Minutes of the Vestry Meeting - December 19, 2016

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the church at 7:00 PM for Evening Prayer and then reconvened in the undercroft meeting room where everyone offered prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

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

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Rob Carrier moved to accept the minutes from the November vestry meeting, and Hans Zigmund seconded. Following a vote, the motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
—Debbi Huggett corrected a formula error in the report that was distributed to the vestry. For the first eleven months of the year, the non-pledge payments should have been $28,000 rather than $42,000.
—Collections are off with 93% of year-to-date pledges collected in contrast to 2015 where 98% of year-to-date pledges were collected.
—A shortfall of $2,000 was predicted when the budget was approved, but because of lower spending, we will not end the year in the red. [Addendum 2/20/17: When the final numbers were calculated for 2016, reduced revenue resulted in a budget shortfall of approximately $3,000.]
—Overall, our finances are OK.
—Hans Zigmund moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report with the correction as noted. Bob Burgwald seconded, and the motion was approved. 

Parsonage Allowance
Steve Hofer made the following motion:
Whereas the Rev. Kristin Orr is employed as a minister of the Gospel by the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist in Flossmoor, IL, which, although providing a residence does not provide the full cost of maintaining and furnishing such a residence, the Vestry resolves that of the total compensation to be paid to the Rev. Orr during 2017, that $3,000.00 be designated a parsonage allowance within the meaning of that term as used in Section 107 of the IRS Code of 1986. This housing allowance will apply to year 2017 and all future years unless otherwise provided. Rob Carrier seconded the motion, and it passed on a vote.

Information

Rector’s Report
—Pastor Orr expressed thanks to senior warden Anne Edwards, to supply priest Shawn Schreiner, and to others who covered for her during her recent vacation.
—This year’s Christmas pageant will be a little different with the kids reading in the voices of those who were at the nativity.
—In the weeks after Christmas and before Lent, Sunday School teachers Diane Walsh-Madden and Patti Pohrte will present a 4-week curriculum on Bible awareness. Upon completion, the students will be presented with personal bibles.

Reports from Wardens and Other Parish Organizations
Anne Edwards thanked those who hand-addressed invitations to St. John’s Feast. She described tasks to be done in January and passed around a sign-up list for volunteers.

Upcoming Events
—December 24th - Christmas Eve services at 4:00 PM (pageant), 10:30 PM (music at 10:00 PM)
—December 25th - Christmas Day service at 10:00 AM
—January 6th - Epiphany service at 7:00 PM
—January 14th - Feast of St. John the Evangelist with prayer service at 4:00 PM
—January 22nd - Annual meeting in the undercroft at approximately 11:30 AM 

Discussion and Decisions

Update on Pledge Campaign
Pastor Orr commented that Anne Edwards has done a good job on “e-vangelist” pledge updates. So far, we have received 59 pledges for a total of $177,918, which is about 10 fewer pledges than at this point last year and about $10,000 less pledged than at this point last year.

Review of Budget Guidelines for 2017
Pastor Orr and Debbi Huggett prepared hand-outs to help the vestry prepare for the vestry budget meeting, which is scheduled for January 8th after the 10:00 AM service.

Closing

Following prayer, the meeting ended at 8:40 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Approved by the vestry:  February 20, 2017