Present: Approximately 190 members
Interpreters: Hired from Polygritt
§ 1 Introduction and opening of the meeting
The chairman of the Board, Greger Hjelm welcomed those present and began the annual meeting by taking a look back but also forward, including the important elections of representatives for the Congregation that will take place. As a reminder of the mission the congregation has for our city, Greger read the mission statement, Matthew 28: 18-20 and wished that love, warmth and respect would characterize the annual meeting. He then offered a prayer and declared the annual meeting open.
The Vice Presidents for the congregations’ three businesses: Probitas, Immanuel Church’s nursing home and Hotel Birger Jarl were thanked with flowers for their contributions during the year.
§ 2 Confirmation that members have been called to the Annual meeting in accordance with the statutes
The meeting decided that the Annual Meeting had been announced according to the by-laws.
§ 3 Establishment of the meeting agenda
Two other questions were added to the agenda after which the meeting agenda was established.
§ 4 Election of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary of the Annual Meeting
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee of this year, which has consisted of members from all three language groups.
The meeting elected Madeleine Harby Samuelsson as the Chair of the meeting, Karin Pettersson as the Vice chair and Cathrin Sjöström as secretary.
§ 5 Election of tellers
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestion of tellers.
The meeting voted in accordance with the suggestion, and appointed as tellers Agnetha Dalemark convenor, Görel Byström Janarv, Gunilla Gunner, Ingrid Jonsson and Lars Tynnemark.
§ 6 Election of adjusters, to together with the Chair and Vice Chair adjust the minutes
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestion of adjusters.
The meeting voted in accordance with the suggestion, and appointed Patrick Amofah and Kim Skoglund as adjusters to, together with the Chair and Vice chair to adjust the minutes from the meeting.
§ 7 Annual report, encl. 1
The Interim Senior Pastor Claes-Göran Ydrefors gave a short version of the Annual report.
The Chair of the board Greger Hjelm gave a summary of the board’s work since October 2021. The board has three focus areas: theological deepening, congregational development and administrative issues (finances, staff, premises, etc.). The board has, among other things, worked on the relationship between the language groups, dealt with the issue of the Senior pastor’s health condition, set up a fund for innovative activities, spent a lot of time on recruitment, started a review of the congregational organization, and started the work with a local review as the church is overcrowded, with regards to the activities for children and young people. The board is still working on the last year’s motions and parts from the annual meeting that were referred to the board, but it has not been forgotten.
In reverence and gratitude, the Interim Senior Pastor, Claes-Göran Ydrefors mentioned the names of the members of the congregation who died during the year and said a prayer. (see encl. 1, page 20)
The meeting accepted and gratefully submitted the report.
§ 8 Ministry evaluation committee report, encl. 2
Ingvar Kvernes, convenor in the ministry evaluation committee (MEC) clarified that the MEC is elected by the Annual meeting and its’ mission is on behalf of the Annual meeting. He described the committee’s work as extensive.
The meeting decided to accept and gratefully submit the report.
§ 9 Administrative report and financial results (incl balance sheet),
encl. 1 & 3
The Chief of Administration Marianne Eriksson reviewed Immanuel Church’s financial results for 2021. The figures are presented in the printed publications of the annual report for 2021, bilaga 1 sid 23-49.
The meeting decided to accept and gratefully submit the Administrative report, the Profit-and-Loss account and the balance sheet.
§ 10 Auditor’s report, encl. 1
Martin Nääs, authorized Auditor at PwC has, together with the authorized Auditor Christina Gotting, performed the Audit for 2021 of Immanuel Church congregation including the Immanuel group. View the Annual report, encl. 1, page 50-52.
The auditors recommend that the profit and loss account and balance sheet for 2021 be determined and that the annual meeting grants the board members discharge for the financial year.
The meeting accepted and gratefully submitted the report.
§ 11 Establishment of the financial result and the balance sheet per 31 December 2021
The meeting confirmed the Profit-and-Loss Account of the church and Immanuel group for 2021 and the Balance sheet of the Immanuel group as per 31 December 2021.
§ 12 Discharge from reliability for the Congregational Board for 2021, encl. 4
In connection with the issue concerning the discharge from reliability, questions and views were raised regarding dialogue between the international language groups and the congregation’s management, the recruitment of pastors as well as the ambition to solve challenges in the whole congregation as well as in individual language groups.
The meeting granted the Board discharge from liability for the financial year 2021, according to the recommendation of the auditors.
§ 13 Election of the Chair of the Board until the Annual Meeting 2023, encl. 5 & 6
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, informed about the process of the committee’s work.
The election committee suggests the re-election of Greger Hjelm as Chair of the Board until the Annual meeting 2023.
The meeting decided to re-elect Greger Hjelm as Chair of the Board until the Annual meeting 2023.
§ 14 Election of Board Members, encl. 5 & 6
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson informed the congregation about the proposition of a straight list for the six seats to be elected and presented the election committee’s proposal to members.
In connection with the question regarding the election of chairman of the board and members of the board, the question of more candidates than the number proposed by the election committee was raised. Anders Andersson asked the congregation to note that he personally had not been involved in discussions or decisions regarding the proposed person he is related to. Two people were nominated as members of the board during the current annual meeting and it was a closed vote.
The meeting elected the following people to be Board members in the congregational Board for two years (the same members as suggested by the election committee):
Hannah Akuffo Britton new election
Tobias Ejeby new election
Hans-Olof Hagén re-election
Roelof Hansman re-election
Cecilia Mjönes re-election
Ingrid Östlund re-election
Until the Annual meeting of 2023, Evado Arfs, Peter Dobers, Barbro Ericsson, Maria Eriksson, Claes Jonsson and Johan Sahlén will continue to be Board members.
§ 15 Election of two ordinary and two deputy financial auditors, encl 6
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestion; to elect Martin Nääs and Christina Gotting as ordinary auditors and Susanne Westman and Irene Tynnemark as deputy auditors for one year.
The meeting voted in accordance with the suggestion.
§16 Election of Ministry Evaluation Committee, encl. 6
The convenor for the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestion, to elect Dan Svanell as convenor, and Jonas Gustafsson as deputy for one year to the Ministry Evaluation Committee.
Further the committee suggests that the Annual meeting grants the election committee to find two more names for by-election at the Congregational meeting 12 June 2022.
The meeting voted in accordance with the two suggestions.
§ 17 Election of representatives in the three Councils, encl. 6
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestion.
The meeting decided to, for the three councils, elect the names and time periods as suggested in the enclosure.
§ 18 Election of representatives for other committees and delegates, encl. 6
The convenor of the election committee, Anders Andersson, presented the election committee’s suggestions for nine of the eleven congregational committees.
The meeting decided in accordance with the election committee’s suggestion regarding the nine committees.
Information regarding the two remaining committees was shared by Anders who mentioned that the music committee is still dormant and is part of the review of the organization that is underway. As for the interpretation committee, Anders appealed to the congregation to sign up as a volunteer to work on that committee. Both interpreters and translators are needed.
In addition to the elections to assignments that are made at the annual meeting, Immanuel Church has a large group of members who contribute in various and fantastic ways in groups and tasks. Anders reminded all that behind the name of a convenor to the church’s various committees and groups, there are many other names. The election committee addressed a special thanks to all those who work voluntarily in the congregation and whose names do not appear in presentations. They also wanted this to be noted in the minutes of the meeting.
Anders Andersson further informed that annual meetings and general meetings in the various organizations that the congregation is involved in have already been held, apart from the Uniting Church’s Church Conference which will be held 10-14 August 2022. He presented the election committee’s proposal for representatives and deputies.
The meeting voted in accordance with the election committee’s suggestion regarding representatives at the Church conference 2022.
§ 19 Election of nominating committee to propose the next election committee for the Annual Meeting 2023
The chair of the board, Greger Hjelm presented the board’s proposal to select the three chairmen of the council to the nomination committee, in order to develop a proposal for an election committee for the annual meeting in 2023. The nomination committee shall, at the congregational meeting on September 25, 2023, present a proposal for a new election committee, to be decided by the congregation. The current election committee remains in its role until a new election committee is elected.
The meeting decided in accordance with the suggestion.
§ 20 Report from Immanuel Senior, encl. 1
The Interim Senior Pastor, Claes-Göran Ydrefors thanked Rachel Norborg Jerkeby, who after many years in the position resigned as chairman of Immanuel Senior. Rachel was thanked with flowers and a warm round of applause.
Immanuel Senior’s new chairman, Kristina Gustafsson, took over and thanked for the confidence reposed in her to serve as chairman. For Immanuel Senior’s finances, see encl 1, pages 54-55.
§ 21 Information regarding our congregation’s children and youth ministry
Greger Hjelm informed the congregation about not having an active ecumenical association, but that the congregation has an extensive children’s and youth activity that works well.
§ 22 Decision regarding the new ministry plan, encl. 7a & 7b
Johan Sahlén informed about the board’s proposal for a new ministry plan from 2022. The proposal has a two-part structure where part A describes a long-term strategy and which the board is responsible for. Part B describes the day-to-day operations, for which the Senior Pastor, together with the councils and the staff, are responsible.
It is also reminded that the ministry plan assumes that the congregation has resources and that the decline in gift giving should be stopped. Otherwise, the ministry plan cannot be implemented/achieved.
The meeting decided to accept the presented Ministry Plan from 2022.
§ 23 Motions received to the Annual Meeting
Motion regarding Green church, encl. 8a, 8b
The writers of the motion were represented by Christina Eriksson who preferred and justified the importance of Immanuel Church joining the newly started ecumenical organization Green Church.
Johan Sahlén represented the board. He thanked the writers of the motion and asked that the board suggests the annual meeting says yes to and give the Congregation’s environment and justice group the task of being the Congregation’s point of contact in the organization.
The meeting decided to approve the Board’s answer to the motion.
§ 24 Word of thanks to resigning Board members
The Chairman of the board, Greger Hjelm summoned Gunilla Hjelmåker, outgoing board member and extended a warm thank you to her and Mats Bernö (not present) for their years and great contribution in the congregation’s board. Flowers were shared to the outgoing board members and Gunilla thanked for the years she had served the congregation through her work on the board.
§ 25 Any other issues
a) Letter regarding communication, encl. 9
The chairman read out a member’s letter submitted to the annual meeting regarding printed information coming to the congregation’s members. The person believes that it is difficult to read or not accessible to those who are visually impaired or those who do not have a computer. The person appeals for clearer information also to that group of church members.
The chairman thanked for the post and left it as supplementary information to the board.
b) Questions about the Board and statutes
One member highlighted the great work that the board is doing. The person considered that the board’s representation shows an imbalance between the language groups and submitted a proposal to write into the new constitution that the language groups should have equal representation on the board. In this way, the members believed that the composition of the board would be true from a democratic perspective.
The chairman thanked for the contribution and left it as a supplementary information to the board.
§ 26 Closing
The Chair of the board, Greger Hjelm, thanked the Congregation for the trust given him to be the Chair for yet another year. He thanked the presidium for their work during the meeting and reminded all of the Congregational meeting on Sunday 12 June 2022.
The Interim Senior Pastor Claes-Göran Ydrefors said a closing prayer, whereafter the Chair of the meeting, Madeleine Harby Samuelsson declared the Annual meeting of 2022 closed.
Secretary: Cathrin Sjöström
Adjusters: Madeleine Harby Samuelsson, Chair of the meeting
Karin Pettersson, Vice chair of the meeting
Patrick Amofah, Adjuster
Kim Skoglund, Adjuster