Category Archives: Messages from the MCP

Pastors, Communications, CFO’s, Recorders, etc:

Below are the details of the previously announced WOMC Priesthood Retreat.  Please invite all priesthood, including anyone who has accepted a call to priesthood but has not yet been ordained.

Theme:  Partners in Ministry

Saturday, October 15, 2016, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Grove City Community of Christ, 1255 Stringtown Road, Grove City OH 43123

Guest Minister – Apostle Barbara Carter

Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP to me by October 8 so we can plan for food and handouts and also advise of any special dietary needs.

Blessings,

Vern

Camp Bountiful receives Westfield Insurance Foundation Volunteer Grant

Westfield Insurance honored the volunteer commitment of Bobbie Altman with a $500 grant from their volunteer grant program.  This program was designed to connect to communities through employee volunteer action.  Our thanks to Bobbie and her employer, Westfield Insurance.

Prayers are requested for the father of Matt Jeffers, Columbus congregation.  He has been hospitalized for a few days with serious liver and gall bladder infections and has been on a ventilator.  They will be removing the ventilator this weekend and prayers are in order for the family.

Keith Ballantyne, Mansfield, fell down his basement stairs and was hospitalized in intensive care. During his stay they discovered a heart issue and he is undergoing testing and treatment for that, as well.  He and his wife would appreciate prayers.

Blessings,

Vern

To USA Mission Center Presidents and Financial Officers:

Please read the attached and share through your newsletters and other communication channels. Please forward to pastors and ask them to share as follows:

• in congregations when they next gather
• in newsletters
• on social media

o   Retweet from the Community of Christ Twitter page or Tweet on your Twitter. E.g.:
Community of Christ USA apostles encourage us as citizens and disciples. http://ow.ly/O9NI303ADvd #EnduringPrinciples

o   Share the post from the Community of Christ Facebook page or Post to Facebook. E.g.:
Community of Christ USA apostles encourage us to live our Enduring Principles as citizens and disciples engaged in the nation’s political process. http://ow.ly/O9NI303ADvd

Thank you for all you do in pursuit of Christ’s mission!

USA Apostles

WOMC Pastors and CFO’s:

At our August 21 meeting there was a request for additional information on the CB budget and minutes.  Click Here to see the minutes from the June CB Association meeting.

The timber sale check for $52K+ has already been received and will be deposited in the AIP account.  Tree removal will start soon.  T&D will also remove most of the pine trees past the rifle range.  We will receive a small additional amount for this, as well.

Let me encourage you to attend the CBA meetings.  I estimate 80% or so of pastors & CFO’s do not attend and, for many congregations, the largest line item in their budget other than the building is to support Camp.  We’ve tried to make them more accessible by having them on Sunday afternoon at reunion.

Blessings,

Vern

Pastors and CFO’s:

As I mentioned in the previous message, I’m sending you the financial recaps for the last few years, plus the 2016 and 2017 budgets.

We also had some questions about camp usage, so I’m attaching a spreadsheet that shows the last 5 years and 2016 year to date info.  My estimate of 500 COC campers came from this sheet.  You can see we had over 600 in 2013 and 2014 then dropped to just under 500 in 2015.  Part this was from the fall retreats being snowed out.  Misc. income on this report includes United Nations of Ohio, family reunion weekends, etc.

Regarding the question on Sunday about how much of our income comes from non-COC sources, I have two answers.  Of our income that comes strictly from grounds rental, 66% comes from non COC rentals and 34% from Community of Christ.  If we add all sources of income from COC, including assessments and congregation contributions, 54% comes from non COC and 46% from COC.

Participants from the 21st meeting who have questions please advise.  For those attending the meeting this coming Sunday, please bring your questions to that gathering.

Also, we just got our fiscal year AIP report this week.  I had based the 2017 budget numbers I shared on Sunday on an AIP balance of $580K.  At the end of the fiscal year the number is $615K.  For those attending this coming Sunday I’ll explain in more detail. We lost $26.6K the first half of the FY, then gained $16.3K the second half.  We still lost $10.5K for the FY but the April-June quarter was all positive.

Twin Valley Baptist church only made 5 payments during the FY but the total was over $3K and while I think they are still in arrears overall, this FY was more positive. All Twin Valley payments go directly into our AIP.  (Twin Valley bought the Eaton church property and we are carrying the note on it.)

Blessings,

Vern

Camp Bountiful Board, WOMC Pastors, CFO’s & Communications contacts:

At the Camp Bountiful Association meeting in June we approved the 2015 financial report “subject to audit”, as the church auditor had not received the background information in sufficient time to complete the audit by the association meeting.  We advised that we would send the audit letter to all of the congregations when it was completed (available Here).

Please advise of any questions.

Bountiful blessings,

Vern

Pastors and Communications contacts:

Wim van Klinken (IHQ) shares good news about his recent procedure: This afternoon I received the hoped for news that the removed mass was benign. I am so grateful for all the good thoughts and prayers shared by our wonderful community of hope and joy. God is good!

wvanklinken@cofchrist.org

Ron Oxley, husband of retired apostle Susan Oxley, passed away this afternoon. Susan is surrounded and held in love by her family and friends, and would be blessed by the prayerful support of our larger community of hope. The memorial service will be held next week and details will be shared as they become known.

sdoxley@yahoo.com

Update on Susan Oxley (Skoor) and Ron Oxley

Ron Oxley, husband of retired apostle Susan Oxley, began hospice care today as a result of cancer. Ron and Susan recently returned from a trip to New Zealand to visit family and friends and upon their return, Ron’s health began to decline. They are surrounded by family members and much love and Susan and Ron are deeply grateful for the many expressions of support they have received from members all over the world. Please continue to uphold them in your prayers as they move through this challenging time of change. May they continue to feel the peace of Christ expressed in loving community.

Sdoxley@yahoo.com

Pastors and Communications contacts:

The Young Peacemaker’s Club at Lancaster has been busy for the last several weeks producing 1000 cranes, which they have sent to Japan for the Children’s Peace Monument and the August 6 remembrance of the dropping of the bomb.  Thousands upon thousands of these cranes will arrive from all over the world as peace minded people join together in the wish for a world without nuclear war.  The base of the monument is inscribed:

This is our cry, this is our prayer: For building peace in the world.

I know all of the violent events in our country have saddened us, caused a great deal of worry and concern and made many feel a loss of hope.  May the symbols shown below – the cross, which turns bad news into good news – and the cranes, representing a small movement that keeps growing and adds people to the cause each year, be symbolic of the hope which still prevails.  May we each – individuals and congregations – do our own version of 1000 cranes to bring peace into the lives of others.

Blessings,

Vern