The Circuit Riderptember

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1 The Circuit Riderptember Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church February, 2017 Also in this Issue Articles 2017 Budget...3 Good Stewardship...7 EFT...7 Regular features Upcoming Events...5 Office Notes...7 Caring and Sharing...7 Music Notes...8 Help Wanted...9 February Calendar (See insert) Reconciling Ministry and Family February Dear Shepherd of the Valley Friends and Family, Last summer we voted to become part of the Reconciling Ministry Network (RMN), an organization which mobilizes United Methodists of all sexual orientations and gender identities to transform our Church and world into the full expression of Christ s inclusive love. By signing on with RMN we are making a public statement to our community and our larger church that, in spite of the United Methodist Church s unwillingness to let our pastors do same gender marriages and allow LGBT people to participate fully in the life of the church, Shepherd of the Valley voted to be a fully inclusive church, in other words a Reconciling Church! Because February is the month of LOVE (so corny!) we thought it would be cool to celebrate our new status as a Reconciling Church by celebrating the different kinds of families we have at SOV! Our theme is Different Families, Same Love We are so blessed to have lots of different kinds of families here at SOV and we want our community to know that we will always welcome families of all kinds into the life of our church. Our Church council Chair Rob Bower found this great statement from a church in England that perfectly describes who our vision calls us to be. It is so good I want to share it with you (see the next page). Don t you think it fits well with our mission statement too? Blessings, PK Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church Worship and Church School 604 Seven Mile Road Sunday, 9:30 a.m. Hope, RI Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9:00-12:00 Phone: Fax: office@sovumc.org Web site: sovumc.org Rev. Katherine Mitchell

2 February, 2017 Page 2 A CATHEDRAL WELCOME* We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, widowed, gay, confused, filthy rich, comfortable, or dirt poor. We extend a special welcome to wailing babies and excited toddlers. We welcome you whether you can sing like Pavarotti or just growl quietly to yourself. You re welcome here if you re just browsing, just woken up or just got out of prison. We don t care if you re more Christian than the Archbishop of Canterbury, or haven t been to church since Christmas ten years ago. We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast. We welcome keep-fit mums, football dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you re having problems, are down in the dumps or don t like organised religion. (We re not that keen on it either!) We offer a welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don t work, can t spell, or are here because granny is visiting and wanted to come to the Cathedral. We welcome those who are inked, pierced, both or neither. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down their throat as kids or got lost in the city centre and wound up here by mistake. We welcome pilgrims, tourists, seekers, doubters and you! *With kind permission of Coventry Cathedral Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church Mission Statement We are Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church, a multi-generational Christ community seeking to sing God s spirit into the world by inviting all, serving all, loving all. We are called to include God s people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, economic status, physical and mental abilities. March Circuit Rider Information due February 12 We are called to be a curious people on a spiritual journey, exploring our faith, asking questions, and growing together in Christ. We are called to hunger for and work towards a just and peaceful world in which all of creation has what is needed to live fully and love wastefully.

3 February, 2017 Page Budget The 2017 budget for Shepherd of the Valley shows a deficit of $10,000. This amount is an improvement over last year s budget shortfall of $13,500. The budgeted shortfall in 2017 will be managed by only partially paying our Mission Shares obligation to the New England Conference. This budget reflects our on-going efforts to return to balanced budgets and fully paid Mission Shares. The attached exhibit displays details for the 2017 budget including the projection for 2016 and actual 2015 data for comparison purposes. In 2017 revenues are expected to be flat relative to prior year. Giving to the general fund is expected to decline modestly based on commitments by church members. And that shortfall is budgeted to be offset by an increase in Art Festival proceeds with a return to better weather. Most other revenue sources are expected to be consistent with recent history. Expenses are expected to increase by $11,000. There are a host of modest increases in a variety of expense categories that are contributing to the overall increase. Reasons include small changes in compensation for the church staff, an additional nursery aide, higher medical insurance for the pastor, higher electricity costs due to the expectation of a colder winter, and increases in program funding for Outreach and Family Ministry. Also, the general fund will be fully funding support for local religious organizations that were partially funded in 2016 from the Pastor s Discretionary Fund.. Net Income Summary 2017 Budget Variance 2016 Projection 2015 Actual Revenues $178,777 $418 $178,359 $178,079 Expenses $188,749 $11,433 $177,316 $175,214 Net Income ($9,972) ($11,015) $1,043 $2,865 Weekly Giving 2016 Revenue Budget 2016 Budget Variance 2016 Projection 2015 Actual General Fund $154,317 ($2,712) $157,029 $151,192 Plate $3,750 $66 $3,684 $3,632 SundaySchool $0 ($1) $1 $8 Sub-Total $158,067 ($2,647) $160,714 $154,832 Building Use $1,850 ($5) $1,855 $1,945 Easter $1,500 $387 $1,113 $1,789 Lenten $130 $3 $127 $189 Thanksgiving $330 $1 $329 $400 Christmas $2,400 ($10) $2,410 $1,967 Miscellaneous $2,000 $113 $1,887 $2,826 Art Festival $6,000 $2,576 $3,424 $7,507 Bazaar $6,500 $0 $6,500 $6,624 Total $178,777 $418 $178,359 $178,079

4 February, 2017 Page Expense Budget 2016 Budget Variance 2016 Projection 2015 Actual Mission Shares $37,216 $119 $37,097 $36,590 Compensation Pastor $50,648 $0 $50,648 $50,651 Music Director $12,909 $1,488 $11,421 $10,497 Secretary $11,049 $322 $10,727 $10,377 Sexton $5,050 $818 $4,232 $4,404 Nursery Aide $3,421 $1,695 $1,726 $1,457 Relief Organist $200 ($500) $700 $960 Total $83,277 $3,823 $79,454 $78,346 Insurance Pastor Medical $15,228 $1,128 $14,100 $15,984 Social Security $2,236 $103 $2,133 $2,045 Workers Compensation $593 $27 $566 $510 Property $6,845 $326 $6,519 $5,903 Total $24,902 $1,584 $23,318 $24,442 Expense Reimbursement Pastor $5,000 $0 $5,000 $4,000 Utilities $5,000 $0 $5,000 $4,000 Benevolences $23,000 $3,329 $19,671 $21,893 RI Council of Churches Project Outreach $700 $275 $425 $650 Preachers Aid $700 $275 $425 $650 Elder Care $500 $275 $225 $450 Total $700 $275 $425 $650 Programs $2,600 $1,100 $1,500 $2,400 Education Music $0 ($81) $81 $14 Outreach $400 ($78) $478 $346 Stewardship $400 $400 $0 $0 Sunday School $350 $18 $332 $610 Vacation Bible School $400 $316 $84 $0 Worship $100 $100 $0 $0 Family Ministry $850 $5 $845 $714 Total $1,900 $773 $1,127 $0 Miscellaneous $4,400 $1,453 $2,947 $1,684 Supplies Postage $3,500 ($309) $3,809 $2,549 Rubbish Removal $1,455 $45 $1,410 $1,405 Annual Conference $1,500 $79 $1,421 $891 Publicity $900 $26 $874 $460 Other $250 $250 $0 $128 Total $750 ($65) $815 $426 Grand Total $8,355 $26 $8,329 $5,859

5 February, 2017 Page 5 Upcoming Events Wednesday Night Study Group The Wednesday Night study group is continuing its DVD and discussion learning program on "The Uppity Women of the Bible." Our first session is on Esther, a Jewish queen. Please join us for this study of power, corruption, violence, and courage in a long ago Persian kingdom. We meet at 7:00 in the Hope Room. Family Fridays Our next Family Friday will be on February 10 th.we will gather at 6:00 for a meal prepared by our church family, followed by an activity designed for those 12 and under. February s theme is Luv Bug Pajama Party and will feature a craft related to the many types of families there are as part of our Family February theme. There is child care for the littlest ones if needed. Upcoming dates are: 2/10/17- Luv Bug Pajama Party 3/17/17 - March Minion Madness (movie night!) 4/21/17- Earth Day Celebration 5/26/17 - Fairy and Troll Fun 6/30/17 - School's Out Cook Out Family February Celebration One mom or one dad, a mom and a dad, two moms, two dads, step moms and step dads, grand moms and grand dads...loving families come in all shapes, sizes and colors! As a Reconciling Church this is something to be celebrated! On Sunday, February 10 th we will be celebrating Valentine's Day by celebrating the diversity of families. We will have a special coffee hour and we will be playing Disney Trivia; Kids against the Adults! Come celebrate all the types of families in our church and recognize our openness to all! Tea with the Intern The next Tea with the Intern, Alicia Valez- Stewart, will be on February 13 th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It's a perfect chance to come in, have some tea and cookies, and chat. People can drop in anytime. We would also be willing to alternate with one evening a month, if people are interested. Alicia at aliciavs@bu.edu for more information or with any questions. United Methodist Women The United Methodist Women (UMW) will hold their February meeting on the 20 th at 7:00 p.m. (weather permitting). We will be making cards for our shut-ins and missionaries. Gloria Silverman will be helping us with the verses. For any further information, please see Barbara Walz or Regina Sprague. Mark your calendars with our activities for the rest of 2017.* All are welcome to the program portion of our meetings; we are also inviting men to our valuable, life-saving March program March 20 CPR and Heimlich Maneuver performed by Hope-Jackson Fire Department April 17 - A Time to Hope: Communities challenging mass incarceration May 15 - Reading Program June 19 - Picnic with assorted games at SOV (outside, weather permitting) July-August vacation time \ September 18 - Donald Carpenter talking on the Village of Hope October 18 - Pledge to Mission Service (a community united in giving) November 20 - Follow-up on Racism program with Pastor Katherine December 18 - Christmas party *Any of these programs are subject to change Lunch with Our Neighbors On February 21 st at 11:30 a.m., Nurture-Outreach will be sponsoring a Lunch with our Neighbors (our Shepherd s Pantry food recipients). We will be serving baked ham, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, salad, and dessert yumm! We can always use your helping hands, or join us for lunch to meet these folks. Call Nancy White if you re interested. Note that as part of our Family February, we will be spreading our message of inclusiveness to this group as well.

6 February, 2017 Page 6 WISH for March WISH will be doing a Lenten study called Parables and Passion Jesus' Stories for the Days of Lent by John Indemark. It will be a seven week study starting on Ash Wednesday, March 1st. An overview of the book is described in this way: Discover new insights about the passion story through the lenses of Jesus parables. Parables nudge us all to receptive insight, writes Indermark. For those new to the Lenten journey, they give access to the holy through the ordinary. For those who have navigated this season many times, they allow an opportunity to experience Lent from a different perspective.... [Parables] take us deeper, revealing the approaching realm of the God who has come to us in One who teaches still in parables. Lent offers a time to reflect on how we live compared with God s expectations. Our best example is to study how Jesus lived and taught in the presence of God. Through Parables and Passion you ll reflect on one parable each day of the season, one thematic chapter per week. The Prologue offers a reading for Ash Wednesday, while the Epilogue provides readings for the final days of Holy Week. This 6- week study includes a Leader s Guide. Open your eyes and spirit to the sacred in the ordinary moments and people of your life. As the parables prove, when we fail to see the holy in life, we may lose sight of the sacredness of life. What better lesson to reinforce during the Lenten season? Anyone interested in a book needs to contact Dorothy Fassbender by Feb15. We meet on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. All women are welcome! March Circuit Rider Information due February 12 Regular Meetings Editor s Note: Our church has many meetings, classes, and fellowship opportunities that occur on a regular basis. Please check the list below for the schedules of programs or opportunities you might be interested in. If you have something you d like included in this section, please me at belllomb@cox.net, call me at , or leave a note in the Circuit Rider mailbox at church. Hannah Bell-Lombardo Monday Morning Prayer Group: We gather for prayer in the Hope Room at 10:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. The dates are the February 6 th and 20 th. United Methodist Women (UMW): This group meets on the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Knitting Ministry: The SOV Knitting Ministry meets the second Tuesday of each month at 1:00 in the library. We make a variety of different items such as prayer and baptismal shawls, chemo hats, preemie hats, and sweaters for World Vision children there are projects in all size and ability ranges. If you have questions please call Sue Kizlinski at or cell: Nurture Outreach Ministry Team: This group meets in the church library on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. Our February meeting will be on the 14th. All are welcome! Women in Spiritual Harmony (WISH): WISH meets Wednesdays from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the church. We will be continuing our study of Mark and will be doing a Lenten study starting March 1 st. See article for details. Wednesday Evening Study: This group will be continuing its Uppity Women of the Bible study through February. We meet Wednesday evenings at 7:00 in the Hope Room. Men s Fellowship Breakfasts: This group meets at the Phenix Square Restaurant at 6:00 a.m. February breakfasts are on the 10 th and 24 th. Signing Choir: Rehearsals for this group are held at 9:00 on Sunday mornings.

7 February, 2017 Page 7 Be a Good Steward To be a good steward is to take careful and responsible management of something entrusted to your care. This applies not only to our earth, but church finances as well. So, if you turn something on or up (lights, sound system, thermostats etc.), turn it off or down when done. You will be conserving natural resources as well as church finances. You will be a good steward! EFT Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) provides a safe and secure way for you to give regularly your gift will be deducted from your checking account on a weekly or monthly basis. Forms are available in the narthex at church. Please note that if you already use EFT and you have changed your gift, you will have to fill out a new form. If your gift is the same, you don t need to do anything your regular withdrawals will continue. Office Notes Upcoming Event? If you have an upcoming event or are hosting coffee hour and need supplies, please check what we have in the kitchen and storage area. If something is missing, let Pam know if we need to order something at least two weeks ahead of time. Sunday Bulletin Announcements Just a reminder that your announcements for the Sunday bulletin must be submitted to the office not later than the Tuesday before you d like them to appear. Call the church office ( ), leave a note in the church office mailbox, or office@sovumc.org. Thank you! Church Program Drop-offs Are you dropping something off for Open Table, the Bazaar, the food pantry, or another mission project or event? Please put a label on your items/boxes so we can ensure they end up in the proper place. If you put it in the clothing closet (next to the sanctuary), please leave Pam a note so she knows it s there. Caring and Sharing Help for the Homeless Open Table sends out a truck the second Wednesday of each month to serve the homeless. Nurture-Outreach will be collecting clothing for them to hand out on this mission. Needed are men s and women s boxer shorts and underwear, size M, L, and XL; warm socks sized 9-12; mittens and gloves; hats; and jackets. There will be a box in Fellowship Hall for these items. Anything is appreciated! Thank You! A big Thank You to all who through the year have helped out, visited, made and/or delivered cookies, stopped-in, called, greeted, sent a card, helped with Fellowship Hour, smiled, gave someone a hug, or said a prayer. Yes, that s who we are, SOV, our church! Nancy White, Nurture-Outreach Altar Flowers 2017 If you would like to give flowers as a memorial or in thanksgiving for a special occasion, please signup beside the appropriate date on the chart in Fellowship Hall. Note that there are instructions to follow which include contacting one of the following committee members: Mary Cooney, Loxi Ellingwood, Linda Glew, Kathy Medeiros, Jennifer Shortall or Susan Vandall. If you are interested in joining this committee, we would surely welcome you in this New Year. Shepherd s Pantry Our food pantry has been very busy lately and we need all the basics, including boxes. We can use tuna, pasta, spaghetti sauce, cereal, fruit, soup, vegetables, and crackers. Since many of our clients have health issues, we can use healthier food options, including gluten-free and lower sodium/fat free items. Toilet paper is needed as well. Many thanks for your continued donations and cash gifts for the support to help our neighbors in need. Red Bird Labels Thanks Many thanks to those of you who are saving Box Tops and Labels for Education. Red Bird

8 February, 2017 Page 8 Mission redeems those collected each year for a van for Red Bird and for school supplies. We just sent 600 Box Tops for Education and 100 UPC labels!! This is a reminder to keep UPC labels including the bar code from Campbell products, 1 point and 5 points and bonus certificates; also Box Tops for Education which are found on most General Mills products. Please try to cut the Box Top coupon on the dashed lines. You may give them to Marge Hiles or put them into her mailbox. We are not collecting Betty Crocker coupons! For more information about Red Bird Mission, their website is Shut-Ins The Nurture-Outreach Ministry Team has a new shut-in list posted on the bulletin board next to the kitchen. Please think of these important members of our community and send them a card, or better yet, stop by for a visit. If there s anyone you know who needs a visit, let one of the team members or the church office know and we ll add them to the list. Fellowship Hour Thank You There is not a lot to say about how important fellowship hour after church is until you look around and see everyone visiting and connecting during this time. A special thank you goes out to all our Sunday Fellowship Hour hosts and hostesses who provide the goodies and make this time possible. All should step up to the plate and take a turn. Feel free to have a friend or family member help you out volunteers are needed and help showing how everything is done is available. Save Your Pop-Tabs! Keep bringing your pop tabs to church there s a box in the kitchen for them. These tabs go toward helping with food, supplies, and utilities for the Ronald McDonald House in Providence. The House provides a home-away-from-home for families of critically ill children. Without these donations, the House would not be able to provide for the families. Thank you for the tabs and if you have any questions about donations, please contact Patti Schnaible. Facebook PK invites you to friend her on Facebook. Grocery Tapes for Missions Save your register tapes from Brigidos! We receive $.01 for missions for each dollar spent. Give them to Regina Sprague or drop them off in the UMW mailbox at church. Blood Pressure Measurement We are able to check blood pressures in the office. Check with Pastor Katherine. Music Notes Adult Choir We hope that all of you found our Christmas Cantata a spiritually rewarding experience again this year. I know that we all were edified by our musical offering to Shepherd of the Valley. Sunday to Sunday our music ministry is so important to the mission of our church. We are now getting prepared for the seasons of Lent and Holy Week. We will be working hard on our special presentation for Easter and, of course, each Sunday as we make this journey. We encourage anyone who wishes to join with us to share in the joy of song. We do not require anyone to be able to read music. I am a believer that we can learn parts through hearing them in our rehearsals. We have had great success so far. Additionally, we have a great deal of fun and fellowship in our close-knit group. Steve Haunschild Note of Thanks Dear Church Family, I received a lovely thank you note from church after the cantata presentation in worship, in which I played the piano accompaniment. Thank you so much! I consider it a privilege to be a part of the music ministry at Shepherd of the Valley. Thanks to the choir and to Steve s leadership for all they do. Karen Dingley

9 February, 2017 Page 9 Help Wanted Family Fridays Volunteers are needed to provide food, and help with child care, crafts, and other tasks. Community Garden A coordinator is needed for this important contributor to our Shepherd s Food Pantry. This person would work with Armand da Silva of Riverpoint Congregational Church to coordinate our vegetable garden, which provides fresh produce to the food of both Riverpoint and SOV. Please see Steve Higgins if interested. Tutoring, Coaches, and Basketballs Needed Help with tutoring and recreational (crafts, sports, etc.) activities is needed on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6.00 p.m. at Open Table of Christ/Project Outreach at 1520 Broad Street in Providence. Questions? Contact Theresa Squire at Nurture-Outreach Ministry Team The purpose of the Nurture Outreach Ministry team is to provide a caring and embracing ministry that nurtures, welcomes, and reaches out to the congregation and church community. There are lots of ways you can become involved with this ministry: Become a team member: We meet once a month to plan on how we can best meet the needs of our community (see below for many of these activities no need to be a team member to become involved), including planning special events like Bring a Friend Sundays, or Lunch with our Neighbors. Greeters: Pick a Sunday and greet those coming into our church. Help us be known as a warm, welcoming place! Visiting: There s a list of shut-ins on the bulletin board outside the kitchen. These members so welcome our visits, and the rewards to you are greater than the benefit to them. Meal making: Now and then help is needed with making meals for people in our church who have a health or other type of need. You don t need to be a fancy chef simple is actually better. What we need is a list of those who are willing to help. What are the benefits of serving on this ministry team? You ll add that personal touch of caring to our church community and you ll both meet new people as well as get to know current members better. Most of all, you ll have the great feeling of reaching out and touching someone s life. A benefit? Well, I call it a blessing! Nancy White Project Outreach We have established a strong ministry serving soup and sandwiches to families awaiting their food at Project Outreach, which has a food pantry serving one of the poorest zip codes in Rhode Island. We have two teams of people who serve, one on Wednesdays and one on Thursdays. We meet at the church at around 9:00 and return around 11:00. If you can t help serve, we can always use help making the soup and sandwiches simply bring them to church and we ll deliver. If you re interested, please contact Theresa Squire at squirekt@gmail.com or at Fellowship Hour Sign-Up Hosting coffee hour is a great time to promote fellowship in the church. You don t have to provide anything elaborate just some goodies and coffee (and help/instructions are available for the coffee-making). Simply sign up on the list in Fellowship Hall Giving Statements Statements for 2016 have been sent out ( ed or snail mailed). If you have not received a statement and believe you made a financial donation to Shepherd of the Valley in 2016, please drop Pam a note at office@sovumc.org so she can research it.

10 Shepherd of the Valley Non-Profit Organization United Methodist Church U.S. POSTAGE PAID 604 Seven Mile Road West Warwick, RI Hope, RI PERMIT 1 DO NOT FORWARD CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED TIME VALUE DO NOT DELAY FEBRUARY, 2017 CIRCUIT RIDER Join us for Family February A celebration of love and acceptance at Shepherd of the Valley Special worship and Fellowship Hour: Sunday, February 12, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Family Friday: February 10, 6:00 p.m. with dinner and special activity for children 12 and under