St. Stephen's United Church 2014 Annual Report

St. Stephen’s United Church 2014 Annual Report

150 Village Way, Qualicum Beach, BC V9K 1L1 Ph: 250-752-9831 E-Mail: [email protected] Web: ststephensucqualicum.ca

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2014 Annual Report Index Minister’s Message___________________________________________ 3-4 Youth & Family Minister’s Message______________________________ 5 Message from the Board Chair__________________________________ 5-6 Service Ministry______________________________________________ 6 Senior’s Outreach Tea_________________________________________ 7 Community Meals____________________________________________ 7-8 Education Ministry____________________________________________ 8 Children’s Ministry ____________________________________________8-9 Library____________________ _________________________________ 9 Fellowship & Membership Ministry_______________________________ 10 Fellowship Financial Report____________________________________ 11 Marriages, In Memoriam & Baptisms______________________________ 11 Visiting Committee____________________________________________ 11-12 Men’s Bible Study____________________________________________ 12 Men’s Club__________ _______________________________________ 12 Men’s Club Financial Report____________________________________ 13 U.C.W._____________________________________________________ 13-14 U.C.W. Financial Report_______________________________________ 14 Worship Ministry_____________________________________________ 15 9am Worship Team___________________________________________ 15-16 11am Choir_______________________ __________________________ 16 Resource Management Ministry_________________________________ 16-17 Treasurer’s Report_____________________________________________18 St. Stephen’s 2013 Financial Statments_____________________________18-26 Awassa Hand Pump Water Project_________________________________27 Ministry & Personnel____________________________________________28 Presbytery____________________________________________________28-29 Statistics Report_______________________________________________29 Annual General Meeting Minutes – Feb. 23, 2014____________________30-34 Congregational Meeting – November 30, 2014______________________ 35-36 Younglife Report ______________________________________________37 George Pringle Memorial Camp___________________________________38-39 Agenda for the Annual General Meeting February 22, 2015____________ 40

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the writing of this Annual Report and to all of you reading who share your time, talents and gifts in carrying out the missions and ministries of St. Stephen’s!

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MINISTER’S MESSAGE

2014 was a most complicated year, a year of some wonderful highs and of some rather trying lows. In fact, as I have said to you, the congregation, on a couple of occasions, I believe it to have been the most difficult year I have yet had in doing the work of pastoral ministry. Let me begin my report by reflecting on some of the highs, because there were indeed many exciting and gratifying things that I will remember about 2014. For a start, I got to meet a lot of new people from all sorts of different backgrounds who have found their way to St. Stephen’s United Church. Our “mix” of people from different denominations and those with little or no church background continues to be intriguing. Interestingly enough, one of the tools which has proven invaluable in reaching people—both in our community and much further afield—has been our new and improved website that we got up and running a year ago. Many thanks to Adele and the people at Church OS for their good work.

It’s my sense that we have had some truly powerful times of worship together in 2014. You have consistently reported that back to me. At both of the morning services and in the joint services we have regularly held, inspired music, spirit-led prayers, words and testimony witnessing to the faithfulness of God—worship has regularly been rich and surprising. Indeed, I may design the order of worship, but frankly, I never really do know what is going to happen. And speaking of singing—and the always surprising work of the Holy Spirit—the Gospel Nights just keep getting better and better. We need to pay attention to that. Worship is but one element of mission, of course, and the mission of St. Stephen’s is varied and far reaching. Closer to home, the ministry of the Community Meal continues to grow and evolve. New relationships are being forged and old relationships are being strengthened over time. We’re seeing lots of young people as well. What possibilities are there? Farther from home, the mission trip to Mexico in March was extraordinary. I was blessed by having all of my immediate family (including my new son-in-law, Bryan!) as fellow missionaries and we had a most extraordinary trip as a group. I would describe it as a God-soaked time. To Dianne and Simon, and all who contribute to the organizing of this mission, you not only have my thanks, but do know that I am deeply impressed by your work, your wisdom, and your faithfulness. I found my second trip to the Cruxifusion gathering in Toronto (Cruxifusion is an association of Christ-centred United Church ministry people) also to be very powerful. Connecting and getting to work with this young and enthusiastic group of individuals is something that gives me hope for our particular end of the Church. My plan is to return there again this year, if possible. In another UC initiative, I was also involved as a mentor to three clergy who were doing some leadership training. They were a most stimulating group and I suspect that the mentor may have been the one who benefited most out of the six month relationship! I also immensely enjoyed having our Anglican colleague, the Rev. Will Ferrey with us for a month of “United Church immersion” this spring. He provided us with some fresh eyes to help us understand our congregational life and his enthusiasm for, and delight in our common work was infectious. If you are traveling to Tofino, do drop by St. Columba, the shared Anglican-United church Will is serving. You will be welcome. This last fall I was honoured by two invitations, the first being a request to serve as the theme speaker at “The Festival of Faith,” a gathering of the two northern-most Presbyteries in B.C. Conference. Being a “Barnabas,” an encourager to our sisters and brothers in the Prince Rupert and Cariboo Presbyteries was a powerful experience. The second invitation was to offer a blessing over the new Qualicum Beach Town Council when it was installed. While this sort of action may have been commonplace in previous decades, it is much, much more rare today. To have that opportunity to represent “the Church” in what is now a most “non-Church” world was a great privilege. And, yes, this fall I was able to have a hand in reconstituting the local Ministerial

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after a lengthy period of non-functioning. I firmly believe that having a relationship when we disagree is much, much better than not having a relationship … … which, of course, brings me to the more challenging aspects of this last year. Simply put, we had some conflict. The presenting problem was the proposal to renovate the worship space, and in particular, to move from using pews to using chairs in the sanctuary, though, over time, it seems that there was a concern by some about the decision-making process itself. Nonetheless, last summer new carpeting was put in the sanctuary and chairs replaced the pews, actions I continue to believe are sound and provide positively for our future. There were some members who did choose to leave the fellowship over this change, however. While the numbers were not large, seeing friends leave was hard for many of us. This was also a time when we realized that we have seen the passing of a good many long-time congregants, which has caused us further sadness. This was coupled with a growing awareness that we are needing to change our approach to outreach into the community with the good news of Jesus, that waiting for people to simply “arrive” was not reasonable or realistic in our shifting culture. How we might be going about doing this seemed a bit overwhelming to some. All this occurred in a year when we had a time of uncertainty about finances, which further added to people’s anxiety. A part of the our response to this was to do some belt-tightening, which included reducing the hours of both our Youth and Family Minister, Dianne and our Secretary, Adele. This created more discomfort for us. To further compound matters, we are in a rather uncertain place as a denomination. The United Church is shrinking and no longer has the resources it once had—change is unavoidable for us denominationally. The 2015 summer meeting of the General Council will be facing some exceptionally difficult decisions that will surely reshape the denomination. A key question is how will that impact us as a congregation? Like many of you, I’ve done a bit of soul searching in 2014, because it has been a truly bumpy ride, a challenging year of impressive highs and discomforting lows. But while the ways of God are often a mystery to me, God is always good. For all the year’s difficulties, it really is my sense is that we have finished the year in a distinctly good place, and I dare say, a largely hopeful place. I firmly believe that God is speaking to us and leading us somewhere in all these events. We began to do some visioning together in the fall and we realized that we would benefit from some assistance in that task. As a result of that work we are now seeking to call upon the services of a church consultant to help us better discern the path God is calling us to follow and this is tremendously exciting. The costs of the sanctuary renovations were fully met and we found ourselves on an “even keel” financially by the year end. Our Youth and Family Minister’s hours have been restored and our Secretary … actually our Secretary rather appreciates the change and so—at least for the time being—we have agreed to keep things the same. So, let me conclude with a word of thanks. To members of the Board, the Ministry and Personnel Committee, and an assortment of other congregants who have prayerfully taken on working with me through some of the challenges of our congregational life, know that your work, support, and counsel are deeply appreciated. To Dianne and Adele, I can only say that I cannot imagine finer colleagues. Working with you is extraordinary and I count myself blessed to be labouring alongside the both of you. You rock. And to my wife, Tevis, you do a wonderful job of helping me to keep things in balance. You also rock. So … bring on 2015.

The Reverend Phil Spencer

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YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTER’S MESSAGE In Genesis we come across stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others having an encounter with God in some manner. When this happens the story often concludes by saying simply that they “built an altar there”. Building an altar was a way of tangibly recognizing the work God had done in them in that place. Altars were ways of recognizing and then remembering how God had let them know He was with them and leading them. In 2014 there were undoubtedly several opportunities we could have taken to build our own altars but three stand out to me as I reflect on the year. The first was the Mission to Mexico. In many respects our ninth trip was much like the previous eight ... and yet it was also unlike any other. In a number of significant ways God revealed His presence with us more deeply than ever before, most notably through the prayers of our St. Stephen’s church family at home and also in the connection God made for us with Pablo Martinez, our Amor field rep who was so much more than just a field rep. The second ‘altar moment’ for me came as we recognized and prayed for our six graduates. As their church family we have had the privilege of watching and guiding these young people as they have grown in fullness and faith and praying together for them as they embark on their adult lives was truly a holy moment. Finally, it has been my delight to embark on a journey of intentional apprenticeship to Jesus with a number of you. Watching the formation the Holy Spirit has been doing in each one as we journey together has been truly special and worthy of an altar or two! Along with Abraham we realize that, as good as they are, life isn’t solely made up of altar moments. It also contains challenges and we faced our fair share of these in 2014 as well. But remember, part of the point of building altars was to help us remember God’s faithful presence and leading. While it is often much easier to recognize His presence in the moments of celebration and joy, we actually find ourselves growing spiritually as we learn to recognize Him with us through these trials. So the question for us, as we look back at 2014 is this ... can you sense how God has been with us through it all, inviting us to grow and go forward into 2015? God bless, Dianne Collery

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR Well, as I look back on 2014 what an interesting year it has been, one with its share of challenges and rewards. It seems on occasions we have to endure some discomfort before we reap the rewards. In my previous report to the congregation (for the 2014 AGM) I had a nautical theme with analogies of a ship at sea doing what it’s designed to do vs one stuck at anchor slowly decaying. In keeping with this theme I believe 2014 saw us undergo a common nautical exercise, that of a course correction. It has been an exercise that has taken us from a course of the familiar and “comfortable” to one of a (small but important) shift to an outward focus; one with an eye to the future of St Stephens. In doing so, we have set our wants aside and served the needs of those we know and those we have yet to meet. In some cases this was an exercise of sacrifice and one demonstrated with a great deal of grace. For that I thank you. While we did encounter some rough seas it gave us the opportunity to recognise where our ship was vulnerable and where we should shore her up to ensure plain sailing in the future. Speaking of the future, if we continue to focus on what we are called to do and keep our eyes on Jesus we will indeed continue to have one! And what a future that will be. One where we grow in the faith and in our

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relationship with God. One where we are comforted in the knowledge that we are doing what we were designed to do and that pleases our God immensely! It has been both a privilege and a pleasure to have served the congregation of St Stephen’s and to have served with those we call “staff” and with those elders who make up the Board. For without our combined dedication, contributions, wisdom and efforts St Stephen’s would not look the way she does today. Of that I am sure! So “all hands on deck”, let’s keep a firm hand on the wheel and eye on our compass as we sail to the east. Not to the west where the sun sets but to where the Son rises for we are sailing into the light where our future will be beautiful and bright. Amen?...... Amen!!

SERVICE MINISTRY

Gal.5:13 "serve one another humbly in love "

The Service Ministry is responsible for raising awareness in the congregation about emerging local and global needs. This Ministry covers a variety of projects to address these needs, which most often are seasonal in nature. Once again, the Congregation of St .Stephen’s has been unfailingly faithful in responding to the requests made of them by this Ministry.

Dedicated to this area of the Lord's work are: Lillian Freeland, Janet Mattis, Wynn Machin, Mary Lou Weightman, Louise McCormick and Jan Greig. Community Meals, Outreach Tea and UCW are all active teams that are under the umbrella of the Service Ministry. Ongoing projects include collection, on a regular basis, of donations for both the Family Resource Association and the Salvation Army. Bins are provided in the lobby of the church for collection of donated food items for these agencies. Thank you to Bill Greig for delivering these donations to the appropriate agencies. White Gift Sunday, Operation Shoebox and the Christmas Hampers were all coordinated through the Service Ministry and all three projects were a huge success, thanks to the loving kindness of our congregation. We were able to donate 20 Christmas food hampers to families identified through FRA .This was accomplished in part through the generous proceeds from the Gospel Sing which was held in October at St. Stephen's. Also we were delighted that 50 shoeboxes were filled by members of the congregation and then delivered to Operation Shoebox .Thank you to Judy Keeley and Terry Shore for their assistance in this campaign. The Service Ministry, in conjunction with Rev Phil Spencer, explored the roots of White Gift Sunday. Phil wrote an article for the website and Louise presented an Encouragement Minute. The response from the congregation was overwhelming. The Christmas tree was surrounded by food, toys and cash gifts. All of these gifts were delivered to the SOS and the Salvation Army. The Service Ministry looks forward to the many ways God may call this Ministry to His Service in 2015. May God Bless you, Louise McCormick and Jan Greig

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Seniors' Outreach Tea Report On the fourth Tuesday of the month, between 80 and 100 seniors meet in our church hall to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment, food and fellowship at our Seniors' Outreach Tea. The afternoon typically begins at 2:00 p.m. with lively musical entertainment. Around 2:30 p.m., volunteers serve sandwiches, coffee, tea and sweets. We invite seniors from local care facilities, as well as individual seniors from our congregation to attend the monthly teas. It is the faithful dedication of the volunteers that helps this event run so smoothly. We have over 50 people on our volunteer list, including those who provide food; set up tables and chairs; arrange table centres; set out dishes and cutlery; arrange and serve food; prepare and serve coffee and tea; greet and visit with our guests; provide entertainment; clean up and clear away. Our guests and our own volunteers seem to enjoy the afternoon equally. It is always positive and heart-warming to see the smiles and hear the sincere words of thanks at the end of the afternoon. If this interests you, please consider joining in this worthwhile outreach activity. New volunteers are always welcome. Respectfully submitted, Wynn Machin St. Stephen’s Community Meals Program

By the grace of God we are in our 8th year of this amazing outreach ministry. We continue to serve our weekly lunches every Thursday and our supper is on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. Our numbers fluctuate but are around 80 students and 65 other guests for the lunches and around 90 guests for the suppers. Our program would not be the success it is without the continued offering of time and effort from our volunteers. We have welcomed some new faces to our ministry and we are always looking for anyone who has the gift of mingling with our guests.

Our Annual Christmas supper was a huge success. We are ever grateful for our anonymous donation of $1000; a true blessing. We had over 200 guests who enjoyed a turkey dinner with giveaway items such as socks and Christmas goodies. Santa made an appearance with presents for the kids and Barb from Qualicum Pet Foods (who continues to come every month) came with mountains of food for our dear pets. Also thanks to some very generous members of our community the children were given a gift bag which was full of

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wonderful surprises. I had one comment from a guest that said “I was having a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit until I came to the Christmas Supper”. Our mission statement says we are there for anyone needing food or fellowship. We have heard many stories confirming that we are making a difference and we try hard to listen to be sure we are on the path that God has chosen for this ministry. We are very thankful for the support of the congregation of St. Stephen’s. Respectfully submitted by Karen Vanderberg

EDUCATION MINISTRY They key purposes of the Education ministry are to seek out learning opportunities to help our church family grow closer to God and to become better prepared to share our faith in a loving and grace filled way. Small groups, library, prayer gatherings, Sunday school, and youth groups are focus areas at our monthly meetings. The team members include Phil Spencer, Dianne Collery, Denise Cormier, Ron Childs, Don McIntosh, Louise McCormick, and Elva Hogan. If you are interested in joining the team, please contact any of our team. In the first half of the year a video series by Max Lucado on ‘Grace – More than we deserve, greater than we imagine’ was held at the church and well attended. In the fall, Dianne hosted 2 groups on a study called ‘The Apprentice Series’ and these groups are continuing in 2015. Elva hosted a prayer gathering in early January 2015 and there are plans for more during the year. The Library continues to be highlighted between services and Ron’s encouragement minutes throughout the year have increased the amount of books being checked out. As for activities in 2015 … stay tuned. God bless Mike Hoskins Children's Ministry We have enjoyed another fun filled year of learning, growing and playing together in the light of our Lord Jesus. It is wonderful to see more children and their families join our regular Sunday School and those that are able to participate in our community outreach activities. These outreach activities include a family swim, a spring mini-golf and picnic, a children, youth and family bowling session and my personal favorite the Winter Wonderland skate in December in which the families, friends and the greater congregation were invited. These community activities provide opportunities to invite friends and family that may otherwise not attend a church service on a Sunday morning. We have found this is a great way to offer the love and acceptance of our Lord and Saviour with an invitation to seek Him for themselves.

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The Christmas pageant was a great success and so much crazy fun to put together. A Mouse's Tale was enjoyed by the children and the response was very positive from the congregation. Looking forward to next year's performance already. As we begin a new year there are a few welcomed changes to our regular Sunday School, with the increase of younger children in attendance we have two distinct lesson programs in place. One for the preschool - primary age children and a more in-depth lesson time for the older children. I am grateful for the parental volunteers commitment to the preschool program as well as looking for others in the congregation that may be interested on a rotation basis to share their gifts and volunteer with us. I am looking forward to a busy year filled with the focus on Jesus' life, love and relevance to our lives today and sharing the connection of the Old Testament. Thank you for all your support, prayers and encouragement as we continue this journey of St. Stephen's Children's Ministry. Blessings, Denise Cormier Winter Wonderland Skating St. Stephen’s Library Report The St Stephen’s Library is a busy place with a number of books and other materials such as DVD’s being taken out each week. Well done you readers and viewers, you make our job worthwhile. We have sought to promote the reading of Christian books by giving regular reviews of new additions in the “Encouragement Minutes” in the Sunday services and in putting on special displays. For example, we featured books and other materials of Christian apologist, C. S. Lewis on one Sunday. Max Lucado and Billy Graham were also featured. There was also a month long emphasis on books about church growth as we started into the fall season. The Palestinian/Israeli issues were also explored with the purchase of several, hopefully, balanced books on this topic. While the promotion and circulation of books and other materials is the visible part of the library much also goes on behind the scenes. All of the materials have been cataloged and a copy of the catalog is available in the library. Books have been added, some purchased new, some found in used book stores and others donated. General housekeeping such as book repair, organizing and dusting the shelves and keeping track of loans also goes on. Julie Rengers does a wonderful job in assisting us in these tasks. Ron and Grace Childs

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FELLOWSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP MINISTRY

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love" - Mother Teresa The Fellowship Ministry is responsible for bringing the people of our church family together, to foster and promote community within our congregation in order to build a stronger church. Both large and small group activities are offered, providing varied opportunities for church members to connect with each other and with God. The team carries out most of its work through three standing committees - Fellowship and Membership, UCW and Men's Club. The Fellowship and Membership Committee began the year with seven members: Pattie Brown, Carol Gemgembre, Jan Greig, Janet Mattis, Pam McIntosh(chair), Monika Popein and Marjorie Rose. Due to other commitments, Pattie and Jan resigned, during the year, and we miss their great ideas, support and wonderful humour. Fortunately, we have now added five new committee members: Anne MacLeod, Mary Ellen Hall, Camille Dawes, Deanna Gaetz and Barb Cubitt. Some of our ongoing responsibilities include scheduling greeters and hosts for all church services, organizing coffee hour after each service, and providing support for the Brown Bag Lunch, UCW and Men's Club. In 2014, special activities included:

creating a new church photo directory, with many thanks to Elaine and Joe MacDougall and Elnor and Peter Enslen

hosting "Hanging with Phil and Di", an informal evening for new church members to meet our pastors and to introduce themselves

providing "Soup and Bun" lunches after combined services

helping with the Grad Pancake Breakfast

organizing a "September Welcome Month", complete with photo boards, slideshow and BBQ

holding cardmaking sessions

helping with craft tables for the Christmas Bazaar

making arrangements for special refreshments for important days, such as Christmas Eve, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day

Our church family continues to be blessed with a very dedicated, caring and supportive Fellowship team filled with God's love. It has been a blessing to be part of this ministry. Blessings, Pam McIntosh HEBREWS 13:1 (NIV) Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

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St. Stephen's United Church Fellowship Team

January 1 to December 31, 2014

Cash and bank balance - January 1, 2014 $ 162.34

Revenue - Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2014 4 250.85

Expenditures - Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2014 3 917.87

Operating profit (loss) 332.98 332.98

Cash and bank balance - December 31, 2014 $ 495.32

Revenue Itemized Expenses

Coffee fund $ 2 373.70 Kitchen supplies $ 2 462.87

QF refund 17.90 Donations 75.00

Outreach Tea 33.25

Sunday Luncheon 45.00

Brown Bag Mission Fund 875.00 Brown Bag Mission Fund 875.00

Brown Bag Special Project 505.00 Brown Bag Special Project 505.00

$ 4 250.85 $ 3 917.87

Brown Bag Mission Fund - Hosanna Children Mission in Oradea, Romania

Brown Bag Special Project - family support

Brown Bag KIVA - small loans to entrepreneurs in third world countries

(no new revenue in 2014 - funds reinvested as loans are paid back)

submitted by Carol Gemgembre

2014 Marriages: James Werdal & Kathy Morgan; Wayne Short & Ashley Zoost 2014 In Memoriam: Fran Dobinson, Ernie Jackson, Viola Brown, Lorraine Hook, Jack Wares, Joan Wiese, Donald Nix, Frances Twa, Audrey Barker, Margaret Rogers, Joan Richards, Jack McCaskill, Helen Cole 2014 Baptism: Abigail Jane Downey

The Visiting Committee The Visiting Committee is a group of individuals in the congregation who have an interest in keeping in contact with the members and adherents of St. Stephen’s United Church. We are particularly concerned about the well-being of those who are—for reasons of ability or age or illness—unable or less able to join with the church community on a regular basis. Through visits and phone calls our membership make contact with those folk, something we attempt to do on a regular basis. We gather monthly for an at-most one hour meeting (we are big believers in regular, but short meetings) to report back on our visits, to keep ourselves aware of changes in people’s situations, and to look for others who might benefit from some contact. The work of this committee is important and extremely gratifying. I offer my sincerest thanks to my fellow committee members. You do fine, fine work.

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As is regularly the case in congregational life, we are always on the look out for new members. If you are someone who would like to meet some really interesting people and who is able to travel within the area of Oceanside, then please give me a call. Phil Spencer Men’s Bible Study The Men’s Bible Study is a group of men who meet in the lower hall on most Wednesday mornings at 10:30. The origin of the group can be traced back to a conversation that a man in the congregation initiated not too long after I was called to St. Stephen’s. Jack had been a part of a men’s inter-church group for a while and he had found that there was something powerful in men gathering to read the Bible together. Could we give it a try? We did indeed and we have been studying, laughing, and enjoying one another’s company for many years. The focus has always been on reading different books of the Bible and we have had the opportunity to read a pretty wide cross section, though there are some we keep coming back to. Indeed, we have just finished Nehemiah for the second time and we are beginning the Gospel of Mark for what I suspect is the third run through! But each time there is something new, in no small part because the group’s membership has always changed over the years. New eyes tend to see new things. The present group is a most engaging and growing assortment of gentlemen, most coming from St. Stephen’s, but some of whom are from the larger Christian community. That mix adds enormously to the group. The conversation is lively and only lightly moderated (I hope!) by yours truly. Occasionally we are joined by Noodles, one of David’s dogs. He doesn’t say much, but he keeps us on our toes. Do note two things: first, this is a “drop in” group. We do not take attendance, though we freely admit that we do get rather attached to one another. Second, we are always happy to see new faces. A profound familiarity with the text, proficiency in the original Biblical languages, and a broad knowledge of Christian doctrine … is by no means expected. This is simply a group of men from rather different backgrounds who are enjoying the process of learning what is within the pages of the Bible. Phil Spencer St. Stephens Men's Club During 2014 the Men's Club met on the third Wednesday of each month, with the exception of summer. Our time of gathering begins at 9 am in the lower lounge with round table discussion, informative speakers, good coffee, pastries and great fellowship. In November, the Men's Club successfully held their White Elephant sale, when many personal treasures are donated and then sold to thankful purchasers. All monies donated or raised being passed on to aid community support organizations. Once again, this 2014 we continued our fellowship ministry with the men at The Gardens and Qualicum Manor. Over coffee and treats, we enjoy a time of sharing and reflection. The relationships that God has nurtured over the years with the men are most amazing, we have been truly Blessed, by God's love. Your Friend in Christ Brian Weightman

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Men’s Club Financial Statement - 2014

Opening Bank Bal

$863.05

Receipts

Breakfast

$270.05 White Elephant sale

$1,050.00

Total Receipts

$1,320.05

Expenses

Breakfast Expense

175.45 Brian - 3 tables

134.37

St. Stephens

500.00 Phil’s Disc. Fund

650.00

SOS

200.00 Salvation Army

200.00

Young Life

250.00 Total Expenses

$2,109.82

Closing Bank Bal

$73.28

Submitted by Elden Davis, Treasurer

U.C.W. Annual Report 2014 We are an aging but willing group and our numbers had decreased but are coming back up with some new additions. Anyone who would like to join us will be very welcome. We know how to have fun and we have some good cooks among us. In fact this is one of our main fundraisers as we cater to Probus monthly and thankfully less Memorials this past year plus the Bazaar and Candlelight Service Tea. The Bazaar was our biggest fundraiser, again with some of the younger members of the church manning tables we had a successful Bazaar doing slightly better than last year. In addition to our annual donations we were able to help Younglife and with the physio for Dean. For our summer wind up we again had a Strawberry Tea catered by the executive and kindly hosted by Audrey Bartell in her lovely garden. Again we were blessed by good weather and the men acted as servers. A good time was had by all. Thanks to all who helped out. Numbers were down for the Candlelight Service therefore so were our donations to C.N.I.B. Instead of a full December meeting we had a catered dinner which was well attended (a good meal too). Doreen Anderson entertained us with some familiar carols and some not so familiar which were greatly enjoyed by all.

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In closing I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks for all help received. May God bless you and keep you safe. Lilian Freeland, President New Executive for 2015 are: Lilian Freeland, President; Janet Atkins, Vice President; Shirley Amendola, Secretary with Audrey Bartell covering for holidays; Vera Conn, Treasurer with Marlene Wakaruk covering for holidays.

ST. STEPHEN’S UNITED CHURCH WOMEN

ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT - 2014

OPENING BALANCE - JANUARY 1, 2014 $ 1,402.46

INCOME:

- Probus $ 2700.00

- Birthday/Tea Monies 120.75

- Membership 40.00

- Memorials 1185.00

- Bazaar 3117.90

- UCW Christmas Luncheon 386.25

- Candlelight Service 119.56

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TOTAL INCOME: $ 7669.46 7,669.46

EXPENSES:

- Daily Devotional $ 120.00

- Probus $ 222.61

- Memorials 150.00

- Bazaar - Kitchen 76.74

- Bazaar - Advertising 165.62

- Bank Charges 118.00

- Young Life 1000.00

- Brian Weightman(D. Jesperson-Physio) 1200.00

- St. Stephen’s General Fund 2000.00

- C.N.I.B. 125.00

- Canadian Cancer Society (Victoria Lodge) 300.00

- Wheels For Wellness 300.00

- Oceanside Hospice Society 300.00

- Salvation Army 300.00

- Society of Organized Services (SOS) 300.00

- Our Place - Victoria 250.00

- Mustard Seed (Victoria) 250.00

- Heart House - Victoria 300.00

- Nanaimo & District Hospital Foundation 300.00

- D&H Catering 457.50

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TOTAL EXPENDITURES: $ 8235.47 8,235.47

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BALANCE - December 31, 2014 $ 836.45

Marlene Wakaruk, Treasurer

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WORSHIP MINISTRY

It’s been my great pleasure to serve as Worship Ministry leader and I look forward with great anticipation to the new ideas and energy that a new leader will bring to our group in 2015. I would like to acknowledge the effort and support of team members, Bruce Feltham, Wanda Mahoney, Fiona Wratislav, John Nelson, Skye Donald and staff members Phil, Dianne and Adele. St. Stephen’s has been well served by this group of experienced and supportive individuals that come together monthly and orchestrate all things worship related in our church. As well-oiled as this machine is, we will always have room for anyone feeling a call a serve in this ministry in some capacity - please feel free to talk to any of us – we’d love to hear from you. 2014 was an interesting year in our Church, but for the most part our Worship lives continued quite smoothly with the following highlights:

Easter Services were augmented this year by on-line devotionals provided on the church website which were well received. Services were offered on Good Friday and Easter Sunday including a presentation from the newly formed drama group.

Bruce Feltham’s popular Gospel Sing evenings continued in 2014 with his group of talented songsters playing and singing to packed houses in spring and fall events.

Bruce also provided music at the Community Meals dinners throughout the year and his mix of gospel and secular songs has been much appreciated by the guests and has hopefully opened the window to life at St. Stephens a bit wider to those that attend the dinners.

We continued to try to support our worship teams with a workshop on posture aimed at singers and musicians – it was attended by 18 of our worship leaders and was quite beneficial.

The Worship year wound up as it always does with a celebration of Christmas. This year we had an amazing gift throughout the Advent season of the Christmas story being presented in dramatic form from a very talented group of actors led by Colin Hearn. It was a wonderful way to not just hear but actually experience the story! Special services started on the 16th with the Community Meals Christmas, followed by a marvelous Pageant on the 21st from our younger congregants and culminating with services on Christmas Eve at 4:00, 7:00, and 9:00.

As we head into a new year eagerly exploring the churches vision and future direction, the Worship Ministry Team is already planning some exciting events and invite you to stay tuned. We thank you all for this wonderful opportunity to serve. Submitted by Dave Ney 9am Worship Team What joy is found in serving the Lord as well as his people! One of the many ways God speaks to his people is through the songs and hymns that are chosen. I have come to depend on and expect this every day and every Sunday. There are some times that I question Him, “Really, Lord? This one?” And, that song is usually very profound to someone, or completely supports the message from the pulpit. So, I don’t question it anymore. My experience of God in the worship ministry is steadfast faithfulness-how wonderful, how humbling that our God provides for our spiritual wellbeing and development. It is my constant prayer for our congregation in the worship ministry, not that you like or enjoy the music-for that is not worship; but that you find something in the music that encourages you to be open to experiencing God, loving Him and being loved by Him.

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Music can be a vehicle that carries you into a worship experience. Join us and come for the ride of your life! Thanks again to the teams that serve this ministry so faithfully; Musicians/ Singers: Doreen Anderson, Adele Cave, Bill Cave, Richard Cave, Darla Clarke, Cathy Edge, Bruce Feltham, Colin Hearn, Phil Spencer; Sound Techs: Dave Ney, Doug Uren, Jack Brygidir, Peter Wratislav; and slide operators: Chris Lemphers, Elva Hogan, Glenn Moyle, Sharon Ney, Leo Rengers, Al Westnedge. In Christ, I serve you. Fiona Wratislav 11AM Choir St. Stephen’s United Church choir continues to provide musical leadership at the “traditional” 11:00 AM worship service. With Skye Donald directing and John Nelson at the keyboards, the faithful group of 14 singers meet on Wednesdays from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, September through June, to prepare music for Sundays and other events.

In addition to leading the hymns and service music, the choir usually offers a choral anthem for the congregation to reflect on. On request, the choir is usually available to sing at memorial services, and in 2014, the group was honoured to participate in the Celebration of Life for former choir member Jack Wares. The choir also participates in special services like joint worship and Christmas Eve. This summer, Skye and members of the choir helped lead a service at Eagle Park, too.

Because health, family obligations and travel keep choir members away from time to time, new singers are always welcome. Our yoke is easy and our burden is light! If you’re interested in joining us, please contact Skye by telephone or email.

Submitted by Skye Donald

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MINISTRY

The Resource Management Ministry (RMM) is responsible for caring for the physical and financial resources of St. Stephen's. This ministry oversees the maintenance of the building and grounds including repairs and renovations. It is responsible for all the financial aspects of the church including budgeting. The RMM is constantly in discussion to ensure that our church building is a welcoming and inviting building to regulars and visitors. Many of the changes made this year reflect this goal. Early in the year, the lighting system was updated when ballasts were replaced throughout the building. A team of volunteers gave the main hall a fresh coat of paint. The exterior entrance to the Old Lounge was painted. In July, the sanctuary

was upgraded with chairs replacing pews and with new carpeting. The water feature near the main entrance was removed in April as it was regularly damaged, requiring maintenance. Gary Kozie had done a superb job of caring for the grounds but did not wish to continue in this role. A group of volunteers met once a week from May to October to look after the outside area. Significant planting was done in the spring.

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The financial picture was a concern by mid-year and difficult steps were taken for improvement. The QF certificate plan was stopped and the $10,000 used as seed money was returned to the church account. For the final quarter of 2014, the working hours for the Youth and Family minister and the secretary were reduced by 25%. By December, the finances had improved, and the Youth and Family minister was reinstated to full time while the secretary chose to remain at the reduced hours. The QF program has not been reinstated at year’s end. The loan to finance the sanctuary upgrades had been repaid and the church account was healthier as 2014 ended.

The annual fall supper was once again a success with good food, good fellowship and a talent show symbolic of St. Stephen’s. The evening, the main fund-raiser at St. Stephen’s, brought in $10 360.

During this year, Elden Davis, a valuable RMM member and St. Stephen’s treasurer, retired from these responsibilities. He will be missed as his unfaltering dedication and his wise judgements were constants on which the committee relied. The Ministry is fortunate to have Trudy Hoskins as the new treasurer. We are blessed to have many volunteers and a devoted custodian who combine to maintain and beautify the building and grounds of St. Stephen’s, creating an inviting place to worship. The Resource Management Ministry, Elden Davis, Trudy Hoskins, Susan Lee, Don McIntosh, Phil Spencer, Todd Starkey and Adele Cave, recording secretary, thank these people and each of you for your ongoing encouragement and financial support.

Submitted by Don McIntosh

Treasurers Report

Prior to my official appointment to the position of Treasurer at the budget meeting in November, I had the pleasure of working closely with Elden to learn the role. Since taking over from him, I have gained an even greater respect and appreciation for his faithful service to this ministry over the past several years. Please join me in giving him a heartfelt Thank You! From a personal perspective, thank you Elden for your mentoring and support. And from a church perspective, thank you for all your time, energy and devotion!

While we have experienced some financial challenges in 2014, everyone has risen to the occasion and we finished the year on a positive note with a surplus of $9,389. Thanks to the staff and volunteers for managing their budgets and restricting their spending when necessary, and thanks to the congregation for responding with generosity. And thanks be to God!

As you can see from the accompanying financial reports, we had $48,023 in the bank at December 31, 2014. Please note that $14,027 belongs to the various designated funds, leaving $33,996 to meet our operating obligations.

As we can see in this annual report, God is doing great things through St Stephen’s and your faithful giving of time and money provide the resources to follow His lead in current and new areas of ministry. To meet our 2015 budget, we need an increase in financial giving of 5%. If you have not already done so, please take time to prayerfully consider how you can contribute to this goal and advance God's work at St. Stephen's. Respectfully submitted by Trudy Hoskins, Treasurer

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Awassa Hand Water Pump Project For the past few years, St. Stephen’s has been holding money in trust that was donated several years ago for the Awassa Hand Water Pump Project. Over the last few years there has been very little activity regarding this project. Prior to our trip to Zambia in 2006, we commissioned the construction of two pumps here in Qualicum Beach. These were taken to Zambia and installed for field testing. Performance of the pump yielded mixed results, indicating that further design revisions were needed along with access to greater expertise. We had been hopeful that some organization would take an interest in the pump in order for it to develop further. We created construction plans and specifications detailing how to build the pump and they were sent out to interested individuals and organizations. The most promising was to an organization in eastern USA, who took the plans and got an estimate to build the pump for one of their water projects. The estimate was $5,000 per pump. At that time, this confirmed what we already knew; the current pump design was too expensive to be viable. When we got involved in the water pump project, the competing pumps were not very good and the people caring for them were not well trained. Now, 10 years later, we are seeing better pumps constructed oversees for significantly less money. More importantly, organizations specializing in clean water projects are training villagers how to install and maintain their own water pumps. Other technologies are also affecting the need for finding clean water; specifically technology that treats contaminated water. We saw this emerging technology in Zambia when we were there with household sand filters and their astonishing effectiveness at purifying water, resulting in healthier communities where sand filters were used. In many areas, the existing shallow wells that currently supply water can still be used and filtered rather than drilling new, deep and expensive wells with new pumps. With the project being dormant, we felt that we should look at other options where the money could be put to good use, specifically, donating it to a comparable charity that provides water related relief programs in developing nations. This is not the first time we have thought of this, but we struggled to find a compatible charity that we could trust, that would use the funds for a water project. We have been following an organization called ACTS and the work that they have been doing with water projects in Africa. ACTS is a Canadian charity, based in Vancouver, with founding roots in Comox. They organize and construct large scale water projects in Uganda, serving many communities with water through long pipelines and reservoirs. This is the organization that Bern and Nancy Cassidy have been working with for several years. I had the opportunity on two occasions to speak with the Director of ACTS and it seems that they are clearly making a difference with the work they are doing, providing clean water to those people who so desperately need it. After prayerful consideration, we decided to donate the hand pump funds to ACTS. The generous people who originally donated this money did so because God put it on their hearts to help people have clean water for their families. By redirecting the money to ACTS, we are confident that they will use these funds in the spirit in which they were donated. Submitted by Richard Cave

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MINISTRY AND PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

The United Church of Canada provides guidelines for the Ministry & Personnel (M&P) Committee. Every pastoral charge (congregation) must have an M&P Committee that is accountable to the official board. The M&P Committee should have at least three and no more than seven members. Committee members should be prepared to consult widely to hear from the diverse voices in the congregation. The committee is usually elected at the Annual Meeting of the congregation, and the committee chair attends official board meetings but is not a voting member of the official board. It is recommended that the Committee meet at least once every three months. The Committee serves as a confidential, consultative body that supports and oversees the work of the church staff members. It reviews staff working conditions, remuneration, responsibilities and effectiveness, and the committee makes recommendations to the Official Board. We extend a big thank you to our staff for helping us through a difficult financial period in the fall of 2014. Dianne Collery, our Family and Youth Minister, went from ¾ time to ½ time, Adele Cave, our church secretary, went from ¾ time to ½ time, and Phil Spencer, our Minister, filled in wherever needed! As of January 2015, Dianne is back to ¾ time and Adele has chosen to remain at ½ time. As a new grandmother, she likes her Fridays off! Members of the committee for 2014 were Norm Watts, Chair, John Kondas, Mac Forbes and Susan Lee. Norm, Mac and John have stepped down from the committee after serving since 2010. A big THANK YOU is extended to these volunteers for serving the church in this role over the past four years. Susan Lee will remain on the committee and looks forward to working with the newly elected members for 2015. Submitted by Susan Lee

COMOX-NANAIMO PRESBYTERY REPORT Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery (CNP) has fully moved into leadership development mode for 2015 and is gearing up for adapting to changes in the structure and processes of the United Church of Canada. By the time you get this Annual Report, the Presbytery will be about to launch a workshop on Leadership Development and Adaptation to Change (February 28, 2015, Full Court Meeting of the CN Presbytery in Campbell River). You are invited to participate in this meeting which will focus on the potential changes offered by the Comprehensive Review Task Force; meetings are open to all who wish to attend. Our next full court meeting will be a retreat at Camp Pringle (October 24-25, 2015) on Shawnigan Lake. This meeting will focus on Faithfull Public Witness. Again, all are welcome. There are no changes in the St. Stephen’s attendees to Presbytery: Rev Phil Spencer, Dianne Collery, Leo Rengers, Marion Wood (Secretary to CNP) and Andy Gilman. Some of the news items for the last 12 months include:

Pastoral charge oversight visits in 2015 will include St Stephen’s. These visits are important opportunities to listen to congregations, gauge health, and develop cooperative recommendations to bolster their work and life as a congregation of believers. Our work as a congregation on discerning new directions for ministry is very timely.

The ProVision Fund is getting more and more use as it seeks to help launch or expand ministry opportunities within the presbytery and with the community (contact Marion or Andy for more details about how to obtain funding). Our Presbytery has exclusive access to the fund for seven more years

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before it is made generally available to all presbyteries in our Conference of British Columbia. St Stephen’s has put forward one proposal for 2015.

Leo Rengers remains on the Board of the George Pringle Memorial Camp. The camp has a new Director who assures us that bursaries will continue to be available for children and youth from the Presbytery. Please spread the word (contact Leo for details).

Presbytery has purchased a film site licence which can be accessed by all pastoral charges. This is a considerable saving for those congregations which make use of film as a teaching tool in adult and youth education (details are available from Marion or Andy)

Presbytery has two student ministers, Elaine Julian (now in student ministry at Cumberland United Church) and Mimi Smienk (Quadra). Our third student for last year, Ha-Na Park was ordained last year and has moved to a Pastoral Charge in Alberta. Congratulations to Ha-Na.

Last year, our Presbytery hosted BC Conference (our provincial United Church leadership) in Nanaimo with over 450 delegates, 800 participants at the ordination/communion service, 7 ordinations, great teaching and much open and Spirit-filled discussion. BC Conference is preparing for the General Council of the United Church of Canada in 2016 and will be holding its next meeting May 28-31, 2015) on the mainland.

Faithfully, Andy Gilman/Leo Rengers/Phil Spencer/Marion Wood/Dianne Collery

2014 STATISTICS REPORT – ST. STEPHEN’S UNITED CHURCH

(As of December 31, 2014) Members 216 (includes 34 out of town members) Adherents 246 St. Stephen’s has 245 families (households) in our congregation (excluding out of town members) comprised of 396 adults and 32 youth/children.

St. Stephen’s Website Statistics: Beginning a year ago we invested in a new church website. We thought you might be interested in some of the statistics generated around its use. These figures are totals for the last 12 months. Number of Sessions/Accesses to website: 3,984 Number of Unique Users: 2,441 Number of page views: 17,073 Number of pages viewed per session: 4.29 Average Session Duration: 3.08 min. 46% of the users are from the Oceanside District while 54% of the users are from outside our geographical boundaries.

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St Stephen’s United Church DRAFT

Annual General Meeting

Date: February 23, 2014

No. Item Discussion Speaker

1. Call to order Phil called the meeting to order at 11:42 am.

Phil

2. Prayer of Remembrance Phil led in a Prayer of Remembrance for all those who have passed away since our last Annual General Meeting.

Phil

3. Election of Chairperson Bruce Feltham/Richard Cave nominated Todd Starkey to chair the meeting. No other nominations. Todd elected by acclamation.

4. Appointment of Secretary Todd appointed Adele Cave as Secretary.

Todd

5. Motion to extend voting privileges to adherents

Andy Gilman/Rick Boyce moved to extend voting privileges to adherents. Carried.

6 Adoption of Agenda

Chris Lemphers/Leila Redford moved to adopt the agenda as presented. Carried.

7 Minutes of Feb. 17, 2013 AGM

Darla Clarke/Rick Boyce moved to accept the minutes of the February 17, 2013 minutes as presented. Carried.

8 Minutes of June 2, 2013 Congregational Meeting

Elva Hogan/ Sheila Artiss moved to accept the minutes of the June 2, 2013 meeting as presented. Carried

9 Minutes of November 24, 2013 congregational Meeting

There was a correction to the wording of the minutes of November 24, 2013 around the cost of the new light fixtures and the rebate. The minutes have been changed to read “A capital expense of $4000 was budgeted to replace the lighting in the building as replacement bulbs are no longer available and ballasts are wearing out. This would be the net cost, after the rebate that is available from BC Hydro to upgrade to more energy efficient bulbs.”

Andy/Chris moved minutes be adopted as corrected. Carried.

10 Errors or corrections Correction made to the minutes of November 24, 2013 (see above).

11 Business Arising from Minutes

none

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No. Item Discussion Speaker

12 Presentation from the Minister

Phil informed the congregation that he would be speaking later in the meeting regarding two items of new business so at this time he asked the congregation if they had any questions.

There was a question about the number of people that attend St. Stephen’s and they were referred to the Statistics report in the Annual Report.

No further questions.

Phil.

13 Review of Team/

Committee Reports

UCW Report: Lilian Freeland reported that she accidentally omitted the candlelight tea from her report.

14 Financial Report At the end of the year, expenses exceeded income by $1985.31.

The Operating Account has a balance of $33,431.95 which includes $16,333.32 of designated funds.

Todd (in Elden’s absence)

15 Budget for 2014 The budget for 2014 was passed at the November 24, 2013 Congregational Meeting. Included in the Annual Report for information only.

Todd

16 New Business

16.1 2014 Thematic Goal A Thematic Goal is something that comes out of a challenge that organizations have: we can find ourselves working separately on what we think is a common task. Often we find ourselves working in “silos” on our own without working together.

Phil gave the example of working in an Emergency Room – there is a need to work together to care for the patient.

Thematic Goals help to create unity by working on one, single shared focus. They are short-term, single goals (rarely longer than a year), qualitative (subjective and not easily measured), and need to be shared.

Our previous Thematic Goal in 2012 was “To unite and

grow our community of faith by creating and building

friendships”.

Phil

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No. Item Discussion Speaker

16.1 Thematic Goal (cont.) Phil asked the congregation for suggestions of a new Thematic Goal: the one thing that we, as a local church, need to accomplish in this next year. Suggestions included:

- Change mission focus outside the country

- Grace happens here (work at being more graceful)

- Communication and learning to know each other socially (fellowship)

- Strengthening relationships between people who worship and 9 and 11.

- Be more intentional about inviting the community in and telling the Community who St. Stephen’s is (more 2-way communication with the Community)

- Increase in the integration of young(er) people in our church activities.(under 30)

- Focus on being vessels of God’s grace to each other and to the community.

- Desire for church unity that will speak to the Community as a whole about who the church is. (Effective witness for the Christian Church in Oceanside)

Phil asked for people to continue to bring their ideas and they will be prayerfully considered.

Lilian Freeland asked people in the congregation to let the Visiting Committee know if they are out visiting and caring for the needs of our congregation.

16.2 Building Upgrades Phil, Dianne and Todd presented the Board’s recommendation for sanctuary upgrades.

Those who were at the 2013 AGM, or those who have read the minutes, will note that at that meeting we began a discussion about the need to replace our 20 year old carpet and at the same time consider if we should remain using the pews or move to chairs. Phil raised this issue as a response to people who found it difficult to sit; difficulty for wheelchairs, and aisles that are a bit narrow.

Factors considered in this decision were accessibility, flexibility in worship on occasion (including moving the communion table to the centre) and being more inviting for those who do not yet attend.

Phil

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No. Item Discussion Speaker

16.2 Building Upgrades

(cont.)

Phil shared that this is a difficult issue as many of us have had personal moments here in this sanctuary (baptisms, weddings, funerals). Most importantly, in every significant decision we make in our fellowship we ask the question: “Where is God leading us to go?”

At the 2013 AGM, it was suggested that it would be beneficial to appoint a committee to explore sanctuary flooring & seating options. This was done and a committee was created to do the research.

In May, the Board received the report from the Committee and then embarked on a time of discernment both as a time together as a Board and as individuals. The Board began its discernment by trying to evaluate the issue. The Board participated in a questionnaire relating to priorities which revealed accessibility as utmost important.

The individual Board Elders each had their own personal preferences but worked together for what would be best for the congregation and where God was leading. After the January Board meeting the Board came to a place of unity. The Board felt that it was important to be prepared for people who are not yet part of the St. Stephen’s congregation.

Different types of seating were evaluated and it was determined that seats need to be comfortable and reasonably priced. A wooden “pew-chair” was received as a sample but the cost was prohibitive. After prayerful consideration of all the options, the Board unanimously approved the plan to install a roll type commercial carpet and 200 upholstered chairs that link together as the most cost effective, comfortable and flexible alternative.

We currently have enough money in reserves to pay for the carpeting and chairs but the Board would prefer not to deplete our resources and will be looking to the congregation to provide the monetary resources. Since it will be a few months before the improvements are made, there will be time to raise the necessary funds.

Phil

Dianne

Todd

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No. Item Discussion Speaker

Building Upgrades

(cont.)

Questions were received from the congregation and answered by Board members.

Q: What were the reasons behind carpet vs. hard surface – can we still use candles?

A: Commercial carpeting with a thin pile weight has been chosen to offer the least sound absorption.

Andy Gilman, Presbytery Rep., shared that there may be funds available for worship space through a matching grant.

Outreach to unchurched community members may be easier with chairs (familiarity) as we must be sensitive to others.

Q: Were there people on the board who were in favour of pews?

A: Jan Greig shared that she was in favour of keeping the pews until the last Board meeting.

Q: Where hymnbooks go?

A: There is a rack below the chair but there is an option that hymnbooks could be passed out on the way in. (this is the method used as Knox)

Q: Was there consideration to re- upholster the pews?

A: The Committee did consider this but were unanimous in the decision of chairs to allow for flexibility and wheelchair access.

Q: Would there would be a vote?

A: In the church, a vote should only determine what the will of God is. Forming a committee, asking the Board to discern and prayer are also ways of determining the will of God. It was felt that a vote could cause unhealthy division in the congregation.

Other comments were made from both long time members of the congregation as well as new members:

Blanche Barrett commented that we are an aging community and living longer and it is important for people to be comfortable.

Elaine MacDougal shared that she is new and came from a church who tried to accommodate all by having chairs and pews and she didn’t feel it was a good way to handle it. She thanked the Board for their prayerful consideration.

People in wheelchairs need to be able to have accessibility.

17 Other Business The next Olympics will be held Feb. 18-26 2018 It was suggested that the AGM not be planned during that time!

18. Adjournment and

Benediction

Lilian Freeland adjourned at 1:06pm. Phil led in prayer and said grace before the lunch being served in the hall.

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St. Stephen’s United Church Congregational Meeting November 30, 2014 DRAFT AGENDA: 1. Call to Order 2. Opening Prayer 3. Election of Chairperson 4. Appointment of Secretary 5. Adoption of Agenda 6. Election of Treasurer 7. Presentation of 2015 Budget 8. Visioning Update 9. Closing Prayer 10. Adjournment

MINUTES: Rev. Phil Spencer called the meeting to order at 11:45am. Phil led an opening prayer. Bruce Feltham/Richard Cave nominated Todd Starkey to chair the meeting. No further nominations. By acclamation. Todd Starkey appointed Adele Cave as recording Secretary. Pattie Brown/Eileen Leachman moved to adopt the Agenda. Carried.

Betty Wares/Leo Rengers moved to extend voting privileges to adherents. Carried. Election of Treasurer Dave Ney/Jan Greig nominated Trudy Hoskins as Treasurer. Trudy gave a brief outline of her work history and credentials as a CGA.

No further nominations. Trudy elected by acclamation. Trudy will be added as a signing officer for St. Stephen’s bank accounts.

Presentation of the 2015 Budget Elden Davis/Richard Cave moved the Budget for 2015 be accepted as presented. Elden then went through the budget highlighting changes from the previous year, most specifically in the area of salaries, donation to Younglife, honoraria and building and grounds.

Salaries: Staff members were asked to leave while the congregation discussed the salaries. Susan Lee presented the salary information.

Younglife: The donation to Younglife has been eliminated from the budget for 2015. Don McIntosh, leader of the Resource Management Ministry spoke about the decision to do so. Don explained the history of Younglife’s relationship with St. Stephen’s starting with an annual donation of $12,000 ten years ago and then reducing to an annual donation of $6000 from 2011 to 2014. St. Stephen’s hope was that Younglife would move to becoming self-sustaining through individual donations. St. Stephen’s will continue to provide space for them to meet.

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Doug Lochhead, Area Director for Younglife, spoke about the expansion of their area to the Comox Valley and Parksville. They hope to take 35 youth to camp this summer. A fundraising plan for camp is in the works. Doug also shared some of the financial policies of Younglife at the National Level.

Doug was asked to leave the room while the congregation discussed Younglife. Various members of the congregation spoke and shared information and ideas. The UCW has supported Younglife in the past and intends to do so again this year, although at a lower level. The members of the congregation were encouraged to support Younglife as individual donors. It was suggested that a presentation to the congregation would be helpful. It was also suggested that the Christmas Eve offering could be given as a donation to Younglife. The Board will be asked to consider this.

Other Budget Questions/Comments The question was raised as to whether we, as a congregation, should be tithing 10% of our budget to outreach. There was discussion about this and also the fact that this budget is for our General Operating Account and does not reflect outreach work carried out by different groups within the church. Andy Gilman, one of our Presbytery reps, explained how the funds for our Presbytery Allocation are used. The motion to accept the Budget for 2015 was taken to a vote. Carried. Elden expressed that this was his last duty as Treasurer and was thanked by the congregation. Visioning Update Phil talked about the process of Visioning that St. Stephen’s has been undertaking. We have had 3 congregational gatherings, one included an exercise of conducting a “Health Check”. At the most recent board meeting there were discussions about the benefits of having a consultant help us with our visioning process. The Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery has access to a substantial fund that congregations can apply to for funds to move ministry ideas forward. The Board is considering applying to the fund to hire a consultant to help us formulate a vision to minister more effectively in the community. A discussion followed about the changes in mainline churches and the benefits to hiring an expert to help move forward. There was general agreement that a consultant would be helpful. Phil, Dianne and the Board will research consultants to find one most fitting. The next deadline for the Pro-Vision Fund is the beginning of February. It was suggested that we gather again as a congregation in January to further discuss this. Al Westnedge gave thanks to the Board and the staff for their work and leadership in the past and also to the new Treasurer. Closing Prayer: Phil shared that he was delighted to be asked by the Qualicum Beach Town Administrator to come and offer a blessing over the new Town Council at their meeting December 1st. Phil closed in prayer. Adjournment Dave Ney moved to adjourn at 12:48 pm.

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George Pringle Memorial Camp – 2014 Annual Report to Churches

A. Mission Statement:

We provide opportunities for campers of all ages to experience God’s love in a close relationship with other people and

the natural environment. – Last reviewed February 2014

B. 2014 Financial statements: These statements will be reviewed by Crawford, Paterson, Campbell and McNeill. For

this report, only our statement of operations are included, please see below:

Revenue Actual Budget Summer Camping $166,364 $217,331

Programmed Events 59,740 74,000

Facility Rental 187,539 270,800

Camp Futures Grant 110,000 30,000

Presbytery Grant 21,516 21,521

Other Grants (including Chaplain grant from Presbytery) 7,604 12,500

Donations 10,514 38,000

Fundraising 14,742 11,400

Merchandise Sales 3 ,240 3,250

Other - 500

Total Revenue 581,259 679,302

Expenditures Salaries – Continuing Staff 180,335 167,294

Salaries – Seasonal Staff 107,171 136,550

Salaries – Term or contract staff 61,924 69,100

Repairs and maintenance 19,306 40,650

Fuel and utilities 39,832 48,200

Insurance 36,086 36,100

Transportation and freight 3,918 12,000

Advertising and promotion 19,686 18,150

Operating supplies 12,531 17,300

Food 74,361 87,500

Administration and other 51,213 45,300

Total Expenditures 606,363 678,144

Excess of (expenditures) over revenue $(25,104) $ 1,158

There will be some minor adjustments to these figures based on some adjustments still to be inputted.

C. Board

Chair: Helmuth Mueller (Murray Groom Dec 2014)

Executive Director: Darryl MacLeod (Kezia Cowtan Nov-Dec 2014)

Board meetings: 3rd

Thursday Monthly

Meeting Time: 7:00pm at St. Aidan’s United Church

# of meetings held: 9 meetings with an average attendance of 12

Membership: 14 members representing 10 of the 18 Victoria Presbytery churches

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Highlights/Achievements of the Year:

Program: In 2014, we attracted 15% more campers (538) than in 2013 (446). We had 22 campers during Spring Break

program (a drop in attendance) and 516 campers during the summer. This increase in summer campers can be attributed to

the introduction of a day camp program, a rebuilding of our teen program and roughly 7% more weekly youth campers.

Our schools program suffered this year due to the school strike action however approximately 900 school children still

managed to attend camp in May and June. Camp attendance is steadily increasing since our low point in 2012; however

we have anticipated greater increases over the past couple of years as we worked hard to diversify the variety of camps we

offered. In 2015, we will focus our energy on better promotion of the camps. The impact of a lower increase in campers

than expected is visible in our budget to actual figures.

There were campers from 11 of the 18Victoria Presbytery Churches and 3 of 25 Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery Churches

also attended our summer programs. Of 117 campers claiming to be associated with a church, 53 were from Victoria

Presbytery and 7 were from Comox-Nanaimo.

Four Victoria Presbytery churches sponsored a total of 7 campers and 2 families with a total of $2,743.75. The supporting

churches were First Metropolitan, Centennial, Duncan AOTS, and St. Paul’s. Camp Pringle Bursary Fund sponsored 48

campers and 4 families for a total of $13,503.75. In addition, Camp Pringle offered a lower tier rate for 106 campers and

37 family members for a total of $11,590 subsidies. The Prison Fellowship Canada supported 6 campers with a total of

$2,740 and the Victoria Foundation supported 4 campers with a total of $1,600. A total of $31,537.50 bursaries were

provided for campers in 2014.

Property: The camp was very well rented in 2014 with many groups returning as they find our pricing very reasonable.

This translated into overall rental revenues coming in at approximately $187,539. We had forecasted for $270,800 so we

were short in meeting our goal. However, we acknowledge that for long time clients the significant increases over the

past years and the implementation of larger deposits has been a challenge. Our Board is raising our rental rates again in

2015. We will continue to honor the 2014 rates for United Church group while we work on ways to improve our

accessibility to the churches as one of our priority goals is that Camp Pringle is the Island Camp for United Churches to

use. With our Residential Caretaker, Glen Slater, the camp has seen continual transformations. Glen is very dedicated to

see the whole camp property looking clean and welcoming at all times. Glen is very focused on the maintenance and

safety side of his job.

Budget: As you can see in the table above, Camp had expenditures over revenues of close to $25,104. Considering the

optimism of the 2014 budget and very high revenue projections, staff did very well in staying well below our expenditure

budget to keep our deficit low. We are looking to a future where we have strong support in the early months of the year

when we can invest in areas such as advertising and community relations that will help the grow our summer numbers and

continue the strong growth we are seeing in private rentals. We are looking to providing new mattresses and other

amenities in the coming years to continue to attract a clientele that can afford to pay full rates.

Objectives for 2015: To grow our board membership. To develop a stronger relationship with the Comox-Nanaimo

Presbytery, similar to what we have in Victoria. To negotiate and resolve the issue of governance under the BC

Conference Camping Ministry and to determine ways to continue to increase our rental revenues to meet the rising costs

of running our camp. To ensure accessibility of the camp to the United Churches. To develop a new summer program

strategy that will build our camper numbers and to continue day camp programming in the summer as an additional source

of revenue and ministry. To implement a capital campaign that will see the docks rebuilt and lakefront improvements.

We would like to thank all the churches, Victoria Presbytery, Comox-Nanaimo Presbytery and BC

Conference for their continued support. You are our cornerstone.

40

AGENDA FOR THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF ST. STEPHEN’S UNITED CHURCH

To be held February 22, 2015

1. Call to Order

2. Prayer of Remembrance

3. Election of Chairperson

4. Appointment of Secretary

5. Motion to extend voting privileges to adherents

6. Adoption of Agenda

7. Minutes of Feb. 23, 2014 Annual Meeting

8. Minutes of November 30, 2014 Congregational Meeting

9. Errors or corrections

10. Business Arising from Minutes

11. Presentation from the Minister

12. Review of Team/Committee Reports appearing in Annual Report

13. Financial Report

14. New Business

15. Other Business

16. Adjournment