Council Update - April 2, 2018

Members of Advent,

Let me begin by thanking all who attended our Annual meeting in January. It is a very exciting time at Advent, and it was great to see so many members there.

After the meeting, the Council discussed the issues that were raised, particularly the concern about the scheduling of the Annual meeting, and whether we are allowing adequate time to address the business of the church. After much debate, we concluded that the time between the 9am and 11am services is the best time to ensure the greatest member attendance with the least disruption to church activities. There were many guests and new members at both the 9am and 11am services that Sunday; cancelling one of these services seems antithetical to our larger goals and purpose as a congregation.

That said, to make sure we have enough time, we propose that in the future we hold the Annual meeting over two consecutive Sundays, conducting business at the first and approving the budget at the second. Furthermore, we will host information sessions throughout the year, providing an opportunity to share the issues before the church, and creating a forum for maximum member input.

To ensure as much participation as possible, we have scheduled these dates in advance:

June 3, 2018 – Congregational Financial Update
November 25, 2018 – Shaping the Budget Forum
January 6, 2019 – Budget Forum
January 13, 2019 – Programming Forum
January 20, 2019 – Annual Meeting Part 1 (Programming)
January 27, 2019 – Annual Meeting Part 2 (Budget)

In addition, the Council has been working with the Property Committee to take a deeper look at our building and physical space needs. This Spring, we will be enlisting various committees to help us forecast future programmatic needs, vision for our church, and the options before us regarding the physical space (including, of course, funding). We plan to present our findings and recommendations to the congregation on Sunday, September 23, 2018, with a congregational meeting the following Sunday, September 30, to vote on any business requiring the membership’s approval. We will circle back on the exact dates and times of these physical space meetings, which will depend on the nature and extent of the findings and recommendations we receive.

The Council welcomes your input and participation at any time during the year – not just at these forums and meetings. Please never hesitate to reach out if you have a question or concern. You can reach me at councilpresident@adventnyc.org, or reach out to me or any member of Council in person. Our Council members are listed here.

Thank you for all you do. Advent remains a vital and thriving part of our community because of the special gifts and active, thoughtful participation of its members.

Peace,

David Richards
Council President