Council Corner - February 26 Meeting Update

Council Corner:

Updates from the Regular Church Council Meeting - February 23, 2026

Informational Items:

Best Practices for Responding to Requests for Cash from Strangers
Members and staff are strongly discouraged from providing cash to strangers who request assistance while on St. Lucas UCC property. When approached, we encourage directing individuals to community resources that are better equipped to offer support.

Recommended alternatives include:
Sharing the Community Resources for Food & Utility Assistance list from the St. Louis Area Resource Directory (www.startherestl.org). For your convenience, copies are available outside the Sanctuary.
Directing individuals to the Little Free Pantry for immediate food assistance.

Additionally, the possibility of laminating and affixing the Food & Utility Assistance resource list to the Little Free Pantry is being explored to improve accessibility.

Event Planning Workflow Reccomendations
Work is underway to develop clearer guidelines for individuals or groups interested in hosting events at St. Lucas UCC. Please contact Tracy Mulderig with comments or suggestions.

Actions Taken:

Approved $2,114 from the Memorial Fund, as recomended, to repair the lighting system for the sign along Denny Road.

Approved revised language for a new three-way Covenant among retired ministers previously employed by St. Lucas UCC returning as members, the St. Lucas UCC Congregation, and the St. Louis Association.

Developed in accordance with the United Church of Christ's 2024 Manual on Ministry and guidance from the St. Louis Association, the covenant articulates shared expectations for participation in the life of the church.
General covenant terms are available here: Covenants of Mutual Accountability

Approved a plan for gathering information and input regarding the Mayberry Bequest and future overall expenditures, which was distributed in a special e-blast and in the March 1st bulletin.

Approved a one-year renewal of the Parsonage lease under the current terms.

Updates from the Special Church Council Meeting - March 1, 2026

Actions Taken:

Approved a new 3-year contract with MS Lawncare for the main St. Lucas property, the athletic fields, the Parsonage, and the Sexton's house.

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By Denee Bowers • September 4, 2026

Council Corner: Updates from the Regular Church Council Meeting – August 24, 2026 Informational Items: Update from Financial Ministry Meals on Wheels opted not to renew their annual grant funding for our Backpack program. We are currently seeking alternative funding – we appreciate the continued support of the Sugarbaker Foundation, which helps supplement this mission. The 2026-2027 Backpack Program is still being planned, but it could look different than previous years. Update from Physical Facilities Ministry The new breaker boxes passed the county inspection and we’re still in the process of labeling each breaker. Social Hall air conditioning is still leaking – will continue refilling the freon until the new coil can be install (see Actions Taken). Miscellaneous Updates Following discussion regarding the next step in the Bequest process, Council will develop a perspective to bring to the congregation by the Annual Meeting. It was not voted on but it was the consensus - that we would be prioritizing and developing a vision. Personnel Ministry is continuing their work on updating staff job descriptions and preparing for goal-setting, while finalizing budget recommendations for the Finance Ministry. The Cemetery is surveying the remaining open ground on the eastern area of the Park Hills section, allowing for more two grave and single plots. Looking Ahead – Items Upcoming in Next 1-2 Months Approval of 2027 Budget Approval of delegates for the Conference Meeting in November ( we have two of the three needed for the Conference meeting; still need four delegates for the Association meeting – please reach out if you’re interested in serving ). Performance Reviews and Goal Setting Employee Manual Updates (2019 version) Approval of revised Disaster Preparedness Proposal Upcoming Events – In an effort to better prepare for the various events and events within events, Council members use a more detailed calendar . We hope this tool also helps you better plan for Church activities. Celebration Sunday is September 13 th – this special St. Lucas tradition is open to everyone and follows the conclusion of service; it also falls on Grandparents Days, another reason to celebrate together. Community Meal is October 4 th – this one-time event commemorates Good Neighbor Week and is sponsored by a grant from ServMO and America250. More info to come. Actions Taken: Approved a bid from IFS for $16,986 to repair and replay the fellowship hall chiller coil and install hail guards. While we wait for parts, installation may not happen for 6 weeks. Approved appointments to the nominating committee (Kirk Dalgaard, Jack Laudenslager, and Linda Taylor). One council term is ending in 2026.