From: thefivecrowns@comcast.net
To: pastorcrown@juno.com
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 00:12:37 +0000
Subject: council report
Message-ID: <021120040012.4965.7451@comcast.net>


Study:  Psalm 60
To prevent the psalm from being disconnected from its flesh and blood root, I would begin noting the historical location:  David recognizes that defeat of Israelite forces is not simply a lack of proper weaponry, poor leadership, and tactical choices of the enemy, for the LORD allows defeat and brings victory for His purposes.  (I will let you, Derek, discover for yourself the metaphors and practices behind the words of the psalm – they are quite interesting for an extended Bible study.)  The question, though, remains:  How will this psalm be used by us?  Do we name enemies?  What has been the particular defeat or victory, or do we generalize the events of the psalm into broad “spiritual” themes?  I believe to answer those questions one must answer the Christology question first: How is this psalm christological?  Are these words Good Friday words of Jesus?  Are they then eschatological words for the Church, signifying the final defeat of every enemy?  That is probably how I would proceed.

Pastor’s Report
Worship Committee – since you were there, you may summarize the aspects of the meeting that Marilyn will not cover.  [However, not all of the action items have been addressed – especially the etiquette issues, so I deem it appropriate not to mention them at this time – I will set them before the elders.]

Paraments Committee – no report

Altar Guild – seeking new members (If any one were to mention the supposed altar guild issue, please halt discussion, because I will not be there to elaborate on how I spoke with nearly all and everybody agreed that there is no turmoil and any problem had been exaggerated.)  [Steve, if this is “news” to you, do not concern yourself with it, but I had to add this for the vicar so that he could act appropriately.]

Campus Ministry – your turn

Maintenance – Marilyn will speak to some of this when she mentions the nursery, but make sure that all of these are mentioned: bench needs to be finished, wall painted, rat hole under sink sealed, and A/V equipment installed.

Elders – have not met

Education – specifically from my perspective, members and the teachers were asked to consider what particular goals they saw for the vicarage program, and send them to me so that I could incorporate them into the new revision of my manual.  Now is an appropriate time to ask the same of every committee – since I have place before the congregation an option of calling a missionary in place of the vicarage program, it behooves us to study vicarage as committees, as to how the program affects each aspect and then if the congregation chooses the vicarage program to recommit itself in those committees to meet those goals. (Understood?)

Stewardship – I believe that Craig should report on this (much time was spent on budget issues and vicarage/missionary issue) – my next article in the Trinity Times is concerned with vocation and corporate responsibility.

Missions and Evangelism – the committee has not met to discuss my proposal.  PAMS has not yet reconvened to confer about my suggestion.  I have received from Bethany a resolution concerning the proposal (I sent it to Steve and Russ).

Elections: I sent about a week ago the biographies of possible nominees – listed alphabetically and without comment.  It is the council’s responsibility to call a meeting for the congregation to carry out its duty here.