Moderator’s Report for the Elder Retreat
August 2018
We have been blessed with rain, but still pray for more. This is Oklahoma. Summer ministries are complete. The school year begins to take hold of the community again. Much is happening in the life of this body of believers.
Please talk with your elders about what’s happening.
Updates
Connecting the Disconnected. We are still connecting. We must not leave this as a fall event in which we check the box once or twice. Connection is the starting point. Inclusion is the goal. We must have eyes to see the new faces in the congregation, meet with them, and start to get to know them right away. All should be equipped with gospels and GOD LOVES YOU wristbands.
Chewy Tuesdays was a success. Pat and Marcee did a great job as coordinators. Many were blessed!
Backpack Ministry. We gave out 92 backpacks full of supplies and made connections with many families. The church spent $1000 from its budget and received other donations. Donations made now help us buy in the offseason.
Online presence. We continue online with a blog-based website and FB page. Our FB live is hit or miss. Church history is back online! More to follow.
Coffee Talk. Breaking until the fall.
Building Loan. The loan will be paid off before the end of the year!
Walk A Block for Jesus. The turnout was average, but we prayed in many places, made many contacts, and had some attend worship the following Sunday. The WAB came in slightly under budget.
October Presbytery Host. Kathy Stegall and Robert Wascom are co-coordinators. Please attend the worship service at 9 am on 20 October.
Food. We continue to give out food and good news on a regular basis.
Church Historian. Carl Hose and Lynn Ferrari have stepped forward and become the new church historians. I have challenged both to get the stories that make our history come alive. This includes oral and video. Please help.
Session Clerk. Pat Stuart has stepped forward to be the new Session Clerk. We recognized Gene for his service at the retreat. Thank you Gene Reeves!
Budget. The FY 19 budget is $149,842. We are blessed to be a blessing.
Challenges
Worship. We still need a viable worship committee.
Memory Verses. We continue these each Sunday but with less fidelity than at first. They are not being recited in all Sunday School classes every week, and fewer children seem to be learning them outside of the worship service. This is a matter of efficacy. This is one way that we change direction in our community. Let’s re-ignite the memorization fire. This is God’s word!
2020 – The Year of the Bible. Ask your elders about this.
A Time for Children. A decade ago, the session asked that I do the children’s lesson, so the kids would get to know me. I think that most of them have come to know me. I will continue the memory verse with them but would ask that we look for qualified volunteers to do a short children’s message/object lesson. I have materials but would like someone else to do a special lesson each (or most) Sundays. Talk with Tom until we get an education committee.
Worship in Drama. Except for the short dramas that Joe Thompson and I do, this ministry has atrophied due to many reasons, but mostly busyness. Pray for this ministry. It reaches some that traditional messages do not.
Building & Grounds. The session is still doing the work of the Building & Grounds committee. We need a viable committee. Dean McConiha has stepped up to be the committee chair. Now we need to fill out the committee.
Church Van. So far, the van (1999 model) is holding up, but we need to plan for the future.
Education. The session has been only level of oversight on curriculum. There is no education committee. Sunday School Superintendent needs to sit in on some classes, especially children and youth. We need a committee.
Playground Project. This is stalled again though the concrete is set, and the GaGa Pit is in place (and is being used). Brian Schneberger leveled the dirt around the concrete base. The basketball goal remains in the storeroom. We have had an additional donation of $1500 and perhaps more on the way.
Southeast Corner Project. This is still in concept phase.
Reverence. We are comfortable with each other and in God’s house but sometimes we forget we are to be reverent. There is a lot of conversation during hymns, prayer time, and other corporate elements to our worship. We love fellowship but sometimes it overshadows our worship. (Leviticus 19:30)
Ministerial Alliance. Pray for all the churches in our community. The Church of Christ is without a pastor again. All have challenges.
Security. Cameras are installed. Procedures need attention.
Local Benevolence. We have helped many people this FY—more than all previous years. We are generous. With those in this body whom we help, we are extraordinarily generous. We are blessed to have funds to help those in need. We have met local needs with over $2700 this Fiscal Year.
Connecting Senior Adults and Youth. We talked about connecting our senior adults with our youth via technology (e.g. kids teaching grandma how to use a smart phone or watch our FB live service at home when they can’t make it in). We need a champion for this project.
Opportunities
Breakfast for the Teachers. We have added this as a recurring ministry.
Birthdays. Larry Walker will remember to lead us to sing Happy Birthday on the last Sunday of each month.
Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home. We will show some CPCH videos over the next few months. Perhaps the director will speak to us on 21 October.
Gayla Hite Israel Presentation. Gayla will share pictures and stories of her Israel trip on 29 August 2018.
Children’s’ Choir. We will seat the elementary school children in the choir section on the last Sunday of this Year. This may become a recurring thing.
Tom Unique
Summer Routine. If you don’t see my truck in the morning, stop in anyway. I probably walked and plan to continue until the weather tells me otherwise.
Nominating Committee. I am Mission Synod’s representative to the Denominational Nominating Committee and will be absent 1 Sunday each year to meet in Memphis, Tennessee.
Oklahoma Pastors Meeting. The Oklahoma pastors meet at the Clinton CPC on 19 October (the day prior to Presbytery).
Other connections. On 11 November 2018, I am preaching at the Marlow CPC. It’s Veterans Day and the Marine is preaching unity. Service at 6 pm.
Vending Machine. I am always on the lookout for ways to eliminate the transactional and increase the transformational part of our discipleship as a church.
Pulpit Supply. 9 September – Gideons.
2019: 6 & 13 January – Rev. Amanda Swint
17 March – Meeting in Memphis – TBD
