Church Council: meeting in a minute | March 4, 2025
Church Council met on March 4, 2025. The recent Council meeting had important updates and decisions. Here's a summary of the key points discussed:
Welcome new leadership and members:
The council warmly welcomed Andy Schlosser as the new moderator.
New council members Kyle Bray, Don Spradlin, and Brianna Whitcher were also welcomed and thanked for their service to the congregation.
Financial stability:
Marybeth Shea's treasurer's report indicated that income and expenses are tracking as expected for this time of year, mirroring previous years' patterns.
The New Nursery School:
The New Nursery School's investment account has been successfully aligned with the UCC Norwell 501(c)3 status.
The council approved the New Nursery School's proposed compensation increases, bringing their salary and compensation package more in line with other area nursery schools; a NNS financial advisory team has been assembled: David Degennaro, Kim Foster, Sonia Kleimola, and Judy Kuehn.
Council discussed the NNS sign proposal, and the benefits of a temporary sign while long term plans are made. In the meantime, the signage task force will connect with Director Kim Foster.
Enhanced grant approval process:
The council discussed and approved an additional step in the grant approval process for M + O, to begin in future years. For this year grants have already been vetted and will be dispersed as in previous years.
Linden Ponds Community Church welcome:
A warm welcome was extended to Reverend Dr. Barbara Therese, who began serving LPCC in early March.
Digital security and collaboration:
UCC Norwell has invested in IT and cybersecurity company Wireguided to enhance digital security and facilitate communication.
Staff are actively adopting Microsoft Teams and new communication protocols.
Staffing updates:
The Administrative Assistant position has attracted numerous applicants, and the interview process is underway.
The Music Minister search team has begun conducting Zoom interviews with promising candidates.
Digital management transition:
The council voted to move forward with Planning Center for digital management and will engage a consultant from PCOGuru to facilitate the migration from Servant Keeper, Vanco, and Sign Up Genius. The goal is to fully transition by June.
Events policy review:
The council reviewed the current events policy and discussed engaging ministry teams as sponsors for outside group meetings.
The council also discussed adding further specificity to the events policy, and affirming a 30 day minimum for requests.
60th anniversary celebration:
Betsy shared plans for the 60th Anniversary celebration in October 2025, including a dinner, a day of service, a special service, and a celebratory gala. The council supports holding the reception at Venezia Restaurant, with transportation provided.
Next meeting: March 25 at 7:00pm, Library
Please note, these are not official meeting minutes. These are highlights intended to inform and emphasize the collaborative spirit driving our church community forward in an inclusive manner. Official meeting minutes are available by request. For further details, check back in to this blog and our weekly newsletter. Keep an eye out for future meeting updates, briefly!