KING

 OF  GLORY    
CONGREGATIONAL  MEETING  
April  27,  2011  
6:30  p.m.  
Good  Samaritan  Society  
 
(Reference  proposed  Constitution  and  By-­‐laws  documents)  
 
The  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer.  
 
The  By-­‐laws  and  Constitution  as  presented  at  this  point  are  drafts  and  proposals  only.    They  are  
conceptually  where  we  want  them  to  be  but  we  need  to  discuss  how  they  can  be  improved.      
 
In  all  of  our  documents,  and  functionally,  we  need  to  remember  that  Jesus  is  head  of  the  church.    We  
are  a  congregational  church  which  means  authority  rests  in  the  congregation  as  a  body.    We  propose  
that  we  have  an  Executive  Committee  made  up  of  6  members.    This  committee  would  focus  on  vision  
and  laying  out  a  long-­‐term  plan  and  policies  and  procedures.          
 
A  Trustee  Board  would  be  established  which  functions  similar  to  a  church  council  and  would  include  one  
member  of  the  Executive  Committee,  pastor(s),  Director  level  staff  and  team  leaders  from  worship,  
education,  budget,  facility  and  missions.    They  make  sure  we  have  ministry  teams  to  do  the  day-­‐to-­‐day  
operations  of  the  church.    
 
The  Executive  Committee  gives  Trustees  the  authority  to  spend  a  designated  amount  of  money.    The    
Executive  Committee  will  decide  how  much  will  be  allowed  for  Trustees  to  spend  without  approval  for  
each  item.  
 
The  pastor  is  accountable  to  the  Executive  Committee  and  ultimately  to  the  congregation.      
 
A  Deacon  Committee  will  also  be  identified  which  is  similar  to  the  Elders  at  Hope.    This  group  will  
provide  spiritual  oversight,  hospital  visits,  prayers,  general  visitation.      
 
Ministry  Teams  and  Task  Groups  will  be  identified    to  focus  on  areas  as  long  as  needed  -­‐-­‐  this  is  instead  
of  having  standing  committees.  
 
The  suggested  change  to  this  style  of  leadership  for  our  congregation  is  to  try  to  bring  continuity  to  the  
leadership  team  –  stop  turnover  of  the  leadership  team  that  is  setting  the  vision.    It  is  also  to  provide  us  
the  opportunity  to  focus  on  gift-­‐based  ministry  -­‐-­‐    have  people  involved  in  areas  where  they  have  gifts.    
The  goal  is  to  bring  together  spiritual  authority  with  practical  authority.      The  Executive  Committee  will  
work  with  a  nominating  committee  to  bring  a  single  slate  of  officers  to  the  congregation  –  70%  vote  
required.    If  it  doesn’t  pass,  then  another  candidate  needs  to  be  brought  forward.  
 
Gary  Helder  stated  that  he  likes  the  elders  function  but  is  uncomfortable  with  the  nominating  
committee  concept.    It  is  difficult  to  engage  qualified  people  and  those  willing  to  be  identified  as  
leaders.    The  Executive  Committee  might  be  a  better  source  to  do  that.    He  likes  the  calling  and  
appointing  vs.  who  is  available.    If  the  Executive  Committee  submits  a  slate  which  is  not  approved,  then  
that’s  a  sign  that  the  congregation  does  not  approve  of  the  Executive  Committee  and  it  is  a  loss  of  
confidence.    We  don’t  want  to  treat  this  as  a  democracy.      
  
Rich  stated  that  there  was  a  little  fear  that  we  were  giving  too  much  authority  to  the  Executive    
Committee.    Have  tried  to  specify  in  the  by-­‐laws  that  the  nominating  committee  is  not  a  year-­‐end  group  
only.      
 
Julie  Burnside  likes  the  concept  of  2  outgoing  members  with  3  others  who  stay  but  we  need  to  define  
the  nominating  committee.    This  is  a  weekly  thing  and  they  should  be  constantly  searching  and  talking  to  
people  to  get  that  information.    It  is  a  lot  to  put  this  on  the  Exec  Committee.      
 
Gary  Helder  –  His  experience  has  been  that  the  nominating  committee  is  people  who  aren’t  currently  
engaged  in  leadership  of  the  congregation.    He  challenges  the  congregation  to  put  more  expectations  on  
the  Executive  Committee.  
 
Julie  Burnside  –  sees  the  nominating  committee  who  are  strong  spiritually  but  not  necessarily  in  the  
business  part  of  it.      
 
Rich  and  the  team  will  look  more  closely  at  the  bylaws  and  constitution  to  be  more  specific  on  the  
nominating  committee  function.  
 
Gary  Helder  asked  where  to  find  the  spiritual  foundation    of  the  Exec  Committee.      
 
See  11.5  of  Constitution.  
 
Linda  Williams  –  is  there  a  way  to  start  out  small  with  Constitution/By-­‐laws  and  then  expand?    Can  we  
grow  in  the  nominating  committee  function  by  getting  started,  providing  members  with  training  needed  
–  what  does  it  mean  to  be  a  part  of  the  committee  –  spell  it  out  so  people  know  what  they  are  getting  
into.    Start  out  slow  and  give  people  the  tools  they  need  to  develop  into  a  stronger  unit.  
 
One  option  to  start  slow  is  if  we  take  out  the  amendment  clause  for  the  first  1  ½  years  so  it  is  easier  to  
make  changes  in  the  beginning.    We  could  add  the  amendment  clause  later.    That  decision  will  be  made    
at  the  annual  meeting.  
 
One  area  the  leadership  team  has  been  wrestling  with  is  in  the  authority  of  the  pastor.    Currently  the  
pastor’s  authority  is  pretty  limited  –  the  proposal  designates  the  pastor  would  have  authority  over  the  
staff  but  otherwise  would  be  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee.      
 
Gary  Helder.  –  Any  thought  to  establishing  the  expectations  of  a  member  of  the  constitution?  
 
Rich  did  talk  to  a  lawyer  about  removal  of  membership.    If  we  state  expectations  of  conduct,  giving,  etc.,  
and  don’t  have  a  process  for  tracking  that,  we  could  run  into  trouble.      
 
Membership  roster  –  More  authority  has  been  given  to  the  Deacon  group  to  manage  the  role.    The  
defined  process  they  will  follow  is  in  the  bylaws  –  they  do  have  authority  to  remove  people  from  the  
roster.      
 
Gary  Helder  –  Is  in  favor  of  having  the  minimum  congregational  voting  age  be  younger  than  18.    We  
confirm  our  young  people  and  then  they  get  frustrated  because  they  aren’t  actively  engaged  in  the  life  
of  the  congregation,  yet  they  really  don’t  have  any  authority.    Could  we  possibly  go  to  16  as  the  age  
requirement?      
 
Rich  stated  there  was  a  lot  of  discussion  on  this  at  the  transitional  leadership  meeting.    The  reason  to  
lower  is  if  they  are  old  enough  to  be  confirmed,  they  should  be  allowed  to  vote.    However,  they  may  not  
have  the  spiritual  maturity  needed  and  a  good  understanding  of  thinking  through  consequences  to  
decisions.    This  is  open  for  discussion  and  we  will  discuss  again  at  the  next  congregational  meeting.  
 
Monica  Heuer  –  prefers  to  stay  under  18  
 
Jake  Staples  –  If  a  young  person  is  confirmed  and  they  want  to  participate,  they  should  not  be  
discouraged  –  it  should  be  more  open.      
 
Aleen  Fisher  –  Can  we  leave  the  age  at  18  but  if  someone  younger  than  18  who  has  been  confirmed  
wants  to  participate  and  vote,  that  decision  would  be  up  to  the  Executive  Committee?    Possibly  they  can  
“interview”  them  to  determine  if  they  have  the  spiritual  maturity  needed.  
 
Julie  Burnside  –  She  thinks  that  should  be  done  at  confirmation  time.      
 
Pat  Bultsma  –  if  we  tell  the  kids  they  need  to  interview  be  approved,  there  are  adults  that  need  to  do  
this.      
 
Molly  –  when  they  leave  for  college,  will  this  encourage  them  to  remain  active  in  a  church?  
 
John  Bultsma  –  A  survey  was  done  that  tracked  confirmation  age  and  found  that  the  later  they  were  
confirmed,  the  more  active  they  were  in  church.  
 
Tom  Burnside  –  how  many  of  our  young  people  would  take  advantage  of  voting  rights?    Is  there  a  large  
enough  group  to  change  it  from  18?    As  a  teenager,  peer  pressure  was  98%  of  the  vote.      
 
Julie  Burnside  –  It  may  not  have  to  be  the  teenager  requesting  the  privilege  to  vote  –  it  may  come  from  
another  member  who  feels  the  student  is  ready.      
 
Steve  Halverson  –  what  criteria  would  you  put  on  them  to  make  the  decision?  
 
We  will  take  a  week  to  think  and  pray  about  it.      
 
Aleen  Fisher  –  Will  we  identify  basic  principles  for  how  our  congregation  should  live,  i.e.,  taking  care  of  
our  neighbors,  helping  those  in  need,  how  we  need  to  act  as  Christians  –  does  that  go  in  our  constitution  
or  bylaws  or  is  it  a  separate  thing?  
 
Gary  Helder  –  He  likes  the  idea  of  letting  our  members  know  what  is  expected  of  them.    No  one  has  ever  
asked  us  to  do  anything  as  a  requirement  of  being  a  member.  
 
Janine  Albers  –  could  that  be  brought  be  forth  with  new  members?    Has  any  discussion  been  held  as  far  
as  the  Executive  Committee  and  the  5-­‐fold  ministry  -­‐  ?????      
 
Janine  Albers  –  baptized  members  (previously  baptized  or  by  affirmation  of  faith)  –  not  everyone  has  
been  churched.    How  does  that  work?  
 
During  the  actual  service  when  they  are  received  as  members,  that  is  their  affirmation  of  faith.  
 
Budget  explanation  –  see  attached.  
 
Philosophy  behind  the  numbers:  
 
2  major  expenditures  –  facility  and  staffing.    We  assume  that  the  majority  of  our  budget  in  the  beginning  
will  be  toward  staffing.    High  level  staffing  –  low  level  facility.    We  will  get  people  active  and  set  up  solid  
staffing  and  then  focus  on  the  facility  down  the  road.    The  role  of  the  staff  will  be  to  organize  the  
ministry.    The  Directors  are  shepherds  in  a  sense  to  coordinate  people  in  a  direction  –  they  aren’t  doing  
all  the  daily  work.      
 
Gerry  Heuer  explained  the  proposed  budget  which  is  based  on  information  from  the  Save  it  Forward  
program.  
 
Warren  Reed  –  any  idea  how  many  families  we  will  start  the  church  with?  
 
Gerry  guessed  that  it  is  in  the  70-­‐80  range  based  off  Save  It  Forward  sheets.    In  doing  projections  for  
2012,  it  is  based  off  church  attendance  and  history  thus  far.    For  example,  the  trend  of  2  months  is  that  
the  giving  is  the  greatest  on  the  first  Sunday  of  the  month  which  is  taken  into  account  going  forward.      
 
On  the  budget  preparation  the  staff  expenses  are  shown  as  one  lump  sum  for  the  cost.    Projection  for  
salaries  came  from  Synod  guidelines.    We  are  counting  heavily  on  volunteers.      
 
The  hope  is  that  2012  projections  are  conservative.      
 
Steve  Halverson  -­‐  Does  NALC  have  a  pension    program  or  will  we  do  that  ourselves?    Is  ¾  time  employee  
entitled  to  benefits?  
 
We  will  do  the  benefits  ourselves.    Yes  ¾  time  employee  will  be  eligible  for  benefits.  
 
Executive  Committee  will  have  to  watch  the  finances  closely  to  determine  when  more  people  power  will  
be  needed.      
 
Marketing  /advertising  -­‐  -­‐  planned  to  do  in  August.  
 
Janine  Albers  –  if  we  get  a  lot  of  people  the  first  couple  of  Sundays,  how  do  we  handle  that?  
 
We  could  go  to  2  services  or  move  to  a  school.    If  we  do  the  2-­‐service  option,  our  costs  do  not  go  up.      
 
We  will  have  another  congregational  meeting  next  Wednesday  at  6:30  for  more  discussion.  
 
Everyone  is  asked  to  thing  about  possible  members  for  the  Executive  Committee.    Pray  about  it  and  
send  your  ideas  to  Rich  if  you  want  to  suggest  someone  else  or  if  you  are  interested.  
 
Tom  Burnside  –  thank  you  to  everyone  for  all  the  work  they  have  done  in  putting  this  together  –  
amazing!  
 
The  meeting  was  closed  with  prayer.  
 
Submitted  by,  
 
 
Aleen  Fisher