Council Notes April 3, 2019
Council was called to order by President Debbie Hollenbach at 8:15 p.m. and commenced with prayer led by Gary Apgar. Devotions and Mission Statement were read.

New Business:

• Stewardship e-giving. Jack relayed the information he had collected to date.
• Council will be providing breakfast for Easter morning. The congregation is providing food for the Palm Sunday luncheon and Maundy Thursday dinner.

Secretary’s Report: The minutes of the March council meeting were approved as submitted to the council via email.
Treasurer’s Report:
The March report had not yet been completed.
Pastor’s Report:

• Pastoral acts for March included a baptism, first communion, and three funerals. Madolyn Marvel’s funeral will be at 11 AM on Saturday, April 13.
• Vacation days are April 24-28 and May 19. At synod May 3-4.
• The transition team’s first event was held March 31. Feedback was provided.

Ministry Team Reports:
Christian Education: Missy is working on a Kid Event for April 14.
Communications:

• There is a new banner to advertise for the Holy Week services (see Worship & Music).
• Lauren has been advertising Holy Week services on Facebook.
• Lauren will also publish Pastor’s Mustard Seed articles on Facebook and the church website.

Finance: Theteammettoreviewtheelectricratesand information about the solar panels. We have switched back to PECO for our energy purchases as of March 25.
Fundraising: Remember GIANT gift cards! The Spring Fling team met and has started planning. Sharon has contacted previous vendors, and we have seven so far. Anne and Beth are working on the menu of sale items. Lauren has started advertising through Facebook, and signs are available for hanging on community boards.
Hospitality: The anniversary luncheon will be held on Palm Sunday (April 14) with the congregation providing the food. This is also when the collection will be out for funds for the furnace (with matching funds up to $500.) Funds collected will go into undesignated funds.
Property/Building Usage: Adam has proposed to council to remove some bushes from the property. Dale will have Adam speak to Marty so that she can incorporate this into her overall gardening plan for the property. The stump from the magnolia tree will be ground out at no charge.
Social Ministry:

• In March and April, we are encouraging people to shop at Laurel’s Loft to help support victims of domestic abuse.
• We also have a prayer jar in the foyer for people to put in prayer requests and pray for each other.
• There has been a change for the month of May – we will now be putting a flower pot out for monetary donations for the church’s landscaping, with a tithe back for seeds (still looking into organization).

Stewardship: See new business on e-giving.
Transition: The first event was held March 31 during the service at 9:30 AM, in the sanctuary, with breakfast. Information was collected on the like and dislikes of the various pastors throughout our history. The team will meet again after Easter and surveys will be going to the congregation.
Worship & Music:

• The team met and planned Holy Week services. A reusable vinyl banner was purchased with donated funds ($100 anonymous and $70 from Sharon Hood) to advertise the services. This was approved during a short meeting of council on March 24.
• Passing of the Peace: As this is getting very time- consuming, we’re looking for ways to improve – Worship and Music will discuss, possibly changing the placement to right after announcements, etc. Pastor will be writing an article for the May Mustard Seed.

Old Business: Gary and Sharon will be attending Synod on May 3-4. If Sharon is unable to attend Friday, we may be looking for a back-up.
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Next Meeting: May 1 at 7pm.

This month’s article will be the first in what I hope will be a series of articles addressing questions and concerns from you! This one addresses the “sharing of the peace”. And the concern that has
been raised if it has become a distraction (some say yes, some say no), and what is the purpose (originally and for us now). So first, as a bit from the ELCA about the original intent of sharing of peace as part of the liturgy, and then some thoughts about how it has evolved.

In an article regarding the Peace, the ELCA first reminds us that the original placement of this part of the Liturgy (where it is placed in the ELW) is after the Prayers of Intercession and before we gather for the Meal. This placement is important to the original intent. The article states:

“Sharing God’s peace is not simply offering a friendly hello to those sitting around you. Sharing God’s peace is not a time for catching up on news with your neighbor or for reminding someone about an upcoming meeting. Sharing God’s peace does not require each worshiper to offer a sign of God’s peace to every other worshiper present. The “exchange of peace” (also commonly called “sharing the peace” or “passing the peace”) is an act of reconciliation that serves as a transition point between the Word and Meal portions of the liturgy.

As stated in The Sunday Assembly:
"The exchange of peace is a ministry, an announcement of grace we make to each other, a summary of the gift given to us in the liturgy of the Word. This ministry we do to each other is far greater than a sociable handshake or a ritual of friendship or a moment of informality. Because of the presence of Jesus Christ, we give to each other what we are saying: Christ’s own peace. Then, having been gathered by the Spirit around the Risen One present in the word, we turn to celebrate his meal (p. 173). Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in Matthew’s Gospel, lays a foundation for the practice of sharing God’s peace. ‘So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to you brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift’. (Matthew 5:23-24)."
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The article continues to teach that the practice of sharing the peace in liturgy dates back to Christian writing dating as far back as some portions of the New Testament.

Placement of the Sharing of Peace has changed over the centuries. Some congregations moved it to just after the Lord’s Prayer linking the action even more profoundly to the Eucharist. And some, like Faith, have combined this Liturgical element to welcoming, moving it to the beginning of worship. Worshippers also state that placement at the start of the service make it seem less like a disruption in the flow of the service. This element of disruption is especially profound is congregations like Faith where the greeting becomes lengthy.

So, are we doing it wrong? Of course not. Liturgy is at its heart the work of the gathered Body of Christ. It has form and purpose but it also takes on the needs and the traditions of those who are gathered. However, looking at the liturgical purpose may be good way of thinking about this part of our worship. What part of the conversation might be better suited to before worship, or during coffee hour? What are you saying to your neighbor when you say, “the peace of the Lord”? What does it mean to you when you hear it? How are you better prepared to hear God’s word after giving a receiving the peace of the Lord?
A few things to ponder. Please share your thoughts! And, what else is on your mind? Send me the questions or concerns you would like to see me write about.