Church Leadership
Church Council is the governing body of the church. It is chaired by the Church Moderator and has a Vice Moderator and a Clerk (Secretary). Church Council consists of between thirteen (13) and seventeen (17) members – two of whom are senior high students – a three (3) - year term with a one-time option to extend for an additional year. All members of the congregation are eligible to serve on the Council. Council members are nominated by the church’s Nominating Committee and elected by the congregation. Approximately one third of the members are elected annually in the spring. The Pastoral staff are ex-officio members of Council without a vote. Church Council delegates specific responsibilities to each of the church’s committees, which report to the Council. It has charge of all financial affairs of the church, including the responsibility for recommending an annual budget for approval by the congregation. Council meetings are open to the congregation and are held monthly.
Currently serving on Church Council:
Stuart Gillette, Moderator
Jane Barker, Vice Moderator
Beth Mrkvicka
Janet Guevara
Jesse Cornman
Rick Ashton
Gy Menninga
Lou Valsoano
Tom Wolford
Bob Haisman
Becky Kuntz
Connie Ronnow
Deb Stracco
Lara Miller
Sam Dammers
Brian Thiessen Love
Our Vision 2020
Our elders appointed a Vision Team in 2009 to develop a new vision for the next 10 years of our life together. What is our motivation to embrace a new vision? First, our mainline Protestant churches are shrinking slowly but dramatically. Both the UCC and PCUSA have lost 44 percent of our members in the last 50 years. Second, the needs of the community are growing. Food pantry usage alone has quadrupled in the last three years. Third, a church without a vision is like an airplane without wings. We’re all sitting in the cabin together, but we’re not able to take off and move in a new direction. A vision provides focus, inspiration and energy. It allows us to stop doing things that do not contribute to our vision. It pulls us into God’s future. We developed three phrases to capture this vision:
Moving from words to witness in our relationship with God. From rhetoric to God-pleasing actions. From symbols to life-changing, visionary action. We will voice our beliefs and express words that speak to our beliefs AND we will embody those words through action, not expecting that someone else will take the action.
Moving from individualism to intimate fellowship in our relationship with other members of the church community. To live our love for God, for each other and for our world. First United Church will be a community based on deep connections, bringing people of faith together in love and support of one another and in service to God.
Moving from charity to changing structures in our relationship with the world. While we continue to support those in need, we will invest passionately and aggressively to improve the social and cultural structures which create and sustain the need. We developed a statement of God’s vision for the next 10 years of life at First United:
I see that one day First United Church will be so radically Christian that your acts of love, compassion and generosity will astonish everyone. Your unashamed faith in me will burn like a shining beacon, attracting people of every age, race, creed, and spiritual condition to create a community of life-changing worship and reconciliation. Though others have used my name to oppress, exclude and preserve their own privilege, you will bear witness to me by liberating the poor, welcoming strangers, and caring for your neighbors – even when it is unpalatable, even when it requires sacrificing your own comfort and convenience. Though you are accustomed to knowing, discussing and deciding things by your own power, I see that one day you will expect everyone in your community – children, youth, adults and seniors – to be shaped, challenged and renewed by the power of my Spirit. Your life together will be rich with deep connections, nurturing relationships and grace-filled prayers that extend far beyond Sunday morning. One day every member of First United will live with profound spiritual humility and commitment to this shared vision. No one will be a spectator. Everyone will be actively engaged in worship and ministry. Your faith community will create a nurturing quilt of love for those who are wounded, alone and in need of healing and hope. I see you move beyond simply providing charity to people in need toward working to change structures that sustain injustice. You will call congregations, charitable organizations, governmental organizations and businesses in your community to join together to address the root causes of poverty, hunger, homelessness, drug abuse, gangs, crime and discrimination. One day all of you will be sent out as advocates for all people, in our nation and around the world. You will invest your resources with joy to bring long-term, lasting change for generations to come. You are here so that my realm will come and my will shall be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
God’s vision is our call to action.