The Trustees are charged with the physical assets of the church, from the basement to the roof and the outside grounds.

Thanks of the generosity of the members of this church we have been able to complete the following in the last 4 years:

• New Metal roof $90,000
• New sanctuary A/C $34,000
• New Energy efficient windows: $28,000
• Reseal and strip the parking lot: $7,000
• New Heating Boiler: $17,000
• Thanks to the PW for the kitchen update: $21,000
• We have just finished the last of the window updates for a cost of $2,700
• Repair of one of the fellowship hall A/C units: $1,300
• New concrete in front of church out side the sanctuary doors: $2,000

Our wish list for the future is: new security cameras for the church, additional insulation in attic above day care, second new a/c unit for the fellowship hall, and the repaving of the east parking lot estimated to be $40,000.

Trustees are in addition to myself, Ken Kwantes, Bob Anderson, Frank Jessop and Rhonda Kimball.  If you have any questions or notice any problems, please talk to one of the trustees about it.

The membership committee is planning a float trip for August 18.  We will probably float the Big Piney, which should have enough water.  The outfitter has both canoes and rafts.  If you are interested, please contact Jonathan Kimball for more details.

The Stewardship & Finance committee has two closely related roles.  During most of the year, our only task is to monitor income and expenses and identify any areas of concern.  Our financial statements are all audited by Verkamp & Malone, who generate a long report that our treasurer, Barbara Ford, uses to compare cash flow against our budget.  Then each fall, we organize a stewardship campaign that emphasizes giving as an expression of our relationship with God and His work in the world.  After the fall campaign, we assemble a budget that the Session reviews and approves.

As you know, we are going through a transition now.  I would like to personally thank Barb for stepping up to help.  Eventually our new office manager will take over the day-to-day tasks, and our committee will go back to its oversight role.  I would also like to make it clear that our financial information is readily available to anyone who is interested.  Barb’s reports are posted in the hallway, and anyone on the committee—myself, Ray Fox, Sharlene Morgan, Mary Williams, or Barb—should be able to answer most of your questions.  The exception is that any information about individual giving is known only to Barb and the office manager, and that’s only for tracking purposes.  Thank you.

(Announcement made July 15 by Jonathan Kimball)

Worship and Music
Minute for Session,
May 20, 2012

The job of the worship and music committee is fairly simple… so simple that much of it is invisible to the congregation. Indeed, over the years, many committee tasks have been adopted by groups such as the ushers, or by individuals and even by the church staff. On behalf of us all, we express great gratitude to them… As a committee, one of our ongoing jobscontinues to be trying to find out who does what.

To make a long story shorter, the Worship and Music Committee supports the Pastor and Choir as they lead the congregation in worship every Sunday.

Most of the time what we do are some of the quiet week to week routine tasks that support worship services.

– We try to make sure there is someone to be worship leader every Sunday.

– We try to make sure there are elders to serve communion on the first Sunday of the month, and on other occasions when the Lord’s Supper is celebrated.

– We prepare the Communion meal.

– We organize and prepare special services on special days such as Ash Wednesday. Sometimes that involves preparing and serving a regular meal.

Most of these tasks involve recruiting people. To do these tasks regularly and weekly we need more people to help.

We would like more people to join us on the committee, but you do not have to be on the committee to help.

Talk to us, ask us to tell you more about what we do. Call us or the church office and say you’d like to help.

We are
Vashy Rahaman
Shirley Andrews
Jean Day
and Dixie Finley

We are now collecting one of our special offerings as we approach Pentecost on May 27.  Ten percent of the Pentecost Offering goes to child advocacy. Twenty-five percent goes to ministries with youth. Another 25 percent goes to Young Adult Volunteers, and 40 percent can be kept by our congregation for ministries that help children in our community. With each $50.00 we receive for the Pentecost Offering we will have the children place a flame on the branches. Our wish is that our congregation will be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to help children at risk here in Rolla and around the world.

(Summary by Frank Jessop)

Previously I spoke on how we are the salt of the earth. We season, we preserve, we facilitate change and we help others get unstuck.  Today think about us as the branches. Christ said, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” This image shows how we are connected to Jesus, physically. We live, because he lives, we thrive in Him, and we bear fruit in Him.

Our choir today will sing, “His leaves turn outward, reaching out in welcome.” We are those leaves and our Membership committee wants first of all to welcome all visitors with the love of Christ. Secondly we want to follow through with return visitors. We do this through cards, calls, letters, and a gift bag. Thirdly our committee wants to integrate new and old members together in fellowship, much as the old fellowship committee did.  The first project was to produce the picture directory so we could get to know faces and names. We hope to continue this integration with monthly meals with programming, for example, the Game nights, Easter Breakfast, Church  picnic and gatherings such as the Joe Senne Farewell on May 27^th. Finally our committee wants to reach out into the community through programs of building use such as AA, Boy Scouts, and our Preschool. Other programs such as the Block party, Take a Child Outdoors, and special advertised services reach out to invite the community to engage in the life of Christ with our Church.  I have spoken with the Drama Force executive and they will be performing a Sunday evening event here, hopefully in the fall to which we will invite the public.

The active members of the membership committee include myself, Jonathan Kimball, and Britt Whitaker. Please consider joining this committee because we have much work to do to grow as the branches of Christ the Vine.

(Announcement made 5/13/2012 by Mary Kwantes)

First Presbyterian Church has three children’s and two adult’s Sunday School classes that meet after worship each Sunday. The children’s classes are younger elementary (children 4 – 1st grade), older elementary, and youth. The Journey Class is an ongoing adult class that meets for discussion in the classroom off of fellowship hall. Another topic-based adult class meets in the Saddler Lounge and discusses a variety of issues.

We will be holding a Vacation Bible School titled “Sonshine” this summer. It will be held Sunday June 3 – Thursday June 7 in the evening. A light snack will be provided.

(Announced on 4/22/12 by Susan Murray, chair)

The Trustee committee is charged with the care of the physical assets that are owned by the church. The floor to the roof and everything in between. In the last few years because of the generosity of the congregation over $200,000 has been raised and spent for updating and improving our church. Some these items include a new metal roof, new master air conditioner, new heating boiler, new energy efficient windows and small improvements to many to mention. The committee is comprised of Ward Merrell, chair, Frank Jessop, Bob Anderson, Rhonda Kimball, Ken Kwantes and Bruce Bennett. Please let any of us know of any questions or concerns.

(Announcement made 4/29/12 by Ward Merrell)

The session has the responsibility to provide for the administration of the programs of the church, including employment of ordained and non-ordained staff.  In our church, we have a 5-member committee, including 3 session members and 2 from the congregation at large.  Our duties include:

• Recommending personnel policies to the session.
• Presenting staff position descriptions and recommending changes to those job descriptions to the session as needed.
• Acting as a support group for the pastor and staff.
• Reviewing and recommending staff compensation packages to session.
• Conferring with the pastor on any important issues of concern.

(Transcript of announcement made by Bob May, Chair, on 4/15)