An Update from Church Council
Happy New Year! We have much to celebrate and be thankful for at Islington United Church (IUC) as we look forward to 2011.
1. New Chair and Vice-Chair of Church Council
As approved by the congregation at the Annual Meeting on October 17, 2010, Dave Allen became Vice-Chair of IUC Church Council and kindly agreed to move into the role of Chair, Church Council effective January 1, 2011. We are very thankful to Dave for willingly sharing his gifts and commitment to IUC in assuming this new leadership role earlier than planned. Dave has been a member of IUC for many years, has served on many church committees and brings substantial experience and dedication to his new role.
We are pleased to share that Marjorie Booth was elected by Church Council to the position of Vice-Chair in December in accordance with the process approved at October’s Annual Meeting. She also moved into her new role on January 1, 2011. Marjorie, likewise, has served IUC effectively on many committees and projects, including, most recently, membership on the Loaves & Fishes and Ministry & Personnel Committees.
2. New Chair of Ministry & Personnel (M&P) and
New Chair of Loaves & Fishes (L&F) Committees
We continue to be blessed by talented and committed lay leaders at IUC. A big thank you to Wendy Sexsmith, who along with Shona Kindness, chaired our Ministry & Personnel Committee until the end of 2009. We are grateful to Hugh Goodwillie, who stepped up to chair M&P on an interim basis in 2010 until the Annual Meeting where Debbie Stephens was approved as the new Chair of M&P. Deb brings a wealth of experience as former Chair of Loaves & Fishes, as well as past Vice-Chair and past Chair of Church Council. We are very grateful that she continues to share her many gifts in serving IUC in yet another leadership role.
Val Greenfield replaces Deb as Chair of the Loaves & Fishes Committee, also as approved at the Annual Meeting. Many of you will know Val from her various leadership roles and active participation at IUC, including the Refugee Support Ministry, More Than a Rummage Sale in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and leading the Mission and Outreach Ministry Team for Project 20/20 in 2007. We are very happy to support Val and the L&F Committee as she takes on this new role.
3. Fiscal Year 2009/2010 and
2010/2011 Ministry & Financial Plan
I’d like to use this opportunity to share again the good news that we ended our first full new fiscal year (July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010) with a small surplus of $5,213 and we are ahead of schedule with our repayment of the loan for our 2007 Mission and Service commitment. It has been completed in this current fiscal year – almost two years ahead of schedule!
The 2010/2011 financial plan, developed by Church Council, was presented to the congregation at a financial information session on October 4, 2010 and the ministry and financial plan was formally approved by the congregation at the Annual Meeting on October 17. We appreciate sincerely the ongoing efforts and dedication of staff, lay leaders, and the congregation to balance the need for trust and fiscal prudence with all we do at Islington United.
We are very grateful for the careful fiscal management demonstrated by staff and leaders as well as the ongoing generous support from the congregation which enables IUC to offer so many wonderful programs, services and ministries – something for everyone. As our tag line says: “IUC – The Place You Want to Be!”
Special thanks to John Wevers, David Townsend, Doug Peter, Deb Stephens, Carole Bennett, Ted Wilson, and Brian Allen for their fiscal oversight, management, and reporting on our behalf.
4. Thank You
There is more information on the many achievements of 2009/2010 in the Annual Report 2010. As I moved into the role of Past Chair on January 1, 2011, I reflected again on what a privilege it has been to serve you as Chair of Church council for almost three years – and how blessed we all are at Islington United Church.
Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and treasure. We are richly blessed with grace and many opportunities to worship and serve our risen Lord Jesus.
God bless you.
Elsa van Vliet
