October 22, 2009

Dear Members and Friends of First Congregational Church of Oakland,

This message is to inform you of two extremely important meetings that the Board of Trustees urges you to attend.

The first meeting is this Sunday, October 25.  Its purpose is to inform you of the year-to-date operating deficit we are incurring.  This is an informational meeting to ensure you are fully informed to participate in a decision-making meeting on November 8th.  Details follow.

On October 25, the meeting will begin at 12:10 (or earlier if worship time allows) in the sanctuary, and end at 12:50 so we can go to Lauren Haralson's birthday potluck.

On November 8, the meeting will also start immediately following worship in the sanctuary.  Its purpose will be for the congregation to decide whether to authorize the Board to continue funding the ministries as budgeted for 2009.  Such funding requires deficit spending, and drawing down our endowment to do so.

You will receive all necessary information on October 25 and have the opportunity to ask questions of the Board and our Treasurer, Tony Lewis.  During the time between 10/25 and 11/8 you'll have time for reflection and to ask any further questions of Tony.

See the separate announcement concerning the November 8th meeting.

We earnestly hope you will attend these meeting and contribute your wisdom and voice to our deliberations concerning funding First Congo's ministries.

Peace be with you,

Pat Bruce-Lerrigo
Moderator

To Members and Friends of First Congregational Church of Oakland

This is to inform you that there will be a

Congregational Meeting

 November 8, 2009
Immediately following worship in the sanctuary
Time: 12:15 - 1:15

The desired outcome of the meeting is:

The congregation's decision whether to authorize continued deficit spending to fund our ministries as planned in the 2009 budget, and to cover the deficit from our endowment.
 

All are invited to attend the meeting. Only voting members may vote.

A word on being a Congregational church:

The voting members of the congregation comprise the governing body of our church. You are a voting member if you completed the Freedom Train class and made the commitments of membership during worship.

Our bylaws require that official congregational meetings be announced at least two weeks prior to the meeting. No agenda items requiring a vote may be added once the notification is made. Therefore the one vote to be taken at the November 8th meeting is stated in the above desired outcome. 

It's essential to our congregational system that members have full understanding of all aspects of our ministry, including its financial realities.  To help ensure your understanding, please attend the informational meeting immediately following worship on October 25. That meeting is to inform you of our current deficit and its implications, and to allow time between then and November 8th for you to ask any further questions.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I urge your attendance at both of these meetings.

God's peace be with you,
 

Pat Bruce-Lerrigo
Moderator

Grant Kinney's sermon from yesterday begins after 10 seconds of silence.