The Board of Elders met on Tuesday August 23, 2022.
Pastor Kirk led us through a time of reflection and prayer based on 2 Kings 22:11 and Jeremiah 36:22. Kirk described how Josiah, the father, and Jehoiakim, the son, chose to respond differently to the Word of God. Josiah led the nation in repentance and renewal, while his son Jehoiakim sat by the fire and cut up the Word of the Lord with a knife, burning the parts he didn’t like and he and the nation did not survive much longer. What portions of the Bible do we choose to respond to? Do we do as Thomas Jefferson did, dissecting Bible portions to his preferences (Google the Jefferson Bible)? How do we respond to God and His Word? We were reminded that God’s Word is the foundation of all that we do; it provides us directions for the decisions we make in life. As leaders in the church, we must handle the Word of God correctly, being rooted daily in the scriptures. We must help others to be rooted in the scriptures.
With the changing season, we come to the end of our fiscal year (June 2022). We are preparing for the Annual General Meeting, to be held on September 25, 2022. We will have lunch right after the service followed by the Annual Meeting which begins at 12:45 pm. We hope that everyone will attend. This is a time to corporately celebrate and thank God for our many blessings, challenges, and to hear what God can do in the coming year through each one of us who call Living Hope our church home.
During the Board’s August meeting they reviewed the Nominating Committee’s work which will be published in the Annual Report. Rick Orban will be stepping off the board at the end of September. We are grateful to Rick for his service to the church and board; his thoughtful insights will be missed. Al Fedorak has been nominated by the Nominating Committee to fill the vacant spot. Al will be taking on the role of Board Chair in October, replacing Kevin Gatschene who is nominated for re-election for his final one-year term on the board.
In August, the Board reviewed the financial outcomes of 2022. Overall, we had lower expenses than we budgeted, but we still ended with a small deficit. Results for the 2021-22 fiscal year and the 2022-23 budget will be published in the Annual Report and put before the membership at the Annual Meeting for approval.
September is full of great opportunities to get involved:
- Fall Kickoff BBQ – September 11 following the service
- Mid Week with a meal (5:30 to 6:30 pm) starts September 14. There are many learning opportunities for children, youth and families at 6:30 pm each Wednesday
- Family Lunch and Annual General Meeting – September 25 following the service
The Board of Elders will meet again on September 27.
Your Board of Elders:
Kevin Gatschene (Chair) Kirk Cowman (Lead Pastor)
Rick Orban (Vice-Chair) Deji Oyetuga
Shannon Vinter (Treasurer) Lola Sotomi
Gwendolyn Schroeder (Secretary)
