Thoughts from your Council President

Pews News
When planning and building our current structure the congregation’s and architect’s intentions were that all of the worship area seating would be chairs—no pews whatsoever; chairs were the chosen seating from the building’s inception. We then received some pews of which another congregation was disposing and accepted them gratefully, basically as a money saving, temporary measure.  Now that the chairs we had loaned to SLPL have come home, we have replaced the pews.

Please know that our old pews have found a good home and that they will continue as part of a faith community. A start up multi-cultural church (The Overflow Tabernacle) is currently meeting in a property that I am told we used at one time (on Fenton Road), and was delighted with our donation of pews. This is the third church that those pews have served.

AS/Little Saints
Many schools and preschools are experiencing financial problems due to reduced enrollment, and Little Saints is no exception.  As Little Saints remains a vibrant ministry of All Saints, we plan on doing all we can to help them, and to that end, have appointed Mike Hoffman to be their Financial Overseer.  With Mike in this position and Karen Moyski as their new treasurer, we are confident that all shall be well.  Please thank Mike and Karen for their hard work.

Sue Happel will head a small group to serve as support as All Saints and Little Saints become more closely united. Look for her to announce members of this informal transition team, and please take any concerns you have to her as this team helps us navigate our shared lives and space under the recently adopted Structure Guidelines.

Mutual Ministry
Our recently formed Mutual Ministry Committee, headed by Becky Manross meets on an as needed basis, and as an observer behind the scenes, I can tell you that we are indeed availing ourselves of this group. I know of several issues that were able to be resolved before they became problems because of this group’s tactful handling of concerns presented to them. If you have a concern that you think needs to be addressed, please make use of one of their forms and put it in their wooden box (on the info counter).

Council
After the tumult of the past few years, I think that council now can take a more visionary role than it has been able to in recent years. I hope we can develop strategies for mission and growth rather than having to continually put out the small brush fires which have seemed to spontaneously combust recently. For the remainder of this year, I hope we can find new ways to make ourselves and God’s love known to the community by being a stronger presence and using our wonderfully situated real estate as the tool that it should be. I hope also to begin writing a new mission statement that will help us remember why we are here and what our job is.

Blessings
Kathleen M Waligura, kwaligura@abailard.com (248.684.2195)