management board 2018foundry’s audit firm, citrin cooperman, llp, issued the 2017 audit in august...
TRANSCRIPT
2018
A N N U A LR E P O R TM A N A G E M E N T
B O A R D
The past year has proved to be a continued time of
transition for Foundry, full of the joys and challenges
change can bring. We have lived into the strategic shifts
made by the Board to the church’s executive structure
and sta�ng, launched a new website and improved
livestreaming, and engaged deeply at the forefront of
LGBTQ advocacy e�orts within the United Methodist
Church. We have enjoyed robust programming which,
in keeping with the strategic priorities adopted by the
Board, has encouraged us to share our stories with one
another. Similarly, quarterly leadership forum meetings
have enhanced communications across ministry
teams and the broader congregation.
Our church building has also experienced change this
past year as we have been happy to lease space to the
D.C. Jewish Community Center as it undergoes a
building renovation. Hosting our neighbors in this way
has not only generated income but also nurtured our
relationship with the surrounding community. With the
Board’s support, sta� will continue seeking opportuni-
ties for building use income that are consistent with
Foundry’s mission and values. This, we hope, will
augment the estimated gifts that fund the vast majority
of Foundry’s annual budget. The Board’s endowment
committee and asset working group are also looking at
other potential sources of revenue.
Following the plan established last year, the Board held
a retreat that contributed to the development of the
program calendar for the coming year. The retreat
allowed the Board, clergy, and sta� to brainstorm about
implementation of the Board’s strategic priorities.
In addition to advancing an agenda of LGBTQ inclusion
LETTER FROMTHE PRESIDENT
Friends,
Gwen Williamson, President
Amanda Peterson Beadle,Vice President and GovernanceCommittee Chair
Matt Hansen, Treasurer andFinance Committee Chair
Leigh Carter, Secretary andFinance Committee Member
Noel Bravo,Personnel Committee Chair
Doug Steele,Nominating Committee Chair
Nick Jessee,Facilities & OperationsCommittee Chair / MP-II Liaison
Tracy Collins,Personnel Committee Member
Sam Kilpatrick, Audit CommitteChair
BoardMembers
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GwenWilliamson
Yours in Faith,
Gwen Williamson, PresidentFoundry Management Board
GwenWilliamson
We trustin the journey
God has setout for us
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and justice within the United Methodist Church and creating
space for storytelling intended to build deeper connections and
understanding, our final priority is to foster a stronger culture of
generosity and financial stewardship. Today and always we are
encouraged to give fearlessly and generously!
As the following reports illustrate, the committees of the Board
accomplished amazing work again this year. From refurbished
front doors to the adoption of a nut allergy policy, our servant
leaders have been hard at work tending to the needs of the
Foundry community.
Plans for the months ahead include continued work towards a
racial justice and equity assessment at Foundry, strategic
planning in response to the 2019 special general conference and
in advance of the 2020 general conference, and reworking of our
program space to better accommodate the myriad of activities
and vital community outreach services Foundry o�ers. We also
look forward to welcoming Rev. Dr. Kelly L. Grimes as our Director
of Hospitality and Congregational Care in July.
As the 2018-2019 term of the Board draws to a close, Foundry is
alive and thriving! While there may be moments that seem
uncertain as to where the path may lead us next, we are
reminded that God is yet at work. Just as the long road that led to
the commissioning of our dear friend T.C. Morrow by Bishop
Easterling at the annual meeting of the Baltimore-Washington
Annual Conference in late May, we trust in the journey God has set
out for us.
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Foundry’s audit firm, Citrin Cooperman, LLP, issued the 2017 audit in
August 2018. The Audit Committee Chairman worked with
Foundry’s new Director of Finance, Julie Hansen, to prepare for the
audit and recommended that she generate the year-end draft
financial statements for the auditors. For the first time at Foundry, the draft audited financial statements were prepared by the Director of Finance and the auditors did not have any significant adjustments to the statements. The auditors gave an unqualified opinion of the financial statements and commended Ms. Hansen for her excellent e�orts in preparing for the audit.
The auditor’s management letter included recommendations to
improve Foundry’s financial operations including: 1) Updating the
accounting manual, 2) In preparing for the audit, improve the
year-end procedures to better organize files, account
reconciliations and financial records, 3) Submit Forms W-2s and
1099s on a timely basis as the 2017 forms were submitted late and
4) Consider alternative investment options for Foundry’s bank
balances that exceed FDIC’s insured limits. Management
responded to each concern and will complete all necessary
improvements.
Members: Sam Kilpatrick (Chair), Nancy Groth, Allison Kramer,R. Davis Taylor, Jason Danielson
AUDITCOMMITTEEREPORT
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This past year has been an exciting time for the Facilities & Operations Committee. We have maintained a strong, core group of servant leaders and have taken on a wide range of tasks from maintenance and upkeep items to broader strategic initiatives. A few highlights include:
• General Repairs. Substantial progress was made to
repair lingering items such as deteriorating exterior
handrails, room 208 plaster needs, roof and downspout
leaks, and warping millwork acoustical panels in the
Commons.
• Facility Upgrades. Exciting improvements were made
to the building through the installation of new cameras
for live streaming, an impactful rain garden project at the
corner of 16th and Church St., and the refurbishment of
our historic exterior wooden doors through Mission
Possible Phase II.
• Community Partnerships. Foundry’s physical building
resources are a gift not only to our community, but others
within the city, as well. The Facilities Committee
continues to assist in coordinating outreach e�orts with
Friends of Stead Park, DC YMCA, the DC Jewish
Community Center, and others to enliven the building
through an expanded o�ering of uses, and
supplementing financial resources through unique
partnerships.
• Looking Ahead. The Committee is aware that one of
the primary challenges as we seek to facilitate/manage
the growth in our ministries, is space. We have set a goal
to discuss a short and long-term strategy for how to
address these challenges over the coming months. The
strategy will need to take into account various iterations
of our building and Mission Possible plans as well as the
needs of the Sta� and Ministry Teams.
Members: Nick Jessee (Chair), Allison Kramer, Beth Scott, Lani Willbanks, Karissa Minnich, Eric Kawasaki
FACILITIES& OPERATIONSCOMMITTEE
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Over the past year, significant progress was made in Foundry’s three-year capital
campaign for Mission Possible Phase II renovations. In 2018, we received pledged
gifts totaling $662,882. By year’s end, $269,008 had been used to fund the following
projects:
• Casavant Pipe Organ: Stage 3 of our Casavant pipe organ was completed. The
work involved upgrading the organ’s right pipe chamber, blower motor, and
humidifier. We signed contracts and down payments were made to commence
with the fourth and final stage of organ repair and completion by the fall of 2019.
• Columbarium: A new skylight and downspout were installed and the walls were
cleaned.
• Historic Door Restoration: Restoration of Foundry’s historic exterior wood doors
started and is expected to be completed July 2019.
• Rain Garden: Our church was awarded a grant from the D.C. Department of
Energy and Environment and the Anacostia Watershed Society to create a rain
garden, which was dedicated this spring. The exterior projects are being overseen
by an Exterior Welcoming Ministry Team that was established in 2018.
Other MP Phase II projects that advanced in 2018 include a completed draft of the
Mission and Vision Statements by the Co�eehouse Ministry Team, and the creation
of an ad hoc committee to address ways to repay the debt from Mission Possible
Phase I. In addition, the achievements of MP Phase I, we celebrated our members'
gifts with the dedication of three spaces; the Welcome Center, the Community
Commons, and the Fellowship Hall.
We believe the accomplishments of 2018 helped keep Mission Possible Phase II on
a solid path toward its goal of “spreading radical hospitality,” to accommodate and
include more people in Foundry’s community.
MISSION POSSIBLE PHASE II Co-Chairs: Paul Hazen, Brian Walker, Tracey Webb
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The primary purpose of the Finance Committee is to provide financial oversight by monitoring financial activities and establishing financial policies for Foundry Church. The Committee holds public meetings every month on the third Tuesday and the Treasurer is required by our bylaws to make a report to the Board at each of its meetings.
The signature achievement of the 2018-2019 Board year was on-boarding and building relationships with a new Director of Finance and Foundry Business Administrator. There were a number of “firsts” with the new sta� team: the first audit was completed with no real concerns, the first stewardship campaign, Fearless Generosity, was Foundry’s largest ever with the help of our new sta�, and the Committee collaborated with the new sta� on their first budget process (for calendar year 2019). We’ve all gotten to know one another and are in a good rhythm of reporting information and being in shared ministry. The Finance Committee also contributed to a re-write of Foundry’s employee benefits manual to modernize our benefits package and make benefits for clergy and non-clergy sta� more equitable.
The Finance Committee and Finance sta� worked over the last year on a one-time project to combine and streamline a list of over 60 donor-restricted or Board-designated special funds down to 30. This gives program directors more flexibilitiy in using funds and also helps the Committee and Board understand at a single glance, the large areas receiving special giving.
Members: Matt Hansen (Treasurer), Leigh Carter , Bryant Johnson, Dylan Rassier, Jane Ross, Bill Ellett, and Kelly Johnson.
FINANCECOMMITTEE
Two special subcommittees were formed over the last year for planning and safeguarding Foundry’s future. The first is the Subcommittee on Church Debt – this group is actively working on options and strategies for repaying our $3M (original balance) Loan for Mission Possible Phase I, as well as advising the Board on healthy financial practices that can make those repayment options easier down the road. The second group is the Asset Protection Working Group – this group is analyzing and planning for changes resulting from the General Conference in 2019 and 2020 and what those changes could mean for Foundry’s building or financial assets.
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The Governance Committee’s role, according to its
charter, is to enhance Management Board members’
e�ectiveness. This includes reviewing the policies of the
Board, providing policy guidance, and ensuring proper
succession via the Board nomination process.
The Governance Committee started the year by
updating the Safe Sanctuaries policy to better fit the
needs of Foundry’s growing Family Ministries program
and ongoing church needs. The committee also drafted
an authority policy for Foundry to better clarify what
roles are covered by members of Foundry sta�, the
Foundry Board, and board-designated committees. To
wrap up the year, the committee is working on
orientation materials for incoming board members to
help ensure a smooth transition of new members onto
the Board.
All of the e�orts in the last year help make Foundry’s policies understandable and applicable to current needs. The Governance Committee will continue its work to revise policies and draft new ones as needs arise. The Governance Committee aims to support the Foundry community through e�ective material development and review of existing documents.
GOVERNANCECOMMITTEEREPORT
Members: Amanda Peterson Beadle (Chair), Jill Barker, Will Carden, Libby Noyes-Palmer, Cathy O’Sullivan, Doug Steele
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Members: Ginger Gaines-Cirelli (Chair). Doug Steele, Paula Blair, John Harden, Chris Hong, Gwenda Martin, Sharon O’Donoghue, Lorea Stallard.
NOMINATINGSUB-COMMITTEEREPORT
The Nominating Committee is a
sub-committee of the Governance
Committee tasked with identifying, recruiting
and nominating servant leaders for key lay
leadership positions at Foundry, including:
candidates for membership on the
Management Board, its committees, and lay
members for Annual Conference.
In 2018/2019 the Nominating Committee
worked with each Board Committee Chair to
identify committee needs and the people in our
community who could meet those needs. The
Nominating Committee also nominated a slate
to fill the four open positions on the
Management Board for 2019-2022 and
individuals to fill the two open positions on the
Nominating Committee for 2019-2022 as part of
the routine staggering of terms for these
groups. Elections for these nominations will
occur at the June 2019 church conference.
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In 2018, the Personnel Committee focused
on strengthening the performance
management structures and processes
used by Foundry leaders to set priorities
and to align key management activities
with those priorities. This work included
developing a performance management
timeline that identified all of the key
planning processes and adjusting their
timing so that major priorities could be
defined early, and these priorities could be
cascaded through the senior pastor's
goals, program goals, sta� goals, and our
annual budget.
The Committee also assisted the
Management Board in clarifying key
policies and procedures related to sta�ng,
compensation and decision-making.
Finally, the Personnel Committee
developed a revised congregational
survey to gather an expanded set of data
on our congregational life, our
programming, our senior pastor, and our
worship experience. The results of this
survey will be used by the Management
Board, the sta�, and other leaders and
members of Foundry to continuously
shape and improve the activities that
make Foundry a special place.
Members: Tracy Collins (Chair), Patty Elder, Cheryl Gibbs, PJ Taylor, Noel Bravo, Aimee Cooper, Michael Lawson
PERSONNELCOMMITTEEREPORT
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Preparing for the Special Called General Conference in St. LouisMuch of the LGBTQ Inclusion Advocacy Team’s work
in 2018 was focused on preparing for the Special
General Conference in St. Louis, which occurred from
February 23-26, 2019. A large portion of the team
attended the Love Your Neighbor Coalition
Convocation in July 2018 in St. Louis, “For Everyone
Born”. This convocation featured inspiring Bible study,
preaching and worship led by queer clergy, including
Foundry’s T.C. Morrow. Attendees participated in small
group meetings to develop regional strategies to
advocate for passage of progressive legislation at the
General Conference and to discuss briefs for matters
then pending before the UMC Judicial Council.
Other preparatory work included volunteering with
strategy e�orts of the One Church Coalition and other
groups to assist with building relationships across the
global connection and to assess likely voting
outcomes for the plans to be considered at GC19. This
work featured leadership by Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli
in collaboration with other progressive and centrist
leaders but also the special expertise of several
Foundry lay persons from the Ministry Team. We also
sought to support the work of Reconciling Ministries
Network (RMN) in its preparations for GC19. Our Team
provided the expertise for the design, manufacture
and distribution of the rainbow stoles that were used
for GC19 and will also be the “o�cial” RMN stole for
GC20.
Advocates prepared for participation in GC19 through
organizing housing, transportation, and group dinners
and in making 300 prayer flags carrying messages of
God’s inclusive love.
Leader: Ann Brown Birkel
LGBTQADVOCACYUPDATE
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Annual Conference 2018One of Foundry's lay members of Annual Conference, Guy Cecil, spoke
from the floor in favor of a motion by Dr. Phil Wogaman that included
support for striking the "incompatibility" language from the Book of
Discipline and other measures to begin to change church law. A strong
Foundry presence at the ordination service gave witness as two LGBTQ
candidates in same-sex marriages were removed from consideration for
commissioning and ordination.
Pride MonthOur famous lemonade stand during the Pride Parade continued to provide
hospitality and cheer to parade participants! We helped organize churches
and campus ministries from DC, Maryland and Virginia for the United
Methodist contingent in the Pride Parade! We decorated a float and
designed signs to convey an inclusive message to the thousands who line
the parade route. Foundry clergy and members joyfully joined the parade.
Foundry wraps its building in rainbows to serve as a visual witness
throughout the month of June.
No matter where you come from or where you goNo matter what you believe or doubtNo matter what you feel or don’t feel
No matter your immigration status or whom you loveyou’re welcome to come just as you are and be met by our God who knows you by name and who loves you,
and wants to have an ever closer relationship with you.
Learn more about how to participate in social justice missions and challenging study programs on the Foundry website www.foundryumc.org
All photos used by the expressed permission of Phil Carney