Emmanuel Episcopal Church 127th ANNUAL MEETING

Transcription

1 Emmanuel Episcopal Church 127th ANNUAL MEETING Emmanuel Episcopal Church 1020 East Mitchell St. Petoskey, MI Bishop of Western Michigan: The Rev. Whayne Hougland Rector Emmanuel Episcopal Church: Rev. Gregory Brown Senior Warden: Patricia Jones Junior Warden: Connie Booth Treasurer: Kirk Eichenberger January 18, 2015 This is your copy, please read and bring to the 127th Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 18,

2 INDEX REPORT NAME PAGE NUMBER Index Annual Meeting Minutes Junior Warden s Report 5 Welcoming Committee Annual Report for Garden Committee Report 7 Memorial Committee Report for Beyond Our Walls Outreach Cell Group Annual Report for Music Department Annual Report Altar Guild Annual Report Stewardship Cell Group Annual Report EfM Report 12 Coordinator of Lay Ministries Annual Report for The Worship Center Annual Report for Liturgy and Worship Annual Report for Thursday Lunch Program Annual Report for Finance Committee Annual Report Financial Overview EEC Approved 2015 Budget (Summary Version) 21 2

3 126 th Annual Meeting EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH January 19, 2014 Fr. Greg Brown, Rector Tom Van Deventer, Senior Warden Connie Booth, Junior Warden T. Jones, Clerk 1. Call to Order. The 126 th Annual Meeting was called to order by Fr. Greg at 10:57 a.m. in the sanctuary. Fr. Greg shared an opening prayer. 2. Appointment of Co-Chair and Clerk. Fr. Greg appointed Tom VanDeventer as co-chair and T. Jones as clerk. 3. Voting Requirements. Tom Van Deventer reviewed the voting requirements and Fr. Greg confirmed that a quorum was present Annual Meeting Minutes. The 2013 Annual Meeting minutes were presented. A motion to approve the 2013 Annual Meeting minutes was made by Lynn Glahn and seconded by Mary Catherine Hannah. Motion passed. 5. Stewardship Cell Report. Nina Wager reviewed Stewardship Cell Group highlights from the previous year (see page 14 of meeting packet). She shared the positive outcomes from the recent Stewardship Campaign: 102 out of 110 requests for pledges were completed and returned; members were asked to consider increasing pledges by 10% and, on average, pledges increased 16%; and pledges increased by $44,510 for Senior Warden / Finance Report. Tom VanDeventer reported on the Vestry accomplishments for the year, including: a. Welcoming new Bishop b. Adopting new Memorial Policy (thanking Margo Todd for excellent record keeping) c. Adopting Fundraising Appeal Policy d. Adopting Wedding Policy (welcoming Sara Mosser) e. Adopting Stewardship Policy (thanking Andy Keller) f. Adopting new Finance Policy (thanking Mary Catherine Hannah) g. Launching Capital Campaign (thanking Capital Campaign Committee members) Tom thanked the Emmanuel staff, Vestry members, cell group leaders and members, and previous leaders for their many wonderful contributions, and for the support of his wife, Susan. Regarding the Finance Report, Tom referenced the detailed reports on pages of the Annual Meeting packet. He added if anyone would like additional information, to please contact office manager, Leah Cell. 3

4 7. Selection of New Vestry Members. Tom thanked fellow Selection Committee members Steve Selden, Karel Howse, and Angela Lasher and reviewed current, expiring, and vacant seats on the Vestry: Expiring terms: Class of Tom VanDeventer, Franz Nuebrecht, Andy Spence Current terms: Class of T. Jones, Nancy Turner Class of Connie Booth, Mary Jo Keller, Angela Lasher Vacant Seat: from Class of 2015 (Mark Braendle resigned in December 2013) Tom shared that the Selection Committee was presenting three qualified candidates to fill the three expiring seats: Russell Carpenter, David Farley, and Todd Petersen. He added that when the slate has the same number of candidates as openings, the vote can be by voice vote rather than paper ballot. A motion to close nominations was made by Louise Graham and seconded by Lynn Glahn. Motion carried. A motion to elect by voice vote Russell Carpenter, David Farley, and Todd Petersen to three-year terms (expiring January 2017) on Vestry was made by Ernie Mainland and seconded by Scott Herceg. Motion carried. Regarding the vacant seat, Nancy Turner nominated Rod Hammond to fill that seat. Rod Hammond confirmed his willingness to serve on Vestry. A motion to close nominations for the vacant seat was made by Lynn Glahn and seconded by Nancy Turner. Motion carried. A motion to elect by voice vote Rod Hammond to a one year term to fill the vacant seat was made by Lynn Glahn and seconded by Dan Armstrong. Motion carried. A request was made that candidates provide biographies for the Annual Meeting packets to allow advance review. 8. Selection of Diocesan Convention Delegates. Fr. Greg reviewed the role and responsibilities of diocesan delegates. Three adult delegates, with at least one a member of Vestry, and one alternate delegate need to be elected. The following candidates were identified: Delegates: Peggy Eichenberger, Lynn Glahn, Nancy Turner Alternate Delegate: Scott Herceg A motion to close nominations for the 2014 Diocesan Delegates was made by Mary Catherine Hannah and seconded by Dave Farley. Motion carried. A motion to elect Peggy Eichenberger, Lynn Glahn and Nancy Turner as Diocesan Delegates and Scott Herceg as the Alternate Delegate was made by Connie Booth and seconded by Dan Armstrong. Motion carried. 9. Selection of Nominating Committee. For the four member Nominating Committee, two would be elected at the Annual Meeting and two later by Vestry. Bob Howse and D.J. Jones were nominated from the floor. A motion to close nominations was made by Todd Petersen and seconded by Mary Jo Keller. Motion carried. A motion to elect Bob Howse and D.J. Jones to the Nominating Committee was made by Lynn Glahn and seconded by Rod Hammond. Motion carried. 10. Cell Group Reports. Tom VanDeventer referenced the Cell Group Reports that could be found in the Annual Meeting Packet. Kathy Petersen added her appreciation for the great work of Katie McInnis and Jan Smith with the soup kitchen. 4

5 11. Comments. No additional comments were made. 12. Rector s Report. Fr. Greg expressed his deep gratitude to all for their contributions of time, talent and treasure. In particular he thanked Joe Fortin, Karel Howse, Leah Cell, Dave Penniman, Sara Mosser, Connie Booth and Tom VanDeventer, his family, and the retiring vestry members Andy Spence, Franz Nuebrecht, Tom VanDeventer, and Mark Braendle. 13. Closing Prayer. Fr. Greg shared a closing prayer. At 11:49 a.m., a motion to adjourn was made by Nancy Turner and seconded by Dave Farley. Motion carried. Respectfully Submitted, T. Jones, Clerk EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH ANNUAL MEETING REPORT 2014 JUNIOR WARDEN S REPORT Greetings from your Junior Warden, I know I have said this numerous times over the past two years, but it has always been true. I cannot believe how time flies and how much we have accomplished since I have been on Vestry. We have so much to be thankful for at Emmanuel. When we need things done, YOU step up and volunteer your valuable time. When we need more money, YOU open your wallets with compassion. When Search Cell needed three seats to fill on Vestry, YOU happily filled their request. The list of things you have done for Emmanuel is too expansive to list! Senior Warden, T. Jones, is to be commended for her excellent work. Not one to be in the spotlight, her behindthe-scenes productivity is impressive. Thank you T. for a job that YOU filled so well! This year will be my third and final year on Vestry. I have enjoyed being a leader of this church and, most importantly, I have enjoyed interacting with YOU. Because of YOU, we have a great thing going at Emmanuel, and I am looking forward to many more blessings in Connie Booth 5

6 WELCOMING COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2014 Members: Cathy Atchison, Lynne Blachy, Kay Farrimond, Joan Neubrecht, Nancy Nicholson, Kathy Peterson, and Nancy Turner. Ex-officio members: Father Greg Brown and David Penniman Mission Statement: In an effort to reach out to prospective new members of Emmanuel, we: Extend the invitation to join us for worship/church services Strive to incorporate them into our community of faith Share Emmanuel s safe and encompassing haven In our attempt to share our mission statement our committee is attuned to new faces in our midst. The challenge is to be welcoming, yet respect people s boundaries. Visitors come through our doors with different need levels. Some may be lifelong Episcopalians and others may be church shopping and want to do it discreetly and privately. We serve many needs in the church by providing: Activity packs for our younger members Cards in the pews for those who want to be contact by our committee or Father Greg Name tags for members to wear each Sunday Welcoming/informational materials to new and prospective members A kind welcome to new faces before, during and after church services. We strive to have a Welcome Sunday with an introduction of new parishioners, followed by a coffee hour reception about three to four times a year. An invitation for people to partake in the many ministries and fellowship activities in our church Encouragement for every member of our church family to be welcoming and helpful. We need to remember that every parishioner at Emmanuel should make everyone (including other members, visitors, and guests) feel welcome. We are all a part of the Welcome Committee! Opportunities for informational offerings/sessions with an emphasis on educating the membership about the Episcopal Church, its history, and our worship service. Our cell group (for the most part) meets the first Thursday of January, March, May, July, September and November at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We are always looking for new members and would love to have you join our cell group. If interested, call Joan Neubrecht at or our church secretary, Leah Cell, at The members of our cell group would like to thank Leah Cell for all she does to help us especially for her time and effort in preparing the prospective members informational grid for each meeting and sending out informational packets to those requesting them. 6

7 2014 Garden Committee Report Each year brings different challenges for gardeners. Fortunately we have a very flexible crew. With winter lasting way into spring and summer being neither hot nor long, the scheduled clean up and annual mulchfest didn t happen until June! The bonus was that Pentecost was late so our lovely geraniums did not have to fear a frost. The wet May did allow us to divide the daylilies a bit easier than anticipated. Some found new homes under Leah s office windows while others are now in parishioners gardens. If some of you would like some of these yellow glories, join us next spring as we will again need to do some dividing. The changes this year included enlarging the garden area as you take the steppingstone path to the church. Also, with Leah s office now located toward the parking lot, the area under her window is now getting some attention. There was a summer watering crew that was given a better break this year cooler temps and more precipitation made their jobs a bit easier. But 2015 could be a different story. We will again look for lay weeders this summer. And while the capital campaign will give us many improvements, there is no underground watering system in the works. That means a watering crew will be recruited this June. We still have some gardeners who have adopted areas to maintain. So a big THANK YOU to those who keep Joe s garden lovely, the roses happy and the Biblical kitchen garden inspirational. The committee did invest in professional help to do some deep trimming this fall. The shrubs will be much healthier be patient. Also, the large Spruce at the NW corner of the church was deemed overgrown and taken down. These changes lead to opportunities for the gardeners to add different shrubs and flowers this spring. All Seasons continues to keep the lawns cut and fertilized but it is the volunteers who really add the sparkle with all their work from preparation of gardens, fertilizing and planting geraniums to maintaining the areas during the season marked my last year as the garden coordinator. After almost 10 years, it is time for new ideas and stronger backs to take up the trowels. I will be happy to work with the new volunteer. But it is time to Turn over a new leaf Mary Street Garden Coordinator, Ret. MEMORIAL COMMITTEE REPORT FOR 2014 With the advice and consent of our Rector and the Vestry, the Memorial Cell Group approved the funding for the following in 2014: 1. Beautiful, blue vestments and altar hangings, in memory of Virginia Thornberry and Donald Hodgkiss. The season for blue is Advent, so this year we were able to enjoy this very special addition to our worship in December. 7

8 2. A series of pulleys and hooks to support the Chrismon project, and future holy day and seasonal decorations, in memory of: Clarence and Dorothy Damsgaard, LeRoy and Faith Brooks, Dean John, Helen Reid, Jean Stillings, and Joe Worsick. The proposed Policy for Memorial and Testamentary Gifts to Emmanuel Episcopal Church was approved by the Rector and the Vestry in September. We have been updating the records for The Memorial Garden. Sue Bleyaert has agreed to be the calligrapher. The updated panels will be hung after the roof construction is completed next summer. The Columbarium purchase price, per niche, was increased as of November 1, 2014, from $250 to $300. This increase, the first since the Columbarium was originally installed, was approved by the Rector and the Vestry. Mary Driggs was welcomed, in September, as a new member of the Memorial Cell. Thank you, Mary, for your willingness to serve Emmanuel in this capacity. Respectfully submitted, Margo Todd, Chairperson Members: Fr. Greg Brown Lorraine Lucy Gery Willey Mary Driggs Nancy Eibling Steve Eibling Margo Todd BEYOND OUR WALLS OUTREACH CELL GROUP ANNUAL REPORT FOR Annual Report for Beyond Our Walls Outreach Cell Group Mission is: We strive to ensure Emmanuel s charitable gifts and collections are provided to the most needy to heed the Lord s call, open your hand to your brother and to the poor. (Deuteronomy 15:11) In 2014 BOW directed $9, allocated from the Emmanuel s Church Budget to: Boyne City Community Free Clinic; Bortz Health Care; Child Fund International; Cross the Christ Paper Pantry; Episcopal Ebola Crisis Response Fund through the Episcopal Relief & Development; Harbor Hall Foundation; Manna Food Project; Meals On Wheels; Nehemiah Project Hospitality House; NW Michigan Community Action Agency/ECOP; Northern Chaplain Service for McLaren Hospital; and Petoskey Community Free Clinic. 8

9 BOW s 2014 Outreach Programs & Collections were: Nehemiah/Mary Margaret House (Petoskey Homeless Shelters) Sundry Collection; Blanket Drive by Red Cross for Char-Em s United Way Project Connect Service Day ; Red Cross Blood Drive ; Child Fund Birthday Cards sent to our Honduras Sponsored Child whose name is, Genesis; Reading Camp Mission Supplies Collection of children s books; CROP Walk Emmanuel s individual participants raised dollars for the Manna Food Project; Thanksgiving Food Baskets Collection for the Manna Food Project; and Emmanuel s Giving Tree for the Salvation Army Christmas gifts to poor children. Emmanuel s First Annual BOW-WOW Award We instituted Emmanuel s First Annual BOW WOW Award to be given to an extraordinary person(s) who has demonstrated a spiritual commitment and devotion to Emmanuel s Beyond Our Walls Mission. This award is given at Emmanuel s Annual Groundhog Chili Contest in February with the ticket proceeds given to the Honoree s not for profit program. The 2014 Award was given to Katie MacInnis and Jan Smith for all their time, their many treasures and exceptional talents given to feed the poor at Emmanuel s Thursday Lunch Program at the First Presbyterian Church. The ticket proceeds totaled $446 which was given to the Thursday Lunch Program to buy needed equipment and supplies BOW Members: Sue Bleyaert, Connie Booth, Kay Farrimond, Peggy Eichenberger, Doreen Jagodnik, D J Jones, Sue VanDeventer, Joy McBride, Carolyn Penniman, Ron Rinker & Kathy Petersen, Chairperson. MUSIC DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2014 The music program is a continuous journey which seldom takes any breaks. Thanks to the adult and children s choirs who rehearse weekly from September through May and provide music for the major portion of the calendar year. Thank you for your time and dedication to this vital ministry! Some of the highlights of the year are as follow: In January the Children s choir began work on the musical play Herbie and the Good News Garden. February 16 the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra sponsored a concert Organ Plus featuring our own Joe Fortin with soprano Amy Cross and cellist Chas Helge. The concert was a great success, played to a full house and rave reviews! On February 20, 50 advanced Physics students from Petoskey High school made a visit to Emmanuel for a demonstration of the pipe organ and a follow up on their unit on sound waves/overtones. Wednesday, March 5 the choirs from Emmanuel and Cross of Christ Lutheran combined for the Ash Wednesday service at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. On May 4 the children s choir performed the musical play Herbie and the Good News Garden during the 10:00 a.m. service. Remember the nerds Diggin the dirt? With the month of June came the return of the Bay View Music Festival and our Summer Music Program featuring the music students from the festival. This past summer we had 20 students share their talents with us during Sunday worship thanks to the generosity of many parishioners. 9

10 August 2, trumpeter Keith Geiman accompanied by Thom Britton on piano/organ performed a recital in our sanctuary. Keith and Thom returned on Sunday morning to play for the 10:00 a.m. worship service. Joe was on Sabbatical from mid-august through the end of September. Thanks to Kay Farrimond, Herb Glahn, and Nina Wagar for helping out during my absence. October 24 a local student piano recital was held in the sanctuary and on November 9 cellist Chas Helge returned to play an amazing solo recital. December 14 the choirs combined for the annual service of Lessons and Carols, and December 18 we hosted a Christmas piano recital for local piano students. Thanks to all who help keep thing running smoothly, especially Leah Cell for keeping control of the calendar! Joe Fortin, Music Director ALTAR GUILD ANNUAL REPORT 2014 We continue to have a need for new members to enable us to serve once a month. Ideally, we schedule two ladies each week, to work together setting up on Friday or Saturday, and taking down after the 10:00 service on Sunday. There is a certain amount of training needed to feel comfortable doing all that is required of the job. I will gladly work with anyone interested in become a member, and serving the parish in this way. This has been a busy year (as they all seem to be). In looking back, our two Sunday Services have gone smoothly, with little change. The Thursday 1928 Prayer Book Service in the Chapel, continues to be 8-10 people strong. The Great Vigil, with the new fire and Easter, were beautiful. Pentecost, this year, was too early in the planting season to include all the red geraniums. But, thanks to generous donations for the flowers from parish members, we were able to purchase them at a later time, and have them in the ground by the first week in June. This was all done with the help of the Garden Committee. Sarah Mosser, continued as our wedding coordinator, with the several weddings that took place this year. All Saints Day looked different, with the Ofrenda being used to highlight our forbearer s names listed on the Memorial Garden plaques, as well as the usual photos and mementos of our loved ones. The Mexican influence that we have enjoyed in the past was missing, but may return next year. Advent was beautiful this year with our new blue and gold vestments, and altar dressings. The purchase of this set from a church in Beulah, was made possible by the Memorial Fund. Christmas also had a new look, with the reconstruction of many of the old Chrismons, and the addition of new ones, made by our own Sandy Selden and some of the Sunday School children. Sandy s artful creation was awesome. Lastly, I would like to thank Joe Fortin, for all he does to help Altar Guild. Thank you too to the Farley family for putting up the Crèche during Advent, and for all those who helped with the greening of the Church, and Bruce Turner, and his crew, for hanging the Rosetta wreath. 10

11 It certainly takes a village. Submitted by Karel Howse Altar Guild Director STEWARDSHIP CELL GROUP ANNUAL REPORT Our Mission: Engage parishioners in community to serve God using their time, talents and treasure. The Stewardship Cell Group has gone through a lot of membership change this year. We thanked Tom VanDeventer, Andy Keller & Scott Herceg for all their dedication and help. And we welcomed new members: Sarah Mosser, Connie Booth & Jason Scott. Nina Wagar transitioned out of the leadership role as of year-end, but will continue to be involved as a member. We met monthly and furthered the transition from committee to Cell group and had many wonderful discussions about scripture and fellowship. Our time together yielded the following: Sent out Thank you notes to our members who pledged their time, talent, and treasure New this year, we also sent out Thank You notes to those who didn t pledge but gave regularly. In July we gave the Welcome Back presentation We developed a comprehensive approach to Stewardship and the Capital Campaign and developed the To do God s Work phrasing to differentiate the two important activities. In October, the Stewardship Cell Group developed and presented the To Do God s Work campaign. The outcomes of the campaign are as follows: We asked our members to fill out and return their pledge cards. They responded by returning 93 out of 110. A net reduction of 9 pledges versus We asked our members to consider giving 10% more in financial support. They responded by financially matching last year s pledge amount, in most cases and by exceeding by a few percent with others. However, the reduced number of pledges has impacted our total negatively. Our members of Emmanuel have pledged generously, as they always do, however we have failed to produce the $310K we originally estimated. We have adjusted our estimate downward to $300K. The $300K is based upon pledges and the anticipated amount we will get from those who don t pledge but give regularly. Thus far our pledges are approximately $28K down from With the current total pledges at $277, Respectfully submitted, Jason Scott 11

12 EfM REPORT Education for Ministry (EfM) is a unique four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study and practice. Since its founding in 1975, this international program has assisted more than 80,000 participants in discovering and nurturing their call to Christian service. EfM helps the faithful encounter the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition and brings it into conversation with their experiences of the world as they study, worship, and engage in theological reflection together. Bishop Hougland, a former EfM mentor, has invited everyone in the Diocese of Western Michigan to join him in reading the two supplemental books that EfM participants are engaging this year. The books are The Bush Was Blazing But Not Consumed by Eric H. F. Law and Globalization, Gender, and Peacebuilding; The Future of Interfaith Dialogue by Kwok Pui-Lan. Our focus of study this year is Living Faithfully In A Multi-cultural World. COORDINATOR OF LAY MINISTRIES ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2014 It has been a busy and productive year in our life together as Emmanuel Church. Some maturation of the Cell Group model: Parish Life became Within Our Walls. The Capital Campaign Cell developed Building God s House to do God s Work, ran a successful campaign, and turned over its work to its successor Cell. And that new cell tried out some ungainly names, like Capital Project Implementation, before settling on the appropriately descriptive name Git R Dun Cell. Beyond Our Walls, Within Our Walls, Stewardship, Liturgy & Worship, and Structure Cells all saw changes in Leadership. The rotation of leaders from one ministry to another is a sign of healthy development and the ongoing maturing of the Cell Group model. Some hopes for 2014 that have not yet been realized, but still hold promise: A newer member shared with the Rector and me a model for a Pastoral Care ministry. It will need further research, careful discussion and discernment, and then could become a fruitful model for us. I still hope we can bring together a Communication Cell that will develop our capacity for feeding information (including high-quality recordings and video) around our building, to our website, make use of social media, and communicate our ministries to the surrounding community. Some important numbers: 1.7 is the number of times per month people who consider themselves active church members attend Sunday worship. (I heard this from a United Methodist pastor who read it in a research report.) It is a reflection of our over-busy times and schedules. Developing a healthy spiritual life is like losing weight, learning to play the piano, or getting in shape for ski season it takes regular practice, and perhaps more importantly, the companionship of others who share the same values and goals. 498 is the number of years since the break-out event of the Reformation in Western Europe, which has influenced Western Christianity ever since. But some students of church life think the Reformation has run its course, and we are now in a time of Emergence. One of the things Emergence may mean is a church less 12

13 institutional, less centralized, more engaged and engaging with those who are not church professionals. Our way of spiritual growth and practical action in ministry through Cell Groups is on the cutting edge of our times. These are exciting, challenging, and inviting times for the Church of Jesus Christ. We are ancient, yet always new. We draw on rich tradition to make a new statement in the context of our time and culture. If you are not in a Cell Group yet, then stop whatever you are doing, pick up your phone, call and let s talk about your emerging ministry. David B. Penniman, Coordinator of Lay Ministries THE WORSHIP CENTER ANNUAL REPORT 2014 The Worship Center added 2 new teachers this year, Molly Cotant and Amy Janssen. Lynn Tollas has decided to put her talents elsewhere after many years of WC teaching. We are trying to continue our tradition of hosting 2 field trips to help build community among the WC families. Our fall field trip had been to Bills Farm Market and our Spring trip to Pond Hill Farms. Another tradition we have continued is hosting coffee for Epiphany during which kings cakes are served and people finding the babies in the cakes are crowned in celebration. The WC children have had the opportunity to join the Sunday School group for Chrismon making this fall. We continue to follow the lessons in WC handbook which are tailored to the age we teach and are well received by the children. The concerns I have for WC are: 1. None of our current teachers have had training in teaching WC, as Sue VanDeventer had. I feel the training will enhance the integrity of the program. If and when money is available, I would like to see training made available to 1-2 current teachers; 2. I know we are in the process of fixing this, but we are behind on our training for Safeguarding God s Children. All of the WC teacher will need training in this area. Our numbers have been good this year with anywhere from 3 to 8 children attending WC. LITURGY AND WORSHIP ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Emmanuel s cell group for Liturgy and Worship now meets on the first Thursday of the month at 9:45 AM. The group consists of those involved in the various ministries which support our worship (eg. altar guild, lay readers, Eucharistic ministers) but is not limited to those. Anyone who is interested in worship in this church is welcome to attend meetings. Since last summer the group has been chaired by Maryln Graham and Peggy Eichenberger. Continuing the effort to use alternative forms of worship when Father Greg is absent, we have revised our policy. 8:00 services will continue to use Morning Prayer incorporating Communion from the Reserved Sacrament. 10:00 is using a modification of the rite II service, also incorporating Communion from the Reserved Sacrament. Besides empowering lay people to conduct worship, this is a cost-saving measure for the church. A new vision in the use of the Ofrenda came from a discussion regarding a lessened participation in the last couple years. Valuing the concept of making a visual statement of celebrating and remembering those who 13

14 have passed on lead to the decision to change the style of presentation, allowing for the framed names of past Emmanuel members to be hung on the north wall of the nave, displaying the Book of the Dead on table below them as well as leaving room for photos, various mementos, and votives. The largest project this year was the installation of a pulley system in the sanctuary and nave areas of the church. Memorial funds paid for this, and the installation was headed up by Ernie Mainland. Two Saturdays in November saw several parishioners and some hired people putting together scaffolding to enable us to reach the beams at the top of the church. The first use of the system was Christmas, when we saw Sandy Selden s creation over the altar. She headed up the effort to honor the women who made our Chrismons by refurbishing the original work and by teaching and leading our children in making new ones. Many children and adults worked with her to create a beautiful portrayal of God s creation We would like to invite anyone who is interested in worship to join us at our meetings. Below is a copy of the bulletin insert for Christmas Eve (2014) WHAT IS A CHRISMON? Maryln Peggy The word Chrismon is a combination of two words... CHRIST and MONogram... and is just that: a monogram of Christ. All Chrismons are made in combinations of white and gold. White represents Christ s purity and perfection. Gold reminds us of Christ s majesty and glory. ARE CHRISMONS A TRADITION? Yes, they are at Emmanuel. Our first Chrismons were made in the 1970 s by a small group of women here at Emmanuel parish. Their work has been lovingly displayed on Christmas trees at Emmanuel for almost forty years. Recently the Sunday School children of Emmanuel have been making new Chrismons. This year s Christmas display is a mixture of cherished heirlooms and future treasures. WHAT ARE THE SYMBOLS in our Chrismons? The FISH... As early as the second century, Christians were using the fish to symbolize the Christ. Many believe that the use of the fish developed because the letters of the Greek word for fish, ICHTUS, had letters similar to the Greek letters for Christ. The DOVE... A sign of the Holy Spirit. 14

15 The CHALICE and HOST on a six-pointed star... for the Eucharist. WHEAT and GRAPES in a circle... represent the earthly elements of the Sacrament. The CROWN... is a symbol of the Kingship of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The SHAMROCK... used to represent the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. BUTTERFLIES... symbols of new life and resurrection. STARS... remind us of Jesus birth at Bethlehem. The TAU CROSS... looks like the letter T. This is anticipatory cross of the Old Testament when salvation is promised but not yet accomplished. CHI RHO (XP) with ALPHA and OMEGA... the first letters of Christ s name in the Greek alphabet combined with the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet suggests the verse from Revelations 22, I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. ARE THERE OTHERS? (CHRISMONS) Yes. There are many. More can be added to this project, as it is, perhaps, just a work in progress. MANY THANKS! To the Worship Cell Group for their support and enthusiasm for this renewed vision of Christmas at Emmanuel. To Ernie Mainland for imagining and installing the structure needed for support of the Chrismon installation. To the children of Emmanuel Sunday school, the Chrismon makers, and their teachers, To adults who helped to paint or sew, to tie and secure, And to the inspired ladies who first brought the Chrismon project to Emmanuel Episcopal Church. Here is their picture... 15

16 2014 YEAR END REPORT: THURSDAY LUNCH PROGRAM In 2014, 738 meals were served to people in need, at the Thursday Lunch Program held at First Presbyterian Church. This service to the community provides warm food and friendship to many regular attendees. Along with familiar faces there is a changing group of people who are staying at the Nehemiah house until they can get back on their feet. Just as our economy seems to have made progress, there are still people who are unable to reach for any of the ordinary things we take for granted: a home, food, healthcare or transportation. On average, we served 15 people each week. None of this would have been possible without the continued support of the First Presbyterian Church. Regular contributors include the Bank of Northern Michigan, Harbor-Bren Insurance and the Petoskey District Library. Begun in May, 2007 by Emmanuel Episcopal and Cross of Christ Lutheran churches, we are blessed with loyal, warmhearted volunteers who provide consistency and a listening ear. But the benefit of food for those in need has enriched more than just the recipients. Everyone who comes leaves feeling grateful to have been there. REPORT FOR THE 2015 ANNUAL MEETING OF EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE Emmanuel Episcopal Finance Committee Members 2014: Mary Catherine Hannah: Chair Dave Farley: Vestry Representative Bill Graham Andy Spence Kirk Eichenberger: Treasurer Franz Neubrecht: Assistant Treasurer T Jones: Senior Warden Fr. Greg Brown: Rector, ex-officio member Purpose(s) of Finance Committee Include: 1. Monitor implementation of Parish financial policies 2. Prepare the annual budget for Vestry review/approval 3. Track parish income and expenses; report monthly to Vestry; propose solutions to financial problems 4. Schedule financial reviews and/or audits and develop actions to address findings 5. Assure that EEC meets legal financial obligations and complies with National and Diocesan Episcopal financial standards and requirements Meetings: Generally held once a month, one week prior to the Vestry meeting. Meeting notes, action items and monthly financial reports are forwarded to the Vestry each month Financial Highlights: Financially 2014 was a very good year for Emmanuel Episcopal. Pledge contributions from our members exceeded our budget estimate by over $17,000, while expenses were kept to less than we budgeted. Consequently, we did not need to use any of the money we had originally budgeted from our restricted funds for 16

17 operations. Also, we were able to replenish over $8,600 of the funds we had used from our Long-Term Emergency Fund in previous years, and also build up some of our other reserve funds. The Building God s House to Do God s Work Capital Campaign which started up in August was extremely successful and has generated approximately a half million dollars in pledges. We have already received over $208,000 in contributions towards the campaign. The Finance Committee began preparing the 2015 Operating Budget in July when all Cell Groups were asked to submit their budget requests. An initial draft was submitted to the Vestry and the Stewardship Cell in August. An updated draft was given to the Vestry again in early November, which contained all requests received from EEC staff and cell groups and an estimate of 2015 stewardship results. The Vestry made a number of modifications to this and approved a balanced 2015 budget in late December. Attached below are several reports: Year-End Balance Sheet: This shows the 2014 beginning balances, the changes, and the yearend balance for all assets, liabilities and funds of EEC. Please note that our assets increased over $225,000 during 2014, primarily due to donations to the God s House / God s Work Capital Campaign Operating Budget Summary: Shows the 2014 Vestry approved balanced budget summarized by general categories. The December 31, 2014 year-to-date total income/expense for each category is displayed along with the amount over/under budget for the year. Note that EEC finished the year with $359,118 in operating expenses, ~$3,600 under the budgeted amount Operating Budget Summary: This report shows the Vestry approved budget for 2015 by general category. The 2015 Budget is in balance and is slightly larger than 2014 s Budget ($1,412). Additional more detailed EEC financial information is contained in a supplemental financial packet, copies of which will be available at the annual meeting or can be requested from the office. This supplemental packet contains: 2014 Year-End Balance Sheet (also contained in the annual report) 2014 Operating Budget Detail with actual income/expense amounts by category, 2014 Consolidated Fund Activity 2014 In/Out accounts - income and expense summary 2015 Approved Operating Budget Detail Finance Committee Changes for 2015: Mary Catherine Hannah is leaving the committee in She has served as Chair for the last three years. Kirk Eichenberger is stepping down as EEC Treasurer having served in that capacity for over four years; Kirk plans to remain on the committee. The Finance Committee wishes to thank Mary Catherine and Kirk for their service to Emmanuel. Todd Peterson will be joining the committee in 2015 as a representative from the Vestry. The Vestry will appoint a new Finance Chair and Treasurer for 2015; at present we do not know who these individuals will be. The Finance Committee also wishes to thank: The Vestry and especially the Senior Warden, T Jones: for their involvement and concern with all financial matters this year. 17

18 The Rector and Staff, especially Office Manager, Leah Cell for her constant vigilance, attention to detail, excellent recordkeeping and communication with all concerned on financial matters. All Cell Group Leaders and Program Managers; for carefully watching expenditures and especially Nina Wagar and Jason Scott from the Stewardship Cell. The Plate Coordinators for reliably securing and counting offerings and assisting with recording and making deposits: Gary Street, Bob Howse, Sandy Selden, Andy and Susie Spence, Mike Farrimond, Ron Rinker, Dave Farley, and Kirk Eichenberger Assistant Treasurer Franz Neubrecht for assisting the treasurer in authorizing disbursements, reconciling bank accounts and overseeing and scheduling the plate coordinators. EEC s Check Signers: Sr. Warden: T Jones; Jr. Warden: Connie Booth, Finance Chair: Mary Catherine Hannah; Finance Vestry Rep: Dave Farley And Treasurer: Kirk Eichenberger AND Finally the MEMBERS OF EMMANUEL; whose generous pledges and donations make this all possible. THANK YOU! Prepared January 8, 2015 by Kirk Eichenberger, Treasurer 18

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