All Ministry Meeting March 11, 2018

Minutes of an All Ministry Meeting & Luncheon

First Parish Congregational Church, UCC

12 Beach St, Saco, ME 04072

Date of Meeting:  Sunday, March 11, 2018             Time of Meeting: 11:31 -12:45   

Minutes Approved by Church Council:  April 9, 2018

Council Members Present (if checked)   ☒

                x    Bob Mohlin - Moderator                             x   Sorren Arneson                                Chris DiMatteo                                                                 x   Glen Ellen Roth - Vice Moderator             x   Cathy Baillargeon                              Joan Sonneborn

                     Amy Chute -Treasurer                                  x   Jamie Beals                                     x  Eric Steva

                 x   Norma Gorham - Clerk                                x   Phil Blood                                      

                 x  Rev Deborah Breault - Interim Minister   

List of Team Members and Interested Parishioners Who Attended

                    John Brockington- Facilities

                    Marsha Synder - CCMG

                    Al Sicard  - Good News

                    Lynn Siulinski- Investments

                    Norma Gorham - Money Counting

                    Phil Blood - Personnel

                    Karen Brann - Christian Ed

                    Tony Nero- Historian

                    Jane Kircher - Mission Chair

                    Jamie Beals- Hospitality

                    Nadine Russell & Daniel Carter - Diaconate

                    Martha Conlan - Flower & Altar

                    David Johnston - Music & Art

                    Tom Kircher - Program Development

                    Judy Gray - Prayer committee & Calling Committee

                    Maureen O’Donnell - Interested Member

                    Kris Galasyn - CE Director

                    Sue Burgess - Meal Ministry

                    Eric Steva - Media

                    Cathy Baillargeon - Pastor Pastoral Relations

Teams Not Represented -  Stewardship, Nominating & Volunteer Coordination

Item	Discussion	Resolution
Call Meeting to Order Opening Prayer	Bob called the meeting to order and Deborah offered the opening prayer.
Reading of Covenant	Glen Ellen read the covenant.
Review Set up of Governance Including Responsibilities of Each Team	Bob read the bylaws section on ministries as a review of the governance structure. He questioned whether we have given the structure a fair shot.  Perhaps we aren’t meeting enough. Bob shared with the group that he had recruited some new council members who are members of major teams to serve as liaisons from teams to CC.
Information	•   We are all encouraged to use the same format for taking team minutes which is available on the website.  •   At this time minutes, once approved, are to be sent to Fred Connolly at fredx2.us  to be placed on the website.
Personal Concerns	•    Lack of understanding of the vocabulary and the organizational structure of the ministry system. •    Lack of  communication among the 3 ministries. •    Not knowing what ministry a group is on •    A need to determine frequency of Ministry Meetings? •    A need to determine frequency of All-Ministry Meetings? •    Reading archival minutes is not working. Rethink.
Requests	•    Compile names and contact information for all members of each ministry, team, and group.  •    Website be completely updated. (Being worked on) •    The Program Development Team has one member.  A team?  (Bylaws say at least 3.   Pg 15)
Suggestions: Team Related	•   Each team should develop a handout describing the responsibilities of the team and member commitments.  Available in the atrium. •    Since soon to be determined recipients of Johnson Atkinson Spiritual Growth Funds will be developing new programs, they could be approached to be on the Program Development team. •    Explain the team responsibilities during Sunday service. (Did this about 2 years ago.) •    Have previously had a Team Fair on two consecutive Sundays
Suggestions Ministry Related	Ministry Related •    Have an all ministry meeting then break into individual ministries or vice versa •    Ministries meet quarterly. All-ministry meetings twice a year. •    Develop a calendar of ministry meetings for the year. •    Have the teams that make up one ministry all meet on the same night.  After a certain period of time,  the teams adjourn. Chairs and anyone else interested will gather for a ministry meeting. •    Appoint a task force to define ministry language, correct inaccuracies, schedule ministry meetings’ for the remainder of the year, and plan training sessions for members of ministries. •    Work on mastering the individual ministries before getting involved in an all-ministry meeting.
Suggested Summary of Next Steps Compilation of Details	1.      CC appoints a liaison for each ministry.  2.      Liaison works with the ministry to define their role. 3.      Build from ministry up.  No Value in All-Ministry Meetings at this point. Team members were frustrated but appeared willing to try to make the ministry concept work. Council will consider all ideas including the summary below. •  Appoint a task force. •   Clarify vocabulary and update accuracy of visuals. Are all Teams included on a ministry?  Groups? •   Schedule a ministry meeting quarterly for the rest of the year with the expectation that a chair or a rep will attend from every team (group?).                 Have someone who is well informed with the structure, develop an agenda and lead the first meeting for each ministry.  (Do not have someone with limited understanding of the process be in a leadership role.)  Model how it should be done.  Choose a chair and a secretary at the end of the first meeting.  Help with the agenda for the next meeting and be there in a support role. Work on a way to share results of each ministry meeting with the other two ministries. •   After 3 ministry meetings where guidance was provided, schedule an All-Ministry meeting to discuss results.
Review of Church Lights and Locking Procedures Dennis Burnham	After the governance meeting, Dennis met with interested persons to explain light and locking procedures	Dennis will meet with the Diaconate to discuss and demonstrate procedure.
Closing Prayer	Jamie shared a closing prayer.
Adjourn for Light Lunch	Members enjoyed a lunch and fellowship following the meeting.
	Respectfully Submitted by Norma Gorham, Clerk