FINANCIAL UPDATE

• The income and expenses for September realized a net decrease of $2000.54, which means that the year-to-date finds us with a negative balance of $682.84. 
• The Thrivent Choice was $73 for the month; we did receive a Kroger Rewards check for $447. The Bears rent is coming in. 
• The balance sheet has been restructured to separate liability funds from regular designated funds.  Category Seven was created to hold the income-generating funds, holding them separately from the other designated funds.

PASTOR’S REPORT

• Received 25 new members and had 5 baptisms. There was 1 wedding and LSS was served on two Saturdays.
• There are two adult forums upcoming: November 6, Mid-Ohio Workers Association, and January 8, Aging in Place: Preparing Before a Crisis Occurs
• Reformation Potluck Dinner Celebration on October 30 

COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS

• Request from Worship & Witness Team that “Administration/Property Team continue to work to solve the problem of the reset on thermostat in sanctuary not working and consider including manual setting with instructions if the problem cannot be otherwise corrected.”
• Jay Gamelin is leaving Jacob’s Porch to accept a call in North Carolina. A motion was made that $100 be taken from 6.9.14 and $100 be taken from 3.6 to contribute towards the gift being provided to Jay Gamelin by Jacob’s Porch as a thank you for his service to Jacob’s Porch. (Ed Cooper, John Korting). Motion passed unanimously. 
• Social Concerns Service Opportunities – we have a busy December and would like members of the Council and Congregation of Advent to check out the many upcoming activities and considering participating and attendance 

LIVE NATIVITY

• A reminder that the Live Nativity is scheduled for Sunday, December 4, 2011.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

• For July, 2011, we are $385.09 behind our current budget plan. 
• Advent received a gift of stock. Sylvia was seeking a recommendation on what to do with the stock. A motion was made to sell the JPM stock (Ed Cooper, Joe Bolzenius). Motion carried unanimously.

PASTOR’S REPORT

• One baptism occurred – Jack Wooster
• 3 hours of continuing education on treating addictions and 4 hours on feeding the homeless
• We are partnering with Salvation Army to feed the homeless
• Schedule for new members orientation/list of potential new members to be contacted by Council
• Need 2 Sunday School teacher

DIRECTOR OF YOUTH MINISTRIES AND SPECIAL PROJECTS REPORT

• VBS was a great success. 90 children attended. $560 in donations of money and canned goods were received. It was a GREAT success!
• Dream Team – 10 youth participated in the Dream Team to lead songs at VBS
• Youth Team Meeting – Maria Bernon, Jessica Patton and Matt Pittman working on how youth groups will work in the fall. Sr. High will continue with the Crazy Love series. The Jr. High youth will start the Alpha program.

COUNCIL ACTION ITEMS

• The Administration Team recommends that a Special Fund for Emergency Assistance for Advent families. $3000 would be designated to this fund 6.9.9 for this Special Fund. This money would come from the unexpended operation funds from the previous fiscal year. Motion approved unanimously.
• The Administration Team recommends an allocation of $1200 for the purchase of a new laptop for the Pastor. Motion approved unanimously.
• Worship and Witness presented a revised recommendation for the purchase of a defibrillator. Motion approved unanimously.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

• April realized a positive balance of $2231.49, bringing our annual negative balance down from $3146.29 to $914.80.
• The sound system ($12,030) was paid. An extra two microphones were purchased for $450.
• We received another $600+ from Thrivent.

PASTOR’S REPORT

• Easter attendance was an all-time high of 348 and April was an all-time high of 238. 
• 14 new members received on May 1.
• The Adult Sunday School series for June is will be on World Religions (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Unitarian Universalist)
• There were there baptisms (Lillian Kakabadze, Marin Barsotti, Montgomery McMullen)

BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS

• The budget proposal was discussed at length. 
• The budget income and expenses for 2010-2011 was $324,306.48. The budget committee projected an income of $326,152 and expenses of $326,152.
• The expense increase of $1845 is entirely dedicated to supporting the growing Youth ministries.
• A motion to approve the Budget recommendation and present it to the Congregation at its annual meeting was made. Motion was approved unanimously. (Amy Lytle, Ron Tvorik)
• The Council passed a resolution commending the outstanding work done by the Budget Committee.

THE ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 19, 2011.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

The previous year’s benevolence report has been received by the Synod. The regular benevolence giving was $16,083, and other benevolence was $15,682, for a total of $33,265. A deposit from Thrivent Choice for $958 was received. Those who have accounts with Thrivent may designate the church as a recipient of dividends and interest.

Currently we have a negative balance of $1261, mostly due to several small expenses which were most recently paid.

LENT AND EASTER

We are in the season of Lent. There is quite of bit of Lenten and Easter planning. Scott Benolkin will be heavily involved in the Lenten mid-week services.

FROM the DIRECTOR of YOUTH MINISTRIES and SPECIAL PROJECTS

The Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper and Talent Show had 168 attendees, 12 acts and raised $618. It was the largest Shrove Tuesday event in anyone’s memory.

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Is it I, Lord?

There will be a presentation of the play Is it I, Lord? during Holy Week, Wednesday and Thursday evening, April 20 and 21, at 7 pm.

REPORT OF PARISH LIFE

Council Members will serve as “Intentional Greeters,” where attending Council Members will seek out those they don’t know and welcome them from Advent. There will be Health and Wellness Speaker Panels beginning on April 3. 12 copies of The Little Lutheran Activity Book have been purchased for the Activity bags.

FINANCIAL UPDATE

With continued strong giving, we currently are in the black with a net positive balance of $3422.77. Two new lines were created, 1.41 (Community Events) and 1.42 (Tag Sale) 

PASTOR’S THANK YOU

Pastor offered a very special THANK YOU for the cards, words, kinds thoughts and caring during his absence.

Is it I, Lord?

There will be a presentation of the play, Is it I, Lord? during Holy Week, Wednesday and Thursday evening, April 20 and 21, at 7 pm. This play examines the thoughts of the Apostles and Jesus in the Upper Room as they prepare for the Last Supper.