Amazing Grace Lutheran Church Council Meeting Highlights

August 9, 2007

Support for Seminary - Dana Blouch-Hanson:  We decided that 25% of the proceeds from the annual silent auction will go towards supporting Dana in seminary. We will also look into additional ways to assist in paying her tuition.

Annual Silent Auction & Dinner:  The silent auction & dinner will be held Friday evening November 9^th. The proceeds will be divided with 25% going to Youth, 25 % towards the Call Committee and moving costs for a new pastor, 25% to support a seminary student, and 25% is undesignated.

Potluck August 26^th:  There will be a potluck after the last service on Sunday August 25^th to welcome Pastor Tom Miller as our interim and celebrate Rally Sunday.

Pre-School:  We continued the discussion concerning the relationship between the Amazing Grace Preschool and Amazing Grace Church. No decision has been reached.

Eagle Scouts:

• Derek Simmons has taken on the task of creating a better sound system in the sanctuary as his Eagle Scout project. The attic above the janitor’s closet is now clean, and the exact plans are still under development.
• We discussed what tax ID number should be used on Eagle Scout projects from Troop 26.
• We are also going to check into what it means to be a charter organization for a Scout Trop.

Youth & Family Minister – Gloria Lannen:  Gloria is going to work with the high school Sunday School group this year.  She is leaving tomorrow for Lutheran summer camp training. The kids leave for camp on Sunday.  Several changes in personnel planning to assist at camp have made camp planning more challenging.

Music Director & Administrative Assistant – Chris Barnett:  Chris really enjoyed the Vacation Bible School road trip. She is going to meet with Martha Clinehens concerning the winter music program.  Chris will be leading Grace Notes, the children’s choir, again this year.

Interim Pastor Tom Miller:  Pastor Tom is coordinating with the Parish Nurses on meeting the visitation needs of the congregation.  With the call process going on, there has been discussion of whether AGLC wants to be (or is a) programmatic or pastoral congregation.  Tom made some comments on that subject and will expand further in upcoming services. Tom believes in being an “intentional interim”  - one who maximizes the opportunity to assist the congregation, instead of just making certain that there is a sermon each Sunday until a new pastor arrives.

Call Committee:   Dick Mandsager gave an extensive report on the work of the call committee. They interviewed 4 pastors and now have invited two to visit Anchorage. Both pastors were very interested in our creative worship style, are interested in team leadership, etc. The call committee is excited and impressed by both pastors.  One will be visiting with us August 27 – 30 and the other beginning September 8th.

The Call Committee is also doing a lot of thinking about what it is to be Amazing Grace.  Do we understand the difference between being a programmatic church and a pastoral church?  Do we need to change the way we deal with stewardship?

Dick also noted that being on a committee like this one is a great way to build good relationships with others.

Parish Education:  Sharon Shaw described the planning that the new committee has been doing. There is a eam built to for Rally Sunday. They still need Sunday School teachers. They’ve been looking for curriculum with more substance for the 4^th through 6^th graders. They plan to take responsibility for Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, adult education, and first communion. VBS planning will be a joint effort with the Youth and Family Committee.

Someone described the various aspects of  the church as:

Talk the Talk – Preaching & Worship.

Teach the Talk – Sunday School & other educational experiences

Walk the Talk – Family and Youth & Mission Opportunities

Family & Youth Committee:  Tammy Hobbs noted that the committee hadn’t met in at least two months and is in need to new members.  She has some ideas of people to ask. The remaining members have kept in close contact with Gloria even though they haven’t had formal meetings.

Trustees:  The trustees are looking for people interested in working replacing window treatments, at least for those rooms which get a lot of sunlight. If necessary we will ask for a special offering to help pay for the project.

Music & Worship:   Favorite Hymn Sunday will be August 12^th. The we will begin a new series on Growing Together in Christ on the 19^th.  Rally Sunday is August 26^th and we will return to the three service schedule (8:30, 9:45, and 11:00) beginning September 9^th.

Healing and Wholeness:  Tara Orley noted that the members of the council will begin to “pray the directory” – that is each council member has a list of members to pray for. This includes all of the people listed in the directory.

 Treasurer’s Report:  It is August, we are in transition, and we still have money in the bank!  It was noted that we may need to work on the benevolences.

Computers:  Chris’s computer locks up and works very slowly and the computer in the pastor’s office is badly out of date. Replacements for both of them will be looked into.

Mission Opportunity:  It is estimated that 2000 single military personnel will be returning from Iraq to Fort Richardson.  The quarters that they are given are bare:  a bed, pillow, dresser and small refrigerator.  A request has been made for churches to help make their arrival a little more welcoming by providing the following:

• A set of sheets and pillow cases for a single bed.
• A set of new clean towels.
• Toiletries, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, bath soap, shaving cream and a razor.
• Clothes hangers.
• A Welcome Home card and chocolate bar
• Sods or water for the refrigerator.
• Or $50.
• Needed by September 30^th.
• Sharon Shaw is our coordinator for this.