May 2012 Finance Committee

Finance Committee report to the 6-18 Church Council Meetng

At May month end:

General Fund giving was $151k vs. $154k in 2011

Expenses were $147k vs. $159k in 2011

The General Fund balance was $14k vs. $8k last year.

We continue to pay our monthly apportionments as the General Fund balance permits. YTD we have paid $14.1k of the $54.6k annual total.

We have several long-standing funds which have had little or no change for at least the past 18 months. We propose to close them and deposit the funds into the General Fund. The are:

Scouting Awards Fund

Mom’s Morning Out

MAC group

Children’s Ministry

Adult Christian Education

We request feedback on this proposal

Respectfully submitted,

Chris Hipp

church Council Minutes May 2012

May 2012 Minutes

Church Council Meeting

May 21, 2012

Attendees: Charlie Yund, Jan Garrison, Liz VonWald, Elaine Johnson, John Jones, Laura Mason, Chris Hipp, John Harbison, Sue Kaiser, Fred Claus, Terri Bellanca, Donna LaVallee, Paul Sipson, Sheila Rader, Mike Fonte, Larry Baird

Charlie Yund opened in prayer followed by the unison reading of the Mission Statement.

 Welcome and Roll Call – attendance sheet was circulated.

God Sightings – The Rainbow in the sky tonight, Saturday at the painting of Historic Trinity with adults and youth, Karen Bellanca’s recovery, Elaine Johnson’s Sunday School class on World Religions.

 April Minutes: Motion to accept by Chris Hipp, seconded by Jan Garrison. Approved.

 Changes to Agenda: None.  Reports did not get added to the website so committees can report.

 New Business:

Seneca Street UMC: Seneca Street UMC is in need of Sponsors for their Sunday Dinners.  Available dates are 7/1; 7/22; 7/29; 8/5; 8/26.  8-10 volunteers are needed to cook and serve approximately 40 - 60 people. They would need to arrive at 2 PM to heat food which we would provide and serve the meal at 3 PM and stay for the worship service at 4:15.

Fred Claus offered to lead the Men’s Group to grill and provide salads on 7/22/2012.

 Victory Garden: No Report. It may be relocated behind the rear parking lot.

Status of Middle School, High & Confirmation Kids:

Confirmation class would be the core for future Senior High Class/Fellowship.  We need better communication to parents and teens so people know when and where the Middle School and High School Groups are meeting.  Momentum meets every Wednesday in the HS Sunday School room.  Every other Friday is a fun night.

Pastor Larry mentioned that he is not getting names of visitors from the office.

Suggestion was made to have greeters wear nametags.  Comment was made that we need to be friendly but not overpower visitors.

 Finance Committee: Chris Hipp

Refund from NYS Unemployment Compensation was received. Easter offering was approximately $2700.  Our apportionment is $4700 and we have been making monthly payments.

 SPRC: Donna LaVallee

Rob Dean will be ordained at UNY Annual Conference on June 6^th.  Donna was contacted by Mike Smith to ask if we would present Rob with a stole.  The stole has been purchased and will be blessed this Sunday in Worship.

Dennis was reviewed last month and Joe Martino will be reviewed next month at his 6 month hire date.  Joe will take over the Direction of the Bell Choir from Jan Peters.  His salary will be increased accordingly.  Wendy McCafferty will be reviewed in August.

Charlie spoke on FICA withholding explaining that UMC pastors are self employed as contractors.  They pay 8% as employees. 7.65% is employers portion.  Re: Nate, we paid for his portion of FICA.  As a pastor, he has to pay 7.65% that we used to pay him.  Charlie made a motion that we add 7.65% into his base salary.  That would raise his base salary from $21,000 to 22,600 as an adjustment for FICA and Medicare.  Seconded by Terri Bellanca.  Approved unanimously.

 Calendar of Events:

Annual Conference May 31- June 2 at Syracuse ONCenter. Larry, John Harbison and Sheila will attend.

Monday, June 11: Being Your Best.  This is an Accountability Group that provides comprehensive spiritual growth, personal wellness, stress relieve, and sharing with others led by Tom DeLoughry.

June 2^nd Prayer Service for All Island Churches at 2 PM in TUMC Sanctuary. TUMC is assigned June 8^th for 24 hour prayer coverage.  Sign up sheet is in the Fellowship Hall.

July 4^th VBS Float in GI Parade.  There will be a Shipwrecked Theme to the float and VBS Fliers will be passed out for Operation OverBoard VBS.  In the evening, hot dogs, chips and pop will be served at Fireworks viewing in front of Historic Trinity.  VBS Registration will take place.

Everybody Family Camp will not be held this year as we step back this year and revitalize it for the future.  Fred Claus proposed a Weekend Work Camp to help close Camp Findley.

Liz VonWald reported that there will be a Family Night at the end of August for parents to meet the Sunday School Teachers and see the new curriculum.  It was suggested to include parents of Middle and High School Students.

September 9^th will be Rally Day.

 October 12-13^th  - TUMC Women’s Retreat at Camp Asbury

 October 20^th – Taste of Trinity.  This is a Fundraiser with Food Booths and a Basket Auction. Trunk Or Treat will run in conjunction with this event.

 October 21^st Laity Sunday

 December 2^nd One Starry Night Intergenerational Outreach Event 2-5 PM

 Worship Format: Charlie Yund

Charlie reviewed a chart of various Worship Schedule Options with the Pros and Cons. 

Options include:

No Change

Drop or Add Services; Blended Service; Drop 8 AM Service

Revise Service Times: 8 AM, 9 AM Contemporary, 10:30 traditional. Contemporary currently has attendance of 50-55.  Discussion Ensued.

Larry, as Senior Pastor, ultimately has the final decision, church council is advisory only.

Charlie encouraged members to stay positive in your dialogue and situations.

 Pastors Comments:

 Larry appreciates the support that he has recieved and the staff appreciates the support.  We have a critical mass of caring people at TUMC.  He will recommend that we organize fewer committees and more teams that are focused on ministry. There is a strong, growing sense of mission & ministry.

Adjournment:

Fred Claus moved that the meeting be adjourned.  Larry closed in prayer.

 Respectfully Submitted,

Sheila Rader

Sheila Rader

May 2012 Prayer Ministry Report

THE PRAYER PLACE – Christian Community of Grand Island Joins in Prayer for NY State

“If my people…will humble themselves and pray…I will heal their land” II Chronicles 7:14

Community Leaders, those who serve on the front lines and Pray-ers from GI Churches gathered at Trinity on June 2^nd in a community-wide Prayer Service to join in the 2012 “OneHeartCry” for our beloved State.   This rather unique effort to blanket the state with 24/7 prayer during the year has been a vision given to Pastor Roger Brown and the Adirondack House of Prayer.  Communities were also encouraged to gather for prayer.

The organizer’s efforts created a website, adk.hop.com, where many churches and ministries could sign up and participate in prayer to bring greater good to an often challenging and complex state in which to live. Our local Ministerium backed the event.

Grand Island Supervisor, Mary Cooke,  Robert Christmann, Superintendant of the GI Schools and several pastors and church and community leaders represented the 7 areas for which other leaders prayed: Government, Families, Churches&Ministries, Education, Media/Arts/Entertainment; Military/Police/Fire/Security, Business. 
Those participating from Trinity were Rev. Paul Robinson, (Pastors Baird and Lange at Annual Conference) Mark Von Wald, Co-Director of Children’s Ministries; Nancy Hayes, Bd. Member from Neighbor’s Foundation; Dave Cole, representing Military/Fire/ Police/ Security; Rev. Sue Kaiser, Representing Churches & Ministries; Trinity Women’s Ensemble: Jane Faruga, Chris Sipson, Kathy DeGlopper, Joan Kinston, Libby Ponton, Elaine Johnson, Linda Yund.  Bobbie Cap accompanied and Barb Snyder was on the soundboard. Musical interludes and hymns helped set the spiritual tone of the service. About 50 attended and felt it an uplifting experience …one to be repeated.  All churches had been invited to participate; seven joined the week-long, 24/7 prayer vigils, June3-9. 

At Trinity our 24 Hr. Prayer Vigil, June 8^th, had 51 persons signed up to pray in ½ hour increments…sometimes more than one in a given time slot. Friends of Robinsons in France and Germany and also Tom Burkman and a friend in Osaka Japan helped fill the nighttime hours… In the midst of that day we shared in a funeral service for Marty Lewis as well and felt God’s presence close as we knew people were also praying for Trinity and our life together, many from their homes.

These efforts were also to bring greater unity within the body of Christ on Grand Island as it represents a critical location in the corner of NY State. GI also has significant prayer history to build on. Deep Thanks To All Who Participated!  Sue  Kaiser, Prayer Coordinator    

May 2012 Youth Report

Youth Ministry

The youth ministry at Trinity is off to a good start. Last fall the ministry was effectively confined to Sunday School and workcamp. This year has seen the births of Momentum and Friday Night Fellowship. Momentum is a weeknight small group which has grown from 2 kids when we launched to averaging 6-8 kids each week and deepened from a fun fellowship time into a more substantial time for spiritual growth. Friday Night Fellowship is a bi-weekly (typically) gathering where we hang out, have fun, and build relationships; we just started it during May but have had as many as 15 kids (at the most recent one)- including many of this year's 15 confirmands (all of whom we're working to keep connected) and kids from outside our Trinity family. Our Sunday School classes were ably lead and I'd like to thank all who worked to make that happen. Our Middle School class experienced some growth but our High School class stayed pretty consistent and we are looking forward to investing more to develop those vital ministries in the fall. In the meantime we have a busy summer schedule ahead, the highlights of which are included below:

- Momentum and Friday Night Fellowship will continue throughout the summer.

- Stock Sale- now through July 8th!
- June 24th: Workcamp Fundraiser Luncheon (following 10:30 services).
- July 1st-2nd: Youth Lock-In- there will be snacks, games, and decorating for VBS.

- July 8th-14th: Buffalo Breakout- our summer missions project.

- July 20th: Stockholders Meeting- an evening of food, fun, and stories from Buffalo Breakout.

- August 17th-18th: FM 419- music, fun, and spiritual development put on by the Billy Graham Association.

Thank you all for your continual support!
Nate

May 2012 Report

This past June 10^th we did our first ever 5^th grade graduation. This ceremony has shown the end our 9am Sunday school hour until fall and it also showcased our 5^th graders who are now in the youth group. As you saw we actually allowed the kids participate in many areas of the service. We thought it went fairly well and it gave us a good blue print for next year graduation. Just to be perfectly clear we will still behaving kidzone and Junior kidzone all summer long, just our 9am hour will be on hold until fall.

We are currently working on many other events for late summer and fall, but have none to report now because our main focus right now is VBS. We are praying for God’s continued favor on all we do and are expecting great things to report. We feel we can build off of last year’s momentum and align our program for continued growth. God has good things in store for our children program and we are happy to be a part of it.

 “Operation Overboard” Vacation Bible School is from Sunday July 8^th-Thursday July 12^th from 6pm-8:30pm. Preparation Meetings will be held at the church every Thursday between now and then from 5:45pm-7:45pm. This year’s VBS will be bigger and better than last year.We will have a touch tank for kids from the Niagara Aquarium as well many other cool things for the kids. Please pray for good attendance and spiritual awakening in the kids lives.

Mark and Liz VonWald

May 2012 Worship Report

The "old" worship committee has been dissolved. Larry is replacing it with a "Worship Team" that will take a more active role in the planning of special worship services throughout the year. The first will be the Rally Day service.

Membership is not yet completely established, but a meeting is planned for Sunday, June 24th at 11:50 a.m.