- Forest Lake Presbyterian Church

Total Number of Households: 374
Total Pledges: $755,920
Total Number of Pledges: 275
No
Pledge
$0499
42
$500749
24
$7501,199
25
$1.8K$1.2K- 2,399
1,799
31
39
$2.4K3,499
$3.5K4,199
$4.2K4,999
$5K5,999
$6K7,499
$7.5K9,999
$10K14,999
$15K19,999
The Ship of the Church
$20K+
2
3
October 2013
1
9
22
6
11
18
46
Dear Friends,
2013
Average:
$2,709
per pledge
2013 Pledge Amounts
97
Two Women Who Loved Forest Lake Presbyterian Church
Kackie McCurry (top right) and Nell Harper (bottom right) were two longtime members
of our congregation who loved their Church. Kackie died September 25, 2012 and Nell
died January 12, 2013.
Church historians and stewardship scholars tell us that when it comes to Planned
Gifts, North American Christians are strangely silent. We make bequests to our
colleges, to our graduate schools and to various secular and faith-based institutions,
yet, relatively speaking, very few Christians make a Planned Gift (a bequest) to the
their home congregation.
Sometime during the course of their lives, Kackie and Nell made a conscious
decision to remember Forest Lake Presbyterian Church in their Wills. We can assume
they each took time to research what it might mean to give a planned gift to the
Church, they prayed about it, they spoke with their legal advisors about it and they
signed the legal documents which made their gift a reality upon their transfer from
the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant. Their generous acts will enable Forest
Lake to receive funds for Mission and Ministry which would not have been available
without their faithful decision to use their Last Will and Testament as an instrument
of Christian Stewardship.
May we be inspired and challenged by these two faithful women who decided during
their lifetime to make gifts which would benefit generations yet to come.
FLPC Stewardship
Fall 2013
2013 Stewardship
Ministry Committee
Joe Hall, MinistryChair
(803)782­5907
[email protected]
Chris Beckham
(803)790­2095
[email protected]
David Feltwell
(803)873­2452
[email protected]
Anita Poole
(803)873­2439
[email protected]
Eric Skidmore
Parish Associate
(803)543­9859
[email protected]
Hold the Dates: May 3-10, 2014
FLPC will set out on an International Mission Trip in May of 2014. We have secured 15 spaces with
the option of more slots should we need them. This trip is for members and friends of FLPC. The focus of
the trip will be construction on general projects. No specific trade skills are required. We will have
something for everyone. This is an inter-generational trip but persons under age 18 must be
accompanied by a parent/guardian.
The Stewardship Ministry welcomes Extra Commitment Gifts to help
with scholarship needs. We are seeking $16,000 to provide for additional
slots and cover scholarship expenses. Some participants will pay the total
cost on their own and some will pay a portion of the costs supplemented
with scholarship funds. We want all those who feel called to serve with this mession team to have the
chance to go to the Dominican Republic. Extra Commitment Gifts can be made to FLPC designated for
the Dominican Republic Mission Trip.
What then can we say about the image of Church as a
Ship? Scholars tell us it is one of the ancient Christian
symbols dating back to the beginning of the third
century. An early church leader wrote: The body of the
Church as a whole is like a great ship carrying men and women of
many different origins through a violent storm. God is the owner of
the ship and Christ is the pilot. The presbyters are the crew and
the deacons the leading oarsmen, the catechists the stewards.
Another early scholar wrote: The Church is like a ship, buffeted
by the waves but not swamped, for she has with her, her
experienced pilot, Christ. Amid ships she has the trophy of victory
over death, for she carries Christ’s cross with her. Her bow points
east...for her double rudder she has the two Testaments...With
her she carries stocks of living water. (Danielou, Jean. Primitive
Christian Symbols. Trans. Donald Attwater. Baltimore, MD. Helicon Press,
1964.)
As we make our personal pledge of time, talent and treasure for the coming year, let us take heart. Though the
storms of economic turmoil, healthcare reform and global
terrorism may stir up great anxiety within us, we continue
to believe that Christ is the pilot of our ship. In this ship we
call Forest Lake, we continue to be guided by the two Testaments. We believe that we carry the Cross of Christ and
Living Water to the world. And we believe that our Mission is
God’s Mission, and that the Living God will carry us through
the storm to safe harbor and calm seas.
FLPC Mission Team Plans Trip to The Dominican Republic
Cost - $1465 per person (scholarships available)
Immunizations - Tetanus, Hepatitis A and B (current)
Housing - Guest House with 13 dorm-style rooms
Point of Contact: Jodi Beckham 803.429.2293 [email protected]
Host Organization: Solid Rock International www.solidrockinternational.org
As we enter into the Fall Stewardship Campaign, the
Stewardship Ministry invites us to consider the symbol of the
ship as a representation of The Church. Our new pulpit
furniture invites us to reflect the image of a ship at sea. The
central seating area of the sanctuary is called the “nave”,
which is Latin for “ship”. The scripture for our Fall Campaign
is found in Mark 4:35-41 wherein Jesus and the disciples
find themselves in a boat in the middle of a great storm out
on the water. Jesus shouts “Peace! Be Still!” and the
weather and waves immediately calm down. The disciples
ask, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey
him?”
And they were filled with great
awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this, that even the
wind and the sea obey Him”
Mark 4:41
Sincerely,
Rev. J. Eric Skidmore
Parish Associate for Stewardship
Forest Lake Presbyterian Church
6500 North Trenholm Road • Columbia, SC 29206
(803) 787-5672 • www.flpc.org
Numbers of Interest: 2003-2012
Active Members
Gains
Deaths
Total Losses
Avg. Attendance
Baptisms
Regular
Contributions
Capital Campaign
Gifts
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
717
34
10
23
310
18
715
25
9
27
302
10
662
29
11
82
298
12
672
31
10
19
307
6
634
48
18
68
304
6
646
48
14
22
329
6
648
44
15
42
315
14
651
34
4
25
305
10
660
24
12
33
300
9
653
27
16
25
282
7
663,483
741,706
695,721
704,017
700,275
740,553
713,485
753,851
282,152
224,556
208,594
254,306
220,133
121,347
108,681
0
Bequests
Investment Income
Avg.
Avg.
Avg.
Avg.
Avg.
0
8,157
0
9,374
33,168
7,538
0
12,668
0
11,868
0
820
Annual Membership: 666 Members
Gains in Membership: 34 new members/confirmands
Number of Member Deaths: 12 Services of Witness to the Resurrection
Attendance in Worship: 305 in two services
Number of Baptisms: 10 Baptisms
Source:
Trinity Presbytery:
0
340
785,678 733,515
0
2,072
0
0
0
219
0
11
Annual Benevolent
Giving Formula:
Outreach Benevolence Budget +
Gifts to Presbytery, Synod, G.A. +
Special Offerings + Special Campaigns
Official PCUSA Records As Reported by FLPC and FLPC Business Manager
2009-2012 Pledge Amounts
Pledge Amounts
$20K +
$15K-19,999
$10K-14,999
$7.5K-9,999
$6K-7,499
$5K-5,999
$4.2K-4,999
$3.5K-4,199
$2.4K-3,499
$1.8K-2,399
$1.2K-1,799
$750-1,199
$500-749
$0-499
No Pledge
Total No. of Households
Total Pledges
Total Number of Pledges
2009
0
4
6
8
8
17
6
15
36
29
36
37
30
23
121
2010
0
4
5
6
12
13
11
17
43
28
34
41
24
4
99
2011
2
1
3
7
17
13
12
20
30
33
35
38
27
37
85
2012
2
3
1
9
22
6
11
18
46
31
39
25
24
42
97
2010
2011
2012
378
376
376
$766,105
$803,511
$755,920
279
289
279
2014 Narrative Askings Budget
THE BOARD OF DEACONS ........................................................................... $1,134
The 21-member Board of Deacons continually provides compassionate care to church members and their
families through visitation, cards, telephone calls, face to face contacts, emails, meals, and help with
projects or everyday chores in their homes. Meals for Members operates to provide meals at times such as
births, deaths, illnesses, or just for someone who is in need. HOPE Committee projects have included
wheelchair ramp building, yard clean-up, and moving assistance. A Bereavement Training Session was
recently held and 19 bereavement partners are now in place. In 2014, we hope to send another church
member to be trained as a Stephen Leader for Stephen Ministry and to enlist other members to assist
deacons with projects and pastoral care.
EDUCATION MINISTRY ............................................................................... $21,389
FLPC’s Education Ministry is committed to the formation of Christian disciples; using our heads, hearts and
hands in His service. Baptism is not the end, but the beginning, of Christian life. In the Great Commission,
Jesus commands the apostles to go, baptizing disciples in all nations, and teaching them the way of Christ.
Responding to Christ’s call to nurture informed Christian disciples-through Sunday School, Kirk Night,
weekly Bible studies, youth groups, children and family ministries, the maintenance of an excellent church
library, and other opportunities for faith development-is what the Education Ministry seeks to do. In 2013,
Education introduced new adult long-term Bible Studies (Kerygma and Efird), held a sexuality education
weekend for our youth, and led Confirmation Classes.
EVANGELISM AND COMMUNICATION MINISTRY ......................................... $6,300
The Ministry of Evangelism and Communication coordinates and encourages FLPC’s efforts to publicize the
great ministry happening here so that others might hear about, experience, and be invited into a relationship
with Jesus Christ. E&C works to raise the visibility of our congregation in the community. E&C projects
include:coordinating FLPC’s presence at the Forest Acres Festival, which is held each May at AC Flora;
using endowment funds to design and produce new brochures with updated information about the church;
upgrading our website to be compatible with Mobile phones and tablets;sponsoring the congregation-wide
Catch study and planning ways to make FLPC more welcoming; planning and implementing an effort to
produce videos, using interviews with current FLPC congregants who are discussing how membership in this
church has impacted their lives, for use in church publicity.
FELLOWSHIP MINISTRY ............................................................................. $4,830
The Ministry of Fellowship sponsored many congregational events during the past year, including Salt
Shakers, a summer “Feastival,” several other covered dish luncheons, and an ice cream social that received
a collection for “Dimes for Hunger” in memory of Phyllis Melvin. Other groups within the Fellowship Ministry
included the following: Run for God, a program held last fall that combined running and Christian study and
culminated with the group’s participation in a 5K run; weekly yoga classes; Senior Ministry, which held a
monthly luncheon meeting and program; Single Adult and Young Adult groups that met regularly for meals or
other activities.
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION ................................................................ $54,870
Finance and Administration oversees the finances of the Church, preparation of the annual budget, and
provides for the operation of the church office (copiers, office supplies, postage, computers, telephone,
internet and tech support for computers). Contracts for custodians and office equipment are included here.
F&A oversees the FLPC Endowment Fund, provides kitchen supplies, and ensures that we have completed
background screenings on our staff and volunteers to ensure our children’s safety through compliance with
our Child Protection Policy. This budget includes our per capita gift to the mission of Trinity Presbytery.
PERSONNEL MINISTRY .......................................................................... $487,669
Personnel Ministry is the place in the FLPC budget where we account for our most valuable
resource–our Staff! It is the staff of Forest Lake that makes sure that the directives of Session are followed
and the lay leadership is supported and encouraged. As in any church, the salaries and related costs of staff
make up one of the biggest parts of the budget. But with this money we provide nursery workers who serve as
front line evangelists on Sunday mornings, a strong and steady music ministry, a growing youth ministry,
helpful and accurate information when you call needing help, ministry with children and their families,
hospitality through the kitchen, and on and on. And, not only do we grow in our discipleship through our
staff’s leadership, but also we believe that part of living as Disciples of Christ is making sure that the folks
who work for our congregation are fairly compensated and well supported. In 2013, Personnel lead the search
for an Interim Associate Pastor to help fill the gaps created when our Associate Pastor, Travis Webster, left.
And Personnel designed the process that will create the Search Committee who will seek our next Associate
Pastor.
continued on back
PROPERTY MINISTRY ............................................................................ $129,282
The Property Ministry seeks to serve God by maintaining a clean, comfortable and welcoming place in
which to gather and worship and to act upon needed and/or requested changes. Many of the expenses
accounted for in this budget are fixed costs like utilities and insurance. But we also have plans to
continue to make our facility welcoming and clean to support our other programs for outreach. We are
currently working on the creation of a reception/display in the upstairs side lobby that will better welcome
members and visitors alike on Sunday mornings. Progress continues on the needed upgrades to the
community room and its restrooms. And Property continues to seek ways to conserve energy. Installing
window film on some of the adult education rooms will result in reducing the heat gain in those rooms,
and timers have been installed in most of our bathrooms to lower energy consumption. Our roof and HVAC
systems need continual monitoring, and Property oversees that work.
SERVICE AND BENEVOLENCE ................................................................ $100,511
Service and Benevolence seeks to support our congregation in living out their faith and to be a resource to
the community and the world through benevolent giving. The many service projects completed by the
amazing people of FLPC are too many to list here. But in 2013 we are glad that FLPC traveled to Jamaica,
NY for a PDA mission trip rebuilding homes damaged from Hurricane Sandy. In April more than 50 FLPC
members participated in our first “Day of Service”, working both at our church and to help members in
need. All year we provide supplies to the Family Shelter, Richland Northeast High School’s Food Pantry,
the Animal Mission, and many other organizations. Annually, we collect school supplies for local schools,
coats for Cooperative Ministry, Angel Tree gifts for children of prisoners, and support a Bicycling Team that
raises money for Diabetes research. Environmental Stewardship continues to lead us in learning how to
care for God’s Earth through our Earth Day celebrations and the care of the Children’s Garden. The list of
local and international mission partners listed in this brochure is a critical part of our church’s life. In
2014, we will send an international mission team to the Dominican Republic and will make real our
commitment to become a host church for Family Promise of the Midlands, housing homeless families in
our church building.
STEWARDSHIP ........................................................................................... $3,098
The Stewardship Ministry is committed to changing lives by challenging all of us to see all of our resources
as gifts from God and tools in the work of God’s Kingdom. This ministry ensures that the annual
stewardship campaign allows the congregation to understand and be excited about the holistic ministry of
our congregation. We host annual Wills Emphasis Sundays and provide estate planning resources to our
members. We plan to continue in the future our past practice of inviting members and friends into
stewardship education experiences such as Crown Ministry and Financial Peace University. Stewardship is
one more way that FLPC works to make connections between our heads, hearts and hands in the service of
Christ.
WORSHIP MINISTRY ................................................................................ $12,896
The Worship Ministry is blessed to be supported by many volunteers who participate through music,
arranging church flowers, ushering, preparing for communion, and preparing the Sanctuary for worship
services, including not just weekly services but also funerals, weddings and other special services. Our
purpose is to bring glory to God, and to offer an opportunity for each member of our congregation to
worship and bring glory to God. We have been richly blessed this year to receive gifts that allowed us to
purchase our new Sanctuary furniture suite, designed by Master Carpenter, Erich Thompson. The new
furniture, combined with the beautiful new paraments, has lent excitement and beauty to our worship. In
2014, the Worship Ministry is going to continue to research how to structure our worship to engage more
fully all of our members in praising God.
Forest Lake Presbyterian Proposed Budget 2014
Deacons
$ 1,134.00
Education
21,389.00
Evangelism and
Communication
6,300.00
Fellowship
4,830.00
Finance and Administration 54,878.00
Personnel
487,669.00
Property
129,282.00
Service and Benevolence
100,511.00
Stewardship
Worship
Total
$
3,098.00
12,896.00
$ 821,987.00
Programs offset by revenue
$ 25,900.00
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