Congregation Meeting Highlights: Sunday, June 17, 2007

Congregation Council Election
Congratulations to the following Lakesiders who were elected to the Congregation Council today. The terms of all new Council members begin on July 1, and will be for the lengths indicated:

• Greg Clubb, 2 years
• Christie Erickson, 2 years
• Shane Granelli, 2 years
• Paul Miller, 1 year
• Dave Ryan, 2 years
• Dolly Schroeder, 2 years

These council members join the following council members whose terms continue for the 2007-08 year:

• Karen Barbier
• Walter Kiefer
• Jim Koppe

In addition, by constitution, the pastor or pastors of the congregation are permanent members of the Congregation Council.

Mission Partner with Lutheran Church of the Galilean, La Place, Louisiana

The congregation voted unanimously to become a Mission Partner with the Lutheran Church of the Galilean in La Place, Louisiana. Our financial commitment is to contribute $100 a month from the Building Fund for the next three years. This idea originated with the More Space for Grace Executive Committee and was affirmed by the congregation today.

Background
The city of La Place has welcomed over 15,000 new residents in the past year – primarily people who resettled there because they lost their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Galilean’s members, who celebrated the congregation’s 20th anniversary in May, are trying to launch a new mission effort in their community in the midst of this unanticipated growth. Their situation has been strained by a loan that far exceeded the congregation’s ability to pay (especially in light of the unexpected demands placed on their own resources by the hurricane).

Bishop Paul Blom has asked congregations to become Galilean’s Mission Partners by providing financial support that will do the following:

• refinance its property and service a new loan
• provide a compensation package for a full-time pastor, and
• allow the church to develop programs that will help attract new neighbors through ministry and service.

Lakeside is now one of those congregations!

PS: Thanks to The King's Banner, the newsletter of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Rice Village, for this background information.