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Council met on Thursday, January 19th in the ELC Boardroom with all council members and Intern Pastor Heather in attendance. Viola Burkett and Susan Riediger were invited to attend prior to the business meeting to present a Worship & Music Report and an update on the sound system upgrade.

Old Business:

• - Electrical upgrade of additional plugins including ones for sump pumps are completed in Youth Room/Kitchen. Lighting will be completed shortly.
• - Sump Pump drains tweaking and extension of hoses away from the building foundation will be done in the spring.
• - Sound system upgrade: Sue has checked with Ted Goods (taken over by Faders) but they do not have record of what was required so they would need to reassess. Dustin Smith (Green Rabbit Farms) does sound systems locally so Sue will ask him for a quote for what is needed.
• - Scandinavia Cemetery fence: J & M Industries need to be paid $12,733 for the supplies they have on hand. - Scandinavia Cemetery ditch improvement: Cliff will talk to Chad at Beatty’s to ensure that this is in their que first thing in the spring. Cathy will check with Ian at the Municipal Office about the grant application.
• - Land Titles changes: Church and Bethania Cemetery name changes on titles blocked by Land Titles Office because The Companies Branch who hold the verification of registration of Religious Societies have only Erickson Lutheran Church not Trustees of ELC (no room on their form!. They confirmed in writing that registration is Trustees of ELC so now the lawyer has to send a correction letter to Land Titles Office. The Scandinavian Cemetery title is in named trustees of Swedish Lutheran Church. Land Titles Office wants the title brought to the new system first but there are no surviving trustees to sign so follow up is needed as to the order things can be done.
• - Installation of baseboard heating system and heat loss monitor check at the parsonage has not been done yet. Ian Pinette has the job in his que but is very busy.
• - A motion to reimburse General Account the cost of the back door replacement from the Elsie Hall Fund as a capital expense for building improvement.
• - Youth Room: While Kelly Hackenschmidt was here to give quote for Youth Room carpet, he recommended cleaning the carpet as it is industrial grade, not worn just dirty. Carpet has been cleaned by Clean Machine with a need to recall them for a couple of areas for spot/stain removal. Kelly was asked to do a quote for a suspended ceiling to cover up the disrupted ceiling tiles.

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REPORTS:

Financial: Cathy presented the January Financial reports for review. Reports were accepted as presented.

Worship & Music: Everything is going well for the bulletins. Need to know about the services well in advance. Some complaints about music chosen. Some would like new hymns but then too difficult. Hymns are chosen to go with the scriptures. Viola is thankful for the choir. Council members are thankful for choir leader, Viola and musicians (Viola, Sue, Val, Marlenne) and Hymn Sing Band (Viola, Sue, Raymond, Earl & Val) and the choir for sharing their time and musical talents to add to our services.

Maintenance: New timer for cross light is needed. Ian Pinette will be asked to do this when he comes to install the new lighting.

Intern Pastor’s: Weekly in the office 2 days and provided 4 Sunday services since December 14th. Visits: 4 phone visits and 2 in person visits. Funerals: Jarett Woywada. Seminary Courses: History of the Lutheran Church in Canada – passed, Intro to Pastoral Theology – passed and in person courses: Preaching Part 2 , Theology Part 2 in Saskatoon February 27 – March 3. Leadership in the Church Part 2 February 7th to 9th in Winnipeg and February 10th to 17th in Hamilton and homework. Clinical Pastoral Experience will be scheduled in 2023 (probably one day a week in Brandon). Internship was completed December 9th. Outreach Activities include Foodbank, Main Street Community Market, Food Security Hub and Palliative Care Committee (provided the Memory Message at the Memory Tree Lighting). Youth: meeting with 2 youth from the previous youth group at their request with parental approval. Meetings include outdoor activities, sharing their stories and their ideas and development of Parklands Youth Hub for 3 -4 hours every week or two. These times will be transitioned to the Parklands Youth Hub when organized.

Intern Pastor Heather shared her transcript of marks for LTS courses she has taken since September 2014 and the courses she has taken since September 2021 on the Alternate Route to Ordination she is pursuing now. Her GPA was a little over 80. CONGRATULATIONS Heather!! Seminary Convocation/Graduation date is May 3rd in Saskatoon. Ordination will take place here at ELC in June when Bishop Jason’s schedule permits.

Administrative: Scandinavian Cemetery: Renumbering plots on hold until February. Financial: Usual duties plus year end work. Domain Name: Westman Communications gave a 5 year plan for $100 ($50 saving). This registration is for our website and emails. Elevator: Inspectors now require maintenance be done biannually and a log be kept of these maintenance visits in order to have a valid permit. Cliff okayed search for an elevator service provider. Central Elevator (Dan Keryluk) services elevators in Dauphin & Minnedosa for a flat fee of $300. Our last service call had mileage of $250 without labor. Cliff okayed the hiring of Central Elevator for biannual elevator service due January or early February. Usual monthly duties completed. Sylvia-Linda has put in more than 16 hours/week but extra hours for work on Parklands Youth Hub and budget for the Better Sustainable Communities grant application are donated. THANK YOU for all you do, Sylvia-Linda!

Parklands Youth Hub:

• Youth Room been cleared out and carpet cleaned. Sylvia-Linda spent several hours on the clean-up. Cathy & Benita helped deal with ELW tablecloths, table décor and layette supplies as well as choir robes (black ones kept, Cherub choir robes and red OUC robes donated to Expressive Dance with Crystal/Strathclair Theatre).
• First day of the Drop-in Center was Thursday, January 19th with 9 youth attending.
• Westman Communications upgraded the modem and installed Wi-fi extenders in Sanctuary and Hall. Pinette Electrical installed additional electrical outlets.
• Donated computers were taken to Brandon but only three were serviceable. Waiting for call to pick up the computers.
• Open House on Saturday, January 21st is an opportunity for community and parents to see what PYH is about. A grand opening will be held later when programs are set up.
• Krisjanis, as Program Director, prepared the policies and guidelines and posters for the drop-in and Open House. Sylvia-Linda prepared the waivers, consents and registration forms and distributed to youth in Onanole and Erickson schools between the ages of 12 and 17 years. Steering Committee was meeting almost daily.
• The Better Sustainable Communities grant application was submitted along with Letters of Support for the PYH received from the municipalities and the schools. Grant application required a budget and quotes for materials – a lot of work on Sylvia-Linda’s part.

New Business:

• 2023 Budget worksheet was completed. The proposed 2023 Budget will be presented to the Annual General Meeting for approval.
• The Annual General Meeting is on Sunday March 5th after Sunday service and potluck lunch. Announcements will be made February 19th and 26th as well as by Email with Newsletter.
1. Nominating Committee of Cathy Hackenschmidt and Mary Nichols will be looking for 1 or 2 new council members.
2. Appointment of Auditors: Cathy will ask someone.
3. ELC Mission and Goals for 2023 were discussed. It was felt that the youth activities, seniors support and Food security named in 2022 are beginning to take shape in 2023.
• Request for rental of 35-40 wooden chairs for January 31st Erickson & District Chamber of Commerce sharing the Food Hub story and relationship to Parklands Youth Hub programs. The chairs may be used free of charge.
• Antique film projector and films: Intern Pastor Heather will ask Viola what should be done with the projector and lockable film storage cabinet. May be kept as part of the church history.
• Communion: Pastor Laurel is able to preside for communion on February 19thand Intern Pastor Heather will do pulpit supply in Brandon. Monthly Communion planned: March 12th – Pastor Rick & Elaine Sauer, April 2nd Palm Sunday – Rev. Don Phillips.
• Lent and Easter services: Shrove Tuesday – ELW hosting Pancake Supper February 21st at 5:00 – 6:30 p.m., No Ash Wednesday service, Lenten Soup & Sandwich services during Lent (possibly partnering with other churches), Good Friday service, Sunrise Service at Bethel at 7 a.m. and Easter Sunday at ELC at 11 a.m.
• Since there are broken ceiling tiles in the Youth Room that may be asbestos, quote was secured for the installation of a suspended ceiling in this area. Remediation of asbestos is very expensive due to the health hazard present. Motion to accept the quote of $5,002.63 from Kelly Hackenschmidt and Co-op for installation of and materials for a suspended ceiling in the Youth Room as well as flip up counter extension for computer workstation area (south wall of Youth Room) for Parklands Youth Hub.

The next meeting of ELC Council will be Thursday, February 16th.

Following a closing prayer, adjournment at 9:07 p.m.

Submitted by Benita Nylen, Secretary