Annual Bulletin of Reports. for the Year 2017

Transcription

1 Annual Bulletin of Reports for the Year 2017

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3 ST. JOHN S 2017 STAFF Senior Pastor: The Rev Michael L. Seifried Associate Pastor: The Rev Sarah M. Keilholtz Minister of Music: Thomas A. Notestine Youth Director: Stephanie Alsvan The Proclaimers Choir: Karla Lauro and Beth Ellen Walters The Sonshine Choir: Pastor Sarah M. Keilholtz Pastor Emeritus: The Rev George H. DeFrehn Administrative Assistant: Beth C. Bard CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS 2017 COORDINATORS 2017 Stephanie Alsvan Coordinator Representatives: Administration Judd Fodness Jill Arbogast Susan Van Zile Day Care Tracy Baxter Robert Finn Fellowship Joel and Sandra Kroft Louise Kadjeski Learning Leigh Ann Courtney David Knupp Service Susan Van Zile Susan Lassi Witness Tammy Novick Worship Beth Ellen Walters 2017 CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL OFFICERS President: Robert Finn Vice President: Jill Arbogast Executive Secretary: David Knupp Financial Managers: Barbara Gibson - Church Gary Gardner - Cemetery & Trustees Financial Secretary: Beth Bard Council Elder: Gary Gardner CHAIRPERSONS & COUNCIL MEMBERS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL TEAMS Cemetery: Gary Gardner Children's Garden: Heather Miller, Chair; Tammy Novick Finance: Robert Finn, Chair Missions: Pam Wenner, Chair Outreach & Nurture: Janet Coleman, Chair Property: David Knupp, Chair Social Ministry: Karen Trybulski, Chair Stewardship: Louise Kadjeski, Chair Worship & Music: Stephanie Alsvan, Chair Youth Ministry: Kelley Ritter, Chair 3

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5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Congrega onal Mee ng Minutes 7 Message from the Council President 9 Senior Pastor Report 10 Associate Pastor Report 11 Minister of Music 12 Youth Director 13 The Children s Garden Director Report 14 Gree ng Card Report 16 Thrivent Ac vity 17 Kitchen Team 20 Mission Team 20 Outreach and Nurture 21 Social Ministry 22 Worship and Music 23 Stewardship Team 24 St. John s Financial Report 26 St. John s Trustees Financial Report 28 Children s Garden Financial Report 29 St. John s Cemetery 32 St. John s LYO 33 5

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7 ST. JOHN S LUTHERAN CHURCH Shiremanstown, PA CONGREGATIONAL MEETING November 12, 2017 I. Declara on of a Quorum Bob Finn, Council President, declared a quorum of more than 60 vo ng members present for the mee ng. II. Adop on of Agenda Bob Finn made a mo on to approve the Agenda. Louis Kadjeski provided first mo on followed by Henry Ferri as a second. The mo on was APPROVED by voice vote. III. Minutes from the 2016 Congrega onal Mee ng Robert Finn made a mo on to approve the 2016 Minutes. Barb Gibson provided first mo on followed by Kim Sowers as a second. The mo on was APPROVED by voice vote. IV. Considera on and Ac on upon the Budget for 2018 Bob provided a paper copy of the budget and proceeded to highlight the following points: 1) Trust and Endowment decrease Due to loan being paid off 2) Total Building Fund decrease Due to loan being paid off, s ll want folks to con nue to give in this area. 3) Salaries increase of 4.1% - First real raise in years. 4) Pension decreases Julia s insurance is now covered and Pastor Sarah s daycare allowance is no longer needed. 5) Youth Ministry Na onal Gathering is this year 6) Mission Commi ee increase 7) Consul ng Fee decrease Commitment to Pastor Bob is complete 8) Church Repairs and Maintenance increase 9) Educ. Bldg Repairs and Maintenance decrease 10) Mission Investment Loan to 0 Paid off 11) Future Renova ons, Staffing and Loans (new item) to cover possible new posi ons or church bathroom renova on project budget is nearly 100,000 less than budget for It was pointed out that our Current Envelope giving is s ll not doing well. Bob encouraged folks to consider giving with an increase for the coming year. Henry Ferri praised Bob for doing such a good job with his budget presenta on. No clarifica ons were requested. Bob made a mo on to accept the budget. Dave Smith provided a first and Steve Bard provided the second. The mo on was presented for a vote. The mo on was APPROVED by voice vote. 7

8 V. Approval of the Council Nominees for 2018: Barbara Gibson, Shannon Kincaid, Andrew McCarty (not present) and Jake Trybulski were presented as the nominees. Bob made a mo on that they be accepted as the new council members. Jeane e Fondness provided the first followed by Tammy Novak for the second. VI. Recogni on of Council Members leaving Dave Knupp, Jill Arbogast, Louise Kadjeski and Stephanie Alsvan stood and were recognized for comple ng their 3 year terms. VII. Update on Joshua Team Chad Lauro gave a summary of where the Joshua Team was with their work. He introduced the members, talked about the s cky note boards and proceeded to give an analysis of how our old and new values (and mission components) are really connected. He ed in the 6 marks of discipleship that are shown in Pastor Foss s book. VIII. New Business - Tom Notes ne gave a talk about how our Organ is in need of some short term repairs. The Exhaust, principal course scaling and console components are in need of varying amounts of repair. The scaling project is the most cri cal and will require about 30-35K dollars of repair and will need done as soon as is possible. Pastor Sarah explained how we are in this predicament since we had major work done on the organ not that long ago. Boils down to promises not realized by our previous vendor (who s company is bankrupt and principal owner is deceased). - Pastor Mike Seifried announced that he would be re ring in June of He gave a brief reasoning for the change of date and centers around health concerns. Bob commended Mike for his decades of service to the church and was followed up with a standing room applause. - Barb Gibson suggested that the Trustees forgive the 118K dollar construc on load. The Trustees will entertain that sugges on at a later me. IX. Adjournment Bob asked for a mo on to adjourn. Jill Arbogast made a mo on to adjourn. Lisa McCarty seconded. The mo on was APPROVED by voice vote. X. Pastoral Blessing Pastor Seifried Respec ully submi ed, David Knupp, Council Secretary 8

9 REPORT OF THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT December 2017 God s peace be with you! 2017 was a year of continuing change at St. John s. We started the year with our Congregational retreat in January. With the guidance of Pastor Bob and the Joshua Group, we changed the Leadership Retreat to a Congregational Retreat that was open to all members of the congregation. With over 60 members in attendance, it was our largest retreat ever. We started work on a mission statement for St. John s by asking everyone what was most important to them. Pastor Mike introduced us to a book by Pastor Mike Foss titled Power Surge which described Six Marks of Discipleship that are needed in a changing church. These marks are to pray daily, worship weekly, read the bible, serve others, be in a relationship to encourage spiritual growth in others and give your time, talents and resources. We felt a renewed sense of energy in the congregation as we formed a Joshua Team to help move our church from a membership to a discipleship church in We also completed our mission statement, which is to Grow in Faith, Share God s Love and Serve Others. We had some staffing challenges in Our sexton position remained open for part of the year as we searched for the right person. After a lengthy look outside of our congregation, Chad Lauro stepped forward and accepted the position. Pastor Mike Seifried announced at the Yearly Congregation Meeting that he was moving his retirement date up several years to June of We continued to see declining attendance, although we did welcome several new members during the year. Our youth program continues to thrive in the year following a large graduating class. The youth group, under Stephanie Alsvan is preparing to attend the National Gathering in Houston next year and have had all kinds of fund-raising activities to make it possible. As always, our congregation is very supportive of our youth. We welcomed 4 new members to our church council - Shannon Kincaid, Jake Trybulski, Andy McCarty and Barb Gibson. We thanked 4 members for their three years of service - Stephanie Alsvan, Louise Kadjeski, Dave Knupp and Jill Arbogast. We celebrated a major milestone at the end of 2017 we paid off the mortgage on our Education Building with a final payment in December! This started as a nearly $1 million loan when we expanded St. John s reach into the community by adding the building that houses our day care The Children s Garden at St. John s Lutheran Church. I would like to thank the staff of St. John s for their hard work and dedication every day. I would also like to recognize and thank all of the volunteers in our congregation. So many give their time, their talents and their hard work to serve the Lord through St. John s. It is because of you that we have become the St. John s family that we are. I look forward to working with you again in 2018! Blessings, Bob Finn President Robert Finn 9

10 Pastor Seifried s 2017 Annual Report This will be my last annual report at St. John s. I would be remiss if I did not thank all the people who have been such a part of the church s life and my life over the past 29 years. Some are still joyously serving and others have gone to their reward. While it would be impossible for me to thank all people by name, I would like to thank you all for 29 wonderful years. I would also like to share some thoughts with you: 1. You will be calling at least one new pastor to join the ordained team with Pastor Sarah. This person probably will be different from me and in many ways that will be good. Please give either him or her a chance to work with you and be appreciative of the various gifts a new pastor can bring to the church. 2. I have to confess that I did not do a good job in helping to staff the congregation as we grew in so many areas. Staffing is a very gray area and not easy to accomplish. We are working on the staffing needs as to both now and to the future. However, please do not expect your future pastors to be as involved in the building maintenance and repairs as I have been. 3. Much of ministry is dealing with what I call holding things in tension. For example, for the most part people only want to do the things they like to do. On the other side, there are things that we need to do even if a lot of folks don t want to do them. One such thing is evangelism. Most of us don t feel comfortable sharing our faith, but more of us have to get to that point. 4. Perhaps, one helpful thing will be the emphasis we now have on Bible reading and prayer. These marks of discipleship help us all grow in faith and will help us share God s love and serve others. Faith is the great motivator which can lift us all to doing things, like evangelism, which previously we never thought we could do. 5. St. John s has a lot of resources going for it. We still have people who are committed and faithful. We have a good giving base, and we have people who want to serve the church. Let s find more ways to encourage these important gifts we have as a congregation. 6. One way to accomplish more participation will be to celebrate who we are and how blessed we are. Let s develop an environment where people hear how wanted they are. We do this because Jesus wants everyone to be part of his kingdom. 7. Please know that I love you all dearly. However, I cannot be part of your life in the future. Not only is this a requirement for the ELCA, but I believe it will be healthy for your future. This means that in any of St. John s future, whether it means programming, weddings, funerals, hospital visits, etc, I will not be available to do them. I am sure your pastors will do a great job in their leadership and care and as I wrote, previously, my job is to step back for your new leadership. 8. Keep doing well and keep me in your prayers as I will keep you in mine. Blessings, Pastor Mike 10

11 Pastor Sarah s 2017 Annual Report Grow in Faith, Share God s Love, Serve Others. This is the new mission statement that we adopted this year at St. John s, and it has been a wonderful year as we have learned how to live out that mission in many ways. So many of our ministries have fit into that mission, and it is always exciting as we try new things that help us to grow. We grew in faith together in many ways this year. We are blessed to have so many opportunities to learn and grow. Sunday school is a wonderful ministry that we offer, and we have a strong ministry thanks to our volunteer teachers that give their time and gifts to serve so many. Our confirmation ministry is one that helps our young people to grow in their faith and claim it as their own. Our Vacation Bible School, which would be impossible without the help of over 40 volunteers, was a wonderful week of learning and growing with some of our littlest members. There are so many ways that we share God s love for each other and the world around us. We hold one another in prayer and we take the time to care for others in many ways. I am always amazed at how generous this congregation is as soon as they are asked. There is no doubt that we strive to share God s love in all that we do with the people that we know and meet. Our worship life together is a wonderful chance to grow in our faith together each time we gather. Many members serve in various ways and are vital to our worship ministry. Thank you to all of our musicians of all ages and to Tom for leading our music ministry with a heart for service. The members of St. John s serve others in countless ways. We give to many concerns, both ongoing and in the moment. We think of new ways to serve every year and continue to challenge one another to serve the community and world around us. One exciting way that we began to serve this year was the building and filling of our Little Free Panty on Main Street. Our GIFT Sunday school class implemented this simple but very important ministry to help our neighbors who have food insufficiency, and we have faithfully kept it filled to feed others. Thank you to all who contribute to the ministries at St. John s and those that we serve. The coming year of 2018 will be one of changes and perhaps challenges. We will have the chance to honor and say good-bye to Pastor Mike as he retires, and that will certainly be a time of both joy and grief. We all have wonderful memories of Pastor Mike s ministry, and it is wonderful that we have the opportunity to celebrate his ministry among us. As we look to the future of St. John s and what the staffing will look like, there will certainly be excitement and anxiety all at the same time. But through God s grace and love, we will learn a new way of being a church together and new ways to Grow in Faith, Share God s love and Serve others for many, many years to come. Perhaps we can all pray this prayer together as we face what 2018 will bring: God, we thank you for all that we have done and for all that you have helped us to do. We thank you for the ministry of Pastor Mike among us and all those who serve in this place. As we look to the future, we pray that you will continue to equip us to do ministry both here and in the world. Give us patience and hope as we Grow in faith, Share God s love and Serve others in your name. Amen. 11

12 Thomas A. Notes ne, Minister of Music Report of the Minister of Music Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. Colossians 3:16 (NIV) Ministry is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning to serve. The music ministry of St. John s is here to serve the congregation by encouraging spiritual growth through the presentation of our musical arts. We are able to do that by first having a personal relationship with God and a desire to be part of the music ministry of this congregation. We then increase our effectiveness by enhancing our musical skills through preparation and ministering to each other through encouragement, caring and forgiveness. Take a moment and consider joining one of the many musical ministry opportunities of St. John s we offer something for everyone! Thank you to the members of the Adult and Bell Choirs. They are a wonderful group of highly talented individuals and we are fortunate to have this caliber of musicians participating in our worship services. Their dedication to providing quality music for worship is simply amazing. We continue to seek additional members for both the adult and bell choirs for either short or long-term commitments. Please consider joining either. At various times though-out the year I have the chance of working with the children s and youth choirs and it has been a great deal of fun! Thank you to the dedicated leaders of these groups! Finally, thank you to the dedicated staff of St. John s. Whether it is preparation for weekly worship with Pastor Seifried and Pastor Keilholtz, working with Stephanie Alsvan and participating in the services for Youth Sunday, the opportunity to work with Will Rogers and the dedicated members of Faith Reigns, or providing the weekly bulletin details to Beth Bard, together we strive to share the word of God through word, sacrament, and song. Soli Deo Gloria! Tom Notestine Minister of Music 12

13 Stephanie Alsvan, Youth Director The Connect Youth Group at St. John s enjoyed a very active year in During the winter months of 2017 the group enjoyed a retreat at Nawakwa, lock-in, and several service projects. We were busy planning for our summer mission trip to New Orleans, as well. We had 12 youth travel by bus to New Orleans for a week of service with LutheranHandS. While there we worked with 3 different non-profits in the area, mostly focusing on rebuilding homes for those affected by Katrina 12 years ago. The youth had an amazing time, and we thank the congregation for their help, prayers, and support as we prepared for the trip. During the fall of 2017, the group continued to enjoy time together on retreat at Nawakwa and other times in the lounge. We continued to participate in service projects in our community. And, we are now preparing for the National Gathering in 2018 in Houston, Tx. We have 8 youth and 3 adults attending the gathering. At the end of the 2017 school year, we had many older youth who graduated from high school. The group is now experiencing a change in dynamics, as the youth who now participate are younger and less experienced in the fun times at gatherings. Slowly, in the fall of 2017, the group grew with these younger participants, and I m confident that 2018 will continue to be a time of change and growth as the younger youth feel more comfortable attending events. Respectfully Submitted, Stephanie Alsvan 13

14 The Children s Garden Day Care Director Report Inspections/Designations State Inspection took place on February 13, New DHS inspector-lauren Hummel STARS Designation took Place in September 2017 Out Reach/Charities Kindergarten class collected Barbara Foxx (Pre-K 1 teacher) and Sandra Kroft met to discuss the plans for the little food pantry. Barb Foxx shared with the staff at the May staff meeting the goals. Barb Foxx and the Pre-K 1 class collected over 190 food items for the pantry. She tied the collection with teaching children about service. We were excited for this opportunity! Kindergarten class implemented a bake sale and earned to go toward Autism Awareness. During the week of VBS, families collected school items and canned soup to help families in need. Partnered with St. John s to collect toys and items for New Hope Ministries for Christmas Blessings. TCG collected food items for the Little Food Pantry during the month of November. Pennies for Patients collected Christmas Spirit Week- Families collected items such as small toys, hats, mittens, books. We collected two truck loads. We also contributed 75 cans of soup for the Soup Challenge. Church Services Ash Wednesday service was held at St. John s Lutheran Church. The Children s Garden s families were invited to attend. Pastor Sarah conducted the service. Pre-Kindergarten Recognition Kindergarten Graduation Live Nativity- December 19 th. Pastor Seifried and Pastor Sarah participated in the Story. Fundraisers Little Caesar s fundraiser February Profit Mariann s Sub sale fundraiser March Profit Color Run April , Art show profit Kidstuff Books Claire s Gourmet November Buttered Braids November Script Service- TBD Special Events Crissy Switzer and myself attended the Council Retreat. Our reason was to support St. John s helping with bridging the gap with the center and assist St. John s with their mission statement. Director attended Team Leader Coordinator Meeting to become informed about the church structure and to support when needed. Mechanicsburg Middle School Students The Children s Garden in recognition on MLK day. They helped in various classrooms by cleaning and supporting the staff needs. TCG staff celebrated the Christmas holiday by attending a holiday party. Jules Boardman was named teacher of the year VIP parent group held a Valentine s Dance for the families. There was dancing, food, and special goodies. Kindergarten class celebrated the 100 th day of school by implementing a parent engagement celebration. Ice Cream Social took place on February 12 was hosted by St. John s Lutheran Church. Invitations were passed out in the ECE facility to encourage parents to attend. Color Run took place on April 8, This event included an Easter Egg hunt, visit from the Easter Bunny, color run, and concession stand. Guest Reader visited the center during the Week of the Young Child-April 2017 Parent Appreciation took place in April. Kindergarten celebration took place on May 19, The children celebrated their accomplishments by having a party with their families. Pastor Sarah joined the party. Kindergarten Graduation took place on May 25, Pastor Sarah officiated the service. Children sang songs that they learned during chapel. St. John s provided each graduate with a bible. Refreshments were served over in the educational building. They were provided by the church. Several church members supported this fellowship by welcoming families and congratulating children with their accomplishments. Pre-Kindergarten Recognition night took place on May 30, Pastor Seifried welcomed parents and offered a prayer during the service. 14

15 Leadership team from TCG attended a Church retreat. Reverend Driver-Bishop led a discussion on strengths. This discussion focused on each other strengths and how it could be contributed in building a relationship. VBS took place the week of July School supplies and canned soup collection took place. Art show- Celebration of 25-year anniversary-august 5, 2017 Meet and Greets were implemented to provide parents an opportunity to see the office staff upon drop off or pick up. Classroom displays are set up to promote different programs within our program. Vision Screening-October 5 Hearing Screening-October 13 Fall Festival Parade- October 27 th Santa Brunch- December 22nd Meetings Staff Meetings were conducted monthly throughout the year. Parent Board Meeting took place on January 17, April 17, June 27, September 18 Leadership team (Department Leaders, Crissy Switzer (Assistant Director), Tracy Baxter (Director) met with Pastor Seifreid. Items discussed were how to provide any building support to the church and center can work together on building improvement. Patricia Goodhart and Tracy Baxter attended a meeting at the Kindergarten Academy to support with the transition into Kindergarten and the Mechanicsburg School District. Staff Meeting that took place in May The focus was preparing for the summer program. Barb Foxx spoke to the staff about VBS and Christian Education. Budget pre-meeting took place in June TCG administration and Pastor Seifried discussed various options for health insurance for the staff. Barb Foxx was the representation from The Children s Garden to attend VBS meeting to prepare for the event. I met with Pastor Seifried, Pastor Sarah, and Beth to discuss TCG calendar events for the upcoming year. We included church events to advertise to the parents. Pastor Seifried, Pastor Sarah and TCG administrative staff walked through the building before Sunday School began. Both Pastors offered suggestions about Sunday school set up. Workmen Compensation Audit meeting was held in September Staff Trainings/Teacher Evaluations Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers and the Administration attended a Transition to Kindergarten conference. This took place in February Staff training- Training that focused on Powerful Interactions. Teacher Evaluations took place during the week of April Teacher/Director conferences took place in May Water Safety took place at the April Staff Meeting. School Age summer staff training took place in May. Staff in service day- October 10, 2017 Early Childhood Summit in PSU- Director and Assistant Director attended Dual Language Training-Oct 30 th Annual Fire Safety training- November 15, Respectfully Submitted, Tracy Baxter 15

16 Greeting Card 2017 Annual Report Month Get Well Thinking of You Birthday Sympathy Baby Monthly Total January February March April May June July August September October November December Total: Cards Purchased Special Cards Purchased by Gail Weber March 10 Dayspring $52.93 Easter 32 September 11 Dayspg Christmas 39 Total Church Cost $ Stamps March 6 $49.00 Total Cards Sent: 218 September Total Cost for 2017: $ Total: $98.00 Respectfully submitted, Gail Weber We offer our thanks and appreciation to Gail Weber for the continuing work she does for this ministry. Thank you, Gail! 16

17 THRIVENT 2017 ACTIVITY THRIVENT FINANCIAL Choice Dollars program As of December 31, 2017, of the 46 eligible members, 41 have directed $3, dollars to St. John s current fund. If you are a Thrivent member and don t know if you are one of the other 6 members eligible for distribution of Thrivent Choice Dollars, PLEASE contact Gary Gardner ( or gtg181@verizon.net). Your participation could provide additional dollars directed to St. John s. Thank you to those who have directed Choice Dollars to St. John s. 17

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20 Kitchen Team 2017 Annual Report The team assisted with Funeral Luncheons for families Several lunches were provided to families Members were contacted to provide desserts for the Funeral Luncheons The team has restructured as to where Crissy Switzer will reach out to team members for desserts and order food and reach out for helpers. Laural Molin will take care of set up and tearing down for the luncheons. The team is running smoothly and communication through seems to be working out well. The team is humbled to provide this as an outreach to our church family at Saint John s Lutheran Church. New members were added to assist this past year. We are always looking for members to assist in anyway. Opportunities available set up, food pick up, tear down, assist and serve at luncheons. If you are interested contact Crissy at Switzer68@comcast.net Respectfully Submitted, Crissy Switzer Kitchen Team Chair Mission Team Annual Report Organiza on Amt Month Katumba Parish $300 Apr Manow Seminary/Konde Pastor Sponsorship NA Apr Youth with a mission Member contribu on unknown Jul Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry $385 Jul Christ Lutheran Church $535 Sep Youth Education Services/Vietnam ministry $300 Nov ELCA Global Mission Annual Sponsorship (Stephen Deal) $1,500 Sep Total $3,020 Respectfully submitted by Pam Wenner 20

21 Outreach and Nurture Team Annual Report 2017 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in Him rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving. ~Colossians 2:6-7 We received new members on January 29. Our first meeting for 2017 was February 6 at Elaine Bretzel s home. Pastor Bob Driver-Bishop was our guest. Some of the goals we had at that meeting were: Make Outreach and Nurture Team better known Pray for people in the congregation Some goals we were already doing: Contacts New member classes and coffee hours when they join the church First time friends bread bakers and delivery people Young adult writing team Another goal was putting signs around for visitors, and we have done some of that. Pastor Bob Driver-Bishop gave these comments: Plan special events to make it easy to invite others Create t-shirts to wear at events Outreach and Nurture sponsor healing services as an outreach We are a church with a heart who can attract large numbers Invite Michael Foss to do a workshop We did do some events: Talent Auction for the 2nd year Soup suppers and potluck dinners The big event was a workshop with Michael Foss on September 29th and 30th We have a new mission statement: Grow in faith Share God s love Serve others. On April 23rd we received six new members. There was a coffee hour. At our May 8th meeting, Lorraine Kobold started working with us on our new welcome pamphlets and we are still working on them. On December 3rd we welcomed 9 new members to St. John s. We had a coffee hour in the parlor. We had our Christmas meeting at Tracy Hoy s home and it was a good time for all. We are hoping and praying for new people to join our team in the new year. Thank you to all on this team and may God bless us in the year ahead. Respectfully submitted, Janet Coleman 21

22 Social Ministry Annual Report 2017 The purpose of the Social Ministry Team shall be to extend Christian compassion and helpfulness to the ill, the aged, the orphaned, the under privileged, the imprisoned and in general, to persons of all ages in need of aid in body and soul. It shall strive to enlist in these efforts as many as possible of the individual members and organizations of the congregation. This committee shall further have the duty to study social conditions, primarily in the local community, in order to bring the cleansing and healing light of Christian discussion of facts and issues was a year filled with many great outreach programs coordinated by the Social Ministry team. There are many people who feel service is the one way in which we can give back to our community and to help live and share in God s Word. In January, we sent a team of volunteers to Mission Central in Mechanicsburg. While there, we worked on organizing and sorting products and packaging school supply kits that are sent to areas in need. In February, we collected items for Helping Hands ministry. Hot cocoa, sugar packets, and powdered creamer were in high demand. We organized a Blood Drive in March, which yielded 19 pints of blood (two more pints than last March) from 27 donors. Also in March, we collected the following items for Family Promise of the Harrisburg Capital Region: 26 packs of crayons, 53 coloring books, 52 toys/stickers/puzzles, 18 books, and 41 stuffed animals. In April, the Social Ministry Team sent participants as well as monetary donations to New Hope Ministries 5k walk. We also helped with the registration process. Approximately $5600 was raised on site (not including online donations). We also raised awareness for Doctors Without Borders. We collected over $200 for this organization. We encouraged the congregation to write letters to soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center during the month of May. During the month of June, we raised $70 for Random Acts of Flowers. The organization delivers recycled flowers, encouragement, and personal moments of kindness to those in need. Once again in July, we collected backpacks and school supplies which were donated to New Hope Ministries. The Social Ministry team collected the supplies from congregation members, families attending Vacation Bible School, and families from the Children s Garden. Over 50 pounds of supplies were donated! On August 26, a team of volunteers went to the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey to make breakfast for the families who have children undergoing treatment at the hospital. The congregation delicious treats! donated enough supplies for us to provide: muffins, coffee cake, fruit salad, bagels, and some other In September, the Social Ministry team collected approximately 500 bars of soap for the Lutheran World Relief In-Gathering Project. After the multiple hurricanes and other natural disasters from this year, the donation will be much appreciated. On October 1, twentytwo volunteers attempted to donate blood at our fall blood drive. In addition to the blood drive, we organized a collection of puzzles and personal care items for the Promise Place in Steelton. Unfortunately, the organization disbanded in the middle of our collection so the items were donated to Safe Harbor instead. During the month of November was our everpopular New Hope Christmas gift donation/giving tree collection. This year we teamed up with the day care families. The Christmas Blessings project was a great success! A total of over 225 pounds of gifts were given to New Hope Ministries. The organization was thankful for the donations. We ended 2016 with sending a group of volunteers to the Central PA Food Bank as well as organizing volunteers to go to New Hope Ministries to help sort and organize the Christmas Blessing donations. It was great to see all of the donations and generosity of so many people. Throughout the year, St. John s collects food and personal care items for New Hope Ministries in Mechanicsburg as well as the Ecumenical Food Bank in Harrisburg. Over 1,100 pounds was delivered! In addition to food, St. John s helps out by donating egg crates to the Ecumenical pantry. Approximately 360 crates were delivered in While not directly under the umbrella of Social Ministry but certainly worth noting is the amount of canned food collected during the SOUP-er Bowl. 22

23 In 2017 over 1,000 lbs. of canned goods were collected! As always, we have such wonderful members of St. John s that help to contribute to the success of all these projects and we are so very grateful. Looking at the numerous events and drives that were organized over the past year, it is an awesome feeling to see that, through God s grace, our congregation has touched the lives of thousands of people in need. Respectfully submitted, Karen Trybulski Worship and Music Team Annual Report 2017 St. John s continues to offer many different opportunities to worship, and our services continue to be well attended. In 2017, the congregation adopted a new mission statement, and this has been woven into the worship aspects every week. The 6pm Saturday contemporary service continues to be led by Faith Reigns, and we thank Will Rogers for his leadership with this group. The 8am and 10:45am Sunday services are more traditional, and include the traditional worship aspects and hymns. We have a strong adult choir who participate weekly in services, offering an anthem at 10:45am services, and during special holidays and events. We also have a bell choir who offer a piece about once per month and during special holidays. We have gotten several new members over this past year, and we appreciate everyone s participation. The children of the congregation enjoy singing with the Sonshine Choir (toddler-2nd grade) and the Proclaimers Choir (3rd-6th grade). They have worked together on a few songs, but usually sing as seperate groups. These groups sing once every 4-6 weeks. St. John s also offers special services during holidays and special times. We offer Wednesday night Lenten services, Holy Week services, and 4 opportunities to worship on Christmas Eve. Our summer 9:15am outdoor services continues to be well attended from June-September. The holy spirit continues to work in our congregation, and we pray that God will continue to bless and guide us as we offer the Word to the world. Respectfully, Stephanie Alsvan Chair, Worship and Music team 23

24 Stewardship Team Annual Report 2017 The Stewardship Team had 102 persons return their Time and Talent Forms and their Pledge Cards. We thank everyone who made a commitment to support the ministry of St. Johns. Here are the pledging results: 2018 Budget Pledged Current $489,200 $178,350 Benevolence $38,000 $20,796 Building $75,000 $38,344 World Hunger $13,490 Total: $602,200 $250,980 24

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26 St. John s Financial Manager s Report INCOME INCOME Budget Actual Current Envelope Christmas Envelope Lenten Envelope Lenten Folders Plate Offering Church Plate Offering SCS Initial Envelope Interest Sponsorship Trust and Endowment Facility Use and Day Care Rent/Utilities Cleaning Fees SCS Envelope Vacation Church School Refunds World Hunger Flowers Food Pantry Camperships Miscellaneous Parsonage Rental Income Misc Mission Contribution 361, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Total Current Envelope 615, , Organ Fund Total Benevolence Envelope 38, , Total Building Envelope 87, , Total Memorial Envelope 6, TOTAL INCOME 741, ,

27 St. John s Financial Manager s Report EXPENSES 2016 EXPENSES 2017 Budget 2017 Actual Benevolence Apportionment 38, , Salary 338, , Payroll Taxes Withholding ( ) Worship Supplies 8, , Music Supplies 3, , Ministry Teams 4, , Sunday School 8, , General Administration 40, , Church Maintenance 20, , Education Building Maintenance 83, , Parsonage Maintenance 5, , Custodial Supplies/Service Contracts 27, , Computer Hardware/Software 1, , Insurance/Inner Mission 39, , Organ Repairs 0.00 Miscellaneous/Other Disbursements 3, , Miscellaneous Mission Payments 10, Memorial 4, World Hunger 16, Trustee Construction Loan 4, Building Loan 137, , TOTAL EXPENSES 741, ,

28 ST. JOHNS TRUSTEE S ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT INVESTMENTS ST. JOHN'S TRUSTEES ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT MARKET VALUE Trustees Account - Endowment $ 795, Trustees Account - Cemetery Permanent Care 636, St. John's/Jacob Miller 490, Weber/Albright/Eichelberger 256, John/Virginia Kurtz 243, Stallknecht Family 232, Poplar Church Cemetery Fund 129, Clifford Weber 17, Savings, Checking - First National Bank 9, TOTAL INVESTMENTS $ 2,811, (A) (B) LOANS AND RECEIVABLES Church Building Construction Loan Balance $ 109, (C,D) TOTAL LOANS AND RECEIVABLES $ 109, TOTAL ASSETS $ 2,921, (A) Includes Ministerial Student Fund ($ 24.33) (B) Trustees also receive one half of the income earned from Joseph Bitner Trust (market value = $549, as of 12/31/17), managed by Wilmington Trust (C) Loan reduced by principal payments of $4, received from St. John's General Account (D) Interest rate of 3%; interest of $3, was received from the St. John's General Account and applied to the loan balance at 12/31/17. INCOME AND EXPENSES Interest and dividends $ 112, Realized and unrealized gains and losses 211, Treasurer stipend (1,500.00) Other income/(expense) - net (2,874.39) NET INCOME OVER EXPENSE $ 318, DISTRIBUTIONS Distribution to St. John's Cemetery 25, Distribution to St. John's General Account 114, Distribution to St. John's Building Fund 1, Distribution to St. John's Lutheran Youth Organization 1, DISTRIBUTIONS $ 141, NET INCREASE IN ASSETS $ 177,

29 Children s Garden Day Care ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT

30 Children s Garden Day Care ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT

31 Children s Garden Day Care ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT

32 ST. JOHNS CEMETERY ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT ST. JOHN'S CEMETERY ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT 2017 Beg Bal Income Expenses End Bal YEAR TO DATE $ 47, $ 66, $64, $ 49, INCOME Grave Openings [28] $16, Lot Sales [14] $9, Interest-Ck &Sav $3.38 Rock/W/E charges $ 6, Miscellaneous $ 7, Trustee/Funds Trfs $25, TOTAL INCOME $66, EXPENSES Salaries $23, Withheld salary taxes $ 7, Gas & Oil $ 1, Parts/Supplies $ 1, Auto- Ins & Registra on $ Ins - Liab + W/C $ 1, Trash $ Water $ Phone $ Electricity $ FICA - Cemetery $ 2, Miscellaneous $18, Rock & W/E charges $ 6, TOTAL EXPENSES $64,

33 ST. JOHNS LYO ANNUAL TREASURER'S REPORT CHECKING ACCOUNT # Beginning balance 1/1/2017 $3, Income 30, Expense Ending balance 12/31/2017 $10,

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