Stewardshipt Committee Update

A great first step!

One of life's pleasures is taking a walk with dear friends in the midst of Fall's glory, feeling the nurture of affection and bonding, Better, it is soul - satisfying to know that we are, together, walking in our Master's footsteps. So it is that we have started our faith and stewardship walk toward 2007!

As of dedication Sunday, October, 29, 2006, our church has received 47 Pledge Cards for commitments of $99,698.00 in 2007, Of the 47 pledges received, 16 were first-time pledges, and we welcome our newly committed friends to our walk, thanking God for all of our journey's cherished companions.

Although 24 of those that made commitments for 2006 have not yet done so for 2007, we believe this is simply and typically just tardiness – and certainly not totally unexpected! (Reminders will be forthcoming.) With the 47 in hand and 24 potential pledges we will exceed our goal of 65 pledges for 2007.

It's going to be a great walk!

We thank you and praise God for your participation. Congratulations -

The Stewardship Committee

There is work to be done.

Here is the list that Pat has made of tasks remaining at the Laughrun House. Remember, we can't actually start using our new gift until it has been made ready.

You may leave a reply here on the blog to claim your "burning bush," or you can email the church.

Outside Work
- Trim shrubs
- Remove plants from along the edge of the street
- Take down fence
- Reinstall the fence 20 feet back from the street
- Cut down the Norway spruce
- Repair the roof of the shed
- Clean out gutters
- Caulk vent pipe at roof above large bath
- Clean the roof line behind chimney at back edge of roof


Inside Work
- Painting
Maggie’s office
Living room area
Sunday School room

- Electrical
Run ground loop length of house in the basement
Put in ground wire in office receptacles
Install light fixture in breakfast nook
Install motion detector fixture on front right corner of house

Wisdom from Above: the call & response list from Sunday

Trying to remember those words you repeated aloud on Sunday?

• pure
• peace-loving
• considerate
• open to reason
• straightforward and sincere
• rich in mercy
• kind in deed

The list, in greater context, is taken from the New English Bible (Oxford U Press 1970) which was one of the first 'modern" translations.

James 3:13 - 18
Who among you is wise or clever? Let his right conduct give practical proof of it, with the modesty that comes of wisdom. But if you are harbouring bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, consider whether your claims are not false, and a defiance of the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes from above; it is earth-bound, sensual, demonic. For with jealousy and ambition come disorder and evil of every kind.

But wisdom from above is in the first place pure; and then peace-loving, considerate, and open to reason; it is straightforward and sincere, rich in mercy and in the kindly deeds that are its fruit. True justice is the harvest reaped by peacemakers from seeds sown in a spirit of peace.

Stewardship infects Burnsville First Presbyterian Church!!

It's true. Our congregation is and has been able to discern need and respond faithfully. Now on the heels of our successful capital fund campaign, we need to assure our operating budget for 2007 -- sustaining last year's funding level. While this goal does not reflect the growth in the need for our Master's work, it recognizes the sacrificial circumstances of our current situation.

Nonetheless, our congregation is growing, so we are moving forward in faith. We are seeking 65 pledges for 2007, rather than the 56 pledges received in 2006.

Please pray for our success in 2007 pledging as we enter October – our traditional Stewardship Month and check the blog periodically for our progress reports.

--Bob McFerren

Welcome Baby Gabriel

Welcome Baby Gabriel Glenn Davis - born Sunday September 17.

Please call Wanda (the ridiculously proud grandma) if you would like to arrange a time to bring the new family a meal.

Blessings!

Celebration

Our total pledges received to date: $294,480


Praise be to God.


Thank you to those of you, through your works, prayer, and generosity, helped make God's dream, become our dream, become reality.


And then...
... we celebrated!

PRAISE GOD!

We Have Met Our Goal!

Hallelujah!

And we think there are a few more pledges coming in yet this week. So, COME, attend the Celebration Picnic on Sunday, September 10, after church. Bring a salad or a dessert to share. (We'll provide meat and drink.) We will announce our GRAND TOTAL that Sunday at our celebration picnic.

The "P-word" in this instance is PARTY! God has truly made his love known and we are in awe of his abundant blessings.

Thank you to everyone who was involved with this campaign. Thank you to all those of you who have prayed for us during this time. Thank you to all of you who pledged and contributed.

Thank you, God!

Wednesday Update

Our Goal: $279,000

Pledges Received: $276,030

# of pledges: 79

99% of our goal

Psalm 111

Hallelujah!
I give thanks to God with everything I've got--
Wherever good people gather, and in the congregation.
God's works are so great, worth
A lifetime of study--endless enjoyment!
Splendor and beauty mark his craft;
His generosity never gives out.
His miracles are his memorial--
This God of Grace, this God of Love.
He gave food to those who fear him,
He remembered to keep his ancient promise.
He proved to his people that he could do what he said:
Hand them the nations on a platter--a gift!
He manufactures truth and justice;
All his products are guaranteed to last--
Never out-of-date, never obsolete, rust-proof.
All that he makes and does is honest and true:
He paid the ransom for his people,
He ordered his Covenant kept forever.
He's so personal and holy, worthy of our respect.
The good life begins in the fear of God--
Do that and you'll know the blessing of God.
His Hallelujah lasts forever!

Sunday Afternoon Update

Our Goal: $279,000

Pledges Received: $274,530

98% of our goal!

Friday Morning Update

This is the update from Friday Morning - though I didn't get it posted until this afternoon.

Our Goal: $279,000

Pledges Received: $253,450

# of Pledges: 63

nearly 91% of our goal


Our meeting this morning had a different tone: one of praise to God. While we are not done yet, we realized importance of grateful thanksgiving for the miracles God is able to make happen. Yes, we have 9% to go, but instead of anxious imploring, we prayed in joyful recognition of the 91% and the marvel that is.

Wednesday Update

Our Goal: $279,000

Pledges Received: $245,170

Number of Pledges: 55

88% of our goal

So many have already been so generous, please help us reach our goal. Your pledge may be the one that puts us over the top and makes all of the other pledges complete.

Back to the baseball analogy - let's bring that runner home!

Monday Morning Update

And then came the total from the pledge cards received in the offering plate and after church:

$237,470

85% of our goal

51 pledges

Please continue to pray.

Prayer

Dear God, be with us every step of the way as we pray and work toward our goal for expansion.

You know the needs of our Church, and You have led us to engage in this campaign for much needed funds.

Help us to keep in mind that it is your work.

Give us a deep desire to want your will in all that we do. May our endeavors for this campaign draw us closer in community and stronger in our commitment to serve You and your people most in need.

Inspire us to be as dedicated in prayer for our goal as we are generous with our resources.

Make us ever grateful for all the blessings you pour into our lives.

Help us to be aware that your grace is always with us, and without You we can do nothing.

We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen

Sunday Update - Praise Be

At the end of 2nd service, the total came to over $202K!

72% of our goal.

Thank you to those who returned pledge cards this morning.

We are well on our way with only 12 more days left in the Growing With Faith drive.

Now, for this last "little" bit... keep praying.

A Sense of Urgency

During our committee meeting Friday morning we were filled with a jolt of energy when we realized:

There are only 13 days left before we are to close on the house*!

Our last update shows that we are only at 57% of our goal.

Many visits have been made, but there are still many pledge cards that have not yet been returned. While we appreciate that you have been asked for sacrificial gifts and are thankful for your careful consideration, we need to know where we stand. Whatever you give is graciously accepted.

If you still have your pledge card, please bring it to church on Sunday and drop it in the replica house. We will announce at the close of each service our grand totals . (For those of you attending the 1st service, the total after the 2nd service will be posted here as soon as I get home from church.)

Our goal is to round that $200,000 mark on Sunday.

If we all do our parts, we can.

Please continue to pray.

*Please note that while we are closing on a "house," what this house really represents is church life : the ability to include seniors, youth, and those needing private counseling (or intimate conversation) in church programs.

It's OK, really

Don't be scared to leave comments if you want to!

Pledge Update

Our Goal: $279,000

Pledges Received: $160,100

57% of our goal

Luke 11

from The Message

One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, "Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."

So he said, "When you pray, say,
Father,
Reveal who you are.
Set the world right.
Keep us alive with three square meals.
Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.
Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil."

Then he said, "Imagine what would happen if you went to a friend in the middle of the night and said, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread. An old friend traveling through just showed up, and I don't have a thing on hand.'

"The friend answers from his bed, 'Don't bother me. The door's locked; my children are all down for the night; I can't get up to give you anything.'

"But let me tell you, even if he won't get up because he's a friend, if you stand your ground, knocking and waking all the neighbors, he'll finally get up and get you whatever you need.

"Here's what I'm saying:
Ask and you'll get;
Seek and you'll find;
Knock and the door will open.

"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing--you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"

Pledge Update

Our Goal: $279,000

Current Pledges: $154,100

55% of our goal

25 Visits Completed

Prayer

Dear God, be with us every step of the way as we pray and work toward our goal for expansion.

You know the needs of our Church, and You have led us to engage in this campaign for much needed funds.

Help us to keep in mind that it is your work.

Give us a deep desire to want your will in all that we do. May our endeavors for this campaign draw us closer in community and stronger in our commitment to serve You and your people most in need.

Inspire us to be as dedicated in prayer for our goal as we are generous with our resources.Make us ever grateful for all the blessings you pour into our lives.

Help us to be aware that your grace is always with us, and without You we can do nothing.

We pray in the name of Jesus.
Amen

Romans 8

from The Message translation

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what's enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

Beverly Bell (Spiritual Emphasis Chair) read this to open one of our Friday meetings.

Pledge Update

Our Goal: $279,000
*
Pledges Received: $146,400
*
52% of the total goal
*
Please continue to pray.

Our Committe and Volunteers

Executive Committee:

Campaign Chair: Pat Skinner

Pastor: Maggie Lauterer

Leadership Gifts Team: Gary Ray, Alex Campbell & Bob McFerren

Victory Gifts: Willard Cottrell

Spiritual Development: Beverly Bell

Materials Chair: Thom Koch

Publicity: Britt Kaufmann

Hospitality: Alice Cottrell

Treasurer/Auditor: Pat Skinner

Consultant: Chip Summers

A Special Thanks To:

The Victory Gifts Team:

Bob McFerren, Willard Cottrell, Suzanne Gavenus, David Speed,

Jim Ludwig, Margie Lang, Warner Anthony & Randy Hembree

(These are the people who will be calling you, visiting with you,

and accepting your three-year pledges to Growing With Faith.)

Rolf Holmsquist

for designing the logo

& building the replica house in the narthex

Lingo got you loco?

Here are a few terms you may have heard already, or will hear in the next few weeks and what they mean in regards to the Growing With Faith campaign:

Leadership Gifts - These are the pledges that have already been gathered from the campaign committee members and others in order to “jump start” the campaign. Think of them like you might a lead-off batter. A lead-off batter isn’t someone who typically hits home-runs. They are people with the capability of getting the game started off on a good foot. Their job is to get the team on base, into scoring position. This, with God’s grace and our prayers, has already been accomplished.

Victory Gifts – These are the pledges, to continue the base-ball analogy, that bring us home. These are the many pledges and gifts that help us finally round that last base and realize our goal. (Have I lapsed into soccer?) The period of time to collect Victory Gifts is short – ending on September 1. So be ready and welcoming when we visit your home to share this church’s dream with you and ask for your generous help.

Kick-Off Banquet

On Wednesday night, many of us gathered at the Town Center for the Kick-Off Banquet. There, after a nice time of food, fellowship and music (by Roberta Whiteside) the particulars of the campaign were laid out.

Our Goal for the Growing With Faith campaign is $279,000.

Gulp.

This number includes the cost of the house, closing, loan, refurnishing/remodeling, campaign, and tithe (so that we alone are not the only beneficiaries of this blessing).

The executive committee and several others have already been approached about their three-year pledges, so that we have already received commitments for $134,000.

Praise God.

But we still have a long way to go. We all must do our parts to make this a reality. And that includes prayer. Please pray the prayer found on this website and the brochure and let us all grow with faith as a result of this campaign.

Thank you all who attended the banquet and thank you to Alice Cottrell for planning the evening.

Bible Passage for Pondering

In last Wednesday's Prayer Meeting people kept coming back to this passage:

(from The Message translation)

Romans 5

By entering through faith into what God has always waned to do for us -- set us right with him, make us fit for him -- we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw upon our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand -- out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There's more to come: We continue to should our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary -- we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Q. Who will use this space and how?

A. We all will use this space for many of our church ministries:

Small Group Ministries (1st Floor Meeting Space) We need a quiet space to have committee meetings, Sunday School, and small group gatherings on the first floor. Those who are handicapped or uncomfortable using stairs need a viable option to be able to participate in church events. The fellowship hall is simply maxed out as a multi-purpose space.

Pastor/Staff Ministries (Offices) In the current arrangement, neither our pastor nor our programs director is able to have meetings in their offices. For them to continue ministering to individuals, small groups, as well as the congregation, they need more space. Further, with the amount of activity at the church, and because of the location of their offices, they are constantly interrupted as they attempt to complete their many assignments. (And one office is inconveniently located in the basement.) It is also imperative for the people they serve that their offices be located on a first floor.

Youth Ministries After a certain age, a playground will not be sufficient space for the youth. Already we were finding ourselves pressed during VBS to find a room for all the indoor and outdoor activities for the children. The amazing yard behind the house will be home to tag, volleyball, Frisbee, soccer, and our frequent water balloon activities!

Mission Since First Presbyterian was begun with school and education playing a prominent role (being the first school in Yancey county), continuing our mission of service through education by hosting the Church Street Preschool is important. This non-profit preschool is like none other around, serving all socio-economic levels, ethnic backgrounds, and children from a four-county area. This ministry at the local level, through education of our youth, fills a need in the community not being met elsewhere. It is our gift of space (though they do pay a token amount to cover utilities) that allows this school to be operational.

Parking Well, parking isn’t really a ministry… but if you think of it in terms of how vital parking is to our continued ability to grow and be welcoming, you will see that additional parking space is a need.

Daily Prayer for Growing With Faith

Dear God, be with us every step of the way as we pray and work toward our goal for expansion. You know the needs of our Church, and You have led us to engage in this campaign for much needed funds.

Help us to keep in mind that it is your work.

Give us a deep desire to want your will in all that we do. May our endeavors for this campaign draw us closer in community and stronger in our commitment to serve You and your people most in need.

Inspire us to be as dedicated in prayer for our goal as we are generous with our resources.

Make us ever grateful for all the blessings you pour into our lives. Help us to be aware that your grace is always with us, and without You we can do nothing.

We pray in the name of Jesus.

Amen

1st Presbyterian of Burnsville