Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
As a congregation located in a unique county, our annual meeting is held the last Sunday of October. Our Constitution mandates this meeting be on that day. This year it will be held on October 30 after 9 a.m. worship. Both worship and the meeting will be held in the parking lot. This will be my 39th Annual Meeting as a Pastor. Because many of our members are not around at the end of January when most congregations hold this meeting, we meet when most of us are here. Our fiscal year is from October 1 through September 30. Someone asked me to explain how "all of this works," saying that I bet most people don't know. Here is my attempt to bring you a primer concerning these things.
Who can come to an Annual Meeting?
Anyone can come. Only members of the congregation can speak and vote, and associate members can speak but not vote.
Who are members and associate members?
They are the baptized who make a commitment to worship in this community of faith and support the ministry we share through the offering of gifts, i.e. time, talent, and financial support. Associate members are those who seek to do this but have a different primary Church home.
What is an Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting is a time to look back, celebrate what God has done with us and to look forward, anticipating what God will do with us. It's more than a business meeting. It is a gathering of the saints, entering into dialogue and offering their gifts for the sake of building up the Kingdom.
What happens at an Annual Meeting?
We come prepared. We receive an Annual Report which is mailed to each household of the congregation two weeks before the meeting. We gather for worship. It is what we do. We hear of the past year's ministry and celebrate what God has done with us. We make plans for the coming year and what God will do with us as we seek to build up God's Kingdom in Christ. We will raise up those who have answered the Call to serve as leaders of the community. We do this by electing members to the Church Council. We approve a financial plan for mission, a budget. Our offerings are given to God. The Church Council and congregation as a whole are stewards of those gifts, using them to serve this community of faith, the larger community of faith, and all of creation. We conclude with worship.
Please read further into this edition of the Epistle to learn more about the need for
Church Council members and about the Annual Meeting. Also, read the minutes and
summary of the Church Council meeting, which are found each month in the epistle.
By doing this, you become more engaged and informed concerning the ministry we
share in Christ.
In Christ,
Pastor Frank