Heard It at Council (January 2016)
January 12, 2016
Council met with a full agenda. The meeting opened with thoughts of MLK Day and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
Co-chair of the Capital Campaign Committee, Todd Krohne, and lead consultant, Jerry Henry, were present. The case statement and forward-looking assumptions continue to evolve. Jerry completed an impressive amount of interviews – 31! – since the last update. These interviews were planned as the next stage following the prior church retreats and multiple rounds of input from Council and others. Many weeks of strong work at the committee level have allowed the case statement to evolve according to the emerging picture of the congregation and how it sees itself looking into the future. The overall progress is tremendous, especially considering the complexity of priorities and wealth of input. The interviews mark more targeted listening at the level of potential supporters and others who may take a leadership role.
Jerry summarized the output of this round of listening. In general, the Micah 6:8 theme continues to resonate well. Do Justice. Love Mercy. Walk with God. A common thought was legacy-building. Perhaps hand in hand was a question of the value of the proposed two endowments for staffing. The reviewers asked for more specificity in the types of programming. Structural renovations resonated well although the undercroft/basement project seemed unclear and perhaps of relatively low value. Compelling were modifications to the Gordon Library, Mary Norton Hall, the Chancel, and all areas of accessibility. The 350th anniversary fund seemed less favored, perhaps out of place. Interviewees lauded the strong leadership of Old South Church, especially Senior Minister Rev. Nancy Taylor, and showed great appreciation for staff. Approximately 30 names of possible leaders of the campaign emerged, as recognizable members who seem to make an impact. In general, the scope of the draft campaign, $7.5M, seemed challenging.
The next steps Jerry took were to calculate the scope of potential donations. The shape of giving is starting to resemble an hourglass. Based on his projection, Jerry recommends scaling back the size of the campaign to the level of the low $5M range. Part of the reason may be that Old South Church has no experience with a capital campaign, and although many are interested, some are unsure. Jerry recommends three phases as follows: 1) a leadership phase; 2) a broader church effort and; 3) a closing chapter, perhaps with a nod toward the 350th anniversary.
The campaign has now taken solid steps with a strong foundation and a well-informed perspective. Since there remain several areas of confusion, goals of Council and of the committee are to widen awareness of the reasons for the campaign, to state more clearly some of its goals and to generate enthusiasm.
Jerry proposed an ambitious timeline which finishes in 9 months. He explained that a church campaign is unique relative to museums or institutions, in some ways more compact. However, he cautioned that Old South Church has a lack of experience with such an effort. It may be worthwhile to understand better certain hesitancies before a full launch. A great strength of the church is our diversity.
Todd described revisions to the case statement. The endowed staff are now more generally described as endowed projects, to add flexibility. Several of the renovation projects are now more naturally aligned as structural work. The large undercroft/basement project is removed from consideration as is the 350th fund proposal. Accessibility remains a priority.
Council had questions and discussion was held. In general, Council was pleased that the current feedback was open-minded at a general level and positive. The topic of current use versus endowed funding was debated. Can the scope be better defined? What about projected budgets of the future? Will there be gaps? In general, Council was happy that flexibility has been introduced and that the entire document is now more harmonized.
Operations Committee updates were presented by Paul Kuenstner and Rev. Nancy Taylor. A consultant recently surveyed future years of maintenance, given the new state of repair following the massive and much needed safety and utilities updates. On the conservative side, based on the current $350k annual reserve, maintenance is well-funded. Based on past lessons, an adequate reserve is critical.
Rodney Click presented a Finance Committee update and new budget proposal. The church is now experiencing effects of reduced stock market gains and lack of wedding and building use reservations, both of which contribute to reduced income projection. Also, pledging has decreased. The net result is a need to reduce the budget. After much discussion and discernment a few suggestions have been made. The miscellaneous music budget, Greater Boston Interfaith Organization support, and Theologian in the City are targeted. Evening Worship is expected to cease, especially since it has not blossomed as fully as once hoped. Some dedicated funds will shift to preserve Vacation Bible School. Discussion will continue.
Lisa Loveland highlighted the Leadership Committee slate for 2016. Some spots continue to be filled but in general the leadership shift will be ready for the February 7th Annual Meeting. Council thanked the outgoing Officers and Board, Committee, and Task Force Chairs (Lisa Mahnke, Clerk; David Vogen, Treasurer; Chris Breen, Communications; Tom Spearson, Music; Paul Kuenstner, Operations; Debby Kuenstner, Trustee; and Mary Ann Lape, Membership).
Various committee and ministerial updates were heard. Music Committee is seeking the National Musicians Conference interest. New membership is strong with recent actions gaining popularity such as the chat with ministers, the connections lunch, and the joining ceremony. Stewardship Committee continues to reflect on the downturn in pledging but has new ideas and has gained ground with additional outreach. A mosque service is scheduled for January 20th as well as an interfaith Sabbath service at Temple Israel. Formation is strong with Parents Night Out now popular, helping to build marriage and community. A third confirmation retreat, in connection with other churches, is planned. Community Hour is going well, recently hosting StoryCorps as well as a focus on interfaith exploration. Over Lent, Historian Emily Click will lead reflection on keeping the Sabbath. Over the Martin Luther King weekend, a conversation on race and racism will be held.
Lisa Mahnke, Clerk