Administration Ministry Team
Meeting Minutes by Moderator Newman McAllister
The Administration Ministry Team met on August 31. Those present were Pastor Darlene Avery, Moderator Newman McAllister, Vice Moderator Linda Seger, Treasurer Sunde King and Member Vaughn Drinen (by ZOOM).
Pastor reported that it has been a busy summer. Many people love the church. We should make certain that those who do, but do not wish to be regular members, are listed as affiliate members. Attendance at worship has been good. She and Teresa Allen have planned worship through Advent. They both have also been busy planning the Handbell Workshop, which will be on Saturday, September 9, with a concert of the Forte group the following day at 4:00 p.m. Pastor will bless the animals at our Sunday worship on September 24. World Communion Sunday is October 1 and All Saints Sunday is October 29. Pastor reminded us that her call agreement provides that she can take one Sunday off every three months, in addition to her vacation allotment. On Sunday, September 3, she will be conducting worship but will use a pre-recorded sermon of Richard Rohr, a well-known Franciscan priest, who heads the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Southeastern Association of the Rocky Mtn. Conference of the UCC is becoming more active. There is a meeting on October 21, 2023, in Parker, Colorado, and Vaughn is interested in being the church’s delegate. The Frindts may be interested also. Pastor has taken on assisting a member of the association in her discernment for ordination. There has been much pastoral care this summer. Pastor will be on vacation from October 30 through November 5. Pastor completed the spread sheet on all the church keys and alarm codes.
Sunde presented the June and July financial reports. For June, all income was $24,554.63 and all expenses were $8,640.30, for a positive balance for the month of $15,914.33. However, the church received the Handbell grant of $15,000.00 and the Green Box monies of $3,599.75 in June. Absent that income the church would have run a deficit of $2,685.42. For July all income was $9,497.98 and all expenses were $11,647.70, for a negative balance for the month of $2,149.82.
Holbrook Services quoted a service contract fee of $900.00 for the two boilers and two furnaces, which includes a visit in the spring and fall. The team thought that because the church does not have air conditioning a visit in the fall might be sufficient, for a fee of $450.00. Newman will contact Holbrook to see if that is feasible. Tall Timbers is coming next week to trim the three pine trees in front of the church for the quoted estimate of $500.00. Rod Anderson, a handyman, will clean out the church’s clogged gutters, as he did in 2022. The doors in the downstairs classrooms still need painting and volunteers will be solicited. The required annual backflow testing was done at a price of $95.00. Preciado Concrete’s work on the drain on the corner of the sanctuary and the concrete wall outside the downstairs’ classrooms will be completed next week. Payment of its billing of $4,165.00 was authorized after completion. After the June meeting the church purchased parking signs, upon Margaret Peterson’s recommendation, at a cost of $428.00. The skylight above the Administration Office is still leaking even though Randy Beall resealed the area where the plexiglass fits into the wooden box. Newman thought the leak might be lower – where the metal flashing for the skylight transitions into the flat roof. He will pursue. The team still is interested in revamping the wooden sign in front of the church, a project that began in 2021 but was never completed. Newman and Vaughn will pursue.
Pastor has contacted a pastor in Denver to see if there are volunteers within any churches who customarily audit the books of a sister church. Pastor has pondered since June whether the church needs to hire an administrative assistant for a few hours a week. After discussion the team unanimously agreed there was no need for an assistant.
Pastor believes training of officers, administration team members and members of other ministry teams within the church would be valuable. Before incurring such an expense she has arranged, in concert with the Broadmoor Community Church, for a preview of such training. It is scheduled for Saturday, September 30, at the Broadmoor church, from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Our church’s cost is $250.00 and payment was approved. Pastor will advertise and solicit folks from our church to attend.
The bylaws provide that the annual meeting must be between October 1 and November 15. After considering the Thanksgiving luncheon on Sunday, November 12, that Newman will be out of town from October 17 through October 31, and that Pastor is on vacation from October 30 through November 5, an October date prior to the 17th is required. After a motion by Vaughn and a second by Linda, the team unanimously voted to call the 2023 annual congregational meeting for Sunday, October 15, 2023, immediately after morning worship. Sunde was gracious enough to state that she could have preliminary spending plan figures for 2024 available to discuss in early October, much sooner than in previous years. Newman, Sunde and Linda agreed to serve again in 2024 as Moderator, Treasurer and Vice Moderator, if elected. Vaughn agreed to continue as a team member, if elected. The team could use at least one additional member for next year.
The next team meeting, which will include discussion of the 2024 spending plan, will be on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.