2010 Annual Report
Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian Church continue to be guided by their stated purpose:
Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit,
we commit ourselves
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to nurture our faith through prayer and Bible study,
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to support the mission of the church worldwide,
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to work for justice and peace,
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and to build an inclusive, caring community of women
that strengthens the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
and witnesses to the promise of God’s kingdom.
Our purpose statement reflects the core values of our church — these are shown in parentheses.
Membership (Welcoming, Connecting)
Membership in the Presbyterian Women organization is open to all women of the church. We continue to seek and welcome new members and participants in our many activities.
Nurturing Our Faith (Jesus Christ, Connecting, Growing)
Bible Study
Regular study of scripture is an essential part of PW program. In the spring of 2010, we completed "Joshua: A Journey of Faith" In the fall, we began a study of the book of Revelation entitled, "Journeys through Revelation: Apocalyptic Hope for Today" Both are studies written by women for women, published in Horizons (published by Presbyterian Women, PC(USA)).
Bible Study has been led on Third Wednesday by Dr. John Judson. Circles that do not meet on Wednesday morning, share study leadership.
Lenten Devotional
PW published a Lenten Devotional again in 2010. Devotions were contributed by members of the church, edited, compiled, and printed by Lois and Irv Poston and Pat Lindroth. The devotions were also emailed daily to PW members and friends and was available as a blog at http://pw-lenten-devotional.blogspot.com/
Supporting the Mission of the Church (Reaching, Serving)
Line-item Giving (budget items)
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$5,000.00
Undesignated General Mission - PWPD
$200
Church Women United
$1,500.00
FPC Property Care - this pays for needed items such as tables, table cloths, signage
$300
Detroit Hunger Fund
$100
Many Voices ... One Song
$11,000.00
Parish Nurse Program
$15,000
Rejoice and Renew
$1,500.00
Skyline Camp and Conference Center
$774.00
Project Day
Opportunity Giving: $12,256
Presbyterian Women's fundraising efforts (member pledges, rummage sales) generate funds beyond the needs designated in our budget. The PW Finance Committee accepts requests for funds every spring, and disperses these excess funds to local, national, and international mission organizations. In the spring, we supported Megan Mueller in a mission trip to Latin America, and this summer $406 in Opportunity Giving funds were used to purchase back-packs for Orchards Children's Services in conjunction with Wider-Church Outreach Committee. In October 2010, we distributed $11,000 to the following organizations.
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1. Skyline Camp and Retreat Center, Almont, Michigan |
$1,000.00 |
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Skyline is requesting funds to replace broken tile and marcite for the pool to be repaired for the summer camp 2011. |
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2. Birmingham Area Senior Coordinating Council (BASCC), Birmingham |
$1,500.00 |
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The mission of BASCC is to identify and meet the needs of older adults by soliciting and coordi- nating community resources to provide educational, recreational and social programs; supportive outreach services; and volunteer opportunities. This funding will be used to defray expenses involved in administering their extensive Outreach Services. |
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3. Communities of Faith for Ghana (COF), Attica, Indiana |
$2,000.00 |
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COF works in direct partnership with churches, village leaders and schools in Ghana. The primary partner is the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. Money was sent to purchase building materials for a school which opened in 2009 with three rooms, thirty students. $1,500 will be used to finish the construction with windows, doors, property walls, and buy basic school supplies, teaching aids, and lockable cabinet. $500 will fund an Aged Program of Christ PC, a full day event for homebound seniors providing transportation, medical check-ups, worship & communion, and more. |
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4. Mexico Mission Trips 2011, B’ham First Presbyterian Church |
$3,000.00 |
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The Mission Trips (medical and construction) are with the Yucatan Peninsula Missions. The medical trip in March 2011 provides direct health-care and wellness education, seeing about 300 patients. The April 2011 construction trip will continue working in a village secondary Christian school, and provide construction materials. The funding request is for $200 for each participant to lower the cost of the trip, making it possible for some people, particularly youth, to participate who might not otherwise be able to. |
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5. Second Mile Center, 18391 Morang, Detroit |
$1,000.00 |
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The Second Mile Center was organized 3 ½ years ago by Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Detroit and maintains a clothing and food pantry, a day camp summer program, a Monday night community program with a meal, Synod Health Fair, a safe haven, mime and drama groups, and more. The funding will be used to help with costs of the after school programs held each week Detroit Schools are in session. |
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6. Pontiac Shared Partnership |
$1,500.00 |
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Partners are First Presbyterian Church, Alcott Elementary School and Lincoln Middle School with the goal to share the gift of literacy to enhance reading and math literacy of students and to uplift the teachers. The purpose of this request is to provide a stimulus for study at home. Cushioned “study sox” will be used by the 660 middle high students in a program developed by PW member Louise Held that encourages study at home. |
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7. Baldwin Center, 212 Baldwin Avenue, Pontiac |
$1,000.00 |
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Baldwin Center feeds, clothes, educates and empowers the disadvantaged/poor in Pontiac in an environment of safety and dignity providing the means for individual growth and toward economic self-sufficiency and personal wholeness. This funding is to support a growing After School Program. |
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Total |
$11,000.00 |
Honorary Memberships
An Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is conferred upon an individual in recognition of faithful service in some area of church work. Funds derived from Honorary Life Memberships are used for Presbyterian Women leadership training costs, support of leadership development events for women and assistance training leaders for mission interpretation and support. This year's recipients were Sue Bay and Barb Rubel
Working for Justice and Peace (Reaching, Serving, Growing, Celebrating)
Project Day: $1,431.28
Project Day is the first Wednesday of most months. Its purpose is the collection, organization, and/or creation of supplies such as health kits and school supplies needed by mission organizations. This is part of a Synod-wide process that collects and distributes over $150,000 worth of supplies for local, national, and overseas missions. The number listed represents the value of items delivered to the Presbytery-wide Presbyterian Women Sewing Ingathering in October.
Alternative Christmas Bazaar: $10,243
Held in early November this event generates mission funding sent directly to the following charitable organizations: Cuadros from Pamplona Alta, South Oakland Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, Presbyterian Border Ministry, Heifer International, African Relief, Pal CraftAid, Seedlings, Lighthouse, Shawl Ministry (Heifer Project and Kiva), Paws with a Cause, Skyline Camp and Conference Center, PW Cookbook (Detroit Hunger), Keith Bovenschen School, SPANCO, FPC 175th Anniversary items, and FPC Youth coffee
175th Anniversary Cookbook: $393
To celebrate the 175th Anniversary of FPC, PW organized and produced a cookbook in 2009 which sold for $15. We continue to sell cookbooks for $15 with all proceeds going to Detroit Hunger Coalition of the Presbytery of Detroit.
Rummage Sales: Priceless
Our major fund-raising event is the Rummage Sale - which we hold twice a year, during the first full week of May and the first full week of October. Our two sales this year generated $46,887 with expenses of $27,800 (food, labor, tent, truck rental, cleaning services, supplies). But the value of the sale goes well beyond money. We have a loyal crew of workers who look forward to spending time working and catching up with each other. Our paid workers are a joy. We welcome guests from area charitable agencies and organizations to shop without paying, and finally all remaining merchandise is collected and used, sold, or recycled by other area agencies — and we figure that constitutes maybe 20% of the goods we take in, thus the actual dollars generated by our sales is probably closer to $56,000
Building An Inclusive Caring Community
(Welcoming, Reaching, Connecting, Serving, Celebrating)
Circles
Circles are small groups of women who meet monthly for fellowship, mission support, prayer, and bible study. Circles meet during the third week of the month: Tuesday evening, Thursday at noon and on Wednesday following the Third Wednesday Bible Study. This fall we added a new circle to our Wednesday morning group: called Mom's Circle. We are providing child-care for this group of young women.
Gatherings
Presbyterian Women formally gather as a group several times per year, generally for lunch or brunch. We have a mission speaker in October, a Christmas Brunch following Third Wednesday Bible Study, and a May Luncheon.
Nursery School Hospitality
Several times a year, PW hosts a simple coffee-and-conversation time for the mothers whose children attend Nursery School at FPC.
Ash Wednesday Soup Lunch
Presbyterian Women host a simple Soup and Bread Lunch for people attending the Ash Wednesday Noon Worship Service. Reservations requested but not necessary, donations gratefully accepted.
Good Friday Men's Breakfast
An opportunity for men to gather for a meal together - friends, fathers and sons, grandfathers and grandsons, covenant partners, … meditation this year by Pastor John Judson.
Advent by Candlelight
Held on December 2, 2010, Advent by Candlelight attracted over 250 guests and generated over $1200 in cash donations and gifts for women which went to Lighthouse Path and New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church. Funded and led by Presbyterian Women, this event draws members and friends, young and old. Worship began at 6:30 following a reception with light refreshments. Candle-lit table viewing and dessert followed. A crew of men provided security and candle-lighting services - and a dessert room of their own.
Strengthening the Presbyterian Church (USA)
and witnessing to the promise of God's Kingdom
Offerings (Serving, Reaching)
Thank Offering: $465
An offering of Presbyterian Women of the PC(USA), the Thank Offering is collected in the fall. At least 40 percent of this offering supports health ministries throughout the world. The remaining 60 percent funds new creative ideas for mission.
Birthday Offering: $651
The Birthday Offering, also an offering of Presbyterian Women of PC(USA) is collected in the spring of each year to celebrate the blessings in the lives of Presbyterian Women. The offering funds up to five projects that are not included in ongoing General Assembly mission support, such as agricultural development, child care, community organization, criminal justice, drug counseling, economic justice, elderly care, employment training, homelessness, literacy, violence and women’s concerns.
Advent by Candlelight Offering: $1235 plus many purchased gifts of beauty products for women
Checks delivered to Lighthouse PATH for use in a program to provide salon visits for the 61 residents and participants in their program and to New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for gifts and outreach to teenage girls.
Our Website (Reaching, Connecting, Welcoming, Celebrating)
Begun in 2008, at no cost, http://pw.fpcbirmingham.org seeks to connect members and friends to information and activities.
Newsletters (Reaching, Connecting, Welcoming, Celebrating)
A monthly newsletter sent to 181 members and friends, helps keep our activities on our calendars. We print about 40 newsletters monthly to mail to those of us who do not use email. The email list allows quick contact for other announcements such as funerals.
Coordinating Team - Leaders (Serving)
The Coordinating Team of PW meets on the last Wednesday of most months to make decisions about and plan for the activities of the Presbyterian Women organization. This group functions as a special circle of women who support each other in the challenges of leadership. Members of this group are
Co-Moderator: Charlotte Fischer
Co-Moderator: Kim McGlynn
Vice-Moderator for Program: Barbara Rubel
Secretary: Colleen Fisher
Treasurer: Marilyn Donnelly/Charlotte Fischer
Finance Committee Chair: Lois Poston
Search Committee: Glen Tyndall, Lois Poston, Lois Cotton, Carol Morrill,
Gloria LaDue, Kim McGlynn, Ginnie Spurr
Circle Leaders: Betty Rosenberger, Kim McGlynn and Kathleen Sleder, Lois Cotton and Carol Morrill, Pat Lindroth, Marcy Chaney and Dru Szczerba, Gerry Hansen
By-Laws: all CT members
Church Women United: Vera Harkin
Honorary Membership: Swid and Tom Kirchhofer, Kitty Stephenson
Alternative Christmas Bazaar: Sheila Roebke, Liz Snyder, Diane Bert
PWPD Representative: Lois Poston
Session Liaison: Charlotte Fischer
Coordinators
Studies & Spiritual Development: Kathleen Sleder
Fellowship: Blanche Thompson
PW Newsletter:CharlotteFischer
Bulletin Board: Carol Morrill
Project Day: Louise Kutscher
Membership: Kim McGlynn
Fundraising Co-Chairs: Charlotte Fischer, Marge Hendrick, Marty McGee, Jean Miller, Barbara Turner, Wendy Kamman
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PW Statement of Purpose Forgiven and freed by God in Jesus Christ, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves
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