CUMC Council Meeting May 23, 2022
Attendees: Barb Julian, Dana Buckwalter, Nancy Kripner, Erik Alsgaard, Carol Moore, Charlie Moore, Dave Lanzer, Marilyn McKee, Candis Milbourne, Bonnie Kegan
Opened in prayer at 6:05pm.
1) Reflections: Reviewed Women’s Celebration luncheon experience and Sunday’s service with Pastor Lou
2) Trustees: (Carol)
Switched provider for maintenance of fire suppression systems, signed contract with Absolute Fire Protection of S. Park. (Reduce the noise of the compressor is a concern)
First and third Weds of each month -Helping Hands meets 9am-12pm
Postponed HVAC inspections until June (at company’s request)
3) SPRC – (Barb)
Members will serve as facilitators at Brave Conversations
Director of Children Youth and families and Nursery attendant job positions are posted. Barb is following up with some candidates who may have applied in past to see if they are aware and/or are still interested in the positions.
48 women attended the Women’s Celebration Luncheon. Survey responses about frequency of women’s activities were varied (monthly, weekly, quarterly). Plan to make survey available to all women in the church.
Vitality Team (360 readiness) met to discuss plans for summer months – focus on hospitality and fellowship. Barb challenged council members to reach out to a new face or person they are not as familiar with, say hello, get to know the person’s name, etc. Maybe sit in a new location?Look around you where you are seated during service and if you notice a face missing, reach out with a phone call.
July: Emphasis on global prayer- creating devotional guide for Zimbabwe team and to be shared with the church. August activity: Picnic
4) Finance (Charlie) – member giving thru April $15-20K short of annual budget of $380k, this did not include 1 week of mailed contributions. 80% of giving is happening online, so counting offering is less intensive. Online trending towards a stable income flow. Financial situation of the CDC has stabilized. $770 was raised by Killarney House fundraiser.
5) Pastor’s report – We got a nice thank you letter for paying 100% of our Mission Shares for 2021. Will be in Thursday’s newsletter.
Brave Conversations- 28 people are registered, Katie sent out a reminder for registration. The facilitator K. Scary would like to meet with the members of SPRC who are helping with discussions around 5:30 to go over ground rules, etc. 3 or 4 questions were selected to use for discussion centered around our vision for the church and discussion of roadblocks. Possibility that event may need to be postponed due to facilitators health.
Charlie suggested that we announce that people who are not registered are still welcome.
Erik, Barb, Charlie, and Dave met with Pastor J and key Wilson leaders to discuss plans moving forward. Pastor J had asked for the meeting. He sees the Black Lives Matter banner as a welcome sign, and he feels welcome and safe here. Indicated that he didn’t have any issues if the sign was changed. Wilson members shared what it feels like to be black in Crofton Community and that they all feel welcome at Community. A soft challenge that it is hard to be Christian, sometimes you have to stand for things that may not be popular or accepted widely. Danielle who works in Baltimore, commented that it is hard to know within our own community who black lives matter to.
Dave encouraged council to reach out to those we know to attend the conversation on Thursday. We need the congregation to participate. To learn how to talk, listen, love each other even when we come from different places/backgrounds or have different opinions.
6) Other business
Summer events:
August 1st – 5th Annual Music & Drama Camp – theme to be determined. Partnering with CDC
Friday July 8th and Saturday morning July 9th VBS planned. Kids will also be invited to sing a song in July 10th service.
Chris Wilhelm put together a group of guys that went to Top Golf. Another trip on June 21st 10am- meet at church at 9am- no golf clubs required! (Tuesday half price) is planned and Wilson/Fowler are invited.
In talks with Salt & Light to do worship this summer around Aug13th or 14th. Working thru details. Allow them to stay at the church, find church members to open homes for showering in the morning before they travel again. Plan to hold the event inside this year to avoid summer heat.
Would our church parking lot be available (maybe in July) for use by a public service organization (non-profit) to use for a fundraising event (yardsale/flea market). Katie can provide info on what needs to be done to get approval. Suggestion to request donations for the flea market from church members. Considerations: limited storage, what to do in event of rain? Candis will follow-up with Katie.
Updates on United Methodist Church/Conferences/Boy Scouts
Annual Conference Jun 1st -3rd. Nancy Kripner will attend as our rep. Charlie will attend as a guest.
General conference postponed until 2024. Jurisdictional conference, decision reached by general council of the church that they can be held to elect/appoint bishops. Should meet first week of November.
In a period of disassociation, local churches can vote to leave the denomination and take property with them. Expensive undertaking. Will need to be approved by annual conference.
An entire conference cannot disassociate. Global Methodist church launched May 1st. This does not affect our church.
Boy Scout situation still in the courts, expecting decision in the next month or so. BWC is hoping settlement is approved, but funds will come out of conference reserves.
June 20th next council meeting. No July meeting.
Dave closed in prayer at 7:30pm.
