2022 - Q1 Operations First Quarter Report, January to March 2022
Submitted by Joanne Pritchard, Operations Lead
The Operations Working Group met on Zoom four times in the first quarter of 2022: January 13th, February 10th., March 10th. And March 28th.
During this quarter, the core members of the Operations team consisted of Joanne Pritchard (Lead) Pat White (Convenor), Joanne Anquist (Minister) and Norma May (Treasurer). Sharing the rotating role of Operations Member- at- Large this quarter were Alex Bradley, Claire Myers, and Nick Perrin. Ministry and Personnel Lead, Peggy Jorgensen, and Property Lead, Barrie Clayton participated in all Operations meetings this quarter as they have done since the Operations Working Group was created in July 2019. Given the operational nature of the responsibilities of both the Ministry and Personnel (M&P) and Property Working Groups, it is my recommendation that the leads of the Property and M&P Working Groups be formally included as core members of the Operations team. I will be bringing this recommendation to the Leadership Council meeting in May for Council approval. Other Council leads who brought items to the first quarter Operations agendas as needed included Rev. Dana Cox, Family and Community Ministry Lead, Rev. Bob Mutlow, Outreach and Social Justice Lead and Karen Chow (McDougall’s outgoing Treasurer).
This quarter McDougall’s Treasurer, Norma May, provided clear and informative monthly updates of the church finances for Operations to review based on statements provided by our External Bookkeeper, Courtney den Boer. Norma also arranged for the required 2021 year-end external financial review to be completed by Michael Kuntz for the Annual General Meeting in February and assisted McDougall’s Office Administrator, Jen Heidebrecht, in sending out the 2021 charitable donation receipts to our donors. Our former Treasurer, Karen Chow, met with Operations in January to gather information needed to complete the 2022 draft budget that she presented to the Leadership Council prior to the church’s AGM in February. Bruce Munro, a new Member-at-Large on the Leadership Council has offered to assist Norma in the creation of the draft budget for 2023.
The Ministry and Personnel items brought forward by Peggy Jorgensen for Operations approval this quarter included revisions to the service contract for our wonderful musician, Tanya Wan Lim, as well as the January 2022 cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all staff members. As well, Peggy regularly updated Operations regarding changes to payroll, benefits and other staff-related matters.
Barrie Clayton, kept the Operations team well-informed about all things property this quarter. In March, he provided a report outlining the major work that he had coordinated over several months to upgrade the church’s telephone and internet systems. He was also the person primarily responsible for securing the lease with the Korean Jesus Baptist Church for space in our basement. And, when we needed to analyze the options for reducing our photocopier costs prior to the expiration of our 5-year lease, his input was based on solid number crunching and an eye on future sustainability.
The Outreach and Social Justice Lead, Rev. Bob Mutlow, reported to Operations about the new Reconciliation Grants received for 2022 and Operations decided to set up new restricted funds to facilities the monitoring of each grant. Bob also assisted Operations Lead, Joanne Pritchard in the creation of the 2020 Fundraising Working Document to help spread out our outreach special appeals over the year and provide our Communications Coordinator, Sarah Reuangrith, with the information she needs to assist in highlighting the appeals.
McDougall’s Family and Community Ministry Team Lead, Rev. Danah Cox, informed Operations of his interest in supervising a theology intern from Ambrose University in the summer. Operations assisted in securing funding for this initiative by putting Danah in touch with the church’s Scholarship Committee, where arrangements are being made for the intern to submit an application for a bursary for the summer work.
Rev. Joanne and Rev. Danah are now the Co-Leads of the Pastoral Care Ministry team and have shared responsibility for pastoral care. They reported to Operations after the January Pastoral Care meeting organized to gather input from the congregation regarding the vision for pastoral care at McDougall going forward. Peggy Jorgensen is encouraging the Sabbatical Steering Group to meet with members of the Pastoral Care Ministry team regarding how we can best meet the pastoral care needs of the congregation through Joanne’s upcoming sabbatical and vacation time this summer.
Operations meetings this quarter have also included discussions necessitated by the easing of AHS regulations in this quarter that affect our in-person worship services and renters in our building. Operations has kept our Facilities Manager, John Naylor informed of the change to the legal requirements for our renters and the Operations recommendation that renters and program participants continue to wear masks while in the common spaces and that congregational members be informed of our expectation that participants wear masks during worship services for the foreseeable future. Our Communications Coordinator, Sarah Reuangrith, participated in Operations discussions related to our COVID safety expectations to help her provide timely and informative communication updates in our Email Blasts and signage in our building.
The role of Operations Convenor is now vacant as Pat White completed her 6 -month commitment to taking on the role at the end of March. For the April meeting I will be taking on both the Lead and Convenor role. I have advised the Operations team know that I would be willing to stay on as Operations Convenor once someone can be found to fill the Operations Lead role and work with Daren as Co-lead of the Leadership Council. As I indicated at the AGM in February, after 5 years, it is time for me to step down from the Council Co-chair role and open the space for someone with new ideas and energy to grow into this important leadership role at the church.
Joanne Pritchard