CHURCH BOARD MINUTES
Bethel College Mennonite Church
May 6, 2021, 7 p.m., Zoom
Our faith in a God of love leads us, by the power of the Spirit, to follow Jesus in doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
PRESENT: Elizabeth Schmidt, Dale Schrag, Pat Friesen, Judy Friesen, Bill Swartley, John Kliewer, Erin Brubacher (8:15 on)
Not Attending: Cynthia Linscheid, Glen Ediger
STAFF PRESENT: Pastor Dawn Yoder Harms, Pastor Renee Reimer
Staff not attending: Mike Claassen (Financial Manager)
- Welcome and Centering Prayer (Elizabeth)
This is the last meeting of this program year. After a moment of silence Elizabeth led us in a prayer from the worship resources printed in the new hymnal, Voices Together # 953. - Consent Agenda – April 8, 2021 board minutes, pastors’ reports, and online minutes of commissions and committees were all available online or distributed earlier. Consensus approval was given by a show of hands on the screen.
- Financial Report – April 2021 financial report – The report had been distributed earlier. Mike was absent. Action: Judy Friesen moved to accept the financial report; John Kliewer seconded the motion; the motion passed with unanimous approval.
- Roof Repair – Leak A leak in the ceiling of the Open Circle classroom (known as the bell tower area on the roof) needs to be fixed. The Facilities Committee verified the immediate need for repair, received bids for repair of that section of the roof and recommended a contract with Wray’s Roofing for approval by the Finance Committee, and after that the Church Board. $7,884.90 is the estimated cost. There is enough money in Plant Fund to pay for it. After discussion in the Finance Committee it was forwarded to the Church Board for final approval. Action: Dale Schrag moved we approve a contract with Wray’s Roofing for roof repair of the bell tower area; Bill Swartley seconded the motion; the motion passed with unanimous approval.
- Policy Update- BCMC Website Policy. Our current Website Policy was approved in 2014. Proposed revisions were distributed to board members earlier. Pat Friesen moved we approve the revisions; Judy Friesen seconded the motion; the motion passed with unanimous approval.
6. Appointments for Board-Appointed Committees. Two vacancies are pending: one for Facilities and one for
Bethel College Church Relations.
Dale Schrag moved to officially affirm appointment of these committee members.
John Kliewer seconded the motion; the motion passed with unanimous approval.
| ASSISTANT TREASURERS | Lois Goertzen | 2023 | FINANCE | Al Peters, chair* | 2022 | |
| Nancy Hilty | 2022 | Judy Friesen* | 2022 | |||
| LaVern Stucky | 2022 | |||||
| FACILITIES | Ron Preheim, chair* | 2022 | Gwen Neufeld* | 2023 | ||
| Ron Peters* | 2022 | Paul Harder* | 2023 | |||
| Steve Schurr* | 2023 | |||||
| Lowell Stucky* | 2022 | AUDITING | Diane Born | 2022 | ||
| ??? | 2023 | Megan Leary | 2022 | |||
| Roger Juhnke | 2023 | |||||
| GIFT DISCERNMENT | Dale Schrag, chair* | 2023 | ||||
| Norma Johnson* | 2022 | SCRC | Heather Zerger,chair* | 2022 | ||
| Elaine Prouty* | 2023 | Mary Goering* | 2024 | |||
| Frank Stucky* | 2022 | Vern Preheim* | 2023 | |||
| Jim Mininger | 2025 | |||||
| BCRT | Darlene Dick | 2023 | ||||
| Carol Flickinger | 2022 | ESSC | Aaron Tschetter | 2023 | ||
| Dick Koontz | 2023 | Jim Mininger | 2022 | |||
| Richard Reimer | 2022 | Glen Ediger | 2023 | |||
| ??? | 2023 |
7. Ordination Discernment (Pastors Dawn and Renee)
Pastor Renee is completing her second year with our congregation. She is discerning her sense of call for ministry. She has met with a selected group of congregational members to help her with this decision. She has just completed a spiritual retreat and has completed her reflections to submit with her Candidate Questionnaire for Interviews with Western District Conference and Ministerial Leadership Commission in the coming weeks. Dale Schrag moved we recommend Pastor Renee Reimer for ordination; Bill Swartley seconded the motion; the motion passed with unanimous approval. Moderator Elizabeth Schmidt will write a letter of referral to Western District Conference.
8. Abuse Prevention and Response Committee – review proposed policy and procedure – listening circle – (This policy was emailed to all church members on Monday, May 3)
This policy work began with the Safe Sanctuaries Task Force in 2018. Faith Trust Institute was hired to provide feedback on previous drafts and recommended combining BCMC’s current Guidelines for the Safety of Children and Youth (approved in 2006) and the new policy drafts that included adult survivors and offenders in our midst. This 2021 policy draft structure is based on a template from Faith Trust Institute, previous work from the BCMC Safe Sanctuary Task Force, other Mennonite Church’s policy ideas, and has been reviewed by outside survivor-centered experts.
This policy is structured into 4 categories and will be presented on the website in the following ways to ensure information is readily available when needed: Introduction and Purpose, Abuse Prevention, Abuse Response, Forms and Resources.
The Abuse Prevention and Response Committee (Jill Robb, Dale Schrag, Jim Robb, Bethany Schrag, and Yolanda Kauffman) and the Pastoral Team (Dawn Yoder Harms, Renee Reimer, and Nathan Koontz) requested that all feedback, comments, and questions come through an online survey form to allow the church to be able to intentionally address them in helpful ways. Committees, Sunday School groups, and small groups were encouraged to take time to discuss this policy draft together using the survey form’s questions as guidance. During the Church Board discussion of this proposed policy the clerk recorded comments and submitted them online within the survey form.
On behalf of the church board Elizabeth Schmidt expressed appreciation to the committee for their work.
9. Congregational Project Tithe – listening circle TABLED
10. On behalf of the entire church board, Elizabeth expressed thanks to outgoing board member Erin Brubacher for her past four years of service on the board.
In honor of Rosalind Andreas, to acknowledge her spirit and presence among us as a church board member until her death, Pastor Dawn lit a candle and the board observed a moment of silence.
11. Other business. Dale Schrag expressed thanks to Pastor Dawn for allowing singing through masks at last Sunday’s worship. Erin Brubacher expressed thanks to Pastor Dawn for being our fearless pastor and sticking with us through turbulent times this past year.
12. Executive Session began at 8:40 pm and the session ended at 8:46 pm.
13. Adjourned at 8:47 pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Pat Friesen, Clerk