Present: about 50 members
§ 1 Opening of the meeting
The congregation’s Chair Stephen James welcomed everyone and prayed a prayer.
The meeting was declared open.
§ 2 Election of secretary
Ingrid Östlund was elected secretary of the meeting.
§ 3 Election of verifiers
Daniel Bengtsson and Maud Ackeberg were elected to verify the minutes.
§ 4 Agenda
The agenda was approved and no other questions were announced.
§ 5 Election of Nominating committee for the Annual meeting 2019
The meeting elected the following persons, according to the proposal presented by Lois Hemgren:
Common Nominating committee
Karin Pettersson, Convenor
Arne Berg
Isaac Nyarko
Chung-Soon Yoon
Specific Nominating committee for the Swedish fellowship
Arne Berg, Convenor
Anders Berndes
Christina Eriksson
Mikael Ivarsson
Margareta Hellman
Göran Kollberg
Specific Nominating committee for the International fellowship
Isaac Nyarka, Convenor
Hannah Akuffo Britton
Eugene Bushayija
Beatrice Otiato
Terri Bhat
Specific Nominating committee for the Korean fellowship
Chung-Soon Yoon, Convenor
Soo-Hong Jin
Mi-Hye Kim
Mi Young Jean
§ 6 Information from the Uniting Church of Sweden (Equmeniakyrkan)
The Church conference 2019 will have the theme “To the end of the earth” and will take place in Jönköping 29 May – 2 June. Nomination of representatives of the church will begin.
There was an invitation to nominate Regional Church leaders for region West and North.
§ 7 Information from the Board
• Stephen James presented Mats Engen, Head of administration since May 2018. Mats told about his work experience, as well as the challenges and opportunities he has seen so far.
• Mission – Congo: The story about an artwork, edited by Görel Byström-Janarv, has been published in 500 copies. The cost is 200 kr. The book was launched on 4 October and has already attracted great interest and demand.
• Stephen again emphasised the opportunity to follow the Board work through the website. For instance, it can now be noted that the Board wants to further deepen the discussion around Löjtnantsgården, and especially its diaconal dimension. Further, a reflective work has begun under the work name Immanuel 2.0. The starting point is the negative trend we have seen in the number of visitors, especially in the Swedish worship services.
There was a remark that it is important to clarify the difference between Löjtnantsgården as care home and the tenants of Löjtnantshuset.
• The congregation’s Annual meeting will take place on 28 April 2019. This is later than usual, due to Easter and Easter holidays.
• The Board requests motions to be submitted preferably before 17 February 2019, in order to give time for translation work.
§ 8 Any other business
There were no other questions.
§ 9 Film show ”The Janitors”
The film is a special project for high school by Olliver Råstam and Axel Jörbeck. During 8 minutes we get to follow the janitors of Immanuel church in their work. The meeting asked Ulla Marie to convey greetings and thanks to Olliver and Axel, as well as to the janitors Ingvar Engberg and Leif Björk.
§10 Conclusion
The Chair Stephen James declared the meeting closed, after a prayer by Ulla Marie Gunner.
Secretary: Ingrid Östlund
Minutes approved by: Stephen James (Chair), Daniel Bengtsson, Maud Ackeberg