GRATEFUL... Above: Stewardship Campaign Committee chairs, Mark Brown and Virginia Cowsert, pause for a refreshing drink! Above: A group of our members took part in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in September as part of our 50th Anniversary mission focus. VOLUME 15, NUMBER 9 OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2014 Each week the Elders have shown leadership and support through cooking for Wonderful Wednesdays. Page 2 Rebekah House, Music News, Congregational Meeting Details, Fall Youth Overnight Page 3 Youth Coat Drive, Habitat for Humanity, Good Samaritan Fund, Lunch Bunch Page 4 Homeless Christmas Party, Words of Thanks, Chrismon Tree, Thornwell Inserts Pastor s Page, Financial Snapshot, Session Meeting Highlights 1
FALL GIFT BAGS FOR REBEKAH HOUSE DELIVERED Each gift included hand lotion, a fall decoration, a fall printed handkerchief, candy, and a These Days devotional. MUSIC NEWS FROM SANDY Important Dates for your planning Calendar: Lessons and Carols Service Dec 7 at 11:00 Plan now to attend and bring someone with you. This is a great way to share NPC with an un-churched friend! November 12 th Meal, Last Psalm Study, & All Choirs Rehearse November 19 th Meal & All Choirs Rehearse November 26 th No Wednesday Program December 3 rd No Meal, All Choirs Rehearse December 10 th Chancel Choir only December 17 th Chancel Choir only CALLED CONGREGATIONAL MEETING 11/16 The Session has called a Congregational Meeting for November 16 th, following the one worship service for that day. The service will be at 11:00 FALL YOUTH OVERNIGHT The Flint River Presbytery Fall Youth Overnight (FYO) was held on October 4th and 4th here at NPC. Youth and adults from Presbyterian churches across Southwest Georgia had a great time of learning, fellowship, worship, dancing, and some sleep. After a short night s rest, the group joined the rest of Northminster at the 8:45 Worship Service for World Wide Communion. CONGREGATIONAL MEETING DETAILS The Session has called a Congregational Meeting for November 16 th, following the one worship service for that day. The service will be at 11:00 AM. The purpose of the meeting is three-fold: First, the congregation will vote upon amending the Articles of Agreement for Northminster Presbyterian Church, Inc. The motion will be to amend the Articles of Agreement so as to conform with our current practice related to the term length of the office of Trustee. The vote will change the length of term from nine years to three years. This is the recommendation of the Stewardship and Finance Committee and the Session recommends it as well. Secondly, the congregation will review the Terms of Call for 2014 and vote upon two proposed amendments of the Terms of Call. First item, return the line item for automotive reimbursement to the 2012 level an increase of $500.00 over 2013. In addition, the congregation will vote upon the recommendation of the Stewardship and Finance Committee to the Session that the amount of compensation under the heading of cash salary be increased by $1,000.00 for the year 2014, in a one-time action, payable December 31 st, 2014. In 2013, last year s Session approved the motion from the Stewardship and Finance Committee of late 2013. The current Session recommends both amendments to the congregation. Sessional recommendation constitutes the motion. Thirdly, the congregation hear the report of the Nominating Committee. The nominees for the office of Elder are: Class of 2015: Sam Alderman to serve an additional one year. Class of 2016: Karen Jones, Sandra Ridgeway, Shea Smith, Gail Walker, and Lynn Southerland (to serve a one year term of the two year term). Copies of the full wording of the Terms of Call are available from the office in advance, and copies will be available the day of the meeting on the smaller communion table in the rear of the narthex. The Session has held its annual review of the Pastor. In addition, following the Congregational Meeting there will be a brief, required Annual Meeting of Northminster Presbyterian Church, Inc. Following both meetings will be the annual Thanksgiving Dinner. The Session urges your attendance so as to guarantee the presence of a quorum. The current quorum is 56 Active Members. For your information: Terms of Call review for 2015 will occur in the first quarter of 2015. Also, the name of Sandra Lewis has been proposed as Stated Clerk of the Session for the year 2015. Dr. Lewis is a previously ordained Elder. Session Meeting Highlights of October and November Meetings will appear in the next newsletter. 2
50TH ANNIVERSARY MISSION FOCUS As the weather gets cooler, please bring coats and shoes and place them in the collection boxes in the church. Donated items will be taken to Loaves and Fishes at the end of the month. Loaves and Fishes always welcomes these items, but this will be our 50th Anniversary mission focus this month. We're excited that the youth of the church will be helping us out with this project by making announcements and making collections boxes. OPPORTUNITY TO HELP WITH VACUUMS FOR NEW HOMES Northminster has a long association with Habitat for Humanity. It was a young adult class here at Northminster that was responsible for the first Habitat house being built in Macon. For the past several years the Times Sunday School Class has been donating a vacuum cleaner for every new Habitat house dedication. Last year, when five houses were dedicated at the same time, the other adult classes joined the Times Class in furnishing a vacuum cleaner for each house. Habitat for Humanity has now decided to have only two dedication ceremonies a year. The Outreach and Evangelism Committee is not sure how many houses will be dedicated at each of these ceremonies, but we would like to give the entire church an opportunity to help furnish vacuum cleaners so that we will be sure to have a vacuum for each house. The vacuums that we furnish typically cost about $50. To this end we have establish a fund to which members of Northminster can contribute throughout the year. If you contribute by check, make the check out to Northminster and designate it for the Vacuum Fund. If you contribute cash through the Good Samaritan Offering, also mark the envelope for the Vacuum Fund. We urge you to contribute. The Outreach and Evangelism Committee THANK YOU FROM HABITAT FOR HUMANITY I was honored to meet the members of Northminster Presbyterian who volunteered their time and talents on the 42nd house that Macon Area Habitat for Humanity is building in the Lynmore Estates neighborhood. What a cross wonderful cross-section of God's people! As part of our welcome, I shared with both them and our Habitat staff that I yesterday received an envelope from the legal student who assisted members of Northminster as they legally incorporated our affiliate in 1986. I've heard some interesting stories about the first house that this affiliate built and I'm uncertain whether or not you know that the footings on that house were dug by hand! So as part of our opening prayer, we gave thanks to God for the faithfulness of the members of Northminster Presbyterian Church. By putting their faith into action, literally one step at a time, God multiplied talents and treasures so that today we celebrate having served 101 families (and counting) since 1986. Thank you to everyone at Northminster for their continued support of our ministry and to everyone who made the workday a success. God's Richest Blessings! Harold Tessendorf GOOD SAM OFFERING Thanks for your continued support for the Good Samaritan Offering. This money is used to help those in need, members and non-members alike. Your contributions to this fund made it possible for us to assist a single parent with 3 children with her power bill. She works for the Board of Education and had no work in the summer which caused her to get behind with her bills. Thank you for your generous support of the needy people in our community! DECEMBER LUNCH BUNCH The Lunch Bunch is a Dutch treat group that gets together on the 1st Tuesday of the month. The group is open to anyone who likes to eat out and have fellowship time with members and friends of the church. The Lunch Bunch will meet Tuesday, December 2nd at Cheddars at 12:30 PM on Riverside Drive. THANKSGIVING MEAL Save the Date for our Annual Thanksgiving Lunch following church on November 16! Cost will be $7 per adult, $4 per child, and a maximum charge of $20 per family. 3
HOMELESS CHRISTMAS PARTY The annual Christmas Party for the Homeless will be held on December 16 at First Presbyterian Church. Northminster has once again been asked to provide 250 pairs of gloves for the gift bags that the participants will receive. Because of the difficulty of finding large quantities of gloves in the Macon area, the Outreach Committee has ordered a sufficient quantity of gloves and will be taking donations to pay for them. You may donate five pairs of gloves for $10.00 During the month of November, representatives of the Outreach Committee will accept your donations at a table in the Narthex or you may put your check (made out to Northminster and designated for gloves) in the offering plate. Thanks for all you do to make life better for the poor, cold, and homeless. PUTTING UP OUR TREE Two dates! - We will set up the Chrismon tree on November 16th at 10:00 AM. The Chrismon Tree decorating party will be held on November 23rd following the 11:00 AM service. A WORD OF THANKS Frank Clark wishes to express his thanks and appreciation for the thoughts, food, calls, cards, and prayer on his behalf after his back surgery. Nita Mitchell would like to thank everyone for your calls, cards, and especially your prayers during the illness and death of her brother. May God bless you all for your compassion and concern. Dear Friends at Northminster, Thank you very much for your concerns with my surgery and recovery. The prayers, calls, cards and food were much appreciated. I am sure this enabled me to recover sooner. Yours in Christ, Andy Weaver THE PRESIDENT OF THORNWELL CHILDREN S HOME WILL PREACH ON NOVEMBER 16TH! WE WILL ALSO COLLECT THE THORNWELL TURKEYS ON THIS DAY. 4
The PasTor s Page Community Worship, Community Memory, Community-forming (Background: On Wednesday evenings there is an offering for all ages. It follows the supper time and explores the Psalms slated for worship in the coming weeks. The class, when able, helps shape the liturgy for the coming Sunday.) It was Psalm 78. It raised the theme of God s providing for Israel. It seemed to be raising the very same theme we had examined the weeks before. There may have been a little desire to hear something fresher. Ok, there was. As we were closing, one participant started singing the chorus of Beulah Land. It certainly raised the themes of God s great provision for Israel. I f The following Sunday, we employed this chorus as a sung Affirmation of Faith. Some in the choir, prior to the service, said that some choir members did not know the song had never heard it before. That certainly is possible. I don t know any member of the congregation or choir who is here every Sunday. What I do know, even if I can t remember exactly why it came about, is that there was a men vs. women challenge related to this chorus. I believe Gordon Prentice and I came up with the idea of having a group of men lead the chorus, down front, and with the appropriate Pop-eye-the Sailor man arm motion. It went well. Really well. What is really clear to me is the way Brent Gunn felt the women needed a chance to answer the men. Including the arm motions. That they did so the following week. And they did it really well! I did not grow up singing Beulah Land. But I was hooked on the chorus once I heard it. It speaks of God s gracious provision of manna and water. It was, after all, a perfect fit for Psalm 78. (Or, 105. Or 77. Or 114.) What intrigued me more than whether some knew it or not was the way that the men vs. women s singing of it did not seem to be part of the community memory, at least at first. I am constantly asking, what makes worship good, memorable, uplifting, applicable, and helpful. you will be my eyes... Clearly, music is part of that! So, how would you answer the question? What makes worship good, memorable, uplifting, applicable, and helpful for you? What makes it transformative? What makes you a better servant of the Living Lord?.. So what shapes us for the short term and what shapes us for the long term to the point that it becomes a memory deeply etched into our minds? Said differently, what makes worship aid us for Monday and the days following, and what about worship can we remember for years to come? Virginia Forbes funeral was led by a former Seminary Intern of Northminster s. He learned a great deal and took much away not the least of which was a member s daughter/ He shared this story of his mother-in-law: As you know, memory became an issue and a struggle in the past few years. One of Virginia s good friends was losing her eye sight, but her memory was good. Virginia would open her mail, help her with her bills, read to her. In exchange, this friend s memory which was perfectly intact be came Virginia s attachment to reality. The friend said, If you will be my eyes, I will be your memory. Dan concluded along the lines of, And isn t that the nature of what community should be? Where we take what we have to give and share it with others, and in exchange, we receive the gifts that others have to offer? It is an interesting world new smart phones, digital images everywhere, traditional church architecture that is somewhat non-compatible with things digital and LED, and persons who can sing beloved hymns from memory even if most everything else in their minds is somewhat scrambled. It is into this world that we seek to worship our God, be the community of God s people, and as Psalm 78 says, prepare to carry the truths to the young and the next generation. It may be a bit like the context of Beulah Land. There is this amazing fountain from the depths of God and yet to look around, it looks like the wilderness. Please remember, and prioritize, Northminster in all of your charitable giving and the sharing of your precious time as we seek to be the community of God s people at worship and in service. Now and in the years to come. Peace, Insert 1
FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT AUGUST Actual % of Actual Budgeted Variance Budget August 2014 Total Pledges/loose offering 41,277 38,687 2,590 106.69% Total Revenues 47,388 40,938 6,450 115.76% Total Expenses 41,901 42,040-139 99.67% YTD 2014 Total Pledges/loose offering 287,679 309,493-21,814 92.95% Total Revenues 328,232 286,557 41,675 114.54% Total Expenses 325,254 336,317-11,063 96.71% YTD Net -2,978 FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT SEPTEMBER Actual % of Actual Budgeted Variance Budget September 2014 Total Pledges/loose offering 23,587 38,687-15,100 60.97% Total Revenues 47,388 40,937 6,451 115.76% Total Expenses 37,891 42,040-4,149 90.13% YTD 2014 Total Pledges/loose offering 312,266 348,180-35,914 89.69% Total Revenues 361,224 368,430-7,206 98.04% Total Expenses 363,145 378,356-15,211 95.98% YTD Net -1,921 SESSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTS AUGUST STATED MEETING Heard a Commissioner s Report from Reverend Hammet on the Called July Presbytery meeting in Albany. * Authorized the funding for advertising the youth worker job description on a Youth Worker website. * Dismissed Judy Martin from membership to join Vineville United Methodist Church. * Approved hiring Virginia Cowsert for several hours a month to equip children's Sunday School teachers with the curriculum. * Approved seeking bids for the repair, cleaning, and upgrade of organ along with painting of sanctuary ceiling. * Approved challenge offer to aid Loaves and Fishes--dollar for dollar matching--up to $5,000 by December 31. * Approved the closing of the Preschool Account--balance $2,000--with monies credited to the Audit Account. * Received an update of Reverend Hammet s Presbytery role given Paul Luthman's retirement in December: Hammet will serve on Advisory Council, appoint Staffing Design Committee for evaluation of Presbytery s needs, and then appoint a Search Committee. SESSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTS SEPTEMBER STATED MEETING * Approved a request from Presbytery to increase our Benevolences 3 percent in 2015--$25,787. * Heard the Commissioner s Report by Ann Weaver on the Called September Presbytery meeting in Macon. * Heard a report from Sam Alderman, Kim Emener, and Ricky Smith, who attended Presbytery's Stewardship Dinner and learned of the many things Presbytery does for churches and youth in southwest Georgia. * Learned that Loaves and Fished special offering appeal at Northminster has received, thus far, $3,000 for matching. * Each Elder signed a golf ball as a best wishes gift for retiring Presbytery Executive Paul Luthman, * Discussed Terms of Call in preparation for the upcoming congregational meeting. * Approved request from Christian Education for interest income from Endowment to be used for purchase of a large screen/ projection unit and sound amplification, plus a cart if needed. * Heard a report about the alleged slip and fall lawsuit against the church. * Approved Property Committee s recommendation of a denial of building use for a Zumba class on account of the class s large size and liability concerns. * Reviewed the first phase of the pastoral evaluation process. The second phase will be completed next month. * Approved the baptism of Jennings Tarpley for October 26 th.