Leadership Board Recap: August 2026
The Leadership Board met on August 24 and recommended a governance change to the Church Conference, authorized a maintenance agreement for the new heating and cooling system, and set a fall planning retreat. Marianne Prochaska opened with the hymn "They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love," reading from 1 Corinthians on the one body with many parts, and asking whether the way Christians treat one another matches what the church sings.
Recommending Voting Seats for Lay Leaders
The board voted to recommend that the Lay Leader and one Lay Member of Annual Conference become voting members of the board. Both positions already sit at the table and speak, but do not vote. The recommendation moves to the November 22 Church Conference, and the seats would open by attrition through fall 2028 rather than by removing anyone currently serving.
A Maintenance Plan for the New System
The board authorized the P1 Certified Maintenance Agreement at $33,936 annually, beginning November 1. The new system is more complex than the one it replaced, and the agreement covers the preventative maintenance that protects the congregation's investment in it. Board members asked P1 for renewal numbers each March, so the cost can be built into the July-to-June budget year.
Weighing How to Hold Our Investments
Board members spent time on how the church holds its investment funds, weighing the protection an endowment offers against the need for money on hand when something breaks. The conversation held both: a legacy fund that keeps giving indefinitely, and a reserve the board can reach in an emergency. No decision was made, and the topic returns at a future meeting. The endowment policy already headed to Church Conference is unchanged.
Setting Aside Time to Plan
The board agreed to hold a fall planning retreat on Saturday, October 3, from 9:00 AM to noon, working on goals ahead of the Church Conference. Staff will bring their own thinking to that conversation.
Continuing The Advantage
Board members continued reading The Advantage, turning to Patrick Lencioni's third and fourth disciplines, overcommunicating and reinforcing clarity. The conversation moved from communication to follow-up: holding the door, the open communion table, home visits and welcome bags, and noticing when someone who belongs here has been away. Terry Hardman offered a line from the book, that the best way to bring people in is to spread true rumors.
Looking Ahead
The Church Conference meets November 22 at McPherson First, and preparation is underway. The next Leadership Board meeting is Monday, September 28 at 6:00 PM. Please keep the people who serve our congregation in leadership in your prayers.