NLS Executive Committee Meeting
Monday, March 15, 2021
Present: Brian Schwarz, Executive Director, Wendy Showalter, President, Lindsey Daugherty, Vice President for Outreach, Jeanne Gaston, Secretary, James Ryan, Treasurer, Rev. Sue Beall, Spiritual Director
Absent: Debbie Klatt, Vice President for Administration
Call to Order at 7:06 PM CT
Opening Prayer Jeanne
Approval of Past Meeting’s Minutes move to approve by Jim 2nd by Lindsay – passed.
Old Business
Elections for 2021 – There have been some secretariats who have announced that they have postponed elections for one year and wondered if the NLS should consider doing the same. A bylaw change would need to be voted on by the delegates. We will have additional discussions on this before calling a possible special meeting.
Potential Bylaw Changes – With the 2021 AG being a Zoom meeting, the EC decided to postpone the bylaw changes brought forth during the last AG until the 2022 AG.
Reports
Jim – Not spending much at this point. 2/28 ended the 3rd fiscal quarter. Report has been sent. May 31 ends our fiscal year. Jim will be filing our 990 and the Minnesota filing before the AG.
Jeanne – Annual Activities Reports Results- have only received 18 reports back. 2nd notices will be going out this week.
Lindsay – RCs are here for a reason and that reason needs to be stated and they need to be made accountable.
Lindsay has created an excel spreadsheet so the RCs can keep Secretariat contact information updated. This will also be forwarded to the Database Coordinators.
After some discussion, Lindsay gave the EC her resignation.
There was a motion and seconded to reconvene the meeting on Monday, March 22, 2021, at 7:00 PM CT.
Monday, March 22, 2021, Meeting was reconvened at 7:00 PM CT
Present: Brian Schwarz, Executive Director, Wendy Showalter, President, Jeanne Gaston, Secretary, James Ryan, Treasurer, Rev. Sue Beall, Spiritual Director
Opening Prayer was led by Pastor Sue.
Old Business
More discussion on what and if we should pursue a bylaw change to possibly extend the EC terms for one year due to the two resignations, the conditions brought on by the pandemic, and to keep some continuity for the community and on the EC. Delegates would need to be in place by md-April to discuss this option. Immediate action would need to be taken. It was decided to not move forward on this and prepare for a general election in July.
Continuing Reports
Brian – Leadership Forum. The next forum will take place via Zoom on 4/24. The topic will be how to hold a safe weekend and what types of protocols should be followed. Start “Think Tank” for support on designing socially distanced weekends. Also, Wendy will lead a discussion on providing more participation/interaction during the upcoming Annual Gathering.
Working on trying to come up with an E-Pilgrim’s Guide – Needs more research and will be following up.
Changing Facebook from a profile to a page – Profile only allows one person to manage where a page is more of what a business would use and can have multiple users. Everyone that follows it will receive a link to like it. Once they ‘like’ it they will be all set. Everyone should be made aware of the change.
Name change is on hold.
Per Wendy’s request, created a Mass Communications Request Form for any communications that someone wants sent to the community.
New Conexiones mast head is being worked on by the Communications Group.
Sue – Will be sending Devotions and Daily Prayers for Facebook to nvdccommunications@gmail.com.
Wendy and Sue are working on the creation of a support team for the NLS Spiritual Director. A chairperson and 3 team members. Several names were suggested for the chair of this committee and members. This would be a team of laity and clergy. Projects for this team will be: review existing SD video and brochure and make recommendations; work on securing more clergy names and email addresses; build a schedule for ‘seasons’ messages; build a strategy for recruiting new clergy; and schedule for clergy prayer partners. This will take the place of the Palanca Chair since secretariats will now be loading their own prayer vigils and weekends onto the NLS Website.
Reminder to check up on prayer partners. Wendy will send the email addresses to Sue.
New Business
Resignations – Lindsay and Debbie. Keep both of them in your prayers. We also need to pray about these positions and persons who are being called to these positions. A letter will be going out to the community.
Annual Gathering Theme – Reclaim Our Mission and Momentum in 2021 – Wendy will work with the Communications team to work on a graphic.
Next Meeting – Monday, April 19, 2021 – Executive Committee and Appointed Chairs.
Closing Prayer led by Sue.
Motion to Adjourn was made by Jeanne and 2nd by Sue. Motion passed. Meeting adjourned at 8:52 PM CT
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
