The Covenant Connections

1111

The Covenant Connections

[email protected]

JANUARY 2021

SMLC: http://stmartinwebster.org/

Page 1

BLC: www.bethlehemlutheranchurch.org [email protected]

I might have more than most to celebrate this past year (being called to serve here being a signifi-

cant one!). But, for the most part, most of us are looking back at 2020 with a sense of “good rid-

dance.” New Year’s is a traditional time to look back over the previous year and ahead to the next.

I imagine that many are glad to have this past year over with and are looking to 2021 to be better.

But for people of faith, there is more to it than just hoping that next year will be better.

Even though New Year’s is a secular celebration, it is especially good for people of faith to take a

time for reflection about our past and future. For us, this is a time of prayer; we get to communicate

with the author of the year to come, and prayerfully petition our needs before him.

This is not so much to dictate our plan for the next year, but to add our voices to the yearning for the

blessings God can give, inviting God to work through us in blessing the coming year. Our hope is

not based on wishful thinking, but on the promises of a Heavenly Father who desires the best for us

each and every year. By being in communication with God, we can be a part of actively making the

year better than what it otherwise would be.

Another advantage that people of faith have this time of year is that we have divine help as we seek

to grow. Many people commit themselves to healthier habits or some other improvement, then

hope that the fresh start of a new calendar year will be enough to strengthen their willpower enough

to make a habit change.

But we have help. We know the fallibility of our own best efforts, and so we turn to the One who

can save us from ourselves. Every week we stand before God in confession, and again ask God to

make the changes within us that we are unable to accomplish ourselves. Our hope is not in our own

willpower, but in the Spirit within us who we daily invite in and ask to lead us this day.

As we stop and meditate on the challenges of this past year and our hopes for the next, do so with

God. Do look back and notice where God’s activity had been clearly visible (even if only in hind-

sight,) and look forward in the clear expectation of hope. Yes, there will be plenty of challenges

facing us; some continuing, some new, but as people of faith, we can always look ahead and expect

nothing else but the presence of God with us.

This is the good news that many need to hear this New Years. Let us share our reason for hope!

Thank you all so much for the financial gifts that both congregations have given me and my fami-ly! You are a blessing to us in many ways and the support we have received from you expresses great love, even as we are still really getting to know each other. It is a significant gesture to us,

and a gift we can greatly use. Thank you!

Pastor Korey

BE

TH

LE

HE

M /

ST

. M

AR

TIN

2222

Page 2

MISSION

The Prayer First group invites you to join them and others in the Rochester com-munity in praying for our local commu-nities and leaders in 2021 according to

the following schedule.

3333

Page 3

MISSION

LITTLE FREE PANTRY

UPDATE

We are so very grateful for the donations for the

Little Free Food Pantry over the last few months.

We sometimes fill the pantry twice a day as there is so much need out there during these

unsettled times.

In addition to the donations of non-perishable food, we are currently receiving large donations of

baked goods from Panera, BJ’s and occasionally, Wegmans.

We are putting as many of the baked goods as we can in the pantry as well, and the church freez-

er is also full. In order to not waste all the extra baked goods, we have been donating the excess

to the Williamson Come-Unity Center, Cameron Ministry in Rochester, and several local senior

citizens complexes.

Recently, we received a thank you note from the Come-Unity Center saying “Have you ever been

parked in a tight spot where you think there is no way to get out safely? Then someone comes

and says you have plenty of room, I will guide you out. Thanks for helping us out of a tight spot.

Your recent donation was badly needed and much appreciated”.

Thank you again to all who are keeping our Little Free Pantry stocked. Also, thank you to those

who are sorting bakery donations and delivering the extras to other people in need of help.

Reverse Advent Project, the Hillsboro Cove Food Drive

and the Elks Club Donations

THANK YOU! CAROL GEIER

4444

January 2021 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 8:45am BLC Worship (via worship video)

9:00am Zoom

Sunday School

10:30am SMLC

Zoom Worship

4 5 6 12:00pm Bible

Study w/Pastor

Korey

7 8 9

10

8:45am BLC Worship (via worship video)

9:00am Zoom

Sunday School

10:30am SMLC

Zoom Worship

11

6:30pm Joint

SMLC/BLC Council

Meeting at BLC

12

13 12:00pm Bible

Study w/Pastor

Korey

14 15 16

17 8:45am BLC Worship (via worship video)

9:00am Zoom

Sunday School

10:30am SMLC

Zoom Worship

18 19 20 12:00pm Bible

Study w/Pastor

Korey

21 22 23

24 8:45am BLC Worship (via worship video)

9:00am Zoom

Sunday School

10:30am SMLC

Zoom Worship

25 26 27 12:00pm Bible

Study w/Pastor

Korey

28 29 30

31 8:45am BLC Worship (via worship video)

9:00am Zoom

Sunday School

10:30am SMLC

Zoom Worship

Page 4

5555

SUNDAY

JANUARY 3

SUNDAY

JANUARY 10

SUNDAY

JANUARY 17

SUNDAY

JANUARY 24

SUNDAY

JANUARY 31

LECTOR Alison

Finstad

Jeff

Peters

Dick

Detwiler

Paul

Haffen

Amie

Kulak

ASSISTING

MINISTER

Nancy

Currier

Karen

Kunzer

Mary Lou

Alexander

Anne

Mitchell

Sharon

Haffen

ORGANIST Mary Ann

Peters

Mary Ann

Peters

Mary Ann

Peters

Mary Ann

Peters

Mary Ann

Peters

ZOOM

SUNDAY

SCHOOL

Amie Kulak &

Sharon Haffen

Amie Kulak &

Sharon Haffen

Amie Kulak &

Sharon Haffen

Amie Kulak &

Sharon Haffen

Amie Kulak &

Sharon Haffen

Page 5

St. Martin Lutheran Church 813 Bay Road

Webster, New York 14580

Phone: 585.671.1899 Email: [email protected]

JANUARY 2021 Worship Leaders

6666

Page 6

ST. MARTIN LUTHERAN CHURCH TREASURER’S REPORT

NOVEMBER 2020 OPERATING FUND (OPS)

* What happened to the income?

A few members gave their pledge to year end.

* What’s going on with expenses?

We have not been in church to see things to spend money on.

It continues to look like we will be financially GOOD for 2020. However, since the congregation passed a

$12,000 deficit budget for 2021 it will be a challenge to not end the year in the RED. Any income from the po-

tential garage sale and the chicken BBQs may have to be used to reduce the monetary shortfall. This probably

will mean that there will be little or no money available for capital projects.

BEGINNING BALANCE

YEAR TO DATE

BALANCE YEAR TO DATE CHANGE

OPERATING FUND 35,489 39,037 3,548

RESTRICTED FUNDS 19,592 23,153 3,561

ST. MARTIN IMPROVEMENT FUND -3,130 -4,808 -1,678

INVESTMENT FUND 29,992 30,778 785

ENDOWMENT FUND 6,720 6,724 5

TOTAL CASH/INVESTMENT ASSETS 88,663 94,884 6,221

BALANCE IN MAJOR RESTRICTED FUNDS

Memorial Fund 7,826

Replacement Fund 7,387

Christmas Stocking Fund 4,217

St. Martin Improvement Fund (SMIF) -4,808

Food Pantry 720

FUNDS SUMMARY 2020

BUDGET ACTUAL

VARIANCE

Over/(Under)

CURRENT MONTH INCOME 7,995 6,274 -1,721

CURRENT MONTH EXPENSE 8,843 5,349 -3,494

CURRENT MONTH NET -847 925 1,773

YEAR TO DATE INCOME 87,949 89,658 1,709

YEAR TO DATE EXPENSE 97,271 85,949 -11,322

YEAR TO DATE NET -9,323 3,709 13,031

JMA, Treasurer December 2020

November income was 22% under budget.

November expenses were 40% under budget.

7777

Pastor Report

Pastor would like us to think of other ideas to keep people engaged virtually with the other members from church. Possibilities are an evening bible study, or Sunday morning zoom fellowship. Pastor suggested we re-search what other churches are doing. He will do an email blast to invite people to the Wednesdays at noon Prayer First time.

Due to Pastor’s commitment to confirmation on Monday nights in January and February, he asked if we could switch our council meeting time to another night. Therefore, we agreed to have the BLC Council Meet-ing night to the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm starting in February (with the exception of February 17th which is Ash Wednesday). We will still be hold-ing our joint council meeting on Monday, January 11.

Treasurer Report

Sarah Frick paid a large insurance bill this month. She emailed everyone the information and the financial report. Sally counted the offerings today and there was a substantial contribution.

There is extra money for the Christmas stockings so we will put into the Christmas stocking fund for 2021.

The Thanksgiving offering was given to Maggie’s Kids (Community Lutheran Ministry).

Old Business

Christmas stockings were stuffed and delivered. Unfortu-nately, we were informed there was a Covid exposure at St. Martin and everyone involved was advised to quarantine.

Sandy B. would like to talk to Paul Haffen from St. Mar-tin as she wishes he had called her to inform her about

the exposure to Covid in case Bethlehem needed to change anything in response.

Laura Simmons offered to step up as treasurer since Joe Geiger had to resign. All motions were approved

(Thanks Laura!).

New Business

Sally motioned for the Christmas offering to go to the

Lutheran World Relief. All motions were approved. Pastor will make an announcement at this week’s ser-

vice and Laurie Brigden will add it to the bulletin. Laurie Brooks reported the task list and job description

list is coming along and hopes to finish in the near future.

Page 7

SMLC Council Highlights

Pastor Report

New website created by Alison F., with a monthly

maintenance cost of $15.00.

Treasurer Report

New custodian hired (Melanie) and with less

hours because of pandemic.

Monies needed to purchase “new” to us lawn

tractor will be taken from the replacement

funds that we started collecting when YMCA

started using our building.

New Business

New Custodian will clean every other Tuesday

and will be paid $100 for each Tuesday

worked, she has been given a list of responsi-

bilities.

Brings up the question of jobs that Gene did that

are not expected to be done by new custodi-

an – shovel sidewalk, salt sidewalk when

groups will be in attendance and the extra

cleaning that outside groups incur, open and

close the building.

Council Positions need to be accepted by council:

Paul H. for president, Debbie L. for secretary

and Cindi B. for Christian Education – mo-

tion was made by Ed C. seconded and

passed.

Old records in the garage need to be reviewed &

sorted for retention if needed for future. Paul

H. and Kris W. may be working on this.

BLC Council Highlights

Old Business

“New” tractor has been purchased and Paul H. and

Doug G. will be doing the job of mowing the

yard this summer, funds needed to complete

the purchase of $8,100 will be taken from the

replacement fund.

Need to start thinking of some ways to raise some

extra monies to upgrade the church ex. Air

conditioning, fellowship hall flooring, siding

for the original church and any other major

projects a projected time line needs to be ad-

dressed.

Bev Steele sent a card to BLC and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. She misses us all!!!

Next Joint Council Meeting:

Monday, Jan. 11, 6:30 p.m., @ BLC

8888

Bethlehem January Birthdays

Page 8

Bethlehem January Anniversaries

SMLC January Birthdays

SMLC January Anniversaries

Alison Finstad 1/4

Ken Francis 1/11

Harry Weidman 1/11

Jan Mohrman 1/15

Nancy Bardo 1/16

Larry Leisten 1/23

Al Neels 1/26

Greg Francis 1/30

Emmet Moore 1/1

Michaela Stoller 1/3

Alison Finstad 1/4

Josh Haffen 1/14

Mike Geier 1/25

Catherine Tesoriero 1/26

None to Report Jason & Kathy Leisten 1/7

9999

SMLC SUNDAY WORSHIP & COUNCIL MTGS.

Council meets 2nd Wednesday of the month.

Sundays 9:00am

Zoom Sunday School before worship

Pre-K thru 5th Grade

St. Martin: 10:30am Zoom Worship

JOIN ZOOM WORSHIP (SUNDAYS AT 10:30AM)

ZOOM WORSHIP LINK

Meeting ID: 830 8064 4801

Passcode: 316244

JOIN ZOOM SUNDAY SCHOOL

Pre-K thru 5th grade

Sundays 9:00am

To Join Zoom Class:

SUNDAY SCHOOL LINK

Meeting ID: 598 943 8288

Passcode: pchskm

BLC SUNDAY WORSHIP & COUNCIL MTGS.

8:45am Worship

Council meets on 2nd Monday of the month

Page 9

Online Giving at SMLC

You can give online during worship or at home by using your smartphone!

To the side is a QR Code, which can be read by the QR Code reader app on

your smartphone (free to download). Scan it, and it will bring you to Vanco,

the company with which St. Martin has set up an online giving program.

JOIN ZOOM BIBLE STUDY

(WEDNESDAYS AT NOON)

BIBLE STUDY LINK

Meeting ID: 598 943 8288

10101010

At Bethlehem…

Gary Steinmiller, Ed and June Borkhuis, Ken Francis, Finnegan O’Grady, Alice Tynan, Carl Bau-

er, Gary Ayers, John Heckle, Shirley Bauer, John Brayer, Emily Briggs, Nancy Gotte, Shirley

Jennejohn, Lin Maier, Kay Heckle, Jean Lund, Patty Martins, Daniel Rose and family, Nancy

Smith, Bev Steele, Cecilia Anderson. We also pray for those in the military and their families: Mor-

gan Hauer, Sharon Verges, Brad Verges, Javier Alagarin, and Mark Baker.

At St. Martin…

Nancy (friend of Kris Weingartner), Robert Flood (son of Kris’ friends, Tom Flood & Jane Laskey),

Verda Johnson (Aunt of Kris Weingartner), Nancy Currier, Jeannette Lockwood, Jim Matteson,

Michael O’Connor (friend of the Cawley’s), Sarah McHugh (friend of the Moore family), Pastor

Ron Willman and his wife, Barbara, Joyce Fellows (Kim Cawley’s mother), Harry Hilbert Jr. (son

of Harry and Becky Hilbert), Caurie (daughter-in-law of Becky Hilbert), Aidan Weingartner (grand

nephew of Kris Weingartner), Karin Ewanow, James Simmons, and people serving in the military,

especially Bryan. Also, all Law Enforcement Officers, especially Scott, Eric, Josh, Eric and Eric.

If you would like names added or removed from the prayer list, please contact the church office at

St. Martin, and Laurie Brooks if you’re at Bethlehem.

SMLC Directory

Pastor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Korey Finstad

Director of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Ann Peters

Church Council

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Haffen

Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debbie Lester

Treasurer / Finance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Alexander

Outreach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Geier

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kris Weingartner

Christian Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindi Bouchard

Member-at-Large. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Lou Alexander

Evangelism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ed Currier

Worship and Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anne Mitchell

BLC Directory

Pastor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Korey Finstad

Director of Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Evelyn Lam

Church Council

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Borkhuis

Vice President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dick Howard

Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laurie Brooks

Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Al Neels

Faith Formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sally Steinmiller

Congregational Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Smith

Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sarah Frick

Treasurer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laura Simmons

Worship Ministries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lorrilyn Schlinger

Outreach Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laurie Brigden

Youth Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Laura Simmons

Page 10

REMEMBER IN PRAYER:

11111111

Lay Readers Nancy Currier

Altar Guild Nancy Lewis

Ushers Doug Gomez

Coffee Hr. Jeff & Mary Ann Peters

Greeters Nancy Currier

Assisting Ministers Sharon Haffen

Nancy Nesbitt St. Martin Lutheran Church Office

813 Bay Rd, Webster, NY 14580

Email: [email protected]

Laurie Brooks Bethlehem Lutheran Church,

1767 Plank Rd, Webster, NY 14580

Email: [email protected]

St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church

813 Bay Road

Webster, NY 14580

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

1767 Plank Road

Webster, NY 14580

St. Martin Lutheran Church

813 Bay Road

Webster, New York 14580

585-671-1899

www.stmartinwebster.org

[email protected]

Office Hours: Tues, Wed, & Thurs., 9-1:00pm

Worship: 10:30am

Bethlehem Lutheran Church

1767 Plank Road

Webster, New York 14580

585-872-1425

www.bethlehemlutheranchurch.org

Worship: 8:45am

Please submit your articles to be published in the

February newsletter to Nancy Nesbitt by January

15, 2020. You can email them to stmartinweb-

[email protected]. Thank you!

Page 11

Pastor Korey’s Contact Info

St. Martin: 585-671-1899

Bethlehem: 585-872-1425

Cell phone: 585-402-8451

Email: [email protected]

NEWSLETTER

DEADLINE IS

JANUARY 15TH FOR

THE FEBRUARY

COVENANT

CONNECTIONS