Minutes of Vestry Meeting - April 15, 2013

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry assembled in the church for evening prayer at 7:00 PM. The group then gathered in the undercroft meeting room and offered prayers of thanksgiving and intercession.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were: the rector, Kristin Orr; the senior warden, Audrey Ongman; the junior warden, Bill Bestow; vestry members Candice Barrera, Bob Berner, Anne Edwards, Steve Hofer, Greg Lawrence, Gale Michael, Mark Moxley, and Patti Pohrte; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Vestry member Jim Whitfield was absent.

Parish Stewardship

Approval of the Minutes from the March Meeting
Audrey Ongman moved to approve the minutes from the March vestry meeting. Anne Edwards seconded, and the motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that income for the first quarter is slightly above the year-to-date budget. As has been the case recently, this is largely due to the unspent salary dollars from reduced time for hourly staff and the unfilled Christian Education Director position. We did incur some unbudgeted maintenance expenses including replacement of the rectory refrigerator, replacement and repair of the Atrium picture window, replacement of the boiler pump, and repair of a leak in the Guild Room. Our insurance premium also was about a thousand dollars greater than expected. Gale Michael made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report. Greg Lawrence seconded, and the motion was carried.

Rector’s Discretionary Account Report
Pastor Orr distributed copies of the Rector’s Discretionary Fund Report for the first quarter of 2013 and announced that the bank has stopped applying services fees to that account. Steve Hofer made a motion stating that the vestry had received the report. After a second by Mark Moxley, the motion was approved.

Information

 Rector’s Report
--Pastor Orr encouraged all to sign up for the electronic newsletter from the diocese.
--The diocese will offer a summer camp for kids ages 7-17.
--There was some minor vandalism to our property on Saturday night, April 13th. Three of the eight carriage lights that line the sidewalk were either broken or disturbed.
--The Rev. Wayne Carlson, recently retired rector of Holy Family in Park Forest, died suddenly. Please support the people of Holy Family.
--Thanks to Pat Smith Huntoon for her role in developing a youth Stations of the Cross this year.
--Pastor Orr will be on vacation from July 16th to August 6th. Fr. Chuck Hensel will be our supply priest for the three Sundays in this period.
--The diocesan convention did not adjourn last November; rather, it was suspended in order to facilitate coming back together to vote on the reunion of the Diocese of Quincy with the Diocese of Chicago. The vote will take place on June 8th.
--Pastor Orr distributed diocesan guidelines on clergy sabbaticals. While she does not have specific plans for a sabbatical at this time, she does expect to formulate plans. The earliest that she would take a sabbatical would be a year from now with a projected duration of one to three months.

Wardens’ Reports and/or Reports from Parish Organizations 
Audrey Ongman reported that she had someone come in to look at the chair lifts. They were judged to have been made circa 1945. They are safe and secure, but it no longer is possible to get repair parts for them. She further reported that some loose floor tiles have been glued down, and the rugs in the nursery and Guild Room will be cleaned next week. Bill Bestow encouraged everyone to make an effort to meet newcomers at coffee hour, and Audrey added that new volunteers are needed to host coffee hour. Bill noted that PADS volunteers are needed for next year.

Upcoming Parish Events 
April 21 – the Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows from the diocesan office will visit St. John’s. She will preach at both services and hold a discussion forum between services.
May 5 – Blue Jeans Sunday. Parishioners are invited to dress casually for church and then help lay down mulch on the church property after the 10:00 service.
May 9 – Ascension Day. There will be a Eucharist at 7:00 PM.
May 11 – Vestry retreat at church. The retreat will start at about 9:00 AM and finish at about 12:30 PM.
May 19 – Pentecost, last day of Sunday School

Discussion and Decisions 
Patti Pohrte reported on the activities of the vestry accessibility subcommittee. Patti, along with Mark Moxley, Cyndie Knoll, and Kristin Orr met for discussion of the project. Mark will contact the Episcopal Church Foundation for funding information. Pastor Orr will keep in touch with Barry Berg, a former parishioner and architect who has an interest in helping. Patti, who also is an architect, will look at the plans; and the committee will reconvene in a couple of weeks.

Closing 
Following prayer, the meeting ended at 8:25 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for May 20th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis Clerk of the Vestry

Approved:  May 20, 2013