Pastor
John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council meeting, January 10, 2012
I. Activity for December 2011
Shut-in/home Communions:
26 (63,
year-to-date)
Member/visitor home visits:
19 (46)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 1 (60)
Telecare calls: 3 (68)
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders/Ministers; Church Council;
Church Staff; Worship planning for Christmas Eve.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Conference
pastors, Leisure Village Bible Study Christmas luncheon, On-call chaplain for
PV hospital (12/29-1/1); funeral for Pastor KennBergmann.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 0
(5) , Funerals – 1 (10) .
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
1 (7), Tuesday morning – 1 (10).
D. Special Events: Hanging of the Greens; CDC Christmas
Program; Sunday School Christmas Program; Christmas Eve & Day worship.
E. Counseling Hours:
Pre-marital: 0 (14);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 4 (61).
“Christmas Sympathy” letters
sent to 33 Mount Cross members who lost someone in 2011.
A. Dates:
· January 22 – Classical Concert, 2 pm
(Lincoln Mayorga, pianist)
· January 29 – Annual Meeting, 4 pm; &
Chili cook-off, 5:30 pm
· January 29-30-31 – Bishop’s Colloquy
(Pasadena)
· February 4 – Leadership Retreat, 9 am
(location to be announced)
· February 5 – Church Council installation
at worship
· February 6-13 – PJ & Leslie’s annual
anniversary vacation
· February 22 – Ash Wednesday service at
Mount Cross with St. Columba’s Episcopal Church
· February 29 – 1st of 5 Wednesday evening suppers and Lenten
services (6 & 7 pm)
· April 1 – Palm Sunday
· April 8 – Easter Sunday
· April 28 – Make Bake Celebrate
· April 29 – Tent Event II (one worship
service in the tent)
Pastor John W.
Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, December 13, 2011
I. Activity for
November 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions:
3 (37, year-to-date)
Member/visitor home visits:
3 (27)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 2 (59)
Telecare calls: 8 (65)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Executive
Committee; Church Council, Church Staff, Worship & Music Committee,
Stewardship program update, Budget Committee.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Conference
pastors, Leisure Village Bible Study, PV Hospital chaplains, Alma Via Sunday
afternoon worship.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 2*
(5, 1 was 10th anniversary vow renewal) , Funerals
– 1 (9) . Bible Studies: Sunday morning – 1 (6), Tuesday morning – 1
(9).
D. Special Events: Stephen Ministry Continuing
Ed. (Holiday Blues), Thanksgiving Eve worship & pie social.
E. Counseling
Hours:
Pre-marital: 3 (14);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 9 (57).
II. Information
& Action Items For Council
Dates:
· December
18 – Sunday School pizza dinner (5) and Christmas program (6:15)
· December
24 – Christmas Eve (5, 8 & 11 pm)
· December
25 – Christmas morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
· December
26 – Office Closed
· January
1 – New Year’s morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
· January
2 – Office Closed
· January
8 – Stephen Ministry Orientation for Class of 2012
· January
9 – Begin new Stephen Ministry Training Class
· January
22 – Classical Concert, 2 pm (Lincoln Mayorga, pianist)
· January
29 – Annual Meeting & Chili cook-off
· January
29-30-31 – Bishop’s Colloquy (Pasadena)
· February
4 – Leadership Retreat, 9 am (location to be announced)
· February
5 – Church Council installation at worship
· February
6-13 – Annual anniversary vacation
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church
Council meeting, November 8, 2011
I. Activity for
October 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions:
0 (34, year to date)
Member/visitor home visits:
2 (24)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 3 (57)
Telecare calls: 5 (57)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Executive
Committee; Church Council, Church Staff.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Conference
Assembly/Bishop’s Stewardship Dinner, Leisure Village Bible Study, teaching at
Moorpark College (Luther & Reformation).
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 1
(2), Funerals – 1* (8) . * - non-member.
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
1 (5), Tuesday morning – 1 (8).
D. Special Events: Bound Conscience Workshop, 1st CDC
chapel for the school year, CDC Back-to-school night & staff installation,
Golf weekend, Sophia Cosma film
presentation, LWR Quilt Sunday, 45th Anniversary services and
Wooden Communion Ware dedications, Classical Concert, New Member Orientation,
Stewardship Campaign.
E. Counseling
Hours:
Pre-marital: 2 (10);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 7 (48).
II. Information
& Action Items For Council
1. Thanksgiving
Offering. I may bring a recommendation that this year’s
Thanksgiving Eve worship offering be dedicated to a special ministry or project.
2. Stewardship
– Part One. The bread baskets have completed their
journey. 238 packets for individuals or households were
prepared. 173 responses have been received (73%). In
addition, 11 Time & Talent Reports were turned in by Confirmed young people. Those
whose packets came back with their neighborhood’s baskets have been contacted
via email and asked to pick up their materials. All of those who
have yet to respond and will receive a follow-up email this week.
3. Stewardship
– Part Two. The invitation to share a meaningful Bible verse was
accepted by many. Verses were shared both on the Bible mural and in
the little booklets that accompanied the bread baskets. All of those
verses have been collected into a notebook – Mount Cross’ Bible-Within-The-Bible.
4. New
Members. I anticipate the following people to stand up this
coming Sunday for the Service of Affirmation of Baptism and become confirmed
members of Mount Cross: Lynn Boyden, Jim & Paula Gerde, Bill & Glenda Greason, Charles Hilley, and
Homer Valle.
5. Stephen
Ministry. On behalf of the Leadership Team, I continue to ask
that you make a little time to consider whether you, yourself, might feel the
call to serve others in this caring ministry. Please think about
those you know in the congregation and feel free to plant the idea, “Have you
thought about serving as a Stephen Minister?” Many thanks.
6. “Local
Church.” We should discuss this fairly recent addition to the
list of Temporary Designated Funds: 28.156, Local Church
7. Camarillo
Community Band. I will be practicing three Tuesday nights
(11/22, 11/29 & 12/6) for the annual Christmas Concert on Sunday
afternoon, December 11
8. Dates:
· November
11 – Memorial service for May Dahlberg, 1 pm
· November
13 – Reception of New Members
· November
23 – Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Pie Social, 7 pm.
· November
27 – First Sunday of Advent
· December
4 – Hanging of the Greens concert (7) and dessert pot-luck following
· December
8 – CDC Family Christmas Program, 6:30 pm
· December
24 – Christmas Eve (5, 8 & 11 pm)
· December
25 – Christmas morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
· January
1 – New Year’s morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
· January
22 – Classical Concert, 2 pm (Lincoln Mayorga, pianist)
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, October 11, 2011
I. Activity for
September 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions:
3 (34, year to date)
Member/visitor home visits:
3 (22)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 0 (54)
Telecare calls: 4 (52)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Executive
Committee; Church Council, Worship & Music Committee, Church Staff,
Stewardship Committee, DVD planning (I-Cubed).
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Conference
Pastors, Alma Via Sunday service, Campus
Interfaith Board, Leisure Village Bible Study, On-call chaplain for
PV hospital.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 1
(1), Funerals – 0 (7).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
1 (4), Tuesday morning – 0 (7).
D. Special Events: End of the summer worship schedule/sermon
series; CDC Orientations; 1st Communion workshop; Safeguarding
God’s Children workshop; Rally Day; begin Discipleship class (new member
preparation).
E. Counseling
Hours:
Pre-marital: 5 (9);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 3 (41).
II. Information
& Action Items For Council
1. Vacation. Leslie
and I will extended the golf weekend to include two extra days in
Yosemite. I’ll be back in the office 10/12.
2. Home
To Stay. Lynn Bulock will
be present at the October meeting to introduce the program and her interest in
working with Mount Cross.
3. Stewardship. The
bread baskets will begin their journeys through the various neighborhoods of
our church on Sunday, 10/9. In addition to the usual commitment
materials, each household will be invited to share with others a verse that has
been meaningful to them on their journey of life and faith. A huge
Bible is on the wall (where the vineyard was last year) and stickers with these
verses will begin to appear 10/16.
4. Stephen
Ministry. We have postponed the start of the next training class
to the 2nd Monday in January. The Leadership Team
asks that you make a little time to consider whether you, yourself, might feel
the call to serve others in this caring ministry. Please think about
those you know in the congregation and feel free to plant the idea, “Have you
thought about serving as a Stephen Minister?” Many thanks.
5. Dates:
· October
16 – LWR “Quilt Sunday” – 100 quilts on display before being shipped
to all corners of the globe
· October
16 – CDC Back-to-school night & staff installation
· October
18 – Bishop’s Stewardship Dinner at CLU
· October
23 – Mount Cross’ 45th Anniversary commemoration (during
worship services)
· October
23 – Classical Concert, 2 pm
· November
6 – Baptism Festival
· November
6 – Wedding at Mount Cross, 2 pm
· November
13 – Receiving new members
· November
23 – Thanksgiving Eve Worship & Pie Social, 7 pm. We may make
this a 2nd “Joint Worship” with the folks form St. Columba’s
Episcopal.
· December
4 – Hanging of the Greens concert (7) and dessert pot-luck following
· December
24 – Christmas Eve (5, 8 & 11 pm)
· December
25 – Christmas morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
· January
1 – New Year’s morning worship at 10 am (Traditional Service)
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church
Council meeting, September 13, 2011
I. Activity for
August 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions:
2 (31, year to date)
Member/visitor home visits:
3 (19)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 10 (54)
Telecare calls: 6 (48)
Prayer cards: 8
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Executive
Committee; Church Council, Personnel Committee, I-Cubed, Church Staff, CDC
In-Service, fall planning with Pastor Erik
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Into
The Woods wrap-up (#2), Sunday service at Alma Via.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 0
(0), Funerals – 1 (7).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
0 (3), Tuesday morning – 2 (7).
D. Special Events:
VBS, Workshop on end-of-life
planning, 2nd Annual Worship & Picnic in the park.
E. Counseling
Hours:
Pre-marital: 2 (4);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 7 (38).
II. Information
& Action Items For Council
1. Talk
From Your Heart But Plan With Your Head. The workshop was very
successful. Lots of people shared from their experiences (good and
bad) and everyone left with new ideas and work they wanted to
accomplish. A podcast of the session is on the church’s website as
are the visuals that were used.
2. “Bound
Conscience Neutrality”. Instead of placing this topic on the
agenda, the Executive Committee has recommended that this topic be dealt with
in another in the ongoing series that the pastors have led on the topic of our
church’s social statement on human sexuality and the changes to the ministry
policies that were approved at the Churchwide Assembly in 2009. As
you may know, I have more recently (after CWA2009), made it part of my annual
goals to provide whatever opportunities are needed to help bring clarity about
the decision and allow people an opportunity for dialogue. So a
workshop that will focus specifically on the concept and use of “bound
conscience” will be offered on Saturday morning, October 1, 2011 at 9:00
a.m. Here’s a draft outline of the session:
- Explain that, from my
perspective, the ELCA was at an important crossroads by the time the Churchwide
Assembly took place in 2009. We recognized that after all these
years, we were still a church divided in many ways regarding gays and lesbians
in our church. That being so, we could either split, so that both “sides”
could have their own way or stay united and look for a way to live in some kind
of (hopefully) creative tension.
- In an effort to remain united, the concept
of the bound conscience was cited as a way of living in this creative tension.
- Next would follow
a quick survey of the concept in Scripture,
- then in Luther and
in our Lutheran tradition,
- and on to the
present time – including how it appears in the Social Statement and changed
Ministry Policies.
- Q&A and
continued discussion.
3. Home
To Stay. Lynn Bulock,
who you may recall assisted Mount Cross during my sabbatical in 2007, is the
new program director for “Home To Stay.” Here is a letter I recently
received from her that will begin to introduce the program and her interest in
working with Mount Cross:
Home to Stay Ventura County
80 E. Hillcrest #101, Thousand
Oaks, CA 91360
Home to Stay
creates mentoring partnerships between faith communities and those in
need to strengthen housing and financial stability while building a
future of hope.
Pastor John Soyster,
Mount Cross Lutheran
Church
102 Camino Esplendido
Camarillo, CA 93010
September 7,2011
Dear John,
I would like to invite you to
be part of a program to change lives. Thanks to a grant from United Way of
Ventura County, Lutheran Social Services and Project Understanding have joined
together to create Home to Stay Ventura County. This new program will pair
faith community partners with families who are receiving rental assistance in
order to create mentoring teams. Each team will work together to provide the
skills needed for the family to gain stability in their housing and their
finances. These mentoring partnerships are expected to last at least twelve
months, and up to twenty-four months if necessary.
Mount Cross has been chosen to
be one of our first potential partners because of your ongoing work with people
who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. Communities who are already
involved in this work are more likely to succeed in this new venture.
I will be calling you in the
next week to see when I might be able to sit down with you and the rest of the
leaders of your congregation so that you can have your questions about Home to
Stay answered. In the meantime I hope that you will prayerfully consider being
part of this new journey.
Sincerely,
Lynn Bulock
Program Director
Home to Stay Ventura
County
(805) 405-9687
www.hometostayvc.org
Home to Stay Ventura County is a
collaborative program of Lutheran Social Services of
Southern California and Project Understanding in Ventura.
4. Safeguarding
God’s Children. Nineteen members of Mount Cross attended the
workshop that was presented by Pastor Jared Carson from 1st Lutheran
Church in Torrance. We expect all staff and everyone at Mount Cross
who work with children in any capacity to submit to a national criminal
database background check (through LexisNexis)
and attend periodic workshops like the one that was offered on
Saturday. Thanks to the following people for helping us to enhance
our culture of safety for children and vigilance against predators: Dottie
Keough, Mike Laskey, Scott Fajnor, Whitney Carver, Ian Carr, Carol Paul,
Linette Angelastro, Scott Ingram,KarenAlcocer,GaryWikholm,
Kate Fisher, Peggy Campbell, Linda Tendler, Sharon Korzan, Brianna Davis,
Courtney Burke, Terri Crawford, and the pastors.
5. Stewardship
Calendar. Check the current report for Stewardship for
a draft fall calendar. If you have additions, subtractions or
changes for the next edition of the Time & Talent Report, please
submit them at your earliest convenience.
6. Living
/ Believing As A Disciple Of Jesus. When new members are
received into our congregation, they are asked: “Do you intend to continue in
the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: to live among God's faithful
people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper, to proclaim the
good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people,
following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the
earth? It is hoped each person will respond, “I do, and I ask God to
help and guide me.” Everyone who has made or will make this
commitment deserves to know what they are getting in for. That is
the reason for the class “Living & Believing As A Disciple.” I
welcome those who are transferring to Mount Cross, those new to Mount
Cross, and those who have been here a while, maybe a long while, and
would benefit from a review of what it means to take personal responsibility
for their faith. The five-week series begins Thursday night,
September 29, 7 - 8:00 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Pre-registration or
RSVP is not required, but recommended so that sufficient resource materials are
available. New members will be received on November 13.
7. Gone
Golfing. Leslie and I will be going on the golf weekend, October
7-9. I’ll lead worship for the group, so it’s really going to be
work ;-) Also, we’re going to extend the weekend by staying two
additional nights close to Yosemite. I’ll be back in the office on
October 12. Please excuse my absence from the October Council
meeting.
8. Dates:
· September
14 – First Communion Workshop (2nd of two sessions)
· September
18 – First day of Sunday School
· September
25 – Orientation for Stephen Ministry Class of 2012
· September
26 – Training for Stephen Ministry Class of 2012 begins
· September
29 – Living/Believing As A Disciple begins, 7 p.m.
· October
1 – Bound Conscience workshop, 9 a.m.
· October
7-9 – Mount Cross 2nd Annual Golf Tournament (Pastor John will
be the event chaplain)
· October
16 – CDC Back-to-school night & staff installation
· October
23 – Mount Cross’ 45th Anniversary commemoration (during
worship services)
· October
23 – Classical Concert, 2 pm
· November
6 – Baptism Festival
· November
13 – Receiving new members
· December
4 – Hanging of the Greens
· December
24 – Christmas Eve (5, 8 & 11 pm)
· December
25 – Christmas morning worship at 10 am (tentatively set as a Traditional
Service)
· January
1 – New Year’s morning worship at 10 am (tentatively set as a Contemporary
Service)
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, August 9, 2011
I. Activity for
July 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions:
7 (29, year to date)
Member/visitor home visits:
4 (16)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 8 (44)
Telecare calls: 15 (42)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Executive
Committee; Church Council.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Into
The Woods wrap-up (#1).
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 0 (4), Weddings – 0
(0), Funerals – 3 (8).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
0 (3), Tuesday morning – 1 (5).
D. Special Events:
Hosted four Phoenix youth
groups for a week of beach camp (one of the pastors, Steve Hammer, who used to
serve at Mount Cross back in the 1980s, was asked, “You left here?!”).
E. Counseling
Hours:
Pre-marital: 0 (2);
Pre-baptism: 0 (3), Crisis/other: 7 (31).
II. Information
& Action Items For Council
1. Another
interesting month. Thanks again to Mount Cross for their
continued support of me and my family through the death of my father (July 3)
and his memorial service (July 9) and his burial last Saturday (August 6)
in Carpinteria. There is still a lot
to do to in the aftermath, including sorting out a lot of paperwork and
relocating my step-mother to Carpinteria, where
she will be close to family. Thanks also for the gift of time with
which to play my clarinet in the Camarillo Community Band during of July and
two Sundays away (one the morning my dad died and the other when we brought
Whitney home from her trip to France.
2. Talk
From Your Heart But Plan With Your Head. On Saturday morning at
10 our Stephen Ministry is sponsoring this presentation. I am
going to lead a discussion-based workshop on the importance of making plans for
the later seasons of life. There are, generally speaking, two groups
of people who I would like to see attend this workshop:
1) those
who have made some, or maybe all, of their end-of-life plans. We
need you to share your wisdom and experience.
2) those
who have not begun to work on these matters yet.
If you are in group #2, it may
be because these are sometimes difficult topics to think about and
discuss. But trust me, the more thinking and planning you do in this
area before time of need, the more deeply grateful your family will be when the
time comes. See me if you have questions.
3. Bound
Conscience. You have received emails from Norman Williamsen
related to the changes in the ELCA’s ministry policies and the Human Sexuality
Social Statement. Norman will make a presentation on this subject at
the August meeting. If you want to read some of the ELCA materials
that relate to this discussion, you will find them at www.mountcross.com/boundconscience.htm
4. Into
The Woods. Mount Cross produced this musical that ran over two
weekends. It was a fine presentation with an interesting and
intriguing message. As for the ‘bottom line,’ we’re still working on
the final accounting, but it is looking like the show will come very close to
breaking even. Given that the show’s opening weekend had some
serious competition throughout the county, this is pretty good news.
5. Dates:
· August
21 – Next Baptism Festival. At the moment, no baptisms are scheduled.
· August
28 – One service in the park (10 am) and picnic following (11:30) at Mission
Oaks Park.
· September
3 – Wedding, 4:30 pm
· September
4 – return to regular worship schedule (8:15, 9:30 & 10:45)
· September
6-9 – CDC orientations
· September
7 & 14 – 1st Communion workshop
· September
11 – Rally Day
· September
18 – First day of Sunday School
· October
7-9 – Mount Cross 2nd Annual Golf Tournament (Pastor John will
be the event chaplain)
· October
16 – CDC Back-to-school night & staff installation
· October
23 – Mount Cross’ 45th Anniversary commemoration (during
worship services)
· October
23 – Classical Concert, 2 pm
· November
6 – Baptism Festival
· December
4 – Hanging of the Greens
· December
24 – Christmas Eve (5, 8 & 11 pm)
· December
25 – Christmas morning worship at 10 am (tentatively set as a Traditional
Service)
· January
1 – New Year’s morning worship at 10 am (tentatively set as a Contemporary
Service)
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, July 12, 2011
I. Activity for June 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions: 2 (22,
year to date)
Member/visitor home visits: 1
(12)
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 2 (36)
Telecare calls: 7 (27)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Church staff; Church
Council.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Conference
Pastors; Lutheran/Jewish Dialogue at Temple Ner Ami.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 3 (4), Weddings – 0
(0), Funerals – 0 (5).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
0 (3), Tuesday morning – 1 (4).
D. Special Events:
Baptism orientation &
Baptism Festival; CDC Blessing; Choir Concert Service; Summer worship &
preaching series begins; Ten Challenge; Prayer Shawl blessing.
E. Counseling Hours:
Pre-marital: 0 (2);
Pre-baptism: 1 (3), Crisis/other: 3 (24).
II. Information & Action
Items For Council
What A Month! I spent a great deal of the month of June
in the ICU at St. John’s Regional Medical Center, tending to my father
(pneumonia, etc.) and his wife, a vigil which ended on July 3. But to balance
the sadness, we were able to (finally) share some news we’ve been sitting on
for awhile: that my son and his wife (Jason and Sarah) are expecting their
first child in January! In addition we drove Whitney to the airport in San
Francisco to catch a flight to Paris where she’ll spend July with others from
her program at S.F. State. In addition, I’m playing again in the Camarillo
Community Band during the month of July (come hear us Thursdays
at 7 pm in the Community Center Park). Through it all, I am grateful to God for
the Mount Cross Community for its prayerful support. And I am especially
thankful for the way Pastor Erik became my pastor during my father’s illness,
his passing and his memorial service. And to balance the sad news, comes the
happy news that we’ll be grandparents in January (Jason & Sarah are
expecting).
Bound Conscience. You have received emails from Norman
Williamsen related to the changes in the ELCA’s ministry policies and the Human
Sexuality Social Statement. Norman will not be attending the July meeting, so
we will defer discussion and action until August. At the July meeting I will
provide you with information on where to read the documents in question.
Into The Woods. Mount Cross is hosting this production.
You can still see it on Friday 7/15 at 8:00 pm and Saturday 7/16 at 2 & 8
pm.
Dates:
July 15 & 16 - Into
The Woods continues its run at Mount Cross.
July 18-22 – Former Mount Cross
pastor Steve Hammer brings his youth group to Mount Cross where they will crash
each evening after touring the area by day.
July 31 – I’ll be back in San
Francisco bringing Whitney home from Paris.August 1-5 – Vacation Bible School
August 14 or 21 – Next Baptism
Festival
August 28 – One service in the
park (10 am) and picnic following
September 4 – return to regular
worship schedule (8:15, 9:30 & 10:45)
September 7 & 14 – 1st Communion
workshop
September 11 – Rally Day
September 18 – First day of
Sunday School
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, June 14, 2011
I. Activity for May 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions: 3 (20,
year to date)
Member/visitor home visits: 3
(11
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 13 (34)
Telecare calls: 5 (20)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Church staff; Church
Council; Executive Committee; Into The Woods planning.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Leisure Village
Bible.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 1 (1), Weddings – 0
(0), Funerals – 0 (5).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
1 (3), Tuesday morning – 1 (3).
D. Special Events:
Lent suppers/worship services;
New member orientation, baptism orientation, teach Confirmation, Holy Week
& Easter services, 3rd year Confirmation class preparation,
Make Bake Celebrate!
E. Counseling Hours:
Pre-marital: 1 (2);
Pre-baptism: 1 (2), Crisis/other: 5 (21).
II. Information & Action
Items For Council
Tent Event – May 1. Please join me in thanking everyone who
was involved in the wonderful weekend: Make Bake Celebrate and the Tent Event.
I know plans are already in motion for next year (even more use of the tent).
New Stephen Leaders. Just returned from Saint Louis are Karen
Emery, Linda Frantz and Valerie Patscheck. They will join Marion Cole as our
Leadership Team for Stephen Ministry at Mount Cross. They will be Commissioned
at the 9:30 service this coming Sunday, May 15 (and introduced at the end of 1st and
beginning of 3rd services). One of their first orders of
business will be to start gathering a training class for fall. If you know of
people you think have a gift for the intentional caring we do here through
Stephen Ministry, please share the names. A special word of thanks to the
Stephen Leaders who are stepping away from the leadership table: Barbara Meyer,
Bev Rueckert and Barbara Spandrio. They have faithfully served with heart, soul
and mind well beyond the two year commitment that was asked of them.
Summer 2011. Pastor Erik and I have been working on
this summer’s worship and preaching theme. Working title: A Summer of
Soul Care. If Jesus is the Great Physician, then your pastors are
Physician’s Assistants (P.A.). Together we’ll explore the ups and downs
experienced by our souls, look at symptoms, diagnoses and treatments. And as a
P.A. is allowed to do, we may write a prescription now and then.
Calendar. A friendly reminder from the staff: when
you schedule a meeting or an event, it is really important to inform Marilyn:
1) so she can get these items on the calendar, 2) so she can coordinate the use
of facilities, and 3) so that members of the church who may want to have input
to the work you do know when to plan to do so. Please don’t assume that because
nothing appears on the week’s calendar on the back of the Sunday bulletin that
you can just slip in and have a quick meeting. This is also important because
we are hosting many rehearsals for this summer’s production of Into
The Woods. Follow the hyperlink to the rehearsal and
performance schedule.
I3 Process. I am very pleased with the initiative and
enthusiasm and creativity being displayed by the people involved in this
project. As new processes evolve, please be sure that information about
visitors that used to be routinely given to Marilyn still gets to her (for
example name, address, email of those who want to start getting the Grapevine).
Communications Director. I would love to see someone take
responsibility for making sure that the community knows about the good stuff
happening up here on our hill. Someone who would check in with the various
programs and ministries and send press releases to the papers, etc. This would
be a different role than sending occasional or regular ads to the STAR or Acorn
advertising our worship services, which I believe is coming under the auspices
of I3.
Dates:
May 15 – Stephen Leader
Commissioning
May 15 – Rite of
Confirmation, 10:45 am
May 20-21 – Synod Assembly
May 20-22 – Pastor John
travels to Missouri to officiate at his God-daughter’s wedding.
May 22 – Classical Concert,
2 pm
[Not a church event]: May 30
– The Camarillo Community Band will play at the annual Memorial Day Service at
Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, 11 a.m.
June 5 – Start summer
worship schedule: Traditional at 9 a.m., and their annual Concert Service;
Contemporary at 10:30 am, and the 2nd annual Heading To
Kindergarten blessing for our CDC students.
June 5 – Blood drive
July 8 – Into
The Woods opens at Mount Cross.
Pastor John W. Soyster
Report for the Church Council
meeting, May 10, 2011
I. Activity for April 2011
A. Visitation
Shut-in/home Communions: 3 (20,
year to date)
Member/visitor home visits: 3
(11
Hospital/convalescent home/jail
visits: 13 (34)
Telecare calls: 5 (20)
B. Meetings
Mount Cross: Stephen Leaders; Church staff; Church
Council; Executive Committee; Into The Woods planning.
Conference, Ecumenical,
other: Leisure Village
Bible.
C. Pastoral Acts:
Baptisms – 1 (1), Weddings – 0
(0), Funerals – 0 (5).
Bible Studies: Sunday morning –
1 (3), Tuesday morning – 1 (3).
D. Special Events:
Lent suppers/worship services;
New member orientation, baptism orientation, teach Confirmation, Holy Week
& Easter services, 3rd year Confirmation class preparation,
Make Bake Celebrate!
E. Counseling Hours:
Pre-marital: 1 (2);
Pre-baptism: 1 (2), Crisis/other: 5 (21).
II. Information & Action
Items For Council
Tent Event – May 1. Please join me in thanking everyone who
was involved in the wonderful weekend: Make Bake Celebrate and the Tent Event.
I know plans are already in motion for next year (even more use of the tent).