Meeting Logistics
Do I need to make a room reservation, request communication related to my area, and add meetings and events to the public church calendar?
YES, for several reasons:
- to ensure that the coordination of space for all our ministries is done with organization and care;
- to provide access to the building for members of your group;
- to be transparent with the information from church leaders to the rest of the congregation;
- and to communicate any AV needs and room setup requests.
How do I schedule a meeting, reserve a room, request communication about an event, and add it to the calendar?
- Check the church calendar for possible conflicts.
- Complete the Calendar and Communication Request at least a week in advance to reserve a room, submit a request for communication, and add a gathering to the church calendar.
What AV resources are available?
- On the Calendar and Communications Request form you can request audio/visual equipment, use of a Zoom account for a meeting, OWL technology for a hybrid meeting, and communicate room setup needs. AV Director Jerry Love is available to consult.
- On Sundays, Jerry Love will help with AV setups if needed.
- If you have AV setup needs other other days during the week you are responsible for contacting Jerry at jerry@faithatfirst.com ahead of time so you can schedule a help session to learn how to do the setup yourself. The help session will be on a Sunday as determined by Jerry’s schedule.
Meeting Expectations
What do I need to do at each meeting?
- Pray
- Take minutes and approve minutes from the prior meeting.
- Please post meeting minutes on your Realm group for record keeping.
- Every three or six months, share your meeting minutes with the Church Archives by sending to archives@faithatfirst.com .
Leaders are encouraged to schedule meeetings at least six months in advance, so that all members know when and where the meetings will be held. Of course, changes can be made if necessary. But advance planning and communication create a sense of clarity and organization to our work together.  It also encourages good collaborative work between committees.
Other Helpful Resources on Leading Meetings
https://blogs.volunteermatch.org/how-to-conduct-effective-volunteer-meetings
https://www.theorderexpert.com/make-sure-you-have-these-7-items-on-your-next-meeting-agenda/
https://hbr.org/2018/05/how-to-run-a-meeting-without-talking-too-much
https://volunteerhub.com/blog/manage-volunteers
Budget
How do I request a copy of the budget and year-to-date projection for my committee/program?
- Please contact Athina Sato, Church Accountant, at 847-864-6181 ext or 216 or athina@faithatfirst.com.
How do I spend money or request reimbursement for costs?
- Use this reimbursement request. Please turn in the form along with documentation of all expenses. You will be asked to include the appropriate church account number(s). Please contact Pastor Britt with any questions.
Can I get a copy of the church’s sales tax-exemption info?
- Yes. This tax exempt certificate expires May 1, 2029.
Realm
Do I have to use Realm for communications and recordkeeping?
- We strongly recommend utilizing Realm for committee communication and recording keeping.
- Check out the How to Use Realm Connect page for instructions on navigating the Realm platform.
- If you need additional help learning to use Realm for your committee/team, please contact Pastor Britt for a brief training session.
