Parkville Presbyterian Church A community of believers following Jesus Christ by Sharing God s Word, serving and welcoming all.

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1 Parkville Presbyterian Church A community of believers following Jesus Christ by Sharing God s Word, serving and welcoming all. For a full color version of Aspirations 2018 please visit our website: parkvillepresby.org

2 Fall, 2017 Dear Members and Friends of Parkville Presbyterian Church, About this time every year we join in a period of contemplation about what the next year might bring to us. We do incredible ministries at Parkville Presbyterian Church, but there is always room for more. As we celebrate the blessings of now, we can aspire to the blessings of tomorrow. That is what this small booklet hopes to share. On these pages, members of the Session and our ministry teams share the stories of 2017 and imagine the possibilities of At PPC, our ministries come to life because of the devotion you offer them, but as we dream about the future, we are sometimes limited by the financial resources available to us. That is addressed by what we traditionally call our fall stewardship campaign. We hope that in 2017 this time can be about more than our financial commitment to our work at Parkville Pres, but that we can also take the time to celebrate the blessings we receive and the blessings we can be to others. Through this booklet we hope to share with you the impact your financial contribution has made and can make in the work of our church. Sterile line items in a budget are needed for the nuts Hundreds of people are touched by PPC every year. and bolts management of our resources, but this narrative budget will show you how those line items come to life. Read the stories of the impact our church has had in the lives of people, consider the real resources being devoted to these efforts, and let your heart consider how you can be part of the financial support of these ministries, these continued blessings. The gifts from each of us, whatever the size, count. You can be the difference in The pledge card you receive is an important part of our planning for Anticipating what financial resources will be available makes planning our 2018 ministry efforts much more effective; we hope you will share in that planning by returning a pledge card through the offering plate or to the church office by Dedication Sunday, November 12 th. Hiring a part-time youth director would require an additional $2,200 each month. Where might these resources be found? Parkville Presbyterian Church is a blessing to us, to our community, and even to our world. We trust you ll find the following pages remind you of the blessings that abound because our congregation is an active part of God s kingdom. Bill Geary Elder, Extravagant Generosity

3 To fully understand the impact of our ministries we sometimes forget the biggest investments we make at PPC: our staff and our building. As we assess our needs for 2018 it s important to see how these are utilized for our ministries. When you read of the costs of ministries you ll also see our best projection of what staff and building use add to those activities. Our staff estimates this division of time for 2017: Activity Rev. Andrews, Pastor Paul Erikson, Organist & Director of Music and Arts Ministries Peggy Pape, Office Manager Hospitality 5% 10% 15% Outreach 10% 10% 10% Worship 25% 45% 20% Mission 10% 20% Caring 20% 5% 20% Faith Development/Youth 30% 30% 15% Should resources allow and a part-time youth director is hired, Pastor Steve s time will be shifted since he would no longer be primarily responsible for youth groups. We expect Paul Erikson and Peggy Page to continue with their current division of responsibilities. Pastor Steve would find his work divided this way in 2018: Activity Rev. Andrews, Pastor Hospitality 7% Outreach 20% Worship 25% Mission 10% Caring 23% Faith Development / Youth 15% The amounts you ll see in the following pages reflect the total amount we spend for each staff member, not just their salaries, but also their benefits. The Session s HR Committee has recommended a 5% As part of its dream big approach, the Session identified a part-time youth director and health insurance for our staff as important elements of the operation of PPC in increase in salary, considering the only increase given our staff in 2017 was a $500 per year adjustment. The amounts projected here also include a proposal by the Session for health insurance for all our staff. We currently provide health insurance and pension for Pastor Steve. We offer $300 per month for a health insurance subsidy for Paul Erikson and Peggy Pape. The session hopes to add those funds to the cost of a health plan (probably through the Presbyterian Church (USA)), and include a monthly employee contribution towards their health insurance. This investment in our staff will cost about an additional $6,000 each, or $12,000 annually.

4 PPC believes in missions. Community dinners, support for back-to-school supplies, and welcome bags for international students at Park University are just the beginning. We host families in need of shelter through Family Promise. We help build and repair homes through the Fuller Center for Housing. We sponsor an apartment for Hillcrest Transitional Housing, and it has become a place where lives are transformed. In 2018, $22,000 will directly support risktaking missions. Our staff will devote another $18,900 of their time to missions. But there is so much more. The SPEAC food pantry is housed in our building at no cost to it, saving SPEAC thousands of dollars annually. Our members also support the food pantry through their donations and many hours of volunteer service. Clothing is made for children in the poorest African regions through Little Dresses for Africa. We take care of highway cleanup right here in our neighborhood. In addition to our special mission collections during the year, with your help about $22,000 can support these ministries in 2018: General Missions Heartland Presbyterian Center Per Capita to the Presbytery Hillcrest Transitional Housing Fuller Center for Housing Family Promise Back to School Fair Community Dinners Park University Welcome Bags Seed money for a mission trip (new) SPEAC food pantry In addition, PPC provides tens of thousands of dollars worth of space in our building for community groups like the Right Side of the Tracks Narcotics Anonymous group; the Park University International Center for Music; Music Together, a preschool music program; the Northland Organization for Reaching and Teaching Homeschoolers; Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Girl Scouts; and, of course, the Southern Platte Emergency Assistance Center food pantry. We have investigated commercial rental rates for property About $240,000 worth of in downtown Parkville and at Parkville Commons, and building space is donated to applied our findings to the space PPC provides free of charge to these community organizations. Given the time the community each year. each group spends in our midst, and the value of the space they use, we estimate that PPC donates $240,000 worth of building space each year. Hear these stories of how PPC s missions impact our community through the SPEAC food pantry and the Hillcrest Transitional Housing ministry:

5 Southern Platte Emergency Assistance Center Hillcrest Transitional Housing During the past 12 months, the SPEAC (Southern Platte Emergency Assistance Center) pantry partnered with Northland Miracles to allow evening access to the pantry on four occasions. The school social worker for Pathfinder Elementary identified parents who are considered working poor and cannot visit the pantry during the regular daytime hours. During 2018 the SPEAC board hopes to expand evening hours to provide service and support to similar families in the Park Hill School District. One of the most rewarding aspects of this evening hour expansion is the heart-felt appreciation expressed by these parents. One told the school social worker that the morning after her first visit to the food pantry she cried because it was the first day in a long time that she did not have to worry about what she was going to feed her children for breakfast. Another parent said that she often has to choose between food and $ Rx medication for her 2 diabetic children. This is an ongoing struggle for her, but she wants to continue working in order to set an example for her children rather than quitting work and seeking public assistance. The generosity of the PPC congregation in providing space and utilities as well as groceries for the SPEAC food pantry makes it possible for parents like these to feed their children. Blessings provided by SPEAC continue to be a beacon of hope for those families without enough food. Parkville Presbyterian is heaven sent! Hillcrest graduate D.S. Hillcrest Ministries is a transitional housing ministry with a mission to be a hand up; not a hand out. Their program is effective at helping families move from homelessness to selfsufficiency in just 90 days. 95% of Hillcrest graduates become self-supporting and selfreliant. For 30 years Hillcrest has helped Northland families get back on their feet. For many of those years Parkville Presbyterian Church has sponsored apartment 5611 #4. Guests in the Hillcrest program stay rent-free for at least 90 days and frequently reduce their debt by $1,000s and save $1,000s. Earlier this year D.S. was a guest in PPC s Hillcrest apartment. D. had been injured at work, lost his job, and was sleeping at the airport. Since graduation D. has purchased a car and has an apartment. During a ride from 5611 #4 to work, D. said to me, Parkville Presbyterian is heaven sent! Thank you, PPC! All congregants support Hillcrest through PPC s annual Hillcrest Local Missions budget that is $1,500 for In addition, more than thirtyfive PPCers have purchased and/or donated furniture, accessories, bedding, towels, supplies, labor, meals, and etc. for our Hillcrest apartment guests. The donations that support this ministry continue to do good works. Recently L.K. moved into 5611 # 4. Please keep L. in your prayers. Linda Tillinghast Risk-Taking Mission Team Herb Tillinghast Risk-Taking Mission Team

6 Keep loving each other like family. Don't neglect to open up your homes to guests, because by doing this some have been hosts to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:1-2 At PPC we seek to show our hospitality to the world, but also to each other. Hear Kathy Plack s story of hospitality at PPC making a difference for her: A few years ago, my life turned upside down. I found myself facing many unexpected struggles. When I couldn t understand why these things had happened to me it became easy to blame God. I stopped going to church. I isolated myself from the people around me who couldn t understand, because it was so unlike me. They started encouraging me to go back to GOD who would always be there for me. During this time, there was a quote someone shared with me: If God brought you to it then he will bring you through it. I passed Parkville Presbyterian church every day on my way to and from work. One day I noticed it and how it looked so much like the church building I grew up in, and I remembered what it was like going there. Then, one Sunday, I passed by as a service was letting out. I noticed the smiles and a couple of people hugging and I couldn t stop thinking: why am I missing this? The very next Sunday I walked through the doors. I didn't know anyone and to be honest, I didn t even know what Presbyterian meant as I had been raised Catholic. I was so surprised how many people welcomed me. I don't think I realized how much I missed all the smiles. I was so surprised how many people welcomed me. I don't think I realized how much I missed all the smiles. Kathy Plack When I met with Pastor Steve after a few weeks I asked him what I could do to help, and how to get to meet people. He told me that the Mission Ministry group would be a good fit and I said sure. I can tell you it has a made big difference; I have met some really great people and I am still meeting new friends. I love the community dinners and all the other projects we do. Every once in a while, I still feel a little lost but I can t ever say I don't learn something new every Sunday. I feel blessed to have met this community

7 and Pastor Steve, who is patient when I sometimes get nervous and talk too fast. He hangs in there until I get all my thoughts together. And there are Sundays I find something weighing on my mind, when I find myself facing a new struggle or remembering an old one. I walk into church and sure enough, there is something in the sermon that is made relevant, like its talking directly to my thoughts. I believe very much God brought me here. Kathy found God dwelling among the smiles at PPC. Each of us can offer this gift. With just a few thousand dollars each year we can cause a spark in our congregational life and in our fellowship. The Parkville Fourth of July Parade experiences the hospitality of PPC every year rain or shine and this year over 25 minister-volunteers braved the rain to bring water and other treats to parade walkers. We also provide hospitality during elections, bringing warmth and love to a day that sometimes feels cold and divisive. This year, we reached out to our community through the Parkville Days parade, Easter Egg hunt, Final Friday concerts, and community dinners. And we came together as a family through Wednesday at Weatherby, Lemonade on the Lawn, Worship in the Park, Easter brunch, an interchurch softball league, and more. Direct expenditures and staff time of about $22,000, plus untold hours of volunteer service, makes PPC a welcoming place for everyone.

8 Our sanctuary here at Parkville Presbyterian is a very special place. In my mind it is not simply that room of the church where we gather on Sunday morning for worship. It is decidedly different than any other space I am in on every other day Each time I enter our sanctuary, I know we will pray, sing, give testimony, recite readings as a congregation, receive the word interpreted, offer our gifts to God, and lift up our praise. And so when I have made the transformation to be fully in worship I am no longer just another sheep in the flock, but one who is able to go from worship and from this place to be present in the world and to share my joy at being Christian with those I encounter There is effort in worship. It isn t, nor should it be, too easy. For me, it simply cannot be a passive act. And so as I rise to go out, I am already looking forward to returning. Randy Smith, Ruling Elder Passionate worship at Parkville Presbyterian Church is designed to be an experience. We are rooted in the Reformed theological tradition that shapes Presbyterian life, so the Word of God is at the center of our worship, the preaching you hear reflects the great themes of our tradition (whether you can name them by heart or not), and everything in worship flows out of that central proclamation. Music sometimes somber and reflective, sometimes grand and celebratory is lovingly crafted to enhance the message. Each Sunday, our choir and other musicians offer themselves to bring worship to life. Our high school (and this year, one middle school) choral interns and other youth of the church play instruments, or offer their voices as singers or worship assistants. This year, we have made a particular effort to make room for worshipers to share their testimonies. This included our youth group on Youth Sunday in May, who told us how they had grown over the previous year; the powerful women who came forward during Stories of Strong Women in June and July, who shared powerful stories from the depths of their hearts; and the brave souls who participated in our Lenten series, I Once Was Lost, bringing

9 themselves to Biblical characters who had encountered Jesus and bringing their transformations to life. As would be expected, Passionate Worship is the biggest area of staff concentration, representing almost $60,000 in staff time annually. Another $2,500 is spent for instrument maintenance, copyright fees, and other direct expenses. This year, we ve also heard more preaching from members, as Bill Geary and Tim Abrahamson stepped forward on Sundays when the pastor was away. When it comes to planning worship, Pastor Steve s watchwords are tradition, participation, and including everything because the Bible covers every aspect of our lives, and there s room for every part of us in the sanctuary, as well. Toward those ends, in the past year, we ve reembraced our tradition on communion, heeding the words of John Calvin, who said communion ought to be celebrated at least weekly. We ve also brought the Gloria Patri back to the service. Both of these are traditional, spirited ways of celebrating God s grace in our midst. And grace, when you get down to it, is the central affirmation of our Reformed tradition. God s free gift of grace and a life of gratitude lived in response to it. God s free gift of grace and the spiritual growth to which we commit ourselves, as we live lives shaped by God s love. We strive to include all this in worship each Sunday. It doesn t always make for a service that is exactly one hour long. But it is always, we hope, an experience.

10 The Session asked itself: How can we not dream big? What we know as intentional faith development is the combination of Sunday School, youth groups, church camp, women s circles, small groups, devotional material throughout the year, and other similar activities. Our current budget held only about $1,700 for these things. With special directed contributions through the year that number inched up to about $4,200. Listen to Pastor Steve express the Session s hopes: How can we not dream big? The Session This fall, we ve started another proto youth group or as I call them, a Rising Youth Group of 3rd to 5th graders. Our first one began because that was the age range in which the church had kids, but this one is here because the younger kids have been asking for it, wondering when it was going to be their turn to experience youth group. I love the Middle Schoolers, and I love the Rising Youth, but in 2018, I hope we can bring on another staff member to lead both groups. I hope we can hire a half-time Director of Ministry with Children and Youth, who will support our Sunday School programs, lead our youth offerings, organize special events, and arrange for kids to contribute even more to worship. I don t envision this person as someone who would do children s or youth ministry, but as someone who would make it easier for us to do that ministry, as they facilitate the work of the church. The Session estimates the money needed to pay salary and other expenses of a part-time children and youth director is $26,000. How can we not dream big? was the question the Session asked. The Session believes someone is waiting to hear our need and join our staff. We re asking you to dream big as well. The Session believes someone is waiting to hear our need and join our staff. New contributions of $26,000 can secure a part-time children and youth director.

11 In 2004 the members of Parkville Presbyterian Church made a decision a very big decision to stay in downtown Parkville. But this meant improving our existing building. For those of you who participated in that decision you must marvel at the changes 13 years have brought. But these changes have come with a financial cost for those of us who are still here or who came after this building was completed. Over $3,000,000 was owed because of our faith in God s call of this church to this particular location. Last year a capital campaign was conducted enabling us to take advantage of loan forgiveness from our lender, further reducing our debt. Every dollar of that three-year campaign is promised to pay down the principle owed on our loan; that promise has been kept. Our regular budget includes our usual loan payments of about $164,000 annually. But because of the decisions made by people to make extra sacrificial offerings to the capital campaign $115,334 in the first nine months of 2017 we have saved over $200,000 in interest over the life of the loan, and reduced the loan by 32 months so far! A building is a community asset and our presence helps stabilize the life of Parkville and southern Platte County. Just drop by on election day as American democracy plays out in Whipple Hall. Visit the merchants who support our Final Fridays series and hear and see the recognition, and appreciation, of PPC. A host of groups use our building because that was why it was built! It is an expensive building, but it is a center of our small Parkville community. With our regular budget we are engaging in radical hospitality, risk-taking missions, passionate worship, and intentional faith development all designed to someday explode into our community. Without our building that future would not be possible. Over $240,000 worth of building space is provided by PPC to the community without cost each year. We know it is a struggle now, but consider this: every dollar contributed helps with Family Promise or the Fuller Center for Housing, it also helps keep our building open and operating for service to our community. Please know that your contributions in every way support the work of Jesus Christ in our midst, whether by providing a warm room for a meeting by paying our electrical bill, or by providing food in the SPEAC food pantry. Thank you for your support of PPC in all of its many ways of doing ministry.

12 Isn t it funny Jesus had quite a lot to say about money and wealth, but as 21st century American mainline Christians we seem to prefer to still leave the talking to Jesus. But we can t. Living a life of discipleship includes living a life of stewardship. This doesn t happen overnight, but we are about the journey. About a 10% increase in the budget gives us a part-time children and youth director, health benefits for our staff, and the opportunities for new ministries. This is still less than PPC is an attractive place to worship and join into a Christian community with other believers in the life Jesus Christ makes possible. Its first attraction is probably the spirit of the people and leaders of PPC. We can admit it; we are friendly and we like people. Our staff is first rate. The other things making PPC attractive include its vibrant presence in the community and the mission work we perform. But of our 189 households making PPC their church home, only 68 households make a written financial commitment. Some of us can t; we don t know what our income will be or what can be counted on from month to month. But of our 189 households we know that 98 of them make no identifiable financial gift to PPC. We also know that 20% of our contributors give 89% of our church s regular budget. But everyone is asked to consider what it would mean to begin increasing a stewardship commitment to PPC in Dream big, the Session said. You may wish to consider where you fall on the stair steps shown on the next page, and consider how you can celebrate the blessings brought by PPC. Whatever your decision, please know you are always a part of the PPC family. Thank you. Of PPC s 189 households, 98 of them make no identifiable financial gift to PPC s general fund. Twenty percent of our contributors give 89% of our church s regular budget.

13 There are many ways to contribute to the work of PPC. Financial giving is but one, and it is not intended to be exclusive of our other ways to participate in the life of PPC. But it would be naïve to ignore the financial requirements of an operation as big and active as PPC. This information is intended to help shed some more light on our operations. Some of us are unable at this time to make financial commitments; some of us can. Your financial participation is a personal, but important, choice. Whatever decision is made, you re place within PPC s active and caring congregation is valued. Our congregation s giving is received this way: 52% of our Households give no identifiable financial gift 28% of our Households give 11% of our General Fund offering 2% (4 Households) give 30% of our General Fund offering 4% (7 Households) give 43% of our General Fund offering 7% (12 Households) give 57% of our General Fund offering 8% (14 Households) give 62% of our General Fund offering 13% (23 Households) give 76% of our General Fund offering 20% (37 Households) give 89% of our General Fund offering These stairsteps may help as you look at your 2018 level of financial stewardship. PPC is a community of believers following Jesus Christ by Sharing God s Word, serving and welcoming all can be a great year of mission and ministry. God has blessed PPC so PPC can be a blessing to others. Let us come together and celebrate those blessings.