2003 ANNUAL REPORT
MESSAGES FROM THE MINISTERS “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me......” Luke 4:18 On a Thursday afternoon in February 2003, I left Springdale and headed to Gander where I was to meet with the Search Committee for this Pastoral Charge. It was a grey day and as I drove I was feeling a little anxious as I always do when facing an interview. I was not at all sure that Gander would be where I might be called to be. The interview began and it was going well enough, but not anything out of the ordinary. Then, somewhere in the midst of the questions and the answers, there was this overwhelming sense of the presence of God’s Spirit, moving among us. It was a turning point and I remember thinking, amazed, “So, I am meant to be here.” Having been here now for six months, I am beginning to have a better sense of what it is to be living and working among you, of the people of these communities and this Pastoral Charge as well as the practices and expectations of the Charge. The welcome I received upon my arrival was heart-warming and was an indication of what my experience was to be in the days and months which have gone by since. This place is, indeed, now my home. Gander is a vibrant and busy pastoral charge with many opportunities and challenges for those who are the ministry team. Being part of a team is a new experience for me and it has been rewarding to work at team building. Having clearly defined position descriptions has greatly enabled this process. Team building is an ongoing process. Being part of team that is life-giving, filled with challenging times and always with a sense of joy, laughter and good humour has become an important aspect of this ministry for me. If I were to enumerate the “special” moments and occasions since my arrival, they would be too many to recite in this space. Some highlights have been:
Baptisms, marriages, funerals, each unique and special in their own way have, of course, been part of the work here. Visiting / meeting so many of you in your homes, in the office, the stadium, the church hall, the mall, has been a blessing. I look forward to our continuing ministry together as we explore new ways to be faithful to our Christian calling. As we come to new opportunities and challenges I pray that “the Spirit of the Lord is upon” all of us. Yours in the Spirit,
Puzzled Yet?
We all have a part to play in the proper functioning of the body and we all have gifts to offer in worship to please God. Think for a brief moment... What part of the body are you in this pastoral charge? Are you a hand that reaches out in service or stretches out to welcome newcomers? Are you an ear that listens to someone and pays attention to the things that people are saying or not saying? Are you an eye who helps to see the way forward out of conflict? Are you a foot who walks beside people in their grief staying close by for support, but not digging in your heels to direct their process? Are you a heart whose very beat pumps life-giving prayers through the veins of the organization or do you show compassion in visitation? You get the idea. Though we are different and have different gifts, we all belong to each other. I told you’d need your puzzle pieces, so here’s the time. Paul uses the parts of the body and I like to think of the church as a puzzle in much the same way. I’d like you to compare some of the pieces. What is the same about them? What is different? Here are some of my observations and reflections:
This year, I have found many ways that I can use my gifts to benefit this congregation. I have also revelled in the gifts of others. It has been an absolute joy to seek out my place in this puzzle and I thank you all for sharing with me your gifts of humour, hospitality, and home! As we continue our journey together may all of our gifts be seen and shared in this particular body to God’s great pleasure!
MARRIAGES 2003 July 5, 2003 Darren Michael BYRNE & Sonia Michelle TUCKER July 5, 2003 Stanley James LUPYCZUK & Laurie Anne FIELD July 26, 2003 Shane Christopher LOUGHLIN & Lisa Lynn FIFIELD August 1, 2003 Barry William GOSSE & Lori Nicole ANSTEY August 1, 2003 Christopher Winston WELLON & Joanne Elizabeth HODDER August 2, 2003 Matthew Gerard MAHONEY & Kimberley Joanne FLYNN August 2, 2003 Shawn David MacFADYEN & Wendy Lynn HAMMOND (St. Joseph’s) August 16, 2003 Junior Leslie PEDDLE & Michelle Jane PENNEY August 23, 2003 Kerry WAY & Mindy Darlene POWER August 30, 2003 Colin Patrick THOMAS & Hilary Vanessa ROWE August 30, 2003 Michael Dawson BABSTOCK & Catherine Grace Irene PASHER August 30, 2003 Wade Gerald Stephen ADAMS & Sheila Anne DUCEY (St. Joseph’s) October 4, 2003 Bradley Arthur MELENDY & Amy Michelle OSMOND November 8, 2003 Terrence Roy FISHER & Elsie Dinsmore VINCENT
FIRST UNITED CHURCH
Caitlyn Dawn BURRY
Terry Lloyd COATES Geraldine FREAKE from Trinity U.C., Botwood
Sandy Allan to Sprucedale United, Lively, ON
Mrs. Mabel SHEPPARD
Fraser Road United Church Congregation held its annual meeting on February 23, 2003, following the morning worship service. Proceedings began with a pot luck lunch followed by devotions conducted by Mr. Lloyd Case. The business period was called to order at 1:00 p.m. with 42 people present. Nomination for Chairperson and
Secretary Approval of Minutes Business Arising Correspondence – Nil Annual Reports Church Council Report Three new names were presented for acceptance as members of session – Cator Brown, Jean Brown and Ken Slaney. It was moved by Lorraine Elliott and seconded by Ray LeBeau that these people be accepted. Motion carried. Ministy and Personnel Report Outreach and Social Action Report Stewardship Report Property Report Communications and Membership
Report Christian Development Report Sunday School Report Finance Report Budget for 2003 Nominating Report New Business – Nil Votes of Thanks Adjournment Marion Stratton Secretary
It is difficult to believe, but this is my fifth annual report as Chair of Council. Time has a way of slipping away! The time is fast approaching when I will vacate my position in accordance with our Bylaw provisions. While I have enjoyed my long tenure in office, I find that the time for change is arriving, and I feel that the Charge would benefit from having a new person assume this role. This means that I would be free to take on other duties within the Church structure. In October of this year I attended the fortieth anniversary of the Scouting movement in this Church. I was pleased to learn that the Scouting movement was still very much alive, but I was more impressed by the fact that a group of younger persons, many of whom were Scouts when I was a Scout Leader in the 1970’s and 80’s, had assumed leadership roles in that wonderful organization. I would be very much more pleased if I could look at our Church structure and see many younger persons, like Tony Foote, current Treasurer of Council, taking active leadership roles. This is a challenge I throw out to our younger members to get involved in some aspect of our formal church life like becoming a member of a committee, Church Council, leader in Sunday School, youth leader, etc. Hosting the meeting of the United Church Conference Our Council offered the facilities and resources of the Gander Pastoral Charge to host the Spring 2003 meeting of our Conference. There were many skeptics who felt that such an undertaking was beyond our resources and organizational abilities. We had a strong faith that our people would view this as a challenge, and that we would not only host this provincial gathering, but we would do it with dedication and resourcefulness. When our Conference personnel informed us that our invitation had been accepted, an excellent co-ordinating committee under the chairs of Malba Butt and Cathy Mosher went into action. This team put together a strategy to deal with all the minute details required to expedite the meetings and provide for the comfort of the delegates. The outcome, of course, was that our Charge received the grateful thanks of the delegates and Conference officials for a job well done. On behalf of Council, I wish to express sincerest appreciation to the congregations of First United, Glenwood-Appleton and Fraser Road United who willingly undertook all tasks assigned to them by the co-ordinating committee. These tasks ranged in scope from offering billets, preparing food, helping move furniture and equipment to the proper venues, serving meals in the Church Hall, etc. First United, Benton This very small congregation of approximately 15 families continues to struggle and are experiencing many difficulties ranging from poor church attendance to attempting to restore their church building to a safe and comfortable condition. Over the past year or so their church building has been deemed unfit structurally to hold any congregation for worship. This building requires massive repairs and renovations if it is ever to be restored to its previous status, and it would appear that the costs to be incurred are beyond the resources of this small congregation. Council has tried to offer as much support as possible to help this congregation set directions for itself. The following examples will show this:
The Benton congregation was an ongoing concern to West District. Several meetings were convened by the Boundaries Committee in Benton to look for solutions. This past summer our Ministers stopped going to Benton to conduct worship services because almost no one had shown up all last year for worship. We continue to offer pastoral care. This past fall Reverend Davis and I went to a congregational meeting in Benton to see what advice we could offer them in tackling their problems. We informed them that firstly they must elect a Board of Management and two representatives on the Council. This Board was elected and authorized to set to work to see what could be done to revitalize their congregation. We were most delighted that their representatives turned up for the November meeting of Council. Reverend Davis promised them that she would set aside one afternoon per month to conduct house to house visits in Benton, and further she would attempt to make some arrangements to have a worship service conducted before Christmas. Both Rev. Davis and I urged the Board of Management to enter into some kind of arrangement with the Anglican Church so that worship services could be provided while they awaited to see the outcome of their efforts to restore the church building. The future of the United Church in Benton rests with its people, and we continue to pray that they will make the proper decisions that get beyond “bricks and mortar” so that the spiritual needs of the congregation can be served best. We have faith that they will succeed with God’s help. First United, Glenwood-Appleton This congregation continues to experience success as a valued member of this Charge. Their major effort to provide a church hall in the basement of their church is proving to be a real blessing. We congratulate them on this achievement and other successes in the year past. The full report of their congregational efforts will appear in the annual report for the Charge, but I want to pay tribute to their Board and representatives on Council for their diligent efforts in working for the common good of the spiritual and material welfare of this Charge. Their representatives are faithful members of Council, and are absent only when weather conditions prevent them from attending. The Glenwood-Appleton representatives have always shown a willingness to participate in the business of our Charge. Their assistance and corporation as members of the Joint Search Committee were most appreciated. United Church Women’s Association I once heard a leader in our congregation comment at
an annual congregational meeting, “The UCW had another successful
year!” I believe that both these persons made keen observations on the very valuable life and work of this effective organization. The gifts of spiritual and material blessings these women’s ministries have bestowed on the congregations of this Charge are too numerous to list. This past year is indeed a strong indication that this organization is very much alive and well. Our thoughts and prayers continue for their future success.
A small group of men in the Fraser Road congregation have been meeting regularly at noon hour over the past year or so. The aim of this group is to provide fellowship and outreach to the men of the congregation. One of the more tangible projects undertaken by this small group was to organize and conduct a church service in the absence of our ministers to attend the Fall meeting of West District. There are many other small projects this group undertakes from time to time, but the main purpose of the group is to provide an unstructured hour of fellowship for all who attend. It is the hope of this group that many more men will join in and share their “stories”. Joint Search Committee For the year ending in June 2003, our Charge was served by a ministerial team consisting of Mr. Bruce Rideout, Student Minister, Mrs. Sheila Rideout, Congregational Accountable Ministry, and Mr. Lloyd Case, Retired Lay Pastoral Minister. We owe a great debt to these people for their dedication and willingness to undertake the many duties required to serve this Charge. Conference informed us that Mr. and Mrs. Rideout were being transferred to another Charge effective July 1, 2003, and Mr. Case would fulfill his commitment to stay until the end of June 2003. So the work of obtaining qualified ministers became a matter of some urgency. Our Search Committee issued a call for an ordained minister to assume duties effective July 1, 2003. This process went on for some time before Rev. Marion Davis, then serving on the Springdale Charge, responded to our call. We were most pleased that Rev. Davis agreed to assume duties in our Charge as of July 1, 2003. We felt that progress was being made, especially when the Settlement Committee of Conference called in April to inform us that they wished to settle a newly ordained minister from Vancouver to our Charge if our congregations approved. We were able to inform our congregations that Rev. Stephanie McClellan would be happy to accept a three-year settlement to our Charge. Our congregations approved, and so we welcomed Rev. McClellan to our Charge effective July 1, 2003. We all breathed a collective sigh of relief that we had been able to realize a full complement of ministers as we looked forward with hope for success in the future. This was the success story of 2003! Staff Appreciation We owe much to the dedication and hard work of our staff. Our records show that our Secretary, Mrs. Sylvia Burry, will celebrate her twentieth year of service to our Charge. We have all grown to know and much appreciate the valued contribution that Sylvia continues to make to the life and work of our congregations. On behalf of Council and the members of our congregations, I would like to offer our sincerest appreciation to Sylvia, with the hope that she will be able to continue for years to come. Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) We were pleased that HRDC approved another student worker for six weeks last summer. This student worker proved to be of great assistance especially in regard to the successful operations of our Vacation Bible School held July last. Our Church has been pleased to partner with HRDC over the years in the undertaking of many projects to our mutual benefit. It is our hope that the future will afford other opportunities for future partnership arrangements with HRDC. Engaging Our Children and Youth in the Life of Fraser Road United Church One of the four priorities of our Charge as stated in our Needs Assessment is a ministry to youth and children. This focus has been embodied into the position descriptions for our ministerial staff, and we were very deliberate in recruiting our new ministerial staff to stress this aspect of our ministry. In preparation for the Church year 2003-2004, Council commissioned a task force to examine proven strategies that could be engaged to encourage the participation of children and youth in the life of our church. This Task Force, entitled “Engaging our Children and Youth in the Life of Fraser Road United Church” was given terms of reference that were broad in scope, and asked to report to Council as soon as possible. We were extremely fortunate that Mr. William Burry, Retired Principal of Gander Collegiate, and Mr. Clyde Burt, Retired Vice-Principal of the Gander Junior High School, agreed to provide leadership to the task force. They were able to recruit Angela Karsgaard, Ken Slaney and Kathy Winsor to be active members. We thank these people for their willingness to serve and for a major piece of work that will assist us plan strategies to engage our children and youth in the life of our church. A preliminary report of this task force was presented to Council in October, and a full report was presented to the Board in November. A Council meeting in December was devoted entirely to an examination of the contents of this report. The challenge facing us now is to find imaginative and constructive strategies to implement the findings of this report into the life and work of our church. A full copy of this report can be made available to anyone interested in this area of ministry. Same sex Marriages As most people are aware, the issue of same sex marriages is a concern of churches across Canada and the United States and that the Federal Government is struggling to develop a national policy on marriages, including same sex marriages. The United Church of Canada, at its last General Council meetings held last summer, approved a resolution that enables congregations to either adopt or reject same sex marriages if the Government of Canada passes enabling legislation. This policy statement of General Council (the highest court within the United Church structure) has made it necessary for congregations such as ours to take a stand on this issue. Our Council felt that this issue, while being potentially divisive, required some serious thought and study. For this reason, Council requested our ministers to lead the congregation in a study group format utilizing the resource materials produced by General Council and other local resources and expertise as could be found. Council wishes that the study group would be conducted in an atmosphere that is nonjudgmental and is open to accepting of all points of view. The sessions conducted to mid-December have been appreciated by those who attended, but attendance has been small in relation to the size of our congregation. It is our intention to continue with education and study of the issue in the new year. The ultimate decision on this issue will be made at a special congregational meeting to be called some time in the future. It is our intention at this special congregational meeting to have a secret ballot taken, thus affording each person the opportunity to express their position without fear of discrimination or intimidation. However, Council wanted to assure the congregation that no decision was made on this issue by passing a motion to the effect that our Ministers would not perform same-sex marriages until permission is granted by our congregation. It is very important that all members of our congregation avail themselves of as much information as possible so that they can vote intelligently on the issue when it comes to a congregational meeting for a decision Chancel Enhancement As you are aware, the aim of Fraser Road United Church over the past few years has been to make all of our facilities fully accessible. A major effort to make our facilities accessible was undertaken when we attached our new Church Hall to our existing church building. At present our Hall is fully accessible, as is most of our church building. The last remaining section of our church is the chancel. This year Council appointed a small committee to work with the Chair of the Property Committee to explore the chancel keeping in mind two major objectives:
We also became aware of the fact that the church/hall entrance was very accessible, but the automated opening/closing device was not sufficient to ensure ease of access and at the same time ensuring the security of our building. Some adjustments and enhancements of the existing electronic door opening and closing mechanisms were required to overcome these deficiencies. Council authorized the Property Committee to engage the services of a recognized locksmith to overcome these deficiencies. Stewardship Stewardship has been defined within the United Church as being the careful and prudent management of all our resources (spiritual and material) to better enable our congregation to better meet its fullest mandate. The indicators of the success of our stewardship are all around us. For example, our Charge leads all of the West District charges in giving to the Mission and Service Fund of our National Church; our Charge is the largest financial contributor to the operating budget of West District; Fraser Road congregation offers its facilities to many community and charitable causes like the Food Bank, etc. From these perspectives, we are good managers of our resources. Our people are generous beyond doubt in rising to meet disasters at home and around the world. Fraser Road lacks a Stewardship Committee as outlined in the manual. Given the fact of our high level of utilizing and managing our resources without the oversight of a Stewardship Committee, one is left to wonder what is the potential for greater stewardship initiatives in our congregation. It is my hope that in 2004, we will see a revitalization of our efforts of having a pro-active Stewardship Committee. Hopefully this topic can be fully discussed at our next annual Congregational Meeting and some strategies developed aimed at reaching this objective. Conclusion The year just past has offered its challenges, rewards and disappointments for us all as we reflect on the life of our church. I am amazed at the large numbers of people who offer their services and time to enhance the spiritual and material life of our congregations. Much of the work of the church takes place behind the scenes. To illustrate this point, let me cite a few examples: those people who count and deposit in the bank our weekly offerings, those faithful servants who prepare for our Communion services, those who continue year after year to serve on committees, our Sunday School teachers and youth leaders, those who help regularly with our fund raising projects, etc. We take a lot for granted when everything appears to run smoothly, and are sometimes critical when things don’t always meet up to our expectations! How have you given account of your stewardship in relation to the spiritual and material health of our church? Have you thought of how you would like to get involved? Are you waiting to be asked by someone to become involved? I would challenge you in 2004 to be more aggressive in seeking ways and means to become more active in the church. Remember, everyone has gifts and talents that, when taken collectively with those of others, will make a positive difference. Respectfully submitted. Claude Hender
SESSION As in the past, your Session members have worked with our Ministers to meet the spiritual needs of the congregation. Meetings were held on a monthly basis alternating from a morning meeting one month to an evening meeting the next. This was done to give all members a chance to attend every second meeting so that they could keep up to date with the business of the Session. Discussions were held and decisions made that we felt were necessary for the well being of our Church. Changes have taken place in our Ministerial staff, we have said farewell to Bruce and Sheila Rideout and to Lloyd Case, and have welcomed the Rev. Marion Davis and the Rev. Stephanie McClellan. Communion Services have been held on the first Sunday of each month at the Church and every second month at Golden Legion Manor and Lakeside Homes. Starting in the new year Communion services will also be held at Nightingale Manor every second month. We were very happy to have 19 young people and one adult confirmed on Palm Sunday. Bibles were once again given to all confirmands. This year a Chancel Committee was instituted under the coordination of Betty Hodder. We thank Betty and her Committee for a job well done. During the Ministers’ vacation and absence from the Charge for meetings, etc., services were conducted by different groups and individuals of our congregation and to them we give a sincere thank you. We also express our sincere appreciation to those who took part in the Ministry of Music, Reading and Ushering, to our Acolytes and everyone who helped make our services a meaningful time of praise and thanksgiving. Lay visitation continues at Lakeside Homes and at the Hospital and has started recently at Nightingale Manor. An evening of volunteer appreciation and a visitation workshop, for those involved in visitation, was held in October. Many people have helped in many ways. Sincere thanks to Sheila Woolfrey for taking care of our flowers; Vicki Lear for preparing Communion; Malba Butt for the pre-service singing and arranging for readers; Marilyn Boone for scheduling the acolytes; Margaret Hender for arranging the coffee hours; Graham King for funeral preparation; and to Daphne Blandford for scheduling the ushers. Your help has been very much appreciated. Cator Brown
MINISTRY AND PERSONNEL Year 2003 was one of change. In March the caretaker,
Sam Butt, resigned and a decision was made to eliminate this position
and go with a contract for the cleaning of our church property. In
June our ministerial team of Bruce Rideout, Sheila Rideout and Lloyd
Case were reassigned to other pastoral charges in the province. On
June 5 we had a farewell social hour with the three outgoing clergy
and each gave his/her impression of the experiences they encountered
while serving the Gander Pastoral Charge. Youth summer employment through HRDC was part of our mandate again this year and Andrew Skinner was hired for one week while Stephen Walsh was part of our staff for five weeks. The M & P Committee continuously work toward having adequate working conditions for all members of our staff. This year we replaced the “200 hour” reserve bank available to the secretary with one additional hour per day. Because of this the church office is now open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday to Friday inclusive. The new hours became effective January 2, 2004. October 2 was a special day. The M & P Committee had their first “official” meeting with our two new clergy. It was made even more special due to the fact that we had been invited to Rev. Marion’s home for a dinner meeting. Most of the discussion centered around the question “What does M & P expect of its clergy?” This somewhat weighty question is under continuous review and any input from the congregation would be appreciated. Like other groups in society your M & P Committee has become a victim of the disease known as declining membership. It has become increasingly difficult to recruit new volunteers. I really can’t understand why it is like that because this is a very exciting, challenging and rewarding place to serve. Just think about it for a moment. There exist the opportunity to become the “boss” over a group of employees. There also exists that warm feeling that comes from knowing you are an integral part of the whole structure that constitutes Gander Pastoral Charge. If you want to make a difference and become a member of this committee please call the church office at 256-3000. Your call will be greatly appreciated. May you be truly blessed in 2004 and always remember that volunteer work is the life blood of the church. Ross Williams
Where has the year gone? It is hard to believe that the time for reports has arrived so soon. Fraser Road United Church continued to reach out into our community and make services available to people through programs we are involved in. We meet once a month as a committee at 10 AM on the
second Wednesday of the month alternating every second month with
a 5 PM potluck supper meeting. This is for the benefit of anyone who
works during the day outside the home and would like to become a member
of our committee. We are very happy to report that since we made these
arrangements Eileen Greenham has joined our committee. Businesses and others in our community responded very positively again this year with our Adopt a Family program for our Christmas hampers. Fraser Road is always very proud to offer our church hall each year to the food bank to have these hampers filled. Thank you to all those who came to help with getting the hampers ready for pick up. I would like to thank the members of the committee for their dedication and all their help over the past year. We are all happy to have Rev. Marion and Rev. Stephanie attend our meetings and for their help and support. Anyone wishing to join this committee, please contact Dianne Crewe 256-8929. We would love to have you. Best wishes in 2004. God Bless Dianne Crewe
STEWARDSHIP It is indeed very unfortunate that our Church operates without a Stewardship Committee. There have occurred many times over the past year when we felt inadequate because we lacked the overall guidance of a Stewardship Committee as envisioned in our by-laws and the Manual. Quite often we mistakenly view stewardship in terms of money or fund raising. These functions are components of stewardship but they do not represent a complete picture of stewardship. Many of the fund raising functions are currently provided in our Council structure, and they fall under the direction of the Finance Committee. Stewardship also means more that giving the Mission and Service, as important as this function of our stewardship is. Stewardship is a challenge to all of us to develop proper strategies for the management and utilization of all of our God-given resources – material, financial and human. We have many and varied talents within our congregation. We are called on to manage these treasures to maximize their impact in enhancing the spiritual and social life of our Church Family. It is our hope that in 2004 a re-vitalized stewardship program can commence under the supervision of the Stewardship Committee. There are many strong indicators that our congregation consists of many good stewards. Let us examine a few:
We have all the ingredients of true stewardship, and
now we need the oversight of a Stewardship Committee. A properly-constituted
Stewardship Committee would challenge us to greater accomplishments,
and thus enhance our Church Family achieve greater goals. 2003 was a most eventful year in the life of our Church. Each year brings its own special demands and the usual on-going requests for repairs and maintenance aimed at keeping our buildings and grounds functional. We are indeed most fortunate in this congregation to have readily available a group of interested and dedicated people willing to offer their time and talents to keep our church facilities up and running. We are indeed most fortunate to have Caleb Lane willing to offer his wide knowledge and experience in many trades in undertaking many tasks required to keep our property in good shape. This past year we operated without a Chair for the Property Committee as Mr. Lane has resigned his position as Chair at the end of the 2002 year. He agreed to do what he could for us during the year, and we are most grateful to him for his interest and commitment. Our great challenge in 2004 is to recruit a Chair for Property. There are some misconceptions about the qualifications required to be Chair of Property. It is often stated that people shy away from assuming the role of Property Chair because they do not have capabilities in trades like carpentry, electricity and other related skills. In reality, all these skills and expertise exist in various members of the Property Committee, and the main role of the Property Chair is to coordinate and organize resources to ensure that the appropriate persons undertake required tasks. Mr. Lane has indicated to us that he is most willing to undertake specific projects such as refurbishing the interior of the church, completing the parking lot upgrading, chancel renovations, etc. Despite all the problems in regard to the functioning of the Property Committee, there have been many significant projects undertaken over the past year. The following highlights will illustrate the flavour of the work undertaken by the Property Committee:
The aim of the Communications and Membership Committee is to keep everyone informed of what is taking place with Fraser Road United Church, the Local Pastoral Charge, District Office, Conference and National Offices. The Committee is responsible for distributing your Church Envelopes and your statements of yearly givings. An intermediate statement is delivered around the end of September and your final statement in January. This past year we delivered your Annual Report, your receipt for your givings in January and September, an information brochure concerning the Annual Conference which was held in Gander this year, a Christmas Message from our Clergy and your Church Envelopes for 2004. Our Sound System is working well and we’re in the process of making it better. This will be done when the Chancel renovations are completed. We thank those dedicated individuals who man the booth every Sunday morning. We are connected to the Internet. Our e-mail address is fraseruc@nfld.net We expect our very own web page will be on line soon, one of our dedicated members is building the web page and another has indicated his willingness to keep it updated. This will give access to everyone worldwide. We hope to have pictures of all Church events, baptisms, dinners, meetings, etc. It is very important for you to keep the Church Office updated if you should change address or leave town. Please phone the office 256-3000 or contact your zone representative. Once again we on behalf of all members of our Pastoral Charge, we thank Maude Goulding for all the time, talents and resources she uses on our behalf. Ewart Tibbo
CHRISTIAN DEVELOPMENT My assessment of the mandate of the Christian Development committee last year was that it is to understand and assist the needs of all ages, the whole diversity of Fraser Road United Church and its wider community. In the past year, we have good records of achieving this goal. We met formally as a committee five times during 2003. Below is a summary of our accomplishments. Our year started with a plea by Mr. Lloyd Case for youth leadership volunteers. His intended sermon was not delivered on that Sunday because Mr. Case believed that the future of the church was more important and the message of voluntarism a needed one. As a result of the message, Mrs. Betty Hollett stepped forward as a potential leader. It was not until September that Mrs. Hollett’s schedule could be rearranged to accommodate the meetings of the group from St. Paul’s, but in the meantime, other volunteers and I filled in as best we could. Recently, our weekly youth attendance list is in excess of 35 and at each meeting there are a couple of new members. A core group of youth and volunteers has shown their faith over the past year in organizing a Mothers’ Day service, participating in Sunday School, and helping with the UCW’s Beads of Hope Campaign by developing the Pennies of Hope family campaign, in addition to many other activities. A senior group led by Michael Burt and Matthew Crummey continues to meet on Mondays for fellowship. The leadership of Mrs. Hollett, these youth, and other volunteers is something for which our committee is truly thankful. A big reason for the success of youth activities in the church started with our committee’s willingness to embark on a position description for “Youth Coordinator.” We researched similar positions in other churches. We also realized that our research was not going to be as effective as in the case of appointing a task force. We enabled a committee consisting of Bill Burry, Clyde Burt, Ken Slaney, and Angela Kaarsgard, who prepared a paper they called “Report and Recommendations for Fraser Road United Church Council from the Committee Tasked with Finding Ways to Provide for a Stronger Ministry to our Youth and the Younger Adults in Our Congregation.” The report is very extensive, the work is very complete, the response rate on questionnaires is very good and as a result, the exercise was a valuable one. Many recommendations in the report quickly became tasks of our committee. The early outcome in March of our efforts to describe a part-time position for “Youth Coordinator” was that it became one-quarter of the accountable time described for one minister in the Gander Pastoral Charge. We met an abundance of success with the arrival of Rev. Stephanie McClellan in August to fill this position. Of course, Stephanie is fully engaged in the youth groups, the Sunday School and the other activities engaging young people. Our Sunday School superintendents continue to do an admirable job of making Sunday mornings fun and educational. We will look forward to new Superintendents in the next season as Mrs. Jennifer Langdon and Mrs. Sharon Sparkes step down after three years of service. Thanks to the efforts of Jennifer and Sharon, attrition after Fourth Grade is no longer as serious a concern. We have overfilled many of the classrooms and are now using the Parlour on Sunday mornings for one class. One of our successful outreach programs this year was our Vacation Bible School, led in mid-July by Mrs. Maureen Burton. In fall, we continued our enthusiasm with the second Annual fall Congregational picnic. We are especially pleased with the energy and enthusiasm added to our services by Stephanie, Mrs. Aileen Leyte and the Sign Language Choir. This choir performed at many Christmas events. Bible Study this year started with a Lenten study on the Philippines led by Daphne Blandford and continued with a study of the Book of Job led by Rev. Marion Davis. Men’s Fellowship meetings continue to occur weekly, with one of the October services organized and led by this group. A donation to the AOTS Central District fund has led to our Congregation participating in the Observer on tape program. The men also helped again with the Sunday School’s float for the Santa Claus parade. The UCW report is separate, but here I should highlight the fact that a spring concert was substituted for the Annual Mug-Up, with Aggie’s help and the organization and participation of Eric West. We had three invited groups making this event a well-received community affair, coinciding with the Conference meetings in Gander. Our other big outreach activities are the Guitar Group, which participated in many Sunday services and also held a spring concert, and the Scouts, which have three active groups and met for an Anniversary dinner this past fall. Our committee is still looking for a Session member as liaison to the worship, confirmation and sacraments functions of the church. We are also looking for a Mission Education Coordinator. We’d like to increase the fellowship and spiritual activities for the young adult members of the congregation in particular as one of our future challenges. Again, we’d like to thank Sylvia Burry for her tireless assembly of our announcements that call us to the challenge of Christian Development. We especially thank our ministers for their dedication to our big challenges, past, present and future. With warmest wishes for continued growth in Christ, Brian McLaren
SUNDAY SCHOOL 2003 At the present time there are 85 children registered in Sunday school. Our average attendance on any given Sunday is between 30-40 children. This year we had a large number of pre-schoolers so we had to split the three and four year olds into two classes. The four year olds meet in the parlour as our spare classroom is too small to accommodate them. Our classes are structured as follows:
This structuring is slightly different from last year
due to our numbers and to coincide with our current curriculum. This
year we changed curriculum again and started using Bible Quest. This
curriculum has gotten mixed reviews from our teachers and we are currently
exploring our options for next year.
Our resource person Marilyn Boone is still with us.
She assists the teachers and superintendents in gathering materials
for classes and projects as well as helping us with these projects.
Thank- you Marilyn.
In closing we would like to say that we feel we have had a very successful year at Fraser Road Sunday School. We have received more parental help this year than in other years. We hope this will continue. We appreciate all the assistance we have received and welcome any future assistance and suggestions. Thank-you for your continued supportRespectfully Submitted, Jennifer Langdon and Sharon Sparkes
GUITAR GROUP The Guitar Group is progressing very well with its
regular weekly meetings in the choir room on Thursday Nights from
7:30 to 8:30. Presently we have sixteen members. Reverend Marion Davis,
Peter Winters, Roy Snow, Joyce Tibbo, and Gerard Noseworthy have joined
this year. Recently we took our practice to the Golden Legion Manor. It went well with quite a turnout even of those who didn’t know we were performing. As well, we took a practice to the Nightingale Seniors Complex and had a great singalong with everyone there. With continued co-operation from home administrators in Gander, we are looking forward to doing more church outreach work like this in future. Our second annual Mid Winter Musical and concert will take place on February 19 at 8:00 p.m. in the Church Hall. The cost is $5.00 for 1½ hours of music and skits. Come along and join us for an evening of fun and frolic. Monies raised goes back to the church to be used where the greatest need exists. In time, we may even travel to play for some other congregation within the region. The Guitar Group is a lot of fun for all who participate and we look forward to bringing our music to you all. For more information please contact any member of the group. Thank You Respectfully Submitted Ken Slaney
As a Director of the children’s choir, I would first like to thank Rev. Stephanie for the opportunity to work with and teach the young people sign language for the deaf. It gave me great pleasure to see the interest they showed in learning and now when I meet them around town, they approach me and talk to me in sign. I think this is marvelous. There are about 25 children involved. The children put a lot of effort into our practices and are very dedicated to learning. I think they enjoy it. We have done services at Lakeside Homes and Nightingale Manor as well as during Christmas Services at church. Our debut was the Gander Ministerial Ecumenical Service. It is very rewarding to see our young people enjoying themselves and they had very satisfied looks on their faces. We are very proud of them. It was nice to see the seniors and congregation appreciating our kids. Myself and Rev. Stephanie now look forward to teaching them more and adding an adult choir, too. Again it gives me great pleasure to work with Rev. Stephanie – I feel she was sent to Gander for a purpose other than church and that was to teach. We look forward to the future with great hope and anticipation for our young people and adults alike. God bless you all. Aileen Leyte
HANDBELL CHOIR 2003 has been a year of growth for the Handbell Choir. Our membership has been at or near capacity for the number of bells that we have and while we lose a few members each year for a variety of reasons, we also welcome new ones, and there remains a solid and reliable core of ringers. The current members are: Vicki Lear, Fannie Simms, Evelyn Butt, Jennifer Langdon, Christopher Langdon, Bernadette Shea, Krista Arsenault, Stephanie Nevin, Christina Oates, Nancy Forward and Danika Cassell. Karen Nevin often fills in when there is unexpected shortage of arms, as does Heidi Anderson. In addition to our regular participation in the Ministry of Music at Fraser Road United Church, we also took part in the Kiwanis Music Festival in March 2003 and were asked to play in the Stars of the Festival Concert. We are planning to participate in the Festival again this year. We also traveled to Glenwood in December to be part of a LIFT evening, planned by the Salvation Army Women’ s Fellowship. It was a most enjoyable evening, and we were happy to be a part of it. In the months ahead, we hope to travel to Emmanuel United Church in Carmanville where we played in the spring of 2002. On behalf of the Handbell Choir, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to all who help and encourage us through the year, our families, our ministers and the people of the congregation. Best wishes for the year ahead. Karen Murray
It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone and it’s time to write another report! The adult vocal choirs of Fraser Road United Church have had another fun and dedicated year of singing. At our regular weekly rehearsals we work hard and laugh lots. Throughout the year we again prepared anthems for presentation at Sunday Services, both as separate choirs and combined as the ‘Mixed’ choir. As requested, we supported the singing and sang an anthem at funerals. Both choirs sang at special events in 2003; the Men’s
choir sang at a local community fundraiser for the Badger Relief Fund,
and the Senior choir prepared two songs for participation in the Gander
Kiwanis Music Festival. The adjudicators of the music festival enjoyed
their performance so much that they were invited to sing at the ‘Festival
Highlights’ concert as the closing number on Friday night! SOCIAL CLUB Our Social Club continues to meet regularly the last Saturday of each month. Currently there are 43 members and there is room for many more. The main purpose of this club is to provide fellowship among the members of our Church family and so membership is open to all who wish to join. We were extremely delighted to welcome two couples, Joe and Ida Cull and Doug and Gwen Boyd, to our Club this year. The following highlights of the past year’s activities will show that our members really enjoyed themselves, and, at the same time, promoted the life of our church:
Over the years, our Club has provided some needed items for our church and hall. These items were paid for through the proceeds of our annual bean supper. Last year we supplied 30 new tables for our hall. There will be some special project that we will decide on for the coming year. We are also engaged in activities to support the on-going life and activity of our church in the following ways: folding the weekly Church Bulletins, providing cider and food following the choirs’ Christmas musical, decorating the Christmas trees in the church and hall, assisting with special projects that arise from time to time as requested, etc. We extend best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2004 to all members of our church family. Margaret and Claude Hender
Our Unit meets on the third Tuesday of each month from September to June, and any woman of the congregation is welcome to attend. We would be delighted to have you share your time and talent with us. Being a member of UCW extends our friendship, fellowship and service to all our church family and beyond our church. There are different things to learn and fun to share and we can all keep at our own level and time, taking into consideration what time we have from other busy schedules. Every fall we have UCW Rallies where we meet other groups from our area and some executive members from our district. This year has been busy but also very rewarding as you will see from this report and the treasurer’s report which follows. We have 48 members on our roll, we were sad to see Sheila Rideout leave us but were happy to welcome Jean Harley to our group. We were also saddened to have three members deceased – Gladys Fudge, Elsie Lush and Gertie Vardy all of whom we miss greatly and offer our sympathy to all the families. From time to time we have many visitors who visit our Group with a regular member. We welcome them also. Programs at our Unit meeting include:
Community and Church
Time out for women still ongoing Mondays 1:30 – 4:30 pm. Come join us for fun, fellowship and a cup of tea. You don’t have to be a UCW member – anyone from the congregation and outside are welcome. We were also happy to have Lorraine Elliott, appointed Webmaster Coordinator for women’s group, which deals with groups all across Canada and nominated President Elect of West District UCW. Congratulations Lorraine. A special thank you to so many of our congregation who supported us during the past year. It makes the load so much lighter because of faithful members of our congregation, we are indeed grateful for your dedication. Hope 2004 will be another successful year with your help and prayers. Blessings Faithfully submitted Betty Hodder GLENWOOD – APPLETON Another year is just coming to a close. I think it was a very successful year for our Church and for the whole Charge. We were successful in getting two ordained Ministers for the Charge. Something to be thankful for. I think the whole Charge is benefiting from the new Ministers in many ways. We at First United, Glenwood and Appleton are enjoying the new Ministers and it seems that a few more people are coming out to enjoy the services. There are still too many empty seats, but it is encouraging. My wish for the New Year is that all the seats be filled at every service. On behalf of the Church Board, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Scott Thompson FIRST UNITED CHURCH - GLENWOOD/APPLETON SESSION Our Session group meets on a monthly basis, with the ministerial staff, striving to meet the spiritual needs of our congregation and the mission of our church. In the past year we said good-bye to Mr. Bruce Rideout and Mr. Lloyd Case, and also welcomed Rev. Marion Davis and Rev. Stephanie McClellan into our Christian family. Using the Student/Mentor method, thirteen youths were confirmed in 2003. Thirteen adults of the congregation and the students met on a weekly basis, for ten weeks, with Mr. Rideout. Mentors were available to his/her student to help on an individual basis, if necessary. It was a very enlightening experience for both students and mentors. They attended church services on a regular basis, helped with readings, communion, greeters, ringing the church bell, and the collection of givings. After a family barbecue in September, a Sunday School program was started, with the help of some of the youth that were confirmed. Unfortunately, only two children became regular members of the program, and in December we decided that maybe a family gathering once a month would be more successful. That program will start in February and all families are welcome and encouraged to attend. Bible studies, for all ages, were initiated in November with the presentation of modern day movies and discussions afterwards. We have been successful in having old and young members of the congregation attending these sessions. This will continue into the new year. We did try to organize a Parent & Tot program, which we ran for three weeks in succession, however, we were not successful in getting any attendance. We will try again if any interest is shown by the parents of the communities. We will endeavor to encourage the younger families and youth to join our Christian family. Special thanks to Rev. Marion and Rev. Stephanie for their dedication since joining our pastoral charge. We look forward to working with them in the coming year. To the Choir members, Rev. Davis and the Organist, thank you for your Ministry of Music, special thanks for your Christmas Eve Service. Thanks to Gertie Little for making the new Antipendia for the Altar and Sacrament Table (beautiful work), and to the UCW for their financial support. Thanks to Maxine Stewart for preparing the communion table and providing readers on a weekly basis. It has been greatly appreciated. Thanks to all Session members for their dedication in trying to meet the spiritual needs of this congregation. May you all have a peaceful and joyous 2004.
GLENWOOD-APPLETON I trust everyone has recovered from the hustle and bustle of the Advent Season, made new memories with family and friends and all remembered the “Reason for the Season”. 2003 was my first year as President of the Glenwood/Appleton United Church Women and it was certainly a very busy and productive year for the 13 registered members. We attended the Terra Nova Presbyterial meeting in Botwood in April and the Fall Rally in Gander. At the Rally we were responsible for the craft and it was great to lend a helping hand to such a well-organized event. We catered to two local events, had our annual fall sale and cold plate dinner, a family barbecue, potluck dinners, our Annual Christmas party and the list goes on and on. We also purchased the Beads of Hope to help aid the HIV fund and research and we all wear our beads with great pride and as every year supported the Mission and Service Fund and the Terra Nova Presbyterial. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the dedicated members of the congregation, not only the women but all members of the congregation who are always so very eager to help us when we call upon them. Without you our job would be so much harder. To Rev. Marion and Rev. Steph thank you for your leadership, support and devotions. Your constant support of our efforts is always encouraging. Michelle Stuckless
FINANCE The Finance Committee, through the Church Council, is responsible to the Congregation for:
The Church’s financial state has experienced some “marginally down” periods through 2003, particularly during the summer months when collections were low and there were pressures on the Administration and Property budgets. Low interest rates and spending restraint on the part of all committees, together with collections returning to a normal pace, allowed the Church’s finances to stabilize towards the end of the year. Overall income was $268,723.08 slightly above the budgeted amount, however, with a significant shortfall in contributions designated for the Hall Fund, though there were several sizeable donations. Though the debt was not eliminated, an appropriate reduction in the amount owing was achieved. Our first priority in 2004 remains the elimination of the debt on the Church Hall. It will be much to our advantage to be debt free when necessary projects are identified which may require activation of our line of credit. Highlights
The 2004 Budget Budget submissions by most Departments are in line with expectations. The M & P budget is governed by a national Pay Scale for Ministerial staff and by Council approved agreements for other staff, so there is little flexibility in their requirements. The Administration budget is affected by price increases for goods and services and the addition of new or better services which enhance the Church’s operation. A small increase in this budget will be evident in 2004. The Property Committee budget will remain the same as last year, though several areas have been identified which require extensive repairs. An increase in our “line of credit” to $50,000 has been approved by Council and West District and will be used to fund these projects as they occur when costs exceed the property budget. A balanced budget, however, is being presented and every effort will be made to keep expenditures within projected revenues. We are committed to continue the upgrading of our parking lot and to the completion of major or minor repairs as the need is identified. Each of these projects will enhance the safety and convenience of the Congregation. Budgeted amounts may be adjusted, within reason, throughout the year, to meet the needs of the various expense centers in the Church. The Chair wishes to commend all Committees members for their diligent efforts throughout the year. Sincere thanks are also extended to all who participated in, either as staff or attendees, the several fund raising activities during the year, and to the counters and recorders without whom we could not operate. The Treasurer’s report, which follows, details the amount and sources of income, and the actual expenses incurred for 2003, as well, a projection of the revenues and expenditures for 2004 is provided.
Total revenues for 2003 were $268,723.08, against expenses of $254,574.80, for a net surplus of $14,148.28. We had budgeted revenues of $267,300, which were basically as forecast. Expenses were budgeted at $272,444 and were under plan by approximately $18,000. The variance occurred with $9,000 in additional property expenses, and lower capital costs than forecast of $27,000. Capital costs were lower than projected as we applied $25,000 to the building loan, rather than the budgeted $50,000. The $25,000 paid on building loan, brought the balance to a very respectable $45,000. The next monthly payment of principal for $4,167 is due June 30, 2004. As stated above, we had previously budgeted $50,000 to pay on the building loan in 2003. In view of the upcoming chancel renovations, it was felt prudent to ensure there were sufficient funds on hand for these upcoming expenses, to minimize the amount the Board eventually will have to borrow. As approved by West District, we have applied to the Bank for a $50,000 line of credit for the renovations and other church repairs. I would recommend after the renovations are completed, to combine the amount finally borrowed with the existing loan of $45,000. This will ensure the Church has only one loan payment, which will ensure our cash flow needs are met, and our expenses are met as required during the year. Tony Foote IN MEMORIAM GANDER GLENWOOD-APPLETON July 17 George James WHITE
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