Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday March 15 after the worship service. Here are "The Three Things" you need to know from that meeting:

1) The Dream Fund Task Force brought an update of their work (they are meeting regularly, reviewing the dreams from the Dream Fund Suggestion Box, and moving ahead to receive bids on certain items) and also three formal motions for Administrative's Council's approval. Those motions were:

• To use $2500 from the Dream Fund to seed a Long Term Maintenance Fund for the church, with the intention that putting money aside into the Long Term Maintenance Fund would become a regular part of our Annual Budgeting Process. Further, at year's end we will examine putting additional Dream Fund monies into the Long Term Maintenance Fund.
• To increase our giving to the Disciples Mission Fund from 9.75% of our total pledges to a full 10%. This percentage increase means will no longer need to split hairs about being a congregation that tithes to the wider church (if you combine the 9.75% with the donations to Special Day Funds you get a full tithe) and from now forward we will be able to affirm that our 10% pledge to the wider church is the baseline for our giving with other gifts and donations going above and beyond.
• To authorize a financial threshold for the Dream Fund Task Force. The Dream Fund Task Force will be permitted to spend up to $1500 to fully complete Dream Fund Projects without seeking Administrative Council approval. There are several Dream Fund Projects that will only require a small expenditure (like say buying a new handheld recording device to record the entirety of the worship service so that we can share it -- sermons, songs, prayers and all -- with out homebound members) and it did not make sense to hold up those projects pending a full formal vote from the Council. At the same time, for those larger projects that require bigger expenditures (i.e. anything over $1500, like say hiring a guitarist/bass player for the Praise Team or replacing the playground equipment) those expenditures will need to be formally approved by the Administrative Council.

2) The Planned Giving Task Force is having regular meetings and will have formal motions for the Administrative Council in the coming days. These motions will address creating a Gift Policy and re-designating our Endowment Fund as a Foundation for First Christian Church Scottsdale. The Planned Giving Task Force is also discussing ways of recognizing estate gifts, encouraging non-budget gifts to the church, and furthering the culture of generosity here at FCC Scottsdale.

3) We discussed the Holy Week Schedule. This will include:

• Palm Sunday/"The Fifth With First" March 29, 2015 at 8AM and 10:15AM
  Our Workship Crew will gather an hour early, meeting at Chaparral Park at 8AM for a brief service before going to a worksite organized by our partners at Operation Fix-It. This way folks wanting to partipate in both the Workship Service and the special Palm Sunday Worship Service in the Sanctuary (including a Palm Processional, special music, and a dramatic retelling of the Crucifixion story) will be able to do both. Following the Worship Service the "Healthy Packs Assembly Line" will be set up in the Fellowship Hall.
• Maunday Thursday April 2 at 7PM
  We will celebrate the blessed gift of Christ establishing The Lord's Supper during this worship service (consistently my favorite one each and every year) while also taking part in a traditional service of Tennabrae (sharing the holy words of scripture detailing Christ's final hours, while extinguishing candles).
• Easter Sunday April 4 beginning at 8AM
  We will celebrate Christ's resurrection and the gift of new life! The morning will begin with an Easter Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall provided by DWM. The Children and Youth Ministries Team will provide an Easter Egg Hunt for our youngest members and friends. The worship service will feature special music, guest musicians, a powerful sermon, and a church filled with people eager to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!