Report of the President, Richard Shinofield

We are enjoying the results of several projects and changes, as our clergy, staff, lay leadership and members have continued working to advance our mission of welcoming all people to worship with us as we celebrate, discover, and share our ministry and purpose in the heart of the city.  This has been a good year for the Congregation. 

 

Highlights include:

 

Pastor D. Foy Christopherson completed his interim ministry with us in August 2008 and was called to be our Associate Pastor with responsibility for Worship & Fine Arts, Hospitality and Pastoral Care.

 

Pastors Charles (“Chuck”) Anderson and Mark Peterson accepted calls to be our visitation pastors,replacing  Lloyd Thorsen and the late Luther Peterson, both of whom had retired.

 

Barbara Brown accepted a call to be our Staff and Program Administrator.

 

Pastor Rick Nelson gathered the Council, administrators and pastors for a Saturday retreat in September 2008, at which we established priorities for the year, based on the carefully prepared plan received last year from our Vision and Mission Implementation Task Force, designed to accomplish Central’s vision and mission through specific short and long term goals. Goals and objectives were assigned to staff members, with regular progress reports to be submitted to Pastor Nelson and reported to the Council at regular intervals.

 

Council members continued their individual liaisons with Ministry Team chairs, following  assignments to new Council members and reassignments to others.

 

Funds from our Forward in Faith capital campaign were used to remodel and update our south commons rest rooms and hospitality space and to relocate our nursery into an accessible room near the south commons entrance more convenient to the sanctuary .

 

Funds from reserves designated for community ministries were used to relocate our community ministries facilities into our new Restoration Center in the first level of the Sunday school building. 

 

Based on the Facilities Revitalization Task Force report received last year and further thought, the Fiscal and Property Committee this year developed and are prioritizing a list of maintenance and replacement projects that will need to be addressed in 2009 and future years. The list is intended to avoid surprises such as have occurred in the past and will need to be updated from time to time.  The first project, to be accomplished this summer, is the redirection of our storm water drainage from the city’s sanitary sewer system to its storm sewer system.  This project is required by a law that affects buildings throughout the state and will be submitted for the Congregation’s approval at our 2009 annual meeting.  Funds in our capital replacement reserve are expected to cover the cost.

 

Ten percent of the monies received each year in our Forward in Faith campaign is dedicated to disaster and other relief efforts. Some of those funds were used this year for expenses, equipment and supplies as Central volunteers assisted in rebuilding and repairing 2 houses of the thousands that were badly damaged by the floods last June in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  A greater amount was contributed to Camp Noah, locally based week long day camps, sponsored by Lutheran Social Services and Lutheran Disaster Response, for children  who have experienced floods or other disasters. 

 

In May we conducted our annual stewardship campaign, under the guidance of Pastor Mark Halaas, who was loaned to us by the Central Lutheran Church Foundation. Two Sunday worship services included “temple talks” by Council member Chris Lyle on the importance of pledging and regular giving, to the life and mission of the Congregation.  As part of the campaign, many members of the Congregation hosted coffee and dessert gatherings in their homes for members in their neighborhoods to view a video presentation by Pastor Nelson and discuss the importance of Central Lutheran Church in their lives.

 

The Council held fall and spring sharing sessions to update the Congregation and respond to questions on the Congregation’s finances and the matters being considered by the Council and task forces working with the Council.

 

During our past year of life together (June 2008-May 2009) we report the following information as an ELCA congregation: 54 new members(27 through baptism; the rest through  membership classes and transfer in); 52 transfers off of membership roster(including 41 deaths); and 637 average worship attendance.  This means that our records currently contain about 1800 active members---close to 900 households---who make up the membership of Central.

 

Many memorable events and worship services have been held this past year.  These include Christmas Eve, Easter, the Messiah “Sing Along” Concert funded by an anonymous donor just before Christmas, the Global Mission weekend, Fat Tuesday, the Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend Breakfast this Spring and our Ninetieth Anniversary celebration.  I cannot take credit for any of these greatly appreciated and well attended services and events.  All were from the hard work of volunteers and staff.  I wish I had the room and memory to list everyone who has given to the Congregation their extraordinary volunteer efforts as leaders and workers this past year.  I do not do so for fear of omitting someone, but I hope you know who you are and that your efforts are greatly appreciated and have been a wonderful blessing to the Congregation

 

The Council, Church Staff and Congregation were highly supportive of me during my year as your president.  That made the year much more enjoyable for me than I could have anticipated.  Thank you all for helping me.  Please give this same level of support to my successor, Bill Masche.  I hope that I am leaving the Congregation as healthy as I found it and I am certain that I am leaving the job in good hands. 

 

God’s blessings to all of you!

 

Dick Shinofield


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