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The Reverend Fred Monteith met with the board for the last time as minister on April 4th. The date was advanced a week so Fred could attend as he was scheduled to be away on the normal date of April 11th. Fred has provided a steady presence and ready knowledge to the board which was greatly appreciated. We wish him and Pat well in their travels. 
Fred provided the board with some observations from his eight months serving here at First United Church, leaving us with some good news and some more difficult to hear and ponder.
This also was the last meeting with Debbie Hughes acting as secretary. We are sorry to her leave, thank her for her time as secretary and wish her a Brian all the best.
With the imminent arrival of the Reverend Hoeun Lee and family, four members of the Search Committee: Greg Case, Marilyn Gerriets, Isaac Morland and Kristin Snell were named to a Welcoming Team, in addition to their continuing work on the Search Committee, with the option to add members as they see fit to facilitate the work in general and to carry out specific tasks. The Search Committee is in place until the Covenanting Service.
 
The purpose of the Welcoming Team is to assist the successful orientation of the new minister to First United Church of Waterloo and more specifically to:
1. Provide opportunities for the congregation and the minister to meet and get to know each other.
2. Introduce the minister to resources at First and in the wider community.
3. Act as a sounding board for the minister.
4. Be responsible for ensuring that basic tasks of helping the minister begin his job are accomplished.
5. Arrange training (e.g., diversity training) for the Board and congregation.
   
On April 15th, Emmanuel has invited the 4 Waterloo United Churches in a collaboration discussion from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm at Emmanuel. The following have agreed to attend: 
      Cathie Stewart Savage will attend as representative from Outreach
      Vern Hall from the trustees
      Joan Westcott from Ministry and Personnel
      Lee Willingham from Worship
      Nancy Lennox from Stewardship Finance
      Rick Heemskerk to represent both Property and Official Board
      Greg Case to represent Regional Representatives
      Mary Joan Brooker to represent Pastoral Care
 
Rick Heemskerk
Board Chair