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Council Highlights
These are some more notable items that came forth at the last POG Congregation Council meeting on January 14. This is not an exhaustive account. Official minutes, once submitted by the Council Secretary, are available from the Church office.
n New Council Members: Kay Grilli will serve as Education representative, and Eileen Morton will serve as Music representative.
n The Council accepted, with regrets, the resignations of Dave Dare and Carol Hanson. Accordingly, replacement council members are being sought to serve as Property and Stewardship representatives.
n The Council endorsed a proposal from the Building Proposal Committee to ask the congregation's approval at the annual meeting to pay to complete architectural drawings for the building proposal. This proposal has subsequently been approved, with an amendment that no action be taken until an energy audit and other due diligence has been performed, so that the architect might be provided with appropriate specifications.
n The Council approved a request by Linda Newton to reduce the hours of her position as outreach coordinator to 24 hours until September, at which time resuming a 30 hour work week will be considered.
n The question was raised regarding fourth grade as the age for first Communion. It was determined that this is not a stated requirement, but is simply precedent from past practice, and that pastoral guidance and discernment with families should be the prevailing determinant as to when children are ready to prepare to receive the Sacrament.
n The Council recommended a proposed budget for 2008, which has since been adopted.
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
Last year on Ash Wednesday, we held a brief midday service of imposition of ashes will at Prince of Glory at which the imposition of ashes was offered for the first time at POG. The attendance at this service was surprisingly high. This year on Ash Wednesday, February 6, the imposition of ashes will be offered at both the Mid-day Communion Service (spoken) at 11:30 am, and the Evening Communion Service (sung) at 7:30 pm.
The imposition of ashes is a traditional custom in the Western Church in which Christians receive ashes in the form of a cross on their foreheads, along with the words spoken: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return." It is from this practice that Ash Wednesday derives its name. We do this in a spirit of humility and repentance. We are reminded that our time on earth is limited, and that we will be called one day to give account for what we have made of the years God has allowed us. Therefore, we want to use the years we have to serve God's purpose in our lives.
The imposition of ashes sets the tone for the discipline to follow during the 40 days of Lent. This custom has seen renewal among many Lutheran congregations in recent years. All who desire will be invited to receive ashes at the appropriate time. Those who choose not to receive ashes are welcome to remain in their places to pray and meditate.
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