Christus Victor

Lutheran Church

2015 Annual Meeting

January 25, 2015

Agenda Call to Order

Opening Devotions and Prayer

Natural Church Health Process

Primary Ministry Areas

Stewardship 2015 Results

2015 Budget

Nominating Committee

Council Election

Announcements

Motion to Adjourn and Lord’s Prayer

Natural Church Health

2014 Accomplishments:

Prayer Team formed

Spiritual Gifts Implementation Team

formed

Completed 1st Spiritual Gifts training

sessions

Natural Church Health

2015 Goals:

Complete Natural Church Health follow-up

survey

Continue Spiritual Gifts training sessions

Primary Ministry Areas

Welcoming &

Fellowship

Faith Formation

Worship & Music

Service & Mission

Stewardship of Finances & Property

Welcoming & Fellowship

Welcoming Hospitality Communications

Including:

Potluck & Praise, Consecration Brunch,

Thanksgiving Eve Pie Fest, Sunday morning

coffee and goodies, Women’s Retreat, Men’s

Retreat, Sailing Trips, God Squad Softball Team,

Ski Fellowship, AA, Al-anon, NA, Scouting,

Communications such as Announcements e-mail

blast, e-newsletter, Facebook and the CV website

Welcoming Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Consistent newsletter articles / videos Re: the

power of welcoming others to our congregation

Welcoming Video for hallway monitors

“Invite a Friend to Church Sunday” with

cinnamon roll reception

Frequent, positive feedback from visitors on the

welcoming environment of CV

19 members (8 families) joined the CV

Family!

Welcoming Committee

2015 Goals:

Utilize creative methods to keep

congregation aware of welcoming attitudes

and ways to communicate with visitors

Focus education on intentional & personal

interaction with new members to help

them “connect” at CV

Hospitality Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Sponsored 5 events Girls of All Ages Tea Party (April)

Rally Sunday Celebration (Sept)

Consecration Sunday Celebration (Nov)

Thanksgiving Pie Fest (Nov)

Advent Pot Luck / Decorating (Nov)

Sunday AM Fellowship treats & beverages

Maintenance of the CVLC Kitchen

Narthex / Fellowship Hall decorations

Hospitality Committee

2015 Goals:

Maintain kitchen /supplies for all groups

Sunday am fellowship refreshments

Plan 3rd Girls of All Ages Tea Party (Spring)

Sponsor / support church-wide events during

the year Rally Sunday Celebration, Consecration Sunday, Thanksgiving

Pie Fest

Coordinate Fall Picnic

Communications Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Continued growth of communications tools

Weekly e-mail blast expanded

Refreshed the CV website

Continued publication of Voice of Victory

Newsletter including e-newsletter every

month

Communications Committee

2015 Goals:

Grow the Communications team

Continue expanding use of tools – emails,

facebook, announcements and CV

website

Create more reoccurring columns in the

newsletter and engage more member input

Worship & Music

Including:

Joyful Servants, Senior Choir Upward Call, ROCK

Band, JIFY, Recharge, Christmas Drama, CV

Band, Lenten Worship & Dramas

Worship & Music

Worship & Music

2014 Accomplishments:

Changed Liturgy

Sanctuary Decor:

Cross on South Wall

Advent Candle Holder

New Panel over Choir

Hosted Luther Jazz Orchestra

Revival of Advent Festival & potluck

Worship & Music

2015 Goals:

Sanctuary Decor:

Additional Wall / Scenery Panels

Host & House Luther Jazz Orchestra

Faith Formation

Children & Family Ministry

Youth MinistryAdult

Education& Discipleship

Including:

Faith Trek, Dekaf, Connections, Adult Forums,

GIFT Bible and 1st Communion Classes, JIFY,

Vacation Bible School, Confirmation, SWAT Team,

Peer Ministry Leadership, SWAAG, Thursday Bible

Study, Small Group Bible Studies, Men’s &

Women’s Retreats

Children & Family Ministry

Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

VBS – 60 children - largest group in 7 years

2014-2015 Faith Trek - 47 children registered

Children’s Offering: Sponsored a child from Tanzania

Donated to the FMSC Mobile

Implemented new Faith Trek schedule: 3 week rotations

Pre-school/kindergarten same rotation schedule as 1-

5

Children & Family Ministry

Committee

2015 Goals:

Increase number of Faith Trek volunteers

Sponsor a child from the Dominican

Republic with the Children’s Offering

Recruit additional members to the Children

and Family Ministry Committee

Youth Ministry

2014 Accomplishments:

Successful transition between interim Associate

Pastor and new Associate Pastor

Youth Service

Peer Ministry Training (4 youth)

Assistance with JIFY, Confirmation, etc (13 youth)

Boundary Waters Service trip (6 youth, 5 adults)

Other intergenerational ministries: HS Lock-in (20

youth, 5 adults); MS Moonlight Madness (8 youth, 2

adults); Summer Stretch (9 youth, 9 adults); Camp

WAPO (45 children / youth)

Youth Ministry

2015 Goals:

Increase intentional inter-generational ministry

Create more opportunities for individual ministry

Better utilize youth peer leadership

Adult Education &

Discipleship Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Held 3 Sunday morning class series

Promoted Lenten Devotional series

Adult Education &

Discipleship Committee

2015 Goals:

Continue to offer relevant Sunday classes

Expand number of people involved in Small

Groups

Explore new options / delivery methods to help

adults grow in knowledge, understanding, and

faith as disciples of Jesus Christ

Service & Mission

Social Ministries

Missions Endowment

Including:

Food Shelf and Food Drive, Thanksgiving Baskets,

School Supplies and Backpacks, Armful of Love,

Bloodmobile, Pack It Up, Tanzania Partnership (Mlowa

Parish, Student Scholarships, Agriculture Program),

Kids Alive in the Dominican Republic), Mid-wife Kits,

Feed My Starving Children, Baskets of Love

Social Ministries Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Increased the number of families sponsored for

the 360 Communities Armful of Love program

Continued to provide opportunities for the

congregation to be involved in our projects such

as Thanksgiving Baskets and Newborn Kits

Expanded partnership with the Greenleaf

Kindness Connection

Social Ministries Committee2015 Goals:

Increase involvement in the Greenleaf Kindness

Connection

Integrate youth involvement in the planning and

execution of the committee’s projects

Missions Committee

2014 Accomplishments: 5 CV members completed successful, meaningful

Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic in March.

Provided opportunities for CV members to become more

deeply engaged in Missions work

Baskets of Love, Kid's Alive speaker & injected prayers and

songs into worship

Sponsored / facilitated secondary education of 17

Tanzanian & 10 Dominican Republican students

Supported Million Tree Project and Radio Faraha in

Tanzania.

Missions Committee

2015 Goals: Explore ways to build stronger relationships with our

brothers and sisters in Mlowa and with the Kids Alive

community in Constanza including more regular

communication, prayer and mission trips

Continue to engage CV members in Mission

opportunities through events, conversation, programs

and fund-raising

Complete a successful, relationship-building 2015

Mission trip to Tanzania

Endowment Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Awarded 3 $500 secondary education

scholarships to graduating high school seniors

Provided $250 charity contributions (per the

results of the congregational poll taken at the

2014 annual meeting) to:

Sharing & Caring Hands

Second Harvest Heartland

Endowment Committee

2015 Goals:

Award scholarships to graduating seniors as

directed in the bylaws

Provide contributions to outside charities as

directed in the bylaws

Provide a refresher to the congregation

concerning the purpose of the Endowment Fund

and options for contributing to the fund

Stewardship

of Finance & Property

PropertyCapital

CampaignMutual Ministry

Stewardship Finance

Property Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Furnace and Air conditioner projects completed

New windows (fellowship hall/narthex/youth

room)

Utilities around church updated (water softener

and new electrical services)

New Custodial contract

Property Committee

2015 Goals:

Stained-glass window improvements (sun

screening and back-lighting)

Office remodel and staff relocation

Landscape improvements and sprinkler

system

Capital Campaign Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Heating and cooling in sanctuary and art room

New windows in Narthex, fellowship hall, and

youth room

Updates to kitchen

Security update

Capital Campaign Committee

2015 Goals:

Office remodel

Architect design for future expansion

needs

Prioritize remaining capital needs /

projects

Mutual Ministry Committee

2014 Accomplishments:

Staffing: Facilitated transition between Interim and

new Associate Pastor

Successful transition to adult-staffed

nursery care

Negotiated new healthcare plan

Substantial progress on Employee

Handbook revisions

Mutual Ministry Committee

2015 Goals:

Staffing: Facilitate team building / revise job descriptions as

applicable

Continue to monitor Nursery & other staffing needs

Complete revision of Employee Handbook

Stewardship

2014 Accomplishments:

Continued using Narrative Budget to make the

CV budget story more understandable

Try Tithing Sunday raised $3,475

Successful stewardship campaign

Stewardship

2015 Goals:

Improve the Narrative Budget

Increased participation in Try Tithing Sunday

Lead a prayerful and successful 2015

Stewardship campaign

Facilitate more opportunities for discussion of

stewardship throughout the year

Provide more opportunities for exploration and

giving of time and talents

Confirmation of member contact information

Stewardship 2015 Results# $

% of Total # of Pledges

New Pledges in 2015 12 8%

Pledges increased over 2014 50 31%

Pledges remaining the same from 2014 72 45%

Pledges decreased from 2014 26 16%

2014 Pledges not in 2015 (13) 0

2015 Projected Pledges 160 447,826

2014 Total Pledges 160 438,500

Increase (decrease) over 2014 Pledges 9,326

2014 Actual Pledged

Results

# $

% of Total # of Pledges

Actual Giving exceeded Pledged 53 10,766 34%

Actual Giving = Pledged 49 0 31%

Actual Giving less than Pledged 54 (29,264) 35%

Additional funds available If ALL pledges were fulfilled 29,264

Possibilities:

Additional Benevolence @ 6% 1,756

Elimination of Current Net Deficit 10,378

Additional Resources for Ministries 17,130

29,264

Finance Committee 2014 Accomplishments:

Completed first financial audit in CV history Used independent auditing firm recommended by Synod

Formed Audit Committee to help review and present audit findings

to Council

2013 Year End Audit completed in September

No significant issues found

Continued to grow the Scrip Fund Raising Program Increased Participation (34 families in 2014)

Lowered admin. expenses

Increased funds raised ($6,748 in 2014)

Recruited New Committee Members/Counters Aaron Nyquist - Financial Secretary

Bruce Schafer - lead offering counter

Finance Committee

2015 Goals:

Continue implementing suggestions from auditors

Work with Council to determine long term plan for future

audits

Establish a permanent Audit Committee

Develop a Financial Audit Protocol / frequency

Work with Council to update Fundraising Policy

Audit Recommendations

Most issues identified were because GAAP accounting requires

accrual-basis accounting & we use cash-basis accounting.

Qualified Opinion – land & building tax value vs. cost

Common for non-profit our size

Endowment Fund – include in CV statements 2015

In / Out Funds – Finance in process of reviewing funds

Many should flow through revenue & expense

Accounting of Mortgage Payments

Interest expense vs. reduction in principal of loan

Change how this is recorded starting in 2015

Depreciation – track & record this for capital items

Conflict of Interest Policy – for Council members

2014 Results

Actual

(000)

Budget

(000)

Variance

(000) %Variance

Offering

Other Receipts

Total Receipts

450.8

69.0

$519.8

468.5

54.2

$522.7

(17.7)

14.8

($2.9)

(3.8%)

+27.3%

(0.6%)

Administration

Benevolence

Total Committees

Mutual Ministries

Property

All Other

Total Expenses

21.0

28.7

33.1

323.2

111.0

13.2

$530.2

22.3

29.4

33.3

338.6

105.4

10.9

$539.9

1.3

0.7

0.2

15.4

(5.6)

(2.3)

$9.7

(5.8%)

(2.3%)

(0.6%)

(4.5%)

+5.3%

+21.1%

(1.8%)

Net Surplus

(Deficit) ($10.4) ($17.2) $6.9

Selected Balance Sheet Accounts

December 31, 2014

12/31/2013

(000)

12/31/2014

(000)

Variance

(000)

Current Assets $437.4 $291.0 ($146.4)

Current Liabilities 77.9 57.9 (21.1)

Reserves(Cash, Building, Repairs) 288.9 169.2 (119.7)

Available Cash 70.6 63.9 (6.7)

2015 Budget Plan

Revenue\Expense

2015 Budget

(000)

Variance

Vs. Act. 2014

(000)

Total Offering

Property Income

Garage Sale (gross receipts)

All Other Receipts

Total Receipts

$473.8

21.4

16.0

23.6

$534.8

$23.0

(3.3)

(1.0)

(3.7)

$15.0

Administration

Benevolence (held at 6%)

Benevolence (10% of net Garage Sale)

Total Committees

Mutual Ministries

Property

All Other Expense

Total Expenses

$21.6

28.4

1.5

22.9

327.3

116.4

17.6

$535.8

$0.6

1.4

(0.2)

(10.2)

4.1

5.4

4.5

($5.6)

Net Surplus (Deficit) $(1.0) $9.4

2015 Committee Budget Cuts Most committees reduced their budget requests

Admin – little “cushion” for unexpected equipment

repairs, extra congregational mailings, or supplies

Worship & Music – request for sanctuary artwork, music

& pew supplies was removed

Property – little “cushion” for unexpected utility,

insurance, and repairs /maintenance costs

Mutual Ministry –

No “cushion” for healthcare expense increases

Staff Retreat / Consulting fees eliminated

Staff Holiday Gifts eliminated

Books, registration fees, etc reduced

No budgeted increase to Benevolence

Congregational Challenge

In effort to continue in our commitment to grow our

benevolence each year, council recommends

the following triggers:

At April 30, if actual pledged giving = or > 100%

of budget, Garage Sale Benevolence will be

increased from 10% to 20% (~$1,500) and

At year-end, if actual pledged giving = or > 101%

of budget, General Benevolence will be

increased from 6% to 7% (~$4,700)

CV Council

2014 Accomplishments:

Installation of new Associate Pastor

Respectful Conversation Re: Marriage Equality

Natural Church Health

Sponsored leadership retreat

Council members completed Strength Finders assessments

CV Constitution approval

2015 Goals:

Establish Building Campaign & Steering Committee

Draft Conflict of Interest Policy / Update Bylaws

Continue Natural Church Health process

Nominating Committee

for the purpose of securing nominations for the

Congregation Council, shall consist of four voting

members of this congregation & shall be elected at the

annual meeting for a term of one year:

Two outgoing members of the Congregation Council

Barb Damlo

Two members of the congregation at large

Church Council Election

Thank you to…

Barb Damlo

Matt Zarras

Nominees

Jennie Rice

Sarah Thomson

Announcements:

Tool Kit for Congregational Leaders – Saint Paul

Area Synod; Saturday, February 21, 2015 8:30 am –

2:00 pm

Conference Assembly – Saint Paul Area Synod;

Saturday, February 28, 2015 8:30 am – 12:00 noon

Synod Assembly; Friday, April 24 – Saturday, April

25, 2015

Motion to adjourn

Close with prayer and Lord’s Prayer

Thank you for joining us to review 2014

and plan for 2015 –

God is Good All the Time!