Date: MONDAY, July 17 2023 : IN PERSON
Participants: Congregation Council
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Facilitator: Chris Lewis, President
Materials: Agenda 7/17/23, Minutes 6-19-23, Council Binder with agenda, June financials
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; Pedro Hernandez, Property
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
NOTE: Written reports are encouraged in advance to streamline meeting.
AGENDA
TOPIC COUNCIL MOTIONS
Security Approved Security Solutions initial proposal which will be tailored to our insurance company expectations
Pastoral Call
Approved adjustment to Pastor Karla’s Call per new ELCA guidelines. Rather than increase her hours from 37 to 40/week, she has requested an increase to 5 weeks/year.
Landscape Approved Pedro Hernandez proposal for monthly landscape maintenance of $400/month. Includes lawn mowing, trimming, weeding and sweeping.
See 7-22-23 Newsletter online for additional details in Council Summary.
TIME Topic Activity Lead
6:30 PM Call Meeting to Order Chris
6:30-6:35 Meditation and Prayer Chris
6:35-6:45 Check-in (1 min each) Leadership
Training.
Sheri
6:45-6:50 Agenda Review, Time Keeper Erick
6:50-6:55 Review 6-19-23 Council Minutes Corrections to minutes? Erick
6:55-7:05 Review June 2023 Financial Reports Financials holding steady.
50% of year, 49% of
income, 48% of budgeted
expense.
Building maintenance @
85% of budget. Property
reserve @ $18,000
Copier expense @ 72% of
budget. Recommend
single page bulletin.
Krystina
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
MINUTES: Congregation Council Agenda
7:05-7:15 Pastor Reports Focusing on building up
the congregation’s prayer
life and spiritual practices.
1 st Call Retreat in HI for PA
1 st Communion begins
9/24, 5 weeks, 10 AM Sun
Karla
Alicia
7:15-7:20 Time Certain
Legacy Committee Report $1,500 to Concert series
$4,722 Balance for 2023
More Memorial/Legacy gifts
Dick Bolin
7:20-7:30 Decisions
1. Security Solutions proposal
2. Additional Vacation Week
for Pastor Karla vs. salary
increase per ELCA
guidelines
3. Property Maintenance
Proposal
1. Motion: S. Knudson
Second: M. Alvarez
2. Motion: S. Barker
Second: S. Knudson
3. Motion: Pastor Karla
Second: G. Pfeiffer
Chris
Krystina
7:30-7:40 Discussion
Appt. with Tom Goelrich, Dir of
Evangelical mission re: PA salary
grant
Staffing Update
God’s Work, Our Hands – Sept
10
Need to seek strategic
grants for PA 2024 salary
Maria Luisa increase 15-20
hours/wk
Cindy currently 30 hrs/wk
Seek to increase all
salaries to 2024
competitive rate
Need to conduct annual
review for all employees,
review job descriptions:
PK & SHERI
God’s Work Team leaders
for projects
Hearing aids access:
organize, newsletter
article, training ushers,
etc. SKIP, GERD, ROBERT
& MARGARITA
Pastor K.
Chris
7:40-7:50 Reports: (Top item only, if any)
Children & Youth
NOTE: Written reports are
encouraged to streamline
meeting.
Upcoming pool party @
Geiers
Planning for youth to
attend National ELCA
conference: July, 2024 –
$1400/person. *Apply for
2024 Pacifica Synod Latino
Ministry grant to help
fund: regis, airfare, food,
lodging for kids & adults
Melissa
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
MINUTES: Congregation Council
APPROVED August 21, 2023
3
dr.sheridan.barker@cox.net
Member Care 20 members at home care Dorothy
Music 2024 monthly concert
series, begins Sept. 9
Skip
Security Training Approved Security
Systems contract
Rob
Campus Revitalization Task
Group
Congregation meetings
scheduled to review &
approve negotiations with EES
Gerd
President’s Report & Visioning Upcoming building
maintenance: 2 cracked
windows in JH. Sanctuary
lights replaced soon.
Chris
TBD Executive Session (optional)
7:50–7:5
5
Meeting Evaluation: Word or
phrase summarizes this meeting for
you?
Constructive, joyful, hopeful,
informative, professional,
comprehensive, future
focused, realistic, peaceful,
good planning, covered a lot of
territory, complete
Sheri
7:55-8:00 Confirm meeting date & closing
prayer
Who will lead meditation &
prayer for AUGUST Council
meeting?
Chris
8:35 PM Motion to Adjourn Meeting Chris
TASK LIST Reminders:
TASK By Whom? By When?
1. Hearing aids access: organize, newsletter
article, training ushers, etc. SKIP, GERD,
ROBERT & MARGARITA
SKIP, GERD,
ROBERT &
MARGARITA
2. Need to conduct annual review for all
employees, review job descriptions
PASTOR KARLA &
SHERI
October
3. Research job description & salary for
Administrative Assistant
KRYSTINA September
4. Update on use of 2023 Latino Endowment
Grant expenditures & Apply for 2024 Grant
SHERI BARKER October
UPCOMING Calendar Items:
August Executive Committee Meeting: Tuesday, August 15, 6:00 PM ZOOM if needed
Next Council Meeting: Monday, August 21, 7:00 PM – NEW TIME!!
Pastor Karla Vacation, Sunday afternoon, August 6 – Saturday, August 12
Pastor Alicia First Call Seminar in Hawaii, August 21 – 26