2017

ST. PAUL LUTHERANANNUAL REPORT

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH200 W. ORANGE ST.

LITITZ, PA 17543717.626.4709

LEAD PASTOR’S REPORT: LOOKING BACK OVER 2017-Rev. Robert J. Myallis

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. Ephesians 3:17-18

2017 was a year rich in God’s blessings and love. We gathered to worship:- The church continues to experience growth in worship attendance. In fact, from

Reformation to Advent, we averaged over 300 people a Sunday! - We welcomed two new staff members to our worship team: Pam Drenner and Gloria

Oberkehr. Both have shown great joy and skill in assuming their new leadership roles.- We’ve added youth Sundays, where we encourage youth to assist in worship.

We grew in faith- We launched seasonal small groups. These provided people with an opportunity to

grow friendships and faith during Lent and the fall (focusing on Reformation 500!). - One seasonal small group -- for young parents -- has turned into a new Sunday school

class that meets every Sunday called Talk and Tots.- We returned Vacation Bible School to St. Paul this past summer, doing it on Wednesday

nights, in conjunction with our Worship on Wednesday ministry.- We completed one full year of our Faith Step Stones program, designed to help families

fulfill the promises made to their children in Baptism.- We partnered with Salem Kissel Hill to offer Confirmation Camp for nearly 20 youth.- The new congregational life committee hosted a fantastic Reformation 500 event.

We did a lot of work behind the scenes!- The church capital campaign has undertaken a number of significant projects, including

new bathrooms, new doors, new boiler and stained glass window repair. We’ve also scheduled flooring replacement and concrete structure work for 2018. We thank Tim Miller for his leadership here.

- We paid back our lines of credit debt ($61,500).

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LEAD PASTOR’S REPORT: LOOKING AHEAD TO 2018 -Rev. Robert J. Myallis

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16

In 2018 we want to make sure we have the roots to support the tremendous growth our congregation has experienced. To do this, here are the leadership priorities (beyond our current ministries):

1) Integrating of new people: A great joy of mine as a pastor is seeing someone who comes looking for a church (almost like a consumer!) discover how they can share their gifts through our ministry (become a steward!). We have welcomed many new members and welcomed back many long-time members. To help them integrate we will focus on:

- Worship involvement: Each month we will highlight one way in which people can help in worship. Helping in worship requires often little extra time but provides a way for people to connect with other members and to deepen their worship experience. (You can volunteer through our dedicated website: https://ttsu.me/stpaulworship)

- Communication: Our growth means that many weeks we have multiple events happening. Furthermore, the groups interested in these events also communicate over different media: (newspaper, email, Facebook e.g.). We will need to develop ways of focused communication using a variety of media.

- New ministries: New ministries provide the easiest way for new people to get involved. In 2018 we intend to launch an adult forum and at least one other group.

2) Staff Development: In 2017 we hired five new staff members! We think we've found a great team of committed disciples who can work together for the ministry here.

- Building up team: In 2018 we are focusing on developing these staff members as individuals, ensuring they have resources and fostering good team work.

- Expanding the staff hours: As we move into the 2nd half of 2018 and certainly into 2019, we will need to increase the number of staff hours we compensate. In terms of worship, our congregation has essentially added a congregation since 2016, but we have not increased the number staff hours. We face the good problem any growing entity faces: supporting and increasing staff to sustain momentum and continue growing.

3) Stewardship of our building & the Capital Campaign: In 2018 we undertook a number of key projects to our building, thanks to your generosity. These upgrades enable us to continue our

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core ministries of worship and teaching. These upgrades also enable the numerous servant oriented ministries we host to continue impacting lives beyond our walls.

That said, we have a very large building, built in the days when this congregation averaged a baptism per week. How do we effectively steward the building as it turns 50? The capital campaign addressed the core needs of the present building; in 2018 the Council will need to address sustainability issues around our health and cost of our building.

The challenges -- if we want to call them that -- of 2018 are challenges of a growing church that has deep roots in the community. They are opportunities -- let's call them that -- which I and the council look forward to discerning prayerfully how we move ahead.

Lastly, I would like to acknowledge and thank the tremendous work of Pastor Straw. He regularly visits our 40 homebound members, makes numerous hospital visits and arranges for worship services at various care facilities. He helps with confirmation – you can tell he loves the youth in this congregation. He is a steadfast prayer partner of mine. Thank you Irv!!

2017 CHILDREN’S MINISTRY AT ST. PAUL (ages birth through 6th grade)-Deacon Emily Myallis, Director of Children’s Ministry

SUNDAY SCHOOL 50 children (approx.) in Sunday School! (Ages 3 – 6th grade). A new class just for 6th graders for the 2017-18 school year! This class uses science and

technology to engage children in faith-based lessons! The Ark (made by Senior Shepherds) continues as a vessel for S.S. Offering & smile-

producer! Lent and Advent devotionals were purchased & given to all kids/families. All-Class Fun with Camp Sunday (March), a Pentecost Party (May), Rally Day (Sept) and

Reformation Stations (Oct). Teacher meetings implemented for cooperation, planning and support.

FAITH STEP-STONES Ages 3 to 6th grade each completed a Faith Step-Stone during the School Year! We celebrated these in worship and with treats following the service.

CHILDREN IN WORSHIP Children’s Bulletins are new each week. Busy Bags are updated regularly for seasons of the church. Children’s sermons, weekly @ 10:45; sometimes @ 8:00. Baptisms - give baptism & sponsor certificates and gift from St. Paul.

AGES 0-3 YEARS OLD

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Splash Newsletters! Monthly, developmental newsletters given to each child. New babies visited and given a board-book Bible.

SERVICE TO OTHERS Kids Book Fair! It blessed many with faith-based books, including our school! Lent: Praying in Color! We collected used crayons and markers for

recycling/repurposing. Led “praying in color” in the Narthex as a Spiritual Discipline and Intergenerational Prayer Time for Wednesday evenings in Lent.

EGGtravaganza! A fundraiser for our school’s summer programs, and outreach with a faith-based Egg Hunt. Wonderful turn-out and positive response!

Reformation Book Fair: We connected the gift of the Reformation’s focus on the written word to the blessings of books today! New and gently used books were collected and donated to Bridge of Hope – the response was overwhelming (and heavy!)

CHRISTMAS FOR KIDS Advent-Wreath and Gingerbread Nativity intergenerational events held in social hall. Pageant: Tika-Tika Island. Christmas children’s message, co-wrote with Pastor Rob [a piece of the puzzle!]

CELC & CHURCH Chapel offered weekly for the CELC, and once/month for the Preschool. “CELC Sunday” in May to thank the ministry of our School and work of their staff. Offer prayer and lead songs at CELC events, to continue strengthening our

relationship!

FUN FOR KIDS Children’s Library moved to visible location, used more-widely new by church and

school. Birthday and Baptism birthday cards sent to each child.

SUMMER Vacation Bible School is back at St. Paul with Wednesday evening, family-style VBS. Camps! Promoted, encouraged and offered scholarships! “By Heart Challenge”, encouraging kids to do Bible/catechism memory-work.

2018 HAPPENINGS & GOALS Participate in the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association/ELEA as a shared resource

for church and school. Lent 2018: The Shepherd’s Love. Our theme encompassed the weekly children’s

sermons (a Surprise Shepherd joined us each week!), the weekly children’s bulletins, our take-home devotional books for children and our service project through Heiffer International.

Pentecost: planning a “Pentecost Party” to mark the end of Sunday School (May 20). VBS, family-style: Weds.at 6:30pm, July 11 – August 15. Theme: Barnyard Roundup!

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Fall Service Project: work alongside the Mission and Outreach committee to create “Christmas Kits” for refugees, a project kids/families can do.

Help develop a Safe Child Policy for St. Paul.

VOLUNTEERS

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME FOR THE CHILDREN AT ST. PAUL! YOU ARE A BLESSING!

Sunday School Teachers: Mallory Weiss, Katie Poje, Marty Althouse, Jody Charles, Beth Mullen, Chris

Runkle, Jim Hoffer, Kathy Ross, Jeannie and Dave Bradbury, Tom Ashcroft and Don Drenner.

Nursery volunteers: Thank you to all who care for our little disciples during worship. Aileen Nickel & Katie Poje for making treats each month for Faith Step-Stones. Marty Althouse for the Praying in Color theme, display and service project. Marsha Campbell for playing piano at weekly CELC chapel services. Pat Lamb for keeping the “busy bags” updated and nice. Tom Reinfried for acolyte training. Jim Hoffer for kids’ communion preparation. Mallory Weiss for sending birthday cards to kids from the church. Katie Poje for sending Splash Newsletters each month. Joe Doster and Tom Wingenroth for the “mini-St. Paul’s” offering box! VBS Leaders: Melanie Minnich, Chris Runkle, Marsha Campbell, Beth Mullen and Katie

Poje. Special Event helpers for the EGGstravaganza, Advent Events, and more!

Please prayerfully consider helping with Children’s Ministry at St. Paul. From baking to teaching, chaperoning to sewing, crafting to building – we can use your help to share the Gospel with our youngest disciples, prepare them for Christian life, and be blessed by their witness!

YOUTH MINISTRY-Johnna McCormick, Youth Director

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

In the fall of 2017, eight 6-8th grade students attended the ALiVE Middle School Retreat at Camp Nawakwa. They enjoyed getting together with so many other kids their age who share the same faith. They played games, had discussion in small groups, and sang and danced to the praise band during the large group gatherings. This was everyone’s first time for this event, but they are excited to come back next year.

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GOALS FOR 2018:

We continued with the new outreach ministry of 5th Quarter Youth events, taking place in the fall following a Warwick football game, and in the winter following a Warwick basketball game. We drew over 40 students in the winter and 100 in the fall, many of whom are unchurched.

We also started a new ministry called the Lititz Empty Bowls Project. We partnered with local artists, restaurants and business owners for a fundraising event that raised over $5,000 for local charities to fight hunger in our community. The youth created some of the bowls for the dinner and helped to run the event itself!

The last highlight for this year was the Lenten Youth Retreat we did in spring of 2018. We took 9 kids to Camp Kirchenwald for a night of fun and spiritual renewal. Our theme was “Journey of Faith-The 12 disciples” and we did a scavenger hunt that helped the kids get to know Jesus’ closest followers. We also baked matzo bread, washed each other’s feet, and took communion during an evening prayer service, just as the disciples did the night of the Last Supper.

Something we are looking forward to in 2018 is attending the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas. We have 6 students and 2 chaperones that will join 30,000 other Lutheran teens and their advisors for interactive learning, opportunities with our synod, a service learning project and mass evening gatherings featuring renowned musicians and speakers. We have been working hard fundraising and working through the Gathering curriculum at meetings throughout the past year. We greatly appreciate all the financial support we’ve received so far. If you haven’t already, prayerfully consider supporting the youth on this life changing adventure. Donations will be accepted through May 30th. Thank you!

One goal for this year, is to continue and grow the Lititz Empty Bowls Dinner for the second year, including more bowls for the ability to include more guests. This outreach event was very well received by the community and we hope for it to be a Lititz tradition for years to come.

Our biggest goal is to shift the focus of our Youth Ministry from isolation to inclusion. We have done quite a bit of research this year and have found that the largest influence on the long term faith formation of youth is the involvement of parents and other adults in the church community. This year, we will work towards creating programing that includes more parents’ involvement and incorporate a Lenten mentor program into confirmation that we hope will eventually grow into something more long-term.

The success of a Youth Ministry cannot be measured by looking at what the youth are doing as teens in youth group. It is not until they are contributing adult members of their own church, 10 years down the road, that we know we’ve done our job. That is something that cannot be done by a Youth Ministry team alone. The church as a whole is called to take ownership of nurturing the faith formation of today’s children and youth, because they are the ones we will call upon to lead our church in the future.

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FINANCE and PROPERTY -Roger Moyer

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

The committee spent the year focused on funding the operational needs as well as the capital needs of the congregation. Much time was spent on working with the Capital Campaign (Preserving the Possibilities) Committee. We also worked with the Treasurer on the annual budgeting process. This was the second year using the new process and it appears to be showing good results while allowing our staff member’s access to the financial reports relating to their area of responsibility.

The Committee appointed the Investment Subcommittee, which now oversees both the Endowment Fund and Cemetery Fund investments. This committee is comprised of Mark Nestleroth, chair; Tom Trayer and Roger Moyer.

Much time was spent working with our new Facilities Manager, Tim Miller. Tim has done an excellent job of organizing our property management areas.

AREAS OF FOCUS FOR 2018

A new Property Committee was named at the beginning of 2018. Going forward the Property Committee and Finance Committee will stand alone. There is ample work for both committees and we now have the ability to populate both committees. Our goal is to have a smooth transition to this structure.

The Finance Committee in 2018 will focus on risk management, records retention, budgeting and reporting, and accounting protocols and processes. The Finance Committee will continue to work with the Property Committee on reviewing expenditures that are part of the Preserving the Possibilities Capital Campaign.

“PRESERVING the POSSIBILITIES”$654,000 Renovations for our 58 Year Old Building - Doug Minnich, Council President

COMPLETED PROJECTS

During the past year in the education wing we have upgraded seven rest rooms and replaced twelve wooden exit doors with steel doors. The main gas boiler which was rusted and leaked,

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was removed and a new high efficiency boiler installed. A section of the deteriorated parking lot in front of the church entrance was repaved and the west parking lot blacktop was sealed.

Three of the six stained glass windows in the sanctuary were leaking and all were caulked and “storm windows” installed. The Narthex ceiling and corridors and stairwells in the education wing were recently painted.

All offices were carpeted and beginning June, 4, 2018, new flooring will be installed in corridors and classrooms over the existing floors, which contain asbestos.

The costs for these projects are approximately $410,000 and these funds were made available through the congregation pledges from the Capital Campaign of 2015, 2016, 2017 and the current two year (2018 and 2019) campaign for “Preserving the Possibilities.” Both of these campaigns are expected to generate a total of $654,000. Invoices for completed projects have been paid!

FUTURE PROJECTS

The property committee is analyzing proposals and costs for necessary future projects to repair some significant masonry cracks in the stone walls of the sanctuary, restore the outside steps at the office entrance and at the rear entrance to the Narthex. A tree in the parking lot outside the social hall must be removed as it is causing damage to the curb and paving. Some sidewalks around the building also need repairs.

The planter outside the office entrance must also be removed as ground water from the planter has penetrated the masonry wall and has damaged the painted wall inside the building.

The masonry garage housing our tractor and lawn equipment is leaking badly and must be repaired. All stored equipment must be covered with tarps to prevent damage. Parking lots on the east and west sides of the building must be repaved as well as the lot in front of the social hall

The stone walls around the church must be treated with algaecide and fungicide to remove and clean the unsightly surfaces and then waterproofed. The cement “finish” on the concrete foundation walls, beneath the stone walls, have cracks and spalls and also need to be restored.

FUNDING

These necessary repairs are made possible because of the generosity of gifts and pledges from members of Saint Paul. The Church Council and Preserving the Possibilities Capital Campaign Committee have personally pledged $80,000 and the CELC preschool has pledged $25,000. A sincere THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to fund these renovations. If you have not yet given to “Preserving the Possibilities,” will you prayerfully consider a pledge or gifts using the blue offering envelopes?

Through a substantial gift from the Redcay family our Lounge is being completely renovated and renamed the “Media Room.” The room was painted, a new ceiling installed, along with new carpet, cabinets and furniture. LED lighting is also planned. A short throw

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Epson Projector with Bluetooth technology will enhance instructional and meeting presentations!

ENDOWMENT FUND-Don Shaub, Chairman

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

The value of the Endowment fund is $603,441.89. The 5% allowable distribution amount is $30,172.

We received 26 requests for a total of $74,085.

The distributions are listed below:

Bridge of Hope $1,000 Tanzania NICU $500

Seminary $2,000 Wittle Farm $3,500

Heifer International $1,500 College Youth $1,500

Confirmation Camp $1,500 ELEA Conference $ 250

Crossfire Ministries $750 Youth Gathering $3,250

Devotion Musical $1,000 Emergency Love INC $500

Capital Campaign $7,672 Habitat for Humanity $2,000

Lutheran Disaster Relief – National $1,500

Lutheran Disaster Relief – Local $1,750

GOALS FOR 2018

Hold an Endowment Committee Sunday on April 29, 2018. Promote the raising of endowment funds. Distribute endowment funds as required.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE-George Nickel (co-chair)/Jim Martin (co-chair)

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

Addition of new staff to the St. Paul Team including: Pam Drenner and Gloria Oberkehr to the Music Ministry Team. These hirings were done in collaboration with Jane Brye who represented the Adult and Bell Choirs. Tim Miller was hired as the new Facilities Manager.

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Deanna Wyand was hired as an Administrative Assistant and Allison Forrer transitioned into the Financial Secretary role. The committee completed a review and updating of many of our position’s Job Descriptions. Additionally, we facilitated and supported the reformation of the Property Committee to support the facilities manager and building needs at St. Paul. Work has also begun on updating the Employee Handbook.

The Personnel Committee supports all ministries at St. Paul who have needs related to personnel matters. In 2017 this included: Jim Martin, Sally Hall and Craig Wagaman served as members of church council. Tom served as chair of the Cemetery Committee and is also a member of the Worship and Music Committee. George supported both the Property and Finance Committees in providing support to various special projects. Sally is a member of the Telecare and Worship and Music committees. Jim serves on the Child, Youth and Family Ministry Team and also helped to support ministries at CELC. Jim also is a member of Devotion.

GOALS FOR 2018 Complete and implement the updated Employee Handbook; Complete Performance Evaluations as they come due; Help to develop and implement security policy; Investigate and determine insurance options; Make staffing adjustments in alignment with needs due to member growth.

MINISTRY TEAM FOR WORSHIP LIFE-Jane Brye, chairperson

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

During the year 2017, we hired two new professional staff. Pam Drenner is our new Director of Traditional Church Music, which includes church organist and director of the Adult Choir, and Gloria Oberkehr is our new Jubilate Bell Choir Director. Valerie Hughes, our past Director of Traditional Church Music gave her resignation notice in April of 2017. We also completed our first year of working with Pastor Rob during the lent and Easter Season. Holden Evening Prayer was held Wednesday Evenings during Lent and we held our traditional services during Holy Week. Pastor Rob is thinking about some changes to services during Holy Week for the 2018 season. We continued our summer schedule with an 8:00 spoken service and a 9:30 traditional service. We also continued the Blue Christmas service and Epiphany celebration this year. Processionals took place on the following festival Sundays in 2017: Easter, Pentecost, Reformation 500 and All Saints Sunday. Our big initiative was to figure out how to increase our volunteer pool for church service volunteers. After some consideration, we decided to do a monthly celebration of each worship task starting in January of 2018. The office developed an online sign up for Worship Volunteers called TimeToSignUp. This initiative is supported by the Worship and Music Committee and is a work in progress. As in past years, the Worship and Music Committee was responsible for church decoration for the Christmas and Easter seasons. In 2017, we add a new initiative -- geraniums for Pentecost Sunday (and

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confirmation). Those geraniums were then planted in our church flowerbeds. Confirmands were given an Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal from the Worship and Music Committee for confirmation. We also discovered some wear to the inside surfaces of our communion vessels which need to be repaired. We acquired a travel communion kit for our visitation pastor and a new casket pall and covering for a cremation urn.

GOALS FOR 2018 Continue to support the Worship and Music staff with their needs and initiatives as it

relates to the Worship calendar and Worship services. Continue the Worship Assistants’ Monthly Recognition and Celebration Project To repair our communion vessels

SUPPORTED MINISTRIES Acolyte Trainer –Tom Reinfried (reinsfam@ptd.net) Altar Guild –Gayle Stauffer (gtstauf@ptd.net ); team captains –Gayle Stauffer, Mary

Ann Seitz, Kathy Ross, and Debbie Herr Assisting Ministers and Communion Assistants – Wayne Gongaware, trainer

(wayneg397@comcast.net); Jane Brye (janebrye@gmail.com) Banner Steward – Donna Boland (replaced by Sally Hall) Church Council Reps – Gayle Stauffer and Sally Hall Church Decorating (Deck the Halls) – Melodie Fair, Jane Brye, and Gayle Stauffer Lights and Sound Technicians- Don Stauffer, scheduler (will be replaced by Steve Shaub

in 2018), and trainer, Tom Reinfried. Processional Participant Trainers: Tami Ruckel and Wayne Gongaware

MISSION AND OUTREACH-Linda Bell, chairperson

Matthew 10:8 - Freely have you received, so freely give

2017 HIGHLIGHTSThe Mission and Outreach committee works to lead St. Paul in opportunities to fulfill this command from Christ. One of our major accomplishments in the past year was to organize the St. Paul outreach into three categories. The first category receives a high level of financial and volunteer support; the second category receives secondary financial aid and possibly more volunteer support; the third category is minimal financial aid and more of a concentration on volunteer support. This serves to organize our outreach to encompass international, regional, and Lititz areas and to involve congregation members and to have organizations that are specifically tied to the ELCA. Below is a list of these projects -

GROUP 1Bridge of HopeCELC

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Habitat for HumanityELCA MissionariesKanga Companion CongregationCommunity ChestPower PacksLutheran World ReliefLuther Care

GROUP 2Heifer InternationalLiberian TuitionSenior ShepherdsStephen MinisteryTeleCare

GROUP 3WELCALutheran Disaster ReliefCommunity Meals, Lancaster CityFuneral LunchesProject HOPESouper Bowl of CaringLititz ProjectBoy Scouts/Girl ScoutsYoga & Tai ChiSingles Group

We are always looking for new members and you are welcome to join our meetings at 7:00 on the third Tuesday of each month.

CONGREGATIONAL LIFE COMMITTEE-Hazel Nestleroth, Chairperson

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

This is a new committee formed in September 2017 to plan activities for our church community. We organized the following activities in 2017:

Reformation 500 Celebration Game Night with Aaron’s Books Coffee Hours before and after worship

GOALS FOR 2018

We will be hosting the church picnic & pig roast in June and will continue fellowship activities.

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ST. PAUL WOMEN OF THE ELCA-Marsha Campbell

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

The WELCA committee provided blankets, personal care kits and knitted items for the world’s needy; lead 8 Bible studies; sponsored board representation for Friends of Luther Acres; led January’s Mission Awareness Sunday at both services; collected a record Thankoffering for churchwide WELCA; hosted annual Christmas dinner for Seniors; organized Meal Train Dinners; led Book Club, Needlework Group, Card Ministry & Ladies Lunch Bunch; spearheaded Liberian Student sponsorships; remembered shut-ins with Christmas and Easter gifts.

GOALS FOR 2018

Involve more women of St. Paul in this ministry

SUPPORTED MINISTRIES Blanket Making: Nancy Weiss Baptismal Bibs/Napkins/Baby Books: Sue Long Card Ministry: Melissa Lamb Circle Guest Gifts: Joyce Groff Friends of Luther Acres reps: Kathy Trayer, Pat Lamb Ladies Lunch Bunch: Nancy Miller Liberian Students: Joyce Groff, Carol Miller Meal Train Dinners: Tami Ruckel Mission Awareness: Sandra Bingaman, Pat Lamb Needlework: LaRue Ketner Baptismal Bibs/Napkins: Sue Long Seniors’ Christmas Dinner: Mary Ann Seitz Thankoffering: Phyllis Frankhouser, Sandra Bingaman World Day of Prayer: Nancy Weiss

TELECARE- 1,257 caring contacts with church family members. This includes member shut-ins and

patients in care facilities, new members, and prospective members, and inactive members, members with special anniversaries or celebrations.

- Continue to provide a sense of community among members of St. Paul through telephone contacts.

FUNERAL LUNCHEON COMMITTEE- Served more than 400 guests at 5 funeral luncheons to honor church members.

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- This is a committee of the St. Paul Women of the ELCA. Its purpose is to provide a light luncheon/reception following the funeral service of a member. The family is charged only for the food costs; a donation toward the St. Paul WELCA kitchen fund is accepted.

- We currently have 33 members on a helper’s list, which is revised and updated each year.

ARCHIVES- This committee catalogs and cares for all church archives. We made changes to four

narthex display cases.- 2018 Goals: Obtain an additional picture rail; organize annual reports and church

council minutes; have an Open House.

GARDEN CLUB- Transplant leftover Easter flowers to church gardens; led a Pentecost geranium gift-

giving opportunity; held a fall garden clean-up, offering hot lunch to workers.- This committee tends the ten gardens in front of the church in order to offer a welcome

to all worshippers.- 2018 Goals: Rejuvenate the Memorial Garden with the help of Dan Spadero and his

Eagle Scout Project team.

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FINANCE-John McCormick, Treasurer

Revenue vs ExpensesTotal Income….……………………………………… $531,090.75Total Expenses: …………………………………….. $489,611.15

TOTAL INCOME OVER EXPENSES: …………… $41,479.60 The vast majority of our expenses are related to staff ($239K) and property ($109K). Our income was greater than our budget ($531K vs $477K).

Summary of Accounts (12/31/2017)Current Assets

Operating Checking ………………………….$110,953.69Memorial Checking …………………………. $ 91,127.36Capital Checking ……………………………….$166,325.67Endowment Fund ……………………………..$557,637.27Cemetary/Perpetual Care …………………$185,122.00

Total Account Balances: ………………………………. $1,111,165.99

Lines of Credit: …………………………………. $20,286.84 (This was paid down in January)The congregation has paid back $12,500 of the $50,000 owed to Endowment. Full

repayment including interest is part of the capital campaign.

STEWARDSHIP The Stewardship committee focused on three areas in the past year

-          United in Christ Pledge Drive: In a world that is so divided, we confess a unity in Christ. As a symbol of our unity, we created a cross that contained our names (and even some drawings). This cross image went “viral” on Facebook, being shared nearly 30 times! The pledge drive this year was a success, with $371,000 pledged by 124 family units. Part of the challenge in this year’s pledge drive is that the church was also asking for extra gifts toward the Capital Campaign.-          Encouraging on-line giving: We promoted online giving. We have seen a significant increase. Here is a comparison of Nov 2016 vs Nov 2017. We continue to seek new ways to foster giving, recognizing that checks and cash – which are how most church gifts come – represent a diminishing fraction of how most financial transactions occur today.

Month Unique Givers General Fund Capital Campaign TotalNov 2016 23 $5,542 $1,120 $6,662Nov 2017 38 $8,392 $1,445 $9,837

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-          Thanking people! We continue to strive toward a culture of thanksgiving, in which we thank people for their generosity! Thank you for your giving toward the congregation. As he steps back from his leadership position, we thank Dave Bingaman for chairing the committee.

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