Minutes of the Vestry Meeting - June 16, 2014

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry assembled in the church for evening prayer at 7:00 PM followed by offered prayers of thanksgiving and intercession.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were the rector, Kristin Orr; the senior warden, Bill Bestow; the junior warden, Diane Walsh-Madden; vestry members Steve Hofer, Gale Michael, Mark Moxley, Patti Pohrte, Ted Stone, Jim Whitfield, and Hans Zigmund; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis.
Vestry members Nichole Dailor and Bob DeOliveira were absent.
Two guests were present at the meeting, Sebastian Koprowski and Jim Lonergan, both of whom are architects from Product Architecture Design.

Stewardship

Minutes
Pastor Orr suggested that the minutes from May be amended regarding the motion to pay for the radiator work from the reserve fund. The addition of the parenthetical phrase “(rather than from the maintenance fund as an expense item)” will make the intent of the motion clearer to those who read the minutes in the future. Gale Michael moved that the minutes be accepted as amended. After a second by Patti Pohrte the motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that May was a good month for collections.
The recent tuckpointing project has been paid for from the Building Maintenance Fund reserve.
St. John’s donated $520 to the diocesan Places of Grace and Gladness fund drive.
The offering from Michael Soto’s June 8th concert provided $500 for The Night Ministry.
Bill Bestow made a motion to accept the treasurer’s report as presented, and Jim Whitfield seconded. The motion passed.
Gale Michael moved to establish a Special Purpose Fund for maintenance of the parish food garden. Hans Zigmund seconded, and the motion passed. 

Information

Rector’s Report
--Michael Soto’s recent organ recital was a wonderful musical event.
--Pastor Orr expressed personal thanks for the organizers and the parish support of the parish brunch that was held in honor of her tenth anniversary as rector of St. John’s.
--The rector is grateful to the Pentecost arm of the Altar Guild for their work on Pentecost decorations of the church. She heard many comments about the great “Spirit” of the day.
--The website is coming along.
--Pastor Orr was appointed to the Community Communications Commission for School District 161, which includes Parker Junior High and the Flossmoor elementary schools.
--The plumbers called and said that they will look at the two outdoor faucets that do not work.
--The Ice Cream Social is coming up, and Gale needs card tables and workers on July 3rd and 4th.
--We will be getting new lighting in the sanctuary. A private donor will cover most, if not all, of the costs. There will be new tracks with both spotlights and floodlights that will be soft-colored, dimmable LEDs. Hans Zigmund made a motion that we move forward with the lighting project, and Bill Bestow seconded. The motion passed.

Discussion and Decisions

Accessibility Project
--The vestry took a walking tour of the three levels of the building where the lift is proposed to be installed, while the architects described the work that would be done, clarified the architectural drawings, and answered questions. Once back in the meeting room, Gale Michael made a motion to approve the project plan as presented. Diane Walsh-Madden seconded, and the motion passed.
 --The architects will fine-tune the project as it progresses and will solicit bids for a contractor to oversee the work.
 --In discussion the vestry decided to make the project drawings and photos available in the undercroft for the parish to see. Gale Michael volunteered to make an announcement about the progress of the project during the 8:00 AM service next Sunday, and Bill Bestow will do the same at the 10:00 AM service.

Closing
Following prayer, the meeting concluded. The next meeting is scheduled for August 18th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis, Clerk of the Vestry

Approved August 18, 2014