Moderator Musings May 2016

Moderator musings, this is my first communication with members and friends of Crested Butte UCC and I will periodically be sending messages updating you on activities of our congregation. This first article will focus on two topics. First I wish to introduce myself and secondly, briefly review our last few church council meetings.

Along with my wife Laura, we have been members of Crested Butte UCC for 3 years. We moved to Crested Butte from the lake country in Northwestern Minnesota 3 years ago. Our son Todd and his family, Heather his spouse and son Soren who is 4, live in Crested Butte. Laura and I also have two daughters, Kari and Siri and their families with 2 grandsons (Kai 13 and Kolby 2), living in California. I served congregations of The Evangelical Lutheran Church as a parish pastor for 37 years retiring in 2006. All of the parishes I served were in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota.

I do not know many of you so on Sunday morning please stop and introduce yourself or send me an email at deggebraten@hotmail.com.

A summary of the activities of the Church Council for the past 3 months:

• A motion was made to accept Roger Dorf and Don Haver for 2 year positions on the endowment committee.
• A motion was made and accepted to conduct an agreed-upon procedures engagement audit for the year ended December 31, 2015
• A motion was made and accepted that we begin “Remote Deposit Capture”. This will allow scanning of checks when received and allows for immediate deposit in the Church bank account.
• A motion was made and accepted that we make available to members an automatic deduction i.e. ACH from individual’s checking accounts.
• A motion was made and accepted that we make available making online giving from our website
• June 4th is spring cleanup work day
• Sunday, June 26th is designated as a date receiving new members
• A motion was made and accepted to send 2 people to Rocky Mountain Conference June 9-12, 2016 in Salt Lake City.
• Kelly Jo, Tom Stumpf and Carolyn Niesman enthusiastically shared about the success of the Guatemala Trip.
• $2,000 sent to Solomon’s Porch, $1,000 to Beyond Borders, $1,000 to Okinda Kids, $500 to Habitat for Humanity, $500 to Project Hope, $500 to Sarah’s Home. These payments will be made quarterly.
• Exterior painting of the Church and Paradise buildings will be performed this summer
• From our Treasurer Terry Toole on May 10th: Financially, both UCC and Paradise Place are doing quite well.
• The auditor which will perform the UCC “agreed-upon” procedures has been engaged and will complete the audit procedures within the next few weeks.