ELDER NOTES FEB.15, 2011

7PM Greenwood Office

Present: Eric Likkel, David Anema, Kurt Munson, Rennie Araucto, Beth DeVries

7:00 Greeting/Prayer

7:10 Scheduled next mtgs (Council, Elders, Road Crew)

• Stewardship Team Friday Feb 25
• Road Crew, Sunday March 13 - Stewardship team update
• Council March 22, Elders April 12, Council May 10, Road Crew May 15 (SWOT ?)

7:15 Elder District update; reviewed online google doc, discussed individuals, needs, relationships with church, etc.

• After going through list of people, decided to delay permanent re-assignments until two new elders nominated/installed by end of May; Beth sending update to folks to let them know the whole elders team is available in the meantime
• After reconsidering assignment process, chose to keep as is

8:20 Further SWOT discussion

• Spoke to need to evaluate categories against church’s Mission, Motto, stated purpose
• Elders approve Pastor’s idea of addressing current generation of ER parents with opportunity to do better than before; also affirm connection between addressing parents w/Parenting Beyond Sunday project and the opportunity to do better with Sunday mornings; Eric to work w/Teresa; also approve Purim “all-family worship service for March 20 (Rennie)
• Evaluating Prayer:
• ER seems strong in prayer when laying on hands, when responding to tragedy (after 9/11, after deaths);
• Sunday morning prayers in worship seem effective to Elders; propose dedicating entire service to prayer (include song, sacrament); decide to schedule for Palm Sunday, April 17 (Eric w/Mark Nelson)

9:30 Prayer; Dismiss

COUNCIL NOTES JAN 25, 2011

7:30PM New Horizons

Present: Deacons Mark Nelson, Ryan Engel, Teresa Elenbaas

Elders Rennie Araucto, Kurt Munson, Beth DeVries, David Anema

Pastor Eric Likkel

Council engages in SWOT discussion (assessing Emmaus Road's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats); giving floor primarily to Deacons during the meeting, as Elders meet more frequently

STRENGTHS

$

• Strong Stewardship Team
• Consistent giving
• Escaped negative impact of recession

Children’s Ministries

• Godly Play
• Adults who care for youth
• Approachable, capable, Children’s Ministry Deacon

Worship

• Musicians who want to work as a team
• Three bald guys

General

• Compassion; willingness to rally and respond to crisis of fellow members

OPPORTUNITIES

$

• Address and adjust budget
• Partner with others – e.g., NH (office space)
• Engage everyone, Road Crew, to find creative solutions to financially sustain staff, giving, and ministry expenses

Children’s Ministries

• Bring more visibility to current children’s programs
• Church Beyond Sunday for kids @ home
• Involving every parent – COOP approach

Worship

• New ways to engage congregation

WEAKNESSES

$

• Historic “deficit spend” approach
• Reluctance to provide insight, leadership, in addressing giving, spending

Children’s Ministries

• Programs lack visibility for newcomers
• Too small a pool of Nursery Volunteers
• Discontent among parents

Worship

• Only one main guitar player
• Three bald guys

THREATS

$

• At current rate, go broke in 20 months
• Self-assured w/status quo rather than sober and serious to change

Children’s Ministries

• Nursery volunteer burnout
• Exodus of children
• Potential division among parents if concerns not addressed, tensions not managed

Worship

• Loss of musicians; fatigue

Topics for Elders to SWOT (place on future agenda):

• Internal communication, especially about tough topics
• Prayer
• Leadership Development
• Community Development

ELDER MEETING NOTES Sept. 7, 2010

7PM Greenwood Office

Present: Eric Likkel, David Anema, Kurt Munson, Rennie Araucto, Mark R.

Elder Seat open following Chandra's fulfillment of term. Fill by October 1.

Rescheduled next Elder Meeting

Google Docs: Publish Good doc for elders to share (restricted)

Shepherds and Sheep: How are you (Elder) and folks of district?

Proposal: Deacon work with Stewardship Team to handle ministry of food bank/gift distribution for members in need; proposal approved

Mark proposes discussion on revitalizing small groups. All agree to prioritize for next Elders meeting.

Proposal photo directory of people: approved

Prayer Proposals; Pastor Eric Likkel brings ideas to table; proposals discussed; permission to explore

Children's Ministry Volunteer Background Check; prior to vote, discussion ensues

Vote: five of six elders (including pastor) vote to approve background checks for everyone, including current volunteers

Discussion continues about merits of writing a majority and minority report, explaining to church rational for voting for and against the motion; elders pledge to write reports

Emmaus Road Annual Budget: two step process proposed: release budget prior to Sept.23 Road Crew; then host Q/A session at the Sept. 23 mtg., followed by Road Crew voting meeting some Sunday afterward; approved

Networks/Church Plants/Forest Canopy; Pastor Likkel discusses ways Emmaus Road can partner/participate with other church plants; suggestion to invite church planters for post-worship lunch approved

Prayers offered

COUNCIL NOTES JULY 13, 2010

7PM, The Ellington

In Attendance: Chandra Mullenix, David Anema, Beth DeVries, Teresa Elenbaas, Eric Likkel, Mark Nelson

7:00 Gathering, greeting

Opening prayer

7:25 Reschedule upcoming Road Crew meeting

Possible agenda items: budget, new members, new Elder

7:30 Debrief on Sunday’s guests

7:35 Baptism at the bay next Sunday; it’s a go

7:40 Guest Speakers: Verna, Bern Alberda from First CRC; invited to Emmaus Road Council to tell stories of implementing “Safe Church” policies re: preventing child abuse, protecting children’s ministry volunteers, etc.

Council listens to presentation, including

8:35 Council thanks and excuses guests; debriefs together

Discuss when Elders will vote, how policy could be implemented, who needs to be addressed individually, etc.

8:50 Groundworks Sunday

David Anema speaks to Council about Founders Day Festival

9:10 Close in prayer

ELDER NOTES JUNE 8, 2010

7pm, The Ellington

In Attendance: Chandra Mullenix, Kurt Munson, Rennie Araucto, David Anema, Beth DeVries, Eric Likkel, Mark Rosnick

7:10 Devotional Reading and Opening Prayer

7:15 Review proposed agenda; prioritized items

· Pastoral Care: Reporting on health of each Elder as well as people under their care

· Planning outdoor baptisms

· Voting on approach for background checks

· Releasing members in healthy manner

· Emmaus Road's Annual Budget; preparing for better meeting; priorities, vision, follow-up

· Races and Parades; responding to regular Belltown interruptions

· Missional Edge/Leadership Development

· Succession: new Council President; others moving on

· Parish Collective; summary of June 6 event; Emmaus Road's future role

· Emmaus Road: time “to have a baby”? Storytellers/Matt Wolfe; Roots/Simon Cunningham

· Empowering emerging leaders; training

· David Anema in Belltown; developments, update

· Including friends of members in prayer rotation

7:20 Confirmation re: payment to Godly Play Storyteller (Matt)

Elders offered personal updates on self, people under care

8:25 Outdoor baptisms for one or more members; Elders encourage Pastor Eric to work out details and schedule event

8:30 Elders approve proposal to add missionary family to intercessory rhythm

8:30 Elder Nominations; plan to move ahead soon; employ Survey Monkey in process

8:40 Voting on background checks

Elders discuss pros and cons of requiring everyone to undergo background check, or have long term members grandfathered in; Elders share personal feelings about ramifications of adopting universal versus limited scope application of background checks; is it worth upsetting current volunteers, to require them to undergo background check against their wishes/convictions? Is it authentic and/or fair to allow some to be excluded from policy?

9:25 After vigorous discussion, debate, Elders agree vote be delayed to next meeting.

ELDERS AGENDA, FEBRUARY 15, 2011

7:00 Greeting/Prayer

7:10 Schedule next mtgs (Council, Elders, Road Crew)

7:15 Elder District update

7:45 SWOT

8:45 Prayer

9:00 Dismiss