Sounds of Zion
2006 Annual Update from Stewardship and Finance Ministry Team
Zion United Methodist Church exists to celebrate God’s grace and to witness for Jesus Christ. As you worship, open your heart, God has a word for you today.
What a challenging year financially at Zion United Methodist Church.- Starting January with shortfall in the building debt reserve fund to make the full payments on the building debt.
- February we had a Miracle Sunday and what a Miracle it was for Zion UMC. With pledges and contributions of $105,000.00. What a Highlight, What a Blessing and the Miracles kept happening all year.
- March and April brought a balance 2006 budget along with staff changes, with Becky Holten leaving and a new office manager (Liz) being hired to start in June.
- May, June, July and August the giving was down from 2005, but we also have less members, attending services.
- Sept and October the fall Stewardship campaign was planned with changes, the building fund would now become part of the General Operating budget ($36,000 annually)
- November & December, The fall Stewardship campaign not looking real promising, but the commitments are made and the budget was presented with a $7,000 short fall which was agreed upon by Administration board too place it as a Faith pledge and approve the 2007 Budget.
- December brought a balloon payment on the Building debt which was refinance at United Valley Bank at 7.75% interest on $229,364.00.
- Remember, I stated the Miracle keep happening at Zion, December was the largest Gift Giving month, Zion finished 2006 with all bills and apportionments paid in full and money in the bank. “Praise be to God”!!
I want to thank each one of you for your continuous support with your prayer, gifts and service to Zion UMC. I want to especially thank the Stewardship & Finance Team, Pastor Cliff, Cathy Perry, Helen Elden, Kenn Foltz, Barry Medd, Kevin & Vi Olson, Ellen Myrick, and Dale Jensen. This team has worked hard with their Hearts & Soul and Faith to best manage Zion’s finances to work toward God’s service. I’m so Blessed to be part of this group and now it’s time for new leadership to get involved.
God Bless each of you and Zion United Methodist Church
Roger Parkinson
From the Parish Nurse
An Ounce of Prevention
A recent government study showed that more than half of all Americans do not receive many of the important preventive services they need-that is, immunizations, screening tests for early detection of disease, and education about healthy habits and injury prevention. Why not?
Many Americans-44 million-have no health insurance.
Many people do not get continuity of care. They may have to switch doctors as they switch from one insurer to another, making it hard to keep track of what services they've had.
Patients may not insist on getting preventive services. They may be confused about which tests to ask for. They may not know that Medicare (and some other insurance plans) covers some of the pricier items, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, as well as the cheaper ones. They may not know that prevention is usually the most economical form of medicine-well worth budgeting for, even if insurance doesn't cover it.
With tests for some cancers, there's the embarrassment factor. Some people may dread being tested for colon, prostate, or breast cancer and be relieved if the doctor fails to mention it. Some people would rather not know.
Both doctors and patients may be confused by contradictory recommendations. What should a medical checkup consist of? Does everybody need an annual physical? Should all men get a PSA test? At what age should a woman start having mammograms? (See below for answers to such questions.)
Doctors may fail to ask patients about smoking and drinking, not to mention exercise habits and diet. Some HMOs don't encourage their doctors to counsel people. Some doctors think their job is to treat illness, not prevent it.
The watchword among insurers now is cost containment. Yet medical technologies and consumer demand for services are expanding daily. Thus, we all have to make choices. Will patients in a big HMO get more benefit from an additional MRI machine or from having their doctors take time to counsel them about exercise and a hearthealthy diet? The new MRI machine will be easier to justify, in terms of immediate, measurable benefits.
How about that annual physical?
It used to seem simple: people were advised to undergo a standardized annual or biannual "complete physical." But in the 1980s, at the request of the government, an independent committee of physicians known as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reviewed all evidence and evaluated the benefits and drawbacks of common screening tests and came up with recommendations. (A similar group, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care, does the same work in Canada.) That head-to-toe physical exam has now been discarded for seemingly healthy people, since it yields too few benefits for its cost. Over the long run, it doesn't pay off in terms of better health and longer life.Some tests that used to be routinely done, such as chest X-rays, electrocardiograms (EKGs), urine tests, and complete blood counts, are now reserved for people with symptoms or risk factors. In other words, they are not general "screening" tests and are not done routinely in everyone (and as such are not covered in this article).
The U.S. and Canadian Task Forces continue to update and reevaluate their advice, reviewing thousands of studies every year and consulting hundreds of scientific reviewers.
Healthcare: your role
You are responsible, in large part, for managing your own preventive care. Your primary-care practitioner should be your partner. If you need any of the tests listed on the chart, ask about them. You should, if possible, have a copy of your test results and records.There are other important preventive measures not listed on our chart-the kind of commonsense steps that could save millions of medical dollars and prevent injury, illness, disability, and premature death. Here's a checklist:
Don't smoke, and avoid secondhand smoke.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Every day can be a big factor in weight control and in staying healthy.
Choose a diet low in animal fat and sodium, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. Eat at least two servings of fish a week.
Keep alcohol consumption moderate: no more than one drink daily for a woman, two drinks for a man. If you are a heavy drinker, seek counseling, and cut back or quit.
Do self-exams of your breasts or testes, as well as skin.
Fasten seat belts, see that kids ride in proper restraints, and obey the law. Drive sober and defensively.
Brush and floss to prevent dental disease.
Medical experts may disagree about a lot of things, but they all agree that good health depends on improved access to and increased use of preventive services.
A test you don't need
Increasing numbers of readers ask us for the lowdown on the so-called full-body CT scan -- a flourishing industry these days. it has even been featured on Oprah. Symptomless people are signing up for these tests-not covered by medical insurance-at a cost of about $1,000. For most people, results are nil, unless you count a commodity called "peace of mind." But peace of mind is really not something a full-body scan can deliver. And if it could, how often would you have to get one?According to the American College of Radiology, the full-body scan is not the right way to screen for cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, or lung -- at least not without follow-up tests. It cannot spot high blood pressure or diabetes. The American Cancer Society discourages it as a waste of money, and a poor substitute for the tests listed below.
Furthermore, if the scan does find anything suspicious, you may simply be subjected to more (sometimes invasive) tests-and it may well turn out to be a false alarm. Instead of peace of mind, you get anxiety.
Finally, the FDA worries about needless exposure to radiation from a test that's unlikely to do you any good.
Someday there may be one magic test that will accurately detect anything and everything. But the full-body scan is definitely not it.
Preventitive Services for Healthy Adults
These are the major screening tests (that is, routine tests for people without symptoms) and adult immunizations. Our advice is based largely on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Most HMOs and Medicare cover these services; fewer traditional insurers pay for them. Infants, children, and pregnant women need other kinds of preventive care not described here.Blood pressure measurement (to detect hypertension)
Who needs: All adults.How often: Once every 2 years for those with normal blood pressure.
Comments: More frequent monitoring for those with readings of 130185 or higher. See Wellness Letter, May 1999.
Cholesterol measurement
Who needs: All adults.How often: Once every 5 years. More often if total or LDL ("bad") cholesterol is high, HDL ("good") is low, and/or you have risk factors.
Comments: Those at high risk for heart disease need medical advice about life-style changes and possibly drug therapy. See Wellness Letter, August 2001.
Pap smear (for early detection of cervical cancer)
Who needs: All women with a cervix, starting at age 18, or earlier if sexually active.How often: If 3 annual tests are normal, then once every 3 years. More often if you smoke or have multiple sex partners or other risk factors.
Comments: Some experts advise that women who have never had an abnormal result can stop being screened after age 65.
Breast cancer screening (mammography)
Who needs: All women 50 and over; those 40-49 should discuss risk factors with a doctor. See Wellness Letter, August 2000.How often: Annually. Medicare reimburses for it.
Comments: Clinical breast exams are also important-consult your doctor.
Colorectal cancer screening (fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy)
Who needs: Everyone 50 and over; earlier for those at high risk.How often: Occult blood test annually; sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or colonoscopy every 10 years.
Comments: Digital rectal exam and X-ray with barium enema may also be done. Medicare now pays for colonoscopy. See Wellness Letter, December 2000.
Prostate cancer screening (prostate specific antigen, or PSA, test; and digital rectal exam, or DRE)
Who needs: Blacks and men with family history, DRE and PSA starting at age 40. For others, ORE, and possibly PSA, starting at 50.How often: DRE annually; PSA on professional advice.
Comments: Usefulness of PSA screening for all men remains controversial. See Wellness Letter, November 2000.
Diabetes screening (fasting blood glucose test)
Who needs: Everyone 45 and older; earlier for those at high risk.How often: Every 3 years.
Comments: Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, obese people, and those with a strong family history need more frequent screening, starting at age 30. See Wellness Letter, October 1997.
Thyroid disease screening
Who needs: Women 50 and over; those with high cholesterol or family history of thyroid disease.How often: On professional advice.
Comments: Routine screening remains controversial. Talk to your doctor about risk factors. See Wellness Letter, June 2000.
Chlamydia screening
Who needs: Women 25 and younger, if sexually active.How often: Annually, or more often.
Comments: Men and women of any age who are at risk for STDs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and H1V) should be tested. See Wellness Letter, October 1998.
Glaucoma screening
Who needs: People at high risk: those over 65, very nearsighted, or diabetic; blacks over 40; those with sleep apnea or family history of glaucoma.How often: On professional advice of eye specialist.
Comments: Many eye specialists advise screening all adults every 35 years, starting at age 39. See Wellness Letter, September 2000.
Dental checkup
Who needs: All adults.How often: Every 6 months, or on professional advice.
Comments: Should include cleaning and exam for oral cancer.
Tetanusldiphtheria booster
Who needs: All adults.How often: Every 10 years.
Comments: People over 50 are least likely to be adequately immunized.
Influenza vaccine
Who needs: Everyone 50 and over, people with lung or heart disease or cancer, and others at high risk.How often: Annually, in autumn.
Comments: Even healthy younger adults can benefit and should consider getting the shot.
Pneumococcal vaccine
Who needs: Everyone 65 and over, and others at high risk for complications.How often: At least once.
Comments: Effective against most strains of pneumococcal pneumonia; lasts at least 5-10 years.
Rubella vaccine
Who needs: All women of childbearing age.How often: Once.
Comments: Avoid during pregnancy.
Hepatitis B vaccine
Who needs: All young adults, as well as adults at high risk.How often: On professional advice.
Comments: All newborns should be vaccinated.
Chickenpox vaccine
Who needs: Anyone who has never had chickenpox.How often: Once. But above age 13 it requires two shots.
Comments: Not recommended for pregnant women or those with compromised immunity.
THE STATE OF ZION
Each year we are blasted with “The State Of” addresses. The President gives the State of the Union Address, the Governor the State of the State, our Mayor even provides us with the State of the City address. What about the State of Zion.While I don’t come down the isle with lots of fanfare, with cameras and reporters lining the outside walls, or dignitaries everywhere, the “State” is as important at Zion as anywhere, maybe more important.
I am happy to report that the “State of Zion” is strong. We are coming off of a year when we made great strides in many areas and moving into an era of looking inward to see how was as a church can be even better at meeting the needs of or members and friends.
The year began with a struggle to make the budget work and a deficit from the previous year with our conference apportionments partially unpaid. As we moved into our plan for Miracle Sunday, there was much apprehension about the outcome and our future. During that process we were informed by Becky that she was answering a new call from God to challenge herself with a new position with the Dakotas Conference. I’m sure I was not alone in wondering how we were going to get through the next weeks and months with all that was before us.
During this time there were groups coming together on a regular basis for various activities. Some were reading books about religion and faith. Others were meeting as part of the ministry organization of our church. Groups that were meeting had been together varying amounts of time from several years to just a few weeks or months. I have been told by some that while they were meeting to fulfill a need for Zion, that they were also gaining a social relationship through the time together with others.
Miracle Sunday was promoted as a time to look forward to the future of Zion. The organizers discussed at great length what the goal for the event should be. Some thought it should be realistic, others suggest a stretch. While it was difficult to agree, in the end I am convinced that God gave us a goal and it was a realistic one. On Miracle Sunday our goal of $100,000 was exceeded and we were very proud of what had happened.
Other ministries continue to occur at Zion while new ones seem to pop up all the time. The leadership of our church continues to amaze me with their thoughtfulness and faith as they plan and go about the work of the church.
Zion is entering a period of looking within ourselves in a process called Natural Church Development. Some of you have participated in part of this initiative already. Over time each of us will become more familiar with the process and expectations of the effort.
I am happy to report that the “State of Zion” is strong. Our conference apportionments were paid in full for the first time in several years. Small groups continue, and more are forming to meet, learn, participate and socialize in the name of God.
I invite and encourage each of you to get involved in whatever area of Zion interests you. If you have ideas that aren’t currently offered at Zion please bring that forward.
Thanks for being involved in the exciting “State of Zion”.
Barry Medd
Chairman,
Administrative Council
Worship In Peace!
A Monthly Minute of Reading…. A Lifetime of Worship
Laurie Guy, Worship Chair
Be Still and Know that I am God ~ Psalm 46:10
Take a journey with me…. You’ve been in the garden for three hours… toiled, sweated and are ready for a nice hot shower. You step into the shower and just begin relaxing when… you hear…. “MOM!” You remain quiet for just a moment. Maybe they won’t find you… Maybe they are using their selected hearing and won’t hear the shower running…. Maybe they will forget what they wanted to ask. But no, not this time.
They know exactly where you are and begin knocking. You sigh and step out of the shower and dry off. Another important question or problem to solve, but the timing is wrong. When will you find the peace you need just to complete a needed shower?
Many of us can relate to this story. When my mom took a bath, we always needed her (and it was ALWAYS an emergency). We laugh about this now.
Think about the feelings that connect with this story. Depending on your mood, there can be humor, laughter, frustration and even anger. Some of us resent having our showers interrupted. Others might feel a bit “put out,” but go on with life. And some of us look back and long to hear the word, “Mom.”
Worship is like this. When we enter the Sanctuary of God, we need to be mindful of the feelings of others. We all attend worship for different reasons.
Some enter the worship experience sharing joys and embracing God with their voices. They are overflowing with opportunities to share, connect and interact. The Sanctuary experience is a social arena for them where the business of the church is shared through words and verbal responses.
Some come into the Sanctuary to reflect. They pause for a moment to listen to the music being played or react to things around them. They organize their hymns and bible passages; they watch the babies and children. They smile and say hello to visitors or hug their neighbor.
Others come into Zion’s Sanctuary in reverence. They are quiet, thoughtful and wish to meditate. In our busy and active world, they seek God in silence.
Where does Peace lie in these different ways of worshipping? Think about the shower. Is this a Sanctuary for you? Is this a place to relax, reflect and be quiet? Is it a place of Peace?
Remember this statement? Worship is not so much about us as it is about God. Put it into perspective with the word, Peace. God doesn’t expect us to spend time thinking about this word, he wants you to feel it, apply it to your life and respond. This means connecting with the word Peace and understanding how differently people need to enter the Sanctuary experience.
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