Read the most recent Council Meeting Highlights here

COUNCIL MEETING Highlights, April 30, 2013

(highlights from Pastor Bruce’s Report)
We are stepping into a new sermon series (both Attridge and Broadway) called “New Beginnings,” looking at the power and implications of the resurrection.  With the power of the Spirit of the risen Christ, and with renewed minds and steps of obedience that we can take, all kinds of new beginnings are possible in our lives.  Please be in prayer that this is a season of new breakthroughs and new beginnings in the lives of our people.

It feels like many exciting new beginnings are soon upon us.  The Broadway Gathering is starting a second Broadway community that will meet on Sunday nights.  We are excited about how things are progressing with our lead candidate in the worship role (Attridge), and anticipate a recommendation from Council at this meeting to bring to the congregation.  I’ve also been in conversation with one individual regarding our young adults role and some of the creative ways of funding and shaping this role as an intentional aspect of calling out and developing leaders from within our church.

In this Council meeting, we talked about new initiatives and opportunities in evangelism, feeding the poor in our city, hosting refugees, support for our long term missionaries, short term mission teams, and so much that we praise God for.  Our upcoming Annual Report is around the theme of “IMMESURABLY MORE” – longing for more of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and in our church.  We tend to ask for such trivial and temporal things of this world – but God’s desire is to give us so much more of so much better.  Paul prayed that kind of audacious prayer in Ephesians 3, that God would do “immeasurably more,” through the power of the Holy Spirit, than we might ask or even imagine – that’s a lot more!

Reports were submitted by the Council Committees

• Governance Committee
• Financial Audit Committee
• Leadership Discernment Committee
• Personnel Resources Committee

Meeting Highlights

• Council approved a proposed Legacy Fund document. This is a policy to deal with larger gifts that are often associated with bequests, life insurance plans, publically traded securities, real estate, etc.
• The Encore Monday growth opportunities have been well received.
• There was a pre-marriage preparation day at FGCC Attridge on April 27. Seven couples participated in this day of equipping and marriage preparation. Huge thanks to all presenters.
• Maryanne Berge gave a report on her recent trip to Guadalajara to the Matthew Training Centre there. Tori Braun also went on this trip.
• An afternoon training session for all Children’s Ministry volunteers happened in March. FGCC is also hosting a pancake breakfast at the end of May to celebrate families and thank those that serve faithfully in CM each week.
• In our Attridge congregation, we have had 13 new Small Groups form in the past year
• A new missional community is forming in our Broadway congregation.
• Council approved a plan to develop a community garden on the green space east of the Attridge building.
• A plan for how to use the 2012 financial surplus was discussed. It was proposed that 50% be designated to Attridge renovation and building needs, with the other 50% to leadership development (including young adult leadership and possible future site leadership), strategic partners, and other ministry initiatives. (more details available upon request)

FGCC Finances – Year to Date – YTD – to March 31, 2013  -  Parentheses = negative number