Grace Lutheran Church ELCA 104 S Colfax West Point, NE 68788 gracewpn@hotmail.com

Grace is the WELCOME PLACE!!

Church Council

Grace Lutheran Church COUNCIL MEMBERS 2007

STEERING COMMITTEE:  Pastor, Council President, Vice President and Council Secretary

TREASURER: Nancy Petersen,

PARISH COORDINATOR:  Sandy Boots,

Annual Report from Congregational President

          2007 had as much excitement at Grace as 2006, but in a much more positive way.  After nearly 16 months passed since Pastor Kramer left we were extremely pleased to welcome Pastor Christian Meier as our new pastor in October, along with his wife Tammy and their two children, Alex and Kaitlynn.

            Pastor Donald Olson, interim pastor since July 2006 finished his service to us at the end of September.  We want to thank Pastor Olson for helping us through a rough time of transition.

            The Property Committee, with the help of numerous members of our congregation (gifts of time and money), completed the remodeling of the parsonage.  Over $30,000 was needed to bring the house up to date, along with hundreds of volunteer hours.  The council would like to thank everyone who helped in any way.

            Kristi Cook was hired this summer to serve in the office and help our Parish Coordinator, Sandy Boots.  They helped keep things running smoothly, and were a big help to all of us.

            The Call Committee, led by Willis Mahannah, worked hard throughout the year, screening and interviewing prospective pastors until the search ended with Pastor Chris.  Their hard work and diligence is appreciated by all of us.  The other members of that committee were Dave Wimmer, Fern Thorman, Vicki Furchert, Bob Godbersen, Julie Paschold, and Beth Cerny.  They were assisted at the Synod level by Reverend Martin Russell.

            I think that our church is stronger today than it was a year and one-half ago.  We’ve made changes to strengthen some of our outreach programs and the ministries of the church---making many of them less reliant on the work of one or two people.

            Like many churches across the country, giving and attendance are concerns as we begin 2008.  It will be important to continue our commitment to Grace and even add to our giving so that our church can remain strong.  Let’s help continue the enthusiasm that has been evident since Pastor Chris started.  We can’t relax now that we have a full-time pastor.  We need to step up and assist him, follow his leadership---help in anyway we can.  As former President John F. Kennedy once said “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  Substitute Grace Lutheran Church for “your country” in that statement and we will be better in 2008.

            Grace Lutheran Church exists because of God’s people who are members here.

Thanks to all of you for your support.

                                       Ron Briggs, Congregational President

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