Council Notes
Council Meeting - Oct. 20, 2008   Pastor Sara Lee Faulkner, Assistant to the Bishop, spoke with the Council about the call process. She pointed out that the church must first exhibit the financial capacity to support a call and that our present financial picture would make approval to begin the process unlikely. She agreed to clarify and communicate further what our finances would need to look like before we could begin the process. She pointed out that we must be able to afford the minimum compensation of $70,000 per year for three years with yearly increases of 4%. Pastor Faulkner then described the steps in a call process and left an explanatory document for further review. Jerry Markle will convene a combined meeting of the Executive Committee and the Mutual Ministry Committee to consider how calling an additional pastor might impact Pastor Pierotti’s call. The Stewardship Committee will meet to discuss appropriate ways to inform the congregation about our deteriorating financial condition. During an abbreviated business meeting, the following persons were approved for confirmation: Maggie Dellen, Trevor Dodgson, Ryan Doerr, Christian Gibson, Jerry Hertzog, Walker Martz, Megan McCleary, Stephanie Miller, Courtney Oddo, Zachary Pilarcik, Samantha Roos, Joshua Vollnogle, Dylan Weyand, and Elizabeth Williamson. Based on concerns expressed about some candidates for confirmation not completing the suggested activities, Joey Hertzog will work with the Parish Education Committee to consider how compliance might be improved. Some reimbursement for the parking lot repairs is expected from the Butler Transit Authority’s insurer but it is not presently known how much the reimbursement will be. The Strategic Planning action facilitators, John Burglund, Jerry Markle and Sue Switzer will meet with Pastor Pierotti and John Kepple to craft a communication to inform the congregation about newly identified action plans. Thank you notes will be sent to Paula Jesteadt for decorating for Harvest Home, to Barry Flecken for his help with the parking lot estimates and repair, to Karen O’Donnell for her leadership of the choir and to Pastor Sara Lee Faulkner for her candid discussion regarding the call process.   The next meeting will take place November 17. The Council Meeting ended with The Lord’s Prayer.