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MAY 2009
Roof project status report:
The roof project is done. Final accounting summarizes as follows:
Total construction costs: |
$138,894.91 |
Signed contract costs: |
$135,000.00 |
Cost over-run: |
($3,894.91) |
Due to the nature of re-modeling a building as old ours and the possibilities of lots of unknown conditions, going over budget by only 3% is quite good. And everyone I think is quite pleased with the results. Due to our faithful giving and the finance committee's watchcare, the monies were available to pay the difference. Unfortunately there is no money left in the contingency fund, so no other projects that were discussed will be able to be done at this time.
The status of several of the trustee's special projects that were requested and funded in this year's budget are evident around the church:
1. |
3 new, light-weight tables were purchased for the social hall. These made the set-up for the women's breakfast easier on the crew as well it will for our community suppers. |
2. |
Painting of the hallways, entry, and the fellowship hall was accomplished by the hard work of many of our members. A huge thank you to all the volunteers. |
3. |
Shiny clean floors in the hallways, entry, and fellowship hall add the final touch to the sprucing up of the facility. The fun part will be to keep them looking shiny and clean. So do your part and clean-up those messes you see. |
The next big work day coming up will be on Saturday, May 9th from 8am till noon as we perform our annual spring yard clean-up. We will be purchasing several cubic yards of topsoil to spread around the yard to fill in the low spots and ruts. There is also the usual sweeping of the lot, prepping the garden and there is also some exterior painting to be done, if anyone has a mind to wield a brush and roller again.
Several of the other special trustee projects are going on hold for a time until the finances are available to fund them.One of the immediate projects will be the repair/replacement of both outer bulkhead doors. We are working on the funding and finding a time to do the work.
Thanks again to everyone who has volunteered in someway to help accomplish these tasks.
As always, if you should find something that needs fixin', make sure you let one of the trustees know so that we can take care of it. Remember, this is your house also. Let's take great care of it - for we have been entrusted with a great gift
Jim Haag
A Time to Gird the Loins!:
The first quarter of 2009 is behind us and the financial challenge has grown larger as we look at the increasing deficits in the Program & Ministry and Fuel Funds. As noted earlier, some of this deficit was expected, but we had hoped that we would be able to contain it. The next three months will be critical in this effort. We will continue to monitor costs very closely, but we need everyone to give as generously as they can to help put these deficits behind us. Planned fund-raising activities should be a big help. God is on our side, but we must do our part. We can do it!
We received what we expect to be the final billing for the roof construction project and that will pretty much use up that fund. We will then have the monthly loan payments as an on-going financial obligation and our roof fund pledge income should cover those.
Fund balances at the end of March, 2009, are as follows:
Program & Ministry |
Deficit $3,592.25) |
Fuel Fund |
Deficit $614.06) |
Shared Expense Fund |
$963.89 |
Mission & Outreach |
$699.15 |
Memorial Fund |
$5,436.15 |
Building/Renovation Fund |
$10,643.15 |
General Contingency Reserves |
$1000.00 |
P&M Contingency Reserve |
$3,409.71 |
Trustee’s Bequests |
$4,008.75 |
Dave Howe
The Education Committee met on Sunday April 26 following the service.
Weekly adult classes, led by Dave Howe, continue to have lively meetings each Sunday from 9:15 to 10:00 and new participants are always welcome.
The children's class continues to meet during service. Fun activities and games that teach bible stories and Christian values are always on the agenda.
Pastor Roberta is planning a membership class for this spring. Anyone interested should contact her following service, by calling her on her cell phone or by email.
Pastor Roberta is also interested in leading a short term adult class during the day. Anyone interested in participating in a group should contact her with their ideas
You can contact me with any ideas or suggestions on education programs at VUMC. I can be reached by email or by telephone.
Kathy Jo Winters
FILL THE PANTRY!
Many thanks to all who donated items during the month of April to help fill the shelves at Tri-Town Pantry. A special thanks to the Morgans for delivering the items.
MAY - Baby month::
During this month of May, we will be asking for items for babies---clothing (NEW), personal care items such as lotions and powders; diapers, formula, baby food.
Where do your mission dollars go?
Solar cookers - Yes, solar cookers - those foil-lined cardboard boxes you may think are just for camping out - are saving lives and creating income in many areas of the world. In refugee camps in Iridimi, Touloum, and Oure Cassoni where refugees from the genocide in Darfur are now living, firewood is scarce and must be searched for outside of the camps were there is no protection. Women and girls have been beaten and raped at an alarming rate. A solar cooker uses no firewood and converts sunlight into heat which cooks food and can heat water to a safe temperature to kill many of the organisms which cause illness and death. The Solar Cooker Project not only serves to protect women, but also provides them with income opportunities through manufacturing solar cookers, training others to use the cookers, and making carrying bags to increase the cookers' life. --There is more information available on this project on the tables in the Fellowship hall or by going to the website www.solarcookerproject.org.
UMCOR relief - flooding in ND:
The people and communities in the Fargo, North Dakota area have been devastated by repeated flooding of the Red River and its tributaries - not once but several times this spring. This flooding has occurred during freezing temperatures which made sandbagging exceptionally difficult. There were also tornadoes to contend with at the same time.
Red Bird Mission School:
The Red Bird Mission School is located in southeastern Kentucky. The school serves young people who live in three counties, Clay, Bell and Leslie. It is the only Christian school in this area. The mission of Red Bird School is to provide a quality education in a Christian environment for all students from preschool through twelfth grade.
UMCOR Health Kits - we will be sending assembled kits to annual conference at the beginning of June - check the collection boxes in the Jerusalem room to see which items are needed to complete more kits.
Good Friday Walk:
David Howe and Bob Mattern ably represented VUMC on this annual walk. If you have not already done so, please honor any pledges you may have made in their support. A share of the proceeds from this walk goes to support the Tri-town Shelter.
Coming event:
A Breakfast Buffet will be held on Saturday, May 16th from 6AM-10AM
Proceeds from this event will be used to send local youth to summer camps - Summer Highlights camp and Camp Newhoca - through Vernon Parks and Recreation.
Flyers are available - please pass them out and post them where you can.
Red Cross Blood Drives:
For an appointment to donate, call 1/800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543)
More than 600 blood donations are needed EVERY DAY in Connecticut!
The next meeting of the Mission & Outreach committee will be Thursday, May 14, at 7PM at VUMC. These meetings are open to everyone.
Lydia Dingle
Tag/Bake sale on Saturday, April 25th: Lots of sunshine - lots of delicious baked items---a wide selection of "treasures" --- lots of hours of hard work by bakers and sorters and pricers and table sitters. The Result: over $500!!!!! All of those who contributed time and/or items --- we salute you.
Mission garden:
We are hoping to put in our vegetable garden (with a few flowers as well) by the end of the month. That means we will be looking for help with maintaining the garden over the summer. If you are able to give an hour or so, here and there, it will be appreciated.
May 3 |
4th Sunday of Easter |
Acts 4:5-12 |
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Psalm 23 (UMH 754 or 137) |
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1 John 3:16-24 |
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John 10:11-18 |
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May 10 |
5th Sunday of Easter |
Acts 8:26-40 |
Psalm 22:25-31 (UMH 752) |
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1 John 4:7-21 |
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John 15:1-8 |
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May 17 |
6th Sunday of Easter |
Acts 10:44-48 |
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Psalm 98 (UMH 818) |
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1 John 5:1-6 |
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John 15:9-17 |
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May 24 |
7th Sunday of Easter |
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 |
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Psalm 1 (UMH 738) |
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1 John 5:9-13 |
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John 17:6-19 |
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May 31 |
Day of Pentecost |
Acts 2:1-21 |
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Psalm 104:24-34, 35b (UMH 826) |
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Romans 8:22-27 |
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John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 |
Lay Assistant |
Children's Story |
Acolyte |
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May 3 |
Dave Howe |
Lydia Dingle |
Deric |
May 10 |
Lydia Dingle |
Kathleen O'Connor |
Kylie |
May 17 |
Dave Howe |
Shirley Howe |
Shane |
May 24 |
Kathy Jo Winters |
Bob Mattern |
Sierra |
May 31 |
Jim Haag |
Kathy Jo Winters |
Deric |
May 3 |
Kevin & Colleen Morgan |
May 10 |
Dottie Stronberg |
May 17 |
Carl Tyler |
May 24 |
Lempi Hannaford |
May 31 |
Dot Blythe |
Please submit (preferably by e-mail) any articles you have for the June issue by Thursday May 28th. Anything not received by 4:00 p.m. on that date will not be included in the newsletter. Thank you for your cooperation.
Roger White - editor, pro tempore
E-mail: vumcnews@sbcglobal.net
Nobody grows old by living a certain number of years. Rather, people grow old deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, and despair --- these are the experiences that bow the head and turn the growing spirit back to dust.
You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts, as young as your self-confidence, as old as fears, as young as your hope, as old as your despair.
The space for this web site has been provided courtesy of the General Board of Global Ministries, The United Methodist Church.