The June meeting of the congregation council focused primarily on preparation for the congregational meeting on June 26. Here is a summary of the actions taken by the council and a brief look at the topics raised at the June 14 meeting of the congregation council:
- Proposed Interim Budget for 2022-2023 The council approved a motion to submit an interim budget proposal to the congregation. The proposal will be distributed to the congregation for review prior to the congregational meeting. As an interim budget, a revised budget based on more robust congregation wide planning process is to be completed no later than the next regular congregation meeting in January 2023. A one-time appeal to cover the current year’s shortfall due to loss of Caterpillar Learning Center lease income will be made to the congregation in conjunction with the interim budget being proposed.
- Personnel Committee Structure For the past few months the personnel committee has been operating without a designated chair. Our constitution designates the immediate past president as a member and chair. Our immediate past president has been unable to serve in that capacity. Given the current need for a fully functioning personnel committee, the council approved a motion to appoint Suzan Hurlbut to serve as chair. Suzan is a past president with several years of previous experience on the committee.
- Organist/Accompanist Position The council approved a motion to create a selection committee to recruit, select, and recommend hiring a candidate for organist/accompanist to serve our worship and music ministries.
- Reconciling in Christ A motion to create a work group to study and recommend actions to the congregation which would lead to designation of Prince of Peace as a Reconciling in Christ congregation.
Other topics that are likely to be covered at the semi-annual meeting were also discussed:
- Celebration of Renewal Report – Thirty-four members turned out for the event. A recording is available on our website for those who were not able to attend. Feedback from attendees who responded to a questionnaire indicated that the event was well received, but attendance was somewhat disappointing, with most attendees being older members. Interest in following up the event with a workshop on spiritual gifts was strong for some attendees, but others felt that their energy should go elsewhere or that they have previously gained the knowledge that the workshop might provide. Also, the general sentiment among those who responded was that similar congregation-wide events are important but should be infrequent and that smaller groups are a more effective way to communicate.
- Liberating Structures Michael Stetzler reviewed the plan that he discussed at the January congregational meeting. Significant progress has been made toward clarifying and communicating our values, but progress toward other goals has been slow. Steps to revise the constitution, bylaws, and resolutions have not yet been accomplished, although the proposed bylaw amendment which was tabled in January will be on the agenda on June 26. Little progress has been made toward redefining our mission and vision, which is a predicate to implemental the robust budgeting process that was the goal.
Some structural changes have already been implemented, but not incorporated into our continuing resolutions as our church wide governance suggests. We have no stewardship committee, so the council has belatedly taken on that role. Some committees, such as technology, have been eliminated by default. It will be important going forward to catalogue those changes, but major work on realigning our structure depends upon broader, congregation-wide discussions.