was reviewed to determine whether SL&W or EG&F was the more appropriate Team to coordinate the activity. Council recommends the following:
- SLW: Ash Wednesday Breakfast, Good Friday Supper, Elder Luncheon
- EF&G: Church Picnic, Confirmation Celebration, Coffee Hours
- Search Committee: New Minister Welcome, New Minister Installation
- Eliminate: Jesus' birthday cake on Christmas Eve

Homecoming Sunday: Council members felt it was still a viable event. EF&G is working on an exciting “gimmick” for this September.

Rummage: Guptill Hall is filling with rummage sale items and looking a little “trashy”. Council will request that the Mission Team make a decision about what to do with all of the stuff and ensure that it is gone by September.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

Recorded by Carol Zechman.

Next Meeting: June 18th.