By Brad Redeker

On February 20, 2012, the Consistory met for its monthly meeting. Susan Kramer-Mills and Ursula Cargill, President and Treasurer of the Town Clock Community Development Corporation provided an update for the Consistory that included a draft of their budget for the 2012 calendar year. While substantial amounts of money have been pledged, the Town Clock CDC continues to work toward securing the full amount required during their fiscal year in order to move ahead with Dina’s Dwellings. Stef Beemsterboer distributed an initial draft of a Memorandum of Understanding between First Reformed Church and the Town Clock CDC for review and discussion at the next meeting. As the project forges ahead, it is becoming clear that FRC needs a committed delegation to serve as a liaison of our congregation to the Town Clock CDC.

For quite some time now, the oil tank remediation project has been a thorn in our side. Pastor Hartmut and Lauren Bernhofer have been diligently seeking new strategies for settling the ongoing environmental investigation. Through advice from Victor Angeline, our team has been provided a new consultant. The Consistory unanimously voted to move forward in this manner.

The Consistory and Congregation thanked Margaret Coakley (deacon), Stef Beemsterboer (elder) and Lauren Bernhofer (elder) for serving their most recent terms on Consistory. At the Congregational meeting on February 26, the congregation voted back to Consistory for another term, Stef and Lauren as elders, and Heather Epstein as deacon. Continue to lift up these members of the Consistory and the rest in prayer as we seek to faithfully
and diligently discern God’s will.