FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF NEENAH/MENASHA

Church = Council – May 17, 2011

Atten= dees: Bonnie DeBraal, Ed Nokes, Bruce Stowe, Bill Mahnke, Sue Prince, Connie Sopel

Minutes: The minutes of the February 15, = 2011 meeting were approved as proposed.

Financial update: Ed Nokes – revenue was strong in April with total contributions up year to date over last year. Reported a YTD deficit of $12,00= 0+ for the year including apportionments to be paid to the conference. Prior to the past 2 years apportionments were paid from reserves. The past 2 years apportionments weren’t submitted due to financials. The budget calls = for a 10% payment. Radius offerings are helping with the contributions. Attenda= nce is up overall.

Facilities Committee Update: Recommendation for approval: Bruce – renovation committee has been meeting since January monthly, meeting with groups to gather input on physical building. Grie= s Architectural Group was brought in to get direction on putting the recommendations gathered by the committee into a renovation plan. The commi= ttee is recommending to the council that we proceed in developing a master plan = to renovate the current church facility. We have a contract proposal from them to devel= op a master plan for the renovation. Facilities committee wants approval to move forward with this contract. The cost will be funded from the property development fund up to $6,000. Gries has a 4 ph= ase plan: 1. master plan with budget costs, 2. actual costs from contractors, 3. prioritize what is on the list, 4. implementation of the project.

Phase= 1 would be done within 6 months. Contract needs to be signed by the Chair of Trustees, Sue Prince is the Chair of Trustees.

Formal motion for approval: The facilities renovation comm= ittee makes the motion to recommend to the church council the hiring of Gries Architectural Group to develop the Master Plan = which will encompass meeting with committee members, determining FUMC’s vis= ion, and create architectural plans. The cost of the development of the Master P= lan is to be funded by the property development fund and will not exceed $6,000= .

Motion approved by Bonnie and Su= e

Other Business:

Will not schedule the next meeting, as will wait until new minister is available= .

Next meeting: TBD

Respectfully submitted,=

Connie Sopel<= /span>, Recording Secretary

Church = Council - February 15, 2011

Atten= dees: Bonnie DeBraal, Bob Hayes, Ed Nokes, Patsy Vegter, Bob Totten, Sue Prince, Connie Sopel

Minutes: The minutes of the January 18, 2= 011 meeting were approved as proposed.

Finance: Ed Nokes – reviewed the 2011 beginning of year. A $20,000 profit for the start= of the year was reported. Contributions and Packer concessions helped to start= us off for the year. Attendance is down slightly in January.=

SPRC – Employee manual: Patsy Vegte= r – July 3 will be the first Sunday for Pastor Grace. Reviewed the written policies in the FUMC Staff Guide. This document covers t= he operating procedures, as well as compensation and benefits for the employee= s of the First United Methodist Church Neenah-Menasha. A motion to approve was p= assed.

To fu= lly comply with the Section titled Safe/Healthy Work Environment Bob requests to have the cigarette containers be removed from the front of the church taken= to Trustees committee.

Facilities Renovation Committee:= Bonnie – Bob stated that a request has been made for a handicap bathroom on the main floor. Focus grou= ps have started on the building renovations ideas.

Other business: Bonnie – Bob and Jeff have= a request to upgrade the computer system.&nb= sp; A proposal request of $2600 to add new machines = and bring the systems up to date. Requested that thi= s be reviewed every 24 months.

Next meeting: Tuesday, May 17th at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,=

Connie Sopel<= /span>, Recording Secretary

Church = Council – December 14, 2010

Attendees: Bonnie DeBraa= l, Ed Nokes, Bob Hays, Pete Van Airsdale, and Connie Sopel

Bonn= ie DeBraal, Church Council Chairperson, thanked everyone= for being here and called the meeting to order.

Minutes: The minutes of September 21, 2010 = were approved.

Finance: Presented by Ed Nokes

Roug= h draft of the 2011 budget was provided by Chris Vlachakis. Projected EOY Revenue $371,181 Exp= enses $431,883 with a Deficit of $60,702.

Pled= ging process and script supply the majority of the revenue.

2010 expenses plus a 3% increase across the board were used to get to the projec= ted expenses for 2011. Staff-Parish Committee recommended the budget for staff salaries.

Bob recommended that the staff budget for 2011 be approved as presented. Pete m= oved to approve the staff budget, Ed seconded the motion.

The = remainder of the 2011 budget will be set at the January 18, 2011 church council meeti= ng.

Appo= rtionments will be set at the January 18, 2011 church council meeting.

2010 Christmas offering will be used to supplement the First Church revenue.

Dee&= #8217;s last day was Sunday, December 12, 2010.

Proposed Next Meeting:

Janu= ary 18, 2011 6:30 p.m. (Following finance committee meeting)

Resp= ectfully submitted,

Conn= ie Sopel, Recording Secretary

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Church = Council – September 21, 2010

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Attendees: Bonnie DeBraa= l, Ashley Veldboom, Ed Nokes<= /span>, Lee Erickson, Bob Hays, Rollie Nail, Jeff McGre= gor, Chris Vlachakis, Bob Totte= n and Connie Sopel

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Bonnie DeBraal, Church Council Chairperson, thanked everyone for being here and called the meeting to order.

Bob Hays presented devotion.

Minutes: T= he minutes of June 29, 2010 were approved as corrected.

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Youth/Fami= ly Ministry Plans for 2010-2011: Presented by Jefff McGregor

The youth ministry has returned to an internal focu= s on the youth groups at First Church. New families were not willing to support youth group activities at the HUB. Additionally the construction in front of the HUB has been a hindrance to visitors this summer. The lease at the HUB = is up on April 30, 2011. A 90 day notice will be given prior to vacating the premises.

The youth and family ministry will continue with ou= treach sponsored music venues such as a stage at Lifefest and a stage at Appleton North for a Power of One event.

The youth group is= getting larger with new families that have joined the church. A new volunteer youth= and family ministry team has been formed to support this growing ministry. The following volunteers, Lori Belot, Ruth Mahnke, Lisa = Coenen, and Claudia Miller, will support this ministry under Jeff’s direction.

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Attendance of yout= h 5^th grade and under at the Radius service is requiring two break out groups. The new team will be looking for assistance in this area.

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Finance: Presented by Ed Nokes

Finance Report: Tr= easures report / Balance sheet / Progress reports were handed out by Chris Vlachakis. Expenses are down by $14,472 YTD, and total contributions and income is behind by $32,381 YTD.

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Closing Gap appeal progress report: Have begun to receive $4885 and will continue this drive t= thru Sept. 26.

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2011 Budget Buildi= ng Process Plans: budget will be looked at closer after the close of the stewardship drive in November.

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Trustees: Presented by Bob Hays on behalf of= Bruce Stowe

Received a request to remove the front pew on the left side. Will observe if this assist= s in more room for communion, bells, choir and other activities that take place = at the front of the church. Church council approved this trial period.<= o:p>

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Stewardship Plan for Fall 2010: Presented by Bob Hays

Will ask the congregation to focus on our own need to give versus focusing on the church’s need. The mea= l will be Sunday, November 14^th, a week before stewardship Sunday. A un= ity worship service will be held at Bridgewood with= a meal to follow. Leadership of this exciting event will be driven by Bonnie = DeBraal, Steve Langlais, = Bob Smidt, Mary Keepers, Tara Schipf= erling, Ellie Buckley, Lisa Massie and Jeff McGregor. All musical groups will perfo= rm at this special service.

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Facilities Task Group Update: P= resented by Lee Erickson

Presented the final results of the facilities task group findings along with a propos= al.

1) Recommended tha= t the congregation continue in the current, dowtown facility for the foreseeable future. 2) Recommended that the church council appoint a facilities renovation committee.

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This group receive= d input on more topics than just the facilities, these needs and concerns have been acknowledged and sorted to pass along to matching committees for follow up.=

It was noted and acknowledged there was a missing attachment in the packet handed out, it was the availability and cost of land findings. A correction was recommended in the findings; maximum seating is 282, current average attendance is 221. 221 is = the capacity for both services not just the first service which has an average = of 179.

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Bob Hays informed = the group that a consensus process will be used by the facilities group to present proposals to the congregation. He proposed that the facilities packet be se= nt to each member of the congregation. Bob stated that a special church confer= ence must be requested to act on the facilities changes. The special church conference should highlight the magnitude of the facilities changes. The facilities packet will be mail= ed in early December explaining the recommendations with an invitation to ask questions prior to and at the January forum and conference.

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The open forum be held on Sunday, January 9, 2011 after both services= with the special church conference to follow immediately. The intent is to give members a chance to ask questions individually and as a group before the facilities recommendation is accepted for further action.=

A special called C= hurch Conference meeting for Wednesday, January 12, will be requested by Bob Hays= .

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Lay Leadership: Presented by Bob Hays

The next Lay Leade= rship meeting will be held Tuesday October 5, 2010. Persons will need to be conta= cted to see if they wish to continue on the group in which they serve. For posit= ions that will be vacated, the recruiting process will begin.<= /p>
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Proposed Next Meeting:

November 30 - 6:30 p= .m. – Church Conference at Appleton Emmanuel UMC

December 14 –= ; 6:30 p.m. (Following finance committee meeting)

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Respectfully submi= tted,

Conn= ie Sopel, Recording Secretary

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Church Council – April 27, 2010=

Attendees:= Ed Nokes, Bob Hays, Bonnie DeBraal<= /span>, Bruce Stowe, Ashley Veldboom and Connie Sopel

Bonnie DeBraal, Church = Council Chairperson, thanked everyone for being here and called the meeting to orde= r.

Bob Hays presented devotion.

Minutes: The minutes of January 19, 2010 we= re approved with one correction of Pete VanAirsdale. Bruce requested that Karen V. upload the minutes to the website.

Finance: Presented by Ed Nokes

Financial Plan Progress Report 2010 Summary: YTD contributions are $5,388 under budget, total income is $7,084 under budget. Total expenses are $7,195 under bu= dget (includes $3,585 HELD for apportionment).&= nbsp; We are hitting our plan. Thank you to the finance committee for your due diligence! Bob would like us to talk about the Stewardship campaign for the fall at the next meeting. He’d like to h= ave a committee formed to concentrate on this.&n= bsp; Bob proposed to move the pledging date to a November date, November 14th. Stewardship pledging ca= mpaign should be moved into November.

Trustees:<= /b> Presented by Bruce Stowe
Roof tiles have been a main focus for church repair to date.

Saved $1600.00 by having member= s of the congregation shovel the snow this winter.

Heating system - The boiler control= s are working but the readings are questionable.= May need to replace the control system at some t= ime.

A structural engineer from Bol= dt will be here to look at the roof over the finance office, as it continues to leak. The roof is approximate= ly 60’ x 60’ that requires repair.

A clean up week has been published for the week of = May 17^th.

Posted on Craig’s List- 10 cemetery plots at Gree= nlawn Cemetery.

Working on a building use polic= y for outside groups. The tr= ustees will update the policy and will present to church council for final approva= l.

Video streaming and sound system will be set up in = the balcony. An electrical outlet= has already been provided. To install the equipment half of a pew will need to be removed. This equipment will be used to rec= ord the 9am message and will be able to be posted to the church website. Would like to = see if the feed could also be shown on the screen. Future considerations are to acqui= re flat screens to hang in the balcony and in the John Wesley room. Also anticipate that we could feed= the message to an off-site location to be used as their message.

Motion to approve was given to remove the half of a= pew to the Trustees.

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Motion: Bonnie motioned to approve the removal of the pew in the balcony, Ed Nokes app= roved, seconded by Ashley Veldboom.

$2200 was made at the rummage sale

Staff Parish: Presented by Bob = Hays
Outreach and Assimilation coordinator Dee will stay on after she graduates = from seminary until June 30, 2011. She is a quarter time hire.

Verna G. is resigning from Dora Hanson and the posi= tion needs to be filled. Lay leade= rship will need to fill this position.

Chris V. will resign at the end of the year from the finance treasurer’s job. This position is currently a volunteer position. =

Financial secretary job and the treasurer’s j= obs will be reconsidered to be paid positions in the next church budget.

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Next meeti= ng: June 29, 2010 6:30pm. Will confirm future meeting dates = at that time.

Respectfully submitted,

Connie Sopel, Recording Secretary

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