10-18-2023-Executive Board Meeting Minutes

United Church of Ludlow
Executive Board Meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, at 6:30 PM

MINUTES

United Church of Ludlow, 48 Pleasant St, Ludlow, VT 05149
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Present: Laura Creaser, Michelle Fountain, Andy Otnicky, Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt, Dean Alexander, Bret Harlow, Lisha Klaiber
Absent: None

1. Call Meeting to Order – The meeting was called to order by Laura Creaser at 632 PM

 

1. Minutes – Board Clerk Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt presented three minutes for approval – one from the May 23, 2023, Board meeting; one from the May 28, 2023, ad hoc Board Meeting to approve an increase in the weekly stipend for pianist Terry DeYoung; and one from the July 17, 2023, Special Congregational Meeting to install Nancy Martel as deacon. Lisha pointed out that all minutes should say Executive Board instead of Board of Trustees. All three minutes were unanimously approved with that correction. 

 

1. Pastor’s Report – Michelle submitted her pastor’s report by email before the meeting. Highlights:

1. Mission and Vision – We discussed the Mission and Vision created by several church committees. Laura suggested we publish them in the bulletin, then ask the congregation to vote on them at the Annual Meeting. Lisha suggested adding “through Christ” after love. Lisha made a motion to add “through Christ” after “love” in the Vision. Laura seconded. Discussion: Dean said he preferred to refer to Christ in the Mission Statement. Lisha amended her motion to reword the  Mission statement to “Striving to Live God’s message of inclusive love through Jesus Christ in our community and world.” Laura accepted amendment. The Vision would be left as it is. The motion passed unanimously.  It was agreed that Michelle would present it to the congregation on Nov. 5 service, as follows: 

MISSION -Striving to live God’s message of inclusive love through Jesus Christ in our community and world. 

VISION - As we strive to live God’s message of love, we:
Welcome everyone, 
Celebrate diversity,
Nurture spiritual growth,
Work toward peace and justice, 
Serve our community and world.

1. The Board gave Michelle permission to renew the church’s CCL license for 2024 in November. Lisha will shift that money to a music line in the budget from travel.
2. Holiday Season – Christmas is on a Monday, so will do Christmas Eve in the evening Sunday at 6 PM and conduct one service to cover both days. Michelle ordered bulletin covers. The Altar Guild will take care of flowers. We’ll do caroling again, biut not the cookie event. Michelle will update the website. 

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1. Treasurer’s Report -- Lisha submitted September financial reports by email. Highlights:
   1. Budget at ¾ of year. We are at 64% of estimates of giving but other giving up – at 75%. Outreach – 3rd quarter money has gone out. Insurance is up tremendously (through UCC). Advertising – we usually do Christmas ad in the paper but quite expensive. Supplies and expenses (coffee and paper)
   2. We recently received an $1,800 bill for September servicing of furnace, which was not in the 2023 budget. Dean, who oversaw the repairs, said UCL is playing catchup from previous neglect. Irving serviceman told Dean the system is in good shape for its age of 25 years. Propane (for office and stove) below.
   3. 2024 Budget – The change in the fiscal year from Sept. 30 to Dec. 31 requires changes in the budget preparation process. Lisha will prepare a budget draft based on December numbers. In mid-January, we will have all bank statements in, and she can finalize the budget. She will email the budget to the Board and we will approve it virtually. 
   4. Annual Report – The Annual Report can come out at end of January for Annual Meeting. Lisha will put together, print and copy Annual Report, which will include the Deaconate, Outreach, Pastor, and Treasurer. For Annual Report’s Slate of Officers, all people on it are renewed. Bob Malecki will be the new treasurer. Anne and Lisha expire this year. Anne will stay on as Receiver of Offerings. Dean, Bret, Laura, and Andy are continuing as trustees. Lisha will stay on as deacon, as will Marge Macintyre, Sandy Peplau, Linda Thomson, and Nancy Martel.  Dean will do the audit again. The Outreach Committee will remain the same.

 

1. Deacon’s Report
   1. Laura said Nancy Martel is now officially a deacon. a member. Everyone doing a great job. The Pulpit is supplied through end of year. Christine, Jeremy and Bruce will substitute, and Mary is available.

 

1. Trustee/Building Report
   1. Bell Repair – No progress. Dean said an anonymous donor is interested in paying for the bell repair.
   2. Visual/audio technology for upstairs – Dean said he is back to original contact on this. We have a major donor who wants to help with this, but we want to give the congregation the opportunity to give as well. For anonymity, he suggested it was best to do a general capital fund drive to raise funds on our own, plus donations. Laura Caravatt’s daughter has offered some funding. Dean presented a first draft of a letter to the congregation, which he will email to the Board for feedback. Michelle suggested we wait mid-to-late November to ask for help with funding, to give people time to finish addressing flood issues. Michelle pointed out that this could take the place of a stewardship campaign, which we don’t do, we could mail the letter to congregants with the estimate of giving. 
   3. Bret said he will soon have a price for foundation stone.
   4. Lisha said there is $25,000 in the Building Fund and $125,435 in the church operating account. Some of these funds could be moved into the building account to help pay for repairs.
   5. Michelle suggests we spend $7,000 for the PA system. No one objected.
   6. Dean and Bret have started contacting potential contractors.  Dean will readdress to get up-to-date quotes. 
   7. Snow clearance – Richard, whose longtime volunteerism has been much appreciated, has become inconsistent about this, and this service is needed on a consistent basis. Dean is looking into a snow solution with Wayne, a handyman he knows who charges $30/hour. He doesn’t think we need to purchase a snow blower, which would cost $600-$800 minimum. The church provides sand and salt, and Dean will look into ice melt mats that need to be installed.
   8. Maple tree is leaning against church. We need tree service trimming.  Dean will get a tree guy to trim or take down as needed.

 

1. Old Business

1. Office Equipment Purchase - Matt Sydorowich of Ludlow-based Sydscompufix helped us use the $1,500 we allocated to purchase a new computer tower, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and printer, which he installed. He also upgraded our version of Microsoft Office for a flat fee, so we no longer need to pay for a monthly subscription. The original printer didn’t do double-sided printing but the replacement, $75 more but still within budget, did. Lisa was contacting Canon to end the maintenance contract. She also donated a chair and rubber mat to replace the broken ones she discovered in the office, and added a recycling bin.
2. Coffee hour signups – People have suggested we add cleanup to the Coffee Hour sign-up sheet. Lisa will redo calendar to add cleanup.
3. Multimedia – Lisa reported on her meeting with brother Peter Hamm, a former multimedia professional and now pastor of Pastor at Jacksonburg United Methodist Church in Ohio. (Their YouTube page is https://www.youtube.com/@jacksonburgunitedmethodist7999) Peter advised the following:

• It is fair use to quote a song, a sermon, or a book in a broadcast service. You don’t need any license or protection, but should attribute the source.
• If you have purchased the songbooks, you can use the music. Most of it is in the public domain anyway. 
• You should broadcast your announcements, because people beyond your church want to know what’s going on and it’s community building. However, joys and concerns are more private and can become a source for gossip.
• He suggests starting the broadcast 5 minutes before service with a countdown. He says we can stream live simultaneously through YouTube and Facebook through restream, a service that costs $10 a month (https://restream.io/ or https://restream.io/upload-and-stream); both are better for outreach than Zoom. If people want the Zoom option for socialization following services, we could hold a Zoom coffee hour. Can try it for free.
• Lisa suggested we continue this conversation at next meeting.

 

1. New Business

1. Church Directory - Pat Moore is taking pics for a virtual church directory, which is a Deacon’s project being led by Linda Thomson.

 

1. Next Meeting Date and Designated Chair – 
   1. We did not set a next meeting date or designate a chair to organize it. 
   2. We scheduled the Annual Meeting for Jan. 28, 2024, after church.

 

1. Meeting Adjourned by Laura Lienhard at 8:05 PM

Minutes submitted by Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt, Clerk