- The Grace Session met on November 15, 2021, in the Grace Alcove.
- The meeting was opened and closed with prayer.
- We welcomed Lilian Mayer into membership. Lilian joins Grace by reaffirmation of faith.
- Plans for the upcoming Hanging of the Greens service were discussed.
- Covid protocols were revisited. It was voted on to no longer keep exterior doors open on Sundays. Windows in the sanctuary will be closed. The question was raised about what metric we use to make changes to our policy. No metric was set
- Financial reports were given and received. Other reports were given including an update on stewardship pledges for 2022.
- Presbytery met the next day (November 16, 2021) and it was reported that on the docket was the dismissal of the New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Hutchinson from the PCUSA to the EPC.
The Grace Christmas Brunch is back…with a few changes.
We gather for food and fellowship on Sunday, December 19, from 10-11 am in the Grace Great Room. Per tradition, this is a potluck brunch, with some extra pandemic precautions. Casseroles and fruit are served from the kitchen, so instead of bringing your favorite casserole with your special recipe, please bake an egg casserole with the recipe provided by the sign ups. Breads and drinks are available in the Great Room for you to choose from.
There are sign ups for casseroles, breads, and juice by the coffee bar at Grace. Please sign up and plan to come on December 19.
There is a congregational meeting to elect officers, approve updates to Catherine’s terms of call, and update the by-laws. The meeting is on December 5 at 10:45 am in the Sanctuary.
The nominated officers and classes are:
Session: Ben Juhnke (2024), Hal Pluenneke (2024), Charlene Randle (2024), Jody Webster (2024)
Deacons: Belinda Kidd (2024), Jan Melton (2024), Jean Oser (2023), James Rae (2024)
Board of Trustees: Marjorie Awtrey (2024), Gary Lindsly (2024)
Jacob’s Learning Ladder: Scott Wadle (2024)
Nominating Team (all one year terms): TBD
Regarding Catherine’s terms of call: In the summer of 2021 the session approved a 2% salary increase for staff. Catherine’s salary can only be changed by a vote of the congregation At this meeting the congregation will vote to increase Catherine’s salary by 2%, retroactive to July 2021.
Copies of the by-laws with updates noted will be available at Grace and can be mailed by request.
- The Grace Presbyterian Session met on October 18, 2021, in the Grace Alcove.
- The meeting was opened and closed with prayer.
- Catherine gave an update on the special financial gift and the staff proposal. She and Martin plan to meet with the donors in the coming week.
- Updates were given on projects that came out of the Session retreat. The plan is to have a hanging of the greens event on December 4 and a food packing event on January 2.
- The Session approved variations on worship services for November 14 and January 2 and approved the Christmas Eve worship schedule with services at 5 pm and 8 pm.
- Financial reports were given and received. September was a low month for giving. Other reports were given.
- The church is looking for a new auditor.
- Full Session minutes are available upon request.
We give thanks! We give thanks for the many ways you share financial resources with the congregation. The church relies on the pledges made and honored that give to our regular operating budget. We are grateful for the pledges that were made and honored for our Deep Roots campaign that we are in the final stages of completing. We are also blessed to have a planned giving program.
Planned Giving allows you to plan for a special gift to the church. Some people do this through their estate planning. Other people choose to participate in planned giving while they are alive.
Recently I was approached by members of the church about planned giving. The donors wanted to make a gift right now, while still living. Martin Burch, our Executive Pastor, and I met with them and learned their intent. They did not have specific ideas about their gift but wanted it to go toward supporting and/or starting ministries, perhaps with an emphasis on children and youth.
Martin and I met many times with Kirk Anderson and Jennifer Snook to discuss this gift. We prayed together, brainstormed, drafted idea lists, and finally came to some solid ideas. We presented these ideas to the donors. They were enthusiastic and shared $50,000 with the church to make these things happen.
This gift does not go to paying the regular bills, and in the coming weeks you’ll hear about our current budget reality, which is that we are behind. It’s a place of tension to on one hand celebrate a generous gift, and on the other hand to stress that we are in a difficult place financially, but this is where we are.
In this moment though, I invite you to celebrate with me. Celebrate this gift and the ways we plan to use it, listed below.
In Christ,
Catherine Neelly Burton
The $50,000 gift will allow us to:
- Send our High School Mission Trip to Puerto Rico. Talk to Kirk Anderson to learn more.
- Send seven families to Christian Family Camp. If this is something you want to learn more about, talk to Jennifer Snook.
- Buy a Story Bible for each pre-school child at Jacob’s Learning Ladder.
- Host a food packing event on January 2. (Look for more information soon!)
- Give bonuses to our staff.
- Help send youth to the Presbyterian Youth Triennium in 2022.
