The meeting was called to order at 5:59 PM. Pastor Nettleton opened with a devotion. The minutes were approved as presented. Pastor Nettleton reported that October attendance was strong, bolstered by the Loptien baptism and a full Reformation Sunday service. Official acts were the release of Joel Sanford, who has been attending Plymouth Congregational Church, and the baptism of Hazel Mae Loptien. Tom reported a deficit of $5,000 for the month of September, with a $23,000 total deficit so far for the year. Nothing out-of-the ordinary; expenses are just below budget.

Board Reports

• Education: Sunday School numbers have been up and the semester has been going smoothly. Will be starting Christmas program rehearsals this Sunday.
• Campus: Have done two 5:00 to 7:00 PM Evening Prayer services and meals (meals coordinated by Sharon Gibbons and Kimberly) so far. The group is still meeting weekly for Bible study.
• Youth: Quarterly activities ongoing.
• Human Needs: No report.
• Trustees: Have been completing small projects around the church and did a fall cleanup in October.
• Human Resources: No report.
• Fellowship: Eat and Greet Sundays continue, with the next December 2. Will be coordinating Wednesday evening Advent meals.
• Outreach: Reviewed the Francisco presentation and conference and began talking about next year’s event.

Parish Administrator’s Report

• Gas Bills: Tom and Jeannie spoke with Continuum Energy about how lower gas usage would affect our gas bills, given that the church contracts a certain amount of gas per month and pays long- and short-term prices based on actual usage. We will be able to change our projected usage each month to pay the lower pricing, so should see lower bills right away once the more efficient boiler is installed in the spring.
• Food for Congregation Meeting: We will once again provide burritos for the congregation meeting.
• Christmas Eve Security: Tom has contacted the City of Fort Collins to see about getting an off-duty officer to provide security for our Christmas Eve service. The CSU police department is available as a backup if there are no FCPD officers available.

Old Business

• Boiler Replacement: The equipment has been ordered, and will be stored in the Junior Youth Room (leaving space for Preschool extracurriculars) until it is installed in the spring. Have decided, after some research, that an ice melt system for the Garden area would not be economical.
• Nomination Committee Report: June and Zach have agreed to run for reelection, and Jeremy Stueven, Art Mullen and Fred Hartmeister will also run. Dale will stand for reelection for president and Eric Gardner has volunteered to run for treasurer. The bylaws require three people to stand for any open position. Don moved that council make a motion to the congregation to approve the slate as presented. Second by Zach. Motion passed, and will be presented to the congregation at the meeting as a motion from committee.
• Budget: Tom reviewed the few changes that were made to the budget since the last meeting. Discussion followed. Pastor Nettleton and Tom were excused for Council to make a decision on payroll for those staff whose pay had not already been adjusted in the budget as presented—Pastor Nettleton, Tom and Jeannie Benson (accountant). A motion to include a line of $8,539 for potential compensation increases for these three employees passed. The motion to present the budget as amended to the congregation passed.
• Congregation Structure Committee Report: Reviewed and discussed the proposal from last meeting. Will begin addressing the recommended changes in January.

New Business

• Architectural Review Committee Presentation: Grant shared the preliminary details of a proposal for a landscape upgrade to the exterior south wall of the Sanctuary. To plan and execute the plan as presented with Summit Landscape (who are doing the Garden project) would cost about $7,500. Discussion followed. Sent to the Architectural Review Committee for further review and request for a recommendation.

Closed with the Lord’s Prayer.

The thirteen members of the Church Council are the “Board of Directors” of the congregation, tasked with general oversight of the life and activities of the congregation to the end that everything be done in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws.