October 2020 Church Council

October 6, 7:00 pm via Zoom

Please mute unless you are talking

1. Opening Prayer – Pastor Josh
2. Changes to the Agenda
3. Approve Amended Minutes of the September 1 Council meeting
4. Nominating Committee Update
   1. Vote to accept Financial Secretary Nominee
   2. Vote to access Assistant Financial Secretary Nominee
5. Elevator update
6. Financial update – Cathy
   1. Current budget overview
   2. Endowment distribution policy amendment: Finance Committee voted to accept, Council needs to ratify. (Proposed update sent in pre-meeting email)
   3. Request for budget inputs before November Council meeting
   4. Status of fundraising efforts
      1. Silent Auction update
      2. Essex Parks & Rec additional space rental
   5. Available Endowment distribution from 2019
      1. $17k originally earmarked for operating budget. Request to move that to begin and elevator fund for future upgrades/repairs
      2. $15,592 available per new Endowment policy
         1. Requests for use by committees due to Finance Committee by October 26, 2020
7. VT UCC Council Virtual Training – October 24, 2020
8. Sign-Up Genius use expansion status
   1. Currently created: Heavenly Cents Thrift Shop, Heavenly Food Pantry, Flowers, Flu Shot Clinic, and Dismas House
   2. To be created: Sunday Worship (Hospitality, Ushering, Deacons, CE, acolyte, ring the bell, Financial Secretary assistance), Essex Eats Out, Others?
9. Discussion/questions from reports submitted by committees, recognized groups and teams – if warranted
   1. Deacons and Missions – Caring Circles Update
   2. Heavenly Food Pantry update
      1. Last meeting September 7, 2020
   3. FFO after action
10. Executive Committee updates
    1. Some folks are calling for finding additional ways to gather safely in person.
    2. Next EC meeting will be scheduled after Deacons meeting, before the end of October. Current target date to have in person worship of some sort is Nov 29th.
    3. No matter when we are looking to get into the sanctuary we need a plan. Philosophy that committees should come up with ideas for how to do what they do and propose solutions to EC like Thrift shop did. Following State of VT guidelines (masks required, temperature checks at entry to building, no hugging or hand shaking, etc).
       1. Deacons input
          1. Service length?
          2. Service formats
          3. No in person music
          4. Number/format of services
          5. Who will /How will we create spacing
       2. Trustees charge to evaluate air movement in sanctuary – for safety
          1. Air flow:
             1. Keep windows open?
             2. All internal fans need to be off?
             3. Air Purifiers?
          2. # allowable/recommended in the sanctuary per state guidelines
          3. Other physical modifications needed?
          4. How to sanitize/clean between services?
       3. Who would do the signup and monitor the folks (# and frequency) to ensure each person is able to attend if they wish
       4. Who will do temperature checks?
       5. Request for input to Executive Committee from committees on in-person worship
       6. Request for input to Executive Committee from congregation on in-person worship?
11. Trustee update
12. Request for agenda items for next meeting on November 3rd
13. Adjourn