March  24, 2024

Annual St. Peter Congregational Meeting

A quorum of 30 members was attained and the meeting was called to order by Congregational President, Dan Moellman, at 10:46 AM.

Pastor Jinney (Virginia Vogel-Polizzi) opened the meeting with prayer.

The minutes from the 2023 Annual Meeting were reviewed. There being no comments or corrections recommended, a motion was made by Dona Stone to accept the minutes as written and was seconded by Mike Fredericksen. The motion was voted on and passed.

Pastor Jinney gave her Pastor’s Report (see below) summarizing the many and varied activities of the church body during the past year. Highlights of her report are as follows: - St Peter continues to see improved average weekly attendance. Seven members were added this year in our membership service. - Guest speakers at worship and reflections by some members of the congregation. - Involvement of more of the congregation thru volunteer readers. - Special services throughout the year (Holy Week services were discussed, blessing of the Animals, outdoor picnic service, Veterans’ Day and All Saints Day observances, Blue Christmas, a wonderful visit by Santa which was enjoyed by all. - Meal fellowship at monthly breakfast gatherings, Souper Bowl potluck. - Special services for Carl Hart, Dave Miles, and Linda DeBellis memorials, baptism of Bob Cowen’s granddaughter, Everly Mae Tessier. Renewal of vows for Kim and David Nolan. - Home of the Good Shepherd services continued throughout the year. - Outreach programs continue to grow. Cindy Hare coordinated acquiring, assembling, and distributing about 100 winter emergency kits. Sandy Grady and Rebecca Patterson-Kohler started a new program for our shut-ins whereby gift bags/baskets are assembled and delivered with a seasonal theme (Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Easter, etc.). These are extremely well-received and appreciated by our shut-ins! Lay persons have been trained in distributing communion to our shut-ins and a new travel kit was purchased and blessed. - Peter Rensvold continues to coordinate our three-a-year Red Cross Blood Drives as well as our grant from Global Foundries for the Malta Food Pantry. - Synod and Hudson-Mohawk Conference involvement was discussed as well as the upcoming visit by Bishop Miller. - Goals for the coming year of researching becoming a Reconciling in Christ congregation (Anne Cinquemani to lead with Sandy Grady and Joe Kohler that investigation).

Congregational President Dan Moellman gave an oral report which summarized his views on the congregation and the path we are on. He stressed the positive momentum we have been able to maintain, comparing the congregation to a large war canoe in which we are all riding in. Some are paddling harder than others, but over-all we continue to head in the right direction together. He then thanked Pastor Jinney for her involvement in all we are doing.

The 2023 Financial Report and proposed 2024 budget (attached) were provided by Treasurer Rebecca Patterson-Kohler. She explained how we finished in the black in 2023 thanks to a combination of cost-cutting measures, fund-drives, and increased giving. A discussion was held on the mortgage and how we are about 44 months away from satisfying the mortgage. We also discussed assets we are maintaining as a cushion (CD’s, checking and savings account balances) and how we did not have to dip into any reserve funds in 2023 to meet our obligations. Discussion was held regarding the pay increase voted upon by council for Pastor Jinney’s salary and how this is well-deserved and within our reach as a congregation. Rick Stone explained all the time and effort that council put into generating this budget and Pastor’s compensation package (her 3 year contract expires in May) and explained that with our average attendance, if each member/family upped its donation by $10/week, we could cover this increase in our budget comfortably. A motion was made by Peter Rensvold to accept the Financial Report and proposed 2024 budget as submitted and was seconded by Stacey Fecura. The motion was voted on and passed.

President Dan Moellman opened discussion on Church Council and Church Officer positions which require filling in 2024. - Dan Moellman, Bernie Gundermann, and Bill Schmeelcke have each served two consecutive three-year terms on church council and are ineligible for re-election. Openings exist for these three seats. Dan Moellman announced that Sandy Grady, Bob Cowen, and Sue Kugler has expressed a desire to serve on council and asked if there were any other candidate names to be submitted. There being no additional candidates, Peter Rensvold nominated Sandy Grady, Bob Cowen, and Sue Kugler for positions on council. Deb Carminati seconded the motion. The congregation voted and approved Sandy Grady, Bob Cowen, and Sue Kugler for council. - Bill Schmeelcke will remain on council as a non-voting member, continuing to serve as secretary for the council. - For new congregational president, Peter Rensvold made a motion to nominate Rick Stone. As Rick was agreeable to this nomination, the motion was seconded by Anne Cinquemani, the congregation voted and approved Rick Stone as president. - For new congregational vice-president, Laura Canham-Lunde made a motion to nominate Anne Cinquemani. As Anne was agreeable to this nomination, the motion was seconded by Stacey Fecura. The congregation voted and approved Anne Cinquemani as vice-president. 

Bill Schmeelcke held a review session on the church’s Emergency and Evacuation Plan. Discussed was the posted location of the plan, why it is required, how to activate a fire alarm and what happens when that is done, how to operate a fire extinguisher and their locations, emergency exit door locations, how to safely evacuate, and where we gather once outside the building.

After affording an opportunity for further discussion on any topic of interest, Dona Stone called for a motion to adjourn, seconded by Rick Stone. The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 11:42 AM.

Closing prayer was given by Pastor Jinney.

Submitted by Council Secretary, Bill Schmeelcke.

The Pastor’s Report Congregational
Meeting of March 24, 2024

Membership
We have been blessed to continue to see new folks joining in worship at St. Peter. A New Member Service was conducted for those who wanted to be formally added to St. Peter's rolls. On March 3rd, we welcomed our seven newest (formal) members: Terri Smith, Riley, Randy Preston, Amanda Keeter, John and Natsuno Olechicki, and Susan Kugler. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome.

Worship Services
Bill Schmeelcke, Hugh Canham, Peter Rensvold, and Anne Cinquemani offered sermons throughout the year. All members are invited to participate in this sharing of thoughts and ideas.
The 2023 Lenten sermons centered on women in the church and the world in recognition of Women’s History Month.

Maundy Thursday 2023 was celebrated with Pastor Andrew and St. Andrew Lutheran Church at St. Peter. The washing of hands and feet was offered. A Mediterranean (what would Jesus eat) Potluck followed. Those in attendance offered communion to each other. This service will be repeated this year. Good Friday was celebrated at St. Andrew in conjunction with their congregation. The traditional Carminati Easter feast followed the 2023 Easter Service, this year featuring while-you-wait for waffles. Jeff also provided crosses and exquisitely handcrafted nativities. The food was incredible. No surprise there! Thank you, Carminati’s!

The Outdoor Service and Picnic was held on Sunday, September 17th, at 10 am. Great fellowship and food made for a fulfilling combination.

The Blessing of the Animals Service was held on Saturday, October 7th, at 11 am. The three llamas who were in attendance, courtesy of the Carminati’s, were the hit of the day. Due to the rainy weather, the llamas were welcomed into Fellowship Hall along with the other fur babies and owners. All behaved most impressively!

On November 5th, we were honored to have a guest speaker from Synod join us in worship and to deliver the sermon. Rev. Imani Olear is our ELCA Director for Evangelical Mission and Assistant to Bishop Miller.

Thanks to Randi Preston, we were delighted to be joined in several worship services by several dogs that were available for adoption. Their behavior was exemplary.

Services for All Saints Sunday and Veterans Day Sunday went very well. A table was set up in the front of the sanctuary where worshippers could place photos of departed saints and veterans as appropriate.

The chalking of the door tradition was once again honored at the beginning of Epiphany.

A Blue Christmas Service was held with Pastor Andrew Nelson on Thursday, December 21st. A light meal was held afterward in Fellowship Hall with the Kohlers and Fecuras hosting. Because Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday last year, there was no morning service. One service was held at 5 p.m. Consideration will be given to having the Christmas Eve Service earlier this year to accommodate safe travels. The response to holding a Christmas Eve service at Home of the Good Shepherd was not enthusiastic, so no service was offered. No service was held on Christmas Day.

As a result of our recent Time and Talents survey, readers of the scriptures and refreshment coordinators have been added to our server’s schedule and bulletin. It's nice to see new folks having the opportunity to participate!

Ash Wednesday service with imposition of ashes was held at noon on February 14th to begin our journey into Lent.

Additional Services
Bob and Carol Cowan’s granddaughter, Everly Mae Tessier, the child of Colleen Mary Tessier and Francis James Tessier, was baptized on December 3rd. Everly Mae behaved like an angel!

A second renewal of vows was performed for Kim and David Nolan to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

Outreach
Pastor Jinney and Anne Cinquemani continue to lead services, usually on the second Sunday of the month, at the Wilton Home of the Good Shepherd. Several members of the congregation have also been participating in these services, which have been well attended and received. It is also a welcome opportunity to see our dear friend Jim Gourlay.

Thanks to Cindy Hare, the church assembled about one hundred winter emergency kits via an assembly line group after the worship service on October 15th. These kits are available to all but are particularly valuable to the homeless in our community.

Sandy Grady and Rebecca Patterson-Kohler initiated a new monthly project whereby the congregation creates a monthly seasonally-themed gift to be delivered to homebound members of our congregation. The purpose is to let them know they remain in our thoughts and prayers. This has included candy, homemade fudge, and “leprechaun bait.” This has been exceptionally well received by the recipients.

Pastor Jinney co-hosted a workshop on eucharistic ministry and pastoral care visits at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Clifton Park.

To enable more members to attend, the Prayer Group has changed its meetings to bimonthly following our worship service. Sharon Laviska continues to facilitate the Prayer Group.

Peter Rensvold and Pastor Jinney held a session for volunteers from St Peter to be trained in distributing communion to our shut-ins and providing pastoral care visits. This session was very well attended. A portable communion set was purchased and blessed for the volunteers' use. Pastor Jinney continues to provide pastoral care and communion to our family members.

Thanks to Peter Rensvold, we again held several Red Cross Blood Drives.

Through efforts championed by Stacey Fecura, our Christmas Giving Tree provided gifts for three local families in need.

Chaplain and Roman Catholic priest Father Joseph Mali offered a lecture following a worship service, speaking about his personal experiences and challenges as a Christian in Nigeria. His talk included the story of his mother, who was 74 at the time, being kidnapped and held for six months by Boko Haram, an Islamist jihadist organization based in Northern Nigeria known for its terrorist activities.

The weekly message is currently sent to 103 email accounts, including members and friends of St. Peter’s, with 65% of the emails being opened by the recipients. This is an impressive rate, given that Constant Contact reports that the industry average open rate is 31%.

Bill Schmeelcke continues to maintain our Facebook account.

The church requested a $5000 grant from Global Foundries, which was donated to the Malta Food Bank.

Weekly food collections continue.

The Monthly Breakfast Brunch at the White House continues to be extremely well attended. It offers good food, lots of laughs, and time for fellowship.

The Upstate New York Synod of the ELCA and the Hudson/Mohawk Conference Bishop Miller was scheduled to visit our congregation for worship on Sunday, January 7th, 2024, but due to hazardous weather conditions, his visit has been delayed until April 14th.

The annual synod meeting for the Upstate NY ELCA was held on Friday/Saturday, June 2-3, 2023. The attendees were Bill Schmeelcke, Anne Cinquemani, Cindy Hare, and Dan Moellman. (Pastor Jinney had planned to attend but was unable to due to illness.) The attending members gave an overview of the conference and what they experienced during worship in place of a sermon upon their return. The Synod Assembly challenged each congregation to raise $440 for two bee colonies and two community gardens for third-world villages. We hit $520! Thanks to all for their generosity!

St. Peter hosted a Hudson-Mohawk Conference Ministerium at St Peter’s on Wednesday, March 13th. Administrative staff from each of the member parishes were invited to give them an opportunity to meet and network. The attending clergy provided a potluck luncheon as a thank-you to the admins.

Confirmation Classes
The confirmation classes for the Cressman girls continued under the direction of Anne Cinquemani until the young ladies needed to take a break due to other activities. They each received catechism books. We hope to continue classes soon.

LQBTQIA Activities
St. Peter’s joined with St. Andrew’s to host a table at Saratoga’s Pride Festival at the Farmers’ Market in Saratoga Springs the last Sunday in June during Pride Month. The purpose was to present St. Peter as a welcoming congregation.

Pastor Jinney reported to the Council that one couple from the church chose to end their membership at St Peter’s due to our participation in gay pride and rights activities. Although Pastor Jinney reached out to them, no additional conversation was held.

Anne Cinquemani will head the Exploration of Becoming a Reconciling in Christ Task Force for St. Peter. RIC advocates for the acceptance, full participation, and liberation of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions within the Lutheran Church. Sandy Grady and Joe Kohler will also participate in this activity, which includes providing educational materials and talking to parish members to determine if the church would support becoming an RIC congregation, not only in name but also in action.

Finances Rebecca was formally asked if she would accept the role of Treasurer upon Chris Clark’s relocation to their new home. She has been active in finding several cost-saving opportunities. Rebecca recommended that we start a monthly audit of our financial records to make it easier to resolve any questions/issues that arise as soon as they occur rather than up to a year later. Pat Palmer, a former Treasurer, volunteered to take this on. In addition, Mike Frederickson and Glen Linder will be performing an audit of the 2023 books. Thanks to all of you! We finished 2023 in the black!

The Quilters’ Group The quilters group is up and running again, meeting twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of most months. Dorothy Ackman’s friend provided the group with a large amount of fabric and a serger, a machine that seams fabric together while covering raw edges.

Pastor Jinney Updates
Pastor Jinney has officially retired from her role in Pastoral Care at Albany Medical Center. However, she continues participating in Albany Medical Center’s Professional Advisory Group for Pastoral Care and the IRB (Institutional Review Board), which reviews proposed test research protocols for human research subjects. She also provides Bioethics Workshops to Clinical Pastoral Education residents and interns. Pastor Jinney  asked for consideration in moving to the role of a full-time pastor in the future. She is currently under contract as a part-time pastor. The Council agreed to explore the financial implications of that request. Note that the agreement with Pastor Jinney expires in May of 2024. (Because Pastor Jinney is an ecumenical minister, she cannot be “called” but rather serve under contract, with a maximum of three years for each contract.)

The Synod contacted Pastor Jinney to take on another parish in Albany as a part-time transitional pastor. Pastor Jinney served at Good Shepherd of Loudonville until a new pastor was contracted at the end of 2023. She initially accepted this position due to her loss of medical insurance following her retirement from Albany Medical Center.

Pastor Jinney’s annual review was completed with President Dan Moellman and Vice-President Bernie Gundermann. The church provided Pastor Jinney with health insurance through the ELCA’s benefits program, Portico. This is a Synod requirement for all pastors who do not have other coverage.

Pastor Jinney explained her decision to have supply deacons (SAMS) provide the Service of the Word in lieu of the Word and Sacrament (which would include the consecration and celebration of communion). This belief was brought forward by Pastor Jinney during her initial interview with St. Peter. Because of her ordination as an Episcopal Priest, Pastor Jinney feels called to respect the Apostolic Succession, which limits the consecration and celebration of communion to those who have been ordained as priests or pastors.

The Council surprised Pastor Jinney with a beautiful diamond painting of violets (her favorite flower). Pat Palmer created the artwork, and members of the council contributed to the mounting and framing. The artwork is now lovingly displayed in Pastor Jinney’s home.

At Sandy Grady's request, Pastor Jinney gave a talk at Maria College in Albany on Christianity and Lenten practices of fasting and feasting. The talk is part of a series, with two additional talks being presented later by an Imam and a Rabbi.

Bill is putting together Pastor Jinney’s new compensation contract using the previous contract as a guideline, following the subcommittee’s (Dan Moellman, Bernie Gundermann, Rick Stone, and Bill Schmeelcke) recommendations, and as reviewed by the Council.

It is part of the 2024 budget. Fundraising Rebecca Patterson-Kohler volunteered to lead the fundraising projects for St. Peter. Fundraising will include raising money for both the church and outside organizations. 50/50 tickets were printed, and all tickets were subsequently sold. The church received $900 of the proceeds, the winner received $900 (a portion of which was donated back to the church), and $250 was donated to the Malta Food Pantry. A five-gallon jug has been placed in the Narthex for collecting loose change. A used shoe drive was held. We collected used shoes in good condition, bagged them, and prepped them for pickup by a third party that paid the church a fee. The shoes were then shipped and given for sale by small family businesses to assist in earning a sustainable income.

Thanks to Nick Casey, we held an incredible Santa Event in December where participants could take photos with Santa. This event became a fantastic fellowship opportunity for all the attendees. It included a story time/question-and-answer period for the kids, a bake sale, a food truck, and an outdoor fire pit. It received incredibly good reviews. Thanks to Nick and everyone who contributed to this lovely family event! Rebecca reported a profit of over $200 after paying for lighting, with $100 going towards the Stewarts holiday fundraiser, where contributions are matched by Stewarts, with the rest going towards our debt reduction. By widespread acclaim and the grace of our very own Santa Nick Casey, we will hold this event again this year.

The Quilting Group supplied numerous quilts for an auction. Three quilts were auctioned off for $650; additional quilts will be donated to a women’s veteran organization.

Several members of the church took part in a Cupid’s Run (although this group walked) around the church. These brave volunteers took a walk around the church in their undies, as is the tradition. Proceeds benefit Neurofibromatosis research, a cause that is very personal to Randi Preston, whose sister has been diagnosed with this condition.

Buildings, Grounds, and Maintenance
Thanks to Bill Schmeelcke, Pastor Jinney’s office, the Administrative Office, and the Nursery/Sunday School Room have been repainted. The kitchen is next on the to-be-repainted list as it will be the same color as the nursery, and we have leftover paint. Bill also provided each newly painted office with new curtains and rods. A big thanks to Bill! We have twice experienced a loss of water when the narthex restroom toilet continued to flush, draining the surge tank and tripping a flow sensor. Hawk Drilling was brought in to troubleshoot. The problem with the bathroom continues despite hours of repair work by numerous volunteers, including Todd Fecura, Rick Stone, and Dan Moehlman. The once-a-monthly Saturday Workdays continue under the direction of Bill Schmeelcke.

Goodbye and Farewells
A gathering was held at PJ’s Barbeque to wish Chris and Terry Clark a fond farewell before they moved to Delaware to be closer to family. They have been sorely missed.

Four of our beloved St. Peter’s family members entered their eternal home during the past year. Moving to sainthood were Carl Hart, Dave Miles, Linda DeBellis, and Maureen Hartman. Each of these passings was a significant and heartfelt loss to our church family.

What’s next?
The Annual Upstate NY Synod Assembly dates will be Monday/Tuesday, June 3/4. We need to start thinking about who would like to go with Pastor Jinney to represent St Peter Lutheran. We can fund Pastor Jinney and two voting members. Additional attendees are allowed (and encouraged) but must pay for their lodging. We will ask who would be interested in going during the annual meeting.

We will begin exploring becoming a recognized Reconciling in Christ Church.

A Sip N Paint will be held at the church following worship and fellowship on April 28th.

St. Peter is exploring taking part in a Bonsai Workshop at a local brewery.

We will soon begin offering Children’s Sunday School Classes. The participants will participate in activities and lessons in the nursery but join the congregation for communion.

We will explore placing two Blessing Boxes outside of the church, providing food in one and books in the other for the community.

We will explore live-streaming our services via Zoom and Facebook and downloading them onto FB and our website. The person in charge of this at Good Shepherd in Loudonville has agreed to assist us with this project in any way possible.

We hope to get a small color printer for the office.

Review/training sessions will be held for all members who express interest in serving as assistants, readers, acolytes, etc.

We will continue to search for new ways to serve others, by being the hearts, hands, and feet in the walk of Jesus.

Respectfully Submitted with Love,
The Rev. Virginia (Jinney) Vogel-Polizzi
March 24, 2024