I often think about those members of our parish who grew up on the farms that once surrounded our church, in the days when Washington was a small town and its outskirts were rural. I often wonder what their feelings were as, little by little, their farmland was gobbled up to make way for what is now the suburban sprawl in which we all live. Maybe it was all too gradual to really make a difference to them, but I doubt it. I think much of it was very difficult to experience. This sounds like I haven't asked them. I have. Mostly, they have responded by acknowledging that change must happen.
Change. It is never easy. Most ofthe time we don't like it and we almost instinctively resist it. I know I do - and I have spent most of my adult life moving! Alexandria is the place I have lived longest in my adult life. There is comfort in the familiar and comfort is something of which we all, especially in this day and age, have need.
There are times, of course, when we do not resist change quite so intensely. I think about a career change, moving to a larger house, removing oneselfrrom an abusive relationship. These are just a few of the many different sitUations in which people may welcome change, even as they carry hope, guilt, nostalgia, anxiety and a whole host of other emotions with them. Change is anything but simple. It involves all of who we are and who we will become.
The season of Lent is about change. It is a time to examine our lives honestly and see where they are not measuring up to the life God wants for each of us. It is a time in which we are called to even deeper repentance, to a "turning around," placing us on that road which will take us home to the God of all comfort. Lent is not about changing the sheets, or even changing the world. Lent is about changing us more and more into the image and likeness of Christ.
Change is not easy, but it is inevitable. Lent is not a time for passivity. We are not asked to sit and wait for something to happen to us. Lent is a time of activity, as we move inward to boldly examine what change needs to happen within ourselves in order to live a fulfilled and purposeful life. It is a time to examine the ways in which we have brought pain to others, ways in which we have been our own worst enemy, ways in which we have been indifferent. And it is a time to claim for ourselves the promises of our Lord. Change will happen whether we initiate it or not. Wouldn't it be better to choose a God-filled life for ourselves?
I invite you to read about our Lenten program and our Holy Week services in this edition of The Fishers and to take part in each as your spiritual discipline guides you. And I invite you, on behalf of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent.
When we celebrate the Passover Seder, the ancient tradition that is part of our Judeo-Christian heritage, we celebrate our deliverance from eternal death by our Passover lamb, Jesus Christ. For just as an innocent lamb died so that the first born of each Jewish family in Egypt could be spared, so the innocent Jesus, He who was without sin, died so that we could be spared.
According to the Synoptic Gospels, the last meal which Jesus ate before His crucifixion was the Passover meal (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:1), called at the time the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to celebrate the deliverance of God's chosen people from the Pharaoh of Egypt. In their haste to leave, their bread did not have time to rise; this is the source of the unleavened bread which is today called matzoh.
Four cups of wine are drunk at a traditional Seder because of the four promises God made in Egypt:
I will bring you out
I will deliver you
I will redeem you
I will take you to me for a people
(Exodus 6:6-7)
A cup of wine is left for the prophet Elijah, "the herald of redemption" who will return to announce the coming of the Messiah (Mal 4:4-5).
We believe that John the Baptist was Elijah (Matthew 17-9-12; Mark 9:9-13; Luke 1:17) and the fifth cup is for Jesus, who gave His life for each of us to drink in remembrance of Him.
Thus, the Passover Seder has several levels of meaning for Christians. Through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we were grafted onto the Tree of Life, which before His death and resurrection had included only God's chosen people, the Jews (Romans 11: 17-21). Through Jesus, we too become heirs to the promise made to Abraham: "all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:3). Abraham was justified by his faith in the promise of God, just as we are justified by our faith in His Son, for God is faithful. God has kept His promise to Abraham. He delivered His children from Egypt and He delivered us through His son, Jesus Christ. Thus the God of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah and Rachel, Moses, Esther, Ruth and David is our God through the wondrous sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Please join us on Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. for our annual Passover Seder. Experience the fun, fellowship and good food of the Seder in a wann, loving community. Cost is $7.00 per adult, $3.00 per child (12 and under) and $20.00 max per family. Reservations can be made any Sunday starting March 12th. Reservations are limited to the first 60 people. Also, please offer your gift to help with the Seder. We are looking for the gifts of set-up, clean-up, shopping and cooking.
Once again this year we will join St. Mark's for worship, dinner and Lenten program. The program, Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People, will run for six segments, March 8 - April 12, and will include videos and table discussion. The topics for each week are:
The schedule for the evening will be Holy Eucharist, 6:00; Dinner, 6:30; Program, 7:15.
We will be at St. Mark's for all the evenings and be responsible for dinner on March 8, 22 and April 5. A sign up sheet will be posted on the kitchen door. The final Wednesday evening is in Holy Week. As is our custom, the Holy Eucharist will also be celebrated that evening at All Saints-Sharon Chapel at 7:30 p.m. for those not attending the program at St. Mark's.
As has been our tradition for a number of years, we will celebrate Easter Sunday by bringing in homemade breads, cakes, cookies, etc. for coffee hour. Please bring your home-baked goodies to Gunnell Hall before the service. Tables will be set up to accept your gifts which will be enjoyed by all during our Easter coffee hour.
The National Capital Chapter of The Order of St. Luke cordially invites you to our next monthly meeting on March 12th. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Nelson Trujillo. He has a medical practice in Washington, DC, and in Chevy Chase, MD. Dr. Trujillo is attentive to the spiritual needs of his patients and often prays with them. He will talk about his experiences and the difference that prayer makes for his patients. The meeting starts at 2:30 p.m., at St. Albans Church, next to the National Cathedral. There is no charge; just come, and bring a fiiend if you like. While pre-registration is not required, a call or an e-mail would be appreciated. To do that, or for any questions, please contact Paul Rae, Chapter Convener.
Sunday of the Passion - April 9 - 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Palms and Holy Eucharist
Monday in Holy Week - April 10 -7:30 p.m. - Holy Eucharist
Tuesday in Holy Week - April 11 - 6:30 p.m. - Passover Seder
Wednesday in Holy Week - April 12 - 7:30 p.m. - Holy Eucharist
Maundy Thursday - April 13 - 7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar
Good Friday - April 14 - 7:30 p.m. - Good Friday Service
Holy Saturday - April 15 - 7:30 p.m. - The Great Vigil of Easter
Easter Day - April 16 - 8:00 and 10:30 a.m. Liturgy of the Resurrection
From the Treasurer
That is a question that I have heard from time to time, and since I am providing this kind of information to your new treasurer, I thought it a good time to educate all parishioners about as well.
Non-profit organizations often use what is called Fund Accounting. This is a process by which monies given for a designated purpose can be held for that specific expenditure. At the end of the year these monies are "fenced" and continue to be set aside into subsequent years and not balanced out like the operating fund.
We have a number of such funds. The cash to cover these "liabilities" is in 2 places - a Merrill-Lynch Money Market (giving us highly liquid "checkbook" access) and a Diocesan trustee account that is invested in a mixture of stocks, mutuals and bonds (a semi-liquid account that requires a few days to tap). They are considered liabilities because if the overseer of each fund wanted to expend its resources, we are liable to ensure that that money has been held and is available on demand.
On our monthly financial statements we run a paper trail of money so designated - we move money to these accounts roughly semi-annually. In past years we have moved less than was designated and in effect have "borrowed from ourselves." This year, the funds hold almost the entire specified amounts. The remaining transfer will be made prior to my departure.
Merrill-Lynch $195,000
TOTF -- $240,000
The following is the breakdown of the existing funds and their purpose.
| Unrestricted Funds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fund | Amount | Purpose |
| Richardson Bequest | 51,666.37 | Not restricted by donor. Vestry has indicated a desire to use this towards new Catechesis space since Carolyn Richardson was a . lover of children and our lona-time nursery care giver. |
| Outreach (L&F) | 2,371.97 | Money collected as needed for the Carpenter's Shelter meals and for the monthly Sandwich ministry. It is tapped only when the purchaser of groceries requests either reimbursement or a credit towards pledge for money expended. (** See Note at end of table **) Many volunteers do not ask for either. When fund gets low we ask for special offerinas to replenish it. |
| Reserve Fund | 17,948.54 | Funds set aside each month ($100) to have a pot of money available for maintenance and repair above and beyond anticipated budaet items. |
| Rector's Discretionary | 5,777.56 | We have a canonical obligation to set aside money each month to Fund provide the Rector the opportunity to help others privately at her discretion. We currently set aside $50 a month from budget and the fund is also augmented by individual donations to the fund and by offerings given for weddings, baptisms, etc. The Rector maintains a separate account for disbursement since the recipients are confidential. We transfer money to that account as needed. |
| Restricted Funds | ||
| Fund | Amount | Purpose |
| Building Fund | 277,719.38 | This is the money that you have generously donated to the capital drives and held for the eventual renovation in Gunnell Hall. This is the net in that account after expenses incurred to date have already been paid. |
| Joel Fund | 965.07 | I am not sure of the genesis of this fund or how it was named, but it was donated many years ago and specified for use for unique and special "one-of-a-kind" outreach projects. Over the years the Vestry has approved use of these funds for such things as sponsoring youth mission trips to third world countries and similar efforts. |
| Sabbatical Fund | 25,764,84 | We set aside $250 a month to collect a pot of money to use for clergy sabbatical. It is used to pay for the clergy who cover during that time and for any tuition or other expenses incurred for continuing education during the sabbatical. The rector's salary continues to be paid from the regular budget for the year. This fund covers the additional expenses during that time. Unused residue is held and converted to "search and call" when a rector departs. Then the coffers are refilled during the 7 years to the new rector's sabbatical. |
| Memorial Fund | 39,188.49 | This is an accumulation of offerings given in memory of parishioners. It can also include smaller estate gifts. It is generally used for more permanent kinds of things that will remain in use as a memorial to the various contributors. Most recently it was used for the new choir seating. It has also been ear-marked by the vestry to supportthe chancel renovation as well as Gunnell Hall. |
| Cemetery Fund | 5,459.42 | This is money donated for the upkeep of the cemetery. It is not used for routine grounds keeping, but was used for the tree removal and for a ground tap survey of unused space. It is also where we hold money used for the plaques for the ash garden rock. Currently there are 2 pre-paid ash garden fees held there as well. The Cemetery Warden can use this fund as needed for these kinds of expenses. |
| Organ Fund | 1,074.87 | This is the balance of what was not used after the major organ fund drive when we needed major repair and reconstruction a few years back. It is not used for routine maintenance but is held for future major repairs. |
| Interest earned by funds | 5,067.23 | The interest on M-L is held here. It can be rolled into the operating funds fund or accumulate as another "reserve" fund - as is the case currently. |
| UCM Fund | Balance expended at end of 2005 | We frequently get checks designated for UCM on Harvest Sundays expended in lieu of donated goods. We hold those here and transmit them to at close of UCM semi-annually. |
| Koinonia Fund | Balance expended at end of 2005 | We frequently get checks designated for Koinonia on Harvest expended Sundays in lieu of donated goods. We hold those here and transmit at close of them to Koinonia semi-annually. |
| Outreach Holding Fund | 274.00 | When money is coming in for Outreach from Auction, Dinner, Fund Bulbs, etc., it is held here until the Outreach Committee designates where it is to be sent. The current balance is a residue from 2005 funds. |
| Custodial Funds | ||
| We do not control the use of these funds - the fund "owner" can call on these at any time and we simply disburse. We are custodians only. | ||
| Youth Group | 675.35 | Money donated or earned by prior youth groups and held for their use. In the past used for mission trip, camp scholarship or just fun events. |
| Altar Guild | 1,177.20 | Money donated for altar guild use - usually saved for special purchases of linens or silver - not for routine expenses like liquid candle wax wafers or wine. |
| Cursillo scholarship | 1,046.67 | Proceeds from Pancake Supper held for scholarships for sending parishioners to Cursillo. |
| Bridge Club | 139.10 | Dues from club members. After door prizes are bought at year end the balance becomes a gift to church for use of Gunnell Hall for 2 sessions. |
| Holding - general | 400.00 | Usually used for short term "parking lot" for money that is designated to be expended soon and for which a separate ongoing fund is not needed. This $400 is from a 2003 fund-raiser and pottery sale for the purchase of acolyte robes. We found the robes for significantly less than expected and this money was not needed for that purpose. The Vestry could divert these funds to other purposes or transfer to another fund. |
| Men's Breakfast Fund | 300.16 | When we had an active group, their offering/dues were held here. They have sent kids to camp and provided home repairs. This is what was remaining when the group disbanded - the vestry can use this at its discretion according to the last few members of the qroup. |
| Cemetery Endowment | 5,000.00 | This was a gift made many years ago that was set up to allow the interest only to be used for a specified time. The proportionate amount of interest was calculated each year and put in the cemetery fund. The time limit is up and this money will be put in the fund and the endowment line item closed. |
Note above about in-kind donations
Another needed clarification was brought to mind by the reference under loaves and fishes to "in-kind" donations. Many people like to "give" things to or "buy" things for the church. They want these tangible (non cash) items to be noted on their contribution statement for tax purposes. It might be useful to understand what happens to those kinds of donations.
They are duly noted on your contribution statement. However, if you specify "apply towards my pledge," you are not, in effect, giving anything additional to the church. When I do the accounting (separate from the noting of donations), if I have to increase a donation to pledged income, I have to show a corresponding decrease someplace else.
Let's use flowers as an example - but it could just as easily be a repair bill, a case of paper towels, or groceries. Six different donors, six different kinds of donations, and six different results:
| Donor | Method | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Susie Sunflower | Buys flowers for altar and does not submit a receipt. | Cost avoidance - church does not pay for flowers for that week. Susie does not have any documentation for her taxes that she gave a gift of flowers to AS-SC. The church does not know for budgeting purposes what the real costs are for flowers - has to assume that a similar number of donations will be made each year and budClets based on prior year actual costs. |
| Daphne Daffodil | Buys flowers for altar and turns in a receipt asking to be reimbursed. | Treasurer cuts a check to Daphne, paid out of Flower Expense line. No implications for her taxes. |
| Candy Carnation | Buys flowers for altar and turns in a receipt marked "apply to my pledge." | Candy's pledged donation account gets increased by the amount of the flower purchase. It shows on her statement as if it had been cash. The treasurer, in the book-keeping software, makes a journal entry for noncash pledged income - because it is not monetary, money is "transferred" from the flower budget to increase the pledged income line. The flowers were still paid for by the church - imagine that we simply gave Candy the money out of the flower account and she placed it in the plate to pay her pledge. Candy has a record for taxes that her pledge was paid. |
| Penelope Peony | Buys flowers for the altar and turns in a receipt marked "donation." | This is pretty much the same as above except that it does not offset her pledge. Penny will get a credit towards "un-pledged" donations and will pay her pledge with cash or check as usual. For the church, however, we will still debit the flower account to be able to increase the un-pledged income line. Penny has a tax record for her pledge and the additional amount above it that was un-pledged. |
| Gladys Gladiola | Buys flowers for the altar and turns in a receipt marked "flower donation." | In this case, Gladys gets her statement credited for a flower donation. The church both increases flower income and debits flower expense. It is a wash. |
| Roberta Rose | Buys flowers for the altar and turns in a receipt marked "for record only." | Roberta gets credit for her donation. The church does nothing more with it. No income goes up (pledged, un-pledged, or flower) and no account gets debited (flower expenses). True cost of flowers skewed like the first example above. |
I wish to thank everyone who offered prayers for my recovery from my two surgeries fqr a badly broken kneecap. I'm not back to myoId self yet, but I am making progress every day. Colin joins me in thanking those who provided meals in the early days oJmy recovery. He has been a "real brick" throughout this so anything to help him has been especially appreciated AS-SC definitely has a wonderful group of people. Fran Carter