Table of Contents. First United Church Annual Report

Transcription

1 Table of Contents Agenda... 2 Annual General Meeting Minutes, February 26, Board, Core Ministry and Committee Members for Nominations Committee report... 5 Church Board... 6 Minister of Worship and Leadership Development... 7 First UP!... 8 Minister of Music Board of Trustees Parish Nurse Roll Clerk Presbytery Christian Education Core Ministry Bible Study Gone Fishin (Grades 4-6) Youth Group (grades 7-9) Blanche Simpson Library Pastoral Care Core Ministry Ministry and Personnel Core Ministry Outreach Core Ministry El Salvador scholarships Property Core Ministry Men s Group Stewardship Core Ministry Worship Core Ministry Alleluia Ringers Healing Ministry Prayer Shawl Ministry Measure of Pleasure Group (MOPS) Bankhead UCW Isabel Leitch UCW Thrift Shop First United Church Annual Report

2 Agenda 2018 Annual Congregational Annual Meeting February 18, Call to Order -Opening Prayer Rev. Donald Schmidt 2. Election of Secretary 3. Voting Privileges. Moved by. Seconded by that voting privileges and corresponding rights temporal are extended to all adherents present who are regular contributors to First United Church. 4. Adoption of minutes of February 26, 2017 Annual General Meeting 5. Adoption of the Annual Reports 6. Adoption of the 2018 Budget as submitted by the Board 7. Report on nominations - Election of officers 8. Acknowledgements and Thanks 9. Adjournment Annual General Meeting Minutes, February 26, Call to Order: the meeting was called to order by Chair John Whitehead at 12:00pm with 78 in attendance. 2. Opening Prayer: Rev. Donald Schmidt opened the meeting with a prayer. 3. Election of Chair: M/S Chris Lapointe, Trent James, that John Whitehead be elected to chair the meeting. Carried 4. Election of Secretary: M/S John Whitehead, Lorainne McLarty that Judy Valks be elected as secretary for the meeting. Carried 5. Voting Privileges: M/S Heather MacDonald, Cliff Turner that voting privileges and corresponding rights temporal be extended to all adherents present who are regular contributors to First United Church. Carried 6. Approval of Minutes of February 14, 2016: M/S Susan Sullivan/Keith Watts that the minutes of Feb 14, 2016 be accepted as circulated. Carried 7. Approval of Minutes of April 10, 2016: M/S Trent James/Lorainne McLarty that the minutes of the Apr 10, 2016 congregational meeting be accepted as circulated. Carried 8. Annual Report: M/S Nikki Attwell/Tami McMurphy that the annual report be accepted as presented. Carried 9. Approval of Budget: M/S Leslie Atwell, Rob Riddle that the (balanced) budget for 2017 be approved as presented. Carried. 10. Report of Nominating Committee: We are still in need of a chair elect, and we will need a new treasurer next year. 11. Tanya Burke was elected by acclamation as Clerk of Session. 12. The composition of the Dreaming Committee was announced: Rob Riddle Alyssa Campbell John Hopkinson Ernie Park Chris Fabbi Nikki Attwell Rev Sharon Wilson John Powell Isabella Seethaler Other youth will also be members of this group. 13. Appreciation: This year some of our Very Important Volunteers were recognized and given permanent VIV Parking Passes, allowing them to park almost anywhere on the lot, 24/7. The pass and our appreciation will never expire. Recipients: 2 First United Church Annual Report 2017

3 Linda Munce for 9 years as our coffee hour coordinator. Doreen Bain for 11 years as our Clerk of Sessions. Audrey Beal for her years as Envelope Steward, and Jodine Ducs as her prospective replacement. Murray White for taking over as head of the search committee and finding Rev Schmidt for us. Marlene Spicer for stepping in as chair of M&P when concern for Darlene s health caused Tami McMurphy to step back. Susan Donkin and Martha King for stepping in as chairs of Worship when health concerns caused Darlene Cockerill to step down. M/S Chris Lapoint/Peter Wilson that the meeting be adjourned at 12:45. Board Chair Secretary Board, Core Ministry and Committee Members for 2018 Note that a Core Ministry can add members at any time. Please feel free to volunteer. Church Board Chas Moore, chair Tracy Leader, chair elect Deanna Peck, secretary Rev. Donald Schmidt Cheryl Perry, DLM Mary Lapointe, treasurer Beryl Itani, Trustees Kendra Berg, Affirm Committee Leslie Atwell, Education Tami McMurphy, M and P Alyssa Campbell, Outreach Joan Grahl, Pastoral Care Ernie Park, Property Drew Irvine, Stewardship Martha King, Worship Affirm Committee Kendra Berg, chair Alyssa Campbell Tessa Russell John Hopkinson Pat McPhee Cliff Turner Sharon Pennell Cheryl Perry, DLM Rev. Donald Schmidt First UP! Sharon Wilson, chair Nikki Attwell, secretary Chris Fabbi Jocelyn Smith Ernie Park, John Powell, Rob Riddle Martha King Trustees Beryl Itani, chair Linda Gilmour, secretary Margaret Sichello Ted Basisty Trent James Bruce Pendleton Murray White Cheryl Perry Rev. Donald Schmidt M&P Core Ministry Tami McMurphy, chair Linda Gilmour Sharon Pendleton Marlene Spicer Murray White First United Church Annual Report

4 Christian Education Core Ministry Leslie Atwell, chair & secretary Martha Jane Lewis Rachel Anweiler Kendra Berg Suki Vernet Beryl Itani Cheryl Perry, DLM Pastoral Care Core Ministry Noreen Simkins, chair Jackie Kelly, secretary Audrey Mussellam Joan Grahl Mel Sparrow Karen Hawkey Erin Kozak Lorainne McLarty Pat Totton Heather MacDonald Judy Valks Rev. Donald Schmidt Stewardship Core Ministry Drew Irvine, chair Beryl Itani, secretary Mary Lapointe, treasurer Audrey Beal Sharon Pendleton Judy Valks Roy Buckler Rev. Donald Schmidt Fundraising Committee Mairi Forsyth, chair Beryl Itani Linda Munce Property Core Ministry Ernie Park, chair & secretary Kim Ducs Greg Maier Catherine Symons Peter Wilson Tanya Pritchard Rev. Donald Schmidt Outreach Core Ministry Alyssa Campbell, chair Pat McPhee, secretary Donna Sapinsky Carl Sapinsky Debbie Hubbard Neil Pechey Darlene Cockerill Ruth Wilson Cliff Turner Margaret Sichello Daphne Might Paul Might Shirley Piedt Kendra Berg Gerry Hewitt Cheryl Perry, DLM Worship Core Ministry Martha King, chair Joan Dalgliesh, secretary Frances Chiasson Marlene Spicer Susanne Donkin Nikki Attwell Carol Drury Karen Kranabetter Murray White Tanya Pritchard Rev. Donald Schmidt Presbytery Representatives Pat Totton Beryl Itani Rob Riddle Rachel Anweiler 4 First United Church Annual Report 2017

5 Nominations Committee report Tracy Leader, Board chair elect My name is Tracy Leader and I moved here with my wife Myrna Stark Leader, and daughter Marina Leader in September Our son Christian Leader is attending university in Edmonton but will be making Kelowna home during the summer. We called Regina, Saskatchewan home for over 50 years where I worked for SaskPower as a Customer Support Representative for the past 15 years and before that CTV television for 14 years as an Operations Technician. In Regina our family attended Sunset United Church where I sat on the board as a member at large, followed by Vice Chair, then Board Chair until our move in fall of Each term was two years in length. My family and I look forward to becoming a part of the First United community and meeting all of you in the very near future. Tracy, Myrna, Christian and Marina First United Church Annual Report

6 Church Board John Whitehead, Board chair Two years fly by really quickly. It s been two years as chair of the board here at First United and I have been amazed at the dedication, energy and caring that I have had the experience of witnessing. As a congregant many of you do not have the privilege of seeing the enormous amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes, the work required to keep this organization running day in and day out. But I have. And I tell you it is mind blowing. A few weeks ago, I presented the Minute for Mission where I stated that the cost of the volunteers to run the church office if we were to pay an hourly wage would be approximately $18, and that s just the office. If we were to add in all the other volunteer hours provided here in this place, first of all, I don t think we would believe the amount, and second there is no way we could operate even with the generous givings we receive. It is a testimony and witness of this community, of our demonstration of living out our faith that makes it happen. There are some really exciting things happing in our congregation. The on-going outreach programs, education and music ministries but I personally think one of the most crucial is the forward-looking work that is being done by the FirstUp committee that is exploring what we have to do with our building, specifically the church hall. The high cost of maintaining our building as pieces continue to get past their due date means this is something we cannot put off any longer. All this is to say that we all need to stay informed and involved. Look around you. Where can you help out? Where can you put up your hand to say I can do that? Like all of those who did so before, it is now your time to do the same. I was fortunate enough to have followed the footsteps of some very capable board chairs before me who left the board and church on a solid footing, I hope to leave it in the same way for the incoming chair Chas Moore. It has been my pleasure to serve. 6 First United Church Annual Report 2017

7 Minister of Worship and Leadership Development Rev. Donald Schmidt As 2018 begins there is a bit of a shift in responsibilities as we adjust to some time without Cheryl and feel our way into (temporarily) some new ways of being church. We ll do it well, because together we do ministry well at this church but it s going to be different. Cheryl Perry has taken an indeterminate period of leave from the church to spend time with her mother Marilyn who is in the last months of her life. Marilyn is a former minister of this church who served us extremely well in the areas of Christian education and family ministry. Part of Marilyn s legacy is evident in the incredibly vibrant church school we have, and our strong commitment to the ministry of all ages. May this be a piece we never lose both for Marilyn s sake, and for our own saw lots of our ministries grow and change and flourish. That brings celebrations, and challenges. For example, our Sunday morning worship attendance is hovering around full capacity which is exciting! It also presents the challenge that churches do not tend to grow beyond that point, and so conversations about how to handle more people on Sunday mornings are beginning to happen. They re slow, and they re quiet but they re also vital. Related to that is the work of First Up! who are reporting elsewhere, but who deserve a mention here. This group has lovingly and enthusiastically taken on the task of helping us see what we need to enable our ministries to continue as they do, and how we might accomplish that. We are clearly at the point where the hall cannot continue to serve us as it has without some major investment, and so it creates the opportunity around how best to use that investment to make the changes that will give us the biggest variety of uses for the most prudent expenditure. Not an easy task, nor a task that a lot of us want to undertake! But it s a little like fixing the leaky roof at home; you can put it off (as we kind of have over the years) but we ll pay for it Recent additions to the building handicapped accessible door openers, a new hot water system for the dishwasher, and the third restroom have all been done with a sensitivity to the changes we might make in the future, so we are not building things just to tear them down. But it also points to the need to make decisions about changes sooner rather than later. The (short) past that I have been here has been good; the present is good, and I have every faith that the future will be good, too. I continue to enjoy meeting folks and love the enthusiasm and commitment to serving Christ and the community that is present in this church. Blessings, First United Church Annual Report

8 First UP! Sharon Wilson Early in 2017 a group of people were approached to form a Dream Team to explore the possibilities and challenges of the church hall. We soon discovered that we joined a long, distinguished line of faithful folk going back to the founders of First at the turn of the 20 th century. In that time, the sanctuary was completed in 1909, the hall in 1928 and the meeting rooms/thrift shop in Today the church is a designated historical site and a commanding presence in downtown Kelowna. Since 1980 at least four committees have wrestled with issues of maintenance and the suitability of the facility for the ministry goals of the congregation. A key driver for the work of this team is that the hall will very soon require massive, basic upkeep including a new roof and new windows at an estimated cost of $100,000. We know from an engineering audit completed in 2004 that the hall lacks insulation, the ductwork is very poor and does not support the capacity of the furnaces and that there is asbestos in the building. The hall was constructed as a gymnasium, the first in the city of Kelowna, although it is never used as such today. It lacks sufficient washrooms, is largely inaccessible to those with mobility challenges and is often too hot or too cold. In 2009 the previous committee that explored the future of the church facility concluded that: Doing nothing is not an option. This is the committee s starting point. We began our work with a tour of the building. We have an astonishing abundance of space! Next the team reviewed the work of the previous committees to learn their recommendations and try to discern why their plans were not realized. In June we gave a fresh visual to our task with the adoption of our name and logo thanks to the creative work of Nikki Attwell. Now we are FirstUP! We adopted as our mission: The mission of FirstUP! is to explore ways to enhance the energy and mission of the congregation through the transformation of the physical space of First United. In June we reached out to the Core Ministries and staff to ascertain how they currently use the building and what changes would support their work into the future. The logical next step was to communicate directly with the congregation members to gather their thoughts and suggestions. These were completed in September. With nearly ninety responses we came to these values: At First we value being a welcoming community. At First we value our historic presence in the heart of downtown Kelowna. At First we value the beauty of the sanctuary. At First we value being God s presence in the world. At First we value the breadth of musical traditions; choral, bells, instrumental, contemporary. At First we value the tremendous energy and gifts of our leadership team and countless volunteers. 8 First United Church Annual Report 2017

9 At First we value making fiscally prudent decisions that won t unfairly burden present and future members. We had an informative meeting with a consultant with experience in renovation and restoration of historic buildings and determined the best way to move forward when negotiating with the City of Kelowna. After much discussion we also concluded that the development of housing on our site was not feasible nor did it address the values stated by the congregation. You will have noticed the FirstUP! bulletin board space outside the office where you can find minutes of our meetings. We are making every effort to keep you informed of our progress by sharing briefly at worship on a monthly basis. Many of you took tours offered after church in November. For those who could not manage the stairs a video virtual tour was shown in the hall. Still others joined us in early December for a major cleanup of the building. Crawl spaces and closets were cleared to allow us to appreciate the priceless asset of space. We have communicated to the Board our request for operating funds in the 2018 budget as well as the creation of a Capital fund to be administered by the Board for the work of FirstUP! The Rising to the Challenge Capital Fund will allow supporters of the renewal of the church hall complex to make donations. We are also approaching the point in the evolution of our work when we will need to create a sub-committee to explore funding sources such as the United Church of Canada Foundation, all levels of government as well as community, historic and philanthropic organizations. In the coming months we anticipate sharing a detailed vision of the work we recommend. At that time, we would hope to have a broad estimate of the cost of the scope of work. This will build on the legacy of the founders of First who saw the need for a Christian presence in the heart of the growing town. We see the inestimable value of stepping away from making incremental decisions about the building maintenance and layout and, in its place, creating a courageous and missional long-range plan. We have been bequeathed a tremendous legacy and it is our time to steward the building into the future. In all that we do, we strive to honour our history and extend our welcome, for these are the heart of First. Please join us on this journey! First United Church Annual Report

10 Minister of Music Frances Chiasson 2017 has been another busy year for the Music Ministry at First United Church. The Alleluia Singers continue to take on weekly musical leadership in our worship services. I am so grateful for their dedication, musical gifts, and good humour as we journey together. They rehearse on Thursday evenings in the Sanctuary (7-8:30pm) and again on Sunday mornings before church (9:30am). Throughout the past year, they have sung an anthem for most Sunday services between September and June and have provided leadership for special services. New members are always welcome. We are extremely fortunate to be the church home of The Alleluia Ringers handbell choir and their conductor, Nikki Attwell. They have offered their musical gifts once a month during most of the year and rehearse each week on Sunday afternoons. The Grace Notes, an introductory bell training choir, met for a few weeks during the fall and played during one worship service. Beyond our church walls, The Alleluia Ringers from time to time offer their gifts by performing at other events. If you are interested in joining either of these groups, please speak with Nikki (note reading ability is required). The First United Children s Choir is a lovely group of children who gather to sing together most Sunday mornings after church for about 20 minutes. They offered their musical gifts in worship services several times over the past year, including joining forces with the adult choir. I have the joy of working with Jessica Crawford, our piano accompanist. I m grateful for her easygoing nature, her remarkable musical gifts and her good humour as we work together each week during rehearsals and worship services. We have been blessed by the musical gifts of other musicians throughout the year - including, but not limited to: Christine Moore, Dawn Mussellam, Rob Riddle, Hugo DeBurgos and family, Rhonda Draper, Carla Friesen, Greta Friesen, Isabella Seethaler, Helena Moore, Tim Watson, Bruce Dougall, the Piperazzi Recorder ensemble, Graham Vink, Donald Schmidt, etc. My apologies to any that I've missed off this list - your gifts have been appreciated. This past December the choir presented the remarkable work, The Christmas Alleluias by Kim André Arnesen, with harpist Scott Ross-Molyneux. Scott came all the way from Calgary to perform with us. This was a remarkable musical journey for our choir and congregation. Nikki Attwell and I instituted a concert series this past year, entitled Concerts at the Corner. Nikki created wonderful graphics which we have used to tie our concerts together. So far, we have presented three concerts and look forward to organizing more in the future. Partly due to the purchase of our wonderful Kawai grand piano just over a year ago, our church is starting to gain a reputation as a great concert/recital venue. We have more bookings for the coming spring than ever before. I am hopeful that the purchase of a dolly to go under the piano, allowing for its easy movement and more flexible use of the space, will happen soon. A new piano cover was bought this past fall and is in regular use throughout the week. 10 First United Church Annual Report 2017

11 As I write this report I am struck by the delicate balances required in this ministry. As music is chosen for worship services each week, I try to balance new or old ; the familiar or less familiar; reflective or celebratory; challenging or easy (balanced against the time pressures of every Sunday); for piano or for organ; in the library or purchased (balanced with the spending of limited church financial resources); archaic or contemporary language; diverse images or singular traditional images of God; fun and engaging and encourages broad participation, or pushes and challenges, but discourages participation of some; etc. During this time of Olympic challenges, the balance beam is difficult, and the results can be glorious, or crestfallen. I can only hope that my attempts at a balanced approach reaches everyone in some way, eventually. I feel blessed to be in this ministry and humbled to know that my work has farreaching affects for those around me. I am surrounded by colleagues and volunteers who are passionate and dedicated to the work of the church and have remarkable skills and energy for what goes on in this community. I am grateful. Board of Trustees Beryl Itani, chair The Trustees met twice in 2017, in March and November. The role of the Trustees is to maintain and protect the church building and other assets and properties of the congregation. We also invest funds and ensure that the buildings and property and personnel of the church are insured, and we are in communication with all core ministries and the Board of First United Church. All our Investments and reserve funds are held at the Scotia Bank. As of December 31, our total investments are $174, We received one bequest in 2017 and it was stipulated that it be allocated to the Memorial Fund. Murray White had to resign as Treasurer, due to his accident, and Linda Gilmour was elected Treasurer. Murray is still a valued member of the Board of Trustees and we anxiously await his return to the Board of Trustees. Over the last two years the Trustees have been trying to find information regarding when the mortgage on First United was discharged. The reason for this is that we have requested the City of Kelowna purchase the property on which the City Bus Stop stands. This has taken us over a year and we are very hopeful that this will be completed early in All members of the Board of Trustees in 2017 are in full membership at First United Church. They are Beryl Itani (Chair & City Contact); Bruce Pendleton (Insurance); Linda Gilmour (Secretary/Treasurer); Margaret Sichello (investments) Trent James, Ted Basisty, Rev. Donald Schmidt and Cheryl Perry. First United Church Annual Report

12 Parish Nurse Pat Totton In 2017, I continued to visit congregants at home, in the hospital and in residential care. I wrote 10 articles for the newsletter on health and safety issues under the heading Health Matters. The team of Tom Kemp, Noreen Simkins, Joan Grahl and Catherine Symons presented two World Café Events. April 1, Marth Jane Lewis lead the event entitled Awareness and Protection for Seniors. Approximately 25 people participated. In November, Tom Kemp lead the event entitled Creative Story Telling for a Meaningful Life. Both events were appreciated by those that attended. During May and June, Breanne Cadham, a UBCO medical student lead our first Walk and Talk event. The team of Sus Sullivan, Tom Kemp, Cheryl Perry and I ran the program for 12 weeks starting mid September. Seventeen people registered but attendance varied greatly session to session. Because of the early snow fall in November, we had to move our walking into the gym. The program consists of a half hour walk, half an hour of exercises specifically designed to help prevent falls, and a half hour of education or time socializing. We will run our next 12-week session starting in March Special thanks to Norma Laing for her excellent presentation on vegetarianism. In the spring, I helped supervise four student nurses doing their community practicum. Using exercises, I have learned in the past, I tried to help them recognize the role of spirituality in health care. Through July, August and early September, Sue Sullivan, Linda Zorn and I organized a number of kayaking events on Sunday afternoons. I do On Call Chaplaincy for the hospital either 3 or 4 days / month. These visits happen to have all been to individuals that are not part of this congregation. Most of the visits are to family members whose loved one is dying. The role of a parish nurse varies depending on the needs of the congregation and the interests of the nurse. Without the help of the many volunteers, we could not have a Parish Nursing Ministry. Thanks to all of you and especially to the Pastoral Care Core Ministry for your continuing support. I look forward to continuing this ministry in First United Church Annual Report 2017

13 Roll Clerk Tanya Burke Membership Dec. 31, Received by Baptism: 2* Elexsiya Dawn Lindstrom, Nathaniel Mackenzie Pruden Received by Transfer: 14 Betty Richards, Allan Richards, Joy Wallace, Debbie Hubbard, Dean Reidt, Martha King, Drew Irvine, Linda Gunn, Robert Gunn, Linda Vensland, Roy Buckler, Bill Hetland, Liz Kozuska, Skip Kozuska Removed by Transfer: 1 Roxanne Williams Removed by Death: 7 Bessie Doerksen, Ken Harding, Doreen Bain, Delores Harrison, Inez Burran, Arthur Ruddock, Dorothy Ruddock Total members on Historic Roll Dec. 31, 2017: 205 *Baptisms are not counted in the Historic Roll Presbytery Beryl Itani Kamloops Okanagan Presbytery met twice in In February our meeting was in Kamloops and in October we met in Revelstoke. Worship is always a key element at Presbytery meetings and is always capably led by Cheryl Perry as well as the music that is led by members of Presbytery. The remaining remits, except for Remit 6, were presented and voted on and passed. In October it was discovered very early on in Presbytery that we did not have the required number of clergy present either ordained or retired. This meant that no business could be carried out. We did have information presented to us on Remit 6 however it could not be voted on. Other information was passed on to us and we had wonderful meals, great fellowship good music and meaningful worship. It is the hope and certainly the expectation that there will be the required number of ministers at the next meeting of Presbytery in Westbank United Church in February Your Presbytery Representatives are: Beryl Itani, Rob Riddle, Pat Totton, Rachel Anweiler and member at large Susan Sullivan. First United Church Annual Report

14 Christian Education Core Ministry Leslie Atwell, chair In 2017, the Education Core Ministry helped to organise many successful programs and events in addition to a well-organised and well-attended Sunday school program. Our Sunday school teachers put many hours into preparing for and teaching their classes. They make the classes fun as well as educational and know how to keep the children engaged in what they re learning. We started the year with an All Ages Dance on February 11, hosted by the youth group. A potluck dinner was held before the dance, thank you to those who brought delicious dishes to share and thank you to the youth group for all their hard work in planning and hosting the event! Cheryl Perry, our Minister of Education, was away on sabbatical from April 17 to August 8. Rachel Anweiler took over Cheryl s many Education-related duties while she was away. Thank you, Rachel, for doing a wonderful job those are very big shoes to fill! We had many interactive annual events throughout 2017, including A Walk Through Holy Week for the Sunday School children, Maundy Thursday, an Easter Egg Hunt, Sunday School Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, the Alternative Transportation Sunday bike rally, Congregational Picnic, Graduation Sunday, Advent Party, and a wonderful Christmas pageant. There were two women s retreats as usual a one day retreat at Seton House of Prayer and a weekend retreat at the Sorrento Retreat Centre. This was my second year as chair of the Education Core Ministry, and it was lovely working with such enthusiastic, dedicated people in the ECM committee: Rachel Anweiler, Cheryl Perry, Martha Jane Lewis, Suki Vernet, Kendra Burke, Marilyn Perry and Catherine Doherty. There are also many other people who have helped with events throughout the year, including Frances Chiasson, Beryl Itani, Mairi Forsyth, Tanya Burke, Donald Schmidt, Christine Moore, and many more. Thank you for all your help! Bible Study Rev. Donald Schmidt Bible Study in 2017 was fun and lively. The Monday group tackled my book Bible Wonderings and used that as a springboard to some wonderful conversation about Bible stories. This past fall the Monday group has also looked at music in the Bible, and several Creation stories, as well as exploring my book In the Beginning. The Wednesday group did a refresher on Marcus Borg s Reading the Bible Again for the First Time and then tackled the book of Revelation. Several folks, for a variety of reasons, missed out on Revelation and asked that it be repeated and so that was our focus for the fall as well. In between for scattered weeks here and there we explored the Easter stories and a few other one off topics. This spring, in anticipation of the Lenten Lectures by Amir Hussein we re going to study his book Oil and Water about Christians and Muslims. Come and join us. 14 First United Church Annual Report 2017

15 Gone Fishin (Grades 4-6) Rachel Anweiler The first half of 2017 our leaders were Allie Webber and Nathanael Bertetic began with ice skating and hot chocolate at Stuart Park for Gone Fishin. We dealt with a lot of food in the first half of the year; including making cookies for Valentine s Day for outreach, discussing the journey our food goes on before it reaches our plate, and making a few hundred pancakes for Shrove Tuesday! We learned about proper table manners. We put our new skills to test at our banquet in May, where we had one member graduate from Gone Fishin into Youth Group! After a break for summer, Gone Fishin kicked off in September with Nathanael returning as a leader, and we welcomed Mackenzie Pruden as the second leader. Gone Fishin spent time learning about the history of the church, as well as all the nooks and crannies in the building! We also spent time making crafts to sell at the craft fair as a fundraiser for our church, including new years blessing mix, bath bombs, and bird feeders! Gone Fishin is a group for children in Grades 4-6. This is an age group (7-12 year olds) affectionately known as tweens. At this age friendships become increasingly important in children s social and emotional development and they enjoy clubs and group activities. The group helps to build relationships among children and their leaders and keep kids interested in coming to church at a critical age when children are questioning and may begin resisting attending church on Sundays. Gone Fishin meets every Tuesday from 4:30-6:00pm. Youth Group (grades 7-9) Rachel Anweiler In January, our youth group started off by talking about their hopes and dreams for the upcoming year and writing letters to themselves that they will open in a few years. The youth had fun leaving their mark in the youth room by painting one of the walls in it. In February, we hosted our annual All Ages Dance with great success! The youth group kicked off September by having a backyard bash hosted by the Burke/Seethaler family. The youth went on a retreat to Mable Lake for the weekend and stayed at the Perry cottage. The youth had fun in the water, going for a scavenger hunt, and playing lots of games! The weekend proved to be a great bonding experience for everyone! The youth help with the Fairer Christmas sale, raising money to be split between the El Salvador scholarship fund, and for a skate park in Palestine. The youth Group wrapped up the year with a night of bowling, followed by a sleepover at the church! First United Church Annual Report

16 Blanche Simpson Library Lorraine Hladik New materials are constantly being added to the collection, although use of the library collection is not high, usage may increase if there were more volunteers to provide better access and publicity for the congregation. There is a good collection of books by progressive Christian writers such as Spong, Crossan and others. There are many books on grieving for adults, children and teens, as well books on LBGQT issues. As both these subjects are found in several areas of the collection, I have marked the Grief ones with blue tape on the top of the spine and the LBGQT ones with orange tape. Easy to spot, so check them out. There are many titles by our Lenten Speakers: Marcus Borg, Diana Butler Bass, and Peter Rollins, as well as books written by our minister, Donald Schmidt. The children s collection has been given broad subject headings to make it easier to find a book. Please drop by and browse the collection and maybe borrow a book or two. If the library is closed, ask the office volunteer for the key and write out the title you borrow on the Sign-out Sheet. Pastoral Care Core Ministry Jackie Kelly, secretary February Parish Nurse: Nursing students made soups for Thursday morning coffee times. Initiated the popular Walk n Talk exercise program. March St. Patrick s pot luck dinner. April Served Good Friday Walk refreshments. Workshop for seniors awareness of need for protection. May Newcomers Luncheon. Minister s visits to care home residents. Sunday morning tea, coffee, juice 302 Birthday, 8 sympathy & 34 thinking of you cards sent. Telephone ministry keeping in touch with people who are alone. Aid in review & updating congregational directory. Regular visits to care facility congregants unable to attend Sunday services. Weekly visits to hospital patients. Attending at the Welcome/Information Table information, registration, name tags etc. 16 First United Church Annual Report 2017

17 Ministry and Personnel Core Ministry Tami McMurphy, chair This Core Ministry consists of five members who represent the staff and congregants at First United. Minster of Worship & Leadership Development, Reverend Dr. Donald Schmidt, is now in his second year with First. He has brought new ideas and activities to the church, community and supported congregants with new visions for growth and change. He took on new challenges during Cheryl s sabbatical. Cheryl Perry, Minister of Families & Social Justice took a sabbatical this spring. Cheryl came back refreshed with new energy and ideas for Outreach, Sunday school and families. She continues to bring new activities to support and encourage youth and families and compassion to the community through the Outreach Program. Rachel Anweiler is in her second year as Youth Coordinator. She brings some added energy and creativity to the children and youth programs of First United. She took on some added responsibilities while Cheryl was on sabbatical. Frances Chiasson carried on covering the Minister of Music position and in June took the position on permanently. First United continues to be blessed with her gifts and talents that she shares with both the adult and children s choir. Jessica Crawford is in her second year as Accompanist. She continues to be an important support to the Minister of Music and First United. Tanya Pritchard continues to be the Office Administrator and Vivienne Dunne as the Office Relief. Volunteers provide support for the office staff and assisting in the administrative activities needed by First United. Keith Crawley continues to share his expertise as our Accountant/Bookkeeper. Custodians, Mahmut and Fikrije Kacuri continue to keep the church and facilities clean and tidy for its everyday and special event uses. Staff at First United create, provide and support programs that are important to the growth and activity of First United. They continually research and look for new opportunities that will support and encourage the growth of the church. Staff and volunteers continue to welcome all who come through the doors with compassion and acceptance. Thank you for all the hard work that each one does in their unique positions. First United Church Annual Report

18 Outreach Core Ministry Alyssa Campbell, chair The mission of the Outreach Core Ministry is To listen, share, and act for justice and positive change in our church, in our community, and globally. The Outreach Core Ministry is very grateful to all the support we have received throughout this past year, and those that have helped us continue to grow, through their contributions of time, energy and talent. Our overseas projects include: -Our relationship with our Sister Community El Triunfo, providing scholarships for high school and university students who otherwise couldn t attend, annual visits from our congregation, and connection with the UCC's Mission and Service partners in El Salvador. -Working with Amnesty International, for justice in countries where human rights are being violated. Some of our local activities include: -The Peace and Justice Table, a display set up on Sundays which focusses on issues of social justice, and sells Fair Trade coffee, soap, and other goods. -Book Sales which raise funds for El Triunfo Scholarships and for Inn from the Cold. -Seasonal Sales, including a Christmas Sale of Fair Trade and ecologically friendly goods. -Christmas Photos are taken yearly at Tuesday/Thursday Coffee Mornings, to help our guests stay connected to friends and family. Christmas Cards were also donated for the same purpose. -The New Year's Day Dinner, which allows approximately 200 people to share food and fellowship with us in the hall. This event is supported and co-ordinated by many, many volunteers. Jan Johnson, former owner of Tigerlily, co-ordinates The Warm Room, with the help of her friends Lori Burns, Carla Lundman and Yvonne Chaperon. Thanks to everyone who helped make this event happen! -The Just Brunch bi-annual event was held again in March, with an indigenous theme. Volunteers made Blueberry Ban-cakes, and Bean Soup, and we served each other at the table in a family-style meal setting. We had local syrups donated, as well as local Anjou Pears for dessert. -Our Tuesday/Thursday Coffee Mornings offer a place and time for street neighbours and congregation to share a safe space and a quiet cup of coffee or donated snack. Pat Totton, First United's Parish Nurse, and other members of our congregation, are at the table to talk with people, and support is available from our Minister of Outreach, Cheryl Perry, for those who need to connect with local services and with our Food Cupboard. 18 First United Church Annual Report 2017

19 -The Food Cupboard continues to benefit from the arrangement with the Okanagan Food Bank, which assists in the supply of food. Support for the Food Cupboard was also generously given. We are also very grateful to those who donated sandwiches, and to Tammy Lavoy who co-ordinated the sandwich makers, and to Barbara and Gordon Farries, who looked after the coffee morning on Thursdays. At the end of this past year they took a well-deserved retirement from their posts but continue to be a faithful and helping hand in other areas of the church. -Our membership with the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition helps us to better understand and address poverty issues in BC, and we continue to share this information with the congregation through First Word and Minute for Mission. -We continue our walks and talks with our indigenous friends, through their representative groups such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Centre. They introduced us to many new ways to serve the community, and we participated with them in a Canada Day Blanket Exercise. There is such a powerful eloquence in silence. True genius is knowing when to say nothing, to allow the experience, the moment itself, to carry the message, to say what needs to be said. Words are less important, less effective than feeling. When you can sit in perfect silence with someone, you truly know how to communicate. -Richard Wagamese, Embers: One Ojibway s Meditations First United Church Annual Report

20 El Salvador scholarships First s Sister Community Committee Our El Salvador project assists young people in our sister community of El Triunfo to finish high school and for some to go to university. (The Salvadoran government covers schooling only to Grade 9.) Here is our plan for 2018, based on fundraising efforts this last year. Note that, because El Salvador uses the US dollar as their unit of currency, all these prices are in US dollars: 2 university $1,140 $2,280 2 university $1, Other expenses* 1,086 US $5,526 *These include workshops, program coordination, administration, transportation, and other support At the current exchange rate of $1.30, plus wire transfer costs, it will cost us about $7,000 CDN. That could, of course, go up or down. In previous years, we have been able to support up to six students but, due to the escalating exchange rate, this was not possible. Here is how we have met our financial goals (in Canadian funds) for the 2019 school year which begins in January: PAR giving $2,200 Book sales $1,600 Sale of crafts and a Fairer Simpler Christmas $710 Other donations $1,825 Men s Group BBQ $444 $6,769 Note: In August 2017 First United sponsored three young people from the Youth Group in El Triunfo so that they could attend an International Youth Confrernce held in San Salvador to celebrate the 100 th anniversary of Archbishop Oscar Romero s birth. El Triunfo 20 First United Church Annual Report 2017

21 Property Core Ministry Ernie Park, chair Members of the Property Core Ministry for 2017 were Ernie Park (Chair), Catherine Symons, Kim Ducs, Greg Maier, Peter Wilson, and Donald Schmidt/Tanya Pritchard (staff representatives). Chris Fabbi, due to other commitments, resigned during the year. We fondly remember Doreen Bain for her significant contribution to the Property Ministry over many years until her passing in Several initiatives were completed in 2017 with respect to maintenance and enhancement of the church property: Repairs and upgrades to the hall entrance doors; Installation of a handicap accessible door system for the hall entrance doors; Purchase and installation of an automated external defibrillator (AED) in the church hall (with funding support by a church member); Repairs required, due to vandalism, to several windows facing Bernard Avenue; and Emergency repairs in December to the main on-demand hot water system located in the furnace room. Thanks to the Church Board for approving the extra funding required for the handicap accessible door system. Significant volunteer time was also spent gardening, overseeing the resolution of minor electrical, plumbing and heating issues, and addressing ongoing security issues. Thanks to all of those who contributed their time. Men s Group Rob Riddle The Men s Group continued to meet monthly even during the summer months with a very steady attendance of about 8-10 men. We continued our focus on three areas: 1. Exploring various topics such as Masculinity and spirituality, the influence of familiar Biblical Phrases and Images, etc. 2. Community Outreach volunteering at Inn From The Cold. 3. Hosting our second Annual Congregational BBQ in June which was another success and raised money once again for our El Salvador outreach program. This year we also hosted the StoryFEST event at First United in November. We also had our first Men s Group Christmas Luncheon in December at De Dutch Restaurant which was well attended and enjoyed by all there so we will probably repeat this in We look forward this year of 2018 to continuing to work on these three main areas and we always welcome any newcomers to our group. First United Church Annual Report

22 Stewardship Core Ministry Drew Irvine, chair 2018 Campaign Stewardship has chosen that there will be no large campaign during Birthday after service Education events During 2017 there were three birthday events. The first was held January 22, the second June 4 and the third Sept. 17. The goal was to provide information on where church funding goes, be it the workings of the church or the great community services provided. The birthday events for 2018 will take place on March 11, June 10 and Sept. 30. Financial Statements Many thanks to Chris LaPointe for his efforts in providing over site of the Financial Statements over the past year Stewardship Campaign Pledges * Thank you to Envelope Steward, Audrey Beal, for all her work entering contributions, providing offering envelopes, record keeping as well as preparation of income tax receipts. Pledges: 110 (down from 125 in 2017, but that was as of December 14) Total Pledged: $200,450 Number of PAR: 78 (down from 80 in 2017) Number of Pledges New : 5 ($4,580) Increased : 12($2,200) Decreased : 3 ($2,480) *All numbers as of December 14, 2017 egiving In the Spring of 2017 First United launched egiving via the Pushpay phone app. In the first 9 months this has generated $9,345 to the church and $4,451 for Murray White totalling $13,796. During the Christmas 2017 season the collection plate contributions remained on par with previous years however we received 4 donations via Pushpay totalling $1,190. These are substantial gifts, suggesting that giving via the mobile phone is clearly a preferred option for some. When Stewardship launched egiving via Pushpay it was planned to be reviewed at 6 months (October 2017) 9 months (after the Christmas 2017 season) and prior to the 12-month anniversary in April This program has been hugely successful however there have been some related expenses that we wish to reduce. Stewardship has already begun the search for other solutions that will result in substantial savings. It is expected that costs will drop to under $500 per year. Stewardship Christmas Lunch Stewardship hosted its annual lunch on December 14. We invited all past Chairs, Trent James, Ernie Patterson and Eunice Easton as well as Linda Munce and Mairi Forsyth from Fundraising. John Whitehead, Chas Moore and Donald Schmidt also attended. 22 First United Church Annual Report 2017

23 Worship Core Ministry Martha King, chair The Worship Core Ministry (WCM) is primarily responsible for all things worship oriented from planning and reviewing worship services, listening for congregational feedback and discussions, arranging for various readers & lectors, greeters and ushers, sound and video system support, helping worship leaders and arranging for pulpit supply. We are a committed group of individuals and we would all welcome suggestions to improve the worship experience at First United Church. We are also responsible for the administration of the church s Memorial Funds. Highlights of 2017 for the WCM work are: - Memorial funds purchases this past year included a Power Tilt and Zoom video camera and two new microphones. We assisted the Alleluia Ringers to purchase new chimes and you will also see a new communion table candle. - We are grateful to congregation members who stepped up to purchase a new dot loop hearing system to enhance those who use hearing aids. - We ve been privileged and inspired by new and outstanding banners for all the seasons of the year (Pentecost, Lent, Easter, & Advent). We are truly thankful to Karen Kranabetter for her hard work in enhancing our worship space. In addition, and with sincere appreciation we thank Norma Laing for her beautiful new rainbow banner on the side wall of the Sanctuary. We are grateful for the talent among us. - The second service added last year has continued and now begins at 8:30 am Sunday mornings in Room 14 the Friendship Room. There is a faithful, if not small group of attendees to this service. The attendance at the 10 am service has been increasing and we may need to consider having 2 services in the Sanctuary so that all can feel welcome. - We have continued to explore ways to serve both gluten free and regular bread in our Communion services. We now are using smaller bowls on each of the plates to hold the gluten free bread. - We have been overjoyed to witness continued growth and talent of our Bell Choir, the Alleluia Ringers. We are thrilled to have them participate in our worship services on the last Sunday of each month. - Our Greeters and Ushers list is being so ably well managed by Joan Dalgliesh and we are appreciative that we are welcomed to the church with a smile and kind word every Sunday. Joan hosted a first aid session to educate ushers and greeters on the use of our defibrillator (thanks to Kim Ducs for this) and also some education in helping our downtown folks have their needs met if they arrive during a worship service (with thanks to Cheryl on this topic). - In more quiet ways that WCM acts we have regular Sanctuary tidiers (Susanne, Marlene and Luba to name a few) so that our pews are well supplied and organized. - WCM assisted Donald during Cheryl s sabbatical last summer with the occasional worship leader helping out at the front during services. - We are thankful to our pulpit supply preachers Dr. Ralph Milton, Rev. Sharon Wilson and Jodine Ducs. We are thankful for their willingness to be called in this way. First United Church Annual Report