CHRISM (CHRistians In Shared Ministry)
2016 Annual Report
CHRISM, the two point parish agreement between Messiah Lutheran in Washburn and First Lutheran in Port Wing has been in operation for nine years. The CHRISM board is made up of members from each congregation, the council presidents, and two members at large. The current board members include President Keith Holm, Cheryl Follis, Lynn Faulkner and Ginny Pedersen from Messiah; President Rollin Larson, David Olson, Clyde Clausen and Laurie Gucinski from First Lutheran and Pastor Nancy.
The board met on January 23 and on December 3 of 2014. They had no meetings in 2015 or 2016, so were all glad to finally gather this year on January 12, 2017. Those in attendance were: Rollin Larson, Davey Olson, Clyde Clausen and Laurie Gucinski, Keith Holm, Cheryl Follis, Ginny Pedersen, Don Swedberg and Pastor Nancy.
First item of business was to approve the motion that there be no pastor salary increase this year. There will be an increase in pastor’s health insurance and benefit package. It was agreed that those costs will be covered.
At this meeting the financial ratio which is currently 80/20 was discussed. The CHRISM ratio between Messiah and First started out as 75/25. At the Dec. 3, 2014 Chrism meeting, we discussed going to 85/15 when finances continued to be tight at First. This time, members of Messiah asked CHRISM members to consider returning to the original 75/25 ratio due to a drop in contributions at Messiah. After much discussion, First Lutheran representatives decided they will be able to help Messiah. (On January 19, First Lutheran’s council voted to increase their portion from 20 to 22.5%). Messiah members are thankful. First members indicated that if they have another year strongly in the black, they may consider giving more.
Pastor Nancy asked CHRISM for a vote of support to submit a Lilly Clergy Renewal Sabbatical Grant
(See draft of proposal summary later in this report). Completed proposal is due on April 21, 2017 and awards are notified in August, 2017, for a 2018 sabbatical. CHRISM members unanimously voted that should Pastor Nancy submit the sabbatical proposal by April 21 and be awarded this grant, they fully support her taking the three-month sabbatical in April, May and June of 2018.
Since Christmas Eve is on a Sunday in 2017, First Lutheran decided to not have worship during Sunday morning, but to have as usual, the 5:30 pm service. Messiah is also considering not having morning worship on this day; instead one service in the afternoon and one in the later evening.
Members discussed that CHRISM’s tenth anniversary is coming soon. Next meeting date is scheduled for September 14, 2017, at 1:00 pm. At this time, the group will discuss how to celebrate our ten years of being together. We all decided, once again, that we need each other and thank God that we have this partnership.
Respectfully submitted, Pastor Nancy Hanson
CHRISM, the two point parish agreement between Messiah Lutheran in Washburn and First Lutheran in Port Wing has been in operation for nine years. The CHRISM board is made up of members from each congregation, the council presidents, and two members at large. The current board members include President Keith Holm, Cheryl Follis, Lynn Faulkner and Ginny Pedersen from Messiah; President Rollin Larson, David Olson, Clyde Clausen and Laurie Gucinski from First Lutheran and Pastor Nancy.
The board met on January 23 and on December 3 of 2014. They had no meetings in 2015 or 2016, so were all glad to finally gather this year on January 12, 2017. Those in attendance were: Rollin Larson, Davey Olson, Clyde Clausen and Laurie Gucinski, Keith Holm, Cheryl Follis, Ginny Pedersen, Don Swedberg and Pastor Nancy.
First item of business was to approve the motion that there be no pastor salary increase this year. There will be an increase in pastor’s health insurance and benefit package. It was agreed that those costs will be covered.
At this meeting the financial ratio which is currently 80/20 was discussed. The CHRISM ratio between Messiah and First started out as 75/25. At the Dec. 3, 2014 Chrism meeting, we discussed going to 85/15 when finances continued to be tight at First. This time, members of Messiah asked CHRISM members to consider returning to the original 75/25 ratio due to a drop in contributions at Messiah. After much discussion, First Lutheran representatives decided they will be able to help Messiah. (On January 19, First Lutheran’s council voted to increase their portion from 20 to 22.5%). Messiah members are thankful. First members indicated that if they have another year strongly in the black, they may consider giving more.
Pastor Nancy asked CHRISM for a vote of support to submit a Lilly Clergy Renewal Sabbatical Grant
(See draft of proposal summary later in this report). Completed proposal is due on April 21, 2017 and awards are notified in August, 2017, for a 2018 sabbatical. CHRISM members unanimously voted that should Pastor Nancy submit the sabbatical proposal by April 21 and be awarded this grant, they fully support her taking the three-month sabbatical in April, May and June of 2018.
Since Christmas Eve is on a Sunday in 2017, First Lutheran decided to not have worship during Sunday morning, but to have as usual, the 5:30 pm service. Messiah is also considering not having morning worship on this day; instead one service in the afternoon and one in the later evening.
Members discussed that CHRISM’s tenth anniversary is coming soon. Next meeting date is scheduled for September 14, 2017, at 1:00 pm. At this time, the group will discuss how to celebrate our ten years of being together. We all decided, once again, that we need each other and thank God that we have this partnership.
Respectfully submitted, Pastor Nancy Hanson
