Congregational Growth Ministry Team minutes

Last meeting: May 13, 2008

Attendees:

Bob Heil

Dale Hershfield

Shannon Howard

Rich Flamang

Jen Wageman

Staff:

Jan Sommerfeld

Excused:

Gary Akgulian

Lance Schmidt

Collin Goldschmidt

Important items of information:

Welcoming: Bob Heil distributed information to the team for review regarding congregation hospitality, including a hospitality audit designed by New Life Ministries, a hospitality quiz and hand-outs from Lutheran Hour Ministries on outreach development training. The team will review the material at home and discuss it at next month’s meeting.

New Member Sessions: Jen Wagemen updated the team on the New Member Sessions, which are going well. She compiled a hospitality survey that was distributed to new members for feedback. The extra time built in to the sessions allows for more flexibility. Jen reported a lot of energy and interaction among the new members.

Name tags: The team discussed the roll-out for the clip-type name tags at the Downtown Site and decided to begin the process in September to coincide with the beginning of Sunday school. The team suggested the name tags be available in plastic baskets on two wood laminate-top tables: one in the City Park entryway and one along the east wall in the Gathering Area, adjacent to the Ida Street entryway. The team suggested taking down the bulletin board located in the City Park entryway, since it’s not being used and it looks tattered and perhaps hanging a tapestry on walls to make the area more inviting. This suggestion will be forwarded to the Property Oversight Committee. Another possible idea is having the summer interns decorate the bulletin board and area with inviting welcome messages. A team member will talk to Mo about that possibility.

FELC Welcome Center: Rich Flamang presented a design for the Welcome Center that was created by Jeff Picken and Derek Jones. Cost estimate: less than $1,500, including a computer. The design captures the North Site architecture and color scheme. Rich will confer with Jeff on design elements suggested by the team.

Communications update: Jan reported that audio sermons from the Downtown Site worship services now can be downloaded on our Web Site. Web site traffic for April: 162 hits per day. So far in May: 248 hits/day.

Submitted by: Jan Sommerfeld

Next meeting: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 10.