ANNUAL REPORT 2018 Family of Christ Wednesday Night Youth What does that mean? For the last five years we have been blessed by some amazing ministry together as a community. It was such a gift to celebrate that with you earlier this month. This year we began to embrace our vision and mission statements as we set the foundations for our future with God and one another. Our leadership has set us on a firm financial path, our youth and education programs continue to grow, and our emphasis on community impact is beginning to emerge with new partners. In This Report Vision, Mission, and Value Statements Summary of Ministries Financial Report Next Year s Emphasis One of my favorite stories was that in the middle of Lent we partnered with The Drawer. This is a ministry organized by several of our newer members that provides socks and underwear for those who need them in our community. It was an activity in which all could participate as we gathered items, put them together in bundles and watched as they were distributed to some of our neighbors. Though this may not seem like much, it is often simple acts of love and community like this that change the world. The groundwork is set for us to continue to move out into God s kingdom. As we embrace our mission to Live the Gospel through Faith, Love, and Compassion I invite you to join us. Particularly this year as we ask the question What does this mean? I pray you will walk with us into an uncertain, but certainly blessed future. Peace, Pastor Brent Erler
Vision Statement Family of Christ seeks To be a Grace filled family of God, living the Gospel through Faith, Love and Compassion Soul Sisters Advent Luncheon Mission Statement We are a family embraced by God s Grace, growing in faith, serving and proclaiming Christ s love for all people. 2018 Church Council President Lisa Tulisaari Vice President Ed Hellier Secretary Kathy Olson Treasurer Miles Miller Financial Secretary Chad Specht At Large Member Martha Johnson At Large Member Donny Bergquist At Large Member Brian Yolitz Thank you all for your grateful service and the gifts you have shared with our congregation. Core Values - Family of Christ 1. Is a welcoming and accepting family of God that provides opportunities for people to build relationships with God and others through worship, learning and service. 2. Is about shaping the lives of youth and children, and building stronger family relationships. 3. Seeks to create an impact on other s lives and bring about God s Kingdom. 4. Is a community where gifts, talents, and skills are utilized and appreciated. 5. Strives to provide care, compassion and support for one another. 6. Creates spaces for people to grow in relationship with God and others. Pastor Brent Erler Children s Ministry Cary Whittington Office Assistant Linda Bauer Church Staff Custodial Kelly Kritsberg Choir Director Debra Capener Musicians Mary Wescott Laura Porter-Jones Morgan Jones Jessica Christiansen This year we said Goodbye to Sherry Goodman who had been working with our youth for 19 years and Dan Benson who retired as our custodian. Thank you both for your gifts.
FAITH We will gather together to grow through worship, learning, stewardship, prayer, and action in the world. Family of Christ Baptism Music, Sermon Series, and the Arts This last year we continued to have quality and diverse music as part of our worship. The choir performs monthly and our worship group Logos continues to grow. Wednesday worship in Lent included a sermon series using Pixar Shorts while we meditated using the Holden Evening Prayer. We also had a music filled December with a community band, brass quintet, and the Biggest and Best Christmas Present Ever Christmas program. Visual art created by members of our community is a main emphasis in the Sanctuary, Narthex, and the new Fellowship space. Children s art created during worship hung in the Narthex and multi purpose room. Kitty Soderberg painted canvases that surround the altar area and Narthex changing with the seasons. Also, several art exhibits were showcased in our Fellowship space. Thanks to all who played a part in creating art. Worship In 2018 we continued on a journey that used the Narrative Lectionary to emphasize our faith seen in God s stories in the scriptures. We walked through the Old and New testaments during this time and spent the summer looking at God s Story; Our Story. Worship Art Statistical Information Confirmands - 2 New Members - 38 Baptisms - 3 Weddings - 2 Lent Worship Series Funerals - 3 2018 Confirmands
ACCEPTANCE We will be a place where all are welcome and can grow into the people God has created them to be because God can be seen in the faces of all people. Wednesday Night Educators Community Partners AA Al-Anon Boy Scouts Cub Scouts American Red Cross 360 Communities South Metro Montessori Forte Fine Arts Beauty and the Beast Musical City of Lakeville Christian Motorcycle Association Ebenezer Ministries Election Polling Place The Drawer MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS We will care for one another and grow in relationship with God and one another. Embracing Our Gifts Together We began our journey to grow deeper in our faith together by introducing Living our Strengths, a faith exploration using the Stregthfinders program. More that 50 people went through special programs to embrace who God created them to be and how we can live into that future through faith and community. Adult Education We continue to have opportunities to grow through learning. Men s and women s bible studies continue to meet. The book club has a monthly program that meets in people s homes. We had two larger adult education opportunities this year looking at the ELCA s Faith, Sexism, and Justice, and this Summer we found ways to connect our stories to God s stories. Community Meals Strengthsfinder Program Periodically throughout the year we met as a congregation for community meals. This year we started with a game night, moved on to a Pentecost Picnic, got together at Theology Pubs and Beer and Hymns, started December with a women s Advent luncheon and ended the year with a youth lead brunch. Community Band
IMPACT We will make a difference in the world in Christ s name bringing about change in our lives and community. LOVE We will provide care, compassion and support for one another. This year we saw several changes in our community care programming. We formalized our partnerships with certain organizations, increased our benevolence and found more ways to directly involve our community with loving our neighbors. $2400 was distributed in gift cards and financial support to our members and community Undie Sunday Event Global Mission Tanzania We continue our relationship with our sister congregation in the Usokami parish. Other support; Seventeen Secondary Scholarships Over $500 given to Iringa Hope microfinancing Medicine and Surgery Scholarship FMSC We raised over $1600 for the Mega Pack and had more than 60 volunteers give nearly 200 hours. ELCA Global Mission Through special appeals and our increased general benevolence to the ELCA we worked with World Hunger, Lutheran Disaster Response, HIV and AIDS Relief, the Malaria Campaign, and Immigration and Refugee Services. Local Mission The Drawer Last year we collected over 1200 pairs of socks and underwear for homeless, sheltered, and others in need. We also gave over $650 in monetary donations to this new partner. Food Shelf Donations Matrix Homeless Shelter In 2018 we helped start a local transitional homeless shelter in Dakota county to support local and regional homelessness. Trinity Care We again hosted a Christmas party with gifts for Trinity Care Center in Farmington. We were able to provide an abundance of blessings for all of the residents. Community Events This year we had several community service events that served local mission by tying blankets for a local families, making care kits for those on the streets, and collecting hats and mittens for our local food shelf Amount collected in our special and Noisy $5953 Offerings supporting local and global mission. BENEVOLENCE Money from our general and noisy offerings went directly to support the following partners; St. Paul Area Synod Usokami Parish Feed My Starving Children Lydia Place Luther Park Open Door Food Shelf Camp Noah Lutheran Social Services (LSS) CATCH House 360 Communities ELCA Disaster Relief The Drawer Iringa Hope The Matrix Shelter Trinity Care Christmas
YOUTH We will create an environment where the young and young at heart can learn and be supported on their faith journeys. Preschool and Elementary Our faith formation programming seeks to meet the needs of our youth and their families. This year we used a rotation model of Sunday School concentrating on two stories each month. Included in this time is a kids choir that shares music during worship. Other programs included Shipwrecked VBS which had the kids making connection with their faith and a pageant in Advent called the Biggest and Best Christmas Present Ever. A special thanks to all the volunteers that helped make these possible. VBS Wednesday Nights The Wednesday night youth program continues to be a time of learning and community building. It includes; 5-6 Grade education 7-9 confirmation 10-12 AGAPE youth group These times include a meal, service, worship, and other faith building opportunities. Sunday School Community Christmas Pageant Peer Ministry Leadership Several of our High School youth were selected to participate in our Peer Ministry Leadership training and have become leaders in our community in various ways. These students work with and mentor our middle school and younger youth while developing skills for faith and life. Youth Service and Mission This last year our youth participated in several service and learning events including packing meals at FMSC, helping out at a food distribution center in Rochester, summer camping, Cardboard Box City, summer volleyball, and a Fall Retreat. No mission trip this year as they are headed to Jamaica the summer of 2019. Luther Park Summer Camping Cardboard Box City School age youth had the opportunity to go to Luther Park last summer and experience faith in the great outdoors. We were able to provide each youth with a $150 scholarship. 10 of our youth went to camp at Luther Park. Other Activities - Updated Security Policy - CPR and AID Trained Volunteers - New Cameras and Windows - Mortgage Refinanced - Created an ongoing Financial Review Process
Family of Christ 2018 Financial Review / 2019 Proposed Budget 2018 Budgeted Giving General Fund Income / Expenses 2018 Actual Giving Surplus 2018 Budgeted Expenses 2018 Acutal Expenses Over Budget General Income / Expense $386,107 $402,006 $15,899 $374,583 $381,902 $7,319 2018 Expenses vs. Budget 2019 Proposed Budget 2018 Budget 2018 Actual Over / (Under) 2019 General 2019 Expense Budget Fund Budget Change vs. 2018 BENEVOLENCE $13,000 $13,000 0.00 $14,000 $1,000 EDUCATION $4,000 $4,438 438.00 $4,000 $0 FELLOWSHIP $1,000 $1,493 493.00 $1,500 $500 FIN/STEWARDSHIP $1,300 $338 (962.00) $1,300 $0 OFFICE SUPPLIES $13,000 $11,775 (1,225.00) $405,618 $13,000 $0 OFFICE SALARIES $179,235 $178,343 (892.00) Annual General $189,336 $10,101 OUTREACH $1,500 $1,327 (173.00) Fund - $1,500 $0 PROPERTY $36,000 $46,777 10,777.00 1.6% + over $46,000 $10,000 WORSHIP $4,500 $3,821 (679.00) 2017 Actual* $4,500 $0 MISC/PREPAID $1,500 $1,826 326.00 $1,500 $0 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT $14,400 $13,614 (786.00) $14,400 $0 RESERVES $3,600 $3,609 9.00 $3,600 $0 MORTGAGE $101,548 $101,548 0.00 $103,308 $1,760 Total $374,583 $381,909 $7,326 $405,618 $397,944 $23,361 Noisy Offering 2018 Givings Giving Tree Benevolence Tanzania Total Givings $4,349 $450 $13,000 $9,440 $27,239 Savings and Reserves Beginning Balance + - Ending Balance Reserves $38,483 $3,671 $0 $42,154 Capital Improvement $12,506 $14,554 ($9,748) $17,312 Total $50,989 $18,225 ($9,748) $59,466 Average Weekly Attendance General Fund YTD 138 331583 400343 402006 135 131 2016 2017 2018 2016 2017 2018
Next Year s Emphasis Evaluate and continue grow our Children, Youth and Family Ministry. This will include staffing recommendations for the future. Embrace our outreach ministries in the local community so we can get to know our neighbors and invite others into our community. Begin exterior improvement projects and other building and grounds concerns to complete the process begun in 2017. Contact Us Family of Christ 10970 185thStreet West Lakeville, MN 55044 952-435-5757 office@familyofchrist.com Pastor Brent Erler pastorbrent@familyofchrist.com Office Assistant Linda Bauer linda@familyofchrist.com Visit us on the web at www.familyofchrist.com Family of Christ Lutheran Church Living the Gospel through Faith, Love, and Compassion Family of Christ 10970 185th Street Lakeville, MN 55044