March 22, 2020
Dear Grace Family,
Voters’ and Town Hall Meetings Scheduled for March 29 are Cancelled
Consistent with guidance from governmental agencies, we will not gather for the ‘Celebrate Grace’ worship on Sunday March 29, nor will we conduct the Voters’ and Town Hall meetings scheduled to follow that family worship time.
- The Town Hall meeting topic relating to a current-year financial status will be shared via online communication.
- The information on governance change to a Policy-Based-Governance will be delayed until a time that we can gather together and discuss as leadership seeks your consent to proceed with the process.
- The Voters’ Assembly meeting was planned to consider and vote on issuing a call to Victoria Swanson, a commissioned teacher of the LCMS who is currently a member of our Day School staff.
Elders and Administrative Council met and decided to proceed with the call process, consistent with Section 2.1 of Grace’s By-laws;
“Grace Lutheran Church upholds the LCMS Synod By-Laws which provide that “Congregations which are members of the Synod, in conformity with Article VI, 3, of the Constitution of the Synod, shall call and seek to solely be served by only those who are ordained or commissioned ministers who have been admitted to these respective ministries in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Synod and are members of the Synod”. If a synodically trained person may not be available, Grace Lutheran Church and Schools may engage a lay person to fill various ministry needs."
With this policy guidance, the Elders and Council determined that the current Covid-19 guidelines for gatherings, requires us to modify the voting process in this specific instance. To that end, there will be an opportunity for voting members to cast their vote for this call by two alternate methods:
- Electronically via email to be sent by March 26.
- By US mail with a paper ballot.
The responses through these means will enable us to verify the presence of a quorum consistent with our By-Laws.
The voting will take place on Monday March 30. By Thursday, March 26, voting members will receive email notification of the ballot language and the voting procedure; and voting members that don’t have access to email will receive a paper ballot via US Mail by that date. Instructions as to the voting procedure and a biographical background of the candidate, Victoria Swanson, will be included with your ballot notification. Please contact the Church Office to express your choice of a paper ballot. (
ytanko@gracelcms.net or 760-745-0831)
Elders and Administrative Council members appreciate your participation in this unique process to support our ministries. We are reminded of the daily presence of our Lord Jesus in His Words.
John 16:33
: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
