On February 28, Church Council held a (virtual) meeting. Here is a summary of that meeting:
Rev. Josh Kilbourne shared next step's in ministry at Signal Crest as we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that parents with younger children have been challenged to transition back to in person worship, study, and fellowship with nursery currently not being available. The Conference has not changed its policy on nursery care of children outside of its approval for preschools to operate. However, we have been in communication with the Conference taskforce seeking permission and explaining our needs to them. At this time, we are still not able to offer our traditional nursery during worship and other times of ministry and fellowship. However, we have worked with our Sunday School classes that have the majority of our nursery age and elementary school aged children and are partnering with them to provide a space for the parents to meet along with the children. A COVID addendum to our Safe Sanctuary policy was approved at Church Council (see attached) that now allows parent volunteers to oversee children while parents meet on site. It also requires that at least one parent of each child is onsite and present. This now allows our Leap of Faith Sunday School class to meet at 10 am in the children's area while the children play with adult supervision (a mix of parent volunteers) in the other half of the space.
Pastor Josh also shared that Sunday nights will expand from just our Youth meeting, to more opportunities for others beginning March 21st from 5 pm to 6:30 pm. This will provide another time that parents of elementary through youth age children will have the ability to have opportunities for the entire family. It will also allow time and space for existing small groups to meet during this time should they want to. More information will be shared soon on exactly what Sunday nights will look like and the opportunities offered.
Finally, Pastor Josh shared that beginning this Sunday, March 7th, we are moving to two services. One service at 9 am and one at 11 am. For the month of March both services will continue to be in the Crest Center and blended services. Beginning in April, we anticipate moving the 11 am service back to the Sanctuary for a Traditional service at 11 am and the 9 am Crest Service returning to a contemporary style of worship. Livestreams of our worship services will remain indefinitely as we see this being a need beyond COVID for outreach.
Penny Selman, Staff Parish Chair, reported that Christi Meier has resigned from her position as receptionist. Christi and Jeff are moving to southern Alabama as Jeff has a taken a new position. A drive through reception for Christi will take place this Sunday, March 7th at noon through the front drive of the church. At this time, the position is not being filled and the church office will be staffed with volunteers and staff for the immediate future.
Jeff Norwood, Treasurer, provided the Treasurer's report. For the month of January, Signal Crest revenue was $66,026 and our expenses were $55,515 with a net income of $9,500. All liabilities are paid, including our conference and district obligations. The balance of our operating bank account is $595,000 ($104,000 of this amount is restricted in special funds such as the Memorial Fund). We expect to be able to file for the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness later this month when the paperwork is ready to be utilized. Soon we will see a new graphic in our newsletter for the financial status of Signal Crest that will not just include revenue but also expenses.
Dick Emrath, Trustees chair, reported on several items:
- approval by the Trustees for the Chattanooga Symphony to use the Sanctuary for 4 nights in March (2 rehearsals and 2 socially distanced performances)
- asked for approval to use $50 from the Memorial Fund to purchase "prayer hands" for the prayer room in memory of Alice Conner. This request was approved by Church Council.
- asked for approval to use $10,000 from the Memorial Fund to continue Audio Visual upgrades in the Sanctuary with the purchase of 3 TV's and necessary equipment to run the TV's. These additions to the Sanctuary are important in the short term and long term for Signal Crest. This will allow us to continue the use of the Chancel Choir and other music related videos for worship in the Sanctuary until we can have the choir and bells in person and for additional video use in the Sanctuary as needed. In the long term, these enhancements will allow us to use sermon slides, images, and other technology in worship. Our previous use of screens and projectors in the Sanctuary was sub-par at best. The TV's will be placed at the front of the chancel area on the side walls and not in the altar area or back wall. The Sanctuary will remain lit during worship. Please know that the worship service in the Sanctuary will continue to be the beloved traditional service but now with the ability to effectively use slides and video. This request was approved by Church Council.
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Rev. Josh Kilbourne, on behalf of Tom Cofer, shared news in regard to replacing the wooden church sign that is in disrepair in front of the church. The Town of Signal Mountain has advised us that we should repair/replace the existing sign rather than remove the sign and replace it in a different location in the upper parking lot as we had been discussing. Trustees will undertake the project to replace the existing wooden sign with a new sign that is a close replica of the current sign per Signal Mountain Town guidelines.
Rev. Josh Kilbourne also reported on the Endowment fund. For the first time since the fund began, Signal Crest has received a distribution from our Endowment fund. We received $6,225 that was the recommended amount from the Holston Conference Foundation based on a formula of a 3 year rolling average of the market value with 4% interest. Josh shared that the Endowment committee has updated the Endowment charter to specify that distributions be used on non budgeted items. The Endowment committee requests that this years $6,225 distribution be used for providing a laser based smoke detection system in the Sanctuary, to install a door in the children's area as you enter the space just past the kitchen for security needs, and to provide seed money to Mustard Tree to help start their soap making venture from goat's milk from the goats at the Mustard Tree Farm. Mustard Tree ministry members would make the milk and sell it and put the profits back into the Mustard Tree ministry (a homeless ministry based out of First Centenary UMC). The Endowment fund began about 20 years ago with around $60,000 and has grown to approximately $180,000. Church Council approved these uses of the Endowment fund distribution. For more information on the Endowment fund and how you may utilize this approach to leave a legacy at Signal Crest, please contact Jeff Kelle, the chair of the Endowment Committee.
In Partnership,
Greg Cullum
Chair, Church Council
