Each year our congregation gathers for a formal meeting, mandated by our by-laws, to elect new leaders, to vote on the Pastor’s compensation, to review the annual budget, and ask any questions about the state of the church going forward. This Sunday 24 Jan, we’ll be doing that after worship (10:30), on Zoom. We tried to do a hybrid for our Summer meeting, but that didn’t work so well. So, all online, we would love to see you there for the ministry of administration!
Here is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83085310672
Or call in at (346-248-7799) – Meeting ID: 830 8531 0672
The proposed by-law amendment can be seen below.
The nominating committee is submitting Gwen Kittel and Paula Gipp as candidates for Session – our spiritual board of directors. Both have been members here for a couple of years. Gwen has been active in Book Club and Bible Study, and Paula has helped in the garden and with Rocky Mountain Mission especially.
Marylou Harrison will present a narrative budget (below), and can send a full 2021 detailed budget to anyone who requests. The other Elders will be present with a short report on their area of ministry, and available for questions.
Hansen will have one other important update about the future of NCPC.
Elder Reports
Fellowship – Tara Schroeter
Unfortunately, fellowship has looked a bit different than normal since COVID-19 shut down our in-person worship during March 2020. Since fall, we have been having fellowship over Zoom once a month. While this hasn’t been the same as being able to all gather in our fellowship hall with foods, meeting over Zoom has been a nice treat to allow members and friends who are not currently in Nederland join in, and also for fellowship to be more of a group discussion rather than everyone grouping up into different small groups. Please join us for our next virtual fellowship Sunday, February 28th at 10:45 am!
Social Justice – Tara Schroeter
Since our last meeting in the summer, NCPC has also created a Social Justice Working Group, which has also provided an opportunity for fellowship between those in our NCPC community who want to work towards greater racial justice within our local community. Despite the SJWG only being a few months old, we have been busy! In the past few months we have: surveyed church members about attitudes and opinions regarding the church and racial justice, completed a social justice audit of our church’s by-laws and policies, began a letter-writing campaign to county and state-level public health officials about COVID’s racial and ethnic health disparities, and launched monthly prayer vigils for justice. The SJWG has a proposal for an addition to our church’s by-laws, which we ask that you vote to adopt during this meeting today.
Mission – Jim Reis
As Mission Elder in 2020 I provided COVID-19 support to the community as a member of the Nederland Mountain Resource group. The multi-agency group met weekly to discuss how to help people in need throughout the Peak to Peak region. Our church was able to resource and deliver 25 loads of wood to folks in need. We also did 5 service projects that include hauling away junk/slash, fence repair as well as a clean up day at the Nederland Cemetery.
Mission extra, from Hansen – We had to postpone Rocky Mountain Mission and Rise Against Hunger, but homeless outreach continued strong. Though the population was smaller than most summers, our outreach was consistent, safe, and transformative for many folks.
Deacons – Kathleen Henningsen
During the 2020 Pandemic season, Deacons have used YOUR donated NCPC funds to help mountain community members in need. Funding financed helping with buying glasses, providing internet for home schooling, paying overdue bills for phone/electric/water/housing, auto parts/car repairs, wood stove, housing down payments for previously homeless, vet support, community communications and anti-racism education. Firewood, food, and medicines were delivered. Daily prayers and monthly cards were sent to those on our prayer list. Through your help, we are supporting our mountain community.
Our special thanks to Allen Meyer, facilitator of our monthly zoom sessions of anti-racism prayer and reflection, as he heads off Deacon rotation. Jaydene Morrison, Kaitlin Silbaugh, and Kathleen Henningsen continue as your NCPC deacons in 2021.
Christian Ed – Aimee Tomlinson
Due to Covid this year, we have not had our regular Sunday school classes or Christian education programs, such as VBS. Sara has been doing a great job keeping families engaged with weekly emails and giving a family talk during Sunday service. We have a list of penpals we would like to get connected with each other, children and adults. We are still uncertain how this summer will look with the vaccinations and whether or not we will be able to have a VBS program.
Cultural Engagement – Will Ford
Music and recordings have been going well. Xmas went off with out a hitch. Hopefully the familiar music help make your holidays feel a little more normal on what has turned out to be a very odd year
Worship – John Records
Although we all miss in-person worship services, attendance to our online recordings continue to be well attended, Hansen reporting 70 or so screens viewings per week, which is more than what in-person attendance was pre-CoViD. Unfortunately we have no sense yet when in-person services will be re-started. Factors in this decision will be i) Boulder County Guidelines, ii) prevalence of vaccination, iii) adherence to guidelines and recommendations from the larger Church PCUSA. At any rate, it is unlikely to happen before late Spring or later.
We are interested in church members’ and congregants’ feelings, opinions, concerns, and suggestions about worship during CoViD. Please contact the Worship Elder John Records, other Elders or Hansen to let us know.
Property – Mark Stringfellow
Finances — Marylou Harrison
Nederland Community Presbyterian Church is a place for worship, fellowship, education, discussion, and sharing. NCPC is supported by and serves 55 members (we gained 0 new members and 3 moved) and 145 local regular non-members and summer members/attendees.
As we all know, 2020 was an unusual year because of the Corona virus. In person services and activities were paused. We were very concerned about what that would mean for the church’s overall financial health. But in April, we applied for and received a federal Paycheck Protection Loan in the amount of $13,900 which helped us pay our employees for several months. (Note: If at least 60% of the loan is used for payroll, the loan will be forgiven. We spent 95% of the loan on payroll).
As is so often the case at NCPC, we received generous support from our congregation. Despite the upheaval of covid, we ended the year in the black…almost $15,000 in the black. Because of your generosity, we were confident in putting $10,000 back into our investment fund.
Sources of Funds
NCPC is funded by free-will gifts of its members, individuals, and the occasional specific gift or grant. In 2021, we expect to receive a total of $104,812 from these sources: Budgeted income of $89,355 (from pledges of $72,355, unpledged offerings at $15,000, loose offering at $2,000), groups using our building will give $50, and don’t forget $1 in interest income, and Designated giving for specific projects of $15,406 (including things like the Deacons’ Fund Christmas Eve Offering, grants for Rocky Mountain Mission, gifts to Socks and Sandwiches, etc).
We expect to spend $142,143, with the regular business of the church budgeted for expenses of $125,667, and approximately $16,475 more to be spent on previously funded projects or on mission work that does its own fundraising. This means NCPC is planning to run a total deficit of $37,331 (approximately $2,000 less than 2020).
For the past six years, NCPC has planned to run a deficit budget, and by the grace of God, we have finished each year in better financial shape than we planned. In 2020, our budget deficit was $39,945. Our actually ended our year just under $15,000 in the black.
Uses of Funds
The budget for 2021 breaks down this way:
Mission
$31,244 or 22% of Expenses
Financial support to Nederland Food Pantry
Organize and support Socks and Sandwiches
Financial support to Highlands Camp, which runs our kids summer camp
Nederland Interagency Council on Homeless Encampments
Socks & Sandwiches homeless meals
Deacons’ work to provide community support
Organize and gather member support for Rise Against Hunger
Hansen and Jim organizing and leading Rocky Mountain Mission
Hansen’s time arranging for other local mission work
Administration
$32,053 or 23% of Expenses
Hansen’s time overseeing the ministry of administration
Hansen’s time keeping us connected to the Presbytery and the denomination
Office expenses such as internet, background checks, advertising, software, postage, etc.
Cindy serving as our Director of Finance
Worship
$29,207 or 21% of Expenses
Hansen’s time planning and leading worship services
Daniel and guest musicians leading our music
Fill-in Pastors
Sara leading childcare during worship
Music-related costs such as piano tuning and purchasing new sheet music
Weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc.
NCPC Building and Property
$13,940 or 10% of Expenses
John’s and Hilliary’s custodian services
Guyer Garden maintenance
Building insurance
Repairs and maintenance
Utilities and trash fees
Christian Education
$10,811 or 7% of Expenses
Sara teaching Sunday School
Supplies and curriculum for Sunday School
Sponsor kids and adults to go to camps and conferences
Vacation Bible School
Back to School Community event
Adult Education such as Bible study, book group, and religious literacy
Pastoral Care
$11,210 or 8%, of Expenses
Hansen’s time listening and talking with church and community members
Hospital visits
Prison visits
Community
$8,917 or 6% of Expenses
Hansen’s work with various community agencies such as:
Peak to Peak Human Services
Nederland Interagency Council on Homeless Encampments (with USFS, Sheriff, shelters…)
Hansen’s work to build relationships and cooperation with:
Nederland area schools
Town Hall
Nederland Police
Peak to Peak Counseling
Other
$4,761 or 3% of Expenses
Fellowship
Cultural Engagement
Taxes (not Pastor)
Covenant Commitment to Presbytery (based on membership)
Other various costs
Pastor’s Compensation
2020
Salary & Housing Allowance, $52,882
Pension & Health Ins, $19,566
SECA taxes, $4045
403b match, $2400
Car allowance, $2500
Continuing Education, $1132
Total Cost to Church, $82,527
2021
Salary & Housing Allowance, $55,526
Pension & Health Ins, $20,153
SECA taxes, $4247
403b match, $2400
Car allowance, $2000
Continuing Education, $600
Total Cost to Church, $84,928
By-Law Proposal
On the first page of our by-laws, the second section of the document, the SJWG proposes to add the text in red.
Objectives. The objectives of this congregation shall be:
- To perform the ministries of worship, proclamation of the Gospel, sharing the Sacraments, evangelism, nurture, counseling, personal and social healing, and service.
1a. We understand performing the ministries of this congregation to include a call to reflect the unconditional love that Jesus calls his followers to be in the world through the advocacy for all marginalized individuals, support for the rich diversity within humanity, and welcome of individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, geography, or theological conviction. There is therefore no place in the life of the Church for discrimination against any person. In line with our denomination, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we seek to pursue full representation of all God’s people within our worship, governance, and the life of the church to all persons or groups within its greater community.
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- To receive, hold, and disburse gifts, bequests, devices, and other funds for these purposes.
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- To receive, hold, encumber, manage, and transfer property; to manage any permanent special funds for the furtherance of the purposes of the church, all subject to the authority of the Session and under the provisions of the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
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