Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of St. Ursula's Church, Berne
held in the Church on Sunday 20 April 2008 at 12:15
The meeting opened with prayer. John Hutchison (Warden) thanked everyone for their attendance, preparation and prayer. He welcomed the Archdeacon, Ven. Arthur Siddall, and our Locum Chaplain, Ven. Alan Wolstencroft and his wife Christine on their last Sunday with us. Everyone was again welcomed by the chairman, Council Vice Chair Patricia Carrick.
The meeting was attended by:
Zsuzsanna Balogh, Zoltan Balogh, Andreas Bomonti, Yvonne Bomonti, Shelagh Brawand, Patricia Carrick, Hector Davie, Joanna Davie, John Eze, Ruth Freiburghaus, Arthur Funkhouser, Donna Goepfert, Hans Goepfert,
Giuseppina Güntert, Hansjörg Gusset, Heidi Gusset, Peter Hawker, Kathy Hoag, Jennifer Hockley, Beat Hodler, Chloë Hodler, Esther Hutchison Funkhouser, John Hutchison, Margaret Ita, Isabel Jordan, Andrée Kamarys,
Sonia Klein, Ulrich Leifeld, Rebecca Lüthi-Eze, Brian Morgan, Kate Mühlethaler, Liz Perrett, Elisabeth Pfyffer, Hans-Karl Pfyffer, Tony Read, Lynn Robb, Hilary Sharp, Arthur Siddall, Daniel Sovilla, Kelly Sovilla,
Roslind Staehelin, Libby Stewardson, Belle Täuber-Lee, Martin Täuber, Carolyn Trechsel, Annemarie Walthert, Joan Wehrli, Adorée Weibel, Niklaus Weibel, Hans Wenger, Janet Wenger, Eddy Wildhaber, Maxine Wildhaber, Barbara Winfield, Mary Wittwer, Alan Wolstencroft, Christine Wolstencroft, Julian Wong, Fritz Zysset, Susan Zysset.
This represents 54 members of the electoral roll, 3 clergy and 3 others.
Apologies were received from:
Pamela Arnaud, Doreen Bangerter, Dorothy Beriger, Hanno Beriger, Linda Bisig, Walter Bisig, Martin Brawand, Angus Carrick, Sue Faillettaz, Heinz Güntert, Verena Hawker, Neil Hockley, Judith Josi, Cecily Klingler, Philip Klingler, Rolf Klingler, Jana Kutesko, Annemarie Low, David Low, Pieter Perrett, Rosalind Richards, Marianne Simon, Vanessa Wenger, David Winfield.
The Electoral Roll had been duly displayed. It was presented by Patricia Carrick, Electoral Roll Officer, and approved. There are 109 members. All were reminded that only electoral roll members can vote at the AGM. Ven. Arthur Siddall thanked Patricia Carrick for her work as Electoral Roll Officer.
The minutes of the last AGM were approved nem con. It was agreed that the Review of the annual re-election provision (item 8) would come before the elections of synod representatives, wardens and council members (item 6) so that the commitment to the terms of office of those elected is clear.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer, Hector Davie, presented the accounts. The regular Consolidated Income and Expenditure Account for 2007 showed a surplus of Fr54.27.
Expenses were lower since our two full time chaplains left last summer. Personnel Costs were the largest expense, and details were given (pension contributions, AHV, Heath Insurance, etc). The decrease in travelling costs was also highlighted (down by 16% on 2006). The two church cars were sold and the church is experimenting with the Mobility Car Sharing programme in combination with a GA. This will also contribute to our environmental campaign. It was also noted that we now have a voluntary instead of a paid caretaker. Rolf Klingler was thanked for his work as caretaker.
Although expenses were down, total income was down by 2%. Income from events was up (with record surpluses from the bazaar, book and food sales). Congratulations and thanks were given to organizers and participants. Income from food sales is now a separate item due to the difficulty in allocating costs between events. Neuchâtel increased their contribution at the beginning of the year but then decreased it when a Locum Chaplain was appointed there. Sales from the book table have dropped considerably and a half-price sale will be held to move old stock. This service will be reconsidered for the future. Investment income was down as reserves were lower. In summary, nearly three quarters of our income comes from giving (donations, pledges, collections) and a large proportion of the remaining quarter from fundraising events and donations from the use of the premises.
A couple of extraordinary items (removal expenses, and refurnishing church house for the Locums) were highlighted. Total assets have declined a little (the cars were sold and the photocopier has been written off). The Building and Ministry Training Funds remain healthy. General reserves have fallen from Fr98,000 to Fr96,000, which represents expenses for only 107 days. Total expenditure of almost Fr330,000 represents Fr900 per day. The importance of maintaining our income and building up our reserves was emphasized. Questions were invited and one regarding removal expenses was addressed.
Auditors' Report
Niklaus Weibel reported on behalf of the two auditors. The auditors had looked carefully at the accounts, found them very well kept and in order, and found no problems or concerns. The main audit was conducted on 25 March 2008 and concluded that both the full accounts and the consolidated account statement provided to the AGM give a true and fair view, in all material respects, of the financial situation of the Association of St. Ursula's Church and of St Ursula's Charitable Association at 31 December 2007.
The auditor thanked the treasurer, and the treasurer thanked his assistant (at the beginning of the year) Sue Higson, and his wife Joanna. There were no questions. The chairperson, on behalf of the AGM, formally thanked Hector Davie for his work as treasurer, and both the treasurer and the chairperson thanked the auditors Angus Carrick and Niklaus Weibel for their work.
Approval of Accounts
The approval of the 2007 accounts was proposed by the treasurer and agreed unanimously.
The treasurer reported, for information, that the budget distributed for the pledge appeal in autumn 2007 had been revised in light of the news of Peter Potter's arrival in June 2008. The revised budget assumes a lower income (in order to be as careful as possible) and retains the assumption of the use of a Mobility car in conjunction with a GA for the chaplain's travel.
Increased oil expenses have been included in the revised budget as have additional maintenance and cleaning costs (due to an increase in the cleaner's wages in 2007). The revised budget, agreed to by council, is a balanced budget with provision for possible building work or youth work, to be determined with our new chaplain in line with priorities identified in the past.
The chairperson Patricia Carrick, on behalf of council, proposed the following motion: This AGM agrees to continue the provision (agreed in 2002) that council members retire from office at the conclusion of the AGM next following their election. Some discussion followed. It was noted that it could be changed next year, after our new chaplain has been installed. It was agreed unanimously.
John Hutchison introduced the candidates, and thanked those standing for re-election, the new people who had come forward, and those not re-standing for election for all their contributions.
Three Archdeaconry Synod Representatives
| Nomination | Proposed by | Seconded by |
|---|---|---|
| Hector Davie | Patricia Carrick | Niklaus Weibel |
| Brian Morgan | John Hutchison | Niklaus Weibel |
| Janet Wenger | Chloë Hodler | Hector Davie |
Two Churchwardens
| Nomination | Proposed by | Seconded by |
|---|---|---|
| Esther Hutchison Funkhouser | Chloë Hodler | Elisabeth Pfyffer |
| Zoltan Balogh | Kelly Sovilla | Brian Morgan |
Six Council Members
| Nomination | Proposed by | Seconded by |
|---|---|---|
| Hans Wenger | Chloë Hodler | Brian Morgan |
| Maxine Wildhaber | Chloë Hodler | Lynn Robb |
| Giuseppina Güntert | Chloë Hodler | Niklaus Weibel |
| Pieter Perrett | Hans-Karl Pfyffer | Brian Morgan |
| Kelly Sovilla | Fritz Zysset | Paul Jayaraj |
| Patricia Carrick | Chloë Hodler | Hector Davie |
| John Eze | Susan Zysset | Fritz Zysset |
There were no further nominations from the floor. As there were equal nominations and places available for Archdeaconry Synod Representatives and Wardens, all those standing were declared duly elected.
On the suggestion of the Archdeacon, it was proposed from the Chair that all those standing for Council Members be declared duly elected even though there were seven nominations for six places. One objection from the floor was raised but the proposal was carried and all those standing were declared duly elected.
Thanks were given by the Chairperson to all those council members who served in the past year, and to John Hutchison and Chloë Hodler for serving as Wardens for the past two years.
Angus Carrick and Niklaus Weibel had agreed to stand again as auditors. They were duly, thankfully and unanimously appointed auditors for the year 2008-09.
Chloë Hodler reported on behalf of the two wardens, in lieu of a Chaplain's report. The full Wardens' report is printed and available in the Annual Reports booklet.
The Venerable Arthur Siddall expressed thanks to St Ursula's for its wider and significant contribution to the Archdeaconry, to the Wardens - very few will know the cost and extent of their commitment to this task, to Patricia Carrick - Vice Chair of Council and Chairperson of this AGM for her work during the interregnum,
to the interview representatives Kelly Sovilla and Hector Davie who are satisfied that the person under God who is coming here is the right one, to the Locum team of Chaplains including Roy Farrar who has been given permission to officiate as a Locum for one year in Neuchatel, and to Linda Bisig whom he hopes will resume her role, which she has done with dignity and understanding, when she returns.
The Archdeacon congratulated us on 75% of our income coming from pledging and collections and noted that the Archdeaconry will again be looking at the whole issue of pension payment within European legislation. He emphasized the need in the future to get the balance right between traditionalism and modernism, to draw from the strength of both so that they are complimentary, and to give our church the shape of the body of Christ.
The meeting closed at 13:55 with The Grace.
Jennifer Hockley (Council Secretary)