Council meeting September 1, 2010

PRESENT: Ron & Doreen Hietsch, Janet Frisch, Bill Logan, Rich Winkle, John
Hazelwood, Gary Paumen, Jeff Emge, Arnie Brock, Erik Vecere, Lisa
Hunter, John Musser, George Trautman, George Quay, Kathy Brown, Matt
& Deb McCauley, Sandee St. John, Debbie Levato, Laura Gibson, Scott
Rodenbeck, Steve Peterson, Renee Griffith, Joan Snair, Shawn Brobeck,
Ken Milachin, Rex Pagani, and Marilyn Huber
SPEAKERS: Rev. Dr. Chris Wicher, President of the Eastern District
Rev. Fred Poeppel, Circuit Counselor
Rev. Wicher came to explain the process we as a church and congregation will be going through during this difficult time of adjustment. It is very similar to the grieving process and each of us will proceed at our own pace.
Rev. Poeppel will be available for any questions we may have as we move forward. Both have been through this before, and offered much reassurance and support to us.
What is expected is from this moment on, we are not to involve Pastor Pingle in any church matters as he and his family prepare to move on to his next church.
It will take approximately 18 months for a new Pastor to be voted in. During this time, the Rev.s will make recommendations for an Intentional Interim Pastor. He will fill the role of pastor for the time being. He can attend church meetings if we so request. The Council President and Elders will discuss salary and his schedule with him.
A Call Committee will be developed that is to represent a fair cross section of our congregation, but should include an Elder or 2 and representation of our ministries. This committee should not have more than 10 members.
The Call Committee is to conduct a Self Study of the church and congregation. This is an intensive, extensive look at what the church’s needs, wants, and expectations are. Rev. Wicher will provide the format for the study.
Once the Self Study is completed, Rev. Wicher will provide the committee with a Call list of potential pastors. Church members can also make nominations for the pastoral position.
The Call Committee will then call the prospective pastors and perform an interview, addressing all the concerns, requirements and commitments our church want with a new Pastor.
The Call Committee then brings the names to the Voters Committee and they select who will become our new Pastor.
Both Rev. Wicher and Rev. Poeppel again offered their support and for us to contact them when questions arise.
Regular Council Meeting
Rex Pagani announced our custodian is resigning effective 9/12/10. If anyone knows of someone who may be interested, please refer them to the church office to fill out an application.
Diane Davis is resigning from working with the Hall reservations effective 9/12/10. We need someone to take her place, as well as work on setting the hall up and breaking it down after an event.
Our office secretary, Michelle wants to continue working in her position and is offering to keep the church schedule going. Council would like to see the Newsletter start back up and they feel Michelle can do it. All the heads of boards/ministries would need to provide Michelle with information on the groups so it can be included in the Newsletter.
Marilyn Huber is also resigning as Council Secretary effective 10/10.

Mt Olive Council November 2009

11/15/09

PRESENT: Matt McCauley, John Musser, Rex Pagani, Steve Peterson, Janet Frisch, Pastor, Helen Gillingham, Marilyn Caruso, Tom Rodenbach and Marilyn Huber.

1) Matt reported the Baked Potato event was well attended with approximately 80 people. Everyone really seemed to enjoy the gathering. The Chili Cook-off will be held on 1/23/10 @ 5PM. The Wine & Cheese party will be on 4/17/10 @ 7PM. A Sundae Social will be held on 6/6/10 and due to the success of the 1st one another Baked Potato event will be held in the fall of 2010.

2) Marilyn attended to discuss the progress of the Stewardship program. Even in these hard economic times, we need to continue to give to our church. Even an extra 1% at a time is beneficial.

3) Janet reports the Kitchen Committee she has organized can always use help. She does not want the kitchen to return to what it was. Counsel agreed her hard work and the help of others has been a great advantage and will be looking for members to continue their cleaning.

4) Tom will be Santa Clause for the Breakfast with Santa to be held on 12/12/09 in the hall. This is an event to raise money for the Youth Group. Also, selling chocolate covered pretzels and a few Spaghetti dinners during week days will be used as fund raisers.

5) Helen discussed pens and magnets being used to help promote the growth of our church. She is looking for donations of appx. $150.00 to get started on the cost of these products.

6) Steve informed Counsel the church is currently $90,000.00 in the red. We are down $56,000 from 2 years ago. We have been able to save $30,000 without having a Vicar. At the Counsel meeting in Dec. 09, he is to present the new Budget to Counsel.

7) John announced we have purchased a salt spreader and the salt is on order. He will put a note on the dash board of the snow removal vehicle to turn off the fuel pump when not in use so as to not drain the battery. Rex & John want to hold a fund raising dinner for Pastor in early Jan. 2010 to help Pastor with his trip to India later in the month. Pastor announced how successful the Blessing of the Animals was, there were many in attendance with their pets. Also, the old Vicar’s house has been rented to a mother and her 2 children. The rent was reduced to $550.00 a month including water and sewage. Our church secretary did a wonderful job of screening prospective renters.

MT. OLIVE COUNSEL MEETING

10/18/09

PRESENT: Matt McCauley, James St. John, John Musser, Rich Winkle Jr., Patty Dauer,
Jen Vecre, Rex Pagani, Pastor Pingel, Kathy Brown, Ann Emge, Deb
Levato, and Marilyn Huber.

1) Matt informed counsel there will be a baked potato social hour after 2nd
Service on 11/3/09. There will be a variety of toppings to choose from.

2) Ann is organizing a trip to Woodwards Apple Orchard on 10/24/09 for Sunday
School children and their families. A co-teacher is still needed for 6th & 7th grade class on Sundays.

3) A general discussion was held concerning snow removal this coming winter.
There are 2 men already slated for the AM and PM hours. Volunteers will be accepted, some of the men in attendance were offering to help as well. The key will be to have better communications so there is no confusion on who and when the work gets done. Counsel approved the purchase of salt and a spreader. There is a gas cap key for the Bronco. The key to the cap will be kept in the shed, along with some gas cans.

4) Rich had questions about the Vicar’s house for rent. He suggested a “For
Sign” in the front yard may be of benefit. There was also a question about
profits from the rental and taxes. Pastor will check into that money becoming
tax exempt.

5) Deb announced the pre-school program is helping Sue Pierson collect items
for soldiers to be mailed overseas. Activities the pre-school has had so far are
the Fire Dept. coming in to talk to the children about fire safety, Vision Care
came to speak of eye care and they went Trick or Treatin at Cambridge Village. To aid in the spread of illness they clean the toys and tables with Cloroax and are using had wipes.

6) Kathy announced MOPS will hold a Christmas Boutique on 11/8/09, also that
same day there will be a bake and soup sale to raise funds for MOPS.

7) Parstor announced that Arnie Brock and the Geneva student will both run the
Jr. Youth Group. Pastor would like to see the youth in the church get involved with the bells again. Kathy volunteered to get it going again. He also would like the children’s choir to be a part of service. We discussed Swine Flu and precautions to take in church. Recommendations were to not shake hands during greeting and getting hand sanitizers in the Sanctuary. Pastor would also like to have volunteers to be “Prophets” during the Advent Services.
8) Rex is going to get the Finance Committee together to review the Budget.
There has been a large savings with the absence of the Vicar.



A quote from Pastor:

“SAME WIND MAN………………SAME WIND.”

Sinners Anonymous: Matthew 9: 9-13
An organization called “Alcoholics Anonymous” has been of great service to many people afflicted with alcoholism. Associated in its work are people who are THEMSELVES alcoholics and have helped each other overcome the problem. One of the first steps in the process is to ADMIT to themselves—and to others—that they are, indeed, alcoholics—completely unable to handle intoxicating liquor, and therefore committed to the necessity of never again touching the stuff!
TO BE HELPED, others have to make the same admission and to recognize the same necessity. They are then encouraged to “seek POWER from on high” in order to achieve what is humanly impossible! This is where there is some shortfall in the program, but at least it begins to point people in the right direction.
As part of my training in seminary I chose to take classes in chemical dependency, and part of that training was to attend a number of AA meetings. Several things characterized these meeting.
1 Cigarette smoke. I‘ve never been to an AA meeting where the room wasn’t filled with smoke. There’s a reason for that but I won’t get into it.
2 The more important thing was a gut wrenching HONESTY which characterized the meetings. Which I have seen nowhere else since—at least with that level of intensity.
3 The third thing was FELLOWSHIP created by this common problem, and their commitment to being of assistance to one another. There was no condemnation,
4
no condescension, no looking down on others, just a desire to help! And a willingness to stand by those in need.

NOW, it’s not my purpose to comment today on Alcoholics Anonymous, except to say for any shortcomings in the program, it has still helped a lot of people and still has probably the best overall record for helping people overcome this affliction. No other organization, including the church, has been able to do as much as AA. That’s became they know what they are about, and they accept people into their ranks in the light of common goals and concerns.
BUT this raises a question. Does the CHURCH know what it’s about? Is the CHURCH aware of what it really is? AND is its fellowship meaningful in the sense that it really works? WHAT IS THE CHURCH ANYWAY?
Some people have the impression that the church is a collection of high class snobs, who come together for the purpose of criticizing everyone except themselves! Where would they get that impression?
One thing is for sure: This picture of the church as an assembly of RIGHTEOUS people, smugly sure of themselves and bitterly critical of everyone else, CERTAINLY doesn’t come from JESUS CHRIST, the founder of the CHURCH! In fact, as our text


states, Jesus felt quite at home with sinners! In fact, he he openly ASSOCIATED with so called “SINNERS” –a practice which brought criticism and censure from others, PARTICULARLY the “religious” people of his day!
AND MAKE NO MISTAKE, the people he received and even sought out were REALLY sinners! They were tax collectors, political grafters, who cheated people blind; they were women with lurid reputations, women of the streets; No one else would even talk with them, Jesus ate and drank with them! According to the custom of the time, sitting at table with another was a sign of ACCEPTANCE—still true in that region of the world today!
He was not above eating and drinking and talking with these people, considered OUTCASTS, the SCUM of lst century society!
In fact, when Christians look at our Lord Jesus Christ, we see in him PERSONIFICATION of a divine invitation issued centuries before through the prophet Isaiah:
“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
Don’t get me wrong; Jesus didn’t CONDONE sin. He didn’t take sin lightly, simply wink at it and pretend it didn’t exist. Jesus describes sin throughout the Gospels in all its ugliness and in terms of its devastating eternal consequences. Left unchecked, it will separate us from God now and eternally. God’s wrath rests upon sin. In the sight of God, sin is scarlet, blood red. And yet, it says, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST visited with sinners, even ate with them! Extending to sinners of every description a divine invitation to a brand new relationship with God based upon grace and forgiveness.
So here’s the first point I’d make. Wherever the church exists, it is first and foremost an ASSEMBLY of people who are THEMSELVES sinners, and know it. They don’t just THINK about sinners, they don’t just TALK about sinners, they ARE sinners…and they know it. They’re not the kind of people who sit around saying: “Well, I’m not so bad after all. At least I’m not like so and so, ‘cause I go to church and my record is good.’ When the Church is doing its job, it consists of people who could very well call themselves SINNERS ANONYMOUS.
In fact, Christians should come across as refreshingly honest people. Who admit to themselves and to others, what they are. Every week when they come together, they say these or similar words; “I a poor miserable sinner confess my sins and iniquities which I have ever offended thee, and justly deserved thy temporal and eternal punishment.” They think of their own sins as nothing short of scandalous; and they see themselves as needing a SAVIOR just as much as anyone else. And they know that they are RIGHTEOUS in the sight of God. Not because they are such GOOD people, but because CHRIST has clothed them with HIS righteousness, and they see themselves as constantly in need of God’s forgivness.
THE CHURCH, “SINNERS ANONYMOUS”—is a fellowship of people who have the same problem, sin, and they have come to Jesus Christ, and his cross, as the answer to that problem.





II Obviously, and unfortunate, many people don’t have this picture of the church. Many people OUTSIDE the church think of the Church as the LAST place to go with this problem of sin. They think: “I’m not good enough to be part of that organization! I’d never feel at home; I’d never be accepted.
Where do people get this impression? Very often the idea comes from the people of the church. When the church doesn’t have a correct understanding of itself, the church can become a breeding ground for PHARISEES and PHARISAICAL THINKING. The church becomes a country club which specializes in criticizing and condemning those on the outside, rather than an organization dedicated to extending God’s invitation to “come” to the Lord for forgiveness and healing. The church says, in effect: Clean up your act, and THEN come and see us. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll judge you good enough to let you in.
Too often the church forgets what it is. It is NOT a social club. It is a fellowship of people who are united by a common problem. In AA, that problem is alcoholism. In the church, that problem is SIN. And all of us are sinners. So, none of us can afford to boast. Alcoholism is characterized by powerlessness, a lack of control. Listen to PAUL as he speaks of his sin: “For I am the chief of sinners.” “The very thing I should not do, that I do; and that which I ought to do, I do not. O wretched man that I am! Who shall save me from this body of death?” But thanks to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
The fellowship of the Church is not based on being perfect. It’s based on a common need, and what we all have been fortunate to receive, through the merits of Jesus Christ; Grace and forgiveness. We’ve all been recipients, says Paul, of grace upon grace. We’re a fellowship of sinners, forgiven sinners, gathered around the cross of our dear Lord.
In AA the basically philosophy is that the one who knows they have A PROBLEM and has wrestled with the problem is in the best position to be of help. Who can best reach a world of sinners for Christ? People who with humility know what they themselves are: Sinners. Ordinary people who recognize their own sin and shortcomings, and yet who have found a solution to sin in the grace of God who forgives sins freely through is Son. When we sound high and mighty and SELF-RIGHTEOUS, that drives people away. When we raise things of minor importance to levels of absolute necessity…we do a disservice to those on the outside. When we become more concerned about buildings and places and programs than PEOPLE and their need for God…we project to outsiders something less than an inviting image.
Our text says that Jesus “ate and drank with tax collectors and sinners.” This is significant, because it tells us that God finds sinners where they are. He doesn’t say: “straighten out, then come.” He says: “Come, let us reason together.”
The Church is no place for proud Pharisees…no person who takes the cross seriously can be proud of himself or herself. He or she can never TAKE a righteous, condemning, judgmental attitude toward others. Why? We’re all members of SINNERS ANONYMOUS. We’re all in the same boat.





One of the great and ancient symbols of the church is the ship or boat. This is appropriate. We’re all in the same boat. The same boat with tax collectors and sinners, with drug users and corrupt businessmen, with sinners of all times and places. Our fellowship is not based on self righteousness, but on our need for Jesus.
Maybe you’re here visiting this morning. Welcome. Welcome to Sinners Anonymous. We can relate to you. We’re just like you. We are lost in sin. But let me tell you, brother and sister, there is mercy for you too, at the cross. Mercy like we’ve received. No one, no matter what they’ve done, is ever beyond the reach of God in Jesus Christ. We invite you to join with us, fellow sinners, redeemed by the Son of God, and Savior of the world. We hear the gracious invitation as we gather around the Lord’s table this morning: “Come, says the Lord, though your sins be scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are like crimson, they shall be like wool.” The invitation is engraved with the name of Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us. “Come now” says the Lord. Amen.

Mt Olive Council Mtg May 2009

In attendance: Rex Pagani, Kathy Brown, Debra McCauley, Janet Frisch, Vicar Zach, John Musser, Helen Gillingham, Megan Why, Pastor Pingel and Marilyn Huber.

1) Kathy discussed Darlington Days activities. MOPS will have iced tea, snacks and a changing table. They will be taking registrations for MOPS. A rummage sale will be held September 5, 2009 and a Yard sale will take place on September 12, 2009 to help raise funds.
2.) Deb spoke of this year's success with the Wine and Cheese party. The Ice Cream Social will be June 7 after second service. Consideration is being given to Brewsters coming with their ice cream cart, including toppings. There will also be hot dogs, chips and pretzels.
3.)Megan from the Board of Education spoke on Teacher Appreciation Fruit Baskets begin given out. There will only be Summer School in June. Vacation Bible School already has its teachers, but volunteers for other activities are always welcomed.
4.)Helen addressed the need to get the business cards for hall rentals out to the public. The holders for the cards have been delivered to the church and need to be taken to the businesses contacted. Pastor pointed out that hall rental is greatly helping to keep the church afloat.
5.)John informed that the props from the drama events are now in storage in the shed on the church's property. Steve peterson from Morrow Motors loaned a van to help move these items.
6.)Vicar Zach reported he has completed his meetings with the Geneva students since school is out for the summer. A couple of these students still continue to attend services on Sundays.
7.)Janet announced that Telecare calling will be discontinued, at least for the summer. Discussion was held on the possibility of emailing people with computers and calling the others when this ministry continues.
8.)Pastor relayed that Debbie Levato has been interviewing for a preschool teacher. Nine of the 12 positions are filled. Also, Pastor has been talking with Josh Roach from Geneva about taking over the Youth Ministry since Vicar Zach will be returning to the seminary. In another matter, Pastor urged the completion of the showers since they will be needed for the upcoming Youth event in July. The rug scrubber needs upgraded to a new one because the cost to repair the old one is too great.
Pastor has an urgent plea...for parishioners to take a more active role in the upkeep of the church. Everyone's help is needed in one way or another.