First Congregational Church of Essex Junction, 1 Church Street, Essex Jct., VT 05452 | (802) 878-5745
Week 14 – The Sky is the Limit!
/in Capital Campaign /by Andrea SharpWe are getting SO CLOSE!! We have raised 93% of our goal ($768,000)! There is STILL time to return your pledge…we hope to have all pledges in before June 3 so that we can announce a grand total at our special Ice Cream Social celebration.
Every single pledge is vitally important…your gift matters!! If everyone participates, and maybe even stretches a little, we can reach our goal. This is OUR HOME and OUR FUTURE…we are truly in this together! Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has made a Campaign pledge so far.
Your gift will also help the Trustees get started on projects like the roof and the parking lot THIS summer. Imagine if we could get those projects done before another winter of ice and potential leaks.
Stop by our Campaign table in Fellowship Hall to drop off pledge forms, pick up extra forms, ask questions, schedule a visit, or just say hi.
Peace & Blessings,
Kaki McGeary & Dave Johnson, Campaign Co-Chairs
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Save the Date!
Ice Cream Social & Campaign Celebration
Sunday, June 3
(following single 9 a.m. service)
Please join us to celebrate our wonderful Faith Formation volunteers, Campaign volunteers & all the blessings of this Capital Campaign.
And, of course, join us for sprinkles & hot fudge!
Stay tuned for more details.
Week 13 – Inch by Inch, Row by Row
/in Capital Campaign /by Andrea SharpInch by inch, row by row
Gonna make this garden grow
All it takes is a rake and a hoe
And a piece of fertile ground
Inch by inch, row by row
Someone bless these seeds I sow
Someone warm them from below
Till the rain comes tumbling down.
~ Songwriter David Mallett
When I was little, my grandpa Padre always had John Denver records playing in the background—I spent many afternoons listening to those songs, playing cards and doing jigsaw puzzles with him. Today, as I was thinking about our Capital Campaign, this song started playing in my mind—in this Campaign, WE are sowing seeds for the future. And sometimes our progress is measured one inch at a time, but every gift and every pledge helps our garden grow. We ask for God’s blessing and we pray that Our Home will be fertile ground for faith and love and hope to grow in all of us, in our families, and for all who follow in our footsteps.
Peace & Blessings,
Kaki McGeary, Campaign Co-Chair
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If you haven’t yet made a pledge, can you help make our garden grow? If possible, please return your pledge by May 15th (unless you are still waiting for a visit!).
Stop by our Campaign table in the Fellowship Hall to drop off pledge forms, pick up extra forms, ask questions, schedule a visit, or just say hi.
********
Save the Date!
Ice Cream Social & Campaign Celebration
Sunday, June 3 (following single 9 a.m. service)
Please join us to celebrate our wonderful Faith Formation volunteers, Campaign volunteers & all the blessings of this Capital Campaign.
And, of course, join us for sprinkles & hot fudge!
Stay tuned for more details.
Week 11 & 12 – Behind the Scenes
/in Capital Campaign /by Andrea SharpHappy Spring! Here’s a sneak peek at what is going on behind the scenes in our Capital Campaign… While the Steering Committee has been busy planning and visitors have been reaching out to connect with everyone in our congregation, our Trustees have begun the bidding process for two of our Capital Campaign priorities—the roof and the parking lot/new vestibule/new ADA bath off Fellowship Hall. We will have more news about the projects to share with you soon!
Thank you to everyone who has made a Campaign pledge so far…we are very grateful for your support. With your generous gifts, we have received $708,786 in pledges…86% of our base goal and 65% of our stretch goal!
If you haven’t yet made a pledge, can you to help us reach the top?
Every single pledge, of every size, will be valued and celebrated. This is OUR HOME and OUR FUTURE…we are truly in this together! Our hope is to have remaining pledges in by May 15 so that we can wrap up the Campaign at a special celebration on Sunday June 3. We hope everyone will participate in some way in this important time in the life of our church.
If you have already had a visit, and haven’t returned your pledge form yet, we ask that you please do so at your earliest convenience. If you need a new form or have further questions about your pledge, please don’t hesitate to contact one of us. This month, we will have a Campaign Table in the Fellowship Hall where you can drop off pledge forms in sealed envelopes, ask questions or just say hello.
If you haven’t been contacted about a visit, and would like to schedule one, please contact Maureen Evans or one of us. We would love the chance to hear why this church is important to YOU, and how it has made a difference in your life.
Yours in faith & friendship,
Kaki & Dave
May 2018 Church Council
/in Agendas /by Andrea SharpMay 1st, 7:00 pm – Marvin Lounge
- Opening prayer – Rev. Simon
- Changes to the agenda
- Approve April 3, 2018 Council Meeting minutes
- Approve April 22, 2018 Special Meeting (by-law changes) minutes
- Capital Campaign Update and Tracking item 15
- June 10th Installation for Rev. Simon (3-4:30)
- Receive any reports or feedback from recognized groups of the church
- Heavenly Pantry, Heavenly Cents, Nepali Church, Called to Care, Craft Fest
- LCDC – Member in Discernment Status for Josh Sharp (plans for Council tracking)
- Scout activity, jamboree on June 9th: 30 young men for 3 hours, – Trustees
- Finance feedback: Request from Children’s Preschool and Enrichment Center to not pay
rent or utilities for the two months they will be shut down this summer. - Volunteer to explore options to provide paid (Church subsidized) car/van service for
several people who cannot drive themselves to Church. - Thank you committee chairs for minutes and/or reports (late is way better than none)
– Continue to cc Maureen, Mark, Josh, Jen and me on minutes/reports. I will forward a
few I received for May without all of us on cc. - Adjourn
- Tracking item: Church evacuation and safety plans
- Tracking item: After work begins, process for regularly communicating construction
plans to groups using the Church (*) - Tracking Item: Committee sign ups for Ushering:
- Ushering Month
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
- Committee
- Church Council for Annual Meeting
- Christian Education
- Deacons
- Capital Campaign
- Confirmation
- Hospitality
- Music
- Pastoral Relations
- Missions
- Stewardship
- Nominating
- Trustees
(*) No representative available from Trustees for 5/01 meeting, report received that Trustees:
– finalized plans for Capital Campaign projects for 2018.
– Will move forward with the roof repairs, parking lot improvements and, if time permits, the outer shell of the
new vestibule.
– Expect to choose contractors by 5/15 and have construction dates for June meeting.
Approved meeting minutes are available from the church administrator.