Board of Stewards June 9th, 2026 Meeting Minutes
In-person attendees: Erin Brady, Joe Tarpley, Les Swick, Ed Garrison, Aaron Byrd, Dessa Boynton, Sharon Blythe, Donna Galloway, Celeste Tolbert, Bill Hansen, Patty Olbrantz. Zoom attendees: Stephanie Knapp. Missing: Aaron Davis. Other attendees: Candace Hall, Kari Kopp, and Kevin Kopp.
Meeting called to order at 6:00pm. Quorum present.
May Minutes review and approval
Les moved for approval, Dessa seconded, approved.
Review of Action Items
* Guiding Principles update in progress, to be sent to Board for input after first draft.
* Direct deposit for employees on track for Jennifer to implement later this summer.
* At August meeting Board plans to discuss a churchwide leadership get-together in January 2027.
Reconciling Ministries Discussion
Kari Kopp from All Are Welcome (AAW) presented information about the group Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). Our AAW ministry has been a recognized Reconciling Ministry within Skyland UMC, but AAW would like for the entire church to be similarly recognized. This coming Sunday June 14 there will be a lunch-and-learn session after the 11am worship service that will provide information about this to the congregation. A July 19 breakfast-and-learn will also be offered.
Board recommended that there be even more education and advertising before proceeding, perhaps with mentions in the newsletter. Board believes that as many congregants as possible should be involved in the discussion and process. Board will continue this discussion at its August meeting.
Working Team Updates and Votes
More detailed reports available on request.
Staff Parish Relations: To be discussed later during Executive Session.
Council on Ministries: Sending out an emailing to look for volunteers for various ministries (e.g., nursery workers). Mission team requests a gift to be given from church endowment to Kairos prison ministry.
Finance: Almost $60k of 2026 pledges have already been paid.
Trustees: The list of trustee-related projects are not necessarily in order of importance. No exact date for rooftop unit project, but it’s roughly slated to happen in August. The transition from one trash service company to the new one continues in a frustrating, dramatic fashion.
Items voted on by board:
- Kairos donation from endowment fund mentioned above. Finance Team recommended it, and Board approved unanimously.
Capital Campaign Update
We will plan to print out some more copies of the original capital campaign letter to have available at church for people to pick up, and we will ask (in our next newsletter mention) people to contact the church if they did not receive a copy of the letter.
Jennifer has been asked by some congregants whether they could make a pledge toward the capital campaign. Board decided that we should reiterate to the entire congregation that we are not trying to actually raise all the money by mid-August, but we are hoping that all pledges will be in by that time. We should also provide more detail of the other campus improvements beyond the rooftop units.
Board plans to show some visuals of potential refurbishment areas in the colonnade.
Preschool Business
Dana McGraw has tendered her resignation effective July 31. Skyland Board liaison Ed Garrison, Lissey (new ATSP board chair), Joe Tarpley, and Robin Shope (exiting ATSP board member) will coordinate to handle the transition.
Next meeting August 11th 6pm
Meeting moved into Executive Session at 7:26 pm.
Meeting adjourned at 8:06 pm.
