Congregational report - Kinsmen Lutheran Church

Semi‐Annual Meeting November 20, 2011 Congregational ReportAGENDACall to OrderBob BollerOpening PrayerPastor JeffApproval of MinutesMark HansonReportsConstitution RefreshMark HansonApproval of 2012 BudgetBob BollerElection of New Council Members& Synod Assembly DelegatesOther BusinessBob BollerTABLE OF CONTENTSSenior Pastor, Report 2Walking Together 8Pastor of Youth and Family, Report 10Minutes—April 3, 2011 13Minutes—July 10, 2011 14Letter From the President of the Council 14Director of Congregational Life, Report 16Office Manager, Report 17Children’s Ministry, Report 18Additional Staff Reports 19Financial Report 22Congregation Trend Report 23Nominees for Council & Synod Assembly 26Constitution Refresh 27

Rev. Jeffery Alvestad, PastorNovember 20, 2011 Semi‐Annual MeetingMINISTRY MATTERS! Since October 14/15 Kinsmendisciples have been telling their story how the ministry weshare at Kinsmen matters. Below is but one example thatcounters the impressions some have about young peopleand college students:I'm Corey Klein, a member of Kinsmen for over 4 years now.I am currently a junior in college, majoring in MusicEducation at Sam Houston State University. As a kid, I didnot know God. God was never a part of my family and I wasnever brought to church. The first time I came here toKinsmen I felt a presence that I had never felt before. Icame back to Kinsmen week after week. This culminated onJuly 15, 2007, when Pastor Jeff baptized me. My walk withGod truly began! One of the first things I did as a memberof Kinsmen was to work Camp Hope. Watching our highschool youth teach young children the word of God was anamazing experience for a new Christian like me, and I keptcoming back to Camp Hope each summer. Last year I hadthe honor of serving as a co‐camp manager alongsideSteven Pate. Being in that position really opened my eyes tohow God used Kinsmen to forever impact the kids at ourcamp. I want to say that Kinsmen is truly unique. As acollege student looking for a place to worship on theweekends I cannot come home, I have yet to find a placethat comes close to the atmosphere we have here. I reallyhope to stay active at Kinsmen for the rest of my lifebecausethere is truly no place like Kinsmen!changed because of the ministry of our church.And while I may not have had anythingpersonally to do with his or her story, I amproud to be part of a place that has this kind ofimpact.This all goes to show that when you make youryearly estimate of giving and weeklyThankoffering, what you do can change lives!Ministry matters!The verse below is a commentary on the faithpractices of Kinsmen during the last year:“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for,the conviction of things not seen.” +++Hebrews 11:1Last year after hearing the five ministry matters stories along time member wrote:…I wanted to tell you how much I have really enjoyedhearing the temple talks of my fellow Kinsmen members.Most of the talks have brought tears to eyes and makes meglad to call Kinsmen home. We have been members nowfor twenty‐five years and this church is truly an extension ofour home. While pride may not be the right emotion, it’swhat I feel when people tell of how their lives have beenWho among us could see last year at the 2010November semi‐annual meeting the addition ofa fulltime Director of Children’s Ministry andOutreach and Intern Pastor? To turn the versein Hebrews around, “faith is indeed theconviction of things not seen, the assurance ofthings hoped for.” Our 2012 Financial Plan forMinistry (Budget) includes an intern that willfollow Arthur Murphy when he completes hisinternship in August of 2012. Thanks be toGod!2 2In addition to the general expectations in everyLetter of Call, the Call Committee and ChurchCouncil outlined these five specific expectationswhen my Call was extended in 2007:1. Strong emphasis on preaching.

Our fulltime staff includes:Pastor Mark has started his fourth year ofexemplary ministry. There isn’t a pastor I havemet with whom I would rather serve. His majorministry portfolio is Youth and Family Ministrybut his messages are outstanding ‐‐‐ especially onAll Saints.2. Review and evaluate Kinsmen staff related to efficiencyand productivity.3. Rebuild growth patterns within Kinsmen.4. Recruit and equip members to be leaders in Kinsmencommunity.5. Pray and care for the Kinsmen community.“Review and evaluate Kinsmen staff related to efficiency andproductivity” ‐‐‐ “Rebuild growth patterns within Kinsmen” ‐‐‐ and “Recruit and equip members to be leaders in theKinsmen community” are the most measurable and wereand are critical.Review and evaluate Kinsmen staff related to efficiencyand productivity.When I attend conferences for Senior Pastors the numberone topic is staff function/dysfunction. Simply put, we havethe most gifted, productive and efficient staff not only in ourGulf Coast Synod, but the three Synods that include all ofTexas and Louisiana, and every staff with whom I am familiarthrough the lenses of the Senior Pastors who attend theannual Conference for Senior Pastors of Larger ELCACongregations! We have made excellent progress in doingministry in teams and building consensus and collaboratingwith our Church Council and leaders. Even with the staffadditions in 2011, expenditure for staff is under 50% of ourbudget for the first time in recent history. The average costof staffs in ELCA congregations that average over 500 inattendance in weekend services is 57.3%. I am grateful towork with such a gifted and loyal staff and set of volunteers.Lynnae Schatz has begun her fifteenth year invarious capacities and fifth year as fulltimeDirector of Congregational Life. Lynnae makesPastor Mark, and I and the rest of the programstaff look far more organized then we are ‐‐‐‐ aswell as the volunteers that assist with worshipand program. Many of the new programmaticinitiatives such as the Fall Festival, ThanksgivingFeast, annual in house pictorial directory, andyearly ministry booklet were generated byLynnae.Julie Hughes has begun her fourth year, now asour Office Manager assuming many of theresponsibilities of the Director of Administration.She is able to call on 8! mostly new volunteerswho assist her (Jane Jacobi, Don & AnnRosseisen, Linda Martens, Joan Horner, JeriSchormann, Bob Madsen, and Stephanie Brady.Julie’s expanded role, office volunteers, and aresurrected Campus Management Team ably ledby Jimmy Meyer have allowed a Director ofChildren’s Ministry and Outreach to join our staffand equip us in passing on the faith to newgenerations. Julie brings a positive, thoughtful,and competent presence to the church office.She embodies faithful servanthood.Sara Witte as Director of Children’s Ministry andOutreach and Arthur Murphy, our Intern Pastorbegan their ministry among us this year and itseems they have been with us much longer andhave added new energy and generous laughterduring the week. The intent of “outreach” in SaraWitte’s position is to reach out to the unchurchedand dechurched households with children in ourpreschool, afterschool, and community. It is notto replace Bruce Elijah’s efforts or my follow upwith guests.Arthur Murphy is a new set of eyes and ears. He3

elieves what we do best at Kinsmen is worship! I concur. This year’s intern is an exception in that Arthur along withhis family, are residents of Houston. Normally we will need to provide housing. If you know of an apartment, condo,or home that can be donated or rented beginning in August of 2012, please contact Harlen Martens, the Chair of theInternship Team, or myself.Our part time staff includes:Linda Thomas has gifted us as our Organist for 27 years!Elizabeth Marks, has begun her fifth year as our Choir Director and Coordinator of Abendmusik. If I could wave amagic wand our Alleluia Choir would sing at every service every weekend. They make traditional worship inspiring!Kristen Schulze and Timothy Browning are Co‐Coordinators of Contemporary Worship, seventeen and four yearsrespectively. Our Praise Team was asked to lead worship and model contemporary worship at a Synod wide leadershipconference. There are frequent occasions when the music is so outstanding that I think it can’t be “live.” They helpmake contemporary worship inspiring.Bruce Elijah has served seven years as an Associate in Ministry and has grown the Monday’s Men’s Bible study everyyear.Stevie Berryman has begun her third year as Adult Bell Choir Director and is responsible for some of the best printmedia I have seen in the church! Stevie will continue to serve as the Adult Bell Choir Director but would like spin offher Media and Communications responsibilities to spend more time with her family and attend seminary. Resumes arebeing accepted.JD McCollum has served as our Media Coordinator for five years and we can look forward to improved and timelymedia in the coming year. We have received emails from as far away as a U.S. base in Germany thanking us for our onlineservices. George Skirm is largely responsible for the excellent sound mixes at our contemporary rehearsals andservices. Julie Pate selects many of the images on the screens and moves them forward. It is harder than it looks!Irene Baasen has serves in Accounting and Financials and has been a meticulous and careful steward of Thankofferingsand other financial gifts for over 21 years. She is assisted by Grace Mielke!Gundi Talbert has begun her third year as Director of the Kinsmen Children’s Academy which now includes Preschool,After School Kinsmen and Mother’s Day Out. She leads a top notch program. The challenge in 2012 will be keepingcosts aligned with enrollment, especially with After School Kinsmen. Many of the local schools are now offering freeafter school care, which was not the case several years ago.Ruben Cervantes and Lonnell Davis have kept the building in good repair for sixteen and six years respectively. Lonnieresigned in November, so we are currently exploring the best options to keep the facilities clean and in good repair.4

Rebuild growth patterns within Kinsmen.Perception follows reality by about three to five years in most congregations. Average weekend worship attendance isa far better barometer of the health of a congregation than Baptized Membership. Attendance has stabilized since2007 and I believe by the end of 2011 will show a slight increase. In 2007 we reduced the statistical “membership” by572 ‐‐‐ which was not a cleaning of the rolls but the number for whom we had no names. The greatest three yearperiod of worship attendance decline in Kinsmen’s history was between 2004‐2007 when attendance declined from584 to 508. This represented a ‐15%, reduction that was generally unnoticed by eliminating a Sunday service. In thefall of 2007 Celebration launched so we absorbed the loss of 21 households in late 2007 to 2008. In addition, the waywe count weekend attendance has changed. I eliminated the inclusions of the Abendmusik Concerts, Children’sPrograms, Christmas Eve and seasonal midweek services that were reflected in the weekend services from 2005‐2007.Those events are still included in the weekend attendance figures in years before 2004 reflected in the following TrendReport. We are still experimenting with the format of Saturday evening worship in hopes of expanding the potentialworshipping community.2010 2011January 508.2 505.0February 536.0 547.5March 487.5 460.2April 652.0 662.5May 550.2 484.4June 463.0 470.5July 458.0 469.7August 458.1 477.5September 447.7 492.5October 468.6 480.3 (3 Sundays)YTD Average 503.5 505.1November 465.5December 516.6Total 503.9We were also able to pay over $100,000 in cash to redo the parking lot from the “A Place for All People” capitalcampaign and other offerings. We hope during the last quarter to eliminate the operational debt incurred in 2010. Atthe start of 2011 debt was $77,832.08. In the first three quarters of 2011 we have reduced it to $49,113.49. Also inthe first three quarters in 2011 we have reduced our mortgage $72,996.35. It now stands at $512,630.12. Worshipattendance has been up every month since June and 10%+ over the last five weeks.THANKOFFERINGS and “A PLACE FOR ALL PEOPLE” Capital Campaign2011 Financial Plan for Ministry (Budget) January through September: $ 828,406.272011 Actual Thankofferings January through September: $ 853,591.582010 Actual Thankofferings January through September: $ 874,448.312010‐2011 “A Place for All People” capital campaign funds received: $ 193,585.295

CHRISTMAS WISH LISTSAs we approach the end of the year I am usually asked if there are special wants not reflected in the budget. If youwould like to make a special, 2 nd mile Christmas gift to Kinsmen simply write the category in the memo line. This yearour staff submitted these needs:Multimedia Equipment Upgrade: $6,000These funds would be invested to improve the sound, visuals and recordings of worship services and special concerts.Our worship services are viewed by shut‐ins, family members, and earlier this year we received this email from a soldierstationed in Germany:I was hoping I could email someone at Kinsmen and thank them for the wonderful worship services you have online. I am living in Germany and attend Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on post. They let us use the chapel on PanzerBarracks located near Stuttgart Germany. I put the word out to our folks there about the inspiring services that Kinsmenhas to offer on line. Keep up the good work of spreading God's words to all nations. I also let the German LutheranChurch Bishop know about your services so that they can put the word out to the many Germans in Baden‐Wurtenbergwhom I understand also tune in to Kinsmen on the web. They provide us Pastors on Sundays when a Lutheran Chaplainis not available and that is 95% of the time. So God bless your efforts. The Ash Wednesday service was watched by myfamily several times as it was very inspirational! Again God Bless you at Kinsmen Lutheran Church!Jerry Kress Sr. 0177‐3691367 Stuttgart‐Vaihingen, GermanyMedia Booth Extension and Wiring: $4,500Our sanctuary is beautiful. Currently however, the additional monitors and equipment sit on folding tables and arepartially covered by blankets and table skirts.Community Room, Great Room 1, and Conference Room Improvements: $4500 or $1500 per room.LCD projectors hanging the ceiling with PC and DVD hook‐ups and small sound system (3).Schulmerich Bell Octaves (3): $11,000 or $3,666 per octave.Our bell choirs are growing ‐‐‐ especially our Youth Bell Choir.ELCA National Youth Gathering in New Orleans: $10,000 or any amount.We have over 40 young people who want to go to this impactful triennial event! They will be joined by 35,000 otherLutheran high school students from all over the country in worship, learning and serving events. Their presence is afront page news story every day and only a few cities in our country are able to host the ELCA National Youth Gathering.6Thanks be to God for your practice of extraordinary generosity!

Recruit and equip members to be leaders in Kinsmen community.Our Council and lay leaders have rendered outstanding service. I want to thank and express my deep appreciation forChurch Council members who have completed their terms: Dorcas Staff, Dale Parr, and Bob Boller who has served asPresident the last two years. Bob has done great work in streamlining our committees to align with our strategy ofinspiring worship, experiencing family and sharing grace.In the transition from a Senior Administrator, to more recently Director of Administration, and now to an OfficeManager, a revitalized Campus Management Team was essential. Jimmy Meyer serves as Chair of CampusManagement and Patrick Beecher and Julie Hughes from council and staff provide an outstanding leadership core tothe team. Jimmy was here daily making sure we got the parking lot right and more recently Campus Management sawthe removal of 32 dead trees as a result of the drought. We hope very shortly to coordinate a volunteer effort inlandscaping and cleaning up the brush.In many ways, our Church Council resembles a small group. The two hour meetings consist of dinner, devotions, andlearning before tackling the agenda. If the meetings last much longer it is usually because they are meaningful andenjoyable. I have looked forward to every meeting and have never left one frustrated. Thanks be to God!Following this report is an excellent explanation written by Bishop Mike Rinehart outlining what no single congregationcan do alone. I believe the three ministries we share that are most aligned with our strategy, mission, purpose, valuesand praise mission measures are these:1. Lutherhill2. Lutheran Campus Ministry (There is a new pastor serving Texas A & M and Blinn College).3. Our companion synods in Peru and the Central African Republic.During the next few years I hope we will explore ways we can build and strengthen our ministry with all three!Respectfully submitted,Jeffery Alvestad, Pastor7

Walking TogetherBishop Michael RinehartThat’s what the word “synod” means. A synod is agroup of congregations doing together what wecannot do alone. In the U.S. there are manyindependent congregations, which functionautonomously. They own their own buildings andfind their own pastors. Other congregations functionin a hierarchy. In some church bodies, thedenomination owns the property and assignspastors. Lutherans function between these twomodels. We are a network of interdependentcongregations. This makes us unique. Eachcongregation owns its own building and chooses itsown pastor, but works together for global mission,serving those in need, campus ministry, conflictmanagement, preparing pastors and more.As I’ve travelled to our 124 congregations, I havefound that many people don’t have a clear sense ofall the things they are supporting with their tithesand offerings. I hope this helps to give you a senseof all that we’re doing together.What we do together:sending missionariesGo therefore and make disciples of all nations…Most congregations do not have the funds tosend a missionary. But together we send many!Together we support churches around theworld, equipping pastors providing muchneededresources.responding to disastersWhen we were hit with hurricanes, over $1million came into this synod to support pastorsand congregations in distress. There arebenefits to belonging to a denomination. Whenan earthquake hits Myanmar, or a tsunami hitsIndonesia, you are there. Recently theAmerican Institute of Philanthropy gaveLutheran World Relief an “A.” Newsweekmagazine gave us an “A+.” Lives depend on thecomplex network of global partnerships wehave together. Give faithfully, joyfully,generously!feeding the hungryTogether we distribute $12 million in WorldHunger funds, for health, development andrelief. We are building wells. We are battlingmalaria and AIDS. Lutheran World Relief, aministry of the ELCA and LCMS, works to endpoverty and injustice in the world’s mostimpoverished communities. In 2007 Lutheransdonated $14.5M to LWR.8 8

prayingWe pray for one another and provide love and mutualsupport. Together we fend off the flaming darts of the evilone.planting new congregationsMost congregations cannot afford the startup costs of amission developer, land, rent and so on. Together we startnew congregations. This work depends on your partnership.calling pastors & lay leadersWhen a congregation needs a pastor or staff, synod staffare there. With over 10,000 congregations on one hand,16,000 pastors and lay rostered leaders on the other, andthe Holy Spirit in between, finding the next pastor can be ajoy. Congregations look to synod staff to assist in identifyingthe kind of leader they need, and connecting them withthose who are gifted in specific areas. A new (2009)national database makes it easier than ever to find qualifiedcandidates.raising up new leaders for ministryThrough congregations across the country and the ELCA’seight seminaries, we lift up pastors and lay leaders forministry. Our synod’s candidacy committee discernswhether candidates have the gifts and calling for rosteredministry in this church. They help candidates discern theirgifts, accompanying them on the journey toward theircalling.tackling conflictSometimes congregations need outside help to get throughdifficult times. The forces that created the problemsometimes can’t solve it. Groups come into conflict. Apastor or staff member isn’t working out. Misconducthappens. Synod staff lead teams of local pastors, synodcouncil and other gifted lay leaders that help congregationsthrough tough spots.training local leadersIncreasingly we are seeing the role of the synodto equip congregations by equippingcongregational leaders. Gatheringcongregational presidents, treasurers,evangelists, educators and pointing themtoward helpful tools can raise the bar oncongregational ministry.talking to other church bodiesThis synod and its leaders represent theLutheran movement to other denominations,and participate in interfaith dialog.and moreTogether we support campus pastors andministry, companion synods in Peru and theCentral African Republic, seminaries,universities, Houston Seafarer’s Ministry,Lutheran Social Services, the Texas Conferenceof Churches, Louisiana Interfaith and more.Thank you.Together we make a difference in Jesus’ name.Yours in Christ,Mike Rinehart, bishop9

Camp Hope StaffThe staff is made up almost entirely of High Schoolyouth guided by college youth and supported byJunior High youth. They attend two staff meetingsa day where they are encouraged, challenged, andgiven guidance. They also get together onWednesday evenings for a staff dinner and afterdinner games at Kinsmen. Serving through CampHope can be a very rewarding and exhausting experiencefor the staff. But as in all things at CampHope, they are being formed as disciples and Christianleaders.• The Disciple Project TrainingThe Disciple Project, held at Texas Lutheran University, isa camp for High School youth that allows youth toexplore their gifts for leadership. There are severalleadership tracks including sports, art, music,photography, servant leadership, peer ministry, andCamp Hope. There is also a track for pastors. Each trackconnects the gifts and interests that youth possess withopportunities to practice Christian leadership as they areformed as disciples. Our High School youth attend theCamp Hope track.Here is what Don Hodde, an adult from Faith Lutheran,Bellaire, had to say about the Camp Hope training:“The youth in the Camp Hope track received qualityBible study and were taught leadership skills, such as theneed to take responsibility, how to deal with conflict,and handling emergency situations among other lifeskills. Those are wonderful things to be learning alreadyas a teen!”While the Disciple Project is where the central CampHope staff receives their training it is also considered theHigh School summer trip. There is much more to theDisciple Project than simply Camp Hope training. Thereis daily Bible Study, Worship, inspirational speakers, andmusic. There are also a variety of organized fellowshipand service activities throughout the week that includeall the tracks. This year the whole Disciple Project puttogether quilts for Lutheran World Relief.• Camp Hope MentorsMentors are adults who help the staff process theirCamp Hope leadership experience. Thanks to theorganization of Mary Collins, 30 adults have been utilizedand matched up with Camp Hope Staff. The mentorswere matched up with their staff members at theCamp Hope Kick‐off Pot‐luck and continued tosupport their staff members throughout CampHope.• Camp Hope Daily LifeThe Camp Day begins with Alpha Worship andcontinues with Manna (Bible Study), Games,Snacks, Lunch, Sabbath Time, Expressive Arts,Crafts, Tribe (connecting Bible Story to the world),and ends with Omega Worship. During the Snacksrotation the campers have an opportunity tospend their tickets at the Camp Store. Thecampers are given tickets for answering Biblequestions correctly and when they are caughtdoing something good. Thanks to the organizationof Barbara Velotas we have a Camp Hope Clinicthat is staffed by volunteers during the day to takecare of bumps and bruises and upset tummies.Other special days include Splash Days onTuesdays and Thursdays, Hot Lunch onWednesdays, Camper T‐shirt Fridays. There is apassword protected picture website whereparents can view and order pictures taken duringthe Camp Day. There is also Before and AfterCamp which is structured play and provides carefrom 6:30 AM—6:30 PM.11 11

Experiencing Family – Junior HighMilestonesAt the beginning of May we confirmed eighteen confirmationyouth. We celebrated their confirmation with a confirmationrehearsal, banquet, a presentation of their projects, andthrough a number of commemorative items prepared by theliturgical arts team, the flower team, and the office staff. Confirmationis a three year journey that begins with the 5 th GradeMilestone in May and concludes with Confirmation Sunday.On their journey the youth learn the basics of the Old Testament,the basics of the New Testament and the basics of thefaith in the Small Catechism.Confirmation Camp – Liminal SpaceThis year we sent 30 confirmation youth to Lutherhill forcamp. For many, camp can be an important part the discipleshipjourney. In her book, Almost Christian, Kenda Dean talksabout liminal space. She describes liminal space as a time ofdiscernment in the life of the disciple. It is a time of transformationas a disciple discerns where they are now in their faithand where God might be calling them to be. Martin Luthermight attach liminal spaces to vocation, discerning how youfollow and serve Jesus whether you are a pastor, a plumber,or a student in school. Camp can be liminal space for theyouth. Maybe camp is liminal space because the youth aretaken away from the comforts of home, family, and friends.Maybe camp is liminal space because there is an intentionalpattern to the day that includes worship, Bible Study, faithsharing, and, of course, play. For whatever the reason, camphas been named in many faith stories, including my own, as aplace of liminal space.Experiencing Family‐Senior HighSWATSWAT (Students With A Testimony) is a ministry for and withHigh School youth. The primary meeting time for SWAT is onWednesday from 7—8:30 PM. The goal of SWAT is to providea place for High School youth to “experience family” asthey study God’s Word, share their joys and struggles andpray for one another. SWAT has become and continues tobe adult mentored and youth led.MilestonesThe milestones play an important role in our youth ministryat Kinsmen. They are a time for us to gather parents withyouth for intentional faith conversations around variousmilestones in a family’s life. It is also a time to celebrate thatmilestone with the whole congregation and recognize theirshared role in shaping the faith of youth and families. InApril we say good‐bye to our seniors with the GraduationMilestone Celebration and Banquet. We also celebrated a“Beginnings” milestone for our 9th Grade youth that includeda Back To School Lock‐in. The 10 th Graders celebratethe “Driver’s License” Milestone that recognizes not onlytheir new freedoms but also their new responsibilities.Get InvolvedWe have regular opportunities for members of Kinsmen toserve through youth ministry. These opportunities includeserving as mentors, Bible Study leaders, retreat sponsors,and providing decorations and meals for special events. Oneprominent need for this year is help with our SuperbowlFundraiser. You can help us by sponsoring a youth, donatingtowards the BBQ or soliciting donations for our Silent Auction.Thank you for calling me as one of your pastors. I continueto strive to live out my call among you to the best of my ability.I am thankful daily with how you support me as yourpastor and the ministry we share together.Peace in Christ,Pastor Mark England12 12

Kinsmen Lutheran ChurchSemi‐Annual Meeting MinutesApril 3, 2011 – SanctuaryAttendees: 138 (109 required for quorum – 10% of voting members)Call to OrderBob Boller called the meeting to order. After a short video on being thankful, Pastor Jeff opened with prayer.Approval of November, 2010 MinutesThe minutes from the November 14 th Semi‐Annual meeting were presented. Randy Grobe motioned to accept the minutes.Katherine Hanson seconded. The minutes were approved as presented.2010 FinancialsBob discussed the 2010 financials. Extraordinary generosity by the congregation in December allowed us to finish the year aheadof budget. As a result, we were able repay what we had borrowed against our line of credit (which was not budgeted). The remainingshort term debt is funded through borrowing from our dedicated funds. Repayment of the dedicated funds is budgeted in2011. In 2010 the congregation gave $165k to benevolences, roughly 13.5% of total giving. Through March thankofferings are$25k above expectations. Expenses have only been tallied through February, but are 11% below budget. As a result, we havebeen paying back our designated funds.Administrative Staff changesBob also discussed the status of replacing the Director of Administration position. Due to the declining financial position of thechurch, Council made the painful decision eliminate the Director of Administration position that was held by Susan Converse. Bob,Pastor Jeff and others helped to create a detailed list of Susan’s activities before she left Kinsmen’s employ. Thanks to a number ofvolunteers, including Jane Jacobi and Cathy Elijah, we have been able to handle the work load internally, including managing end‐of‐year tax filings. Expenses budgeted for staff now account for less than 50% of the annual budget. A level considered healthy forchurches.Plans still call for hiring a part time administrator. The job description will be developed during April and interviews will be conductedduring May. Our current intent is to fill the position by early June.Constitution RefreshMark Hanson discussed the changes to the Constitution and Bylaws.Ray Bradsby indicated that he had seen a number of discrepancies in the document and motioned to postpone the vote until theywere cleaned up. Ron Reader seconded. After some discussion, the motion was amended to return the changes to the Congregationwithin 60 days. The Congregation voted to defer for up to 60 days the vote to allow time for the discrepancies to be resolved.A Place for All People Campaign UpdateBob provided an update on the progress of the Place For All People Campaign. A decision was made to focus the building relatedfunds towards re‐paving the parking lot. Bids for repaving have been requested, with only one bid received so far, and that was for$125k, much larger than pledged through the campaign.Pastor Mark closed the meeting with a prayer.Respectively Submitted,Mark Hanson13

Kinsmen Lutheran ChurchSemi-Annual Meeting MinutesJuly 10, 2011 – SanctuaryAttendees: 171 (109 required for quorum – 10% of voting members)Call to OrderBob Boller called the meeting to order. Pastor Jeff opened with prayer. Bob gave a brief update on the year‐to‐date financialswhere thankofferings are exceeding budget and expenses are below budget.Constitution RefreshMark Hanson discussed the changes to the Constitution and Bylaws. Mark had incorporated many of the changes suggested byRay Bradsby after the April meeting. Mark reminded the congregation that approval of constitution changes requires a two voteprocess. The first to endorse the changes, then after review by the Synod, the changes are voted on and need a 2/3rds majorityto pass. John Vindiola motioned to accept the changes to the Constitution. Don Swanson seconded. The motion passed unanimously.Pastor Jeff closed the meeting with a prayer.Respectively Submitted,Mark HansonBob BollerDear Congregation,I am pleased with what has been accomplished through our ministriesthis year and feel very grateful to all of you who give of your time,talent and treasure in helping Kinsmen make a difference. The yearhas not been without its challenges but I believe as a congregation wehave moved forward on so many fronts. Our staff are more alignedand working better together than I have observed in many years. Wehave once again created opportunities for volunteers to have clear purpose in contributing their time and talent. We have focusedour attention on those ministries that serve our children and reach out to the community – those which we believe aremost important to the future of the church. We have come a long way in getting the financials of the church in order. All in all Ithink it would be hard for the congregation to not look back with gratitude for what God has been able to accomplish throughKinsmen this year.Council PresidentIs everything running smoothly? Of course not! We continue to struggle with our school ministries to build up enrollment. Theeconomy and competition from other neighborhood services have taken a toll. We have been on a journey all year to attempt tobalance school expenses with the reduced income. And we have had to deal with some personnel changes. I would like to thankCouncil Vice President Eric Wietstruck for all of his work in getting this under better control. Through his efforts and the Directorof the ASK ministry we have re‐instituted a School Board to help govern this ministry and have made many difficult decisionsregarding staffing levels. We have aligned leadership across ASK and the Pre‐School ministry to be more efficient and to better14

etain students into the ASK ministry. We have put processes in place to better manage fees and scholarships. We are just nowstarting to see the results of all of these efforts but it is clear that this will require a high level of continued attention into next year.Financially we are in better shape than the past but we are not quite there. We had paid off a good portion of our short term operationaldebt through early summer but thankofferings through the summer dropped more than anticipated. As a result we hadto once again borrow from our “dedicated funds” to cover expenses. We are still in better shape than we were at the beginning ofthe year and I am hopeful that we can eliminate or substantially reduce the debt by the end of the year. With income and expensesof the school ministries better aligned I believe this to be doable. My thanks to our Treasurer, Jill Henze, for better aligningmonthly expected income and expenses within our budget and for keeping a sharp eye on those expenses. We are keen to keeppersonnel expenses to less than 50% of budgeted thankofferings and believe this to be important to long term financial health atKinsmen.With the elimination of the Administration Director position last year Council had to take a hard look at church governing structuresthat needed to be re‐instituted to cover the gap. I have already mentioned the School Board. I would also like to recognizethe efforts of Council member Patrick Beecher, Jimmy Myers and the Campus Management Committee for the great work thatthey have done this year. The repaving of our parking lot is obvious but there are so many other items that they have addressed orhave identified as needing to be addressed. Council is dealing with these and will be working the requirements into this year’s andnext year’s budget.I would be remiss to not recognize the work of Council member Doug Wittenberg as well as Gary Simpson and the Stewardshipcommittee. Stewardship is something that I think we do very well at Kinsmen and this is testament to the efforts of this committee.Most immediately think thankofferings and noisy offerings when stewardship is mentioned and while finances are importantfor us to carry out our ministries this committee is more about changing hearts. We give joyfully out of our love for God. Thanks tothe committee for helping us to keep this straight.I am quite proud of the insight that Council exhibited in establishing the role of Director of Children’s Ministry and Outreach and insupport of bringing on our Intern Pastor. We are very fortunate to have Sara Witte and Arthur Murphy working with us now and Iam very confident that these individuals will do a lot to support the congregation as we grow our faith and make ourselves morerelevant to our community. I think this is big step forward for Kinsmen in terms of shifting our focus to ministry.As most are aware Council has invested significant effort over the last year to update our constitution and by‐laws. The journeyhas by no means been easy or fun but I am hopeful we are almost there. Our Council Secretary, Mark Hanson, has done an excellentjob pushing this forward. It is often a pretty thankless task requiring much persistence but it is something that needed to bedone. Thanks to members of the congregation who worked with us to improve the drafts. We are hopeful we can obtain final approvalfrom the congregation at our meeting in November. Well done, Mark.Lastly, I would like to say what a pleasure it has been serving on Council at Kinsmen. We are very blessed to have Pastor Jeff, PastorMark and our staff. This church is also blessed with some amazing people who are passionate about the church and who arewilling to volunteer their time and talent. This year’s new Council members, Patrick Beecher, Matt Dankert and Jill Henze,brought a lot of energy and insight fitting very well into Council which, I believe,enabled us to be quite effective. I wish them and Mark Hanson, Doug Wittenbergand Eric Wietstruck well as they continue to serve on next year’s Council. Finally, Iwish to extend my deepest gratitude to Dale Parr and Dorcas Staff who along withmyself will be leaving Council this year. We served through some very difficulttimes and while we sometimes held different views and perspectives we served tothe best of our abilities with hearts open to God’s will and all with a passion to dowhat we believed was right for Kinsmen. And we had quite a bit of fun doing it!God bless Kinsmen!Bob Boller2011 President15

Inspiring every generation toexperience and share God’s grace.Inspiring Worship. Experiencing Family.Sharing Grace.Lynnae SchatzCongregational LifeInspiring Worship. Worship is at the heart of the ministries atKinsmen. We gather every week to share a meal andcelebrate in our response to the gifts God has given us. Thereare over 60 worship servants serving every weekend and onWednesdays during the season of Lent and Advent. Allgenerations at Kinsmen actively participate in worship; allgenerations serve as worship servants. It takes at least 60worship servants every week for our inspiring worship servicesand even more servants are needed. If you would like to beinvolved in the Inspiring Worship ministries, there is a placefor you. Contact anyone on staff or indicate your desire to beinvolved on a pew slip. Some of the ministries available are:Alleluia Choir, Praise Team, Organist, Media, Kinsmen Ringers,Jubilee Ringers, Youth Ringers, Morning Glory Choir, SunshineSingers, Kinsmen Brass, Flower Committee, Liturgical Arts, LayAssistants, Drama, Altar Guild, Communion Bread Bakers,Ushers, Welcome Center Hosts, Acolytes, Lectors, Greeters,and/or Communion Assistants. Thanks be to God for thefaithful and dedicated leaders of these ministries.Experiencing Family. The churchwide studies during 2011have been Make Me an Instrument and Faithful Living. Bothhave received positive reviews. Recently I tabulated thenumber of households involved in a small group ministry atKinsmen. The answer: 41%. We currently have 14 smallgroups, 7 different Bible Study groups, and a number ofMinistry Task Groups that include the choirs, Stewardship,Sunday School, breakfast cooking teams, SWAT, Prayer Shawl,Sunday School Teacher and many more that meet on a regularbasis. It is through these smaller groups and experiences thatauthentic relationships develop. Are you plugged into one ofthese groups? If not, I encourage you to begin now. It’s nevertoo late.Experiencing Family events that have become annualtraditions of Kinsmen also allow for relationships to benurtured and celebrated. Some of these eventsinclude but are not limited to the MarriageMilestone, Crawfish Boil, Lutherhill retreats,Kinsmen Summer University, Camp Hope, RallyDay, Grief and Healing Milestone, Family FallFestival, Thanksgiving Feast and FamilyCaroling. Mark your calendars to participate inthe Marriage Milestone on February 11, 2012and the Crawfish Boil on May 6, 2012. Kinsmenhas a place for every generation to experiencefamily.Sharing Grace. God is so generous to us, thusthe people of Kinsmen give our selves, our timeand our possessions with gracious hearts.During Holy Week 2011, Kinsmen provided 7days of gifts for over 425 recipients ofNorthwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) Mealson Wheels program. During Lent, Kinsmencollected enough food for 2,298 meals forNAM’s Survival Over the Summer Food Drive.In May, we participated in the collection drivefor personal hygiene items for NAM’s FamilyViolence Center. In August 2011, I was blessedto have the opportunity to direct the premiereof Warren Hanson’s musical, Kiki’s Hats – TheMusical! The show went on for 2 days, but theplans for it began in December 2010. Over1,000 knitted and/or crocheted hats were madeby gifted handcrafters from Kinsmen, aroundthe community and around the country for theMusical! Over 750 of the hats have found newhomes in our companion synod, The EvangelicalLutheran Church in Peru. Written into themusical was an opportunity to collect a freewilloffering to benefit SIRE, Houston’s equestriantherapeutic center. Over $3,000 was collected.What a blessing! Our Family Fall Festival16 16

Sara WitteChildren’s MinistryChildren’s Ministry is vital to congregational life. This ministry doesn’t just involve young children or even just families withyoung children, this is a ministry for the whole church. You acted on your understanding of the importance of this ministryby hiring a full time Director of Children’s Ministry and Outreach! I am excited and blessed to be a part of this great staffand church community.Although the default view might be that the programs of the church like Sunday school are the best ways to pass on faith toa child, research shows that parents have the biggest influence on a child’s faith. So how can we help equip our parentsand caring adults to handle such a precious task?In October, the staff met with Peggy Hahn from the Synod Office to plan and vision for Children’s Ministry and Outreach. Iam excited to work together with you to expand Kinsmen’s Children’s Ministry and Outreach after our prayerful andthoughtful work together.Our time together as a staff with Peggy reinforced how our current programs follow our church wide strategy of InspiringWorship, Experiencing Family, and Sharing Grace as well as our values of Spiritual Depth, Authentic Relationships, RootedRelevance, and Gracious Generosity. Kinsmen is blessed with a generous congregation that believes in our strategy andsupports our programs. Thanks be to God!We now have 3 areas to focus Children’s Ministry for the next few years, while continuing our already successful programs.Those areas are (drum roll please!)…• Equipping parents to carry out their Baptismal promises• Aligning the ministries of Kinsmen Lutheran Church and Kinsmen Children’s Academy• Exploring missional opportunitiesHere are some highlights from Children’s Ministry since I arrived in August:Sunday schoolThis year we are blessed with a wonderful group of high school youth and adults to teach our 8 classes of Sunday School.We started the year with 1 st and 2 nd graders in the same class, but when the class reached 14 kids we decided the childrencould experience family better in a smaller setting. Thanks to the flexibility of our teachers, we were able to make thattransition a smooth one. We also have a handful of high school youth who are in charge of planning and implementingSunday School Opening. This is a great opportunity for the youth to continue growing in their leadership skills they learnedfrom Camp Hope and to help train leaders for years to come. We can always use more volunteers, so if you’d like to helpwith Sunday morning programming in any way, please let me know.Chapel with KCAOur time with the Kinsmen Children’s Academy children on Wednesdays for chapel is a great way to connect KCA with KinsmenLutheran. Pastor Mark and I have been changing and expanding the way we do chapel to fit the needs of the students.If you’re around church on Wednesdays, we’d love to have you join us for a chapel time or two!18

Contemporary WorshipContemporary WorshipKristen SchulzeTraditional WorshipElizabeth Marks“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”—Psalm 150: 6As 2011 comes to a close, I thank God for blessing Kinsmenwith so many talented worship servants. The Praise Team is theworship leadership team for the 9:30 AM ContemporaryService. One of the Praise Team’s primary goals is to inspireothers to worship our Lord and Savior. The Praise Team fallsunder “inspiring worship” in Kinsmen’s strategy, but as I reflecton the past year, I am reminded of how we also help eachother “experience family.” I was recently asked the question“What do you enjoy most about the Praise Team?” My answercame so quickly that it was leading worship with a group thattruly cares for one another, enjoys praising God, and inspiringothers to do the same. Over the past year, we have addedmany new songs to our repertoire, and under the direction ofTimothy Browning, have learned three and four partharmonies. The dedication of this group of leaders astoundsme. Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents every weekover this past year. I would like to thank Timothy Browning (cocoordinator,piano, and vocals), Dan Kolkhorst (guitar, vocals),Mike Hart (guitar), Keith Rogers (electric guitar), Dale Parr(bass), Robert Green (drums), Brett Kulhanek (percussion),Jessica Cillis (vocals), and Anika Sutter (vocals). During thesummer, members of the Praise Team also helped provideworship leadership for the Saturday evening service. TimothyBrowning has been coordinating the music and the leadershipfor the 5:30 PM service beginning in June. I would like to thankKeith Rogers, Mike Hart, and Kathleen Masiko for sharing theirgifts and talents for the 5:30 PM Worship service this summerand fall.The Praise Team welcomes new members from middle schoolage to adult. We encourage those interested in finding outmore about this ministry to contact Kristen Schulze or TimothyBrowning. We rehearse at 7 PM on Thursday nights and at 8:30AM on Sunday mornings.“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyfulsongs.”—Psalm 100: 2Traditional WorshipIt is a blessing to serve as Coordinator of TraditionalWorship, especially when I can report that the musicministry at Kinsmen is thriving!Alleluia Choir continues to rehearse on Wednesdayevenings and to play an important part in leading worshipon Sunday mornings. A big thank you goes out to all ofmy singers for the time and energy they dedicate to musicat Kinsmen.The 2011 – 2012 Abendmusik Concert Series is alreadyunderway. In August, the children presented “Kiki’sHats,” an original musical written by Kinsmen’s WarrenHanson. In October, the Snaufer‐Garvin Duo shared adelightful program of South American arrangements forharp and classical guitar. On December 4, the entiremusic department will offer Kinsmen’s annual ChristmasConcert, “Christmas Memories.” In February, we will hostactor Frank Runyeon and his dramatic presentation,“AFRAID: The Gospel of Mark.” If you haven’t beencoming to the concerts, you are really missing out onsome wonderful music!Lynnae Schatz continues to direct Youth Bells, SunshineSingers, and Morning Glory Choir. Steve Matchettcontinues his work with Kinsmen Brass, which has grownto 15 members. Thanks be to God! Linda Thomas alsocontinues her service as our organist.The adult handbell choirs, directed by Stevie Berryman,continue to grow and serve. The Jubilee Ringers attendeda handbell festival in Brehnam on November 12 to studywith the nationally recognized clinician Beth Judd. TheKinsmen Ringers will attend the Area 9 bi‐annual festivalin Conroe in June 2012.I am grateful for the many talents of the members of ourcongregation. If you would like to join any of theensembles at Kinsmen, there is a place just waiting foryou.Remember…it’s ALWAYS a good time to join the choir!Elizabeth Marks, Coordinator of Traditional Worship20 20

Arthur MurphyIntern PastorThank you for your hospitality and warm welcome upon my arrival to Kinsmen.Christian hospitality is a lost art form in America today, and one of my goals is tobuild on the great hospitality and welcoming gifts that you already have here atKinsmen. My first day was August 22, 2011, and I will be serving as your InternPastor until September 2012.Some of you are probably thinking, “Okay, what’s an intern?” An intern pastor is a seminary student who spends one year in activeministry with a congregation. It is a time of “practical learning” instead of “book learning” in seminary. The intern pastor gets involvedin the life of a specific congregation. How that happens depends on the intern’s gifts and talents and the congregation'sneeds. I am participating in Kinsmen’s congregational life with the mentoring guidance of Pastor Jeff. I am trying to do a little bitof everything, but we are thinking that my main focus will be in the areas of adult discipleship, evangelism, and hospitality.PreachingPastor Jeff and Pastor Mark have been kind enough to allow me to preach about once a month during my internship year. I havepreached on September 17‐18, Oct. 15‐16, and Nov. 12‐13. Please feel free to give me comments on any or all of my sermons tohelp me improve. I have a written sermon evaluation form that you may also fill out and give to me. Simply email me(amurphy@kinsmenlutheran.org) and I will send a form to you.TeachingI am teaching a Bible Study on Wednesday evenings from 6‐7 p.m. during the Wednesday night dinners. Please join us at any time.We have covered some interesting topics already. We have talked about truth and meaning in the Bible, the person of Christ, andthe work of Christ. We are now studying the Gospel of Mark, which will be the primary gospel readings that we hear in worshipnext year (or Year “B” of the Revised Common Lectionary that most churches follow). After a break for the Christmas season, wewill probably finish with the Gospel of Mark in January. The class will then choose another topic, so please come and vote for atopic you would like to study.Intern SupervisionI am in the church office Monday—Thursday. (Please stop by and let me take youfor coffee sometime.) I meet monthly with my Internship Committee. The InternshipCommittee members are: Harlan Martens, Chair; Justin Blackbourn; DeannaPorter; Connie Nolan; Jenalie Lowe; Shelby Lowe; Cindy Porth; and Jackie Hanson.We are working on developing an Internship Project in the area of Evangelism andHospitality. If you have any comments about my internship or me, please feelfree to talk with anyone on my Internship Committee as well as me.Jeff and I attended a retreat for Texas interns and their supervisors. Attached area couple of pictures from our trip through Luling, Texas. As you can see, Jeff isbeing a good sport posing with my “Reformation Red” cowboy boots. We maynot agree on the boots, but we did agree that the barbeque in Luling is worth the side trip.Finally, you and Kinsmen have a great opportunity to continue to be leaders as a teaching and learning congregation. I hope youwill consider hosting seminary interns like me every year to add to your ministry, not only to benefit Kinsmen, but as a service tothe larger church. There is a great need for the gifts you have as a large, forward‐thinking, teaching congregation. Service in achurch as specially gifted as Kinsmen would be a gift to any intern, as it has been to me.Respectfully Submitted,Arthur Murphy, Intern Pastor21

Proposed BudgetJill HenzeEstimatedIncome/Expense 20122011 Budget 2011 Proposed BudgetIncomeThankoffering $ 1,105,000 $ 1,075,441 $ 1,114,600Miscellaneous Income 5,000 12,634 5,000Kinsmen Only Giving 90,000 144,746 150,000After School Kinsmen 202,300 137,119 141,000Preschool/MDO 169,000 168,733 144,000Preschool Summer 40,000 29,969 30,000ASK Summer Program 40,000 27,067 30,500Camp Hope 21,000 31,062 24,000Kindergarten 22,500 31,578 22,050First Grade - - 28,800Total Income 1,694,800 1,658,349 1,689,950Personnel 547,545 567,758 620,310Administration Expenses 130,200 116,972 129,650Management/Finance 200,085 183,328 103,700Community Life 10,200 7,730 16,100Campus Management 169,700 161,474 168,300Parish Education 7,300 9,147 7,800Worship 21,720 20,733 23,820Congregational Life 2,500 1,754 14,150Stewardship 2,500 2,905 3,500Grounds and Environment 18,150 20,167 24,600Youth and Family Ministries 8,100 8,132 18,150Benevolences 101,000 104,122 129,520After School Kinsmen 253,800 242,668 222,350Preschool/MDO 199,100 218,831 174,000Camp Hope 22,900 25,241 34,000Total Expenses 1,694,800 1,690,962 1,689,950Over/(Under) $ - $ (32,613) $ -22

2012Council NomineesPatricia BeneshMy husband Scott & I have been Kinsmen members since 1993. We'vebeen married 30 years & have 2 daughters. Karina lives in Los Angeles. Shewas confirmed at Kinsmen & has been a Confirmation small group coleader.Kyra is a junior in high school. She was baptized & confirmed atKinsmen, was in the children's choirs and is active with SWAT & CampHope when her ballet schedule allows. Scott has played trumpet with the Kinsmen Brass for many years and we are members of aKinsmen small group. Throughout my years at Kinsmen, I have been a Sunday school teacher, Confirmation Small Group leader for3 years and I currently serve as support for the Youth Ministry. I have previously served on a Kinsmen pastoral call committee. Iwas a Girl Scout leader for 9 years & I am serving my 4th term as President of the Houston Dance Theatre Guild. I've been employedin the Commercial Real Estate department of Stewart Title Guaranty for 18 years.Jennifer NashMy husband, Mike, and I became members of Kinsmen about 8 years ago. Mike and I have been married for 12 years. Mike is ageophysicist with ExxonMobil and I am a hydrogeologist with a small environmental consulting firm. We have two children, Colgan(7) and Aidan (4). They both joined the children’s choirs this year and have really been enjoying it. This is the second year that Ihave taught the 3 year old Sunday school and feel very blessed to spend time with these amazing youngsters. My family and I havebeen greeters and I have been involved as a reader and communion assistant. I look forward to serving on council to expand myown faith and working with other council members.Kathy SutterOur family has been members here at Kinsmen for 10 years. My husband Craig and I have been married for 21 years. We have 3children who are actively involved here at Kinsmen. Anika enjoys SWAT, singing with the Praise team and Camp Hope ministries.Erin is in her final year of confirmation and enjoyed her first chance to help at Camp Hope this summer. Daniel loves attending hisSunday school class each week. Craig has served on the Stewardship committee for several years and we have been involved withthe Small Group ministry from the inception and serve as communion assistants. I have also served as support to the Youth Ministry.I have been a stay at home Mom for 14 years. In my prior life, I worked for 10 years in the retail industry as a buyer.2012 SynodAssembly NomineesMark HansonMy wife Katherine and I joined Kinsmen in 1991. I am a Vice President inthe Marketing and Trading business for BP. I've worked for BP/Amoco for30 years. Kathy and I have two boys. Our oldest son, Andrew and his wifeJackie are also members of Kinsmen. Eric is at the University of Texas,studying Mechanical Engineering and was baptized at Kinsmen. Kathyworks as a museum consultant. Currently I am Council Secretary. I've been a member of the Choir at Kinsmen for years, taughtSunday school and Confirmation. I've also been a part of the Men’s Bible study and helped with many activities at Kinsmen. Weare life‐long Lutherans. I graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1980 and received a BSME from the University of Washington.Patrick BeecherPatrick has been married to Vicki for 10 years and has two daughters, Samantha (6) and Erin (3). Patrick and his family joined Kinsmenin 2007. Patrick is a proud graduate of Texas A&M University and currently practices as a licensed geotechnical engineer andPrincipal with Terracon Consultants. Patrick and Vicki are involved in numerous activities at Kinsmen and his kids love the wonderfulchildren’s ministries that Kinsmen has to offer. He particularly enjoys being a part of the Campus Management Team and agreat Sunday Breakfast Cook team. His first year on Church Council has been a rewarding experience on his faith journey.Jill HenzeJill has been married to Michael for 16 years. They have two children, John (12) and Grace (10) who are both active in the KinsmenMusic Ministry. Jill and her family have been members of Kinsmen for 9 years. Jill graduated from Texas A&M University with anaccounting degree. She currently works part‐time at a local public accounting firm as an auditor. She has been active as a Sundayschool teacher and small group host at Kinsmen. Most of her spare time is devoted to attending family activities, and she enjoysbeing outside and camping. She currently leads a Junior Girl Scout troop and coaches a girl’s soccer team. She looks forward to hersecond year serving as council treasurer.26

Synod AssemblyAlternatesJudy BiffleIt was in the early 80's that I joined Kinsmen and have had the distinctprivilege of serving at Kinsmen in a variety of capacities. I've been furtherblessed by serving at the synod and churchwide levels as well. I am a lifelongLutheran and am a graduate of Texas Lutheran University where Icurrently serve on the Corporation Board. I also currently serve on theGlobal Mission committee at Kinsmen and am co‐chair of the synod's anti‐malaria initiative. I am retired as an administrator fromM. D. Anderson Cancer Center and since my husband, Ron, is also retired we spend as much time as possible traveling the worldand spending time with our 4 married children and 6 perfect grandchildren.Terry RichterMy husband, Kent, and I and our two children joined Kinsmen in 1978, and Kent and I have been active members ever since. Bothof our children went through confirmation at Kinsmen, and we were also blessed to have one of our grandchildren baptized atKinsmen. Through the years I have been a Sunday school teacher, chaired the Evangelism and the Global Mission Committees atKinsmen, served on Church Council, and have been a participant in the Small Group Ministry, as well as participated in many BibleStudies. I have served as a delegate for several Gulf Coast Synod Assemblies, and am currently co‐chairing the Synod Anti‐MalariaCampaign, as well as being a member of the Synod Global Mission Team and Care of Creation/Green Team. Kent and I also serveas co‐chairs for Front Row with Verne Lundquist, a fund‐raiser for Texas Lutheran University Athletics. A few years ago I wasblessed to join a group from our Synod on a trip to Peru. On a more personal level, I participate in both group and individual spiritualdirection every month. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Certified Group Psychotherapist at Interface‐SamaritanCounseling Centers, a non‐profit, faith‐based counseling agency with offices in several locations throughout Houston, includingSpring, where I work. Prior to Interface, I was the Clinical Director at Krause Residential Treatment Center, a part of Lutheran SocialServices of the South.Respectfully Submitted,The Nominating Committee: Bob Boller, Dale Parr, Dorcas Staff, Stephen Childress, Connie Jackson, Mary Collins, Jeffery AlvestadAs you probably know, we have been in the process of updating our constitution. The process to change the constitution requirestwo votes by the congregation. The first vote approves the changes, which are then sent to the Synod for review; and the secondvote adopts these changes. The first vote was completed on July 10. The second vote will be held at the November Annual Meetingon November 20. A two‐thirds majority is required to adopt the changes.Highlights of the changes include:Reducing the Congregational meetings to one per yearAllowing the Associate pastor to be a voting member of the Council on all items other than personnel (C12.01c)Changing the references from Southeastern Texas Southern Louisiana Synod to Texas‐Louisiana Gulf Coast SynodClarifying roles and responsibilities for the Synod, Pastors and the Congregational CouncilMoving the Council Spending limits to the By‐Laws so that they can be updated outside of the two‐vote processExpenditures 3% above the Annual Budget will be reported to the CongregationExpenditures 6% above the Annual Budget will need Congregational approvalIn addition, there are a number of changes being recommended to bring our constitution into alignment with the Model Constitutionfor Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.The changes will help make the Constitution better match the operating practices of the church. The Council supports thesechanges and we hope that you will too.Thank you for consideration,Mark Hanson , Council SecretaryConstitution Refresh27