October 2022
Council Corner
The council reviewed the Call Committee process at our most recent meeting. To date, no one has expressed interest in the two-point parish of Hope Lutheran and Babbitt Evangelical Lutheran Church (BELC). We discussed what we could do if this continues into the foreseeable future. An option that could be considered involves someone not on the committee contacting interested or potentially-interested candidates to make an attempt to persuade them to consider our venues. While frowned upon by the Northeast Minnesota Synod, this could be something we could consider more seriously if no one continues to convey interest in the position.
What will HLC look like in ten to fifteen years? Will we still be an integral part of the community? With this in mind, the crafting of a strategic plan was also on the agenda. We are waiting until the October meeting to decide whether we will move ahead with this idea. The council wants to see if we can raise any noticeable interest from our congregation members for such an undertaking. We want to see if anybody other than the usual suspects wants to participate in this process. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested.
The Christmas Eve service was tentatively set for 5 p.m. With this day falling on a Saturday, the council decided not to hold any morning services the next day. We felt that the thirty-minute shift in the usual start time would accommodate those traveling from a distance. This will be solidified at our next council meeting. Please stay tuned.
A return to normalcy with respect to our Sunday service was discussed. Our group debated whether or not to return to certain pre-Covid routines within our church. Various topics on the table included collecting offerings, greeting worshipers at the door, dismissing worshipers at the end of services, and receiving Communion in the traditional manner. We decided to continue this debate at the next meeting in October. However, members admitted that this will hopefully occur sometime before the end of the calendar year.
Finally, the council talked about the potential return of coffee n’ after services in the future. We felt that a key piece of church fellowship was missing due to its absence. Members looked at the pros and cons of the issue. After a great deal of discussion, we decided to approach the WELCA group and the Youth & Family Committee to see if they would be interested in leading this charge. Their answers will determine whether or not coffee n’ will return and how frequently it will occur.
May God grant you peace until we meet again next month…….
In God’s Name,
Lance Kupka
Council President
Hope Lutheran Church of Embarrass