Minutes of the Vestry Meeting - March 21, 2016

Formation 

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
This being Monday in Holy Week, the vestry assembled in the church at 7:00 PM for a Eucharist, and then the vestry offered prayers of thanksgiving and intercession in the meeting room.

Attendance
Present: the rector Kristin Orr; the senior warden Anne Edwards, the junior warden Steve Hofer; vestry members Bob Burgwald, Rob Carrier, Alice Creason, Randy Oyster, Cynthia Turnquest, Ted Stone, Zoltan Sziky, and Hans Zigmund; the treasurer Debbi Huggett; and the clerk Susan Marquis Absent: Nichole Dailor

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Anne Edwards moved to accept the minutes from the February vestry meeting, and Cynthia Turnquest seconded. The motion passed with one abstention from someone who was not at the February meeting.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett distributed copies of the budget for 2016, which was revised last month.
The new budget shows a $2,400 loss for the year.
With 16% of the year past, we have used 18% of the budget.
There is a new account line for the ECW. The account previously was separate; now it has been brought into the general fund. The flower fund, which again existed separately, has now been renamed the Altar Guild fund.
Hans Zigmund moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report, and Bob Burgwald seconded. The motion passed.

Parochial Report
Each Episcopal parish in the United States is required to file a Parochial Report annually with the national church. The report includes statistics about membership, attendance, and finances. Copies of St. John’s report were distributed to vestry members. Pastor Orr noted that while membership is steady, attendance is down, as is the case in all mainline churches. Rob Carrier moved to approve the report, and Steve Hofer seconded. The motion passed.

Information

Rector’s Report
There was a net profit of $859 with approximately 160 people attending the Lenten Fish Fry. Proceeds will be donated to PADS. This is the beginning of Holy Week, and there are opportunities to come to church for worship every day.

Wardens’ Reports and Reports from Parish Organizations
Junior Warden Steve Hofer reported on his St. John’s church history project. He has organized the vestry minutes from 1947, 1948, and 1949 and is trying to retrieve information from 1926-1946 when church services were held first at Leavitt Avenue School and then at the Flossmoor Civic Center. Steve is planning to schedule an information-gathering meeting with Bishop Montgomery, and the undercroft display includes sheets requesting information from parishioners.

Upcoming Parish Events
Saturday, April 9th - Vestry retreat at St. John’s, beginning at 8:30-9:00 AM and ending no later than 12:30 PM

Discussions and Decisions

Review Columbarium Project and Discuss Moving Forward
Before the meeting Pastor Orr distributed copies of a narrative summary of the project especially, but not only, for new vestry members.
During a discussion of funding for the project, suggestions emerged including inviting donations outright and finding opportunities to set up memorials as well as charging for space. Pledges toward the project have been received from Bill MacAdam, Bill Braker, May Lawler, and the ECW. The vestry will need to determine what will be charged for columbarium space and for in-ground space.
Previous vestry discussions favored portions of landscape architect Scott Mehaffey’s “Concept A,” which proposed columbarium benches, hedges and other plantings, wood benches, and exposed aggregate walkways.
Steve Hofer made a motion that we enter into a contract with Mr. Mehaffey to develop drawings of the project as the vestry had previously discussed. The cost of the drawings is not to exceed $5,000. Anne Edwards seconded, and the motion was approved. Hans Zigmund moved that, with the full support of the vestry, columbarium plans and information be presented to the parish. Zoltan Sziky seconded, and the motion was approved.
Hans Zigmund moved to present to the parish the opportunity to purchase four teak benches as a way to contribute toward the project and to establish memorials. Alice Creason seconded, and the motion was approved.

Closing
Following prayer, the meeting ended at 9:42 PM. The next vestry meeting is scheduled for April 18th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the vestry

Approved, as amended:  April 18, 2016