Both councils met last week Wednesday, and committees were formed. Great care was given so that there would be fair representation on the subcommittees, even when there were fewer Immanuel members who volunteered than Morrison members. The subcommittees are:

• Ministry,
• Finance,
• School,
• Property,
• Human Resources, and
• Governance.

Both men and women were selected to serve on the subcommittees. For the executive committee (which oversees the entire process), co-chairs of Nick Dobberpuhl from Immanuel and Kris Scheider from Morrison Zion were elected. The chairmen (men) of each subcommittee will also serve on the executive committee. One item discussed was the term: “Merge for Missions” and how it may not communicate well the intent of the question: “Can we do more if we are together than if we are separate?” With the difficult work of reaching out in the community, the need to care for members who are either active or straying, distance no longer being the obstacle it was 120 years ago, and the shortage of called workers, this is the time to consider this question. Both councils saw the need for both church buildings to be used in worship and ministry, so what do we call what we are discussing? a “partnership?” a “marriage multisite?” The work has just begun and is entirely separate from the joint early childcare ministry effort.