Members Absent: Jeff Thoma

Others Present: Diane Metz, Les Johnsen, Chris Moore, Justin Devine, Dan DiSano

June called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Pastor Todd led a prayer.

The meeting began with a time for public comment. Member Dan DiSano stated that he felt that June had been inappropriate when she publicly criticized members Bob and Beth Williamson during the announcements at the end of the church service on Sunday. He also stated that he felt that Pastor Todd should have interrupted her speech to the congregation. June stated that Beth and Bob had been criticizing her and the Executive Committee, she had reached out to Beth and Bob to discuss their complaints, and they had refused to meet with her. She and Pastor Todd acknowledged that the manner in which she responded to the impasse had been inappropriate. Dan stated that June should publicly apologize to Beth and Bob at the next Sunday service. He stated that he does not like the current practice of having announcements at the end of the service, and he would prefer that they be made earlier in the service. He said that he would prefer to end the service with an upbeat hymn so everyone could leave the sanctuary feeling good.

Pastor Todd then led a devotion.

Bette moved that the Council approve the minutes from the January 20, 2011 meeting. The motion was seconded and was passed.

Finance Report

Janelle presented a Finance Report. (Attachment A.) She reported that we had $1,120 left over from funds raised for Christmas baskets in 2010 and that Kathy Doty had requested that we hold these funds over and use them for Christmas baskets in 2011. Carole stated that the minutes from the February 2010 Council meeting show that we had a similar amount left over from funds raised for Christmas baskets the prior year, and we had voted to hold those funds over and use them for Christmas baskets in 2010. June moved that we grant Kathy’s request but that when we raise funds for Christmas baskets in 2011, we tell the donors to this fund that any money not used for Christmas baskets in 2011 will be put in the Good Samaritan fund. The motion was seconded and was passed.

Janelle reported that funds to meet Pastor Todd’s appeal for help for the Barajas family had reached $635, and she needed to know who to make the check out to. Pastor Todd stated that the family has already paid for the funeral expenses for Mr. Barajas, but it has an account at U.S. Bank in the name of the Maria Christina Barajas Family Fund.

Janelle reported that St. Mark’s had been the victim of check number fraud. Someone had used our checking account to pay for PG&E services. There had been four illegal transactions. The fraud had been caught in a timely manner and the church was not being held responsible.

Property Management and Personnel

Diane Metz reported for the Personnel Committee. She reported that Pastor Todd had invited Justin Devine, Erin Ruml, Michelle Aas, Nancy Huston, Christa Sweeney, Diane Metz, and Carole Greeley to join him on the task force to draft the congregation’s safe congregation policy. The Council approved the task force. Diane said that she had prepared materials that had been distributed to the members of the task force and that they would be meeting at noon on February 28.

Diane had asked Michelle Aas, Doris Sams, and Beth Williamson to join the Personnel Committee. She asked the Council to approve the committee. Pastor Todd moved to approve them; the motion was seconded and passed after a discussion regarding the duties of this committee.

Diane had made some minor changes in the congregation’s computer use policy. (Attachment B.) Pastor Todd moved to approve the amendments; the motion was seconded and was passed.

Diane explained that we need a new nursery attendant and that our current policy states that the nursery attendant must be at least 18 years old. She said that member Mary Hallahan had applied for the position, but she will not be 18 until May. She said that we had waived the age requirement in the past. Justin said that he recommended that we waive the age requirement and offer the position to Mary. June so moved; the motion was seconded and was passed.

Youth and Education

Carole presented the covenant that had been drafted to govern limitations on Jack Vinyard, a member who is a registered sex offender and who volunteers to run the congregation’s sound system. The covenant would be signed by Pastor Todd, June, and Justin on behalf of the congregation. (Attachment C) June moved that we approve the covenant; the motion was seconded and was passed.

Carole asked whether we were using the correct title for Justin on the covenant. Justin replied that it is correct, but that he would prefer to be called Director of Youth and Education, since this is a better description of his current position. Carole moved that we approve this new title; the motion was seconded and was passed.

Justin reported that the Sunday School Team has developed a new name for the Sunday School program, Hope.Nets. They plan to start advertising this new name and a new image for the program. It was noted that when we changed the name of Vacation Bible School to Vacation Bible Camp, attendance increased dramatically. Justin said that he has been successful in building up the youth program, and now he plans to focus on Hope.Nets.

Average attendance at Youth Group is 30, and average attendance at Family Night Out is also 30. Justin said that he had talked to the youth about the covenant with Jack Vinyard and about having a safe congregation and that the conversation had gone very well.

Justin said that fund raising for the house-building trip to Mexico this summer has reached $12,000. The youth had raised $5,500 at the crab feed and had received an additional $1,000 in matching funds. This was twice as much as they raised at the crab feed last year. Meyer Corporation has donated some cooking equipment to the group.

Justin said that the next Vacation Bible Camp will be March 28-31, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. He is starting to advertise. He is ordering Bibles for the youth and children. He will be on vacation next week.

Pastor Todd’s Report

Pastor Todd presented a report. (Attachment D.) He asked for volunteers to join the Welcome and Witness Ministry Team. Bette volunteered, and June said that her daughter Kasey would be willing to join the team. Carole said that she would help with communications for the team.

Pastor Todd stated that he is going to start holding small group meetings in members’ homes so he can improve communication with the members. The events will be similar to the meetings that he held when he first arrived at St. Mark’s.

Pastor Todd reported on his recent community outreach activities. He has been acting as a tutor at David Weir, and he has begun serving as a chaplain for the Suisun Police Department. He recently spoke at the school board regarding how to select board members. He has been meeting with some disgruntled citizens and the managing editor of the Daily Republic regarding coverage of crimes involving African Americans. He again is looking into how St. Mark’s can work with Sister Judy Donovan on social justice issues. He is working with a consortium that is dealing with family violence. The Council thanked him for doing this important work.

New Business

The Council agreed to hold its monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month. All members are welcome to attend and participate. Bette Noll and Barbara Nelson, the two at large members of the Council, divided up the standing ministry teams. Bette will be the support person for Outreach, Preschool Board, Property Maintenance, Education, and Youth and Families. Barbara will be the support person for Congregational Life, Stewardship, Welcome and Witness, and Worship and Music. It was decided that the teams should report to the Council in May and in October. Reports can be written or oral, and they may be made by a member of the team or by the teams’s support person on the Council. Teams are welcome to report or to bring action items to Council at any time.

Parish Administrator Erin Ruml advised the Council that the facilities use agreement with Flames of Fire will expire in March. (Attachment E) June moved that we extend the agreement with the same terms for another year. The motion was seconded and was passed. Erin also asked about whether we wanted to give our password to our wireless internet to Flames of Fire. (Attachment E.) It was decided to investigate this issue before making a decision.

Pastor Todd led the Lord’s Prayer, and the meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Carole Greeley, Secretary