Quarterly Church Conference

Blessings on this chilly Friday!  Students and teachers are back to school today and many of our routines are returning to normal.  "Normal" may be a matter for debate when the ground is covered with a blanket of snow and wind chills are in the single digits or below zero.  It is, of course, winter, and these extreme conditions do occur from time to time, though we seem to be shocked by them nonetheless.  Cindy's brother, Kevin, emailed us this morning to say there was snow on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, just outside of New Orleans, La. where he lives, closing schools and wreaking havoc with a region not used to snow.  Now that is indeed unusual! 

 

These extreme weather conditions are temporary.  Temperatures will moderate again and the frozen ground will thaw in a few days.  In the meantime, we make the necessary adjustments and dream of spring.  (For you baseball fans, Nationals pitchers and catchers report to spring training February 13, just 20 days away!)

 

My notes today take more the form of announcement as our quarterly church conference will be held this Sunday, immediately after morning worship in Whitten Hall.  Soup, salad, dessert, and drinks will be served, with peanut butter sandwiches and mac n cheese for children.  Reservations are not required, so just make your way to Whitten Hall immediately following the service.  Child care and activities for older children will be provided.

 

The agenda for the meeting will included two major recommendations.  The first is a recommendation to replace the roofs on the sanctuary and Whitten Hall.  The recommendation will call for the cedar shakes on these two buildings to be replaced with asphalt shingles at a cost of $46,450 to be paid from our building reserve fund, which currently has over $74,000.  The second item is the approval of the 2014 budget. You received a copy of this budget in the mail a week ago.  Lee Christensen will make the presentation on behalf of the finance committee, with discussion and vote to follow.  As time allows, the Vision Council will share a report on ongoing ministry evaluations and initiatives.  I encourage you to stay for lunch then share in the discussion and vote on these important issues in the life of our church.

 

Stay warm, keep thinking springtime thoughts, and join us for Bible Study, worship and our quarterly church conference this Sunday!

 

Jim Abernathy