Southport Presbyterian Church

Southport
OF
Presbyterian
Church
Dear SPC Family and Friends,
“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion...” Philippians 1:6
One of the unmistakable truths of our faith is that God is God and we are not. From the
beginning of the scriptures to the end, every page drips with the truth that the Lord is at
work and is moving in the world.
As I sit here and write, I am overwhelmed by this truth. I figured, in all of my infinite wisdom, that the thing SPC needed after more than four years of transition and
uncertainty, was peace. Instead, the Lord has moved in His wisdom to lead us deeper into a
season of Spiritual Discernment and into unexpected ministry.
Spiritual Discernment: In September, the Session recognized three separate areas of Spiritual Discernment (see below). The heart of the Session is to be responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and so
launched teams to discern the Lord’s will in each area. It’s evident that the Lord is preparing SPC for the future. Our
faithfulness to Him in each of these areas will serve as the foundation for the next ten to twenty to thirty years of
ministry. While we feel the weight of it, the Session is not overwhelmed by it. Instead, we trust in the Lord.
• The staff, style and design of our corporate worship. In their wisdom, the Session asked a team of
elders (Mark Baumer, Mike Goodson, Roy Kane, Judy Wilson and Robert Hock) to explore our
corporate worship model. Specifically, we were asked to discern God’s desire for our staffing
paradigm, style(s) of worship and the times of each worship service. The Lord has been good, and
we anticipate He will bring clarity to His desires for us shortly.
• Our Southview property. As you are certainly aware, the question about whether SPC retains or sells
our Southview property and what do we do with the ministries located there is not resolved. The
Session as a whole is wading into this question and anticipates that the Lord will provide clarity on
His leading. Our commitment to you is to take no more time (or less for that matter) than necessary
and to keep you informed as the Lord’s will unfolds.
• Our current Ministry Model. Shortly after arriving, it became evident that SPC didn’t have a clear
and comprehensive Ministry Model (the corporate world would call this an Organizational Chart)
that properly includes the Session as our spiritual leaders, as well as the staff, each of our ministries
and our volunteer ministry leaders. The Session asked me to research potential models that would
allow for growth. I’m currently finishing that research and anticipate that Session will lead us into
our next ministry model. In the meantime, God has been good to us since good spiritual leadership
is far more important than good organizational charts!
Unexpected Ministry: In early November, a home explosion in the Richmond Hill neighborhood brought great
trauma to our neighbors and propelled us into an unexpected ministry. SPC quickly became the primary (if not sole)
group caring for Richmond Hill alongside city and state agencies. I suspect the opportunities for Gospel ministry
have only just begun, and the impact for the Kingdom will never fully be measured.
What a remarkable FIVE months! In a season like this, it’s natural for us to explore and attempt to understand
what the Lord has and is doing. While the Lord has clearly revealed some of this, all I know for certain is He’s
moving in and through SPC. And for that, I am thankful and excited! I figured we needed peace and rest. Man, oh
man, was I wrong.
Your Pastor,
Robert E. Hock
A word from our
Associate Pastor
Expressing God’s compassion, mercy, and love is the call in our caring ministries,
and God has gifted many in our congregation to serve in this ministry. They visit
in homes, hospitals and nursing homes. They make phone calls and send notes
of encouragement. They pray. They minister in the name of Jesus.
In the last year, we and the deacons have sought to elevate the office of deacon
and connect the important work the deacons do to the other caring ministries.
That effort continues. The “Love Richmond Hill” effort brought to the
forefront how many skilled caregivers we have in our congregation, through
our pastoral care training and our Stephen Ministry. This equipping allowed us
to step up very quickly for the many folks who needed wise and compassionate
care. To strengthen this further, Pam Sheward and I are becoming trained
Stephen Ministry leaders with the goal of re-energizing our Stephen Ministry.
The classes we offer through Caring Ministries have been an outreach into
the community and a blessing to our members. We continue to pray for the
attendees of Financial Peace University, GriefShare, and DivorceCare and give
thanks for those who have led them so well.
As we head into 2013, our specific goals are (1) to continue to elevate the office
of deacon and to link the deacons to our other caring ministries in effective ways
(2) to build up the Stephen Ministry and (3) to further appreciate, support and
train our volunteers who serve in the caring ministries.
Pastor June Barrow
Associate Pastor
[email protected]
As Jesus was moved with compassion, so must His Church be. In the name of
Jesus, the Caring Ministries of SPC reach out to those who need to be cared for.
Caring Ministries includes:
• The Deacons
• The Pastoral Care Team
• The Caregiving Ministry
• Classes including DivorceCare, GriefShare, Financial Peace University
• The Prayer Shawl Ministry
• The Communion at Home Ministry
With God’s help, Caring Ministries seeks to grow in excellence and to appreciate
all those whom God is calling to minister care in His name.
Southport
OF
Presbyterian
Church
Table of Contents
The Four Environments................................... 2-5
Children’s Ministry........................................... 6
Jr. High Ministry............................................... 7
Sr. High Ministry.............................................. 8
College and Young Adults Ministry..................... 9
Fine Arts Ministry........................................... 10
Praise Band................................................... 11
Sports Ministry............................................... 12
Food Service Ministry..................................... 13
Welcome Place Child Care............................. 14
Adult Day Center........................................... 15
Southport Presbyterian Christian School............ 16
Global Impact Team....................................... 17
Deacons....................................................... 18
Clerk of Session........................................ 19-20
Business Administrator.................................... 20
Trustees......................................................... 21
Stewardship.................................................. 22
Financial Summary......................................... 23
1
Love God. Love each other. Serve the world.
Our mission at SPC is to love God, love each other and serve the world as Jesus did, using the Bible as our
authoritative guide and with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Our strategy for accomplishing our mission is to create relevant environments of Worship, Life Groups, Ministry
Service and Mission where people are encouraged and equipped to fulfill our mission.
It is our vision that each person at SPC would be involved in all four of these environments on an ongoing basis.
For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their
God, and they will be my people.” 17”Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing,
and I will receive you.” 18”I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Corinthians 6:16-18 NIV)
16
Worship is a gift from God! It stirs our passion, faithfulness and love for God. Worship is done in community and in
our personal discipline and devotional life. It is really a way of life.
How has the Worship Environment grown and deepened in our congregation this year? According to the Scripture,
worship should enable God to live and walk among us and should set us apart for the Lord to live as His sons and
daughters. The SPC leadership has worked steadily to evaluate our worship gatherings, seeking means to provide mature worship that reflects the Scripture.
Various tools have been made available to our members to encourage deeper personal prayer and Scripture study, and
we hope to provide more opportunities for the church. The worship kiosk also offers a reference library of devotional
and personal Bible Study guides.
Our Prayer Cover Team commits to praying at a specific time each week for the needs of our church ministries and
outreach. Through teaching and encouragement, we hope to see participation in Prayer Cover to increase from its current level of 12% in 2013.
Worship ultimately feeds the life of His disciples - those who follow Jesus Christ with their whole life.
2
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
8
As a missional church, our aim is to become a community of Christ-followers. We gather for celebration, prayer and
teaching. We reach out with a smile and friendship to those whom God has placed in our spheres of influence. We
encourage and come alongside as they take next steps toward the life-changing reality of Jesus Christ.
We praise God for bringing visitors to our worship services, and for our members who take time to introduce themselves, make our visitors feel welcome and begin to develop a relationship with them.
God continually provides opportunities for us to share our faith with our neighbors. SPC’s participation in the Beth
Moore Simulcast in August enabled us to introduce ourselves to many women in our community and to make personal connections with a number of them.
The tragedy of the Richmond Hill explosion allowed us to truly put into action our love for our neighbors. What
an incredible blessing it has been for us to be able to come alongside those whose lives were suddenly turned upside
down. We praise God for all who so unselfishly demonstrated Christ’s love and care in response to the residents’ many
physical, emotional and spiritual needs.
God calls us to be ready at all times to respond to those we encounter in our daily lives, those who may be longing for
someone to take an interest. When we meet the parent of a sports program participant, a friend, a neighbor or fellow
student, we can invite them to a Bible study, prayer breakfast or youth activity.
There will be many opportunities in 2013 to reach out to those around us: Financial Peace University classes, shortterm missions trips for all ages, ongoing Women’s Bible studies, the Saturday Men’s Prayer Breakfast, coaching a sport,
helping with youth activities, hosting a neighborhood VBS – and a variety of other activities. Won’t you help make the
difference of an eternity for someone by investing time with them and inviting them to get involved?
3
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has
one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one
body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift
is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching then teach; if it is to
encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently, if it is to show mercy, do
it cheerfully.” (Romans 12:3-8)
SPC engaged in ministry service in amazing ways in 2012 as dedicated members shared their gifts. The Ministry Service team produced a Ministry Service Handbook which is available to the congregation and serves as a reference to
see all of the opportunities to serve in an area that fits best with their gifting. It is also used in the Membership Class
to introduce new members to the ministries of SPC.
The Richmond Hill Explosion and subsequent role of our church in the aftermath of that tragedy provided unexpected opportunities for ministry service and our members answered the call. Helpers got involved from every walk
of life, every area of the church and every age group. As the central hub for the Richmond Hill meetings and activities
SPC members had the opportunity to serve the families of Richmond Hill in numerous ways including helping in the
food pantry, serving meals and by welcoming them to our church when they came for meetings and care management.
A task force was created to oversee the care of the Richmond Hill families and to coordinate with local schools, organizations and churches who wanted to help.
As we move forward into 2013, we look at the model of Ministry Service and trust that God will provide ways to
grow into new opportunities for service within SPC and in partnership with other congregations. God allowed us to
be part of an exceptional year of service, and we want to be ready to serve with the perspective of what we have seen
and learned in 2012. We believe that God has exciting things planned for Ministry Service in 2013. To God be the
glory!
4
Life Groups have meant
a lot to me throughout my
life. They have been
challenging, encouraging
and uplifting to me in my
walk with Christ. I’m so
thankful for the people that
I got to know and share
life together through Life
Groups. God taught me
so much about His Word,
opening up, loving one
another and helping
one another through Life
Groups. I have been so
blessed by all of those
experiences. I would
definitely recommend that
anyone join a Life Group.
You’ll be blessed.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every
good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NIV)
Our desire as a church is to help our members connect in smaller communities by
meeting regularly around the Word of God. The depth that comes from sharing
life together in the context of Scripture can be exciting and life-changing.
One couple who had been visiting different churches trying to find a church home,
joined a Life Group, and through those connections and friendships, has become
active at SPC. As we look into 2013, we hope all of our members will join Life
Groups to connect with other believers, to share life and faith together, and to
grow more deeply in love with God through His Word.
5
–Ben Ruyack
Ministering to children from the earliest age gives them the tools necessary to
become mature Christians. As we continually connect kids to Christ through the
body of believers at SPC, we begin to see children grow. By being involved in the
Children’s Ministry of SPC, children feel loved by their
teachers, leaders and peers and feel a natural connection
to the church where they know that they are valued and
accepted.
It is this growth that we celebrated in 2012, and we
look forward to continued growth in 2013. We have had
tremendous opportunities to minister to kids and their
families through our Sunday school ministry with a strong team of teachers, helpers and
caregivers. Our Kids Camp and Vacation Bible School were a great connection to our
community and offered kids opportunities to grow deep in their faith or get to know Jesus
for the very first time.
We were also able to introduce kids to Christ through
a couple of new opportunities - a Fall Break Bible
School and KIDS Bible Study on Wednesday evenings.
With the change in school schedules this year, the Children’s Ministry, in
partnership with the Sports and Food Service Ministries, invited kids to a Fall
Break Bible School with the theme, “Jesus, There is an App for That.” Attendance was greater than anticipated, and
we were blessed during the three days of ministry to grade school kids. We were able to share with kids that the Bible
needs to be our central guidebook for life, and that we need to be in the Word daily to remain connected to Christ and
to cut our ties to sin.
KIDS (Kingdom Investigators Digging & Seeking) Bible Study is a new, ongoing Bible study that is organized in
9-week sessions meeting on Wednesday evenings. KIDS invites and encourages kids to dig deeper into the Bible and
to grow in their faith at an early age. We anticipated a small start, and were excited to have very full classes!
We desire to help kids make a powerful connection with Christ through our Children’s Ministries, and we look forward
to many more ministry opportunities that God will lay in our path.
Amy Herbert
Children’s Ministry Director
[email protected]
6
Jr. High Ministry
The Junior High ministry continues to be blessed by God, and 2012 was an exciting
year of seeing God work in amazing ways. I have seen God turn on the lights in
kids’ heads and hearts as they have come to understand new truth about who God
is and who they are.
•A sixth-grade boy who is struggling with his relationship with his dad has
found hope through a loving community on Friday nights and through
the truth that God is the perfect Father.
•A seventh-grade boy wants his friends to know and live for Jesus, and
he’s been persistent in inviting them to come to ENGAGE on Friday
nights. These friends have come, stayed and are growing in their faith.
•A sixth-grader who struggles to communicate well has made friends and
found a place in his small group.
•A girl with a very troubled home life and who has dealt with some significant issues has learned to depend on her faith in Christ and was baptized.
•Two seventh-graders came with friends last year, but now come to ENGAGE even when their friends don’t. They are hungry for Jesus.
•A seventh-grade girl, wrestling with deep theological truths, perseveres
and grows in her faith, even without having all of her questions answered.
•A seventh-grade boy is finally able to accept himself for who he is through
understanding God’s unconditional love and acceptance through Jesus.
•An eighth-grader who has been involved with church all his life but
doesn’t have any power over his sin, has come to faith in Christ and is
being changed by the Spirit to live differently.
•Two seventh-grade boys now reach out to unbelievers at their school and
online and desperately want the lost to come to know Christ.
Each one of these stories is a miracle, and I am blown away by our amazing God.
I feel more privileged than ever to be in His service.
As we look forward into 2013, I couldn’t be more hopeful. I see a renewed excitement about faith and life, and I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do.
Ben Ruyack
Jr. High Director
[email protected]
7
Sr. High Ministry
Picture this: you in a solitary place with your mind and heart
focused on the Lord. The words of God are speaking to you,
and your heart is drinking in the presence of God. There is
a sense of the beauty of the Almighty; the joy of the Lord is
around you. Your heart tells you, “I belong to Jesus”.
Have you ever had those moments? How do I live each day
in the reality and the beauty of God and not look back at my
week and say, as Oswald Chambers wrote: “I gave the best I
had, not to God, but to the world.”?
Senior High Ministries has been in pursuit of a theme this
year – “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test
and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Romans 12:2 NIV)
In our teaching and in our conversations, we are flavoring a
way to focus our daily lives and to seek God’s will in our lives.
In so doing, we will discover His good, perfect and pleasing
will.
We have a pattern and flow to our ministry schedule that is
guided by the Bible, and that challenges students to be in the
presence of the Lord daily and to serve Him by loving others and meeting their needs. We are always seeking to deepen
prayer and worship. We also use opportunities to leave “normal” life in the form of retreats, trips and getaways to challenge
our students in their faith walk, in purity and in mission for the
name of Jesus.
As always, you as a community of believers have been supportive in prayer, in financial support, in personal interaction and in
the respect you show our teens. What a marvelous atmosphere
of growth! This is the infrastructure to an effective youth ministry for God’s Kingdom.
Before us are a couple of challenges. We work to create an
atmosphere where the teens who are invited and attend events
truly experience Jesus in our community. Through teaching,
ministry training and experiences, we seek to challenge our
students to live and share their love for Christ at school. How
are we as a youth ministry taking Jesus to our community?
Will the Spirit ever say, “What you are doing -- that’s good;
that’s enough.”? We do know we need to “go”, but how? Your
prayers for wisdom and for organizational skills are greatly
needed and appreciated.
There is another challenge before us. We are a relationally
focused ministry in which there is a desire to fully reach into
teens’ lives to guide and to challenge them. How do we do this
without taking the place of the parents in discipling their own
children in their faith walk? This involves encouraging and
helping parents and families. It means being aware of where we
might be taking time away that families might otherwise have
to grow together spiritually. How do we effectively and appropriately help teenagers grow in their faith in Jesus working as a
team, family and church? Pray for direction and vision on how
to deepen this aspect of our youth ministry.
In our victories and challenges, God is always good. May we
give our best to God for our youth and the youth of our community, all our days.
Paul Gearhart
Sr. High Director
[email protected]
8
College and Young Adult Ministry
Our ultimate goal in SPC youth ministries is to receive young teens and to guide them through the teen years, helping
them come to a place in their faith where they own it and are prepared to take their relationship with Jesus Christ out
into a world that either doesn’t care to help them in their faith or even more, desires to disassemble their belief if it
happens to be in the Bible and in Jesus Christ.
During the second semester of our high school seniors’ year, we have a class and some events designed to help prepare them for the post-high school or college experience. There are too many students who leave their college days or
early twenties with little or no faith in Jesus Christ.
Prayer is significant to the vibrant well being of our students’ faith. This year we have approximately 42 students being
prayed for by about 37 adults.
Even without a staff person fully devoted to ministry to our young adults and beyond, we seek to minister to and
encourage our students. We seek to stay in communication with them while they are away. We plan gatherings for them
when they are at home for breaks and during the summer. We hosted a Bible study during the summer of 2012. We
encourage students who attend school in Indianapolis, to get involved in serving ministries. We welcome volunteers
who would like to give some time to caring for our students who are away or at home.
Paul Gearhart
College and Young Adult Ministries Director
[email protected]
9
Fine Arts Ministry
Our Lord has continued to bless our Fine Arts Ministry
here at SPC. 2012 brought changes in leadership in our
musical groups, with John Stebbe now leading the worship choir and our three children’s choirs, Greg Manning
moving into the role of staff organist and continuing as
worship choir accompanist, Sally Lantz now on staff as
our bell choir director, and Tracy Goodson continuing
to lead the music for the contemporary worship service. Holly Mercer continues to serve as the director of
Wholly Thine Dance Ministry. Helping us on the organ
are Renetta Sargent and Donna Kenninger.
The Worship Choir has the distinction of being SPC’s
longest running life group, covering the span of several
decades. Each Thursday night rehearsal is a time not just
for music-making, but also for supporting each other in
prayer and taking time to learn from the Word of God.
Our purpose is to build up the body of Christ, both in
the choir and in the congregation at large, through music
and Christian fellowship.
The worship choir and the praise band worked together
on the worship service at Southport High School last July,
to welcome our new pastor. All the musicians involved
were truly blessed by the opportunity to
provide music for that special service.
sentials of the Christian faith, such as the Trinity and the
Atonement. Many choir parents assist in supervising the
children on the Sunday mornings when they perform,
and their assistance is invaluable.
Our children’s choirs and our worship choir combined
forces for “All Choirs Day” last November at the 9:30
service, which happened to coincide with a visit from
Indianapolis Mayor Ballard to SPC, on the Sunday following the Richmond Hill tragedy. The mayor and many
Richmond Hill residents heard our choirs perform a
medley of “This Is My Father’s World” and “He’s Got
The Whole World In His Hands,” which seemed appropriate to the occasion. The song medley, planned many
weeks before was truly a “God moment.”
For 2013, we would like to ask the Lord to continue to
build His church through our music and fine arts ministries, for His glory.
John Stebbe
Choir Director
[email protected]
John Stebbe has directed our three children’s choirs for fifteen years. He enjoys
leading the children in song, and appreciates the opportunity to discuss the spiritual
meaning of the song lyrics with them,
especially when the lyrics reinforce the es-
10
Praise Band
When we think back through 2012, we are struck by how the Lord has blessed the contemporary service. As a ministry, we have seen several new musicians join us bringing our overall number of people involved in this ministry to 16.
Perhaps one the sweetest parts of this is that these musicians range in age from 16 to 45 with most of the new musicians in their teens, 20s and 30s. What a musical foundation for SPC and the universal church! The new members have
allowed musicians greater rest and preparation for leading worship.
One other blessing to celebrate as a church is the purchase of a keyboard. This offers us a wide range of musical
capacities and can be transported to other venues to be used. It can stand alone as a piano and has the capacity to be
used beyond what we can even imagine. It will be excited to see how the Lord leads us in using this through 2013 and
beyond.
As we follow the Lord into 2013, we are anticipating great things as we look towards having a new worship leader in
the coming year. We have discussed this transition and are hopeful and excited as we pray often for who God has to
lead us.
Tracy Goodson
Contemporary Worship Leader
[email protected]
11
The Sports Ministry at SPC continues
to mature in its efforts to function as
a high- impact outreach to our community. While the majority of participants and volunteers are from other
local churches, 2012 saw a steady
increase in the percent of participants
who are unchurched and possibly not
believers.
The Sports Ministry at SPC is focused
primarily on youth sports leagues,
which includes both fall and winter
seasons of basketball, two weeks of
summer camps and annual seasons
of soccer and t-ball/baseball. At each
practice, children are presented with a
short Bible teaching which is applied
to life and sports.
The summer and fall saw two very successful co-ed adult volleyball leagues in
partnership with a local group called
League of Believers. Other ongoing
programs include family tae-kwan-do
and adult open-gym basketball.
While there has been significant growth in sports participation, the hope
for the SPC Sports Ministry is that families would receive more than just
a positive sports experience. We desire that all who are involved, both
churched and unchurched, will actively grow in their relationship with the
Lord.
One of the greatest encouragements was to see a child who participates in
winter basketball once a year, remember something he had learned about
God the previous year. We have been blessed with awesome coaches, but
players can learn sports anywhere. It is exciting to see kids and adults
grasp the truths of the Bible.
For the Sports Ministry to further grasp its potential there is a need for
year-round committed leaders from SPC who desire to use sports as a
vehicle for outreach and evangelism in the community. Sports experience is helpful, but a heart and passion for sharing the hope we have
in Christ is the greater need. Many families who participate
in sports do actively attend or participate in a home church.
Rather than inviting those at the soccer field or the gym to
attend church on Sunday, the SPC Sports Ministry leadership
invites those who are in church on Sunday to come out to the
fields or gym on Saturday and throughout the week. There is
a place for you to serve. The Lord meets us where we are, and
sports can be that place. Thank you for your support.
Amy Walz
Sports Ministry Director
[email protected]
12
Food Service Ministry
The Bible speaks of physical food and spiritual food. Physical food sustains this temporary human existence; spiritual food prepares us for eternity. Yet in several passages of Scripture, the Lord shows the spiritual nature of physical
food. In John 21, the resurrected Jesus cooks breakfast for His discouraged disciples. After the meal, He used their
satisfied stomachs as an analogy for the work they were called to do, “Feed My sheep.” (John 21:17 ESV)
In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus is speaking about the Great Judgment Day. He is explaining why the “sheep” will be
given the inheritance He prepared for them. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was
a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.”
(Matt. 25:35-36 ESV) The righteous had to be reminded, “…as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to
me.” (Matthew 25:40 ESV)
I believe in 2012, God was helping us to refine our missions - SPC’s mission to love God, love each other and serve
the world, and the Food Service Ministry’s mission to serve Christ by serving you.
I am thankful for the blessing of wise counsel as we have sought to follow God’s calling for this ministry while
working to achieve a balanced budget.
As we begin 2013, I continue to ask God to reveal the ways He wants us to “Feed His sheep,” how He would have us
use food to bring comfort and compassion to our community and enhance fellowship among believers.
Ruth Clark
Food Service Ministry Director
[email protected]
13
Welcome Place ministers to children and families by teaching
children to see themselves as children of God, to learn about
the wonder of God’s creation and to feel and share the love
of Christ. Many of our children are from unchurched families
and are eager and excited to learn about Christ. Young children
learn best through hands-on experiences and repetition. Daily
attendance allows us time to explore God’s creation with our
children in an interactive way. This year we have used plays,
stories, songs, art, prayer and practical social lessons to teach
our children about Christ’s love and His plan for us as children
of God.
This year we have been able to bring new meaning to Easter
and Christmas for our young children. Our Christmas program
is an opportunity for children to not only learn about the birth
of Christ, but to share this Good News with their families and
peers. Welcome Place has been blessed to be able to provide
opportunities such as this for families to become involved in their children’s excitement and love for Christ.
The balanced calendar adopted by surrounding schools allowed us to grow in our partnership with the SPC Children’s
Ministry. Our Summer Camp program expanded to provide care for school-age children during the two-week fall
break, offering a second opportunity for Welcome Place to bring our preschoolers and school-age children to VBS.
This new calendar also allowed us to minister to school-age children in the middle of the school year. Summer Camp
and Fall or Spring Break camps are natural progressions for many of our “graduates”. For some of our campers, this
summer marked their twelfth year with Welcome Place. It has been exciting to witness our children continue to grow
in Christ as they mature.
Meredith Fram
Welcome Place Child Care Director
[email protected]
14
What an amazing and incredibly fun year! You might call it an adult day center,
but we call it a community of love where we serve, in a Christ-like manner,
those who are vulnerable. In Luke 10:27, we are told, “You shall love the Lord your
God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with your
entire mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” God has been nurturing that attitude
of servanthood in each of us at the Adult Day Center as we have served our 57 neighbors this past year. Our diverse
staff shares in caring for our guests with joy and compassion. We have learned to delight in the moments God has
blessed us with even when some of those are more delightful than others.
One of our special areas of servanthood is our new golden retriever Maggie Mae. Maggie has been a physical source
of unconditional love to older adults who don’t always get a lot of physical attention. Maggie doesn’t retreat from
those guests who become agitated and angry; rather she quietly waits for them to calm down and curls up at their feet.
She is a constant source of conversation and has joined the adults and the Welcome Place children in a shared interest.
Maggie is one way we share God’s goodness with each other.
One of our staff members gave birth to a beautiful little boy in November. The entire group watched that pregnancy
grow and shared in the joy of a new life. The many discussions about God’s blessings in the life of a new child were
delightful during those nine months. We reminisced about our families, our parenting and the many things God did in
our lives as our families grew. What a wonderful gift a simple pregnancy was to our guests!
In the coming year we don’t know what God has planned, but we do know that God’s promises for this ministry are
present in His Word. We pray that we will continue to grow in numbers and in spirit as we share the love of God with
those entrusted to our care.
Helen Caldwell
Adult Day Center Director
[email protected]
15
Southport Presbyterian Christian School
SPCS
Southport Presbyterian Christian School is a ministry of Southport Presbyterian Church
which encompasses caring for and teaching children from age one through the seventh
grade through our educational ministries of Parent’s Day Out, preschool, elementary and
middle school. The school is an integral part of the church, whose mission is to love God, love
each other and serve the world as Jesus did, using the Bible as the authoritative guide and with
the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. SPCS carries out that mission as well.
Isaiah 58:11 says, “The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs... and will strengthen your frame.” (NIV)
We want to give thanks for what the Lord has done at SPCS in 2012. We have the awesome privilege and great responsibility to teach, share, and model God’s love five days a week. We do this through Bible classes, chapel, and teachable
moments throughout the day, in all of our actions and reactions. Throughout the teaching of academics, we exercise our
hearts in love for God, who He is and what He does. During this past year, we have seen God’s work and faithfulness in
the hearts of our students, as they have accepted Him as their Lord and Savior and matured through discipleship.
During the calendar year of 2012, we suffered the loss of three parents of our students, and our hearts were heavy and
sad. In addition, two of our own families were affected by the Richmond Hill explosion. Through God’s love and grace,
we were able to provide care and to demonstrate God’s love for them in a tangible way. It was amazing to see our staff,
parents and students come together in so many ways to minister to these families.
In addition to serving our families in their time of need, we had the following outreach to our community and beyond.
The students and staff showed a generous spirit by collecting soup cans during the Super Bowl for The Refuge.
• SPCS honored veterans and military personnel at our annual Veterans Day ceremony.
• Our students demonstrated compassion by writing notes of encouragement to our featured military
member of the month and also to teens in the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center.
• The students shared God’s love at Rosegate and with Wheeler Mission.
• Shepherd Community Center was blessed with over 300 mittens, scarves, gloves and hats and by the
annual Easter Aid Preschool Project.
• Because of their love for God and others around the world, our students assembled and filled
shoeboxes of hope for needy children.
• We care for and love each other via our ministry of prayer.
2012 brought the transition of the Parent’s Day Out (PDO)
program under the umbrella of the school. It is a program that
provides a safe, loving, Christian environment for children ages
one through five years to learn and grow while parents enjoy
some free time. This has allowed us to expand our outreach, and
we are blessed to be able to serve the same number of children as
last year.
As we move into 2013, we reflect on how God has created more
opportunities to partner with other church ministries. The church
and school are showing concern for our children by assessing how a safer and more secure environment can be provided.
The School Board, made up of members of SPC, have thoughtfully and prayerfully made the difficult decision that God
is leading us to discontinue the middle school due to low enrollment. Our program in the 2013-2014 school year will
encompass Parent’s Day Out, preschool and elementary through grade six. We desire to see the Lord grow us in numbers
as we continue to follow and carry out His plan for education found in Luke 2:52, “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and
in favor with God and men.” (NIV)
We know God’s plan for our students and staff is to continue to grow spiritually, academically, physically, socially and
emotionally. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Susie Manning
Principal
[email protected]
16
Global Impact Team
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:19-20 ESV)
We celebrate the experience and impact of our journeys as God has sent us to different communities to minister and
share His love for others through:
• ministry to hikers along the Appalachian Trail.
• conducting Bible School for residents in the foothills, “hollers”, of Morris Fork, Kentucky.
• ministry service, home repair projects and nurturing of abused and neglected children at The
Wade Center in Bluefield, West Virginia.
• relationship building and tornado restoration projects in Joplin, Missouri.
• community work projects and church construction in Bryansk, Russia.
• home and church construction projects with Faith Ministries in Reynosa, Mexico.
We celebrate the blessings with which God has showered us by bringing individuals and groups from around the globe
to us in order that we might love each other and serve the world through:
• hosting the men and women of the Byezhitsa Evangelical Baptist Church Choir from Bryansk, Russia.
• personal visits and ministry reports by missionaries with whom we partner from Asia, Central Asia,
Colombia, Gabon (West Africa), South Korea, the Middle East, Peru, Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
Acknowledging that, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17), we celebrate God and give thanks for
those through whom He has provided the financial resources enabling us to serve the world via special support for:
• outfitting and furnishing student apartments at the Moscow Evangelical Theological Seminary in Moscow, Russia
• completing construction of a church in Bryansk, Russia.
• completing construction of a church in Naranjito,
Mexico, where a congregation of 70 currently worships
in a fellowship hall.
• purchasing medical equipment for the Eye Unit of
Kibuye Hospital in Burundi, Africa, which will be used
both to treat eye patients and to train African doctors.
• several members of a medical team calling themselves
“The McCropders” – from the names of the six families
who comprise the team – are members of Knox (EPC)
Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team
has previously served at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya and
is currently completing language training in Albertville,
France.
We look forward with joyful anticipation, seeking God’s will and direction in the coming year as we respond to His
unfolding of opportunities to:
• redirect portions of our missions finances which have continued to go to PC(USA) causes over the
last three years.
• consider sending a youth missions team to Albania to share the Gospel and interact with Albanian
high school students.
• participate in an evangelism training event sponsored by Billy Graham.
• encourage and assist missionary candidates to explore the possibilities God has for them in His
global service.
• welcome John and Gwen Haspels, long-time missionaries to Ethiopia, for a visit in August.
• glorify His name and challenge members of the congregation to greater involvement as God’s local,
national and global disciple-makers.
17
Deacons
Acts 6:1-7 tells us that the first deacons in
the church were called to serve primarily
physical needs as the disciples focused on
prayer and the ministry of the Word. Acts
6:7 tells us of the result of the coordinated
efforts in the early church: “So the Word of
God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem
increased rapidly, and a large number of priests
became obedient to the faith.” (NIV)
The Book of Order offers this insight
into the office of Deacon: “As set forth
in Scripture, the office of Deacon is one
of compassion, concern for needs, and of
serving others. Therefore, the first duty of
the Deacons is sympathy and service. Historically, this office has been given the duty
of being the Church’s instrument for the
ministry of compassion. Such duties may
include the care, maintenance, and preparation of the church and its facilities.”
In addition to the privilege of welcoming those entering worship services at SPC and of preparing Communion, the
Deacon Board was blessed to be able to serve in a wide variety of ways.
The Bereavement Team walked with families at a time of loss to assist not only at the service, but as needed prior to
the service and with follow-up afterward.
The Deacons were able to support various outreach efforts at SPC, including meals at Robert’s Park and Ronald
McDonald House, where physical needs for food are coupled with reflections of His love for those less fortunate and
hurting. Our long-standing relationship with The Refuge continued during a year of transition as they moved from
South Madison to new, larger facilities near Emerson and Main in Greenwood. We assisted with collection and distribution of physical food, but even more important, the spiritual food that truly sustains us.
The Deacons were able to support the efforts of Central Indiana Youth for Christ in reaching out to Southport
middle school and high school students.
The Deacons, with great assistance from Elder Susan Berilla, were able to bring the first Beth Moore simulcast to
about 200 women from our area bringing this powerful presentation of God’s Word to women in and outside of SPC.
The Deacons also administer a benevolence fund to assist with emergency needs for members and others in our community. As this program was reviewed, we concluded that more personal contact was needed. We are now meeting
with those seeking help, offering counseling and extending invitations to join other ministries offered at SPC, meeting
spiritual as well as physical needs.
In 2012, the Deacons made a concerted effort to meet and spend time with visitors to SPC, reflecting acceptance and
a welcoming presence through the love God has shown us while helping them navigate the building.
The Deacons look forward with great anticipation to the opportunities God has for us and SPC in 2013.
The Executive Board on behalf of the 2012 Deacons
18
Clerk of Session
The Session is responsible for spiritual leadership in the
church and is also the governing body. As a result, Session considers a broad range of matters throughout the
year. SPC’s Session is composed of the pastors or teaching elders of the church, eighteen active elders or ruling
elders who are elected by the congregation, and the Clerk
of Session who is elected by the Session.
In 2012, Session met twelve times in Stated Meetings
(regularly scheduled monthly meetings) and numerous
times in special meetings. Session called several Congregational Meetings including the annual business meeting
in January, a meeting to approve the call of Pastor Hock
as senior pastor for SPC, a meeting to approve a gift of
appreciation from the congregation to Pastor Barrow and
a meeting in November to elect church officers.
To advance God’s purposes at SPC, throughout the year
Session devoted considerable attention to two major matters that are clearly important to the life of our church.
First, Session was actively involved in providing for pastoral care and direction for SPC. Session asked Pastor Bob
Hopper to continue in his role as Interim Senior Pastor
into 2012. When it became clear that SPC would not call
a new senior pastor prior to Pastor Hopper’s departure,
Session established a Commission that was responsible
for providing support for Pastor Barrow and for arranging for additional pastoral assistance for SPC. As a result,
arrangements were made with Pastor Dean Bouzeos to
serve as a supply pastor with preaching duties as SPC
finalized the selection of a new senior pastor. Arrangements were also made with Pastor Emeritus Bob Amon
to supply pastoral care and other pastoral services for
SPC. Both pastors provided excellent pastoral services for
SPC in 2012, and the Session was deeply grateful for their
willingness to serve us as a church community. In June,
Session approved extending a call to Robert E. Hock to
be SPC’s new senior pastor, the congregation approved
that call and the Midwest Presbytery of the EPC examined and approved Pastor Hock to be ordained as SPC’s
new senior pastor.
Second, as part of its spiritual leadership and shepherding
responsibilities, starting in 2011 and continuing into 2013,
Session devoted considerable attention to ministry and
property issues, in both stated meetings and special meetings. In 2011 and early 2012, Pastor Hopper led Session
to understand the importance of excellence in ministry,
to evaluate the effectiveness of ministries in presenting
the gospel to our community and throughout the world,
to build disciples, to shepherd the congregation and to
be good stewards of SPC’s resources. No final decisions
regarding ministry and property were reached in 2012.
Session gathered information and met with members of
the congregation in a forum setting in order to obtain
input as Session considers important ministry and property issues. Since Pastor Hock began his service at SPC,
Session members have been focused on discernment of
God’s will for SPC and ridding themselves of preconceived attitudes that may make it difficult to truly understand God’s will for SPC. As Clerk of Session, I am aware
Session is foremost committed to seeking God’s will for
SPC, making decisions based on the best information
available in a deliberate fashion and seeking input from
the congregation.
Other significant matters addressed by Session in 2012
include the following:
•Session received and carefully reviewed the
financial reports of SPC on a monthly basis.
•Session established a balanced budget for 2013.
•Session elected Commissioners to Presbytery
and the EPC General Assembly and received
reports from those Commissioners.
•Session monitored structural repairs and maintenance efforts at the McFarland and Southview
campuses, approving action when necessary.
•Session established a search team for a second
associate pastor.
•Session elders led new members classes, and
Session examined and approved new members.
•At the request of Session, the Southport Presbyterian Christian School (SPCS) took charge
of the Parents Day Out ministry (PDO).
•Session approved formation of a task force to
improve security on SPC campuses and SPCS.
•SPC financial reviews were conducted for the
year 2011.
•The Unleashed Campaign to reduce SPC mortgage debt was conducted, and $352,586.56 was
raised and applied to SPC’s mortgage principal.
•A stewardship campaign for the 2012 operating
budget and ministry was conducted.
Continued on page 20
19
Business Administrator
It is interesting how the Lord brings into focus and reminds us of how He is working at Southport Presbyterian
Church. A short time ago, SPC Financial Director, Neil Cox, and I met with a Vice President from BMO Harris Bank.
As you would expect, we were talking primarily about the business aspects of SPC, discussing the indicators that a
bank would consider as important when assessing the financial health of any organization. As we reviewed the indicators, the evidence of God’s blessing began to come into focus.
Attendance – An upward trend over the last five months
Mortgage – A campaign resulting in a $355,000 mortgage reduction payment
Budget – Finished the year approximately $143,000 over budget
Leadership – A new Senior Pastor
It was exciting to recognize and talk about the direction of these indicators. (The V.P. is a Christian and is active in a
church, so he understands the expectations and hopes of SPC.) As we continued, we detailed the business expectations for the future. What can we expect in 2013? With the Lord leading, and the leaders and congregation prayerfully
following, we can expect to see:
Attendance – Growth in attendance as new believers worship at SPC
Faithfulness – Increased attendance and support from current members
Evangelism – Excitement in reaching and discipling the unsaved in our area
Finances – Giving to support the ministries and further reduce the debt
As our meeting concluded, we agreed that this is a short list of what is possible if the SPC congregation and staff are
faithfully obedient in prayer, study and worship. The Lord will continue to lead and bless this church as the believers
at SPC reach the unsaved in surrounding neighborhoods, teach and demonstrate God’s love to the many individuals
and families involved in the SPC programs and worship with a whole heart seeking Gods’ will.
2013 is a new and exciting year!
Samuel D. Miller
Business Administrator
[email protected]
Continued from page 19
•Session approved a free Christian concert and
community fish fry for July 13, 2012 as an
outreach to the community.
•Session established a Sunday Morning Study
Team.
•Session established a Love Richmond Hills
Commission.
Membership Report:
The number of members on the active roll as of December 31, 2012, was 1342. This was a gain of 22 from
December 31, 2011.
Elder David Steiner
20
Trustees
The Lord has imparted His blessings on SPC in the provision of extraordinary buildings and other facilities fostering
the church’s call to love God, love each other, and serve the world. In partnership with the Director of Environmental Services, Dan Plummer, and his staff, the SPC Board of Trustees devoted its efforts in 2012 to the maintenance,
guardianship and use of SPC’s assets in furtherance of this mission.
During 2012, the Trustees contributed to the Stewardship, Personnel, Congregational Nominating, Memorial Gifts,
and Aesthetics Committees and spearheaded the undertakings of the facilities, landscaping and newly founded Safety,
Emergency, Security, and Evacuation Committee. Among its efforts during 2012, the Trustees carried out the following activities.
Upon commission by the Session, the Trustees founded the Safety, Emergency, Security, and Evacuation Committee to assess security and safety measures already planned or implemented by SPC, to assess the church’s security and
safety needs, and to develop and recommend security, emergency, and safety plans to the Trustees. With contribution
from a delegation of SPC members, staff, deacons, and trustees and Southport Presbyterian Christian School (SPCS),
this Committee developed SPC’s emergency evacuation plan.
The Security Committee also has engaged in an ongoing effort to redesign the Welcome Center in the Gathering
Place. The remodeled Welcome Center, slated for construction in 2013, will provide a finer visual impression of
the church office and Gathering Place, improved functionality to SPC staff, and improved security for SPCS. After
completion of the Welcome Center, this Committee will undertake continued improvements to SPC and SPCS safety
and security.
The Southview campus benefited from several improvements. A new roof was installed on a material portion of the
Southview church building. A team of volunteers from the SPC congregation, headed by the Director of Environmental Services, reconstructed the Manse into a serviceable single-family home. And finally, a security access system
was installed in the church building, securing the building with card-reader access for regular Adult Day Care, Welcome Place and SPC staff users of the facility.
The Trustees assumed charge of the Aesthetics Committee, which submitted to the Trustees a First Impressions
Report detailing various redesigning initiatives to improve the visual appearance of the McFarland church building
interior. The Aesthetics Committee since has taken on projects to rearrange the interiors of the church to enhance the
beauty, efficiency, and functionality of the church building.
The Board of Trustees will continue its commitment to the administration of SPC’s facilities in 2013 under the leadership of Trustee President Mark Stanifer.
Fenton Strickland
Trustees President
21
Stewardship
Overview
The Stewardship Ministry is comprised of elders, trustees and congregation members. Its primary task is the oversight
of and planning for the financial resources of the church. In addition to its active members, the ministry is advised by
the church Business Administrator, Sam Miller and Director of Financial Services, Neil Cox.
Primary responsibilities of the committee include the following:
•To develop an annual budget for the church and all its ministries, to be recommended to Session.
•To provide ongoing review and analysis of the church’s financial condition throughout the year.
•To provide accurate and timely financial statements to Session and the congregation.
•To review and guide expenditures to ministry programs and to implement activities within the approved budget.
•To review and approve capital expenditure requests to maintain our facilities and equipment.
•To recommend short and long-range financial objectives to Session.
•To arrange for third-party financial reviews of church financial records.
2012 Results
During the fall of 2011, the Stewardship Ministry set a goal of creating a balanced budget for 2012. SPC was just
entering its second year as an EPC church and was still in the midst of a search for a new senior pastor. Stewardship
believed that the Lord was directing us to balance the 2012 budget for three reasons:
1. To be good stewards of the financial blessings that He has provided and continues to provide,
2. To be good stewards of the financial commitments made to support the church, and
3. We believed that it would be a gift to the incoming pastor to join a church that had a balanced budget.
This goal was achieved when the 2012 General Operating Budget with projected revenues of $3,386,698 and budgeted expenditures* of $3,386,698 (net income of $0.00) was approved by Session.
When the budget was approved, no one knew how we would end the year. By December 31, 2012, actual expenditures
were $122,221 under budget, leaving a General Operating net income of $140,823. The Stewardship Ministry members praised God for His faithfulness and acknowledged the congregation’s faithfulness and strong financial commitment to SPC.
Another goal of the Stewardship Ministry was to reduce and eventually
eliminate the mortgage debt on the McFarland Ministry and Worship Center.
The “UNLEASHED” campaign was the first step in achieving this goal
and resulted in raising $352,586.56, which reduced the mortgage balance to
under $4,000,000. Our bank was gracious enough to reamortize our loan
reducing our interest expense immediately in order to reallocate funds to the ministry of the church. Praise God for
His faithfulness and for the sacrifice of those who were able to contribute.
Finally, in September of 2012, we received our new Senior Pastor, Robert E. Hock. We are now starting a new chapter
in the life and mission of SPC, and we are excited and prepared to move forward with boldness as God leads us.
The last few years in the life of SPC have been challenging and not without issues and difficulties, however, we all realize that God is faithful and He will not abandon us. We ask for your continued prayers as we embark on a new year
with a new senior pastor and a renewed sense of commitment to make 2013 an exciting year of growth in fellowship
of Christ for the south side of Indianapolis and our surrounding community.
Todd Hoopingarner, Chair
David Lee, Vice Chair, 2013 Chair
Dick Jeter, Outgoing 2011 Chair Jack Ernsting, Personnel Representative
Jack Christy, Trustee Representative
Ann Hunt, Member at Large
Bill Coomes, Member at Large
David Steiner, Clerk of Session
*Accounting notes and financial detail are available at the Welcome Center or by e-mail request at [email protected].
22
SOUTHPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Indianapolis, Indiana
CONGREGATIONAL FINANCIAL SUMMARY
2012 Budget
Contributions
Other Revenues
Personnel
Local Outreach
Global Missions
Worship & Music
Adult Ministries
Young Adults
Youth Ministries
Children's Ministries
Administrative
Facilities
Mortgage Interest
Mortgage Principal
Sub-Total
Revenues
Adult Care Costs
Food Svc Costs
Sports Costs
WelcomePlace Costs
Other Mins Costs
Sub-Total
Combined Total
2012 Actual
2013 Budget
$2,153,322
$52,415
$2,083,500
$35,000
-$1,100,173
-$2,533
-$202,500
-$8,070
-$7,323
-$874
-$6,625
-$20,313
-$95,725
-$365,004
-$155,526
-$156,459
$84,612
-$1,164,268
-$13,000
-$208,350
-$12,562
-$13,260
-$1,500
-$7,350
-$20,000
-$85,000
-$355,820
-$139,832
-$154,828
-$57,270
Community Outreach Ministries
$1,309,698
$1,199,564
$1,156,440
Church Ministries
$2,025,000
$52,000
-$1,135,980
-$31,000
-$202,500
-$13,412
-$9,250
-$3,500
-$7,150
-$21,370
-$86,800
-$357,656
-$158,765
-$161,248
-$111,631
-$183,109
-$157,034
-$59,409
-$745,365
-$53,149
$111,631
-$195,788
-$160,902
-$57,943
-$693,006
-$35,713
$56,211
-$187,381
-$135,864
-$57,249
-$718,676
$0
$57,270
$140,823
$0
Combined Totals
$0
Ending Balance Sheet Summary
12/31/12 Actual
All Funds
Working Capital Available for Operations
Working Capital Available for Internally-Reserved Fds
Working Capital Available for Donor-Restricted Fds
Property & Equipment (net of accum depreciation)
(* Unleashed Campaign paid $301,250)
Less Mortgage Balance
Total Net Worth
* Accounting Notes & Financial Detail available at the Welcome Center
Or e-mail [email protected]
Questions: Call 536-7250 for Sam Miller (Business Administrator)
or Neil Cox (Financial Director)
23
$137,641
$1,002,529
$583,145
$9,442,699
-$3,912,567
$7,253,447
Southport Presbyterian Church
7525 McFarland Blvd. | Indianapolis, IN | 46237
317-534-2900