Announcements for December 3rd

Practicing Our Faith Book Club

In December, the Practicing Our Faith Book Club is reading Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life by Joan Chittister, a book that "explores the concerns of modern life, of the overworked mind and hurting heart." The book club will meet on Thursday, December 21 at 7:00pm in the Guild Room to discuss the book. New members are always welcome!

Respond Now

The Daughters of the King are collecting personal items for the men and women that receive assistance through Respond Now. Suggestions: soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, deodorant, etc. Both full and travel-size are needed.

Bible Study/Fellowship Group

This Bible study group will meet at members' houses for a pot luck dinner and fellowship once a month. Kids are welcome! The first meeting will be in January. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mary VanSwol, and state whether you prefer Saturday or Sunday from 5-7 pm. An official time will be announced closer to the date.

Wednesday Update

The Wednesday Eucharists meet at 9 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., Fr. Mike will lead a weekly bible study class. This is an all-parish class for both men and women. If you can, please bring your own NRSV bible, but don’t worry if you forget or don’t have one.

Small Group Surveys

Please take a few minutes and fill out the small group availability form located in the Sunday leaflet.  Each small group will last for approximately 90 minutes. You can place the form in the offering plate or give it to a search committee member.

Cookie Walk – December 2^nd

Get out your baking supplies and whip up a few batches of homemade goodies because St. John’s will be having its annual Cookie Walk on December 2^nd from 9:00-11:30 a.m.! Please bring the cookies and candies to the undercroft on Friday, December 1^st between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and sign in so we know who to thank. If you aren’t baking this year, you can contact Alison Deniston to help out with set up or cleanup of the undercroft.

Outdoor Altar Tiles

During the cookie walk, there will be an opportunity for parishioners and visitors to donate and receive an original outdoor altar tile from around the Columbarium.

Announcements for November 26th

The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education

The Vestry of St. John’s has begun a preliminary conversation with The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education, a 501 C-3 non-profit corporation dedicated to helping people with motor disorders. This includes people of all ages with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and other motor dysfunction like stroke victims. This past summer the Center offered a 4 week “summer camp” for the first time in the Homewood / Flossmoor area. As a result, these preliminary conversations began after The Center for Independence approached St. John’s as they began looking for a location in the area that would best fit their needs. We would like our members to join us in exploring whether or not this program would be a good fit for St. John’s and our outreach within our greater community. We look forward to having more conversations about the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education in the coming months. If you would like more information about this conversation, please contact a vestry member and look for announcements regarding future meetings. Your input is anticipated and appreciated by the Vestry. They have a wonderful website where you can get more information on their program and services. www.center-for-independence.org.

  

Practicing Our Faith Book Club

In December, the Practicing Our Faith Book Club is reading Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life by Joan Chittister, a book that "explores the concerns of modern life, of the overworked mind and hurting heart." The book club will meet on Thursday, December 21 at 7:00pm in the Guild Room to discuss the book. New members are always welcome!

Respond Now

The Daughters of the King are collecting personal items for the men and women that receive assistance through Respond Now. Suggestions: soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, deodorant, etc. Both full and travel-size are needed.

Christmas Basket Program

Just a reminder that this year’s deadline for dropping off the Christmas Baskets at St. John’s will be no later than Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

Bible Study/Fellowship Group

This Bible study group will meet at members' houses for a pot luck dinner and fellowship once a month. Kids are welcome! The first meeting will be in January. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mary VanSwol, and state whether you prefer Saturday or Sunday from 5-7 pm. An official time will be announced closer to the date.

Wednesday Update

The Wednesday Eucharists meet at 9 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., Fr. Mike will lead a weekly bible study class. This is an all-parish class for both men and women. If you can, please bring your own NRSV bible, but don’t worry if you forget or don’t have one.

Small Group Surveys

Please take a few minutes and fill out the small group availability form located in the Sunday leaflet.  Each small group will last for approximately 90 minutes. You can place the form in the offering plate or give it to a search committee member.

Cookie Walk – December 2^nd

Get out your baking supplies and whip up a few batches of homemade goodies because St. John’s will be having its annual Cookie Walk on December 2^nd from 9:00-11:30 a.m.! Please bring the cookies and candies to the undercroft on Friday, December 1^st between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and sign in so we know who to thank. If you aren’t baking this year, you can contact Alison Deniston to help out with set up or cleanup of the undercroft.

Announcements for November 19th

The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education

The Vestry of St. John’s has begun a preliminary conversation with The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education, a 501 C-3 non-profit corporation dedicated to helping people with motor disorders. This includes people of all ages with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and other motor dysfunction like stroke victims. This past summer the Center offered a 4 week “summer camp” for the first time in the Homewood / Flossmoor area. As a result, these preliminary conversations began after The Center for Independence approached St. John’s as they began looking for a location in the area that would best fit their needs. We would like our members to join us in exploring whether or not this program would be a good fit for St. John’s and our outreach within our greater community. We look forward to having more conversations about the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education in the coming months. If you would like more information about this conversation, please contact a vestry member and look for announcements regarding future meetings. Your input is anticipated and appreciated by the Vestry. They have a wonderful website where you can get more information on their program and services. www.center-for-independence.org.

Thanksgiving Day Service —November 23^rd at 10:00 am. Lector is Andrea Barrera. LEM is Kristy Petersen.

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Practicing Our Faith Book Club

In December, the Practicing Our Faith Book Club is reading Between the Dark and the Daylight: Embracing the Contradictions of Life by Joan Chittister, a book that "explores the concerns of modern life, of the overworked mind and hurting heart." The book club will meet on Thursday, December 21 at 7:00pm in the Guild Room to discuss the book. New members are always welcome!

Respond Now

The Daughters of the King are collecting personal items for the men and women that receive assistance through Respond Now. Suggestions: soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, deodorant, etc. Both full and travel-size are needed.

Christmas Basket Program

St. John’s is once again participating in the ReVive Center for Housing and Healing’s Christmas Basket Program. We are asking parishioners and church organizations to please volunteer and sponsor a family to provide them with a merry and memorable Christmas. Sign-up sheets and family packets are available in the undercroft. This year’s deadline for dropping off the Christmas Baskets at St. John’s will be no later than Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

Bible Study/Fellowship Group

This Bible study group will meet at members' houses for a pot luck dinner and fellowship once a month. Kids are welcome! The first meeting will be in January. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mary VanSwol, and state whether you prefer Saturday or Sunday from 5-7 pm. An official time will be announced closer to the date.

Wednesday Update

The Wednesday Eucharists meet at 9 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., Fr. Mike will lead a weekly bible study class. This is an all-parish class for both men and women. If you can, please bring your own NRSV bible, but don’t worry if you forget or don’t have one.

Small Group Surveys

Please take a few minutes and fill out the small group availability form located in the Sunday leaflet.  Each small group will last for approximately 90 minutes. You can place the form in the offering plate or give it to a search committee member.

Lynn Ruschhaupt would like to add a thank you to the landscaping crew that worked on the front and back yards of the Rectory. Their hard work is much appreciated in helping us keep our grounds looking their best!

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- September 18, 2017

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the guild room at 7:00 PM starting with Evening Prayer and followed by prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Mike Bond, Bob Burgwald, Alice Creason, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, and Mary VanSwol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were vestry members Rob Carrier, Cynthia Turnquest, and Zoltan Sziky.

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Bob Burgwald moved to accept the minutes from the August meeting with a correction regarding a materials substitution for the columbarium walkway. Shirley Reilly seconded, and the motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that revenue is pacing a tiny bit ahead of expectations. Year-to-date expenses have been less than expected, largely due to the open rector’s position. Mary VanSwol moved to accept the treasurer’s report; and, after a second by Bob Burgwald, the motion passed.

Information, Discussion, and Decisions

Letter Tiles
Steve Hofer has collected old tile squares with embossed letters from the columbarium area and suggested that they could be auctioned at the next annual parish meeting.

Parish Photos
Steve Hofer, Debbi Huggett, and Anne Edwards continue taking pictures for St. John’s Facebook page.

Interim Update
Greg Lawrence spoke with Fr. Mike Dwyer last week. Greg asked the vestry to contact the wardens or the church office with ideas concerning what the interim might need to know about what goes on at St. John’s in November and December. Alice Creason asked about combining the usual three Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services into, perhaps, two services since attendance is low; and the choir would like to have a less hectic schedule. This will be determined after Fr. Dwyer arrives. Greg has figured out how to make the lapel microphone work for use during sermons as Fr. Dwyer requested.

New Plant Watering
There are new plants and grass seed around the outdoor altar area that need to be watered every three days. Shirley Reilly moved to put a notice in the “e-vangelist” asking for help and to put a sign-up sheet in the undercroft. Alice Creason seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Columbarium Project Payment
Payment for the columbarium work may come due before promised contributions come in. Debbi Huggett suggested that a $7,500 contribution that she and Frank made to the accessibility fund in memory of her father be transferred to the columbarium fund. Alice Creason moved to transfer $7,500 from the accessibility fund to the columbarium fund on a temporary basis to cover the bills due. After a second by Shirley Reilly, the motion was approved.

Columbarium Sub-Committee
Greg Lawrence suggested that the vestry appoint a columbarium sub-committee to work on issues such as urn size, plaques, burial charges, and so forth. The vestry will re-visit this issue at the October meeting.

Interim Contract
The senior warden said that Andrea Mysen and Bishop Lee have signed the contract with Fr. Mike Dwyer.

Convention Delegates
Greg Lawrence presented a slate of delegates for the November diocesan convention. They are: Steve Hofer, Sue O’Brien, and Shirley Reilly as delegates, and Gale Michael, Don Rubins, and Doris Sheffer as alternates. Mary VanSwol moved to accept the slate, and Bob Burgwald seconded. The motion was approved.

Stair Treads
Steve Hofer reported that he has received three bids and is expecting one or two more on the repair work to the treads on the north stairs to the undercroft. The bid amounts vary from $4,000 to $5,300. Steve is more impressed with the work described by the higher bidders. Shirley Reilly moved that Steve should determine the most qualified company and arrange for the work to be
done at a cost not to exceed $5,500. Mike Bond seconded, and the motion passed.

Columbarium Consecration
Greg Lawrence said that the vestry would come back to the issue of a columbarium/consecration date.

Church Credit Card
Shirley Reilly, the person who does most of the supply purchasing for the church, noted that we need a corporate credit card for the church. Pastor Orr cancelled the previous one. Shirley offered to investigate deals, rates, and cash back for various cards.

Center for Independence Through Conductive Education
Greg Lawrence, Steve Hofer, Cynthia Turnquest, and Mike Bond met with the executive director and the south/southwest project manager for the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education. They are looking for space in our building to run their program. They ruled out the atrium, although they may want to use the atrium kitchen or the undercroft kitchen sometimes. They would like to use the office at the south end of the education wing, the adult education classroom for therapy, and the high school room as a waiting room, as well as hallways and stairways. For now, they expect there to be five to six children and three adults. They want more space (how much was not reported) for a portion of the summer for a summer camp involving about 40 children.
There was a discussion about what effects this move would have on the functioning and finances of our church.
The diocesan treasurer told Greg that the church insurance company covers liability on the property and that the church needs to have a Hold Harmless agreement with those who use the facilities.
The Flossmoor city council planning committee needs to approve a variance for building use. Steve Hofer made a motion to write a letter to the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education facility in Countryside requesting financial information, new construction accommodation needs, and equipment information. Mike Bond seconded the motion, and it was approved.

Closing

The meeting ended with prayer at 9:35 PM. The next vestry meeting is scheduled for October 16th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- August 21, 2017

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the guild room at 7:00 PM starting with Evening Prayer and followed by prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Mike Bond, Bob Burgwald, Alice Creason, Cynthia Turnquest, and Mary VanSwol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were vestry members Rob Carrier, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, and Zoltan Sziky.

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Bob Burgwald made a motion to accept the vestry minutes from the meeting on July 31st. Mary VanSwol seconded, and the motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
Treasurer Debbi Huggett reported that collections have been continuing as expected, even in the absence of a rector. Expenses have been lower since we are paying only for supply priest work on Sundays rather than a full-time rector’s salary with pension and health benefits. Mary VanSwol moved to accept the treasurer’s report, and Bob Burgwald seconded. The motion was approved.

Information

Wardens’ Reports
Steve Hofer reported on several projects that he has completed. In the guild room, the plaques on the picture frames that were missing dates of service for two rectors now have been engraved. The carpets in the guild room and the rector’s office have been cleaned, and the missing letters on the parish office sign, which is on the lamp post by the Leavitt Street sidewalk, have been replaced. Tomorrow, Steve will get another bid for repair work on the treads on the north undercroft stairs.

Greg Lawrence has talked with Andrea Mysen from the diocesan office about hiring Fr. Michael Dwyer as our interim rector, which she approved with all diocesan standards having been met. The wardens have a letter of agreement drawn up. Bob Burgwald moved to approve the agreement, and Mary VanSwol seconded. The motion passed, and Fr. Dwyer will begin his work at St. John’s on November 1st.

Discussion and Decisions

Columbarium
Debbi Huggett presented an update on the columbarium project’s progress. The exposed aggregate color that the vestry subcommittee had chosen for the walkways is not available, so a substitution is necessary, and it could involve a change in color and/or material. There were no vestry objections to this change.

Rector Search Process
Greg Lawrence reported that the search committee is working on gathering data on the parish by means of the Church Assessment Tool (CAT) survey, which requires funding. Cynthia Turnquest made a motion to approve $500 for the CAT survey interpretation. Steve Hofer seconded, and the motion passed. On September 10th, the search committee will set up computers in church that parishioners can use to fill out the survey. The survey also can be completed at home on personal computers. The vestry and search committee will meet together with Andrea Mysen on October 10th or 11th to go over the interpretation of the collected CAT data.

Sunday School
Greg Lawrence noted that there have been volunteers to teach the preschool class, and Cyndi Knoll will be leading confirmation class for the junior high group. Teachers still are needed for the intermediate class.

Brochure
Bryan Burke developed a brochure about St. John’s that will be available at SWIFT (South West Inter-Faith Team) events. Greg Lawrence passed around a mock-up of the brochure for the vestry to see.

T-Shirts
Glynis Keene has contacted the senior warden about ordering and selling t-shirts printed with St. John’s information that could be worn, for example, to the Fun Run sponsored by the Homewood-Flossmoor schools. The shirts could raise some funds for the church as well as advertise the church in the community. With no objections coming from the vestry, Greg will tell Glynis to go ahead with her plans.

Center for Independence Through Conductive Education
A person from the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education approached Cynthia Turnquest about the possibility of our renting space to them. They were in an office building in Homewood until recently and are looking for a new location for their weekday program of classes for people of all ages with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. There are many unknowns at this point. Mary VanSwol made a motion for the vestry to investigate this further, and Steve Hofer seconded. The motion passed with one abstention. Cynthia Turnquest and Mike Bond will gather more information and report to the vestry next month.

Additional Wardens’ Reports
Looking forward to a new rector, Steve Hofer said that the Art Corner in Homewood has frames for $75 that match the frames around the pictures of the rectors on the guild room wall. Steve salvaged some bricks from the outdoor altar to sell at auction some time in the future. The office has several databases for different mailings. Steve talked with the office manager about updating the lists.

Closing

The meeting ended at 9:05 PM. The next vestry meeting is scheduled for September 19th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- July 31, 2017

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the Guild Room at 7:00 PM starting with Evening Prayer and followed by prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Mike Bond, Bob Burgwald, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, and Mary VanSwol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were vestry members Rob Carrier, Alice Creason, Cynthia Turnquest, and Zoltan Sziky. Members of the Search Committee joined the vestry for only the evening prayer session before leaving to conduct their own meeting.

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Shirley Reilly moved to approve the minutes from the July 17th vestry meeting, and Mary VanSwol seconded. The motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
There was no formal treasurer’s report since the report for the month of July was covered at the meeting on July 17th, but Debbi Huggett noted that she has created two additional accounts to cover the Search Committee and Interim Priest categories.

Information

Wardens’ Reports and Reports from Parish Organizations
—Steve Hofer is looking into re-working the sign on the lamp post that should say “Parish Office” but is missing some letters.
—Also missing are the leaving dates on the plates attached to the photos of two rectors on the guild room wall. Steve has been researching the costs of engraving these dates.

Discussion and Decisions

Landscaping
The vestry discussed various landscaping needs around the church, excluding the columbarium area. There is overgrowth of plants around the entrance by the parish office, the hedges around the sidewalks and alley on the south lawn need to be cut low or removed, there are some high limbs on trees that are dead and need to be removed, and the trees around the flagpole may need to be removed. Greg Lawrence has received one bid on the hedge work. Mary VanSwol moved to enable Randy Oyster to get estimates for the above-mentioned landscaping work with the help of Harold Keene and Lynn Ruschhaupt. Steve Hofer seconded, and the motion was approved.

Carpets and Stairs
Steve Hofer received an estimate of $241.50 for carpet cleaning in the guild room and carpet and furniture cleaning in the rector’s office. The guild room cleaning would involve lifting the carpet and cleaning the pad underneath in order to prevent the stains from rising up through the carpet again. Mary VanSwol moved to have the cleaning done as proposed, and Bob Burgwald seconded. The vestry approved the motion. Steve also got an estimate for repairing the stair treads on the north staircase to the undercroft. Depending on the quality of materials used, the cost would run between $2,800 and $3,800. The vestry decided that at least one more estimate is necessary before making a decision.

Office Manager
The last day that the office manager, Betsy Sloan, will work is this Thursday, August 20th. Last Wednesday, Sarah Lawrence, daughter of Greg Lawrence, started training to take over the job. Because of Sarah’s family relationship with the senior warden, Shirley Reilly made a motion that junior warden Steve Hofer would be Sarah’s supervisor. Bob Burgwald seconded, and the motion passed with one abstention from Steve Hofer.

Parish Photos
Greg Lawrence suggested that parishioner photos in a directory would be a good idea since we will have new clergy and since we have not had a photo directory for some time. The vestry discussed compiling the directory soon or waiting until a new rector is in place. No decisions were made.

Columbarium
Debbi Huggett reported that the columbarium construction project is underway. She has done a census and discovered that 134 people are interred, and 22 more have reservations. The four teak benches have arrived, and the vestry will need to determine whether or not to make them available for memorial naming rights, and if so, how much to charge. Debbi will determine with the contractor how far the aggregate walkway will extend toward the public sidewalk.

Opening and Closing the Church
Greg Lawrence distributed a three-page checklist of items to do when opening and closing the church on Sunday. Vestry opening and closing volunteers have signed up for dates through the end of August.

Interim
Greg Lawrence spoke with Director of Ministries Andrea Mysen, who suggested that we offer an interim priest a salary of $45,000 to $55,000. Greg Lawrence spoke on the phone with one of the interim candidates and discovered that there would be timing difficulties for him in taking this position. Greg is continuing to set up interviews.

Convention Delegates
St. John’s must submit the names of three delegates and three substitutes to the diocesan convention by September 30th. Greg will ask former delegates and substitutes if they are interested in attending the convention again this November.

Closing

The meeting ended with prayer at 8:55 PM. The next meeting is scheduled for August 21st.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- July 17, 2017

Formation

Evening Prayer and Thanksgiving & Prayer Requests
The vestry met in the Guild Room at 7:00 PM starting with Evening Prayer and followed by prayers of intercession and thanksgiving.

Attendance
Present at the meeting were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Bob Burgwald, Alice Creason, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, Cynthia Turnquest, and Mary VanSwol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett, and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were vestry members Mike Bond, Rob Carrier, and Zoltan Sziky. Search Committee co-chairs, Donna Blackburn and Tracie Moxley were present for the first few minutes of the meeting when Search Committee issues were discussed.

Parish Stewardship I

Minutes from the June Meeting
Shirley Reilly moved to approve the June 19th vestry meeting minutes, and Mary VanSwol seconded. The motion was approved.

Information

Wardens’ Reports
— Steve Hofer announced that the groundbreaking for the columbarium project is set for Monday, July 24th.
— Steve arranged for a cost estimate to replace stair treads on the north stairs to the undercroft. The estimate is scheduled for Wednesday, July 26th. On Thursday, July 27th, a carpet cleaning company will come out to do an estimate of carpet and furniture cleaning.
— On Sunday, July 16th, the vestry met to choose Search Committee members from among those parishioners who volunteered to be on the committee. Greg Lawrence announced that he had contacted all of those chosen, and all agreed to serve. The committee consists of co-chairs Donna Blackburn and Tracie Moxley, and members Bill Bestow, Stuart Creason, Anne Edwards, Jayne Goode, Glynis Keene, Tom Senesac, and Eric Turnquest. Before next Sunday, Greg Lawrence will contact those who volunteered but were not chosen in order to tell them about the vestry’s decision and thank them for their willingness to serve. Mary VanSwol made a motion to accept the members of the committee, and the motion was seconded by Steve Hofer and approved by the vestry.
— Greg will notify Andrea Mysen at the diocesan office that the committee has been approved. The committee will be commissioned at both the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM services on July 30th.
—Greg distributed a letter of resignation from the office manager, Betsy Sloan. Greg will meet with her on Wednesday to determine her last day, then he will advertise the position, giving parishioners a chance to apply for, or recommend a candidate for, the position. Alice will send out an e-blast to inform the parish.

Parish Stewardship II

Treasurer’s Report
The treasurer reported that the parish looks like it is in better shape than it is because some funds came in late for Pastor Orr’s “purse” but have not yet been forwarded to her, one pledge was paid for the remaining six months of the year, and there may be some outstanding expenses for the Ice Cream Social and Farewell Brunch. The planning committee for the brunch, all of whom were at the meeting, stated that they were not turning in any of their expense receipts. Debbi reported that the approximately $4,000 remaining in the Vicki O’Neill gift after paying for the new missal stand will be deposited in the Endowment Fund. The $15,000 that the ECW donated to the columbarium project will be reclassified from the ECW account to the columbarium fund. Other pledged donors for the columbarium (Braker, Lawler, and MacAdam) have been contacted to request their checks. Steve Hofer moved to accept the treasurer’s report, and Alice Creason seconded. The motion was approved.

Discussion and Decisions

Columbarium Project
Debbi Huggett reported that the Pat Baker garden of prairie plants near the pathway will remain intact, but a couple of large trees must be removed. Cynthia Turnquest volunteered to enlarge two copies of the columbarium plans to poster size for
placement in the undercroft and the foyer near the columbarium. Frank So and Debbi Huggett will be available at coffee hour on Sunday to discuss the plans with any interested parishioners.

Opening and Closing the Church
Greg Lawrence passed around a sign-up sheet for vestry members to volunteer either to unlock or lock the church on Sundays for the remainder of the summer. The church should be unlocked no later than 7:30 AM.

Fourth of July Ice Cream Social Report
The Ice Cream Social broke even financially thanks to parish cash donations to cover expenses. The vestry discussed having one balloon twister next year rather than two since there were not enough kids to keep two twisters consistently busy.

Letter to Kristin Orr
Steve Hofer crafted a letter of appreciation to Pastor Orr, and vestry members signed it.

Feedback on Supply Priest
Parish response to the supply priest has been positive.

Interim Priest
The diocese sent Greg information on three candidates for our interim rector. There are obstacles with all three involving such things as timing, housing, salary, and distance. The vestry will continue discussing this issue at the next meeting.

Other Discussion Not on the Agenda
— Shirley Reilly announced that Sue Buckman would like to fund the purchase of a dozen new lightweight tables for the undercroft in memory of her late husband, Jim. Shirley has contacted ministries that might be interested in taking and moving the old tables. We do not yet have a proposal for specific replacement tables, and no motion was made to make a purchase yet.
— Shirley Reilly said that our dishwasher is expensive to service, and it is hard to find someone who is qualified to service it. She will check prices on replacement models. At present, our dishwasher is working, and it has the advantage of short cycles, allowing for fast clean-up after coffee hour or a special event.
— Shirley and Lynn Ruschhaupt have looked at the gardens around the church that will need weeding this season and have suggested that the areas be divided into sections and that parishioners can volunteer to care of specific sections. Cynthia Turnquest made a motion to ask parishioners to care of portions of church grounds, and Alice Creason seconded. The motion was
approved.
— The vestry was reminded to keep thinking about possibilities for a fundraising event, possibly to be held this fall.
— Mary VanSwol suggested that the number of Christmas services be reduced. This issue can be re-visited after the interim rector is installed.
— Greg Lawrence suggested that there is a need for a building and grounds vestry subcommittee, and Randy Oyster volunteered to be in charge of the committee, the members of which have not yet been determined.

Closing

Following prayer, the meeting ended at 9:35 PM. Because there are many issues to decide this summer, the vestry will meet again in two weeks, July 31st, at 7:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- June 19, 2017

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 at the meeting were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Mike Bond, Bob Burgwald, Alice Creason, Cynthia Turnquest, and Mary Van Swol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett, and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were vestry members Rob Carrier, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, and Zoltan Sziky. Parishioner Frank So was present to speak about the columbarium project.

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Mary VanSwol moved that the minutes from the May meeting be accepted. Cynthia Turnquest seconded, and the motion was approved with one abstention from a vestry member who was not present at last month’s meeting.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that our revenue collection is fine according to our current budget, although May collections fell off by $7,000. Our expenses look artificially low due to payment timing issues. This should resolve next month. The checking account balance has been reduced by about $25,000 after we made deposits for the columbarium and concrete work that will start soon. Donations were accepted and deposited for Pastor Orr’s parting “purse” gift, and then a check was issued to her for approximately $3,600. Mary VanSwol moved to accept the treasurer’s report. Steve Hofer seconded the motion, and the vestry approved it.

Wardens’ Reports and Reports from Parish Organizations
—Steve Hofer led evening prayer for the vestry tonight, and he will continue doing so in future months.
—Greg Lawrence announced that he has arranged for supply priests through October 25th.

The Rev. Andrea Mysen, Director of Ministries for the diocese, will celebrate the Eucharists on June 25th, and the Rev. Nicholas Romans will celebrate on July 23rd. All other Sundays will be covered by the Rev. Jim Caldwell. The office manager will electronically send the “e-vangelist” and the weekly bulletin to the Rev. Caldwell every Thursday.

Upcoming Parish Events
July 4th — St. John’s holds the annual community ice cream social from 10:00 AM until noon (with help needed before and after).

Discussion and Decisions
 
Interim Rector
The senior warden has spoken with Andrea Mysen at the diocesan office about candidates for our interim rector. Andrea has given us the names of three candidates, and the vestry will chose from among them. Greg asked the vestry to let the wardens know about questions they have, and he will ask Andrea about the question of what to do about providing the rectory vs. providing a housing allowance.

Search Committee
Greg Lawrence opened a discussion about the process of setting up the rector search committee. We need co-chairs and about six others to serve. They should be people the parish trusts and people with good judgment, spirituality, and understanding of the the fabric of the parish. The vestry decided that the wardens would choose the chairs, and the vestry as a whole would choose the members of the committee. Greg asked the vestry to submit three or four names of co-chair possibilities to him by this Sunday (June 25th).

Columbarium
Parishioners Frank So and Debbi Huggett will oversee the columbarium construction as on-site supervisors. The project is to break ground in early to-mid July. St. John’s has issued deposits to the construction and concrete companies. Before she left, Pastor Orr contacted people who earlier agreed to donate to the project, and they are submitting their donation money. Mark Moxley, through his landscape supply company, is providing materials at a low cost; and he will suggest vendors for the purchase of four teak benches. Mary VanSwol moved to delegate the authority to choose the benches to Frank and Debbi. Cynthia Turnquest seconded, and the motion was approved.

Letter to Pastor Orr from the vestry
The agenda item regarding the vestry writing a letter of thanks to Pastor Orr was mentioned but not discussed.

Fire alert system
This agenda item was tabled until next month’s meeting.

Visit to the rectory
At some point the vestry will need to tour the rectory to see what needs to be done before someone else takes residence. A date will be decided later.

July meetings
Because the vestry has some time-sensitive decisions to make, Greg Lawrence suggested that there be two meetings in July. Steve Hofer moved that the vestry meet on the Mondays of July 17th and July 31st, both at 7:00 PM. Alice Creason seconded, and the motion was approved.

Garden
Ted Stone has been watering the vegetable garden. Steve Hofer will talk with Ted about continuing the watering. Debbi Huggett and Shirley Reilly have volunteered to harvest the vegetables that then will be donated to the local food pantry.

Website
Alice Creason is the new webmaster for St. John’s website (www.st.johns-flossmoor.org).

Closing

The meeting ended at 9:00 PM. The next vestry meeting is scheduled for July 17th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting -- May 15, 2017

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 at the meeting were the rector, Kristin Orr; the junior warden, Steve Hofer; vestry members Mike Bond, Bob Burgwald, Randy Oyster, Shirley Reilly, Zoltan Sziky, Cynthia Turnquest, and Mary VanSwol; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Absent were the senior warden, Greg Lawrence, and vestry members Rob Carrier and Alice Creason.

Parish Stewardship

Minutes
Mary VanSwol moved that the minutes from the April meeting be accepted. Shirley Reilly seconded, and the motion was approved.

Treasurer’s Report
Debbi Huggett reported that over the past month collections were ahead of budget expectations, although Easter collections lagged behind past years. Expenses seem lower because some bills, such as for insurance and pension, have not yet come in. Bills were paid for snow removal services for December through March and for repair of the radiator in the guild room. The Lenten Fish Fry cleared just under $750.

Shirley Reilly moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report for April, and Steve Hofer seconded. The motion was approved.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund
The vestry received copies of the Rector’s Discretionary Fund Report for the first quarter of 2017. There were no deposits and no disbursements. Mary VanSwol made a motion stating that the vestry received the report. Bob Burgwald seconded, and the motion passed.

O’Neill Bequest
The rector and Altar Guild directress explored the options for a new missal stand for the altar and discovered it would cost approximately $1,000. Because Vicki O’Neill was a longtime and devoted Altar Guild member, this is a fitting memorial to her. The remaining bequest of approximately $4,000 would be added, by default, to the endowment fund. Mary VanSwol moved that we spend some of the bequest money for a new missal stand. Randy Oyster seconded, and the motion passed.

Information

Rector’s Report
Prior to the meeting, Pastor Orr distributed a guide from the Diocese of Chicago, on leave-taking for clergy. The vestry discussed various points from this guide and leave-taking plans in general.
—The rector’s last day at St. John’s will be Sunday, June 18th.
—Her last day on the payroll will be the end of June, allowing for pro-rated annual vacation time.
—The last day of St. John’s financial responsibility for Pastor Orr is June 30th. This includes pay, health insurance, and retirement contributions.
—Departing clergy are not at all involved in the new rector search process.
—Once a priest leaves s/he cannot be part of parish business, including pastoral care; although staying in touch personally is fine. The vestry needs to help the parish understand this.

Shirley Reilly moved to accept the rector’s resignation effective June 30, 2017 with Pastor Orr’s last day of active leadership in the parish being June 18, 2017. Zoltan Sziky seconded, and the motion was approved.

Pastor Orr covered several other areas of parish logistics.
—It is the duty of the vestry to hire an interim and to form and commission a search committee.
—Senior warden Greg Lawrence will put together a letter for the parish, outlining the nuts and bolts of the transition process.
—The vestry agreed to the date of Saturday, June 3rd at 1:00 PM for a walk-through of the building for those interested. This will cover the quirks of the church building and how to keep everything running.
—Pastor Orr will leave a list of vendors and repair people whom we commonly use.
—Tracie Moxley can update the website.
—Office manager Betsy Sloan is in charge of the “e-vangelist” and forwarding death notices by email.
—Ted Stone usually waters the garden, and Shirley Reilly and Debbi Huggett do the harvesting.
—Sexton Ken Shells sets up the coffee pot on Saturday for coffee hour on Sunday.
—Greg Lawrence is in charge of coordinating the opening and locking up of the building on Sundays.
—Betsy Sloan prepares checks to pay bills. Greg Lawrence signs the checks, and Debbi Huggett reviews them.
—The wardens will put together the agendas for vestry meetings and will run the meetings.
—The Rev. Jim Caldwell has been booked as our supply priest through the end of October.
—Andrea Mysen will be our supply priest on June 25th.
—Pastor Orr and the wardens will make a list of who is in charge of what.
—The Wednesday morning service has been suspended for the summer. The Daughters of the King could take over praying for those on the prayer list.
—Parishioners can do pastoral care. In the event of a true emergency, a pastor from Holy Family or a local Lutheran church may be willing to help.
—Betsy Sloan will schedule liturgical servers, coffee hour hosts, and so forth for Sundays.
—Pastor Orr will go over everything with music director Michael Soto.
—Bishop Lee is scheduled for an afternoon deanery visit at St. John’s in November. Greg Lawrence will be the primary contact for this visit. The diocese will provide the food, while Greg and the interim priest will schedule the day. Someone should offer to take the bishop to lunch.
—Pastor Orr reminded us that a good interim is someone who will upset the apple cart by helping parishioners to ask questions and to re-assess what we do.

Wardens’ Reports and Reports from Parish Organizations

Steve Hofer reported that the spring landscaping is done. Mark Moxley provided supplies at a large discount.

Upcoming Parish Events
May 21st - End of Sunday School classes for the summer. Parish picnic after the 11:00 AM service. Potluck food donations are needed.
June 18th - Pastor Orr’s last day as our rector. A celebration of our time together will occur in the undercroft after the 11:00 AM service.

Discussion and Decisions

Awning
The awning outside of the doors at the end of the education wing is ripped. Chesterfield seems to be the only company in the area that does awning repair. They will take down, wash, sew, and rehang the awning for $324. The vestry discussed whether to pay for repairs or take the awning down and leave it off. Cynthia Turnquest moved to repair the awning, and Zoltan Sziky seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Payment will come from the maintenance fund.

Columbarium
The vestry received electronic copies of proposed contracts with Premier Landscape for the columbarium garden and with Burrink Commercial Services for the sidewalk concrete work. Mary VanSwol moved that St. John’s enter into contracts with both of these companies not to exceed a cost of $85,000. After a second by Cynthia Turnquest, the motion was unanimously accepted.

Pastor Orr will try to get the pledged funds for the project to be donated as soon as possible. She appointed Frank So and Debbi Huggett to represent the parish as on-site supervisors.

Closing

Following prayer, the meeting ended at 9:07 PM. Greg Lawrence will lead the next vestry meeting, which is scheduled for June 19th.

Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis
Clerk of the Vestry

Announcements for November 12th

The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education

The Vestry of St. John’s has begun a preliminary conversation with The Center for Independence Through Conductive Education, a 501 C-3 non-profit corporation dedicated to helping people with motor disorders. This includes people of all ages with conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and other motor dysfunction like stroke victims. This past summer the Center offered a 4 week “summer camp” for the first time in the Homewood / Flossmoor area. As a result, these preliminary conversations began after The Center for Independence approached St. John’s as they began looking for a location in the area that would best fit their needs. We would like our members to join us in exploring whether or not this program would be a good fit for St. John’s and our outreach within our greater community. We look forward to having more conversations about the Center for Independence Through Conductive Education in the coming months. If you would like more information about this conversation, please contact a vestry member and look for announcements regarding future meetings. Your input is anticipated and appreciated by the Vestry. They have a wonderful website where you can get more information on their program and services. www.center-for-independence.org.

Practicing Our Faith Book Club

This month the Practicing Our Faith Book Club is reading Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor, a collection of short stories written in the final decade of her life. The book club will meet on Thursday, November 16 at 7:00pm in the Guild Room to discuss the book. New members are always welcome!

Respond Now

The Daughters of the King are collecting personal items for the men and women that receive assistance through Respond Now. Suggestions: soap, shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, deodorant, etc. Both full and travel-size are needed.

Halloween Candy

Please donate your individually wrapped leftover Halloween candy for residents of the Manteno Veterans’ Home. There is a collection box between the staircases, and the collection will continue through Wednesday, November 15^th.

Christmas Basket Program

St. John’s is once again participating in the ReVive Center for Housing and Healing’s Christmas Basket Program. We are asking parishioners and church organizations to please volunteer and sponsor a family to provide them with a merry and memorable Christmas. Sign-up sheets and family packets are available in the undercroft. This year’s deadline for dropping off the Christmas Baskets at St. John’s will be no later than Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

NOV. 12 - Annual SWIFT Inter-Faith Mixer/Dinner in Orland Park

Meet, greet and break bread with open-hearted members of other faiths next month at the annual SouthWest InterFaith Team (SWIFT) dinner, Sunday, November 12, at Faith United Methodist Church in Orland Park. The traditional format of this fun event is to seat fellow SWIFT members at each table from all three Abrahamic faiths. The simple idea is to help promote dialogue and fellowship in a casual and communal setting ("Mohammed, please pass the butter?"). The Church is located at 151^st St & 80^th Ave., and doors open at 5:30 pm. The dinner runs from 6 pm—8 pm and tickets are $20 apiece. Please make checks payable to St. John's, and reserve your seat by Nov. 3. For more information, please contact our SWIFT ambassadors, Rob McManamy or Bryan Burke.

Parish Dinner Groups

Sign up for the 2018 Parish Dinner Groups continues through Sunday, November 12, 2017. Information and forms for signing up will be found on a table in the undercroft. Please join us even if you are not a “couple” or you can’t host a dinner in your home. If you have any questions regarding this unique opportunity to get to know your fellow parishioners a little bit better, please talk to Gale Michael.

Bible Study/Fellowship Group

This Bible study group will meet at members' houses for a pot luck dinner and fellowship once a month. Kids are welcome! The first meeting will be in January. If you are interested in joining, please contact Mary VanSwol, and state whether you prefer Saturday or Sunday from 5-7 pm. An official time will be announced closer to the date.

Wednesday Update

The Wednesday Eucharists meet at 9 a.m. Then, at 10 a.m., Fr. Mike will lead a weekly bible study class. This is an all-parish class for both men and women. If you can, please bring your own NRSV bible, but don’t worry if you forget or don’t have one.

Small Group Surveys

Please take a few minutes and fill out the small group availability form located in the Sunday leaflet.  Each small group will last for approximately 90 minutes. You can place the form in the offering plate or give it to a search committee member.