BIRTHDAYS
SEPTEMBER 2011
SUNDAY
4
10:00 a.m.
Worship Service
Communion
MONDAY
5
TUESDAY
6
WEDNESDAY
7
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
1
2
3
8
9
10
16
17
9:30 a.m.
Worship Comm.
Conference Room
12:30 p.m.
Lunch at
Fire & Stone Pizza
09/01
09/04
09/06
09/06
09/07
09/10
09/12
09/17
09/20
09/21
09/21
09/26
09/27
09/30
09/30
11:15 a.m.
Bible Study
11
10:00 a.m.
Worship Service
11:15 a.m.
Bible Study
12
October
Grapevine
Deadline
Christian
Education Week
18
13
19
9:00 a.m.
Israel trip talk
6400 GMD
(for those who
signed up for the
April 2012 tour)
20
14
9:00 a.m.
Session Meeting
6400 GMD
ANNIVERSARIES
21
10:00 a.m.
Worship Service
11:15 a.m.
Bible Study
25
10:00 a.m.
Worship Service
15
22
5:00 p.m.
Dinner at
The Lazy Lobster
23
24
International Day
Of Peace
26
27
28
7:00 p.m.
1st Choir Practice
11:15 a.m.
Bible Study
2
Wayne Swift
Donna Garner
Jean Gorham
Dan Hoffman
Betty Hamilton
Jim Seaton
Angela Freeman
Bob Van Iten
MaryBeth Bolla
Joyce Fox
Graham Toft
Maxine Featherston
Nick Kovalakides
Barbara Shelton
Marg Aubry
29
30
9:00 a.m.
Dedication Sunday
Task Group
Conference Room
11
09/01
Nancy & Dick Cardin
09/03
Rosemary & Stuart Dalgleish
09/06
Betty & Jack Bornhoeft
09/16
Karolyn & Kent Capps
09/17
Carolyn & John Pol (40 yrs!)
09/20
Jean & Charlie Gorham
09/24
Jean & Bill Buckley
09/28
Maxine & Elmer Featherston
THE GRAPEVINE
Christ Church of Longboat Key,
Presbyterian USA
Mediterranean Plaza
595 Bay Isles Road, Suite 220
Post Office Box 10185
Longboat Key, FL 34228
September 2011
A Monthly Newsletter - Christ Church of Longboat Key VOL V, ISSUE VIII
“O THOSE COMMITTEES!”
TO:
September 2011
Vision Statement:
“Loving God, Loving Each Other, Serving the World, Sharing the Joy”
Members of Session:
Class:
2013, Tom Beckett, Treasurer
2012, Jerry Bowles, Building
2012, Jean Buckley, Worship/Music
2014, Ginny Dreher, Mission
2014, Karen Fors, Education/Program
2014, Angela Freeman, Membership
2013, Charles Gorham, Clerk/Personnel
2013, Barbara Grimes, Bereavement
2012, Gordon Lyons, Worship/Music
2012, Van Neely, Finance
2014, John Pol, Building Comm.
2013, Jim Seaton
Dr. Bruce W. Porter, Pastor
PLEASE SEND ALL CHURCH MAIL TO:
POST OFFICE BOX 10185
LONGBOAT KEY, FL 34228
941-383-8833
Web-Site: www.christchurchoflbk.org
E-mail: [email protected]
A friend of mine regularly decries committees.
That is to say, he doesn’t like them. They
don’t appear to him to be an efficient way to
run anything, not even a church. It’s tough
hating committees if you are a minister, particularly a minister in a Presbyterian church. It
is full of them. Sometimes we call them task
forces to cover up the fact that they are really
committees. Presbyterians actually believe
that God works in and through these decisionmaking groups. I have heard architects and
contractors who say that they hate to work
with churches because it is so hard to get anything done - too many cooks in the kitchen,
too many opinions. Just imagine any seven
people agreeing on the color for the Sanctuary
walls. When I was in London in May for several days, I visited the underground offices for
Winston Churchill during the Second World
War. I found out that one of the first things he
demanded was that the government cut down
on committees—there were some 400 of them.
All of this makes perfect sense to me, except
for one matter.
This year is the 400th anniversary of a book
put together by not just one committee but a
bunch of them. It was a book that made history, as the most read and quoted book ever.
King James I ordered a translation of the
whole Bible from the original Hebrew and
Greek. Here’s the awesome thing. The King
appointed 54 men as translators! They worked
in six companies, to each of which was assigned a section of the Bible. Two companies
met in Oxford, two at Cambridge, and two in
London. Each company would consider the
work of the other company, and differences
would be resolved by correspondence, if possible, and if not would be solved by a general
meeting at the end. The final meeting was in
London, where a committee of six, made up
of two representatives from each city, met for
nine months to do the final editing. The King
James Version of the Bible was published in
1611, and for two and one-half centuries was
the authorized version of the English speaking peoples. It’s a miracle!
Perhaps the Holy Spirit can work in committees. I’ll have to tell my friend.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Anniversaries/Birthday
Bible Study
Calendar
Church Photos & Article
Death Explained
Dedication Sunday
Good Samaritans
IRA Update
Mission Matters
Prayer Chain
Sermons & Scriptures
Session Minutes
Social Events
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3
2
6,7
9
9
10
10
4
3
3
5
8,9
IRA/IRS UPDATE
HISTORY OF LABOR DAY
GOOD NEWS if you
are over the age of 70-1/2 and
have an IRA.
The first Labor Day in the U.S. was
observed on September 5, 1882, in
Boston, by the Central Labor Union
of N.Y., the nation's first integrated
major trade union. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following
the deaths of a number of workers at
the hands of the U.S. military and
U.S. marshals during the Pullman
Strike, President Grover Cleveland
put reconciliation with the labor
movement as a top political priority.
2011 tax law allows you to make a present
donation of up to $100,000 from your IRA
to your church and/or other charities. The
amount of this IRA distribution is not included in your taxable income and will not
subject your Social Security income to
higher tax levels, but will count toward your
IRA required minimum distribution.
Your qualified charitable distributions are
federal income tax-free, but you get no
itemized charitable deduction on your tax
return. But that’s okay. The tax-free treatment of these qualified charitable distributions equates to a 100-percent deduction,
since the otherwise taxable IRA dollars are
sent directly to charity. The donation check
must come directly from your IRA administrator. Don’t make the mistake of receiving
a distribution from your IRA and then writing your own check to your church or other
charity.
Fearing further conflict, legislation
making Labor Day a national holiday
was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere
six days after the end of the strike.
This update is provided for information purposes only. Please consult with your tax
advisor.
If you cannot drive and need a ride - call us.
There are seventeen Christians in this ministry
who care about you and have compassion for
your needs.
Wikipedia
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
MINISTRY
Christians need to help Christians, as our soul
is one in Christ.
SIGN UP FOR:
SEPTEMBER SERMONS & SCRIPTURES
Sept. 04 “Beggars in Velvet”
(Psalm 34:1-10; Luke 18:18-27)
Sept. 11 “When Good Things Happen to Bad People”
(Psalm 73; Jeremiah 12:1-3; Matthew 5:43-48)
Sept. 18 “On Getting Rid of the Demons”
(I Samuel 28:1, 3-17, 20; Matthew 12:43-45; Mark 4:35-41)
Sept. 25 “The Miracles No One Can Deny”
(Deuteronomy 7:1-11; Acts 26:1, 9-20)
BIBLE STUDY
Please come and be amazed as Stuart Dalgleish continues his Bible Study on
Ezekiel from the Old Testament. Join us at 11:15 a.m. until noon in the Sanctuary
every Sunday after our worship service. Everyone is welcome, from beginners to
experienced students! Stuart is a born teacher and his incredible store of Biblical
knowledge will help to deepen your understanding of Christ’s message.
For those new to the study, Stuart does a brief recap of previous lessons, plus
he will provide you with notes from those lessons.
PRAYER CHAIN
“The next morning Jesus awoke long before daybreak and went out alone, into the wilderness, to pray.” Mark 1:35
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” Philippians 4:6
Your need is our need. So call.
Douglas Moppert
383-2656
10
God invites us to bring all our needs to Him in prayer.
Maxine Featherston, member of the Prayer Chain
For prayer requests, please call Holly Braun at 941-387-7415 or 262-241-8727.
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MISSION MATTERS
are also producing PETs.
PET REPORT - FLORIDA
(PET - Personal Energy Transportation)
Luis Alonso Mata of Honduras has a story
to tell. When Luis was 30 years old, he was
in a terrible accident and lost both his legs.
No longer could he support his wife and three
children or even move around the community.
His wife had to take on the added responsibility of providing for the family. Meanwhile,
we can easily imagine that Luis struggled
with feelings of worthlessness and despair.
Back in the U.S., someone heard the story
of PET and was moved to provide the PET
that eventually changed Luis’s life. This time
for the better. Luis is now 41 years old. No
longer does he drag himself around or feel
worthless. He is able to provide for his family by selling food and drinks out of the back
of his PET. His PET has made the difference
between an immobile, unproductive life and
one of productivity and self-esteem within his
community. He received his Gift of Mobility
because someone told…
THE STORY OF HOPE
The Story of Hope is like a pebble tossed
into a still pond. The stone causes ripples that
move out into ever-widening circles. One
couple became that stone recently. They visited PET FL and saw PETs being assembled,
painted, and packed by volunteers, who were
giving their time and talents for someone like
Luis. When this couple returned home, they
shared The Story at a Lions Club meeting.
They threw the stone into the pool!
Another couple heard the presentation and
decided to combine a visit to their children in
Florida with a visit to PET FL - Penney Farms
- a ripple. They learned that over 5,000 PETs
have been shipped out to over 90 countries.
Twenty PET affiliates, with more in progress,
4
They saw the PETs
being assembled and the dedication of the
volunteers. They saw the Gift of Hope.
The couple told The Story to their children, creating new ripples. Their son-in-law
is an assistant minister and shared The Story
and brochures with the Social Concerns committee. He also spoke with the minister who
agreed to do a presentation. Eventually, the
whole church felt the ripple affect.
This Story of Hope illustrates the way in
which PET functions. Many faithfully give
their time, talents, finances, and telling of
The Story. But now, we find here at PET FL,
that our volunteers are capable of producing
more PETs than our finances allow. We
don’t want to slow down. The need isn’t going away. Can you help? Here is a list of
resources:
1. Visit us at Penney Farms, FL. Call ahead
and arrange a tour (904-284-5495).
2. Request an information packet that includes brochures, newsletters, tells how
recipients are selected, where PETs are
sent, and an informative DVD.
3. Get on the mailing list and receive the
quarterly newsletters.
4. Visit our website: www.petflorida.org.
From the Penney Farms’ newsletter
We are so grateful to our wonderful
Christ Church members for continuing to
support the mission of “Food for the
Hungry” throughout the summer months
(even those who are up North)!
Please continue to bring those filled
bags the first Sunday of each month or
give a $25.00 cash donation to our
Church marked “Project 5000,” and we
“elves” will fill the bags for you.
Blessings to you.
Ginny Dreher
~ DEATH ~
WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY TO EXPLAIN IT
NOTE: GAME NITES are being modified.
Since our handful of Game Nites have attracted only a modest number of folks, including a few avid game players who like to play
more often, we’re forming a “Game Group” to
play mostly word and board games on the
evenings of the first and third Thursdays of
each month, beginning October 6. If interested, call Nick or Trish.
A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said,
“Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on
the other side.”
Very quietly, the doctor said, “I don’t know…”
“You don’t know? You’re a Christian man, and
don’t know what’s on the other side?”
Your Outside Church
Social Events Committee:
The doctor was holding the handle of the door;
on the other side came a sound of scratching
and whining, and as he opened the door, a
dog sprang into the room, and leaped on him
with an eager show of gladness.
Co-Chair Nick Kovalakides
773-3012
[email protected]
Co-Chair Trish Thaler
773-1792
[email protected]
Turning to the patient, the doctor said, “Did you
notice my dog? He’s never been in this room
before. He didn’t know what was inside. He
knew nothing except that his master was here,
and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side
of death, but I do know one thing...I know my
Master is there and that is enough.”
Members: Eleanor Cloud, Ruth Strauss
DEDICATION SUNDAY
October is the month we hope
to be in our new Church.
However, we have postponed
the dedication until Sunday,
January 15, to accommodate
our congregation members
and attendees who do not return to LBK until after the
Christmas holidays.
Anonymous
YOUR WILL IS A GOOD PLACE
TO REMEMBER CHRIST CHURCH.
On the much-anticipated first
Sunday in our new Church, we
will meet at Mediterranean
Plaza then parade by car to
our new home at 6400 GMD.
Further details
nounced.
to
be
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
PASTOR:
Tuesday 9:00 - 4:00 & Thursday 9:00 - Noon
SECRETARY:
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 - 1:30
an9
HOW’S OUR NEW CHURCH BUILDING COMING?
A race enthusiast would say we are coming down the home stretch.
An engineer would say he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
A golfer would say we are down to the short strokes.
And you would be correct in saying it’s about time.
As to completion:
As you can see from the accompanying photos, the end of our project is really in sight. The contractor’s work schedule calls for completion with an occupancy permit on September 29th.
We’ll keep the Session advised, and they will no doubt shortly be announcing a date for the first service in our new building.
As to Finances:
While keeping a tight list of anticipated expenditures, John Dixon wears green eye shades to each of
our monthly meetings and knows exactly what we’ve spent.
We think we are on track. We provided some contingency money and, as you might expect, we’re
going to need to use some of that. It’s fair to say at this point, bearing some large unforeseen cost,
we will either have a small amount of money left over or be a little bit short.
It might also be mentioned that we are paying for the construction materials directly. This means
more work for John Dixon and Van Neely, but it will result in a savings of over $50,000 to our
Church, because we do not have to pay sales taxes.
In Conclusion:
We think our new building is looking terrific. Those of you on Longboat Key can see for yourself.
The inside is finishing up just as nicely as the outside.
The artist creating the stained glass window has taken his final measurements of the installed window frame. He tells us he needs ninety days to create our window, which will be one of the last of
the finishing touches to be installed about the first week in November.
The Building Committee: Tom Beckett, Burt Borgelt, Sue Borgelt, Jerry Bowles, Bill Buckley, Bob
Dods, John Pol, Bruce Porter, and Van Neely
6
7
***OUR RECENT SOCIAL EVENTS –
At our second “George Rauch/Mark Huber Fish
Fry” held on July 16th at the Spanish Main
clubhouse, 56 of us enjoyed delicious appetizers, trout, salads and desserts and lots of fun
and camaraderie. It was also nice to see many
attendees new to our Church.
As for the Marina Jack Lunch Cruise scheduled
for July 28th, we had two folks signed up early
on, but when two others, who were about to
sign up on the RSVP day, learned of the small
turnout, they decided against it. Then, the
original two decided not to go, so the event
was cancelled and their checks were returned
to them.
Fourteen of us had a large table and pretty
much the entire main dining room all to ourselves for lunch at “Station 400” in Sarasota on
August 10th. Conversation was non-stop as we
got to know each other better.
As we go to press with this issue of The Grapevine, 15 of us have signed up for our dinner at
Barnacle Bill’s on August 23rd. Stay tuned.
***YOUR
UPCOMING
OUTSIDE
CHURCH SOCIAL EVENTS -FRI. SEPTEMBER 9 – Lunch at “FIRE & STONE
PIZZA” at 10519 Cortez Road in Cortez (West
Bradenton)! For just $5.99, you can have all
you can eat pizza, soup, salad and dessert! If
you can join us, be there by 12:30 and call Nick
or Trish by Sep. 4. Note that they take cash/
checks only – no credit cards. Take GMD/
SR789 north to Bradenton Beach, turn right
onto Cortez Road/SR684 and go just two miles
to 106 Street West on your right.
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THU. SEPTEMBER 22 – Dinner at the “LAZY
LOBSTER OF LBK” at 5350 GMD! Be there by
5:00 to take advantage of their “Early Bird”
menu, where most dinners are under $13. So
that we can tell them how many tables to set up
for us, call Nick or Trish by Sep. 18.
THU. OCTOBER 6 – Lunch at “SAM SNEAD’S OAK
GRILL & TAVERN” at 1830 South Osprey Avenue
in Sarasota! They have a nice menu and lots of
pictures honoring one of the best golfers in the
history of the game. He was also instrumental in
the establishment of the Longboat Key Country
Club. Be there by 11:45. So that we can have
our tables together, call Nick or Trish by October
2. (Directions to follow.)
FRI. OCTOBER 28 – A private dinner party just
for us at “BOB’S TRAIN” in Sarasota! It’s actually four railroad cars on tracks featuring a dining
car and a vast pictorial history of railroads and
circuses in the United States. After dinner,
owner Bob Horne, a very funny guy, will speak to
us about his adventures in those worlds. But, for
all this to happen, we’ll need at least 20 RSVPs
BY OCT. 16. Your $20 (paid there by cash or
check – no credit cards) will cover your choice of
a chicken, beef or fish dinner, along with a salad,
side dish, iced tea and dessert. Festivities begin
at 6:00 pm. (Directions to follow.)
YOUR NAME TAG – Please take it with you and
put it on once we get together.
NEED A RIDE? Since many of our social events
are in the evening hours, often ending after
nightfall, if driving at that time means that you
would not attend the event, let us know and
we’ll arrange transportation for you.
GROWTH AND OUTREACH TASK FORCE
Community Relationships
Outreach to Our Neighborhood
HOSPITALITY
Greeters
Name Badges
Welcome Booth
Guest Packets
Guest Services
Parking
Contacting Prospective Members
MARKETING AND ADVERTISING
Advertising Committee
Communications
Materials for Prospective Members
Technology/Web Site
MEMBERSHIP
New Member Training
New Member Profiles
Involvement
New Member Interviews
MISSION
All Mission Programs
Dream Center (Under Mission for Budget Purposes, the operation to be linked with Education)
WORSHIP AND MUSIC
Communion
Flowers
Intercessory Prayer
Lay Readers
Music
Special Programs
Sound Room
Memorial/Funeral Services
Newspaper Publicity for Worship Services
SESSION ACTIONS,
August 11, 2011
After prayer, two members were removed from our Church
roll: Dr. Don Malnati (out of area for several years), and
Nancy Carol Morgan, (at her request). The Pastor reviewed
the book, "Simple Church" which focuses on spiritual
growth. Session unanimously approved a new vision or purpose statement: "Loving God, Loving Each Other, Serving the
World, Sharing the Joy." Responsibilities and oversight of
committees were discussed with the following breakdown:
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
Church Treasurer
Stewardship
Budget Committee
Building Debt Responsibility
Endowment Committee
Office Volunteers
Sermon Transcription
BUILDING AND GROUNDS
Repairs and Maintenance
Facility Management
Approval and Application for Use of Facilities
Disaster Preparedness
BUILDING COMMITTEE
The New Church Construction
CARING MINISTRY
Pastoral Aides
Prayer Chain
Bereavement Ministry
In Touch Ministry
Good Samaritan Program
Prayer Shawls
CLERK OF SESSION
Personnel
EDUCATION AND FELLOWSHIP
Men's and Women's Clubs
Wednesday Night Programs and Dinners
Book Club
Bridge Club
Library
Bible Study
Nursery
Spiritual Faith Groups
Outside Church Social Events
The meeting continued by accepting the recommendations of
the Task Force on Community Outreach and Church Growth as
guidelines. Preparation is being made for Dedication Sunday in
January. "Moving Sunday” in October will include a procession
of cars from Mediterranean Plaza. (The Building Committee will
plan "Moving Sunday.") Barbara Grimes will chair a committee
for Dedication Sunday. Since Christmas Day is on Sunday this
year, Worship and Music and Session voted to not have a
Christmas Eve Service on Saturday. A new music group was
formed to assist our Director of Music, and they will report to
Worship and Music and Session with suggestions. It was
moved by Finance that members receive a report of their Building Fund gifts, as we are coming near the three-year end of the
campaign. Finance also reported that we showed a deficit for
the month of July, but a surplus for the first seven months of
the year. Session moved to permit a presentation of an Israel
Trip at our Church, but Christ Church will not assume any financial responsibility for the tour. The next Session Meeting will
be Thursday, September 15. The Meeting was closed with
prayer by our Pastor.
Dream Center (Operational guidance and Teaching
Assistance/Reading Buddies)
Food Services, including Coffee Hour
Kitchen
Dinearounds
Photo Directory
Church Directory
5