Pages from AFP History By Etola Blucker

FIRST
PRESS
MONTHLY
S EPTEMBER 2014
Pages from AFP History
By Etola Blucker
OUR CONGREGATION IN THE 60’S
What were we doing while the country was working hard on Civil Rights, trying to bring ALL of us into the
equality promised in the Bill of Rights? Well, we had an Assistant Minister (Bill Abbott), who knew all about
inequality, having been raised in the Deep South and seeing extreme discrimination up close and personal. Of
course, as was true of most of us, he never expected that a radical change, or even a discussion of it, would take
place in his lifetime, but here he was in the middle of the 60’s, working in our mostly non-judgemental
congregation, under the leadership of a seriously liberal Senior Pastor (Don Gard) who supported him in all his
efforts toward racial equality.
So…a group of us made and carried placards and signs, picketing the Federal Building in Los Angeles,
singing “We Shall Overcome” in company with hundreds of like-minded individuals, feeling very strong in our
decision to test our faith in this revolutionary and promising Civil Rights Movement. As I recall, we felt very, very
pleased with ourselves and our cause after that experience.
Our second major involvement in the Cause didn’t include me, because I had two young children who
needed me to stay home. But, a group of our members joined with groups representing several other churches,
boarded busses and traveled into the South to join with The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in THE MARCH.
In letters home and afterward, members of the group told of experiences they would never have expected.
The segregation was extreme. In restaurants, there were sometimes two separate sections, one for “whites” and one
for “blacks.” If there was only one section, the persons of color on the trip had to eat on the bus. One day, the
“white” folks said that if their friends weren’t allowed to eat with them, they would eat in the “black” section.
“No,” they were told, “segregation is the law.” One drinking fountain in a park meant “Whites Only.” Women,
young and old, yelled epithets at the blended group. Our minister wrote that he had never heard such disgusting
words coming out of the mouths of lovely southern “ladies.” It was quite a culture shock, and it led to a much
clearer understanding of the conditions under which our black cousins had lived for all of their time in our country.
Our friends returned to us, shocked and even more determined to carry forward the promise of “One Nation, Under
God, With Liberty and Justice for All.”
2
Building Repairs Update
Harvey Taylor, Operations
In John F. Kennedy’s acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination for President in
1960, he said, “We stand today on the edge of a new frontier—the frontier of the 1960s, a
frontier of unknown opportunities and paths.” With the departure of APCC after 50 years, an
era of a new frontier has come to First Presby with the opening of Frontiers Academy. Kennedy
also said, “The new frontier of which I speak is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges.”
Major repair challenges are discussed below.
The first one was to repair two rusted 4 inch cast iron drain pipes in the walls between
main level rooms 122 and 123 and downstairs rooms 22 and 21. Water had done noticeable
damage to ceiling tiles in downstairs room 21 and floors in rooms 21 and 22. The plumber had
to make exploratory holes in the walls in main level and downstairs rooms just to locate trouble
sections. In one wall opening downstairs I could put my finger
into a drain pipe hole! (See pix.) Cost was about $2,200.
Next came main level
passageway power washing
along with classroom wall
repairing, painting, floor
cleaning. The main office
121 and classrooms 122, 123,
221 and 222 all needed fresh
painting and floors cleaned.
The rooms are now clean and ready for their school to
open. (See pix.) Frontiers also requested the stucco ceiling
and walls on the second level passage way be painted along
with the rain
gutter. Cost is $5100.00 for paint and repairs and
$1475 for power washing, floor and carpet cleaning
and Frontiers will cover half the cost on a few of the
items.
At the request of Session, APCC left behind
several items that First Presby needed to purchase.
The synthetic grass in the play yard ($5,000), the
awning assembly in the play yard ($9,640) and the
keypad security and video systems ($5,000).
Currently fire sprinkler inspection/testing/
replacement is being done. Some corroded sprinkler
heads were replaced in Frontiers rooms. All sprinkler heads in
the downstairs area are going through a 50 year replacement
cycle, as opposed to sample testing of some heads, as part of the
inspection due to the urgency of getting an approval from the
Fire Marshall and then licensing approval for Frontiers from the
state. Cost is $5800. Additional testing for the fire pull stations
was also necessary for Fire Marshall approval. This will cost
between $300 to $500.
As you can see a lot of money has gone out but a lot of
improvements and necessary repairs have been accomplished.
3
Contemplative “Taize” Prayer Service
September 3, 2014
7:00 p.m.
We invite you to take time out of your busy, noisy life to be still and listen for God. Our service is a candlelit, contemplative service in which
we pray and sing music from the Taize community.
Community Outreach
First Presbyterian Church of Anaheim has always been apart of the Anaheim
Community. The outreach program that is shown here was the Annual 5K Run that passed right
by our doors. This is the fourth time Anaheim First has participated as a water station for the
runners.
The purpose of this event is to benefit the educational programs of the local schools.
There were adults and lots of children and schools that participated for this fund raiser.
Many thank to all our church family that donated their time and supplies.
4
Please Note...
5
Rally Day
Sunday, September 21
Congregational Meeting
September 14 after worship
after worship
Join us as we rediscover our purpose and
programs while having some fun!
Hot Dog and Salad Lunch Provided
Games and Crafts for the children.
Entertainment for all!!
Our friends from Morning Star and Getsemani
churches will be joining us after worship.
Raffle items have been donated.
Everyone gets a ticket for a chance to win!
Be a part of this fun day!
This congregational meeting is called for the
purpose of electing a Designated Pastor
Nominating Committee. The Session has
recommended a limit of seven DPNC
members. Current nominees are (in
alphabetical order): Brenda Hicks, Alan
Lopez, Catherine Morris, Carolee Connor
Ramich, Dale Ramont, Tracy Ramont, and
Kathy Wagner. As stipulated in our church’s
constitution nominees will also be welcomed
from the floor. If you wish to nominate
someone, please secure that person’s
permission, first, to be placed in nomination.
Worship Schedule
September 7:
September 14:
September 21:
September 28:
October 5:
October 12:
October 19:
Communion Rev. Debra Daly
Which Age Is Golden?” Jim Blades
Sermon Series Beginnings: Genesis 1-3
“Question of Origins”
“Portrait of Paradise”
Communion “Paradise Lost”
Paradise Reclaimed
Sermon Series Begins
Understanding the Will of God
Join us in worship at 10:30am each Sunday.
Interim Pastor on Study Leave
Pastor Jim will be on Study Leave from
August 31 through September 13. Please
keep him in your prayers.
Join Us For Prayer
9:30 am to 10:00 am
in the Prayer Chapel
each Sunday
Church Finances -- The Worst is Over
By Bruce Anderson, Treasurer
Before Revitalization and Music Enhancement projects began early in 2013, the Endowment Fund's
investments were valued at $982,692. Presently, the entire $135,000 Session approved allotment has been
withdrawn from the earnings of the Endowment investments, and have been used to fund major repairs and
improvements approved by the Session. Also in support of the Youth Christian Ed programs was a grant from
Presbytery for an additional $25,000. Below is a breakdown of the $160,000 committed.
Revitalization Expenses -- Final:
Choir Interns
Special Music Programs
Other Music Enhancements
Youth Christian Education & Nursery Care
Media & Office Enhancements
Youth & Nursery Room Construction
Revitalization Expenses
2013
$
21,724
2014
$
8,130
26,030
2,975
Total
$
47,754
11,105
3,340
266
3,606
35,024
10,057
45,081
26,447
5,299
31,746
20,708
-
20,708
$ 115,373
$
44,627
$ 160,000
Less Grant from Presbytery
$ (25,000)
Total Endowment Earnings Spent
$ 135,000
Total Endowment Earnings Withdrawn
$ 134,972
At the end of June, the market value of the Endowment investments is $973,059. This figure includes
two loans outstanding to the Church Operations checking account. The first loan funded a project that would
save our Church approximately $6,000 per year in electric bills. The total cost of the lighting project was
$29,488, however, the Church received a $17,796 rebate from the City of Anaheim, leaving a loan balance of
$11,692 to be repaid to the Endowment. Since the savings is $6,000 per year, the Church is paying back the
$11,692 loan with two payments of $6,000 each, payable at the end of 2014 & 2015.
The Church Operations checking account has been operating separate from any of the Revitalization
project expenses. The Church Operations account is being managed just the way it has always been. Two
factors that have created huge deficits in the Net Loss column, however, have been the declining Church
membership and the increasing burden of maintaining our buildings and grounds.
During 2013 and 2014, Session has been making plans to increase our rental fees for building use. The existing
renters were asked to raise their rental fees to a fair market value, or be replaced with renters that could pay a
fair market value. This was harsh but the reality was that building use rental fees appeared to be the only source
of income available to the Church to make up for the declining membership
It was during this time that our Church Operations had to come up with a loan to cover the upcoming
expenses. The loan came from the earnings of the Endowment investments, in the amount of $75,000.With
expected annual deficits of over $60,000 per year, this loan helped the Church get through a tough period until
our plans for more rental income could materialize -- and they are materializing. Frontiers Academy is paying
the Church $6,000 per month rental fees. Morning Star has more than doubled their rental fees. OCCCO is
planning to go from the $750 per month rent, up to over $1,000 per month beginning in 2015. Getsemani also has
been making every attempt to cover the cost of their building use. And still we have plenty of rooms left to rent.
With July figures now in, a $44,000 deficit has been created so far this year, but with the increases
expected in rental fees, the rest of 2014 looks like it will be operating at a balanced budget!
Anaheim Community Theater
an outreach of Anaheim First Presbyterian Church
is proud to present
The Diary of Anne Frank
Anne Frank emerges from history a living, lyrical, intensely gifted young
girl, who confronts her rapidly changing life and the increasing horror of
her time with astonishing honesty, wit, and determination. An impassioned
drama about the lives of eight people hiding from the Nazis in a concealed
storage attic, The Diary of A nne Frank captures the claustrophobic realities
of their daily existence—fear, hope, laughter, grief.
ACT will be presenting The Diary of A nne Frank two weekends in
October, 10-11-12 and 17-18-19. We started this theater 18 years ago with
this show, which starred our own Carolee Connor (Ramich) as Anne
Frank! We are looking forward to another great production. So mark your
calendars and join us in October for the last show of the 2014 season.
WANTED
Ushers to help out on Sundays
We are a little short staffed for ushers on
Sunday mornings. Anyone willing to
participate should contact Alan Lopez at
(714) 519-3884.
A New Beginnings Mission and Strategy
Team is being formed. The committee’s
chair is Rick Connor. This team will
develop a short mission statement for the
church’s next five years along with goals
and strategies for reaching that mission.
A Note of Thanks from
Organist Tony Baldwin
On August 16th, we were very fortunate
to have Dr. Antony Baldwin from England
come and share his musical talents in a free
concert. Tony sent the following note of
thanks….
Dear Anaheim First,
Just a note to thank you warmly for all the
hard work you put into making my concert a
success. I very much appreciate the effort,
even though competing events meant we
didn’t get the crowd we might have
expected…..I felt that those who did attend
were enthusiastic and enjoyed what I had for
them….
I very much enjoyed your sanctuary and
your organ, and would love to return if the
church thought it might be appropriate.
My sincere thanks again, and very best
wishes,
Tony Baldwin
310 W. Broadway • Anaheim, CA 92805-3882
Address Service Requested
Deliver to:
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NUMBER 1040
FULLERTON, CA