Attendees:

Opening Prayer

Devotional – Janet Wildeboor                   Ability and Availability by John Fischer

The following is a small excerpt:

 “God doesn’t want your ability as much as he wants your availability.  We shine in our abilities; God shines in our availability.  Our ability makes us strong; our availability makes us vulnerable.  People are impressed with our abilities; God is impressed with our availability.  Practice improves our ability; faith improves our availability.  Our ability makes us popular; our availability makes God popular.  Not everyone is able; but anyone can be available.”

Minutes – The May minutes were approved as written.

CVLI (Church Video License) – Donna Stock

We currently have a CCLI license (Church Copyright License) for songs we use in worship.  We’ve added a CVLI (Church Video License), along with our membership to our Conference Regional Media Center.

The Regional Media Center is located in Des Moines at our church Conference offices.  They have a lot of movies and other resources for us to use.  We’ve allowed our memberships to lapse as Adult Council disappeared.  With our membership to the Media Center ($70/year), we get a discount on the CVLI ($75/year as apposed to $199/year).

The CVLI allows us to legally show home videos/movies from 400+ producers.

(The Federal Copyright Act of 1976 stipulates that pre-recorded videocassettes and DVDs are authorized for personal home use only.  Special permission must be granted for any public performance-and that includes churches.  Violations can result in substantial fines, up to $30,000 per infringement.)

 Movies need to be legally purchased, pre-recorded videos.  They can be used for sermons, Sunday School classes, youth groups, child care, etc.  They can only be used on church grounds (i.e., not covered at away-retreats).  They cannot advertise / publicize the showing of films to the general public (no titles, characters from titles, or producers may be advertised).  We cannot charge admission. 

Producers include:  Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, MGM, New Line, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros., etc. 

SPRC – Alan Jacobsen for Mel Ward

A proposal from SPRC was brought forth by Alan Jacobsen for discussion and approval of the Church Council.  The SPRC had unanimously agreed to recommend forgiving the $10,000 loan that the church made to Pastors Jim and Paula when they first arrived.  That loan allowed them to purchase their home here in the Fairwood area.  Any church is required to either supply the Pastor and family with a Parsonage or provide for a housing allowance. In order to allow Pastor Jim and Paula to purchase a house so that FCUMC did not have to purchase another Parsonage, FCUMC offered to lend the Pastors $10,000 for a down payment on a house with the understanding the loan would be repaid when they moved and sold the house. The recommendation to forgive that loan was made by SPRC in lieu of compensation for the wage hold-backs that were instituted for several years due to financial conditions of the church as well as in compensation for the all of the extra time and efforts that have pastors have given to our church over the past 9 ½ years. After discussion, the Church Council unanimously agreed to forgive the $10,000 debt. Neither pastor was in attendance during this discussion.

Next Church Council Meeting – Date to be determined

Round Table

Youth Council – Curt Stock

Youth mission team leaves for McDermitt, NV on June 26, returning on July 4.  Ten youth and two adults will be participating.  They will be assisting Native American families at the Fort McDermitt Reservation with home repairs.

Youth mission team leaves for Yakima, WA on July 25, returning on July 30.  Five youth and two adults will be participating.  They will be assisting Native American families at the Yakima Reservation with home repairs and kids club activities.

Renton Community Supper – Dick Mathias

Monday evening our church took its turn at serving the Renton Community Supper at the Salvation Army Church Headquarters on Tobin Ave.  There were six of us serving approximately 37 people, mostly the homeless.  This is the second week of the program and it seems to be working okay.  The headcount of attendees is increasing as word about it is publicized.  We would have been short-handed if more people would have attended.  We really need to have eight people from our church team serving on dates we are committed for the remainder of the summer.  Our next turn will be Monday, June 28, 5:00-7:00 p.m.  Please confirm with Dick Mathias ASAP if you intend to help on our team that night or on other dates we have committed to, which are:  Wed., July 7; Mon., July 19; Mon., Aug. 2; Wed., Aug 25.  To see roles of volunteers, click the ‘volunteer’ tab on the rentoncommunitysupper.com website.  To see other dates that may be available for service, click the ‘calendar’ tab.

To date approximately $10,000 has been raised and donated by supporting churches.  Our church’s contribution to date is $370.

Trustees – Joanne Flagel

The Trustees Committee has been very busy.  Joanne reported a long list of their activities such as the men’s restroom remodel, vinyl flooring in the nursery restroom, the upcoming all church weeding party, and much more.  Specific details on these and many others will be reported in the Epistle. 

UMM - Dick Freiling

The men have been busy getting ready for summer projects.  However, reported that the Atlantic Street Center won’t be putting on the academy this year.  Therefore, they won’t be having the picnic this summer.

Young Adults - Doug Ferguson

Doug is still working on the young adult representation transition process.  Kirk Larsen has agreed to help.  A couple of barbeques will be held with the young adults over the summer and we’ll continue discussing ministry areas of interest.

Finance – Ron Wendt for Julleen Snyder

General Update - Our financial position is better than compared to last year at this same time, approximately $9,400.

Preschool - Lisa Burns

Joyful Hearts Preschool families enjoyed a wonderful Spring Program event on May 25^th in the church sanctuary.  It was great to see our church full of local children and their families!  Robin, Dawn, and Crystal did an amazing job with this program – including skits (even for the 3-year-old class!).

Dawn Ayers has decided not to return as a teacher for the next school year.  The preschool will be hiring a new part-time teach over the summer.  A job description will be posted in the bulletin starting early July.  If members of our congregation are interested in applying, please contact Robin Nash (joyfulhearts@fairwoodumc.org).

Worship – Donna Stock

Summer Worship schedule begins on June 20^th.  We worship together in one blended service at 9:30 a.m. through Labor Day, Sunday, September 5^th.   We will alternate using the projector / screen every other Sunday during the summer.

Annual conference began today, June 17^th.  This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about Leadership, Preaching, and Mission.  A message from our bishop “Lord help me to be the kind of person that God thinks I am.”

Health Ministry – Janet Wildeboor

The “Food & Faith” ministry is considering having an all church potluck, perhaps in August.  Hopefully, the summer weather improves so that we can take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables from our gardens (or local Farmer’s Market).  Watch for details.

Thanks from Pastors Jim and Paula

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful event held in our honor last Sunday.  We feel very blessed and loved.   In addition, a special thanks to everyone who came and helped with our house projects and brought us meals.  We will miss you all!

A Note of Thanks from Dick and Joyce Mathias

Jim and Paula,

Thanks for bringing our church from one which expressed progressive Christianity beliefs to one which now openly practices and demonstrates them.  Words like ‘inclusivity’, ‘biblical literalism’, ‘servanthood’, ‘social justice’, and ‘embracing diversity’ were seldom visible in program planning guidelines until your tenure.  God bless both of you and your family in your upcoming appointments.

Dick and Joyce Mathias

Closing Prayer

Respectfully Submitted,

Shelley Johnson