16 October 2016
Encl mentioned in the minutes are not at the website.
Present: about 80 members
§ 1 Welcome
Chairman Marco Helles welcomed everyone and prayed for the meeting.
§ 2 Opening of the meeting
The Chairman declared the meeting open.
§ 3 Election of verifiers
Sven Britton and Görel Byström Janarv were elected to verify the minutes.
§ 4 Agenda
The agenda was approved.
§ 5 Election of Nominating committee
The Election committee consisted of Mi-Hye Kim, Inga Johansson, Lois Hemgren and Susanna Böling. The committee has worked according to the same structure as in the previous two years: a common Nominating committee consisting of a chairman and two members from each fellowship, and also specific Nominating committees for each fellowship, consisting of two members from the common Nominating committee and a few other members.
Lois Hemgren presented the Election committee’s proposal for Nominating committees for the Annual meeting 2017.
Common Nominating committee
Kjell Walfridsson, convenor
Göran Johansson
Ingegerd Berg
Gunilla Herlitz
Mark Tatlow
Kim Skoglund
Suna Brunnsäter
Göran Kollberg
Gabriella Knutsson
Swedish fellowship 11.00
Göran Johansson, convenor
Ingegerd Berg
Monica Ahlberg
Tobias Andersson
Ann-Magret Bergman
Anders Berndes
Margareta Hellman
Mikael Ivarsson
International fellowship
Gunilla Herlitz, convenor
Mark Tatlow
Odette Murekatet
Evado Arfs
Lalit Kumar
Korean fellowship
Kim Skoglund, convenor
Suna Brunnsäter
Mi-Hye Kim
Mi-Young Jeon
Soo-Hong Jin
Fellowship Immanuel 153
Göran Kollberg, convenor
Gabriella Knutsson
Erik Hammarberg
Susanna Böling
The meeting decided on each group separately and approved the proposal. No one was against.
§ 6 The Board’s meeting with the Councils on 12 November
Stephen James informed the congregation about the Board’s upcoming meeting with the Councils, scheduled for Saturday 12 November. The meeting is meant partly to allow time to get to know each other and to hear what the Councils are looking forward to, what possibilities they see and find exciting. Secondly, the meeting will help to get started with the operational plan, before it shall be decided at the Annual Meeting 2017.
The basis of the operational plan is the four prioritized areas: children and youth, people in vulnerable life situations, better fellowship between the worship groups, and leadership development. As this work is starting up the Board and the Councils need to identify some frames for the plan – what it should contain, how long it should run and how detailed it should be.
There was a proposal to also include the music in the prioritized areas. The proposal was positively received, but Stephen stressed the fact that this is only the beginning. He asked the congregation to pray for those who will meet on 12 November so that God will direct their discussions about the operational plan.
§ 7 Our work among children and youth, encl 1
Ulla Marie Gunner began by sharing encouraging information from Immanuel Senior and welcoming everyone to take part of their excellent program. Immanuel Senior is growing and has today 318 members, of which 165 persons are not members of Immanuel church.
Our church has a large youth work which might be difficult to realize as they often meet at times that are not worship times. Therefore Ulla Marie has gathered information from the leaders and compiled into a sheet that was distributed at the meeting. She encouraged everyone to take this information home and to pray for the groups that meet in Immanuel church.
More leaders are needed and Ulla Marie urged everyone to consider this and to contact her if you want to be a leader or if you can suggest someone.
The youth leader for the International fellowship, Berg Holmgren, will begin his service as an intern for one year as soon as the process is ready at the Swedish Migration Board. Until then Neil Bhat is responsible, together with some of the staff. The plan is to recruit a new youth pastor during the year when Berg Holmgren is in place.
§ 8 Information about the church square
Ulla Marie Gunner gave a summary of the situation at the newly inaugurated church square. Some work remains to be done, as is usually the case after a renovation. One kind of chairs still remain to be delivered, mirrors will be set up, the reading corner will be completed with possibilities to charge mobile phones, etc. The renovation has been permeated by thoughts of sustainability and we have made use of equipment and furniture which have been good enough, etc. This has been important because of the responsibility that the church has both from an environmental and a financial perspective. The re-use of our chairs was the theme of a full page article in Sändaren.
We have already noticed that the information material available at our new information desk is distributed in larger numbers. Ulla Marie also mentioned that the water in the new well can be used as drinking water.
The inner room (the old café, which will get a new name) is functioning very well for the children in Creative Sunday and their needs. We have also had a memorial service in this room, which also worked very well.
Ulla Marie mentioned those who have taken special responsibility in the renovation process.
The first church square group, appointed in spring 2014:
Sophia Hober, chairman, Ove Andersson, secretary
Anna Ejeby, Magnus Helmner,
Monica Helles, Sven-Evert Rönnedal,
Vida Affua Atta, Anita Chun,
Camilla Mattebo, Martin Åsander,
Ulla Marie Gunner
Other persons from various ministries have also contributed in different ways.
For the renovation of the kitchen Daniel Nilsson and Sven-Evert Rönnedal have been the main responsible.
To select concrete style, design, colours, etc. the Board appointed a steering group with Marco Helles, Karin Pettersson and Malin Emmoth who interacted with a group consisting of:
Sophia Hober, Klara Junvik,
Kerstin Mjönes, Boel Algulin,
Johan Edberg, Claes-Göran Ydrefors
Responsible for the construction has been Håkan Andersson, Probitas, together with Johan Edberg. Håkan Sjögren has worked on sound, image and pay stations.
Companies and suppliers in the project:
Architectural firm Dinell & Johansson, with architects Morten, Katarina and Joel
Hedemora inredning
Gotlands Snickeri, table tops
Gemla, renovation of old chairs
Contractor Metrolit AB
Electrical contractor Storstadens El
Supplier of sound system Bright
A big thank you to all who have contributed to the renovation process in various ways – those who have listened, made suggestions, invested time and commitment, shared their knowledge and who have not given in.
§ 9 The church fee
Gunilla Hjelmåker reported from the ongoing church fee campaign. When the campaign started only 375 of the about 1,400 members were part of the system. So far about 100 more have joined, which is encouraging, although there is a great potential to increase this number.
The church fees are important and long-term money which can be used in budgeting. It is important that we are all ambassadors for this among our friends so that more people will join the system. We need to pray about this and to explain that this is a good and stable possibility to give to our church.
§ 10 Organizational structure, upcoming decision on 20 November 2016
Some years ago the congregation decided that a new organizational structure should be developed. The latest version was presented at a congregational meeting 1.5 years ago but the congregation considered it necessary to revise it on some points. Among other things it was regarded to be too long and that a clarification was needed how the Council members should be elected and how long their term of office should be.
The revised proposal will shortly be available for everyone on the website node232.myfcloud.com/~immanuel and a decision about the organizational structure will be taken at the next congregational meeting on 20 November 2016.
§ 11 Any other business
The Annual Meeting will be on Sunday 23 April 2017.
§ 12 Conclusion
The Chairman reminded the members of the next Congregational meeting, Sunday 20 November 2016. Ulla Marie Gunner prayed a closing prayer and the Chairman declared the meeting closed.
Secretary: Cathrin Sjöström
Minutes approved by: Marco Helles, Görel Byström Janarv, Sven Britton