Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren
Leadership Team Meeting
June 16, 2016
Present: Bill Wood, Ann Healy, Darlene LaPrade, Brad Eckard, Bill Eckard, Theresa Eckard, Deanne Dastoli, Diane Miller, Charles Wright, Joe LaPrade. Ex-officio: Dana Suter – Church Clerk. Absent: Glenn Bollinger and Donna Miller.
Bill Wood called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
Brad Eckard led the group in devotions and a prayer.
The minutes and the Treasurer’s report from last month’s meeting were approved.
Calendar Roundtable: June 18 – Father/Son Breakfast, June 25 – Men’s Fellowship Steak Dinner, July 3 – First Sunday Breakfast, July 24 – Vespers.
Ann Healy reported that the Worship Team needs volunteers to tell the Children’s Story during the worship hour.
Finance Team Update: Bill Wood reported that due to incompatibilities of schedules and procedures, Darlene would not be serving as Financial Secretary past the end of June. The Finance Team contacted a number of candidates to succeed Darlene as Financial Secretary but, in the end found no one willing to serve. Bill stated that they are looking for someone with the following characteristics: 1.) Willingness to serve; 2.) Specific time availabilities; and 3.) Computer skills. Bill asked for those present to think of individuals that meet these criteria and may be willing to serve as Financial Secretary. The Finance Team, along with Bill, Glenn, and Brad, have a proposed solution that uses a combination of volunteer and paid staff resources to get the job done—temporarily at first, but with the opportunity to learn whether it will work for a longer period. Charles reported that the Finance Team has been working on an alternate plan to reduce the number of people involved in counting the offering. Under the alternate plan, two people would place the offering in locked bags right after the service. There would be no counting at this point and the locked bags would be secured in the church office safe or taken to the bank to secure until Tuesday morning. On Tuesday morning at the church office, one volunteer would prepare the deposit with Tess present and providing clerical support entering contributions into the computer we have dedicated to this process. The deposit would then be taken to the bank. The Finance Team briefed Glenn and Tess on this proposed solution and all agreed that this is a feasible solution to getting the job done while the job of Financial Secretary is vacant. Joe LaPrade expressed concern for the person who would take over the Financial Secretary position. Joe stated that the position is too stressful, especially the way that the offering is being counted at this time. Darlene suggested counting the cash only on Sunday mornings. After hearing discussion around the table, Bill read a letter from Evy Kaye Sandin on the subject. The letter provided background from Evy Kaye’s experience as Financial Secretary for six years, Chair-Elect of the Leadership Team in 2015 and Chair in 2016. The letter outlined Evy Kaye’s perspective on history of changes in offering counting procedures. Evy Kaye recommended that a member of the Leadership Team make a motion, to be properly seconded and voted on, to abandon the counting practices of the Finance Team and to either go back to the way it has been done in the past or count the cash only after church. Under this recommendation, the current Financial Secretary would then be reinstated. Bill asked if there was support to have Darlene and one other person count only the cash after church. Theresa made a motion to put in place a plan, effective immediately, that only the cash would be counted after church and to look at a proposal the Finance Team is working on at the present time to have implemented by the September LT meeting. Charles seconded the motion. A ballot vote was taken and the motion passed with seven yes votes and one no vote. Charles stated as a point of information that the Finance Team will have identified two persons by that time to be volunteer counting partners to count the offering with the Financial Secretary. This will greatly reduce the number of people involved in counting the offering.
New Business: Bill reported that he was informed the church has two Certificates of Deposit due for renewal-one in June 2016 and the other in June 2017. After a brief discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of staggered renewals, Bill made a motion that the Leadership Team request the Finance Team to renew the one CD for one year. With both CD’s up for renewal in June 2017, this would allow next year’s Leadership Team to evaluate alternatives for these funds. Charles seconded the motion and the motion passed.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:51 pm.
The next Leadership Team meeting is July 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Dana Suter
Church Clerk