Summary of Meeting:
Received financial report - below budget in expenses and giving, similar to previous years.
Decided to purchase ChurchTrac software after a positive report from Clarke. He will work on data entry, especially a directory.
Discussion of the annual nomination process and how persons are selected for leadership, positions, and teams. There was support for 2 year terms for all positions. Pastor Lee shared a draft of the Nominations Survey.
Annual Christmas Banquet will be December 11, 2022, 5pm. Planning by Care and Hospitality Teams and Pastor. (Amor Viviente agreed to change their Sunday evening meeting to Saturday.)
Decided to have the first of two congregational meetings on December 4, 2022 during 2nd Hour. Another congregational meeting will be held in January.
Decided to offer a ¼ time associate pastor position to LaTayna Purnell beginning January 1, 2023 with an emphasis on outreach and no definite length of term pending conversations with long-term pastoral candidates. (LaTayna declined the invitation and has offered her resignation effective November 19, 2022.)
Timing: 7:00-9:25pm
Attendees Present:
David Cooper (Hospitality Team)
Gerald Gehman (Care Team)
Lee Lever (Transitional Pastor)
Jane McNair (Care Team)
Mitch Miller (Stewardship)
Clarke Ohlendorf (Administrative Assistant, took minutes)
LaTayna Purnell (Associate Pastor)
Lynda Voran (Volunteer Coordinator)
Roxie Voran (Council Chair)
Next Council meeting - November 14, 2022 @ 7 PM. Click here to join.
Lee Lever, Transitional Pastor Houston Mennonite Church
Find details for each event on our ChurchTrac Connect
Weekly
Sunday Worship at 10 AM
In-person at Houston Mennonite Church (HMC)
Zoom Online Video Meeting (ID: 910 835 693)
Phone: 346-248-7799 (ID: 910 835 693)
Thursday Zoom Hangout from 7-9 PM
Saturday, Nov. 12
HMC Building Workday from 8 AM–1 PM
Sunday, Nov. 13
2nd Hour: Farewell for Associate Pastor LaTayna Purnell
"Thanksgiving Meal in a Bag" Collection bags due for East Spring Branch Food Pantry
Care Team Meeting on Zoom from 3–5 PM
Monday, Nov. 14
Church Council Meeting on Zoom at 7 PM
Council Meetings are open to the congregation. Whether to observe and/or contribute, you are welcome to attend!
Thursday, Nov. 24
Thanksgiving with the Ohlendorfs & Clarke's B-day from 11 AM – 3 PM
Join us for a Thanksgiving celebration with family, friends, and community!
Event is potluck followed by games and socializing.
Saturday, Nov. 26
Games Night & Snackluck from 6–9 PM
Saturday, Dec. 3
Medea Benjamin Book Tour hosted by HPJC at 7 PM
Sunday, Dec. 4
Annual Congregational Meeting during 2nd Hour
Sunday, Dec. 11
Annual Christmas Banquet from 5-7 PM
Care & Community
Volunteer Schedule
Need to make any changes? Please try to find your own replacements first, then contact Lynda V. with updates.
The vitality, ministries, and success of HMC as a congregation depend so much on the volunteers who serve on the various ministry teams of the church. The purpose of this survey is to invite you to nominate yourself or someone else in the congregation to serve in the various positions or on a team at HMC. As we rebuild from the pandemic and go through a time of pastoral transition it will take all of us working together to make it happen… Click here for further details and to complete the survey.
Directory information is kept confidential by requiring HMC Admin approval of account before access is granted
Once you have full access, update your directory profile, including choosing what details to share in the HMC directory
Spiritual Formation & News
Mennonite Church USA recently completed a denomination-wide survey and the final report, “The Mennonite Experience: MC USA Membership Study 2021-22,” has been published.
“A key insight from this data is that we must stick close to our Anabaptist roots and put Jesus at the center of all we do,” said Guyton. “We have a special call as Anabaptist Christians to focus on the life of Christ. Without that distinctive, any work we do loses its true power.”
To learn more go to: mennoniteusa.org/news/denominational-survey/
Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) is an organization that helps people rebuild after a disaster. The strength of MDS is its volunteer base which includes a range of Anabaptist/Mennonite constituencies, and the generosity of those who support the good work of MDS. When MDS enters a disaster situation they intentionally partner with other agencies and they typically focus on households with fewer resources than others.
MDS will be building 5 homes in Bastrop area to replace homes that were destroyed by the tornado. This work will run Jan-Feb-Mar, but the volunteers need a place to stay. A church that is close to the houses that will be built has graciously offered us space in one of their buildings. The space needs some renovating to fit our needs. This is the work that needs to be completed in November.
Time frame: November 11-12 and/or 18-19
The work: Building 4 interior walls, installing 4 showers, installing a second water heater, installing a number of doors, installing wall board (no tape and mudding), minor repairing a false ceiling and hanging tiles, running new electrical circuits for several RVs, testing outlets and determining which circuit they are on, moving in additional freezer, ice maker, putting together bunk beds, and moving furniture
Location: Family Worship Center, 2425 FM 1704, Elgin, TX 78621
Contact: Gerald G.
Offering
Go Electronic: Give online by clicking here or the button below. Mail Checks to our building at : Houston Mennonite Church Attn: Treasurer 1231 Wirt Road Houston, TX 77055-6852
Houston Mennonite Staff
Pastor (Transitional): Lee Lever
leel@houstonmennonite.org
512-230-9470 (text first)
Pastor (Associate): LaTayna Purnell
lataynap@houstonmennonite.org
617-447-9000
Administrative Assistant: Clarke Ohlendorf admin@houstonmennonite.org 281-783-9070 (text & voicemail)
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