EOA/WRA LOCAL CHURCH PROFILE FOR CHURCHES SEEKING NEW LEADERSHIP The covenantal relationship between a church and those called by that church to serve as pastors and teachers and in other ministerial positions is strengthened when vital information is openly shared by covenantal partners. To that end, we attest that, to the best of our abilities, we have provided information in this profile that accurately represents our church. We have not knowingly withheld any information that would be helpful to candidates. As the committee charged with the responsibility for identifying and recommending a suitable new minister for our church, we have been authorized to share the information herein with potential candidates. We understand that a candidate may wish to secure further knowledge, information, and opinion about our church. We encourage a candidate to do so, recognizing that an open exchange of relevant information builds the foundation for continuing and healthy relationships between calling bodies and persons seeking a ministry position. Julie Herold Tim Weckbacher Date Trinity UCC Pastoral Search Committee Co-Chairpersons Church Name: Address: Trinity United Church of Christ 915 North Main Street City, State, Zip: Akron, Ohio 44310 Search Committee Chairperson or Contact Person Name: Julie Herold Association Staff member working with the Search Committee Name: Address: Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates EOA/WRA Support Center 960 Portage Trail City, State, Zip: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44221 Telephone: 330-940-2220 x 104 E-Mail: bonnie@eoawraucc.org Part-Time Minister Date Page 1 of 9 Position to be filled
The church s vision and mission statements are: The Church Vision Statement. Affirming that God is still speaking, Trinity United Church of Christ, Akron, Ohio, seeks to share the good news of Jesus Christ by reaching beyond our doors, to grow in love, mutual support and understanding and to welcome all regardless of where they are on life s journey. (Revised August 2016) Mission Statement. We, as Christians at the heart of the community with the community at its heart, seek to continue Jesus work as indicated in the Bible and inspired by the Holy Spirit. (Revised August 2016) We live out our Vision and Mission through the following spiritual formation, education, missions and outreach opportunities: We reach beyond our doors by our: Trinity in the Community (T nc), an outreach program that operates/ provides: (1) a clothing room open to the public; (2) school uniforms to neighboring elementary students in need; (3) a community garden that donates produce; (4) a holiday gift giveaway to selected families in the community; (5) a limited fund that offers help with utility bills; and (6) a source for information about local social services. Church Meeting Rooms and Facilities, which we provide for community use to the Boy Scouts (the oldest troop in Akron), the Girl Scouts, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, True Ohio Players basketball program, weekly dance and yoga classes, the Akron Christian Assembly Church, and the House of Prosperity Ministry. Little Free Library, a cooperative project with the Girl Scouts featuring a small enclosed book box installed along the church walkway that primarily loans children s reading material to neighborhood residents on the honor basis. We seek to grow in love, mutual support and understanding through: Care and Concern Committee, whose members visit the sick and coordinate a prayer chain. Sunday school programs for children and adults each Sunday morning. Women s Retreat, an annual weekend retreat for the women of the church and their guests. Ladies Night Out, a monthly dinner social event. Worship in the Park, an annual summer service followed by a potluck meal and fellowship. Establishing a new committee to address congregational concerns and improve communications within the church. Page 2 of 9
We welcome all by: Greeting all members and visitors as they enter the church with a friendly handshake and a warm good morning by our Welcomers. Wearing name tags in worship to make it easy for visitors to learn names of our members. Our Worship Leaders announcing that wherever you are on life s journey, you are welcome here. Passing the Peace of Christ during the congregational gathering portion of the worship service. Acknowledging all first-time visitors by the congregation and providing them with Welcome Bags filled with church information and several useful gift items. Hosting outside choir and concert series events that are open to all free of charge. What is God calling your church to do/become over the next few years? Our church has been located in Akron s North Hill neighborhood since the building was completed in 1929. Our motto that Trinity is At the heart of the community with the community at its heart reflects our long tradition of community outreach. We believe that God is calling our church to continue to reach out into North Hill, which has a long history as a proud ethnic neighborhood. North Hill is now formally known as Akron s International District and is a growing area of racial and cultural diversity. It is also home to the Akron International Institute, whose mission is to help immigrants to the U.S. assimilate to their new country. The largest group of refugees are from Asian countries such as Nepal, Thailand and Myanmar, and the newest group comes from the Congo. Refugee children now account for over one-half of all public students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in North Hill. Over the past few years, Trinity has developed partnerships with the International Institute and our closest elementary schools, Forest Hill and Findley Community Learning Centers, to assist these refugee students and their families. Many refugee families are served by our T nc clothing room, school uniform program, and community garden. Further, our church is used on Sunday afternoon for worship service by Akron Christian Assembly Church, a Nepalese church. As a congregation, we see our mission as helping to meet the changing needs of these new community residents throughout the coming years as well as to reach out to other community members in need. In recent years, North Hill has experienced a sense of community renewal and interest. With the continual influx of international residents, the area has benefitted economically from several new restaurants and businesses that have opened to provide a variety of ethnic foods and products. The International Institute has taken a prominent role in trying to bring local non-profits together, including Trinity UCC, and the idea of creating a community development corporation for North Hill is currently being explored to foster further neighborhood growth. In addition, Trinity currently is meeting with the UCC Eastern Ohio Association and other small UCC churches in an effort to better maximize the various outreach missions supported by the UCC in the Akron area. These developing partnerships hold the promise of creating new potential for Trinity to grow in mission and community involvement that could positively impact our church in other ways. We believe God is calling us to be part of these emerging relationships to bless both our church and the community in the future. Page 3 of 9
During the next few years, our church seeks to answer God s calling to: Keep our doors open for all to come and continue to show and grow our Christian heritage. Be a resource and asset to the surrounding North Hill community. Act as a beacon of light that draws people to it and then serve their needs after they arrive. Be open to the changes coming to North Hill and change to accommodate those needs. Help unify its different cultures and the oppressed by providing a place of peace. Be more active in evangelism and work better to attract more people to our church. Describe how the church expects the person you are seeking to help your church reach these goals: We are seeking someone as our next Minister who can offer a fresh and honest perspective on the challenges facing our church, and who has the vitality to work enthusiastically with our congregation to move the church forward. We believe growing our church membership is key to our congregational future and serving the ongoing needs of our community. Our membership has stabilized in terms of numbers, but has declined in recent years and is now characterized by many older persons and fewer young families and children. Our lower membership also challenges us in meeting our budgetary requirements, particularly for maintaining our large and aging church building. Therefore, we wish to call a person who has the desire and expertise to inspire our members to share their time and talents in the life and work of the church, as well as to reach out to attract new members who desire to join our family of faith. Our congregation seeks to call a leader who will: Be an inspiring preacher who is effective in planning and leading worship. Be a person of faith who can help others to develop their spiritual lives. Build a sense of fellowship among the congregation and the community. Be a compassionate and caring person for the congregation. Be effective in working with youth and open to working with persons of diverse cultures. In concert with lay support, give pastoral care to those who are sick at home, in the hospital or in nursing homes. Reach out to inactive members and emphasize evangelism to bring new members to the church. Our Statement on Ministry Using this page, and one additional page if needed, write a statement that will help a candidate better understand the relationship of clergy and lay leadership in the life of your congregation. Candidates will be interested to know whether your lay leaders have a history of strong, cooperative relationships with the church s pastoral leadership. If your church organizational structure is based on intentional lay-led ministries, describe how that structure functions in relationship to the pastor; if your organizational structure is dependent on clergy leadership, describe what will be expected of the pastor. In The Past. In 2015, Trinity UCC Akron was proud to celebrate 125 years of congregational faith, family and mission. During the past 30-some years, we have been served by only two full-time settled Page 4 of 9
ministers with two interim pastors. Trinity has had a collaborative relationship between all its pastors and the lay leadership, even through the inevitable differences of opinion. We have always been open to the vision and ideas of the pastor to move our church forward, and those ideas have most often been implemented. For example, we embraced a Christ-centered, mission-driven approach introduced by our previous minister to live out our motto of being the church at the heart of the community with the community at its heart. In addition, many of our more active members participated in a lay leadership training program conducted by our former pastor during his first year at Trinity. Currently. The current relationship between our Interim Minister and the members who lead our Council and lay ministries is very strong and cooperative. Our current committees and ministries with strong lay leadership are Worship and Music, Budget and Finance, T nc Outreach, and Property Management. Under our present By-laws, the Minister leads our Worship Ministry Circle, which also includes the Director of Music and the Ushers League and is responsible for promoting and maintaining the worship portions of the church ministry. The Minister is also an important member of Council as a non-voting member who regularly reports on matters of church ministry and administration and is expected to share his/ her view on other issues discussed by Council. Our current Council President meets with our Interim Minister regularly to privately discuss various church matters and seek guidance and direction. As We Move Forward. We recognize that a part-time Minister will not be able to perform all the duties that traditionally have been the minister s responsibility at Trinity. We further recognize that our lay leaders will need to assume a more active role in ministering to the congregation, and new lay leaders may need to be developed. Therefore, we are open to working with our new Minister to review our congregational needs and develop ways to promote our lay leadership to better meet those needs. In addition, we are looking to build upon our existing committees to better support our Minister on church as well as personal matters and to establish new groups as needed to benefit and strengthen the relationship between our congregation and Minister. Page 5 of 9
Membership (As reflected in the eleven-year UCC Statistical Report for our church; est. indicates the figure is an estimate.) Last Year 5 Years Ago 10 Years Ago a. # Church members 227 251 542 b. Average attendance at worship 64 92 120 c. Average participation of children/youth/adults in 25 41 50 Christian Education d. # Members who are ordained clergy Not reported Not reported Not reported Profile of Congregation Estimate percentage of congregation. Each category should add up to 100%. a. Age: c. Family units: 5 % ages 0-5 7 % couples with children at home 7 % ages 6-18 56 % couples without children at home 14 % ages 19-34 35 % single 12 % ages 35-49 2 % single parents with children at home 22 % ages 50-64 23 % ages 65-7 17 % ages 75+ b. Education level of adults: d. Occupation of adults: 0 % completed less than high school 22 % business 16 % high school graduates 7 % clerical 12 % some college/vocational school 3 % homemaker 58 % college graduates 11 % laborer/manufacturing 14 % graduate school 41 % professional 4 % student So we who are many, are one body in Christ Romans 12:5a 3 % tradesperson 9 % other e. Employment: 44 % employed full-time 6 % employed part-time 48 % retired Describe the racial-ethnic makeup of your congregation: 96% Caucasian, 4% African-American Please attach a copy of the Mission Insite Report for the community in which your church is located. See Attachment A for the detailed Mission Insite Report. See Attachment B for an executive summary of the Mission Insite Report. Page 6 of 9
Church Finances Please attach a copy of your current budget and latest Annual Report See Attachment C for the 2015-16 Church Budget and Attachment D for 2016-17 Church Budget. See Attachment E for Trinity s 2015-16 Annual Report. In addition, we are supported by Endowments Funds of $217,100, Memorial Funds of $25,400, and Forward Reserve Funds of $17,900 as of June 1, 2016. These are special funds with spending restrictions, and some are committed for necessary building improvements in 2016-17. Ministerial Salary, Benefits, and Expenses Offered: Total for all items checked below not to exceed $65,000 per year a. Cash salary offered $ X_ b. Housing: $ X X_ Housing allowance only Parsonage only Would consider offering either c. Customary benefits: X Vacation: 4 weeks annually X Maternity/paternity leave X UCC Retirement Annuity (14% of salary and housing) X UCC Life and Disability Insurance Benefits X UCC Health Benefits (or comparable health benefits) X UCC Dental Benefits X Social Security/Medicare Offset Continuing Education Funds Continuing Education Time Sabbatical Leave Other benefits (specify) d. Ministry Expenses Travel Reimbursement X Meeting Expense Reimbursement (Conference Meetings) X Books and Periodicals X Reimbursement of Criminal Background Check Fee X Moving Expenses Page 7 of 9
Church Staff List the titles of other paid staff positions for whom this person provides supervision and indicate whether these positions are full-time (FT) or part-time (PT). Title: Title: Title: Minister of Welcome and Communication (Office Manager) - PT Head Custodian - PT Director of Music PT References Name three people who have agreed to serve as references. Make sure they are not members of your church, but know your church well enough to be helpful to a final candidate seeking more information about your church, e.g., conference staff, person in community, neighboring pastor: Name Telephone Email Relationship to Church Rev. Sharon Alberson 330-929-9103 sharonalberson@sbcglobal.net Trinity s former Minister of Music Roger Mize 330-928-2240 lymize@yahoo.com Trinity s former Interim Pastor Ron Cutler 330-801-0248 millrat511@att.com Scout Leader of Troop hosted by Trinity UCC The Pastor Please attach a copy of the Pastor s Job Description or that portion of the Church Constitution and Bylaws which outlines the pastor s responsibilities. See Attachment F for the Minister s Job Description. Page 8 of 9
Conference or Association Descriptive Reference Church Name: Trinity United Church of Christ Location: 915 North Main Street City, State, Zip: Akron, Ohio 44310 Conference: Ohio Association: Eastern Ohio Name of Staff Assisting in the Search: Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, Associations Associate Minister for Congregational Vitality and Development Staff Comments: Trinity United Church of Christ is an urban Akron church with deep roots in the community. They have a committed and dedicated lay leadership team and have worked at streamlining and simplifying their governance structure. They are poised to expand their support to the community with their relationships with the refugee and immigrant populations who are relocating to the North Hill community of Akron. Trinity UCC is participating in an Akron Mutual Ministry collaborative to gain additional support for their outreach ministries. They have some challenges: a building too big for their needs, an aging population, the inability to call a full-time pastor, but they also have great strengths: a heart for mission, a commitment to outreach, strong lay leadership and a significant history in the community. The pastor who comes to this call will need to be creative, engaged with the congregation and the community, and seek to build on the community linkages that have already been established. Signature of Staff assisting in search December 5, 2016 Date Page 9 of 9
Search Committee Marketing Advertisement Trinity UCC Trinity UCC Akron is a Christ-centered, mission-driven urban church located at the heart of the community with the community at its heart. In 2015 we celebrated 125 years as an enduring family of faith on North Hill, Akron s International District. We are blessed with a mature and caring multi-racial congregation, a dedicated core of lay leaders, a strong tradition of community outreach ministry, and a purposeful and historic building. With a diverse and changing international community in this part of Akron, we are well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities to be an integral part of a community-wide renaissance. We are seeking a part-time settled Minister to covenant with us to build upon our strengths and better utilize our resources to turn our membership and facility challenges into opportunities to serve. We welcome the chance to hear fresh perspectives and new leadership initiatives to grow our family of faith to our full potential of God s calling.
MINISTER S JOB DESCRIPTION A. DESCRIPTION The Settled Minister shall serve on a part-time basis equivalent to approximately 30-34 hours (8-10 blocks) per week, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Minister and Church Council. The Minister s top priorities shall be to assist the congregation in sustaining and promoting membership growth and community outreach, to lead worship services, and to assist in visiting church members in need of pastoral and congregational care. B. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Evangelism and Outreach. In conjunction with the lay leaders, encourage the community to share the good news and love of Jesus Christ and support partnerships to the mutual benefit of the church and community. Worship Services. Prepare, plan, coordinate, and lead worship services with support of staff and lay leaders. Pastoral Care. In collaboration with lay leaders, visit members who are hospitalized, in care facilities or homebound. Officiate at weddings and funerals for members and friends of the congregation. Faith Formation and Vitality. Strengthen the faith and vitality of the congregation by promoting prayer, Bible study, and service as well as identifying resources and opportunities for lay leaders to utilize. Stewardship. Support and encourage the faithful financial stewardship of the congregation. Vision, Mission, and Leadership. Assist strategic planning for current and future direction in ministry. Continue fostering a leadership network within the church and community to create and sustain ministries and programs that align with our mission and greater vision. Ministry and Governance. As time permits, work with the church council, committees, and ministries by attending meetings and activities. Ecumenical Relationships. Maintain collegial relationships with all levels of the UCC as well as the local community clergy association, and seek to strengthen denominational links when possible. Other. Since no job description can detail all duties and responsibilities that may be required of the Minister, other duties and responsibilities that become inherent for the position shall be considered to be included herein. C. ACCOUNTABILITY The Minister is responsible for regularly reporting to Council on pertinent matters of church business, and ministry, and is ultimately responsible to the congregation. An evaluation of ministry shall be conducted at least every three (3) years per terms mutually agreed to by the Church and the Minister. Revised 11-21-16
The ExecutiveInsite Report Prepared for: Ohio Conference UCC Study area: 3 mile radius - 915 N Main Street Akron OH 44310-2197 Base State: OHIO Current Year Estimate: 2016 5 Year Projection: 2021 Date: 8/1/2016 Semi-Annual Projection: Spring This ExecutiveInsite Report has been prepared for Ohio Conference UCC. Its purpose is to tell the demographic story of the defined geographic study area. ExecutiveInsite integrates narrative analysis with data tables and graphs. Playing on the report name, it includes 12 Insites into the study area s story. It includes both demographic and beliefs and practices data. ExecutiveInsite is intended to give an overview analysis of the defined geographic study area. A defined study area can be a region, a zip code, a county or some custom defined geographic area such as a radius or a user defined polygon. The area of study is displayed in the map below. THE STUDY AREA THE 12 I NSITES More Information INSITE PAGE Please refer to the last page of the report for additional notes and interpretation Insite #1: Population, Household Trends 2 aides in reading the report. Insite #2: Racial/Ethnic Trends 3 Not all of the demographic variables available in the MI System are found in this Insite #3: Age Trends 4 report. The FullInsite Report will give a more comprehensive view of an area's demographics. Insite #4: School Aged Children Trends 6 Also, the Impressions Report adds additional social, behavioral views and the Insite #5: Household Income Trends 7 Quad Report provides a detailed view of religious preferences, practices and Insite #6: Households and Children Trends 9 beliefs. Insite #7: Marital Status Trends 10 Insite #8: Adult Educational Attainment 11 Insite #9: Employment and Occupations 12 Insite #10: Mosaic Household Types 13 Insite #11: Charitable Giving Practices 14 Insite #12: Religious Program Or Ministry Preferences 15 Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 1
INSITE #1: POPULATION AND HOUSEHOLD TRENDS Population: The estimated 2016 population within the study area is 103,761. The 2021 projection would see the area decline by -923 to a total population of 102,838. The population within the study area is growing somewhat slower than the statewide growth rate. While the study area is projected to decline by -0.9% in the next five years, the state is projected to remain stable at 0.2%. The study area s estimated average change rate is -0.2%. Households: The households within the community are declining faster than the population, thus the average population per household in 2010 was 2.31 but by 2021 it is projected to be 2.31. Compare this to the statewide average which for the current year is estimated at 2.50 persons per household. Population Per Household Population per Household: The relationship between population and households provides a hint about how the community is changing. When population grows faster than households, it suggests an increase in the persons per household. This can only happen when more persons are added either by birth or other process such as young adults in multiple roommate households or young adults returning to live with parents. In some communities this can occur when multiple families live in the same dwelling unit. Family Households: Family households provide an additional hint about the changing dynamics of a community. If family household growth follows population growth, then it would be reasonable to assume that the increasing population per household comes from additional children. However, within the study area, this is not the case. Family households are not growing as fast as the population, suggesting the growth may be the result of growth of non-family adult households. Population/Households & Family Trends 2000 2010 2016 2021 2026 Population 111,035 103,622 103,761 102,838 102,293 Population Change -7,413 139-923 -545 Percent Change -6.7% 0.1% -0.9% -0.5% Households 47,953 44,884 44,991 44,586 44,335 Households Change -3,069 107-405 -251 Percent Change -6.4% 0.2% -0.9% -0.6% Population / Households 2.32 2.31 2.31 2.31 2.31 Population / Households Change -0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 Percent Change -0.3% -0.1% 0.0% 0.0% Families 26,379 22,871 23,419 23,179 Families Change -3,508 548-240 Percent Change -13.3% 2.4% -1.0% Population, Household & Family Trends Average Annual Percentage Change Between Reported Years 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 Population Households Families* 0.1% 0.0% -0.1% -0.2% -0.3% -0.4% -0.5% 0 2000 2010 2016 2021 2026-0.6% -0.7% 2010 2016 2021 2026 NOTE: Family Household data is not projected out 10 years. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 2
INSITE #2: RACIAL-ETHNIC TRENDS The US population s racial-ethnic diversity is continually adding new and rich cultural mixes. This data considers the five groups for which trending information is available. Please note that several groups are aggregated into a single category due to their smaller size. Those persons who indicated Hispanic or Latino ethnicity along with a racial category have been separated into a Hispanic or Latino category. The Population: Racial/Ethnic Trends table provides the actual numbers and percentage of the total population for each of the five racial/ethnic categories. Pay special attention to the final column on the right. This will quickly indicate the direction of change from the last census to the current five year projection. 80,000 70,000 Racial-Ethnic Population Trends Racial/Ethnicity as Percentage of Pop: 2015 2% 3% 3% 22% 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 70% 20,000 10,000 0 2010 2016 2021 Asian (NH) Black/Af Am (NH) Asian (NH) Black/Af Am (NH) White (NH) Hisp/Latino White (NH) P Is/Am In/Oth (NH) Hisp/Latino P Is/Am In/Oth (NH) The Racial Ethnic Trends graph displays history and projected change by each racial/ethnic group. This chart shows the percentage of each group for the current year estimate. The percentage of the population Asian (Non-Hisp) is projected to remain about the same over the next five years. Black/African American (Non-Hisp) is projected to remain about the same over the next five years. White (Non-Hisp) is projected to remain about the same over the next five years. Hispanic or Latino is projected to remain about the same over the next five years. 2010 2016 2021 2010% 2016 % 2021 % 2010 to 2021 %pt Change Race and Ethnicity Asian (NH) 2,582 2,771 2,921 2.49% 2.67% 2.84% 0.35% Black/Afr Amer (NH) 23,320 23,135 22,820 22.50% 22.30% 22.19% -0.31% White (NH) 72,198 72,325 71,469 69.67% 69.70% 69.50% -0.18% Hispanic/Latino 2,510 2,471 2,545 2.42% 2.38% 2.47% 0.05% P Is/Am In/Oth (NH) 3,012 3,059 3,083 2.91% 2.95% 3.00% 0.09% Totals: 103,622 103,761 102,838 Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 3
INSITE #3: AGE TRENDS A community s age structure and how it is changing is an important part of its story. Overall, the American Population has been aging as the Baby Boomers progress through each phase of life. This has been abetted by episodes of declining live births. However this picture may particularize differently from community to community. There are communities in the US where the average age is lower than some others. In other cases, there is a clear shift toward senior years as the Boomers enter their retirement years. The Age Trend Insite explores two variables: Average age and Phase of Life. Average Age Trends provides five important snapshots of a community from five data points; the 2000 census, the last census, the current year estimate, the five year projection and the ten year forecast. These five numbers will indicate the aging direction of a community. The Phase of Life Trends breaks the population into seven life phases that the population passes through in its life time. AGE Average Age Trends 2000 2010 2016 2021 2026 Average Age: Study Area 36.58 37.05 38.03 38.51 39.16 Percent Change 1.3% 2.6% 1.3% 1.7% Average Age: OH 36.89 38.19 39.62 40.47 41.16 Percent Change 3.5% 3.7% 2.1% 1.7% Comparative Index 99 97 96 95 95 Median Age: Study Area 33 34 35 36 38 Study Area Average Age Trend 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 2000 2010 2016 2021 2026 Summary of Average Age Findings: The Average Age Trend chart shows both history and projection of the change in average age in the study area. The average age of the study area has been rising for several years. It is projected to rise over the next five years. 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 Ave. Age Comparison: Study Area to State 2000 2010 2016 2021 2026 Study area OH A comparison to the average age of the state helps to contextualize the significance of the average age of the study area and its history and projection. In the graph above, the study area and state are laid out side by side. The state's average age is estimated to be about the same as the study area. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 4
INSITE #3: AGE TRENDS (continued) The Phase of Life analysis provides insight into the age distribution of a population across the different stages of life experience. It can reveal a community in transition. PHASE OF LIFE Pay special attention to the color codes of the Change column (far right below). It will immediately indicate which phases are increasing or decreasing as a percentage of the population. Phase of Life 2010 2016 2021 2026 2010% 2016% 2021% 2026% Estimated 10 Year %pt Change 2016-2026 Before Formal Schooling Ages 0 to 4 6,249 6,820 6,796 6,326 6.0% 6.6% 6.6% 6.2% -0.4% Required Formal Schooling Ages 5 to 17 14,946 14,966 15,733 16,562 14.4% 14.4% 15.3% 16.2% 1.8% College/Career Starts Ages 18 to 24 15,050 12,860 12,116 12,063 14.5% 12.4% 11.8% 11.8% -0.6% Singles & Young Families Ages 25 to 34 15,661 16,027 13,385 11,077 15.1% 15.4% 13.0% 10.8% -4.6% Families & Empty Nesters Ages 35 to 54 26,670 25,613 26,262 27,159 25.7% 24.7% 25.5% 26.6% 1.9% Enrichment Years Sing/Couples Ages 55 to 64 12,198 13,258 12,429 11,012 11.8% 12.8% 12.1% 10.8% -2.0% Retirement Opportunities Age 65 and over 12,849 14,217 16,117 18,093 12.4% 13.7% 15.7% 17.7% 4.0% Phase of Life Changes 4.0% 4.0% 2.0% 1.8% 1.9% 0.0% -2.0% -0.4% -0.6% -2.0% -4.0% -4.6% -6.0% 0 to 4 5 to 17 18 to 24 25 to 34 35 to 54 55 to 64 65 & over Summary of Phase of Life Findings: Phase of Life changes reflect the age profile of a community. On average, it takes 2.1 children per woman to replace both mother and father. If the percentage of the population under 20 is declining as a percentage of the total it is likely that the community will see an increase in the more senior aged population possibly due to a decline in birth rates. In this study area children 17 years of age and younger are increasing as a percentage of the total population. Considering the other end of the phases of life, adults 55 years of age and older are increasing as a percentage of the total population. In summary it may be that the community is experiencing some growth of children of school age. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 5
INSITE #4: SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN TRENDS Children are the future! Understanding their specific population dynamics is critical for all planners of social and/or educational services. The School Aged Children variable is a subset of the Required Formal Schooling segment in the Phase of Life profile. It allows one to zoom in more closely on the children who are of formal schooling age. The school aged population includes all school aged children including those enrolled in public and private schools, those home schooled and children in institutions. The School Aged Children variable provides a snapshot of three levels of the population that comprise school age children. The three levels roughly correspond to the following. Elementary grades Intermediate/Middle School grades High School Grades School Aged Children 2010 2016 2021 2010% 2016% 2021% Estimated 5 Year %pt Change 2016-2021 Early Elementary Ages 5 to 9 5,694 5,948 6,754 38.1% 39.7% 42.9% 3.2% Late Elementary-Middle School Ages 10 to 14 5,690 5,726 5,677 38.1% 38.3% 36.1% -2.2% High School Ages 15 to 17 3,561 3,291 3,303 23.8% 22.0% 21.0% -1.0% School Aged Children Trends: By Levels Comparative Index: Study Area to State by Level 45% 40% 150 35% 30% 100 25% 50 20% 15% 0 10% 5% -50 0% Early Elem Late Elem/Mid High School -100 Early Elem Late Elem/Mid High School 2016% 2021% Summary of School Aged Children Findings: Early Elementary children ages 5 to 9 are projected to increase as a percentage of children between 5 and 17 by 3.2%. Late Elementary to Middle School aged children ages 10 to 14 are declining as a percentage of children between 5 and 17 by -2.2%. 2016 to 2021 Change High School aged children 15 to 17 are declining as a percentage of children between 5 and 17 by -1.0%. Overall, children are aging through but there is some evidence of a resurgence of children in the younger years. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 6
INSITE #5: HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY INCOME TRENDS Average Household Income and Per Capita Income indicate the level of financial resources within a community. Average Household income reflects the average income for each household, whether family or non-family. AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND PER CAPITA INCOME Per Capita Income is a measure of the average income of all persons within a household. For family households, this would include all children. It does not mean that each person actually contributes to the average income from work. It is calculated by dividing the aggregate household income by the population. In this study area, the estimated current year average household income is $49,033. The average household income is projected to grow by 6.6% to $52,288. The estimated per capita income for the current year is $21,261. The Per Capita Income is projected to grow by 6.6% to $22,670. Average Household Income Trend 53000 52000 51000 50000 49000 48000 47000 46000 45000 44000 2010 2016 2021 Per Capita Income Trend 23500 23000 22500 22000 21500 21000 20500 20000 19500 19000 2010 2016 2021 Income Trends 2010 2016 2021 2010% 2016% 2021% Estimated 5 Year %pt Change 2016-2021 Households Less than $10,000 6,119 5,688 4,947 13.6% 12.6% 11.1% -1.5% $10,000 to $14,999 3,637 3,240 3,209 8.1% 7.2% 7.2% 0.0% $15,000 to $24,999 6,003 6,741 6,163 13.4% 15.0% 13.8% -1.2% $25,000 to $34,999 5,742 5,775 5,721 12.8% 12.8% 12.8% 0.0% $35,000 to $49,999 7,427 6,871 6,608 16.5% 15.3% 14.8% -0.5% $50,000 to $74,999 7,887 8,002 8,038 17.6% 17.8% 18.0% 0.2% $75,000 to $99,999 4,393 4,304 4,701 9.8% 9.6% 10.5% 1.0% $100,000 to $149,999 2,564 3,267 3,748 5.7% 7.3% 8.4% 1.1% $150,000 to $199,999 603 693 889 1.3% 1.5% 2.0% 0.5% $200,000 or more 510 409 564 1.1% 0.9% 1.3% 0.4% Totals 44,885 44,990 44,588 Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 7
INSITE #5: HOUSEHOLD AND FAMILY INCOME TRENDS (continued) Family income is a sub-set of household income. It excludes nonfamily households. Family households include two or more persons who are related and living in the same dwelling unit. Children are more likely to live in family households. Non-family households are households in which two or more persons live in the same dwelling unit but are unrelated. FAMILY INCOME The number of families with annual incomes above $100,000 is projected to decline over the next five years. For the current year, it is estimated that 13.8% of all family incomes exceed $100,000 per year. In five years that number is projected to be 13.4%. Income Trends 2016 2021 2016% 2021% Estimated 5 Year %pt Change 2016-2021 Families Less than $10,000 1,997 1,924 8.5% 8.3% -0.23% $10,000 to $14,999 923 871 3.9% 3.8% -0.18% $15,000 to $24,999 2,826 2,741 12.1% 11.8% -0.24% $25,000 to $34,999 2,900 3,245 12.4% 14.0% 1.62% $35,000 to $49,999 3,838 3,763 16.4% 16.2% -0.15% $50,000 to $74,999 4,720 4,626 20.2% 20.0% -0.20% $75,000 to $99,999 2,981 2,901 12.7% 12.5% -0.21% $100,000 to $149,999 2,403 2,323 10.3% 10.0% -0.24% $150,000-$199,999 523 503 2.2% 2.2% -0.06% $200,000 or more 309 281 1.3% 1.2% -0.11% Totals 23,420 23,178 Median income by race and ethnicity is a subset of household income. Median income is that point where there are as many households with incomes greater than the median as there are households with incomes less than the median. MEDIAN INCOME BY RACE AND ETHNICITY Median Income by Race and Ethnicity 2016 Asian Household Income 28,147 Black/ African American Household Income 21,385 Hispanic/Latino Household Income 28,547 White/Anglo Household Income 43,075 P Is, Am Indian Other Household Income 25,738 Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 8
INSITE #6: HOUSEHOLDS AND CHILDREN TRENDS Diversity of child rearing environments is increasing along with the many other types of growing diversity in the US. To understand this, we begin with the types of households that exist in a community. There are family households with children under 18 family households without children under 18 The concern of this analysis is family households with children under 18. Of the types of family households with children there are Married couple families Single parent families (father or mother) These two are reported for the study area in the table below. Households 2010 2016 2021 2010% 2016% 2021% Estimated 5 Year %pt Change 2016-2021 Households with Children under 18 Married Couple 5,564 5,355 5,209 50.6% 53.7% 53.7% -0.1% Single Parent 5,442 4,608 4,494 49.4% 46.3% 46.3% 0.1% Of the households with children under 18, married couple households are decreasing as a percentage while single parent households are increasing. The graph to the right illustrates this. Bars above the 0% point indicate a family type that is increasing while bars below 0% is decreasing. This provides "insite" into how family households and structures with children are changing in the study area. A comparison to the state reveals to what extent this community is similar or dissimilar to the state as a whole. The study area's married couple households with children are dissimilar to the state's profile. The percentage of single parent households with children is greater than the state. Households with Children: Projected Change 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% -0% -0% -0% -0% -0.1% Married Couple Families 0.1% Single Parent Families Households with Children Under 18 Compared to State Percentage of Households with Children by Type 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Family: Married-couple Family: Single Parent 46.3% 53.7% 2016% OH 2016% of Total Married Couple Single Parent Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 9
INSITE #7: MARITAL STATUS TRENDS Population by Marital Status considers the number and percentage of persons 15 years of age and greater by their current marital status. Both trend information as well as a comparison to the study area s state marital status types provides two different views of this social reality. MARITAL STATUS BY TYPE Marital types reported include.. Never Married (Singles) Currently Married Divorced Separated Widowed 2010 2016 2021 2010% 2016% 2021% 2010 to 2021 %pt Change Population by Marital Status: Age 15+ Never Married 33,358 35,436 34,920 38.3% 41.0% 41.2% 2.9% Married 34,991 31,531 31,071 40.2% 36.5% 36.7% -3.5% Divorced 11,506 11,989 11,556 13.2% 13.9% 13.6% 0.4% Separated 1,893 1,752 1,726 2.2% 2.0% 2.0% -0.1% Widowed 5,373 5,634 5,447 6.2% 6.5% 6.4% 0.3% In this community, the current year estimate of marital status reveals a community of adults less likely to be married than the state average for adults. The percentage single, never married in the study area is higher than the state average for adults 15 years and older. Divorce is more prevalent than the state wide average. 150 100 Marital Status: Comparison to the State The graph to the right illustrates the marital status comparison of the study area to the state. Bars above the 0% point line indicate a marital status type that is more prevalent than the state average while bars below the 0% are below the state average. The length of the bars represent the strength of the difference. They are not percentages. 50 0-50 -100 Never Married Married Divorced Separated Widowed Who is more likely to be unmarried, women or men in this community? Consider these findings about this study area: MARITAL STATUS BY FEMALE AND MALE Women 15 years and older are less likely to be single, never married than men. Women 15 years and older are more likely to be divorced than men. Women 15 years and older are more likely to be widowed than men. Single Female and Male Comparison by Type (CY) 80% 60% 40% Female Male 20% 0% Divorced Never Married Widowed Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 10
INSITE #8: ADULT EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT The level of educational attainment of a community s adult population is an important indicator of its opportunities and challenges. This analysis will look at the Adult Educational Attainment from three perspectives First, it looks to see if the level of educational attainment for adults is rising or not. Second, it compares the level of attainment to that of the state of OHIO. (If this is a state report, the comparison will be to itself.) Finally, the table provides the percentages from 2010. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL ATTAINMENT CHANGE Projected Change in Adult Educational Attainment 0.9% 0.01 0.008 0.006 0.004 0.002 0-0.002 0.0% HS or Less Assoc Degree or Greater The educational attainment level of adults has declined over the past few years. It is projected to rise over the next five years by 0.9%. EDUCATIONAL LEVEL COMPARED TO THE STATE Comparison of Study Area to State 0.35 0.3 0.25 0.2 0.15 2016% OH 2016% 0.1 0.05 0 Less than 9th Grade Some HS HS Dipl or GED Some College Associate Degree Bachelor's Degree Grad/Profess Deg 2010 2016 2021 OH 2016% 2016 Study Area-State Comp Index Population by Educational Attainment: 25+ Less than 9th Grade 3.4% 3.7% 3.9% 3.2% 115 Some HS 10.1% 8.5% 8.3% 8.0% 106 HS Dipl or GED 32.9% 30.7% 30.2% 34.4% 89 Some College 19.8% 21.6% 21.2% 20.7% 104 Associate Degree 8.1% 8.8% 9.3% 8.0% 110 Bachelor's Degree 16.9% 18.3% 18.7% 16.1% 113 Grad/Profess Deg 8.8% 8.5% 8.4% 9.6% 88 The overall educational attainment of the adults in this community is greater than the state. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 11
INSITE #9: POPULATION BY EMPLOYMENT Like educational attainment, an analysis of a community by its employment types and categories provides an important insite into its socio-economics. This analysis looks at two factors. First is a report of the employed population 16 and over by the traditional blue collar and white collar occupations and compares these to the state. Second, it looks at the community by the seven standard census bureau occupations and compares them to the state. EMPLOYED POPULATION : B LUE COLLAR OR W HITE COLLAR Comparison of Blue and White Collar Employment On the chart to the left, the study area is compared to the state of OHIO. This study area is close to the state average for White Collar workers. It is is close to the state average for Blue Collar workers. 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Blue Collar 2016% OH 2016% White Collar EMPLOYED CIVILIAN POPULATION BY OCCUPATION 2016 OH 2016 Comp. Index Interpretation Employed Civilian Pop 16+ by Occupation Bldg Maintenance & Cleaning 4.7% 3.6% 129 Well above the state average. Construction 6.5% 7.4% 87 Well below the state average. Farming, Fishing, & Forestry 0.2% 0.3% 67 Well below the state average. Food Preparation Serving 7.6% 6.0% 125 Well above the state average. Healthcare Support 3.7% 3.1% 121 Well above the state average. Managerial Executive 11.5% 13.7% 84 Well below the state average. Office Admin 14.4% 14.0% 103 At about the state average. Personal Care 3.3% 3.1% 106 At about the state average. Production Transportation 13.7% 15.6% 88 Well below the state average. Prof Specialty 20.5% 21.0% 98 At about the state average. Protective 1.4% 1.9% 74 Well below the state average. Sales 12.6% 10.3% 122 Well above the state average. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 12
INSITE #10: MOSAIC Segments Mosaic is a geo-demographic segmentation system developed by and for marketers. Instead of looking at individual demographic variables, a segmentation system clusters households into groups with multiple common characteristics. Demographic variables that generally cluster together would include income, educational levels, presence of children and occupations among others. This database is developed by Experian. Some find the information helpful because it presents a multi-dimensional view of a community. In the report below, the top 15 Mosaic Segments of the study area are provided. (If less than 15, rows will be blank.) NOTE: For a full description please see the DI Demographic Segment Guide (Mosaic) under the Help menu on the Documents gallery. Mosaic Segments 2016 2016% State % Comp Index Relative to the OH State Ave. L42 Blue Sky Boomers - Rooted Flower Power 3,245 7.9% 3.1% 256 Well above the state average S69 Economic Challenges - Urban Survivors 2,790 6.8% 3.3% 204 Well above the state average R67 Aspirational Fusion - Hope for Tomorrow 2,759 6.7% 2.6% 258 Well above the state average I31 Family Union - Blue Collar Comfort 2,555 6.2% 3.6% 174 Well above the state average R66 Aspirational Fusion - Dare to Dream 2,314 5.6% 2.4% 230 Well above the state average O54 Singles and Starters - Striving Single Scene 2,264 5.5% 2.2% 253 Well above the state average K40 Significant Singles - Bohemian Groove 2,215 5.4% 2.4% 226 Well above the state average J36 Autumn Years - Settled and Sensible 2,182 5.3% 3.5% 149 Well above the state average J34 Autumn Years - Aging in Place 2,106 5.1% 6.2% 82 Somewhat below the state average S71 Economic Challenges - Tough Times 2,030 4.9% 1.0% 493 Well above the state average O51 Singles and Starters - Digital Dependents 1,779 4.3% 3.3% 130 Well above the state average B09 Flourishing Families - Family Fun-tastic 1,723 4.2% 1.6% 264 Well above the state average M45 Families in Motion - Diapers and Debit Cards Q65 Golden Year Guardians - Senior Discounts 1,546 3.7% 3.7% 103 About average for the state 1,508 3.7% 1.9% 188 Well above the state average O53 Singles and Starters - Colleges and Cafes 1,359 3.3% 1.1% 299 Well above the state average Learn about your Mosaic Households To access Mosaic Portrait data click on: Mosaic USA E-Handbook by Experian (To open in a new Tab hold Control key when you click on the link) Handbook includes Mosaic Overview and two graphic pages for each of the 19 Groups and 71 Segments. To access the Mosaic application guide click on: Mission Impact Mosaic Application Guide by Bandy (To open in a new Tab hold Control key when you click on the link) Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 13
INSITE #11: CHARITABLE GIVING PRACTICES Charitable giving practices data provide three perspectives about giving in the study area. First, they indicate how extensive giving is within a study area by showing the percentage of households that are likely to contribute $200 or more dollars per year to charitable causes. Second, they project the direction of giving. Giving data is provided across 10 sectors of charity giving. Each community has its own distinctive pattern. Interpreting the Table As the table is studied look at two factors; the number of people or households and the index. The first will provide a sense of the number strength in the study area. The second shows how giving to one of the 10 charitable targets compares to the state. Any index over 100 means the study area gives more to a charitable target than is true for the state as a whole. Finally, they show how the study area gives across the 10 sectors in comparison to the state of OHIO. An area may contribute modestly to a charitable sector in terms of actual projected households but it may be well above the state-wide average for such giving. To make the interpretation of this easier, the following table is sorted by Index. However, be sure to look at the % of Households column. A particular charitable sector may have a low index but still a larger percentage than some other of the 10 sectors represented here. Hholds % of HH Index Interpretation Charitable Contributions Last Yr: $200 Or More Health-$200 Or More 2,937 6.6% 156 Well above the state ave. Environmental-$200 Or More 348 0.8% 111 Somewhat above the state ave. Social Services/Welfare-$200 Or More 2,620 5.8% 103 About average for the state. Public Radio-$200 Or More 134 0.3% 96 About average for the state. Public Television-$200 Or More 168 0.4% 91 Somewhat below the state ave. Education-$200 Or More 1,435 3.2% 90 Somewhat below the state ave. Religious-$200 Or More 8,553 19.1% 86 Somewhat below the state ave. Private Foundation-$200 Or More 1,132 2.5% 75 Somewhat below the state ave. Other-$200 Or More 1,554 3.5% 73 Somewhat below the state ave. Political Organization-$200 Or More 155 0.3% 63 Somewhat below the state ave. Summary of Charitable Contribution Findings: Overall, it is estimated that households in this study area are about the same as the state average in their contributions to charities. More specific findings include: The number of charitable sectors where giving is well above the state average: 1. The number of charitable sectors where giving is somewhat below the state average: 6. The number of charitable sectors where giving is well below the state average: 0. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 14
INSITE #12: RELIGIOUS PROGRAM OR MINISTRY PREFERENCES This information is from the recent survey conducted by MissionInsite of US Religious Preferences, Practices and Beliefs called the Quadrennium Project. While general religious data is available through various organizations, only MissionInsite can provide local geography projections that are current. The complete survey results are available in the Predesigned Quad Report. The Quadrennium White Paper is available on the web site. Study Area US Average Comparative Index Modestly Important Very Important Modestly Very Important Important Modestly Important Very Important Personal Growth 32.5% 10.1% 32.6% 9.0% 100 112 Addiction support groups 26.5% 11.5% 26.9% 10.0% 99 116 Health/weight loss programs 35.0% 10.5% 33.9% 9.1% 103 115 Practical training seminars 36.1% 8.3% 37.1% 8.0% 97 103 Family Support and Intervention Services 34.5% 15.3% 35.0% 14.8% 99 104 Daycare/After-School Programs 23.9% 10.7% 24.3% 10.6% 98 101 Crisis support groups 39.6% 15.8% 41.7% 14.3% 95 110 Family oriented activities 38.6% 24.0% 39.5% 24.0% 98 100 Marriage enrichment 35.2% 14.1% 35.3% 13.7% 100 103 Parenting development 30.0% 12.3% 29.6% 11.7% 102 104 Personal/family counseling 39.8% 15.1% 39.6% 14.2% 101 107 Community Involvement and Advocacy Programs 46.3% 16.9% 47.7% 16.1% 97 105 Adult social activities 50.9% 17.8% 51.8% 17.0% 98 104 Involvement in social causes 46.8% 16.3% 48.6% 15.5% 96 105 Social justice advocacy work 37.8% 12.9% 39.3% 11.6% 96 111 Opportunities for volunteering in the community 49.5% 20.8% 51.1% 20.4% 97 102 Community Activities or Cultural Programs 40.8% 16.7% 42.3% 16.6% 96 101 Cultural programs (music, drama, art) 43.0% 13.1% 45.2% 12.8% 95 102 Holiday programs/activities 46.1% 18.7% 49.0% 18.0% 94 104 Seniors/retiree activities 40.2% 16.5% 41.8% 16.7% 96 99 Youth social activities 33.7% 18.6% 33.0% 18.8% 102 99 Religious/Spiritual Programs 34.7% 19.2% 34.2% 19.0% 101 101 Alternative spiritual practices (meditation, yoga, etc.) 27.9% 8.3% 28.2% 8.0% 99 103 Bible or Scripture study/prayer groups 34.0% 20.9% 32.5% 21.6% 105 97 Christian education for children 28.9% 22.6% 27.8% 22.0% 104 103 Contemporary worship services 41.3% 17.9% 40.2% 17.0% 103 105 Spiritual discussion groups 39.6% 15.1% 40.1% 15.0% 99 101 Traditional worship services 36.4% 30.3% 36.8% 30.3% 99 100 Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 15
Supporting Information Interpreting the Report The ExecutiveInsite report is designed for easy reading. But there are several tools provided in the tables that make this easier. Change over time: Several trend tables have a column indicating a change over time. Generally these tables begin with the last census, include the current year estimate, a five year projection and if available, a 10 year forecast. The data in each cell represents a percentage change up or down. Color Coding: Both the "Change over Time" and "Comparative Indexes" columns are color coded to easily spot any change and the direction of that change. Change: Increasing Stable Declining Index: Above Ave Ave Below Ave. Variable Definitions Full variable definitions can be found in the MI Demographic Reference Guide. Download it free fro m the Help/Documents menu located on the map screen of your study area on the MissionInsite website. Indexes: Some variables will have a column called "Comparative Index." An index is an easy way to compare a study area with a larger area. For this report, all comparisons are with the state or states within which the study area falls. The indexes can be interpreted as follows. Indexes of 100 mean the study area variable is the same as its base area. Indexes greater than 100 mean the study area variable is above the base area. The higher the number, the greater it is above the base. Indexes less than 100 mean the study area variable is below the base area. The lower the number, the greater it is below the base. Support If you need support with this report, please email MissionInsite at misupport@missioninsite.com. Sources: US Census Bureau, Synergos Technologies Inc., Experian, DecisionInsite/MissionInsite Page 16
ATTACHMENT B TRINITY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST MISSION INSITE REPORT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Mission Insite Report Summary is based on a 3-mile study area from Trinity United Church of Christ located in Akron, Ohio. INSITE 1 Population, Households 2 Racial/ Ethnic Groups 3 Age 4 School Aged Children 5 Household Income 6 Households & Children 7 Marital Status 8 Adult Educational Attainment 9 Employment & Occupation 10 Mosaic Household Types 11 Charitable Giving Practices 12 Religious Program or Ministry Preferences CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS, TRENDS, AND PROJECTIONS Est. 2016 population is 103,622; trend & projections indicate a slight decline thru 2016. Est. 2016 households are 2.31 persons; trend & projections are stable thru 2016. Est. 2016 number of families is 23,419, an 11.2% decline since 2000; projections indicate a slight decline thru 2021. Currently diverse by race & ethnicity. Minority groups include Black/ African American (23,135, 22.3%), Asian (2,771, 2.67%), & Hispanic/ Latino (2,471, 2.38%). No change projected thru 2021. Est. 2016 age is 38 (avg.) & 35 (mean), both lower than state figures; trend & projections indicate a slight increase thru 2016, but lower than state. Phase of Life findings thru 2016 projects a 4.5% decline for ages 25-34, but a 4% increase for ages 65 & older. Phase of Life indicates growth may be occurring. Trend thru 2021 for ages 5-9 (5,948, 37.9%) is for 3.2% growth. Trend for ages 10-14 (5,726, 38.3%) & 15-17 (3,291, 22%) is 1% to 2% decline. Est. 2016 avg. household income is $49,033, & est. per capita income is 21,261; by 2021 both are projected to grow 6.6%. However, family income is projected to slightly decline. Est. 2016 mean income ranges from a high of $43,075 for White/ Anglo households to a low of $21,385 for Blacks/ African American households, with Asian & Hispanic households estimated at $28,000+. Est. 2016 households with children under 18 are married couples (5,355, 53.7%) & single parents (4,608, 46.3%). Trend since 2010 is declining, especially for single parents, & both are expected to continue to decline thru 2021. Women 15 & older are more likely to be divorced, widowed than men, but less likely to be single, never married. Compared to state average, percentage of divorce in area is higher as is single, never married persons. Trend has declined over past few years, but is projected to increase slightly thru 2021. Overall educational attainment for area adults 25 & older is greater than state average, particularly for those with Associate & Bachelor degrees. Employment of civilian population in area is well above state average across most occupations, particularly for building maintenance & cleaning, food preparation serving, healthcare support, personal care, & sales. Comparative Index is well above state average across nearly all mosaic segments; only household type that scores lower than state average is #134 Autumn Years - Aging in Place. Most prevalent type is L42 Blue Sky Boomers Rooted Flower Power (3,245, 7.9%). For the 10 categories, giving of $200 or more per year is well above state average for Health (2,937 households, 6.6%); most other categories indicate giving is somewhat below state average. Religious is largest segment of $200 + giving (8,553 households, 19.1%). Comparative Index indicates Addiction Support Groups, Health/ Weight Loss Programs, Practical Training Seminars, Crisis Support Groups, & Social Justice Advocacy Work are very important to the community. Bible Study/ Prayer Groups, Christian Education for Children, & Contemporary Worship Services are moderately important to the community. August 2016
Trinity United Church of Christ Annual Report 2015-2016 Trinity UCC is Your Akron Church At the Heart of the Community With the Community at its Heart
Contents Trinity Church Council & Officers... 3 Pastor s Report... 3 Message from Your Council President... 5 Financial Report... 6 Trinity United Church of Christ Treasurer s Report... 6 Trinity Summary Budget for 2015-16... 7 Staff Report... 8 Pastoral Search Committee... 8 Worship & Music Report... 9 House & Property Report 2016... 10 Fellowship Ministry Report... 11 Memorial Committee... 12 Trinity s 125 th Anniversary Celebration Report - 1890-2015... 13 Use of Trinity UCC s Building Through the Week... 14 Adopt-a-School Program... 14 Trinity Women In Action (TWA)... 15 Christian Education... 16 Ushers League... 18 WELCOMERS MINISTRY... 18 The Called to Care Ministry... 19 Little Free Library at Trinity UCC... 19 VAL project 2016... 20 TRINITY IN THE COMMUNITY (T nc)... 20 Trinity Discipleship Covenant... 23 2
Trinity Church Council & Officers President Carol Smith Vice President Susan Bussan Secretary Tricia Evans Acting Treasurer Greg Price Member of Council Tim Weckbacher, Judy Waple, Mike Burns Financial Secretary Debbie Casanova Assistant Financial Secretary Judy Waple Delegate Tricia Evans Endowment Chairperson Bob French Pastor s Report God be with you today and forever Jesus be in you to pardon and tether Spirit be on you and leave you never. The above is a blessing from the Trinity, for Trinity UCC as you embark on this time of special transition! I came to you on October 1, 2015 to be your Interim Minister. The walking stick which is in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings is a reminder that we are walking together for this interim time, and then I will be moving on as God calls. I ll report on a few of my observations so far. I am blessed and honored to be with you during this special time in your congregational life. Thank you for your warm embrace and welcome. It has made my time away from family and friends so much easier because of your support. You are a church of many gifts. Your outreach ministry is a visible sign of Christ s presence in North Hill, that you care for the modern day widows and orphans. What you are doing and accomplishing belies the size of your congregation. You have a facility that has the potential as a place of dynamic programs and services. You have a congregation filled with dedicated, spiritseeking, hard -working and loving people. Your Sunday worship services are an opportunity to gather and feed your spirit, with beautiful music and meaningful liturgy. You are also a church of many challenges. Your narrative budget in terms of what you hope to accomplish far exceeds your financial giving. You have had conflict which has impacted the life of your congregation. As in many settings across the country, you are dealing with an aging and dwindling urban congregation with a large facility in need of major renovation and maintenance. 3
Pull all of this together, and we can see why this interim period is an important and special time for Trinity. This is a time to be creative and really pay attention to what God has in store for you in the coming years. We ve surveyed the congregation to see what you cherish and hope for in your life together. We have a search committee that will do the hard work of finding your new pastoral leadership. We ve sorted through some of the conflict and I do sense that our communication is healthier and more transparent, solution driven than problem driven. It will never be perfect, for we are all human; but we can work together for the good of the church; to do the best we can to live out Christ s gospel. We have excellent leadership in your president, Carol Smith, as well as Council. They have been the driving force in providing a new and exciting way forward. Greg Price and the Finance Committee have been hard at work on financial reporting. We are focusing more efforts on financial planning and stewardship, beginning with the consultancy we had with Sandy Lindahl, church financial consultant. We continue to streamline the administrative systems which Rev. Carl Wallace and Council had begun, to fit the needs of a new day and smaller congregation. We are slowly modernizing and finding ways to better our communication. David Brown, our Minister of Welcome and Communication, has been taking on increasing responsibilities in this area. I could not function without his able command of all our administrative needs. We have a new website, with help and input from Henry Jaroszweski and Larry Lee. The services continue to be videotaped and made available, thanks to Henry and our audio-visual team. Since I am part-time, I have been careful to structure my priorities on what you might best utilize from me. I am focusing on administrative work as well as Sunday morning worship and preaching. I am grateful for all of the caring ministries provided by members of the church, especially Ruth Bowman who has been a big support in this area. Matt Skitzki, our Director of Music whose leadership and skill at the organ and piano is amazing, is a big part of why we have inspiring worship and makes my preparation easier. I do visitation and pastoral support as I am able, but depend greatly on Ruth as well as David Brown in our office. As we move together in our planning, there are also wider efforts to come together and do outreach and services for the community. The Eastern Ohio Association is beginning a process of finding ways for Akron UCC churches to pool our resources to make a greater impact and perhaps lessen the burden of work for any one individual congregation. North Akron organizations are having conversations about forming a Community Development Corporation. Trinity is a part of these initiatives. There may be a way we can utilize our facility in partnership with others who need space. This was one of the top priorities which congregational members voiced: find ways to keep and use the building. In the meantime, I am amazed at how Ed Long, our custodian, handles all the demands of the facility. This building is one of your primary 4
assets. How you manage and take care of it in the future, what role the building will play in your ministry is going to be an important part of your visioning in this transition time. I give thanks to our ever present God who delights and surprises, to the Eastern Ohio Association and to Trinity UCC s leadership for bringing me to Akron. And many thanks to everyone in the congregation for this blessed time together. Submitted by Rev. Joan Chiaki Ishibashi Deep peace of this earth to you Deep peace of this sky to you Deep peace of this place to you. The kindly eye of the Three be upon you To aid you and guard you To cherish and enrich you. Prayers from Ray Simpson, Celtic Blessings Message from Your Council President Friends, Last year, we were a congregation in great turmoil. Our pastor and our music director were gone. We now have with us, our new friends, Rev. Joan Ishibashi and Matthew Skitzki. Over this past year, we have seen a celebration of 125 years of Trinity, a continuation and revitalization of projects and programs, several flourishing new programs, expanded and changing use of our building, and throughout, a coming to terms with who we are now. Thank you for your input, support and patience as I learn the ropes. We face some major decisions and challenges in the next year, but I feel we are now able to proceed with intent and purpose, planning for the future that God has for us. I cannot do this alone. I ask that everyone who reads this will pray for Trinity Church, its leaders, congregation and friends. I ask that you make God s plan for Trinity Church a priority in your life and I ask that each of us will support Trinity and her mission with your time, talents and treasures. The living God of our fathers and mothers who is our God has blessed us greatly. I hope we can continue to share those blessings and spread the Good News. Sincerely, Carol Smith President, TUCC Council 5
Financial Report Our Treasurer s Report for the month of May reflects the end of our budget year. You can see the monthly expenses as well as the year-to-date amounts and percentages. You can see that our expenses exceeded our income by 7%, or $14,560.47. Trinity United Church of Christ Treasurer s Report May 1 to May 31, 2016 Period Activity YTD Balance Annual Budget % of Budget YTD INCOME (BUDGET SUPPORT) Env Giving $13,868.31 $160,142.99 $156,950.00 102 Non-Env Giving $107.76 $1,574.17 $4,200.00 37 Flowers $60.00 $2,178.00 $2,250.00 97 Utility Fund $0.00 $1,850.00 $15,000.00 12 New Initiatives $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 Grants $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 0 Rent Income $655.00 $8,490.00 $11,600.00 73 Misc Income $150.00 2,028.77 Total Bdgt Suprt Income $14,841.07 $176,263.93 $190,000.00 93 EXPENSES (BUDGET SUPPORT) Outreach (OCWM) $0.00 $3,000.00 $2,000.00 150 Personnel $9,130.72 $122,374.23 $122,193.00 100 Worship & Music $500.00 $5,177.31 $3,900.00 133 House & Insurance $4,082.10 $57,504.97 $59,057.00 97 Finance & Budget $255.70 $2,767.89 $2,800.00 99 Program $0.00 $0.00 $12.00 0 Evangelism $0.00 $0.00 $13.00 0 Fellowship $0.00 $0.00 $12.00 0 Care & Concern $0.00 $0.00 $13.00 0 Total Bdgt Suprt Expenses $13,968.52 $190,824.40 $190,000.00 100 +OVER -SHORT $872.55 -$14,560.47 Total Non-Budget Funds Income $ 466.00 $17,115.86 Total Non-Budget Funds Expenses $ - $7,521.43 6
Total Designated Flow Thru Income $210.00 $18,937.40 Total Designated Flow Thru Expenses $216.69 $7,030.35 Total Major Projects Income $ - $2,000.00 Total Major Projects Expenses $ - $2,000.00 Trinity Summary Budget for 2015-16 INCOME Account# Account Name 2014-15 2015-16 4.100.100 Envelope Giving $156,950 $160,780 4.100.110 Non-Envelope Giving 4,200 1,600 4.100.120 Flowers 2,250 2,300 4.100.140 Utility Fund 15,000 13,500 4.100.180 Rent 9,320 4.100.180 Miscellaneous Income * 11,600 2,500 TOTAL BUDGET SUPPORT INCOME $190,000 $190,000 *Includes Rent EXPENSE Account # Account Name 2014-15 2015-16 TOTAL OCWM $2,000 $ 2,000 TOTAL PERSONNEL MGT 122,193 123,539 TOTAL WORSHIP & MUSIC 3,900 2,500 TOTAL HOUSE & 59,057 55,238 INSURANCE TOTAL FINANCE & BUDGET 2,800 6,673 TOTAL OUTREACH 50 50 TOTAL BUDGETED EXPENSES $190,000 $190,000 7
Staff Report Senior Minister Following his 3-month Sabbatical last Summer, Rev. Dr. Carl P. Wallace tenure as our Senior Minister came to an end. He continues to be involved with our Association and is serving an Interim position with The University of Akron as Director of Diversity. After reviewing a number of candidates, we called Rev. Joan Chiaki Ishibashi to serve as our Interim Minister. Rev. Joan, a resident of London, UK, brings a wealth of life experiences, a background in church administration, and an international perspective to our congregation. In May, 2016 we commissioned a Search Committee to lead the process of selecting our next Senior Minister. Director of Music We had the delightful dilemma of choosing among three highly-qualified candidates, and called Matthew Skitzki to be our new Director of Music beginning in August, 2015. Matthew is a talented organist and pianist, and had served as an accompanist and choir director at another church. In addition he served as the Associate Dean of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. Minister of Welcome & Communication During the week David Brown works in our church office. He publishes our weekly Hot Topics email newsletter, maintains our Web page and Facebook page, produces the Worship Bulletin, enters data into the computer and compiles bookkeeping reports, answers phone calls and distributes emergency food boxes to T nc clients. Custodian Ed Long is our longest-serving staff member. He keeps track of which groups are in the building, makes sure rooms are ready and doors are unlocked. He keeps our building and grounds neat, clean and running well, and works with the House and Insurance Ministry to coordinate repairs and maintenance work. Pastoral Search Committee In April 2016, our Church Council met with Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates of the UCC Eastern Ohio and Western Reserve Associations to discuss the Pastoral Search and Call process and the formation of a Pastoral Search Committee. A list of potential committee candidates from Trinity s church membership was then compiled. In selecting committee members, Council considered those who collectively would provide a good representation of Trinity in terms of various congregational demographics as well as bring a broad array of church knowledge and 8
experience to the committee due to their current and past involvement in the life and work of the church. Seven (7) Trinity members have accepted the invitation to serve on the Pastoral Search Committee. They are Wendy Fincham, Kevin Gatlin, Julie Herold, Cassie Matulis, Dave Moore, Leeanna Swisher, and Tim Weckbacher. On May 8, 2016, a commissioning of committee members occurred as part of the worship service. The committee held its initial meeting on May 26, 2016 with Council President Carol Smith and Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, who will guide and assist the committee through the process. The UCC pastoral search process will be a prominent part of the life and work of Trinity Church in the coming 2016-17 church year and perhaps even into 2018. The first major task will be to complete the Local Church Profile, which will require participation by and input from the congregation. Thereafter, most of the remainder of the committee s work will require strict confidentiality until a pastoral candidate is called, but the committee will provide the congregation with general updates on their progress throughout the search and call process. Worship & Music Report I am blessed to serve Christ and serve you as Music Director at Trinity United Church of Christ. As of August I took over for Kevin Klemm, now an instructor at Avanti Music Academy and enrolled in Jazz Studies at the University of Denver, Colorado. Also new at Trinity this year, Rev. Joan Ishibashi is serving as Interim Pastor. Rev. Joan has encouraged us to learn new songs from The New Century Hymnal to enhance our worship. The new songs have been warmly accepted as a supplement to our traditional ones. Trinity has continued to host music programs of local and congregational significance throughout 2015-2016, including Trinity s own 125th anniversary celebration in October. Along with other commemorative events, the Trinity Chancel Choir performed under the direction of guest conductor Dr. Thomas More Scott, Director of Music Ministries at First Congregational Church of Hudson. The anniversary concert also included offerings by vocalist Tara Hawley, worship leader at Parkside Church, and organist Paul Guyer, dean of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Guild of Organists. We hosted the Fall Festival Chorus in November. Trinity musicians accompanied the church picnic in August on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, with contributions from Alan Casanova, guitarist for Justin Other Band, Robbie Cutlip, and Carol Smith. Trinity continued a number of fine Christmas traditions, including an offering from the Bell Choir, festive hymns on the organ, and a candle-lit Silent Night. 9
Our prayers and well wishes go out to Susan Schmitt, who is recovering from surgery in May. The Choir is to be congratulated on their excellent work this year. Prompted by the worship committee, the choir has engaged creatively in different styles of music-making, including traditional African a capella singing, American country gospel, and a Tchaikovsky masterwork rooted in the Russian Orthodox tradition. At the same time, the Choir has continued singing traditional works from their extensive library, as well as good old-fashioned hymns. Worship at Trinity continues to be enhanced by the high standard of music provided at each service and the prayerful consideration of repertoire used. Concerning instruments, the Young Chang grand piano in the sanctuary is in fine shape and tuned regularly, as is the Berghaus organ. Taking a preventative approach to maintenance and care, the Leek Organ Company of Berea, Ohio reviewed the organ this spring and found no major problems. A comprehensive set of tunings is scheduled for the upcoming year in order to determine the needs of the instrument over the long term (next five to ten years). The ongoing support of the music program at Trinity is greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone who has contributed time, talent, and resources. Prayerfully submitted, Matthew Skitzki Music Director House & Property Report 2016 Our House and Property Ministry oversees maintenance of our building and makes sure we have adequate insurance coverage for our church. House and Property only made necessary repairs to the church due to our financial situation. Several projects were funded by private donors, including: An outside drain on the east side of the building was replaced due to the tree root system. The trees in the area immediately behind the building were removed and replaced with bushes. Plaster was repaired and shelving units were restored in the storage room adjacent to the old choir room on the second floor of the building. The sacristy roof will be repaired and the sacristy plaster will be repaired and painted. The boiler has a serious leak and we are currently looking at different options for repair or replacement. The fire inspector visited and gave us a list of things we need to address to meet compliance. We are planning to do spring cleaning and dispose of items that are no longer needed. 10
Our wish list includes paving the parking lot, a new flat roof, thorough cleaning throughout the church(especially in the kitchen and social hall), remounting plexiglass above the main entrance, fixing plumbing issues, staining the outside doors, fixing interior grout around stained glass windows because it is falling out. We are thankful to Judy Waple for organizing work in the community garden and the celebration/memorial garden area. Turfscape Inc. arrived with a volunteer landscaping crew in May. They pruned trees, cleaned out our flowerbeds, edged, mulched and planted some new vegetation in the front of the building. The new Little Free Library in front of the church has been a nice addition and has already had several visitors. Thank you, Tara Marr, David Brown and the Girl Scouts for initiating this project. Thanks to Bill Folk and Boy Scout Troop 15, the vandalism damage to our gazebo were replaced. Trinity Women in Action contributed funding and Elaine Gray managed the office update. The office was painted and received new carpeting and furniture. It's beautiful and brightened up David's workspace. Thank you! Many people may not realize that the elevator doors must be closed completely on each level of the building for the elevator to operate. If the elevator does not work properly, please ask for assistance. The door where it was last stopped might be slightly ajar. Respectfully submitted, Tom McAlonan Fellowship Ministry Report We are small in numbers but large in enthusiasm and abilities. During the fiscal year of 2015-2016 the Fellowship Committee organized and prepared food for the following all-church functions: August 2015 Worship in the Park October, 2015 December, 2015 March, 2016 April, 2016 May, 2016 125 Year Anniversary Celebration (two days) Wassail Bowl Lent Study and Lunch Volunteer Appreciation Day (chili cook off and bake off) Mother/Daughter Banquet 11
We keep the kitchen stocked with the basic items needed to keep a kitchen functioning. We also try to keep it clean, and towels washed, returned and put away. In addition to the Fellowship Committee, other groups also use our kitchen. We offer a few friendly reminders: Please remember that your use of the kitchen isn t done until everything is washed, dried and put away where you found it. If you use items from the cupboards or refrigerators, please replace them as soon as possible. Please do not leave anything behind in the refrigerators. Members of Fellowship this year are Debbie and Alan Casanova, Dean and Norma Smith, Donna Mullins, Kevin Gatlin, Dick and Bonnie Eroskey, Bob French, Leeanna Swisher, George Reuter, Sue Matulis, and Linda Mize. My family -Rani, Tom, and Vanessa - and Helen Aberegg (Volunteer Office at Children s Hospital) have stepped in and taken over when I needed them. Many of you folks have been conscripted for KP off and on and will be again this coming year. Thank you s would not be complete without including our wonderful custodian, Ed Long. My job is easy I boss!!!! And I love it. Thank you to all you folks who step in without being asked and help out whenever. I d have to mention everyone who comes to social functions!! With God s help we ll do it again next year. In HIS service, Ruthie Casto Memorial Committee From designated gifts received by the Memorial Committee college scholarships are awarded to deserving Trinity members who seek to continue their education through college or advanced training after high school. This year the Nelson Scholarships were awarded to two young people. Sarah Sutherland as she prepared to complete her degree at the University of Akron majoring in Dance and Sarah Brown who had completed her Junior year at Bowling Green State University as a Computer Science Major. The Memorial fund is also grateful to Pat Hill and her Well Read Sistahs for their generous contribution to the Trinity Scholarship Fund. This past year Trinity memorial donations were gratefully received in memory of Thora Brown, Russell Dietz, Robert Evans, Elfrieda Krister, Ron Neillie, and George Porosky. Special recognition goes to Ruth Bowman for mailing thank you cards for contributions made to the Trinity Memorial Fund. What a blessing it is when members remember the church and our loved ones in their giving. We encourage everyone to consider contributions to Memorials. Donations can also be designated to a specific purpose of the family s choosing such as Scholarships or Evangelism. Patricia Evans, Memorial Committee Chair 12
Trinity s 125 th Anniversary Celebration Report - 1890-2015 October 17 th & 18 th 2015 What an honor it was to help organize the recognition of this milestone event in the life of our fellowship. First a big thank you to all the members of Trinity who both organized and supported our 125 th Anniversary Celebration. It would be impossible to list everyone without possibly omitting someone. There are some key committee members that do need recognition for their special contributions to the organization of this event. Special thank you goes to: Nancy and Bob French for organizing the mailing of the postcard invitations. Leeanna Swisher and Judy Walser for the printing and delivery of the t-shirts and church banners. Ruth Casto and her crew for the Ice Cream Social treats. Special thanks to David Brown and the East Market Street members that helped. Debbie and Alan Casanova and the Justin Other Band for the lively entertainment. David Moore for the informative Trinity Trail and the design of the t-shirts. The many members who hosted along the Trinity Trail. George Reuter for his informative sanctuary window presentation. Rev. Joan and David Brown for creating the wording for the double sided yard signs. Wendy Fincham and Judy Waple for organizing the social hall display tables and all the organizations that participated. Ed Long for his extra work to make sure each area was arranged as needed. Matt Skitzki for organizing the Anniversary Concert and his human pipe organ demonstration. Thomas Scott our guest conductor and members of the Hudson UCC choir and others who joined our Trinity choir. Paul Guyer as guest organist and Tara Hawley as soloist. Carol Smith for her digitized Power Point slideshow presentation. Also thank you to everyone who contributed pictures. Thank you Nancy French, Wendy Fincham and Beth Haynes for scouring the picture archives. Rick Haynes for the electrical work to replace the 2 nd floor restroom lighting fixtures. Judy Waple and Wendy Fincham for donating the hydrangeas for the parking lot bed and the David Moore and Bill Folk crew for spreading the mulch. We at Trinity are truly grateful to our founding fathers for establishing our congregation in 1890. We look forward to the the next 125 years as we continue being At the Heart of the Community with the Community at its Heart. Patricia Evans Committee Chair 13
Use of Trinity UCC s Building Through the Week Our building is open to a number of outside groups each week. We host Girl Scout Troop #90057, who meets here on Thursday evenings. The Girl Scouts take on service projects around our building, including cleaning the Sanctuary, sanitizing and organizing toys in the Nursery and Toddler classroom, sorting and folding clothing for T nc, and maintaining our new Little Free Library. The Girl Scouts participated in Girl Scout Sunday and they ve held lock-ins and special events this year. We sponsor Boy Scout Troop 15 and Cub Scout Pack 3015. Bill Folk and David Brown are church liaisons for the Scouts. Both groups meet on Tuesday evenings. The Boy and Cub Scouts participated in Scout Sunday. They held their Pinewood Derby, Blue & Gold Banquet and Arrow of Light ceremonies here. They take on various projects around the church building and grounds, and they assist with our Community Garden. Trinity has a good relationship with the Nepalese community on North Hill. The Akron Christian Assembly, a Nepalese-language church, meets in our Social Hall on Sunday afternoons. There are two programs for Nepalese teens and young adults that meet here on Saturdays. We host 12-step recovery meetings in our Believers Room, Social Hall and Community Room. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are held 5 days per week for 8 different AA groups, and we host one Cocaine Anonymous (CA) meeting. Our Custodian, Ed Long, keeps track of which groups are in the building and makes sure rooms are set up and doors are unlocked. Adopt-a-School Program Trinity has participated in the very successful Adopt-A-School Project at Findley Community Learning Center on North Hill since its inception in 2013. The "Board" meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 3 PM and is comprised of representatives from sponsoring groups: Love Akron, the school Principal, Counselor and teacher representative, Trinity UCC, First Congregational Church of Hudson, North Hill Community House, and several other North Hill churches, The group is led expertly by Jane Penny from Hudson UCC who also runs the Clothing Closet at Findley and so much more. Volunteers for various projects at the school now number about 165 people throughout the area. Each participates when they can. 14
The challenge to this school is great: - Findley has nearly 500 students in K through 5th grade - 100% are economically disadvantaged - The majority of their Asian students come from refugee camps - The predominant languages are: English, Nepalese, Karen, Burmese, Spanish, Chin and Arabic, along with other languages and dialects. English is spoken and taught at Findley. Translators on the staff are also a necessity. Programs in 2015 by categories included: - Food/Clothing - uniforms, winter clothing, Spring Break food - Student Support - tutors, classroom help coordination and recruitment - 17 weekly in-class helpers assisted 14 teachers - 13 weekly Akron Reads 2nd grade tutors - Events - Harvest Dinner for all students and parents, Open House, Math Night, Reading Night, Lunch on a Blanket for families with volunteers bringing packed lunches and sitting with children whose family could not come, May Akron Rubber Ducks Baseball Education Day with donations enabling the entire school to have this experience, and so much more. Trinity UCC had representatives participating in many of the activities. We also respond through the Trinity Empowering Scholars program to needs for uniforms and special needs for clothing that their Closet might not have. At Christmas, our church supplied gifts for 25 children from 7 families as outlined in the T'n C report. A new initiative to identify and meet other needs at Findley in 2016 has been started by Judy Walser with a committee comprised of Peg Moore, Erin White and Judy Waple, Volunteers and participation from Trinity UCC members are much appreciated. You can volunteer for whatever suits your interest and time available. Submitted by Judy Waple Trinity Women In Action (TWA) Trinity Women in Action (TWA) sponsors programs for the women of Trinity UCC. The annual Ingathering Offering that we receive in October provides us with the funds for our projects. Our ladies are always very generous and we do thank you for your continued support. The total received this year was $1,231.08. TWA sponsored the updating of our church office this year. The old, dirty carpet was removed. Walls and ceilings were scraped and covered with fresh lovely paint. New carpet was installed 15
and a new smaller desk replaced the old L-shaped desk. The room is bright, clean and a great welcoming room to members and friends coming into our church. TWA also sponsored the Women s Spring Banquet on Friday, May 6 th, 2016. Approximately seventy women and young ladies attended the Star Spangled Spring Sing. Thank you to Carol Smith and Elaine Gray for co-chairing the Banquet and to the Planning Committee: Ruth Bowman, Ruth Casto, Rani Cargo, Cathy Dietz, Wendy Fincham, Linda Mize, Leanna Swisher and Erin White. Ruth Casto and the Fellowship Committee provided a delicious dinner that the Ushers and Friends served. Everyone was entertained after dinner and prizes by the lovely voice of Bonnie Baughham. She sang a variety of songs and even encouraged singing along. Funeral Dinners were provided for the families of Ron Neillie, Elfrieda Krister, Thora Brown and Robert Evans. Very special thanks to the committee of Ruth Casto and Nancy French. TWA is also sponsoring the Women s Retreat which will be held Sep 10 and 11, 2016 at Pilgrim Hills Camp. We had no retreat last year because the two camps we had used were being sold, so we are hoping to have a great turnout this year. Theme and possible scholarships will be announced soon. Be sure to watch Trinity Hot Topics. Disbursements: White Gift $300.00 Christmas Gifts to Staff $100.00 Archives $230.39 Office Paint/New Carpet $1,979.20 Funeral Dinners -$58.41 Women s Retreat & Scholarships $500.00 Pending Checkbook Balance as of 05/26/16 $3,418.34 Submitted by Elaine Gray, Chairman and Ruth Bowman, Treasurer Christian Education The 2015/16 program year for Church School has been another part of Trinity that is in flux. Our dedicated members of the church school committee Terri Weckbacher, Diane Cutlip, Debbie Weckbacher, Nancy Folk and Jennifer Weckbacher have worked to provide child care and Sunday School. This year, Carol Smith stepped up in two roles one was to lead the church 16
school committee and the other was to provide Sunday School classed for school age children after the anthem during worship. Toddler/Pre-School - The Toddler Pre-school room serves two through five year olds not attending kindergarten We provide a welcoming, caring and safe environment for the children to stay while their adult families attend the worship service. The children are supervised playing on their own creating a craft, coloring, playing with playdough, playing with puzzles, singing and hearing stories. This year, eight members of Trinity volunteered on a rotating schedule to care for the children. Thanks to Diane Cutlip, Pat Hill, Judy Walser, Alan and Debbie Cassanova, Nancy Folk, Sarah Sigler and Peg Moore for volunteering. There is always room for another volunteer. School Age Children Carol Smith took on this challenge with the help of Cassie Matulis. All school age children are invited to join us after the Anthem during worship. We have had anywhere from 0 to 7 youth for class on any given Sunday. If all attended on the same Sunday, we could have 12. Our group learned to play hand chimes and performed for a worship service. We are currently exploring the Kids Travel Guide to the 10 Commandments and preparing to share our discoveries with the congregation on June 19 th. When we complete the Travel Guide, Sunday School will be over until the Fall. Believers Class The adult Sunday School class is currently being led by Julie Brown-Herold. They meet Sundays 9:15 10:15 September through June. We started the year discussing a book by John Maxwell titled Wisdom from Women in the Bible. After learning from the likes of Mary, Martha, Miriam and Abigail, we next selected The Bible for Dummies. We have learned about the history of how our current Bible translations came to be, brushed up on the history of the Middle East (what are the Golan Heights?) the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Apocrypha. When we reconvene in September, we will start learning about the Old Testament. The class is open to all. We look forward to you joining us. The Christian Education Program accepts donations on Sunday mornings from classes. At the end of May our bank account balance was $2,037.59. In the fall we are planning for a confirmation class and some regular children s messages during worship. We continue to look for people who can help with all phases of Christian Education including but not limited to helping with infant and toddler child care, leading or helping with youth Sunday School classes or special programs, bible study and other adult programs. If God is calling you to this important ministry, please contact one of the committee members or leave your name with what ideas or programs hold interest for you. 17
Ushers League The Ushers League is dedicated to serving the church weekly during the worship service and throughout the year in special church events. As one of the most visible groups at Trinity, we seek to approach our duties with a sense of diligence, responsibility, and decorum that both serve the church well and reflect well on Trinity and the League. Each Sunday, the ushers welcome worshippers to the sanctuary, hand out bulletins for the worship service, and assist in seating the congregation. Prior to the service, we make sure the sanctuary is in order for the congregation and the minister. During the service, we are available to assist the choir; take attendance and the offering; monitor the congregation; patrol the church building; attend to the altar candles; and perform special duties as requested. We remain ready to offer our time and talents to serve the congregation, minister, and staff in a variety of ways, including emergency situations, if necessary. We are always open to any suggestions of improvement in this regard. During the past year, the Ushers League contributed to the White Gift Offering, ushered for special concert events, donated to the Utility Fund, served the Spring Banquet, and assisted in the serving of communion. The Ushers League also has a representative on the Worship and Music committee. We meet occasionally to discuss League issues, plan for upcoming worship services, and special events. We welcomed Tim Weckbacher and Alan Casanova as members of the Ushers League during the past year. We welcome and invite any male or female member interested in joining the Ushers League to contact us about membership. Myron Gray, Head Usher WELCOMERS MINISTRY At Trinity Church we are known for our Extravagant Welcome. Special thanks to all of our dedicated Welcomers listed below who have served this past year. You will see their smiling faces on Sunday mornings from 10:00 am. to 10:30 am. before the Worship Service. Ruth Bowman Liz Campbell LaVerne Claxton Dick and Bonnie Eroskey Wendy Fincham Bob and Nancy French Judy Waple 18
Unfortunately Ruth Burgan and Virginia Frank are unable to serve anymore and we will miss them. If you would like to be a part of this ministry, please notify Nancy French at (330) 922-0447. The Called to Care Ministry In order to live out Jesus' command to "love one another", this ministry strives to keep in touch with members who are not able to or have not attended church for several weeks by way of a personal visit, a telephone call, greeting cards, delivery of flowers, or a pastoral home visit with the offer of communion. The goal is to let them know they have been missed and to inquire if Trinity can be of assistance. Our Prayer Chain, composed of fourteen contacts is also a part of this ministry. In addition, a copy of the Hot Topics is mailed once a month to those who do not access a computer. Thanks to the members who have assisted with this mission. We are a community that cares, called by a God who cares. Ruth Bowman Little Free Library at Trinity UCC Trinity s Little Free Library was a 2016 collaborative project between Trinity UCC and Girl Scout Troop #90057. Funding was provided by a Community Literacy grant from the Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Girl Scouts designed the Library and painted it inside and out. Bob Marr, father of one of the scouts, built and installed it. Our Boy Scouts dug a hole for the post. Books were donated by Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Trinity members we received more than 700 books! We held a dedication ceremony on Sunday, May 1, 2016. Our Library is registered with the Little Free Library organization, charter number 38503. In addition to keeping books here, we plan to donate books to Findley Community Learning Center, the elementary school closest to the church. 19
VAL project 2016 Our memorial/celebration path in front of the church has become a peaceful place to stop and rest. Thank you, Judy Waple for planting such beautiful flowers around Valerie s tree. This summer new greenery will be added to provide a bit more privacy. We collected orders for new bricks in April and May. We ordered 16 bricks which will be installed later this summer. Thank you to all who supported this project. Respectfully submitted, Beth McAlonan Trinity in the Community (T nc) Trinity s outreach ministries are proud to serve the residents of North Hill and the larger Akron area. They embrace Trinity s community involvement mission statement, which is to open our doors to be part of the solution to the challenges of Akron s North Hill community. Known as Trinity in the Community, or T nc, our outreach ministries include a Clothing Ministry, Empowering Scholars Program (ESP), Food Pantry, Utility Assistance, Community Garden, and Christmas Project. T nc had another busy year in 2015-16. Due in part to Akron s lagging economy and high unemployment rate, we served more families and persons this year than last year. T nc meetings are held quarterly on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. in the Community Room. New volunteers are always welcome to join us with any of our mission activities just check with a T nc member on how to get involved. Our Clothing Ministry is now open to the public from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on both the second Saturday and the last Wednesday of the month, although residents may attend only once per month. We primarily provide men, women, and children with gently used clothing that we receive through donations. We offer general clothing and footwear as well as seasonal clothing, including jackets, coats, scarves, hats, and gloves. In addition, we have a limited supply of personal items, such as underwear, socks, bath towels, linens, and blankets plus miscellaneous donated household items. During the past year, we have been able to better serve the growing refugee population in North Hill with the help of the interpreters provided by the Akron International Institute. During the 2015 calendar year, we served an average of 48 persons and their families per month on Wednesdays and 27 persons on Saturdays. For all of 2015, a total of 825 persons and their families were assisted, an average of 75 per month. In addition, during the first quarter of 2016 (January through April), we served a total of 369 persons and their families, or 92 per month, an average increase of 22% from 2015. 20
Our ESP Ministry focuses on supporting children in the community. The largest portion of this ministry is running the Children s Clothing Room as part of the T nc Clothing Ministry. In addition, ESP makes available school uniforms on a scheduled basis to qualifying students, primarily those living in community shelters, in cooperation with Project Rise of Akron Public Schools and grant funding from First Congregational Church of Hudson. Backpacks and general school supplies are also provided to the general public at the beginning of the school year. In 2015, we continued to work closely with the Findley Community Learning Center (CLC) to meet student needs and were blessed to be designated as a grant recipient of the 12th Annual Halloween Charity Ball. Our Food Pantry serves North Hill residents living in the 44310 zip code area who are referred by Info Line plus Trinity Church members in need. We purchase bulk food from the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank (ACRFB) and supplement our stock through donations. Eligible residents may receive one food box per month filled with non-perishable foodstuff plus a gift card from Acme or Sav-A-Lot to buy perishable food. A maximum of two dozen food boxes were prepared and distributed each month. During 2015, a total of 247 households representing 596 persons were served and 3,666 pounds of food were given out. In addition, for the period of January through April 2016, a total of 97 households with 217 persons were provided with a collective total of 490 pounds of food. Finally, the Food Pantry was assisted with a $2,500 grant from the United Way/ Emergency Food and Shelter Program that was used to purchase additional food from the ACRFB to better meet demand. Our Utility Assistance outreach provides financial assistance for clients to avoid shut-offs on their utilities. In 2015 we had 358 requests for assistance and were able to help 96 clients, or 27% of requests. Our total assistance was $6,850, an average of $71 per client. For the first quarter of 2016, we received 103 requests and helped 36 with an average of $74 per client. We usually are able to refer clients to other agencies for help if we are unable to pay the amount requested. Our Community Garden was initiated in 2014 with the construction of a 1,200 square foot hoop house funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 2015, the hoop house garden was planted in the spring and several ground bed areas outside the hoop house were also planted. These yielded an abundant harvest of fresh vegetables and herbs, including tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers, and parsley. Produce was shared with refugee families from the Akron International Institute who worked in the garden as well as with church members and neighbors of the church. Also, fresh vegetables were added to the T nc food boxes and offered to residents attending the clothing ministry open days. During the summer, an Eagle Scout project resulted in the construction of nearly two dozen raised planters, which will be used to expand the garden during next year s growing season. 21