2024 - McDougall Operations Working Group Quadri Mestre Report to McDougall Leadership Council May 1 To July 31, 2024 

During the second Quadri Mester of 2024, the McDougall Operations Working Group met on Zoom on May 16, June 20, and July18.  Members of the Operations team during this period included  Rev. Joanne Anquist (Minister), Joanne Pritchard (Operations Lead),  Norma May (Treasurer), Barrie Clayton (Property Lead), Peggy Jorgensen (M&P Lead). Thank you to  Council Members-at-Large, Patrick Meenagh,  Leslie Stoddart and Margaret Holden-Scott who each attended one of these Operations Working Group meetings as the rotating Member-at-Large. Rev. Danah attended when Rev. Joanne was on leave in May. 

At each Operations meeting, the Treasurer, Norma May, shared month-end financial reports if she had received them  from the church’s bookkeeper, Courtney Den Boer. When they were received prior to the meeting, Norma forwarded the statements  to the team once she had received and reviewed them. These reports were then made available to all Council members through the Treasurer’s Reports folder in the shared  Council Google Drive folder. Leaders of church groups with restricted funds have been able to  request monthly updates related to their group’s fund  by contacting  the Office Administrator, Jen Heidebrecht. 

Highlights from the Operations work since May  this year have included the following:

  1. Related  to the work of the Treasurer, Norma May  and the Financial Processes Working Group

  • The Financial Processes Review group recommended that a 3-month service contract be offered to Karina Harris to review software options capable of meeting the church’s bookkeeping needs, and to familiarize herself with the Powerchurch software so that she could provide backup to our current bookkeeper, if needed. In July Operations agreed to extend Karina’s service contract to December 31 and to transition her into taking over the McDougall Bookkeeper responsibilities  beginning September 1, 2024.

  • Norma and  J. Pritchard conducted a review of the church’s Restricted Funds to identify funds that are inactive and could be closed. They identified a few inactive funds and involved those with past connections to the funds in the decision about allocation of any remaining funds. 

B.  Related to the work of the Council Assistant Treasurer, Bruce Munro

  • Review of March 31,  2024 Annual Budget spreadsheets and analysis provided by Bruce Munro, MUC Assistant Treasurer

  • Based on his overall analysis of the church’s giving’s data, Bruce concluded that it is reasonable for us to increase our projected regular offerings income for 2024 by $25,000.

  • Bruce did not recommend that any revisions be made to the 2024 budget expenditure lines at this time.

  • Operations recommended that the 2024 budget update provided by Bruce  with the $25,000 revision to in the Regular Offerings budget line, as well as the 2025 Projected Budget be presented to the upcoming Leadership Council for their review and to the Congregation at the June 2 Congregational meeting.  

  • The revised budget was approved by the congregation at the June 2 Congregational Meeting.

C.  Related to the Work of the Ministry and Personnel lead, Peggy Jorgensen

  • Operations approved new  Service Contracts developed by Peggy for our Worship Service Musicians (Tanya and Justin) for September to December 31, 2024. These contracts include extra hours for the digitization of McDougall’s Choral Music Library. 

  • Staff vacation time, and coverage and changes to office hours and communications were recommend by Peggy, reviewed and approved by Operations.

D.  Related  to the Joint M&P April Review of the Shared Ministry initiative

  • P. Jorgensen  and J. Pritchard reported on their negotiations with RDLUC regarding the need identified in  the April review for additional admin time for the Shared Ministry Team . In July an agreement  with was signed with monthly payments from RDLUC to MUC  for 4 hours/wk of J. Heidebrecht’s admin time, beginning May 1, 2024.  

  • Peggy J.  and Joanne P.) have provided monthly updates to Operations  and will be participating in the Shared Ministry Team August review process.   Joanne P.  will be reporting on the review feedback  at the September Leadership Council meeting. 

E.   Related  to the work of the Property Lead/ Chair of McDougall Trustees, Barrie Clayton

  • In May, Barrie Clayton, Chair of McDougall Trustees informed Operations that an agreement to build a cell-tower on the McDougall property had been signed by Telus and the McDougall Board of trustees. At the end of June a community engagement session was held. The city is now reviewing the input from the community. Barrie has received emails form a few concerned neighbors and has referred them to the Telus Land Agent. 

  • In May, Barrie contacted the realtor that had assisted us in finding the church that is now leasing space in our basement. He informed her of our  interest in leasing our Sanctuary, Hospitality Hall, M&M Room and/or Babyfold in 4- hour blocks of time on Sunday afternoon. Operations reviewed Barrie’s findings and recommend that he bring the information to the May Leadership Council budget review meeting for their consideration. Council supported this recommendation and at  the June congregational meeting,  those attending were informed of the decision to enter into a brokerage agreement with the realtor for 6 months. A commission will be paid once a lease agreement is finalized.   

F.  Other

  • J. Pritchard informed Operations that Marilyn Bates and Sarah Reuangrith will be heading up McDougall’s  Fall Stewardship Campaign.

  • J. Pritchard announced at the May leadership Council Meeting that she will be stepping down from the Operations Lead role after the October 17 Operations meeting. No replacement has been found. Joanne remains firm in her decision and timeline.  The Operations Convenor role has been vacant since February.

  • At the July Operations meeting,  Rev. Bill provided information to Operations regarding the Ogden Board’s commitment to transferring additional funds to McDougall for the Shared Ministry Team initiative beginning September 1 as well as funds for office admin hours so that Ogden’s  administrative needs could be provided by McDougall staff. Further discussions and communications to follow.

  • The next Operations meeting is meeting is scheduled  for September 19.  

Respectfully submitted by Joanne Pritchard, Operations Lead 

To learn more about Operations, please visit the Operations webpage

To learn more about Leadership Council, please visit the Leadership Council webpage.

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Reflections by Rev. Joanne Anquist