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News

Finish Strong for 2017

Pastors David and Kelly

We are blessed at St. Philip with great resources! One of which is an Endowment Fund and other investments that allows our congregation to expand ministry in many exciting ways.

However, Church Council also wants to thank you for your generosity to ensure that the infrastructure and core ministry of the congregation continues to happen. Endowment income and investments are not used for the day to day ministry of St. Philip. We continue to need to watch very closely our expenditures as they relate to daily operation.

To date, our expenditures for daily ministry outspend the offerings received from the congregation. St. Philip expects an $8000 deficit for the year 2017. Consider increasing your offering so that we finish the year in a strong financial position. If 80 St. Philip families gave just an additional $100 between now and the end of the year, we would cancel that deficit and finish in the black. Your pastors are committed to making that additional contribution and invite you to do the same.

Council Notes News

Church Council News – October

Post author By danrad
Post date October 31, 2017
No Comments on Church Council News – October

Dan Radmacher

Council met Monday, October 16, at 7 p.m. in the church library. Once again, the spending plan for 2018 dominated the discussion.

Council examined a draft plan that, despite cuts to several areas, anticipates an $11,000 shortfall next year. As noted during the meeting, a large percentage of annual spending is taken up by the fixed costs that are fundamental to the work and ministry of the church: Staff compensation and benefits, office and other administrative expenses, utilities, and property upkeep and maintenance.

At current giving levels, there is little room for spending on the ministries and benevolent activities that many want to see the church engage in. St. Philip is fortunate to have an endowment fund and other investment funds, though. Pastor David discussed the philosophical approach council has been taking to utilizing these funds — appropriating money from them mostly for one-time expenses — and questioned whether the church needs to rethink that approach.

After much discussion, council decided to move forward with developing a spending plan for congregational approval that anticipates a significant shortfall and to meet an hour early in November to devote more time to discussing both how to approach spending and how to best communicate the issues and situation to the congregation.

Pastor Kelly debuted the church’s new Twitter account, @StPhilipROA, and council discussed ways it could be put to good use. Dan Radmacher updated council on the website redesign, and Pastor David discussed the plan for the rollout of the new logo and tagline.

Sarah Parker was unable to attend the meeting but sent an email describing her experience at a training session for the Forwarding Faith Campaign, the effort to raise at least $2.5 million over the next five years to provide an endowment for faith formation activities in the Virginia Synod. That campaign is now entering the congregational phase, and council agreed that a reasonable goal for St. Philip would be to secure commitments from members of the congregation to give $25,000 over three years.

Sarah will lead that campaign over a six-week period from January 21 to February 25 with the last week corresponding with St. Philip’s 60th anniversary. The pastors shared that they had already pledged $3,000 personally and that other St. Philip families have made similar commitments.

Pastor David reported that situations requiring pastoral care continue to arise with greater frequency than normal and that he and Pastor Kelly are doing all they can to meet those needs.

Council will meet again on November 14 at 6 p.m. in the church library. Anyone is welcome to attend.

News Preschool

Reflections from St. Philip Preschool Director

Post author By danrad
Post date October 31, 2017
No Comments on Reflections from St. Philip Preschool Director

Danielle Murray

While I sit here and sip my coffee, thinking about things happening in my life and my friends lives, I look up my students playing happily in the “running room.” The realization hits me. In just a few short years they will be dealing with so many of the same issues.

Broken relationships

Financial worries

Daily parenting struggles

Health issues

It’s a good reminder for me. This short time I have with each of them is invaluable. I get to remind them to look for the positives. I get to teach them about their rights as a human. I get to teach them about respect and their emotions and how to make the two work together. I get to choose to tell them when I’m having a hard day so their hard days don’t seem so foreign but just a different type of day.

It’s a good day to spend with a classroom full of preschoolers.

News Worship Events

We Give God Thanks

We give God thanks for the diversity of people throughout our community and for the unity we celebrate in Christ Jesus our Lord. Witness to the gifts of diversity and unity is happening again this year as the churches of the Hollins community gather to give thanks. Participating churches are Enon Baptist, Summerdean Church of the Brethren, St. Philip Lutheran, Northview United Methodist, Hollins Church of the Nazarene, Green Ridge Presbyterian, and First Baptist of Hollins.

We gather to celebrate the goodness that is God’s promise in Christ Jesus. We lift up our connection to one another and boldly give our thanks and praise to God as we worship and as we live the life of faith in our neighborhood.

This year, as in years past, the churches of the Hollins Community will worship together. The worship service Sunday, November 19, at 7:00 p.m. will be held here at St. Philip. MAKE PLANS TO BE PRESENT AND DEMONSTRATE ST. PHILIP HOSPITALITY. St. Philip will be hosting a reception immediately following the worship service. If you are interested in helping provide food or staffing the reception please speak to Pastor David or Linda Rhodes.

News

Using God’s Resources

We are blessed at St. Philip with great resources! One of which is an Endowment Fund and other investments that allows our congregation to expand ministry in many exciting ways. However, Church Council also wants to thank you for your generosity to ensure that the infrastructure and core ministry of the congregation continues to happen.

Endowment income and investments are not used for the day to day ministry of St. Philip. We continue to need to watch very closely our expenditures as they relate to daily operation. To date, our expenditures for daily ministry outspend the offerings received from the congregation. That deficit will not be offset by investment income, per our investment policies. St. Philip Council asks that you faithfully give and consider increasing your offering so that we finish the year in a strong financial position.

In 2016, the St. Philip Endowment generated $15,000 for ministry initiatives through St. Philip. Church Council has approved the following ministries which, again, are made possible by the Endowment Fund:

$5000 grant to St. Philip Youth for ELCA Youth Gathering

$2000 Seminarian Support – to support our student Matt Leonard

$1500 grant to Camp Caroline Furnace – Virginia’s Outdoor Lutheran Camp

$6500 media upgrade throughout the building

Church Council also approved several upgrades which were made possible by funds from St. Philip’s additional investments. These included:

$6,250 Color Pinter/Copier

$3,390 Automatic Door – to allow easier access for folks with mobility challenges

Council Notes News

Church Council News

Church council met on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. in the church library. Church finances were discussed extensively as council prepares to submit a 2018 spending plan for congregational approval in December and as expenses continue to outpace giving this year.

While giving is up from last year, expenses are exceeding receipts by about $55,500 so far this year as insurance, utilities and other costs continue to rise. It is likely the church will end the year in the red for the third year in a row, which is a troubling trend.

Thanks to the Kinder Bequest and other substantial gifts over the years, St.. Philip has a sizeable endowment and long-term investment fund for capital projects, but council has tried to keep routine spending in line with annual giving.

Council discussed how best to communicate the situation with the congregation, and whether there are ways of responsibly tapping some of the church’s investment funds or income to cover ongoing expenses.

This will continue to be discussed next month.

Council voted on a new motion for the 2016 endowment disbursement. The motion presented last month contained an error. According to congregational policy, a portion of investment earnings from the endowment fund is disbursed every year to further the mission of St. Philip.

The disbursement will be as follows: $5,000 for the upcoming National Youth Gathering, $6,500 for media upgrades for the church (video conferencing for the library, televisions and monitors for the youth rooms and fellowship hall and improved wi-fi throughout the building), $2,000 to support Matt Leonard’s seminary studies and $1,500 for Caroline Furnace..

Council discussed the rollout of the new logo and tagline for the church and received an update about progress on a new website, which should be ready to be unveiled at the end of October.

Sarah Parker will attend a training session in September to serve as head of the congregational Forwarding Faith campaign, St. Philip’s contribution to the effort to raise at least $2.5 million over the next five years to provide an endowment for faith formation activities in the Virginia Synod.

The next council meeting will be Monday, October 16, at 7 p.m. in the church library. Anyone is welcome to attend.