Board members present: Marco Helles, Stephen James, Lina Mattebo, Vida Afua Attah, Peter Dobers, Mats Bernö, Malin Emmoth, Margoth Sonneby, Gunilla Hjelmåker, Hans Olof Hagén, Kristina Gustafsson, Rachel Norborg Jerkeby.
Ex officio: Anette Engkvist, Ulla Marie Gunner, Cathrin Sjöström.
New Board and new committees
This was the first regular Board meeting after the Annual meeting. Therefore all the Board members introduced themselves and the new members were especially welcomed. Stephen James was elected vice chairman and the members were divided into four committees, of which the Communication committee is new for this year. The members were divided as follows:
Financial committee:
Hans-Olof Hagén (convenor)
Patrick Amofah
Mats Bernö
Carin Ladufjäll (not a Board member)
Personnel committee:
Stephen James (convenor)
Kristina Gustafsson
Malin Emmoth
Ministry and organization committee:
Vida Afua Attah
Margoth Sonneby
Rachel Norborg Jerkeby
Communication committee:
Gunilla Hjelmåker (convenor)
Peter Dobers
Lina Mattebo
Visit to Kongo-Kinshasa
Senior pastor Ulla Marie Gunner shared about her visit to N’djili, the sister church of Immanuel in Kongo-Kinshasa, together with Kjell Walfridsson, chairman of the Mission and Aid committee, and Gun Eriksson, former missionary to Kongo and translator. Göran Gunner also took part in the journey. The purpose of the journey was mainly to strengthen the relationship between the churches and to look at possible ways of cooperation, besides the nutrition project which Immanuel church has supported for many years.
Financial report
Administrative leader Anette Engkvist stated in her financial report that we follow the budget in general with regard to the missionary activities, but that gifts and offerings are under budget. With regard to financial revenues we are over budget.
Progress report on the music investigation
Kristina Gustafsson, convenor of the ongoing music investigation, gave a progress report from the group. The aim of the investigation is “to investigate the role of the music in the church in order to find out how the music is included in different contexts and how it can benefit everyone today and in the future”, but in order to move forward the group needs clearer directions. This will be one of the key issues at the next Board meeting.
Publication on Södergren’s painting
On 31 January the congregation decided that the mural by Sigfrid Södergren which used to hang in the café shall be documented and be the topic of a publication, and that interviews with the church’s missionaries shall be made. The painting was carefully documented before it was taken down. The Board is now preparing to appoint an editorial committee that will work on the publication and the interviews.
Update of policy documents
The Board decided to give the Communication committee the task to go through and revise the alcohol policy of the church. The Board members who are also part of the Board of Probitas shall address the issue of updating the policy of supplying the flats of Probitas and ask the management to produce a list on what overall policies exist for the church in order to see whether other policies need to be updated or revised.
Very welcome to the congregational meeting on Sunday, 29 May.
The next Board meeting is on 2 June.
Spring greetings from the Board.