Women of Hope Board Meeting
February 3rd 2016
Attendance: Caroline Lienau, Gloria Niswonger, Joyce Knoll, Tanis Beadle, Sherry Kiisa, Alice Groth, Mary Bengtson and Natalie Thelen. All circles represented except Naomi.
WELCA Purpose and Mission Statement were read.
Devotions: Carolyn
Correspondence:
1. Request from Second Harvest Food Bank was read.
2. Thank you notes from Hope Lutheran staff members for the Christmas gifts.
3. Thank you notes from Margie Richardson and Ann Harris were received for the help with Christmas boxes and the donation given towards the tied blankets.
4. Thank you for the gift to the Boys and Girls Club.
5. Thank you for the gifts given to the Family Safety Network.
6. Thank you notes from the Ron Hennen family for the prayer shawls and the serving at the funeral.
7. Information regarding educational material Know the Bible Better was reviewed. It was given to Gloria for the library committee to review.
Secretary’s Report: M/S/P Carolyn/Natalie to approve the report for the month of December.
Treasurer’s Report: M/S/P Alice/Gloria to approve the Treasurer’s report.
Old Business:
1. The Living Waters Spring Gathering will be at Salem Lutheran in Longville on April 23rd. WOH will be in charge of the registration. Gloria and Sherry will organize whatever is necessary to plan the registration.
2. Bold Women Sunday was set for Sunday, February, 28th. It was decided to finance the treats for the fellowship hour, muffins instead of the usual doughnuts. The women will sign up to be greeters that Sunday and M/S/P Sherry/ Tanis to sponsor the radio broadcast that Sunday in honor of bold women.
3. Chair Carolyn gave a report and information regarding the purchase of new chairs for the fellowship hall. A letter from the custodians regarding their concerns about the chair being considered was read and discussed. The women will meet with them on Feb. 18th after quilting to discuss their concerns and offer some suggestions that may help to solve some of the problems they feel regarding the chairs. The board of property has approved the purchase of the chairs as well as the WELCA board. M/S/P Tanis/Alice to approve the purchase of the chairs. The final decision will go to the council. It is hoped that the chairs can be ordered and received by and dedicated to Donna’s memory at Christmas in July, an event that she worked so hard on over the years. Several suggestions were made regarding the use of the old chairs. Suggestions were made as to how to raise additional funds for the cost of the chairs. Marge has volunteered to head up a buy a chair campaign to be held between services several Sundays. (It was discussed that maybe if we need to find places for the old chairs we could have a buy a new chair and get an old one free sale.)
4. Tanis read a letter regarding her concerns about the donation given to Water Wells that was determined at the last meeting. She noted that the decision to give all proceeds from the sale of coffee to Water Wells was made when the coffee project started. The board had only donated $100 of that money at the last meeting so to make up the difference it was M/S/P Sherry/Mary to donate $1250 in addition which would equal the sale profit.
New Business:
1. The Summer gathering is set for June 9-10, 2016 and will be held at Sugar Lake Resort in Grand Rapids this year instead of the U. in Duluth. Delegates etc. will be determined closer to the date of the gathering.
2. The in-kind emphasis will be school kits this year at the gathering. WOH will make a commitment to carry on the tradition of donating 100 school kits but will be send them in Oct. rather than bringing them to the gathering. A confirmation class will be used to help assemble the kits.
3. Natalie reported that Shirley and Jim Dowson had audited the treasurer’s books for 2015 and found them to be correct.
4. Devotions for the March meeting: Sherry
Adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer.
Respectfully Submitted
Sherry Kiisa, Secretary
Women of Hope Board
March 2, 2016
Attendance: Marge Reinke, Carolyn Lienau, Natalie Thelen, Joyce Knoll, Mary Bengtson and Sherry Kiisa, All circles represented except Ruth.
WELCA Purpose and Mission Statement were read.
Devotions: Sherry
M/S/P Marge/ Natalie to approve the agenda.
Correspondence: A thank you note from the Women of the ELCA in America thanking the Women of Hope for the contribution supporting Lutheran ministries was received. The contribution was designated for Walk on Water.
Secretary’s Report: M/S/P Marge/Joyce to approve the minutes from the month of February.
Treasurer’s Report: M/S/P Sherry/Marge to approve the Treasurer’s Report.
Old Business:
1. The Living Waters Spring Gathering will be held at Salem Lutheran Church, Longville on April 23. Sign up sheets are located on the WELCA bulletin board. Hope will be in charge of the registration. Carolyn, Gloria and Sherry will see that name tags are made and will handle the registration table. Shirley Dowson offered to supply the church sign up sheets for the registration table. Sherry will look for ideas for a nametag. The Theme of the day is’ Water is Life”. A $30 love offering will be sent with one of those attending.
2. The new chairs for the fellowship hall will be ordered pending the approval of the church council. Carolyn will be attending their March meeting. The chairs will be ordered in a coppertone frame and expresso fabric. The hope is to receive them before Christmas in July.
3. A fundraiser for the purchase of the chairs was discussed. It had been decided to give the congregation members the opportunity to purchase a chair. Marge volunteered to have a table set up for all the Sundays in April to sell the chairs. Gloria will be asked to make a poster for this project. Each chair costs $40 which includes the shipping charge but a free will donation will also be accepted. The board discussed how the old chairs would be disposed of but because they are church property that decision should be left to the church council or property board.
New Business:
1. Pastor Matt will meet with Bible Study leaders on March 3 at 2 p.m.
2. M/S/P Joyce/Marge to donate the $1500 approved on the 2016 budget to the Walker Food Shelf during the March Food Share campaign.
3. The Summer gathering delegate for the June 9-10 gathering will be Mary Bengtson.
4. M/S/P Marge/ Joyce to donate the coffee cart to the crafters for their supply storage.
5. A letter from Michelle Anderson was read requesting financial help for the kids going to camp this coming summer. It was decided that we would donate to the camper ship fund but no total was decided at this meeting so it will be discussed and voted on during the April meeting.
6. Devotions for April meeting: Marge
Adjourned with the Lord’s Prayer
Respectfully Submitted
Sherry Kiisa,Secretary