The work of the Audit Committee is to oversee and perform an audit of the First Lutheran Church financial records for the prior year. The audit procedure is largely drawn from the ELCA guide (available online) for congregational audits. This procedure is reflected in the detail of the formal report prepared and submitted by the committee. Once begun, an audit is designed to be completed within weeks. The short-term goal of the Audit Committee is to perform an appropriate and timely audit of the FLC financial records in question and duly report on that audit to the Church Council. The long-term goal is to assure that the scope and form of the annual audit is in keeping with FLC's needs. This committee is currently comprised of three FLC members, appointed by the church council. The audit committee meets two or three times annually.
The goal of the Outreach Committee is to find effective, meaningful ways to utilize a significant gift to the church earmarked to make more people aware of the First Lutheran community and the welcoming nature of our fellowship. This group has essentially evolved into two separately focused committees: the plan development committee, which plans and coordinates such outreach events as musical concerts to benefit specific local charities; and the technology committee, charged with updating the FLC website. Meetings are as needed and task focused.
The Property Committee exists to address immediate and seasonal needs of the entire church property. This can include everything from fixing (or enlisting the aid of professionals, as required, to fix) broken windows, roof leaks, HVAC issues, plumbing, lighting, landscaping, and so on. Longer-range goals include improving energy-efficiency and conservation church-wide as well as trying to anticipate and prepare for property requirements for the next decade and beyond.
The focus of this subcommittee is to foster growth within FLC by nurturing the programs FLC has to offer, while branching outward in the community on both a local and international scale. From our position on State Line Road, we essentially border two states and both inner city and suburban neighborhoods. From our welcoming position, we can also be equally centric to people of all ages, colors and cultures, and family diversity. This gives us an enviable setting from which to grow as ambassadors for FLC. As a congregation, we have always been a socially involved church, serving lunches at Children's Memorial Church, being on committees for MLM, making house calls for shut in members, being involved in Hollis. The Social Ministry subcommittee supports and encourages all these efforts. We are also trying to put forth work and involvement on a larger congregational scale. For 2009, we narrowed down to two programs to invest our resources and energy:
- Community LINC, a transitional living family program located on 41st and Troost, Kansas City, Missouri. It offers classes and housing for families who are trying to work their way out of poverty; to enhance the quality of their lives. The families are screened to make sure that they are a good fit for the curriculum offered. They are able to stay in an apartment which a lot of times is furnished by a church; and adopted by a congregation like FLC. Congregations can be involved by offering volunteer time, or by offering monetary funds to keep the family housed. The family can stay between six to 24 months. During that time, Community LINC offers child care, budgeting lessons, and vocational as well as community resources to help the family become more economically independent. As a result, families who have left Community LINC have been able to hold a steady job, rent their own apartment, return to school, or buy their own home.
- Food Resource Bank (FRB). The focus of this program is to link urban congregations (such as FLC) with rural congregations to raise a crop, cash it after harvest, and use the dividends to help Third World Countries to plant their own crops to maintain self-reliance in their own community. FLC is linked with the Gutterman family from Bucyrus, KS who operate a large farm. The land used to plant and harvest is on 159th and Mission Road, owned by a retired physician. Once the crop is ready to harvest, 40 percent of the proceeds will go to Angola, 40 percent will go to Uganda, 10 percent will go to Catholic Relief Services (to spend on new projects), and 10 percent will go back to FRB. Due to the rain, we've been delayed in planting this summer. Our intention at this point will be to plant winter wheat; which will be used as a cash crop.
The goal of this committee is to present worship services that are varied and inspiring for those in attendance. This includes exploring a variety of liturgies, anthems, hymns, and worship formats. Keeping those services running smoothly is tasked to numerous members who coordinate lesson readers, children's sermon givers, worship attendants, ushers, altar guild members, and seasonal decorating. This committee also oversees the planning (and brainstorming!) for special worship planning for Advent/Christmas and Lent/Easter seasons and for other occasional services.
