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Dear Members of the Foundry Community, 

New seasons always bring new opportunities, so as we move past Easter and into summer, we appreciate your engagement at Foundry as we continue to navigate connections as a hybrid congregation. Whether you join a small group by Zoom, a ministry team activity, or are physically present on Sunday mornings, you are an important part of Foundry. The Board continues to work to keep Foundry strong — from keeping an eye on the church’s strong financial position to planning needed building improvements — so that we can keep growing opportunities within our community. Below is an update on the Board’s recent work and what work is coming up: 

What We Have Done
  • Members of the Board met with District Superintendent Gerry Green and affirmed Pastor Jonathan Brown’s appointment to Foundry as our newest associate pastor, following the departure of Pastor Will Green to serve as lead pastor at Silver Spring United Methodist Church. We look forward to further welcoming Pastor Jonathan at Foundry after he starts on July 1.
  • Thanks to work by the Facilities Committee, the Board approved a capital budget based on a thorough property condition assessment, which will help us to better plan for expected building repairs over the next 10 years.
  • In April, the Board affirmed a change to Foundry bylaws to allow Board members to serve up to three one-year terms beyond the bylaw-specified two three-year terms. This policy, which will expire in 2025 unless renewed, will now head to a church conference on May 24 for approval. The church conference will be held at the opening of the scheduled board meeting at 7 p.m. Foundry members are invited to attend.
  • In partnership with Pastor Ginger, the Board approved the Senior Pastor’s goals for 2022. As part of the process, we also advised on SMART goal formats for the Senior Pastor and staff. 
  • The Board worked with Pastor Ginger on a smooth shift for the staff team as Pastor Ben moved into the role of Executive Director of Program and Justice Ministries.
  • After the Governance Committee completed a review and update of Foundry Board charters, the Board approved updates to the Board charters that aligned requirements across committees, including that committees meet four times a year, provide updates to the Board on work, and clarify how committees are structured.
  • The Board reviewed the report from our independent auditor of our 2021 financial books and reports. There were no adverse findings. 

What We Are Working On 
  • The Nominating Committee, chaired by Pastor Ginger and supported by Board member Ann Brown, is finalizing new members who will be nominated to serve on the Board starting in July. This year, there are three board members to be replaced in this year’s nominating slate.  As there are many ways to serve at Foundry from the Board to committees to ministry teams, the Nominating Committee plans to survey the congregation to help identify people’s talents within our community and connect with opportunities.
    • If you are interested in opportunities to serve, please reach out to any Board member who can help you get connected.
  • We are in conversation with Foundry members who have the experience and skills to serve as the chair for and as members on Foundry’s Religion and Racial Justice Committee, which the Board created earlier this year to carry through the goals of the Journey to Racial Justice and ensure they become a permanent part of Foundry. These are turbulent times for America, and Foundry wants to be at the forefront of identifying and addressing barriers to achieving racial justice both within and outside of the walls of Foundry.
  • After the Board voted to move forward with the GreenGen proposal to bring Foundry’s building into energy compliance as required by the city, work has begun on key elements. The chiller was replaced in late March (which we all appreciate before a hot summer), and lighting in the sanctuary, fellowship hall, and some exterior fixtures will be replaced to be in line with LEED certification. 
  • We continue to monitor news from the denomination about actions relating to the wider UMC that impact LGBTQ siblings within the church ahead of the 2024 General Conference (delayed from 2020).  Pastor Ginger continues to offer leadership with UMCNext, which advocates for denomination cohesion and inclusion of LGBTQ members.  
What We Will Be Doing
  • The Board will conduct its annual self-evaluation before a new Board term begins in July, which will be used to help guide the incoming board. We will conduct a mid-year performance review for the Senior Pastor.
  • It is our goal to hold a Board retreat during the summer to address strategic matters critical to the congregation and the denomination.
  • We look forward to welcoming new Board members in July and celebrating the work of Paula Blair, Bill Ellett, and Todd Mullins as their terms on the Board end this summer.  We look forward to engaging more members in this important work of supporting the mission, vision, and values of Foundry. 

Please know this list does not describe all of the Board’s and its committees’ work. You can access information on Board activities by reviewing Board meeting minutes, which are available on request. Board meetings are open, and anyone who wishes to attend is welcome to join us during our monthly meetings. The May meeting will take place on May 24 at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place in-person or via Zoom; please reach out if you need assistance with the Zoom link.
 
If you have questions about any of these items, please contact a Board member. Thank you for your engagement in our Foundry community.
 
Amanda Peterson Beadle
Karin Berry
Ann Brown Birkel
Paula Blair
Bill Ellett
Nick Jessee
Allison Kramer
Todd Mullins
Brian Walker
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1500 16th St. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036



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