|   Login      
 

 

  PLAIN TALK

Monthly Newsletter of Plainville Christian Church, United Church of Christ

January 2010

LINKS TO NEWS ARTICLES AND FEATURES:

FROM THE PASTOR    FOOD PANTRY    OUTREACH    

TURKEY DINNERS & CHICKEN BBQs

PRAYER LIST     CELEBRATIONS     STEWARDSHIP & FINANCE    

TRANSITIONAL TASK GROUP  

 

 

From the Pastor…

 

 What a year it has been! Looking back over these past twelve months, I am so very grateful to God, and to all of you, for the year’s blessings. Looking forward to the year that lies ahead, I am excited and encouraged as we begin what I believe will be another year of growth in strength and in ministry for us. 

So many people invest so much time, talent, and treasure into our ministry together. While there is not space here to list all the ways that so many of you make your own mark on our life together, I want to especially acknowledge few whose ministries have been noteworthy.

It has been an extraordinarily busy and productive year for our Board of Trustees, as we have completed a major renovation project to our facility. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor family, the exterior of the Sanctuary building has been re-pointed, re-engineered, and made more fully accessible, to the point where it will serve us reliably for many years to come. Through the generosity of the extended Stock family, we have a new fully functional and highly attractive system of wrought iron railings all along the front of the buildings. And owing to the extraordinary skill and dedication of our outgoing Trustees Chair, Ken Landon, and the trustee members who have served under Ken’s able leadership, all this was accomplished in the span of several months, along with new Lexan protective covers for our Stained Glass windows, and a host of other smaller projects.

Not all the effort has focused on the exterior. Inside our sanctuary, our worship services have been enhanced by the addition of a projection screen, a new laptop, and associated software, enabling us to add a multimedia dimension to our worship experience, all thanks to the Nesbitt family. But hardware is hardware. What makes it work most weeks is the willing and able ministry of our primary media specialist, Becca Hunter, who smoothly and expertly moves us through worship. 

Our Sunday School is a buzz of activity these days, with an ever-growing group of some of the most amazing children to be found anywhere, thanks in large part to the faithful and expert leadership of our Christian Education chair, Carrie Bartkowiak, whose efforts receive major additional support from Julie Madden and Carol Hunter, along with a host of other volunteers who respond faithfully when called upon.

Our Senior Nutrition Lunch ministry is well into its second year, serving a hot nutritious lunch to anywhere between 10 and 20 seniors each and every Wednesday. A rotating crew of about a dozen church members make this happen, but major credit goes to Sandy Constantino, whose capable leadership keeps it all going smoothly, week in and week out.

It is typical of newly arrived people to ease their way into the life of a congregation, but every once in a while, new faces appear, and demonstrate such enthusiasm and commitment to their newfound church family that they quickly become intricately woven into the fabric of our common life. Hats off, then to Joe and Kim Marlowe, who have been in our midst less than a year, and in that short time have become valued team members, giving of themselves to our ministry in many ways, and enriching us all. 

Have you noticed now fresh and clean our facility always presents itself? Many thanks to our faithful volunteer custodian, Maynard Bratt, and also to his faithful volunteer assistant, Giselle Jellett, who lately has stepped in and taken on the whole task, in order to give Maynard some much-needed rest, while he recovers from a back problem. 

I don’t know if I have ever sung with a choir of so few members who nevertheless make such a rich and full sound as ours does…  all under the faithful leadership of our Choir Director, Marilyn Kline, who gives so freely of her time and musical gifts. 

And what of our wonderful, beautiful, amazing children! Not content simply to show up and attend Sunday School, our children have found several ways this year to be in ministry to us and with us, from creating wonderful greeting cards in support of Lucille Bergdorf’s far-reaching card ministry, to making welcome signs and artwork to greet new people with warmth and acceptance, to presenting us all with a reenactment of the Christmas Story that brought that amazing combination of smiles and tears to our faces. So much more than simply the future of our church, they are the lifeblood of its present ministries!

Well… I could go on and on, but you get the idea! These people, and so many others like them in our midst  are what make this church such an amazing phenomenon. Since they met with us several months ago, I keep hearing members of our Association Committee on Authorized Ministry as they comment again and again about what a vital, exciting church we are out here in Plainville!

With all we have going for us, with the careful planning for the future now in process under the leadership of our Transitional Task Group, ably assisted by our Regional Conference Minister, Rick Cowles, all under the umbrella of the grace and loving guidance of our ever-faithful God, we are about to step into what will no doubt be another amazing year of faithful and expanding ministry. 

For all that has been, for all that is yet to become, and for each of you… Thanks be to God!

                         - Paul

 

 BACK TO TOP

  

  

 OUTREACH:

  CROP WALK KIDS RAISE OVER $450.00 TO COMBAT WORLD HUNGER!

See those smiling faces?  Those are the faces of some of our most effective missionaries.  The children represented our church at the recent CROP WALK, and raised over $450.00 for a variety of Church World Service Hunger Ministries. 

These children are not just “the church of tomorrow.”  They are the church of today, doing Christ’s work on behalf of all of us!  Thanks, kids, for your ministry!  


 

 

 TURKEY DINNERS & CHICKEN BBQ DATES:

Check back in the spring for the 2010 dates!

 BACK TO TOP

 

   
   DECEMBER CELEBRATIONS

Congratulations and best wishes to all who are celebrating November birthdays

                             Happy Birthday                   

January 2 - Jason Landon
January 2 - Nicole Marlowe
January 6 - Nancy Landon
January 10 - Maynard Bratt
January 20 - Patty Hunt
 

 If you or someone you know has a birthday or anniversary and we have missed it, please contact Joe Marlowe, Jr, or email delanoir@aol.com 

 

BACK TO TOP

 

 

 

 Stewardship & Finance

The Committee would like to thank everyone for their support of time and money throughout the past year. We have been able to meet our budget successfully because of you.

Thank you to all who have submitted their pledge cards for the 2010 year. If you have

not yet submitted your pledge, you can still do so. Your pledge helps us to plan for future

expenses and gives us an idea of how we will move forward.

 

Thanks again and we wish you all a New Years filled with blessings.

 

- Maynard Bratt, Judy Myers, Avis Nesbitt, Carol Hunter and Shirley Stock

 

BACK TO TOP 

 

PRAYER LIST

Please hold these people in your prayers:
John Abbott; Steve; Jeff Burt; Tracy Burt; Chloe Chapfield; Elisa Cook; Effie
Crymer & family; Elsie Eckert; Connie Espinal; James Fox; Sue George; Giselle
& Jim Jellett and family; Kim Kramer; Jennifer Lenhart; Thelma McManus; Elma
Monia; Dominic Portelli; Janis Stachurski; Maureen Stachurski; Jackie Stock; Jasmine Sundrani; Cathy Swope; Ron Urquart; Nancy Vanselow.
 
Service men and women:
Glen Beebee, US Navy; Ryan Candee, US Marine Corp; John Jocko, US Army;
Patrick Massaro, US Marine Corp; Zachary Mills, US Marine Corps; Jeff Powers & the 30th MedCom, US Army, Bagram, Afghanistan; J.T. Ross, US Army; Larry Smith, US Air Force; Casey Webb, US Marine Corp; Steve Wood, US Marine Corp.

 

 

 BACK TO TOP

  
 

The group has met weekly since the beginning of November to discuss goals and objectives to move us
toward the September 2011 timeframe of finding a full-time Pastor for our church including two meetings
with Rev. Richard Cowles from the New York Conference to make sure we are on the right track. We have
toured the parsonage during one of our meetings in order to fully understand what repairs are needed to
attract someone to our community.
 
Listed below are the goals and objectives we have determined necessary for your consideration:
 
1. Goal one: Increase Income through increased membership and pledges in order to meet the
Conference compensation guidelines for a full-time pastor.
a. The first objective to reach this goal would be to have the Stewardship and Finance Committee
raise the budget for the pastor’s salary beginning in 2010 with additional increases in 2011 and
2012 to get us to the required amount.
b. Secondly, we would have the Stewardship and Finance Committee begin Stewardship Pledge
drive in the fall of 2010 using a 3 to 5 year budget to explain the increased expenses. We also
suggest that they look at the funds available and look for an investment strategy to increase
income from investments. We also suggest that the Trustees appoint someone to check into
Verizon or another provider to see if there is a possibility of rental space on the tower.
 
2. Goal two: Parsonage repairs, including updating the kitchen, replacing remainder of old windows and
doors, repair the downstairs bathroom and floor, carpeting throughout and painting as necessary.
a. To achieve this goal, the Trustees would get estimates and run a Capital Campaign soon after
the Annual Meeting.
b. Additionally, the Trustees should ask for donations of materials and labor from the membership.
We suggest the kitchen should be completed by Labor Day 2010 and the remaining repairs by
Labor Day 2011.
 
3. Goal three: Find people to take over various duties that the Pastor and his spouse currently
perform (Newsletter, Movie Time, Worship Video Production, Website upkeep).
a. Steps to achieving this goal are to have the Deacons form a Committee of 3 to 4 individuals
to put together a list of responsibilities for each duty, ask for volunteers, and get them trained.
This should all be completed as soon after the Annual Meeting as possible.
b. Secondly, the purchase a Laptop and Printer for the use of all membership should be
completed as soon as possible. It is also advised that internet access for the church be obtained,
in conjunction with parsonage access. Preferably, a package deal that would include internet,
cable and telephone to reduce costs.
 
4. Goal four: Begin a Community Outreach: to attract more people into Sunday services and to get
the Teens and Pre-Teens more involved in the church.
a. Create a Promotion and Publicity Committee of 3 to 4 individuals to contact other UCC Churches
(Paris and Central Square) to see what has worked for them and determine how we can use these
ideas to grow our membership.
b. Begin a Pre-Teen and Teen program: Obtain leaders, both adult and teenager.
 
5. Goal five: Obtain a Search Committee of 5 to 11 members.
a. Moderator to ask for volunteers; possibly get nominations from the Congregation; possibly
use this team as a starting point.
b. Committee to start the Search process immediately following the Annual Meeting (using the
prior committee’s work as a starting point) and completing the process by September 2011.
If you have any questions in reference to any of the above goals, please feel free to contact one of the
members of this committee. We welcome any input.
 
- Committee Members: Judy Myers, Ken Landon, Robin Bridenbaker, Fred Nesbitt and Carrie Bartkowiak.

 

  BACK TO TOP

 

  FOOD PANTRY

Throughout the holidays you generously contributed 10 bags of groceries and $13.00 in cash for use at our local food pantry. Those who work there, as well as those who receive the food assistance, are very appreciative.  Baldwinsville’s PEACE, Inc. oversees the

distribution, tracking families and helping us help those who most need a bit of support now and then.  Contributions are always welcome throughout the entire year. You may place items in the basket located at the doorway to our church library.

- Nancy

 BACK TO TOP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print