A Reality Check on our Budget

Transcription

1 FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST RICHMOND, MICHIGAN July, 2013 A Reality Check on our Budget Let s start out by affirming that God is good All the time! FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Rev. Julie Kilmer, Interim pastor.juliek@comcast.net CELL: OFFICE: FAX: firstucc@comcast.net OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY FRIDAY 9:00 AM - 12 NOON Afternoons by appointment We are a Christian community called to love God, love neighbor, love self, as Jesus taught. All of you know we have been dealing with a huge financial deficit this year and that it couldn t continue. But our congregation has been stepping up and pledging for our next budget year, and we are truly blessed. As of this writing (June 24, 2013) we have received 29 pledges totaling $59,032! A HUGE THANK YOU to all of you who have committed to the life of First UCC Richmond especially the 14 or more who have increased their giving and the four brand new pledging families. That amount is greater than the $57,018 pledged from last year. It is still not too late to make a pledge (or even increase your pledge!) to your church, so please don t hesitate to get on the bandwagon and see what wonderful things God has planned for us. That being said, an extra $2,000 will not wipe out our deficit. We need to live within our means. Our finance committee, stewardship committee and church council are working very, very hard to come up with a reasonable pay package for our next permanent pastor. And it is a very hard task indeed. The finance committee shared this sobering math at our last council meeting, and I have updated it to reflect the current pledges: continued on next page

2 continued from front page $59, commitments received as of June 24 + $ 8,000 Traditional budgeted fundraising income $67,032 Income from Commitments & Fundraising + $20,000 Estimated in unpledged offerings (loose offerings for example) $87,032 Total potential income - $58,000 Budgeted expenses NOT including pastoral salary & expenses $29,032 Pastoral pay available + $15,000 From our savings ($105,000 divided by 7 years) $44,032 Available for Pastoral Salary and Benefit Package????? Potential additional commitments, fundraising, and budget cutting (even though it has been trimmed to bare bones!) At the council meeting on June 20, we voted to give our church one more month to come up with some ideas to increase our pastoral pay potential and perhaps be able to hire a full time pastor! We are looking at some ways to increase fundraising outside our congregation and would love to hear from you if you have any ideas. Most of all we want to ask for your prayers for our church and the work we do. We are listening and know that we must live with a viable budget. In prayerful optimism, Your Church Council Scripture Readings for July July 7 July 14 July 21 July 28 Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Surprising Prophets 2 Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 30; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11, Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Caring Neighbors Amos 7:7-17; Psalm 82; Colossians 1:1-14; Luke 10:25-37 Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Word and Work Amos 8:1-12; Psalm 52; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42 Tenth Sunday after Pentecost Shaped by Prayer Hosen 1:2-10; Psalm 85; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13

3 Dear Friends and Family in Christ, At the end of June, I will prepare to go to the United Church of Christ s General Synod, this year held in Long Beach, California. Every two years, the national body gathers for business, prayer, discernment, worship, fellowship, and fun. This year, General Synod will consider several resolutions that include: making UCC buildings more carbon neutral, a resolution against bullying & discrimination, supporting the educational expenses of members in discernment, urging divestment from fossil fuel companies, recognizing the United Samoan Ministries as a historically underrepresented group that should be included as a member for the Council for Racial and Ethnic ministries, recognizing the needs of veterans, and restructuring Conference boundaries. The full text for all of the resolutions can be found on the ucc.org website, under the General Synod tab, or, simply ucc.org/synod/resolutions. Delegates are assigned to committees that will consider the resolutions and then make recommendations. I am attending Synod as a delegate since I am a member of the Executive Committee of the UCC. Due to the gift of technology, many of the General Synod worship services and sessions will be broadcast online. Please feel free to follow the events as they unfold via live stream from June 28 July 2nd through the website ucc.org/synod, or check out the highlights after Synod is completed. In the meantime, please pray for safe travels for the visitors and delegates, and for our national church the General Synod. Grace and Peace, Pastor Julie Patti Christensen, daughter of Terry and Carmen Breeze, is putting together a compilation/memoir of her dad. Terry passed away three years ago and was a very active member of our church. If you have a story to share with Patti about her dad, (it can be funny, sad or inspirational) please contact her. Patti s address: Patti@southernthumbmusic.com Mailing address: P.O. Box 247 Richmond, MI 48062

4 Congratulations to This Year s Graduates! Kristina Dunsmore Richmond High School Joshua Houston Michigan State University Alexa Livingston St. Clair Community College Niki McKerracher Rochester College June June June June What s Going on at First UCC? If you would like to be an active participant in any of the goings on at First UCC or have any questions concerning what our committee do, feel free to reach out to the committee liaison. The many committees that make sure things run smoothly are made up of volunteers, and each committee is represented by a church council member. The various committees and liaisons are as follows: Mission Kathi Miller Buildings and Grounds Zack Joppich Worship Sue Weinert Vitality Ginnean Kohn Finance Ryan Schrote Stewardship Bill Wagner Christian Education Dean Handrow Memorial Lynn Dunsmore Personnel Ron Schrote Mildred L. Roeder, Romeo, and long term member of First UCC Richmond, age 97, passed away June 21. Daughter of the late William and Martha (Green) Black. Beloved wife of the late Leland. We give thanks to God for the life of Mildred Roeder and hold the family and friends in our prayers. Cards may be mailed to her daughter Karol Regius at Orchard Hill Court, Romeo, MI Called to Care Team Mary Alice Busch Bob Chrostowski (H) (C) Reb & Sally McNinch

5 Please Note: Pastor Julie will be away at General Synod; national meeting of the UCC from June 26 thru July 3. In case of pastoral emergency please call Pastor Loree Grinnell: Dear UCC Bakers, Thank you, thank you for your continued help with MCREST. Your commitment is awesome! What a wonderful blessing you gals are to supply two yummy cakes each night. Rendition of Pastor Julie by Maya Joppich Linda and Kay Mission Statement We are traveling life s road: created by God, guided by Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit and grounded in scripture. We strive to be individuals on a spiritual journey and a community sharing God s love with all. Vision Statement The purpose of this church shall be to worship God, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the sacraments; to realize Christian fellowship and unity within this church and the Church universal; to render loving service toward humankind; and to strive for righteousness, justice and peace.

6 Summer Worship Services Begin at 10:00 am Church Council meeting Thursday, July 18 at 7:00 pm Book Club Tuesday, July 9 at 10:00 am Meet with us in the church basement for a lively discussion of the book: The Life of Pi by Yann Martel After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship in the Pacific, one solitary lifeboat remains carrying a hyena, a zebra, a female orangutan, a Bengal tiger and a sixteenyear-old Indian boy named Pi. Prayer Group Tuesday, July 9 at 7:00 pm Need some nourishment? Join our Bible study and prayer group. We meet once a month to be nourished through faith and fellowship as we walk through the book: The Cup of our Life, by Joyce Rupp. The Bryan Sirchio Concert and Joint Worship Service from April have been uploaded to the Eastern Association website for your viewing pleasure. The workshop will be uploaded soon. They can be found at: whatshappening/sirchio Daily Devotionals Are you looking for a daily devotional to help you grow in wonder and love for God and Jesus Christ? Daily devotionals can be found on the UCC website. Click on Feed Your Spirit and go to the Daily Devotionals and enjoy your time with God. Camp Talahi Retreat & Nature Center Youth Overnight Camps Mini Camp: June 30 - July 3 Adventure Camp: July 7-12 Junior Camp: July Senior High 7-Day Camp: July Music, Arts, Drama Camp: July 28 - August 2 Wilderness Camp: July 28 - August 2 Weekend Camps Senior High Weekend: July Join us for a summer of fun, faith and fellowship! Office Hours The secretary is in the office from 9 am till 12 noon, Monday thru Friday. If you need additional assistance other times, please send Helen an note at firstucc@comcast.net or leave a message at the church office: Thank you.

7 The Power of a Funny Apron a reflection by Lillian Daniel On Sunday nights, our church houses and feeds about 60 homeless people in Pilgrim Hall through a local outreach program. One of our church members who volunteers sent me this note: I was cooking at church this weekend. We grilled chicken and brats for the guests Sunday dinner. While I was running from grills to kitchen and back again, I was wearing my God is Still Speaking No Burnt Offerings apron. A couple of guests stopped me to say they thought it was great religious, but funny, too. I happen to think that is a great way to sum up our denomination serious about what needs to be serious, but always willing to lighten it up to get the message across. I thought this was an excellent testimony to the many ways in which we share our faith. Some people are comfortable with conversation, but that s not the only way to communicate. In this case, by wearing her UCC apron, someone was able to open up some meaningful conversations that would not have happened otherwise. I have heard a lot of stories like this from people who wear a comma pin or carry something that points to our church. Years ago when we began these devotionals, we came up with the theme whimsical piety. Another way to say it might be religious, but funny. You can care about justice and still have a sense of humor. You can take God seriously but yourself less so. You can appreciate the weighty things and still be light in the spirit. Welcome to the UCC, where God is still speaking Tri-Church VBS Pre-school thru 5th Grade August 5-8 at Trinity Lutheran Church 5:30 pm (community dinner) 6:00 pm (learning stations) VBS day ends at 8:00 pm Register online May 1 at Volunteers please contact tlcpastorkelsay@gmail.com

8 Remembering the Church in Your Will What we have done for ourselves dies with us. What we have done for others and the world is immortal. George Eliot Everyone who has or is preparing a will gift should consider a planned gift for the church. It is a simple matter of adding one line to your will that says, After all my bills are paid, I want percent (or a fixed amount) to go to First U.C.C. Richmond, MI. Prayerfully consider adding this one simple sentence. C hurch World Service will respond to the extensive damage caused by tornadoes in the Oklahoma City and Moore, Oklahoma area, including provision of emergency supplies as needed. Whole neighborhoods have been decimated in the path of a massive F-4 tornado initially estimated to have been a mile wide with winds over 200 miles an hour. "We have worked extensively in communities struck by tornadoes in the region," says Donna Derr, the agency's chief of emergencies. "Our job is to provide immediate assistance with CWS Kits, and focus on helping the most vulnerable, who typically have the hardest time recovering in the long term." HOW TO HELP: Contributions to support CWS emergency response efforts in the U.S. and around the world may be made online, sent to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515, or by phone, Dear Church Family & Friends, We want to say Thank You for all your Love and Support as Ryan and Niki become one on June 15th. We ask that you keep them in your prayers as they begin their life together (and maybe also for the parents as we watch them take the next step on their journey. Their new address is: 3333 Spruce Apt # 3202 Lake Orion, MI Love, The Schrote Family

9 MISSION CALENDAR 2013 February Health kit items due in church on or before February 24 March *One Great Hour of Sharing Offering on March 10 April Shoe Drive April 27 May Shoe Drive May 4 *Blanket Sunday Offering on May 12 June July & Baby kit items due in church on or before June 2 *Strengthen the Church Offering on June 16 School kit items due in church on August or before August 25 October *Neighbors In Need Offering on October 6 Bread for the World Bread Sale on October 20 November Shoebox Christmas Gift Collection for KIDS Boxes due in church on or before Dec. 8 December *Christmas Fund offering on Dec. 22 *Envelopes will be provided Check the Mission bulletin board at the back of the church for a detailed list for the baby, health and school kits plus any other Mission updates. Annually our congregation gives $600 to support the Richmond Good Samaritan Fund. Cash donations are always needed and welcomed. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT! A Gift of Hope. Church World Service Kits Church World Service kits are small packages of supplies assembled by our congregation, families and individuals. The contents of each kit are simple small things new pencils, washcloth, toothbrush and cleaning supplies but having or not having them can make a world of difference in an ongoing development program or when disaster strikes. The contents of each kit have been selected with care based on years of experience to make them as useful as possible, wherever and whenever they are sent. The kits we assemble are packaged and mailed to a Church World Service warehouse in New Windsor, Maryland. Our church is also responsible for the shipping cost and a processing fee of $2.00 for each kit we send. Once our kits arrive in Maryland, the processing begins. All kits are sorted, checked and packed in large CWS shipping cartons, labeled, and ready in the warehouse for shipment. These kits could be sent to far away places in Africa or as close to home as Moore, Oklahoma. Our kits are a gift of hope to the person receiving the kit. It could be a child in a classroom eager to learn to write, a person needing a clean washcloth to wash his face, or a baby needing a clean T-shirt. For the months of July and August we will be collecting school supplies. Please have your supplies to church by August 25. One School Kit will need: One pair of blunt metal round tip scissors Three 70-count spiral notebooks (No looseleaf paper) One 12 ruler One hand held pencil sharpener One large eraser Six new pencils with erasers One box of 24 crayons One 12 x 14 to 14 x 17 finished size cotton bag with handles continued on next page

10 continued from previous page If you are unable to shop for the supplies, anyone on the Mission Committee would be happy to shop for you. Please contact a committee member: Mary Alice Bush, Sharlene Haws, Paulette Trombley, or Kathi Miller. Thank you for giving a gift of hope. May you know that in giving this gift, you offer hope to another. Thank You! Every year we recognize the contributions of our Sunday School Teachers. This can become routine. However, it is very important we pause and give thanks to God for their contributions to this special ministry. This year we give thanks to many including: Jennifer Northram, Doug and Joselyn Manska, Dean and Shelly Handrow, Traci Bartell, and Zack and Heidi Joppich. Thank you to the many volunteers who planted, pruned and weeded the butterfly garden. Thank you to everyone who helped our community garden get off to a strong start. Feel free to plant, weed, and water all summer long! No appointments are necessary. Thank you for the printer for the pastor's office. This saves the pastor many steps! Just a Quick Note: If you have turned in your commitment card for 2014, first and foremost, Thank You. If you turned it in without your name, please be aware that I have no way of applying it to you. Our computer system is set up to work on name or envelope number. So you will have no idea where you stand on your commitment. If you would like to put your name on your commitment card and have already turned it in, just stop by the church office on a Sunday and do so. Yours in Christ, Kim Schrote Financial Secretary Service of Healing and Wholeness: July 21 at 10 am Are you in need of healing? Know anyone that is ill, depressed, feeling sad or just overwhelmed? Plan to attend this special worship service at First UCC Richmond at 10 am on Sunday, July 21st. There will be prayers, laying on of hands and special music to call forth healing and wholeness for all those in need. All special prayer requests can be given to Pastor Julie in advance of the service or during our worship together.

11 Prayers coming your way... This page in our newsletter shares prayer concerns and prayer opportunities within the life of our family of faith. By actively praying for the concerns presented, we strengthen our congregation, our brother and sister churches, our association and our conference. If you have prayer concerns you would like to see added to this page, please contact Pastor Julie or call the office at Please add the following concerns to your personal prayer time: Those from our family of faith who are distant, homebound or dealing with illness: Bertha Teska..Donna Bartell..Carl Kulman.. Joyce Trudgeon..Beamus Bentley..Leona Conner.. Lucille Trombley..Marjorie Pentzien..Joyce Trudgeon Bob Chrostowski..Paulette Trombley The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18 First UCC s Weekly Prayer Discipline for MAY Clip and Keep Reminders June 30 - July 6 Trudy Stewart Rian Sutton Rick, Jodie, David, Samantha, Chad & Corey Sutton July 7-13 Fred & Shirley Teltow Bertha Teska Rosemary Thomas July Meagan Thrower Jim & Joyce Townsend Dawn Marie Trombley & Garrett Esper July Garry & Carrie Trombley Lucille Trombley Ray & Paulette Trombley July 28 - August 3 Cameron, Barbara & Kaitlyn Trombly Joyce Trudgeon Hannah Ureel

12 We wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the following members who are celebrating their birthday in July: 01 - Garry Trombley 08 - Barbara Trombly 10 - Tom Hebel 10 - Jim Townsend 11 - Carl Kulman 12 - Jim Volkenant 14 - Shelley Champion 17 - Bertha Teska 21 - Scott Kulman 22 - Shelly Handrow 23 - Sharlene Haws 26 - Erin Dunsmore 29 - Shirley Deaner 30 - Justine Achatz 30 - Courtney Burmann 31 - Trudy Stewart HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the children of our church who celebrate a birthday this month: 05 - Robert Plucinski 20 - Kitanna Johnson We also wish a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to the following members whose wedding anniversary is in July: 10 - Duane & Kate Yoder 11 - Tim & Hope Fair 13 - Reb & Sally McNnch 23 - Darrel & Sharlene Haws 24 - Gary & Lynda Porrett 24 - Dean & Shelley Handrow 25 - Mike & Ann Quinn B E S T W I S H E S T O Y O U! For the Graduates...Be the Best of Whatever You Are If you can t be a pine on the top of the hill be a scrub in the valley but be the best little scrub by the side of the hill; be a bush if you can t be a tree. If you can t be a bush be a bit of the grass, and some highway some happier make; if you can t be a muskie then just be a bassbut the liveliest bass in the lake! We can t all be captains, we ve got to be crew, there s something for all of us here. There s big work to do and there s lesser to do, and the task we must do is the near. If you can t be a highway then just be a trail, if you can t be the sun be a star; it isn t by size that you win or you fail be the best of whatever you are! Douglas Malloch

13 SERVERS SCHEDULE FOR JULY (Communion) Doug Manska & Karen Eltringham 14 Rich & Sue Weinert 21 Bob & Veronica Chrostowski 28 Ron & Kim Schrote GREETERS 07 Bob & Veronica Chrostowski 14 Reb & Sally McNinch 21 Darrel & Sharlene Haws 28 Ray & Paulette Trombley 07 Pastor Julie 14 Ruth Hartwell 21 Sue Weinert 28 Lucia Marshall NURSERY 07 Kristina Dunsmore 14 Need Volunteer 21 Jan Salisbury 28 Need Volunteer Our goal is to keep (at least) a 4-week rotation. To do so will require 3 more names. Please consider helping in this very important ministry. Thank you. 07 No Flowers Needed 14 Ray Trombley 21 Sharlene Haws 28 Communion Sunday, July 7 Communion Preparer - Mary Alice Busch Communion Servers - Chris Hensch & Sue Weinert Remember, if you are unable to serve on dates assigned, it is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please inform the church office of any changes made. Thanks.

14 FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST SOUTH FOREST RICHMOND, MI Return address requested No Matter Who You Are Or Where You Are On Life s Journey You Are Welcome Here!