CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Transcription

1 CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2011 ANNUAL REPORT LEE JACKSON MEMORIAL HIGHWAY FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA

2 Christ Presbyterian Church 2011 Pastor: Administrative Assistant: Director of Music/Accompanist: Preschool Director: Geoffrey McLean Karen Cheslock Barbara Stefan Donna Teepe Session Clerk of Session Denise Beach Elizabeth Nelson Stan Poston Charles Thies Darlene Frantz Marilyn Dorn Max Onga Nana Chris Simi Jim Baer Board of Deacons Mary Ellen Absetz Deb MacLean Gisele Onga Nana Jessie McClain Chris Hagan Bonnie Short Kathy Plecity Trustees Upon our church incorporation in 2009, the position of Trustee is fulfilled by the Session Other Officers Treasurer Financial Posting Presbyterian Women Moderator Presbyterian Men Moderator Sue Ferguson Sue Ferguson/Karen Cheslock Velma Armijo Jim Baer 2

3 Our Mission Statement God calls us to be a people who: Live in the reconciling Spirit of Christ; Joyfully praise God and grow together in faith and knowledge; Care for one another in His Spirit; Nurture each other through teaching, fellowship, and prayer; Reach out into our community, witnessing for Jesus Christ, and sharing His hope, faith, and love. Our Vision Statement By God s grace, Christ Presbyterian Church is a community of faith. In an increasingly secular region, we believe that God is calling us to emphasize the following the next five years: Strengthen our worship to be more inspirational for all ages, with vital preaching, varied music, and a deeper sense of the presence of God Strengthen our ministry with children and youth, nurturing them as part of the church family and leading them to grow in faith and service Work to grow both numerically (following Jesus commission to reach to all the world) and in depth of care for one another (following Jesus commandment to love one another) Build closer friendships and deepen faith by developing much stronger adult learning opportunities, including a network of small groups Provide leadership training and clearly defined expectations of our leaders 3

4 Clerk of Session Report During 2011, the CPC Session worked to discern the will of God for CPC, while also continuing to discern a stronger form of leadership for our church, under three Elder Panel areas: Relationship with those within Christian Community Relationship with those outside Christian Community Relationship with God We have continued to participate as required by National Capital Presbytery in an Annual Records Review of our church records and continue our overall relationship with NCP. Our next Records Review by Presbytery is scheduled for April Additionally, we have completed our filing of the 2011 Annual Statistical Report to Presbytery, as well as additional reports they request. We have also filed our Annual Incorporation Forms/Reports to the State of Virginia. Membership Report Active Members as of December 31, 2010: 180 Gains: 15 Losses: Other: 1 Death: 2 Active Members as of December 31, Baptisms Infant/Child 0 Adults 0 Respectfully Submitted, Darlene Frantz Clerk of Session 4

5 Rev. Geoffrey J. McLean 2012 Annual Pastor s Report As we take time to reflect on the year 2011, in the life of Christ Presbyterian Church, I believe we are able to say with great confidence that it was a year that we truly saw the Spirit of God in the midst of our congregation. The Spirit was alive and active in our worship, fellowship, mission and leadership. Our congregation once again saw a transition in our music ministry with the relocation of Lindsay Martin-Bilbrey and the hiring of Barbara Stefan, first as our interim, than as our permanent Music Director. In 2011, we saw a powerful spiritual renewal of our Music Ministry. Personally, I have seen a great amount of blessing in the lives of those who are participating in the program. Barbara and I have been overwhelmingly pleased with the outpouring of support for the program and the diversity and enthusiasm of those offering their gifts in music. I am also thankful for the gift that Barbara offers each week through her musicianship as well as her dedication to working with me. This collaborative spirit has ensured our worship is coherent and spiritually uplifting. This year we also saw many new members enter our fellowship. Rather than mentioning them by name, I will simply say thanks be to God for leading them to our congregation and for their willingness to offer their gifts within our community. I believe that Christ Presbyterian Church is going to see significant numerical growth in the year to come and I pray that you will consider inviting friends and family to join you to see what God is doing in and through our congregation. Each year as I create the video review of our life together, I am struck by how many of the pictures are of our congregation eating. At Christ Presbyterian, the quality of our fellowship is an important Spiritual connection. Our congregation truly enjoys spending time together. This is more than idle chit chat but is an important time of connection. In a world where we are increasingly cut off from one another, we are blessed with time to connect and develop serious relationships in Christ. This year was also an important year for our leadership. The Session has worked hard to employ our Taskforce Leadership model. This at times has led to anxiety but overall I believe we are working towards empowering our members and friends to engage in ministry in a deeper way. In the coming year I look forward to encouraging our congregation to expand their leadership and participation. 5

6 Pastor s Report Continued I use the word Transformation quite a bit in my writings and sermons. In 2011, I believe we saw the beginning of significant transformation in our congregation. To me one of the critical aspects of being a transformative congregation is that we are paying attention to God and each other. While we all have a long way to go towards being the community and people God wants us to be, I believe we have seen remarkable progress towards becoming the vital community of Christ we are being called to. In the coming year I hope and pray we can continue to build on the positives God s Spirit has fostered in us and open ourselves up to what else God is doing. In 2012, I look forward to our congregation developing a clearer vision for our future, possibly through participation in the Acts 16:5 Initiative. I also see a great opportunity in 2012 for our congregation to truly turn its heart towards the community around us. We have done significant work to increase our internal health and have brought vitality to our worship. This year, I believe we are being called to increase our mission and evangelism ministries. I also believe we will see important shifts in the way we carry out our ministries. This year, with a renewed commitment to empowering leadership, I am hopeful that each member and friend of our congregation will develop their own sense of call and put the gifts God has given to them into action. Holy God, we thank you for your loving, caring and faithful Spirit. In the year 2011 we have seen rich blessings unfolding in our congregation. We give you glory for your sacred calling upon our lives. In the year to come we ask that you help us to offer our whole selves to you and your service. May we be those who truly love you with all our hearts, souls and minds. AMEN 6

7 Annual Deacon s Report for 2011 The first Deacon s meeting including the new class was held on March 17, New members Chris Hagan, Deb MacLean, Gisele Onga Nana, and Bonnie Short joined Mary Ellen Absetz, Jessi McClain, and Kathy Plecity. Ministries One of the first items of business was to send the Lenten letter and schedule of events to all church families and visitors of record. Jessi McClain reordered the parish lists and distributed them among the Deacons to allow us to get to know a greater share of our congregation and visitors. At that meeting, we agreed to do two seasonal mailings, including an Advent letter and schedule to go along with the Lenten letter. The Home Touch ministry, lead by Gisele Onga Nana, provided contact through letters to those not able to attend CPC worship and events. The year started out with five families to whom Gisele mailed the Scripture reading and activities each month. She kept up with courtesy letters to offer her support, prayers, or requests of their status. Letters were also sent on special occasions such as Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Random calls were made whenever one was sick. As of today, there are three families that receive this service since the passing of Betty Dickey. Deb MacLean and the Prayerful Cooking ministry were always ready to provide meals as necessary. With the help of over a dozen volunteers, they were able to reach out to members of our congregation this year during times of joy (childbirth!), sickness, and surgery. A new approach was taken, focusing on preparing fresh meals during times of need, while still maintaining a small supply of frozen meals for short-notice situations. Suggestions of any congregation members who could use a helping hand with meals are always welcomed. The Coffee Fellowship ministry was lead by Kathy Plecity. She helps keep the supplies for coffee hour stocked, as well as the supplies for other fellowship activities. Kathy makes a Costco trip approximately every other month to purchase the supplies. It also involves periodically straightening the storage cabinets and keeping a rough inventory of the various items. Because of the available funds, the Deacons were able to purchase a new coffeemaker and pots for use for Sunday fellowship. Bonnie Short was the coordinator the for the Rides ministry to provide transportation to and from church on Sundays. Bonnie did an excellent job communicating with the congregation to make them aware of the rides program, but no one took advantage of the service. The Rides ministry is always seeking volunteers even though our services aren t currently required, but Bonnie is always ready to act when called upon. Marry Ellen Absetz took over as our Secretary this year. She takes the minutes for our meetings and sends them out to the Deacons. She has provided a most valuable service to the group and keeps us organized. 7

8 Deacons Continued Finance A mission of the deacons is to assist individuals with financial, spiritual, or family needs because of personal problems or situations that tax their resources. In this reporting period we made one payment to a member of our church family: Gas card The donations generously contributed by the congregation enable this vital deacon ministry. The Deacons oversee the following budgets: Deacons Operating Budget This budget is funded by CPC as part of its annual budget. It covers expenses incurred by the Deacons; examples include seasonal letters, Fall Festival announcements and special mailings. Coffee Fellowship Fund This fund was established in 2004 to allow members to sponsor Sunday coffee fellowship. It is funded only by donations and has been successful in reducing the prior dependency on the Deacons Operating Budget. To sponsor Sunday coffee, a donation of $30.00 is requested. Other donations in various amounts have been received. CPC Deacons Fund This fund is also supported by donations and is used to support those in our congregation and in the community who are in immediate and emergency need. It can provide assistance with such things as heating and electric bills, food, and/or support for vital health care and emergency shelter. This fund does not receive money from the church budget. Fall Festival The biggest single event that the Deacons sponsor is the annual Fall Festival, held this term on October 29, Parishioners participated in chili, salad, and dessert contests. Mike Twedt won the chili cook-off, Susie Twedt won the dessert bake-off, and Bonnie Short won the salad contest. Winners were rewarded with seasonings from Penzey's related to the category. Games and conversation followed. The evening was highlighted by musical chairs and a hoola-hoop contest. Unfortunately due to bad weather, (our first snow of the season!) approximately 50 adults and children attended. Cook-off Winners Susie Twedt, Bonnie Short & Mike Twedt 8

9 Deacons Continued Goals The Deacons have tried to achieve several goals over the past year: to connect better with the CPC church family and to de-emphasize individual Deacon involvement in the weekly Coffee Fellowship. On the first goal, we have more work to do. We didn t do a good job of setting measurable goals. We all said we wanted to be more nurturing and connect more with the Congregation, but didn t set goals on how to do this. Not setting measurable goals makes it difficult to look back and tell if ideals were met. The second goal was addressed in part by making the Coffee Fellowship more accomplishable by having two Deacons every week. We also decided for the upcoming year to have a birthday cake once a month to celebrate the monthly birthdays and make the Congregation more aware of each other. Goals the Deacons would like to achieve this year include organizing the small kitchen to make it more accommodating, focusing more on the Joys and Concerns each week, and to consider ways to reach out to the preschool community to get them more involved. Respectfully submitted by Chris Hagan 9

10 ELDER PANEL: Relationships within the Christian Community Elizabeth Nelson, Maximilien Onga Nana, Charles Thies Finance & Stewardship Finance and Stewardship Taskforce Members: Elizabeth Nelson, Elder & Giving Statements Sue Ferguson, Treasurer Charles Thies, Stewardship Cathi Rinehart & Sherry Olson, Counter Coordinators Karen Cheslock, Administrative Assistant Looking Back at 2011: Last year, Session approved changing CPC budgeting fiscal year from January December to April March to allow for more thoughtful budget planning, utilizing knowledge of stewardship campaign results and allowing new Session members time to provide input to the process. Budget CPC Session approved budget with a planned deficit of $4,050. The total income is on track to exceed the budgeted amount significantly. This is largely due to a marked increase in non-pledge income from the blessing of new members and regular visitors in our church family. We have improved accounting processes and policies as well as utilization of current accounting software. These changes are important to demonstrate responsibility and good stewardship with the generous contributions from members and friends. Most notably, contributions entered and tracked directly in the church s accounting software, improving the accuracy of these records and the data provided in giving statements. A final accounting of our fiscal year income & expense will be reported in the Tuesday Tidbits in April. Fiscal Year to Date Budget vs Actual Highlights Full Yr Budget FY to Date Actual (Apr-Dec) Pledge Income $264,914 $180,316 Total Income $326,614 $331,389 Total Expenses $330,664 $279,192 Net Income ($4,050) $52,197 10

11 Finance & Stewardship Continued Looking Ahead to 2012 The Stewardship Campaign for 2012 was completed. The total pledged amount is $281,956, a significant increase over We see blessings in receiving 16 new pledges, and 29 contributors increasing their pledges from Administration The Administrative Taskforce, consisting of Elder Marilyn Dorn, Elder Elizabeth Nelson, Kevin Gilbert, and Pastor Geoff McLean, met several times in 2011 to prayerfully review issues related to the administrative functioning of the church. These issues included drafting of a new Child Protection Policy, which is nearly ready for submission to Session, and annual staff evaluations, which were completed and presented to staff by the end of the year. At the request of the Session, the Team also agreed to begin reviewing the issue of oversight of the Preschool Director in We are thankful for God s grace in helping us to work collegially on behalf of CPC and for God s many blessings, including those related to the church s music program and God s having brought Music Director Barbara Stefan to CPC. We continue to be grateful for the expression of Christ s body that is our church, and we look forward to continuing to serve God and the congregation in Buildings and Grounds It is important that our place of worship be attractive, functional, and not distracting from our worship of and service to Our Lord. To this end there were several things of note that happened this past year at CPC. The sanctuary was painted, and at the same time light fixtures were cleaned. There were some repairs on the organ and the piano. After water damage to ceiling tiles in the Narthex and some leaks in the kitchen and Fellowship Hall areas, the flashing around the equipment above the Narthex was repaired the drains cleaned. The ceiling tiles were replaced. Choir room cleaned and organized. Cleaned out old equipment. Outside doors and frames were painted at the sides, back, downstairs classrooms and playground. Damaged and rotted timbers lining the parking areas and sidewalks behind the building were replaced. Rotted mailbox post was replaced. Time clocks for the outside lighting were reset for spring and fall conditions as needed. Tree stump was removed from the front lawn. Several members cared for the Memorial Garden. 11

12 CPC Preschool The Christ Presbyterian Preschool continues to provide a highly demanded and well-respected educational outreach to the community. The preschool is currently fully enrolled with 185 students. Half-year scholarships were provided for 2 children to attend this school year. The Preschool currently has 23 educated and dedicated staff. The new website has been a valuable tool, set up and maintained by a preschool parent. The Preschool receives many calls based on this website. The sandbox on the playground has been updated by an Eagle Scout Project. The area around the sandbox was dug down and new boards were installed. A new cover was made and the whole area around was mulched. A new bench has been built near the sandbox. The monthly Chapel Time, conducted by Pastor Geoff, continues and is wellreceived. This is a time to reach children and their families to spark questions and curiosity, drawing them to God and the Christian community. The Preschool continues to provide opportunities for the parents to visit the school (and therefore the Church) through parent coffees for the classes. We have a Halloween Parade on Halloween, inviting all the parents to come and view their children. Right before our Christmas Break, we invite all the parents to a special Christmas "sing-a-long" where the 4's classes lead everyone in song. The PreK classes (the Rainbows) dress in costumes and the Christmas story is presented in a simple way. Pastor Geoff extends a welcome to the parents as well as inviting them to the Christmas services at CPC. The choir director plays the piano for the program, and usually a CPC member joins us as Santa. The school year is ended with class picnics for the families. Christ Presbyterian Preschool is a happy place. All church members are invited to visit any morning between 9:15-12:15. Donna Teepe Director 12

13 Annual Report for 2011: Elder Panel: Our Relationship with God Denise Beach and Jim Baer are the two elders leading the team that focuses on our relationship with God. These activities include Sunday and other worship activities, including ushers, sound board volunteers, adult, children and bell choirs, Sunday school, study groups and the nursery, as well as Vacation Bible School and Journey to the Cross. We have listed each of these areas and information from the person who coordinates each activity. You will see how active we have been as a church in Hopefully, you will be interested in participating in those activities that are ongoing as a way to develop your faith. Music Program Children s Choir When Barbara Stefan started at CPC in March, the Children s Choir was meeting at 9:15. Only 5-6 children came, but still, they began preparing to sing in worship. They sang on Palm Sunday in April, prepared an anthem with the Sanctuary Choir in May, and sang a Cameroon song for the Call to Worship in June. Barbara s goal in teaching the children is to reinforce the weekly Gospel lessons, and instill worship music, rather than cute singing into our young singers. In September, with the approval of the Sunday School Superintendent, choir practice time was changed to 9:35-9:55, right before Sunday School. Suddenly the Children s Choir numbers more than tripled, including about 10 pre-school and kindergartners, and 12 elementary-age children. The 20 minutes of choir time was more than adequate to prepare for an anthem in November related to their Sunday School lessons about the Kingdom Parables. They also sang an anthem at the Christmas Eve Family service, and led the congregation in the Choral Benediction. The children explore instruments, celebrate their birthdays (with a song, of course), and have a musical or spoken prayer each Sunday. CPC Adult Choir held steady during 2011, losing two for health reasons, and gaining two in the fall. They now number 15 faithful, dedicated, and talented singers, preparing worship music not only for every Sunday, but for special services: Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Christmas Eve, as well as Easter and Christmas cantatas. They sing a wide variety of church music, from classical to contemporary, and have some fun, too, on Wednesday nights, and always remember friends, family, and colleagues in their weekly prayers. 13

14 Chancel Ringers, CPC s adult handbell choir, rings at least monthly, and also for Good Friday and Christmas Eve services, and the Christmas Cantata. They provided a special handbell selection with the NoVA Lights Chorale s 9/11 concert of peace and remembrance, and Kathy Munds played solo bells in the NLC s Veterans Day concert. Six of our 10 ringers participated in the Northern Virginia Handbell Festival in November, a challenging and learning experience. We are fortunate to have 9 experienced and devoted ringers and 3 experienced substitute ringers (who have small children and can t rehearse regularly). The ancient Psalms exhorted us to praise the Lord with many different instruments. Handbells are certainly a blessing in worship and praise. Instrumentalists at CPC number in the dozens! And we ve been fortunate to have had many of them offer their talents in worship this past year: providing special music during the summer months, participating in the Veterans Day concert here, and playing during our regular worship. Of special note was the Christmas Cantata, in which we had our own string, woodwind, and percussion ensemble, and the pre-service music on Christmas Eve, featuring a recorder consort, viola solo, and piano solo. Community Music at CPC CPC hosted the NoVA Lights Chorale in a Sunday afternoon Honoring Our Veterans concert in November. The community Thanksgiving service was here in 2011; over 50 adults and 20 children from 4 churches combined their voices in praise and worship. Journey to the Cross Approximately 100 people walked thru 5 self-led stations designed to provide a multi-sensory experience in preparation for Holy Week. The experience began with Palm Sunday and moved on to confrontation of our sin. Participants then had an encounter with Jesus in a garden. Station 4 provided the reality of Jesus death on the cross, while Station 5 held the empty tomb and the message that we are cleansed from our sins. Each station had sound effects and an interactive element (ex. - pebbles in shoes to symbolize sins, touching the cross, drinking salt water to symbolize tears). After completing the journey, participants were invited to enjoy light refreshments. Each family unit was provided a devotional bag with 10 short family-friendly activities to be done at home during Holy Week. In general, there was a steady flow of participants, and when there was a wait it was minimal. Childcare was provided for those with especially young children. 14

15 Youth Sunday School: Sunday School for Christ Presbyterian Church took on several changes. Sheila McLean became the Sunday School Superintendent and found it to be a spiritual blessing in a couple of aspects: One, is that it gave her more of an opportunity to became more familiar with the SPARK Sunday School Curriculum and secondly, she was able to get to know our wonderful Sunday School teachers in a more personal way. One blessing we saw in Fall 2011 was a creative scheduling of our Children s Music and Sunday School program together. This Fall also saw our Youth and Adults employing the Feasting on the Word Sunday School Curriculum. This Lectionary based curriculum is intended to connect our study of Scripture to our daily life and current events. Our Youth in particular, have benefited from the multimedia/you Tube components. Again, thank you to our dedicated teachers to our Youth and Adult classes for their commitment to Christian Education. Christian Education is a crucial aspect of our life together at Christ Presbyterian Church. We have seen God unfolding blessings through our Sunday School in Please pray for continued Spiritual/Numerical growth in this ministry. Adult Sunday School: When we think of Sunday School, we have images of little children sitting in a circle and learning about Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark or Jonah being swallowed by a whale. One of our greatest joys at CPC is the opportunity to discuss these things with the adults of the congregation. And yes, we do sit in a circle! Both Lindsey Smith and Marilyn Dorn teach adult classes, Lindsay enthusiastically reinforces the fact that he is not the teacher but the facilitator. One of the most important things we do in Adult Sunday School is to make sure to talk about the Scripture passage and then discuss how it applies to us today. I think this is what Jesus wants for us. He wants us to be active followers, not just blindly coming up behind the Master. In that way, we can become active leaders for those we touch who may not know Christ. I m a firm believer in the fact that you can t lead unless you followed and that you can t teach unless you have learned. So what does this mean for members of CPC who are nervous about joining the Adult Sunday School class? You are never too smart to learn something new, never too powerful of a leader to be able to follow Christ and never too old for Sunday School! The Adult Sunday School class that meets in Fellowship Hall averaged 5-8 attending most of the year, with numbers fluctuating depending on the seasons, and who was visiting, and other factors-- including the arrival of Grady Gilbert, who was welcomed into the group : ). They had a joyful, inspiring time studying God's word, listening for the Holy Spirit in each other s comments, and sharing each week what we had seen God doing and saying in our lives. We're looking forward eagerly to what Christ will teach us and where He will lead us in

16 Ushers There are fourteen individuals who serve as ushers in teams of four each Sunday at the 11:00 service. Ushers welcome everyone, hand out bulletins, make sure that everyone with a joy or concern has a microphone and take up the offering. Anyone who wishes to become an usher is welcome. Vacation Bible School Vacation Bible School was held from August 1-5 th and used Lifeway s Big Apple Adventure curriculum. We welcomed approximately 90 children ranging in age from 4-9 to enjoy activities such as crafts, songs, snacks, games and bible stories. The scripture of the week was Romans 10:17 (For faith comes from what is heard and what is heard comes thru the message about Christ). Each day the children heard a different Bible story about connecting Scripture with; Faith, Love, Trust, Others and LIFE. Over 50 volunteers were involved in different areas of VBS to make it a success. Volunteers ranged in age from , including a significant number of teens and young adults. The main activity stations were run by a mix of VBS veterans and new volunteers. Two of our stations were run primarily by older teens. The 6 participant groups were led around by a mix of CPC members, teens and VBS parents. Nursery: We have one employee working every week in the nursery, and two others who alternate weeks. We could use volunteers to sub on weeks when a paid worker can't make it. It is important that we always have two adults in the nursery. We average 3 children for the early service and Sunday School hour and five children for the 11:00 service. Special Worship Services: CPC hosted the joint Thanksgiving service in 2011 that brought together the Methodist, Baptist and Lutheran churches with our own congregation. In addition, all four choirs sang together. There were more than 300 people crowded into our sanctuary, and cars parked all over the lawn. All four pastors participated in the service and communion was served. It was a joyful service and the reception that followed was time to share our gifts with our visitors. It was well-attended by many from the service. Not a crumb was left! 16

17 Special Advent Study: During Advent Pastor Geoff provided all who asked with a copy of the book, Shine Light for all Nations, that we used for the Advent study. Everyone was encouraged to read the book and participate in a small group run by Geoff several times each week. More than a dozen church members participated providing a much needed period of reflection during the often harried holiday season. Geoff provided additional music and study material to liven the discussions. Report Submitted by Denise Beach and Jim Baer 17

18 ELDER PANEL ON RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY During 2011, Elder Panel members Stan Poston, Chris Simi and Marilyn Dorn endeavored to prayerfully cooperate with God s Holy Spirit in looking for ways to fulfill the mission of our church in relating to those outside the Christian community. Following up on the wonderful path laid out by those who went before us, we reviewed with Pastor Geoff each of CPC s mission activities, considering whether each activity should be continued and who God might be calling to lead in each instance. God was ever faithful in identifying leaders to take on each task, and we are more than grateful. It is helpful to look back on what our church has been doing in this area, so the below is offered as a reminder of how we have lived out this important aspect of our church life throughout the past year. It s been a great year in service to Christ and His people, and we are excited to see how God will challenge CPD in the year to come. WFCM: Food Pantry Thanksgiving food baskets Easter food baskets Backpack collection Clothing/coat drive NOVACO: Quarterly dinners FACETS: Feed the homeless during winter Salvation Army Stockings One Great Hour of Sharing Church World Service Jamii Orphanage: CPC contributes $250 per month Sex Addicts Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous Boy and Girls Scouts Quilting and Knitting for Mission 18

19 Annual Report for 2011 Presbyterian Men at CPC The men s group has a monthly meeting on the first Saturday of each month from 8 am until 9 am, September through June. One member cooks the breakfast and another presents a short program. It provides a wonderful opportunity for the men to get to know each other and to support each other. In addition, the men undertake some projects during the year. In 2011 the men s group provided an Easter breakfast for the entire church between the 8:30 and 11:00 services. Over 160 people came to eat and chat. This was the seventh year the men cooked an Easter breakfast, and it has become a tradition. In December a group of men went to the Salvation Army offices in Fairfax to help sort and wrap Christmas presents collected by the Salvation Army. Bill Schmidt is on their board and has helped arrange our participation. It was the second year we have assisted the Salvation Army in this way. The men organized a one-day retreat in October and a mini-retreat in June. These were both designed to help the men share their faith. The men have also helped with church workdays and projects. Every two years the men s group elects a leadership group, which consists of a chair, a breakfast coordinator, a retreat coordinator and an events planner. Currently, Jim Baer is chair, Bernie Akin, retreat coordinator, Len Feder, events planner and Stan Poston is the breakfast coordinator. The next elections will be in January of Submitted by Jim Baer, Moderator 19

20 Presbyterian Women 2011 began with a disappointing discovery followed by spiritual healing. We discovered that our treasurer had taken funds from our organization. After learning about the reasons for these actions, we dealt with the feelings of betrayal through prayer and discussion. We agreed that as sisters in Christ, we needed to show her love and support. To that end, we have made her welcome at any and all PW events. We praise God that she still worships with us at CPC and is making attempts to get her financial life in order. The spring PW retreat was held in May. Nine of us started out with group activities at the church, and then gave of our time at WFCM by working in the thrift store. A break for lunch gave us time to fellowship and visit. All of us discovered the enormous effort required to keep the store in business. Our fall retreat was led by Reverend Beth Williams and held at the church. We took an in depth look at the ancient game of Rock, Paper, Scissors from a biblical viewpoint. Everyone enjoyed learning about how these three items impact our lives. We and the PW men, who also held their fall retreat at the church that day, came together for lunch in Fellowship Hall. It was great to have both groups interacting and sharing ideas. In the past few years we have celebrated the PW birthday in July. This is a little slower time of year and allows us to enjoy the celebration rather than squeeze it into the already overbooked calendar. In 2011 we continued this new tradition and led the service. The PW Moderator, Velma Armijo, delivered the sermon. We enjoyed lunch in Fellowship Hall following the service. PW had two large service projects during this past year: we gathered and assembled items for 50+ health kits that were delivered to Church World Service in Westminster, MD. We also held a coat drive in November. The turnout was far more than we dared hope for and we were able to help WFCM meet the need for cold weather items. The annual ornament exchange was held in early December and hosted by Diane Poston. While the number was small who turned out for lunch and the exchange, it was wonderful to have time to catch up with each other. Diane Poston informed the Coordinating Team that she will be unable to continue serving as our lead for PW mission projects. We thank Diane for tirelessly working on our projects and bringing new ideas to the Team. Diane will be sorely missed. We continue to see God s guidance as we serve him. He has blessed us in numerous ways. We look forward to a prosperous

21 Senior High Youth Group YOUTH MINISTRY As 2011 progressed, CPC s Youth Group programs continued to grow and flourish. Under the leadership of Jessi McClain, Chris Hagan, Kelly Hagan and Pastor Geoff, the Senior High youth has met on an almost weekly basis. In February, we traveled to West Virginia on a ski trip. We met up with the youth group from Fayette Presbyterian Church from Fayetteville, GA for fun and fellowship. In April, the Senior High s had a lock-in and participated in World Vision s 30 Hours of Famine. For a day and a half, our teenagers chose not to eat, so they could grow in understanding and compassion for their fellow man. The money that they raised during 30 Hours of Famine went towards helping end the fight against hunger in third world countries. Other highlights of the year include having a Super Bowl party, attending a Nationals baseball game, Assembling Hygiene Kits and helping sort the Scout food drive donations for WFCM. In the fall, we said goodbye to a few of our youth as they went off to college causing a decrease in our overall group size. However, there is always a lot of laughter during our meetings as we come together for fellowship and fun. We look forward to continuing the opportunities for our youth, as we watch them grow as individuals and in Christ through Spiritfilled study, service, and fellowship. 21