NEWSLETTER
December
2016
In This Issue


Sunday Worship 
8:45 am - Chapel
11:00 am - Sanctuary 
Childcare available for both services

Sunday School 
10:00 am * Adult, Children and Youth Classes 
10:30 am * Fellowship
 
Nursery
The Nursery is available for children up to 3 years old during both services
 
Assisted Listening Devices and Large Print Hymns are available for our worship service on Sunday morning.
Please request them from the ushers.



Mission Statement...
We glorify God by engaging in worship, pursuing justice, and nurturing all
who enter our doors.

Ministers
The Congregation
Staff
Kelly Abraham,
Director of Youth & Their Families

Kelly Nicol,
Director of Children's Ministry

Marlon Hurst,
Director of Music & Arts


Tina Wagoner,
Organist


Kathi Fleming & 
Marcus Thomas,
Directors of Children's Choirs

Mark West,
Facilities Manager

Al & Trey Stilz,
Sexton

(Ministry Support Team)

Nikki Hale,  
Office Support Specialist

Terese Pierskalla,  
Church Administrator 

LeTicia Preacely, Communications Specialist 
Pastoral Staff
Mark T. Davis, Pastor

Caitlin Foehse, Associate Pastor  

Sanctuary/Chapel Entrance:
174 North Mill Street
Office Entrance:
171 Market Street

Office hours:
M-F, 9:00 am-3:00 pm


Phone: 859.252.1919 
Fax:     859.281.6864 
Advent is Here!
Greetings All,

We are excited to celebrate the season of Advent with lots of wonderful opportunities to serve and worship. Below is an at a glance look at what will be going on here at FPC throughout the season. Please click the link below to learn more about each event. We hope you will join us!


Share "The Bread of Life"
Bring a loaf of bread each Sunday during Advent

Christmas with the Kentucky Bach Choir
Sunday, December 4, 7:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Advent Celebration
Sunday, December 4, 10:00 am in the Assembly Room

GleanKY - "100 Pumpkin Pies from 100 Pumpkins"
Friday, December 9, 9:00 am-4:00 pm 
in the Kitchen and Assembly Room

A First Church Christmas
Sunday, December 18, 3:00 pm in the Sanctuary

Post-Christmas Caroling Reception at the home of Clyde Carpenter
Sunday, December 18, at the conclusion of Christmas caroling through Gratz Park

Be an Angel!
The Angel Tree is assembled and decorated in the Assembly Room!

Christmas Joy Offering
Sunday, December 18, during the 8:45 am and 11:00 am Services

Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service
Saturday, December 24 at 3:00 and 5:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary

Sunday Service on December 25 and January 1
Worship will be at 11:00 am only, with communion by intinction. Fellowship Time will begin at 10:00 am.  There will be no church school for adults or children.

THE CHURCH OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED
on December 26, December 30 and January 2


Hello Friends... Caitlin Foehse, Associate Pastor
The Lord's Supper

The pattern of the early church was to gather for worship and a meal.  The "offering" of bread brought for the meal also included food given to the needy.  For John Calvin, the Word is brought most fully to life when pulpit and table are unified in worship, an understanding that has for many years guided the liturgical practice of our 8:45 am service of worship.  
 
As we consider the relationship between pulpit and table in our 11:00 am services, communion will be served beginning in Advent on November 27th through the celebration of the "Trinity Sunday" on June 11, 2017.  This decision of the Discipleship Commission of the Session, is an outgrowth the work of several former committees that had long and meaningful discussions about what First Presbyterian should consider for the current church year and the reflections of Discipleship Commission.
 
During these weeks, we invite you to think more deeply about the relationship between pulpit and table.  Books that may be of particular interest in your reflections are:  Pulpit and Table by Howard Hageman andCome and See:  Presbyterian Congregations Celebrating Weekly Communion by Ronald P. Byars and John D. Witvliet.
Lectionary Readings 
As you prepare to come to worship, here are the scripture texts that will make up the Sunday services this month.
December 4th Isaiah 11:1-10 ; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 ;
Romans 15:4-13 ; Matthew 3:1-12

December 11th:  Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10;
James 5:7-10 ; Matthew 11:2-11

December 18th:  Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19;
Romans 1:1-7 ; Matthew 1:18-25

December 24th - Christmas Eve:  Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96;
Titus 2:11-14 ; Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)

December 25th - Christmas:  Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98;
Hebrews 1:1-4 (5-12); John 1:1-14
Congregational News
Congratulations to...
 
Matthew & Lindsey DeMoss, on the arrival of their son, 
Woodside Grant DeMoss, and
      Andrew & Alsiha DeMoss, on the arrival of their son, 
Preston James DeMoss. 
The grandparents are Jim & Donna DeMoss and the  great grandmother is Jane Lewis.

Cares and Concerns...
Let us keep one another lifted in prayer.

The family and friends of Betty B. Hollingsworth, who died on November 30,
Rob Kirkpatrick, who severely injured his arm in a jogging accident,
The family and friends of Mary Ellery Hall, who died on
November 21,
Kirk Abraham, on the death of his grandfather, Lester Lindell, and
Elizabeth Mayhew, on the death of her uncle, Richard Mayhew.


If you would like to be included among the Care and Concerns, please contact Karen Mossman at karenferromossman@gmail.com or 859.382.9713.

Intercessory Prayer Network...
This network is maintained by members who offer intercessory prayer for anyone in need. Prayer requests can be made by calling Hazel Farley at (859) 273-4415 or the church office at (859) 252-1919.
Presbyterian Women

PW Council Meeting  
The next council meeting will be held January 3rd at 5:30 pm in the FPC Dining Room.



PW Circle 5 Thanks You

The Annual Bake Sale has been a project of Circle 5 for many years.  We thank you FPC for your generous support.




 
Circle Meetings
Circle
Date & Time
Hostess
Address
Circle 2 December 13th, 2:00 pm

Sayre Christian Village
Circle 3
December 8 th, 1:00 pm

FPC Dining Room
Circle 4
December 8 th, 6:30 pm
Donna DeMoss 3609 Afton Place
Circle 5
December 13th, 7:00 pm

Julep Cup
Circle 6
December 19st, 6:30 pm
Rebekah Combs
3180 Blenheim Way

Music & Arts News 
Marlon Hurst, Director of Music & Arts 
Christmas with the Kentucky Bach Choir
December 4th at 7:00 pm in the FPC Sanctuary
The concert will feature:
First movement of J.S. Bach's BWV 1055
featuring their newly acquired oboe d'amore,
Cantata for the First Sunday of Advent, BWV 36, and
Second cantata of J. S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248.

The Choir will be joined by the 2016 Audrey Rooney Vocal Competition winner Emily Yocum Black, soprano.
Tickets available in advance from Marlon Hurst or at the door
$25 - General Admission; $20 - Age 65+ ; $10 - students

A FIRST CHURCH CHRISTMAS
 
On Sunday afternoon, December 18th at 3:00 pm, the Chancel Choir will be joined by children, youth and the congregation to celebrate the Christmas season with a concert of anthems and carols.  The concert, which will last about one hour, will conclude with caroling in Gratz Park (weather permi tting).  If the weather is inclement, we will carol INSIDE the Sanctuary.


As an added bonus, t here is still time to get in on the following Youth Silent Auction item:

Post-Christmas Caroling Reception at the home of Clyde Carpenter
When: Sunday, December 18, at the conclusion of Christmas caroling  through 
Gratz Park
Where: 340 New St, Gratz Park
Cost: $25 per person (tickets will be collected at the door)
Why? To support ongoing Youth Missions
Contact the church office to purchase your ticket to this event.  Limited spots available!
Save the Dates

Monday, February 13, 2017
American Spiritual Ensemble
with Dr. Everett McCorvey
7:30 pm
Benefitting: Clothe a Child (outreach of the Lexington Women's Club)

  Friday, April 28, 2017
From Baroque to Broadway
with Elizabeth Arnold, Angelique Clay
& Andrea Jones
7:30 pm
Benefitting: Sweet Blessings
Youth Ministry News
Kelly Abraham, Director of Youth & Their Families
Working my way through Mark DeVries' book, Family-Based Youth Ministry, I just finished reading about the impact of teen-age isolation.  The first time I read this chapter, Instagram had not been created.  Now, this chapter took on a different message for me.  Neil Postman, in his book Amusing Ourselves to Death, claims America has moved from a word-centered culture to an image-centered culture. 1  Further, as a result, our dependences on images for thinking has limited our ability to make moral decisions or even understand abstract moral concepts.  Couple this with the time teens spend in isolation scrolling through Facebook and Instagram studies, according to R. Jackson Wilson, "Students are ready to tell you how they feel about an issue, but they are not learning how to construct a rational argument to defend their opinions." 2  This leads to emotional thinking rather than critical thinking.  And, unfortunately, the development of a separate youth culture in our society has functioned to perpetuate adolescence.  Remember adolescence is transitional in character. And the result is to no longer be an adolescent.

So, here's what we've learned through research.

Well, we know that young people who are fortified with significant relationships with adults are consistently the ones who are able to resist involvement in negative behaviors.  Youth are also more heavily influenced by those adults who validate them for who they are. 3

So how do we, as a church, respond?

When youth sit together in church or at LOGOS when they outnumber adults 7 to 1, they tend to act, at best, like children. (We liken it to the Force.)  However, when those same youth are sitting with their parents or more adults are added to the mix, they, almost without exception, imitate the behavior of the adults they are with.

We need to continue to cultivate a culture to restore the "generational threads that used to weave their way into the fabric of growing up." 4 We need to connect our kids to nurturing relationships that will last them after they complete their teenage years.

We must not be afraid to instill the value of participating in weekly corporate worship with the entire church family as a central priority of our youth ministry.

We need to have more adults participate in youth-focused events.  Sure, the youth may roll their eyes at first and even complain. This, too, shall pass.  I remember a youth on my very first FPC high school mission trip tell me that "I had too many parents on the trip and that it was no longer a youth mission trip."  I responded with a "I'm sorry you feel that way."  We had 15 youth and 15 adult mentors.  By the end of the week, they wouldn't play soccer without Dori Hjalmarson.  Youth were having one-on-one conversations with Laurel Reid and Kay Hofmeister.  The adults had the youth playing practical jokes on each other.  And Skip Watson has become a staple on all of the mission trips.  We never looked back.

At the risk of rocking the boat, we need to stop making the youth director the only relationship for the youth.  While I love our youth and love talking, working with, and hanging around them, we do not do them any favors by me being the only face of this ministry.  We ALL committed to raising them when they were baptized.  This is where LOGOS has made a HUGE difference.  Believe it or not when LOGOS began, the youth complained about too many adults being involved it.  Middlers didn't like that I didn't eat dinner them and high schoolers wanted me to teach their Bible study.  Fast forward a few years, they now look forward to Bible study with B. and Kirk, and dinner with Lisa & Leela and Joe & Linsey.  Youth love Cory & Bea Cameron as much as the rest of us.  Praise be to God; the pendulum is shifting!

So, where can you jump in?

I would love to have 2-3 adults sit and study the Bible with our youth during Sunday school each week.  We've started a new middler Bible study in my home.  I'd love another 1-2 adults present to listen to our youth.   We have two mission trips next summer.  Skip Watson is going with the high school youth.  Who else wants to walk alongside them on this journey?  The high schoolers want a lock-in.  Who would like to spend a night in the church with them?  The opportunities are truly endless.

See you in church,
Kelly

Sources:
DeVries, Mark, Family-Based Youth Ministry, p. 47-57.
1Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death (New York: Viking Penguin, 1986), pp. 60-61.
2R. Jackson Wilson, quoted in Daniel Singal, "The Other Crisis in Our Schools," The Atlantic, November 1991, quoted in Reader's Digest, April 1992, p. 112.
3H. Stephen Glenn and Jane Nelsen, Raising Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World
(Roseville, CA.: Prima, 1989), p. 208.
4 Patricia Hersch, A Tribe Apart (New York: Ballantine, 1998), p. 20.
Children's Ministry News
Kelly Nicol, Director of Children's Ministry 
LO G O S  
Wednesday Nights 
4:30-7:30 pm
December Themes
December 7: Greek Mythology
December 14: Christmas Pageant
December 21: No LOGOS
December 28: No LOGOS


Registration is OPEN!  Click the link below.


LOGOS is a mid-week, intergenerational & relational, after school program that provides opportunities for Christian education, worship and fellowship for children and youth through 12th grade. As a comprehensive program, it provides an excellent opportunity for deep Christian formation.
And, its lots of fun!

The success of LOGOS depends on adult participation. Our LOGOS leadership team has been hard at work planning another great year! A HUGE thank you to this great team:

Bettina Moorish & John Bowes, co-directors
Ann-Phillips Mayfield, kitchen coordinator
Tracy Mullins, family time coordinator
Griggs Powell & Mark Aubry, dinner deans
Vicki Gaver, Joe & Linsey Albert, recreation coordinators
Kathi Fleming & Sarah Aubry, worship skills coordinators
Matthew Deffendall, transportation coordinator

Click here for the   LOGOS Parent Handbook

If you have questions, or would like more information on LOGOS, you can contact me directly.

Sunday School
9:45 am 
3 year old-Pre-K: Room 201
Kindergarten-5th grade: Room 202


Announcements
End of the Year Giving & Contributions

Many of you wait until the end of the year to give your pledge.  For those who typically do so, please consider making your pledge gift in early December so we can better manage our cash flow. Please remember that in order for contributions and pledge payments to be counted for the 2016 tax year, 
they must be received in the church office by December 31, 2016. 
 If mailed, they must be postmarked no later than December 31 .
 
Stock Donations
If you will be making a stock donation, please contact Terese in the church office, 252-1919 or tpierskalla@fpclex.org, so we'll know who made the donation and record it correctly when it is received.
 
IRA Rollover Donations
Gifts to First Presbyterian Church can be made from your retirement account without including the distributed amount in your total income.  There are specific requirements:  you must be at least 70-1/2 years old, you must decline goods and services, and your rollover may not exceed $100,000.
   
Contribution and Pledge Payment Options
In addition to placing your check in the offering plate during services on Sundays, there are two other ways you can make contribution and pledge payments:
  • Through automatic monthly withdrawals from your checking or savings account.  Contact the office (252-1919 or tpierskalla@fpclex.org ) for information on setting this up.
Offering Envelopes
Offering envelopes are available to those who like to use them when making pledge payments or other contributions.  If you would like a set for 2017, please contact the church office.


Thank you to all those who support the church with a pledge, other contributions and gifts of time.  If you have questions about any of this information, please contact Steve Kelly ( skelly@centralbank.com, 253-6201), finance team convener, or Eben Hollingsworth ( eben.hollingsworth@gmail.com, 404-259-5744), treasurer.

Thanks from Born Learning Academy
 
Our Born Learning partnership with Arlington Elementary this fall was another great success!  Thanks so much to the following volunteers who provided and served dinner to families attending, as well as assisted the Arlington teachers in working with the children while the parents were in class:
 
Mike and Donna Staats, Georgeanna Chapman, Pam and Sam McGee, Kara, Camille, and Adeline Reynolds, Jan and Bill Marshall, Susan Buhrow, Mary Reed, Mott Nicol, Lee Carroll, Carol Raitz, Susan Watson, and Susan Keegan.

We tru ly appreciate the continued enthusiasm with which the congregation embraces this important partnership.  Please do not hesitate to contact a Cornerstone Commission Member for more information.  We look forward to another great season in the fall of 2017.

Pam McGee, Mike Staats, and Kara Reynolds
Cornerstone Commission

Susan Keegan
Born Learning Academy Volunteer Coordinator


The FPC Campus Design Committee was formed earlier this year to create a comprehensive plan for the campus of First Presbyterian Church.  The members of the Committee are Ellen Chapman, Susan Combs, Jeff Jefferson, Susan Keegan, Lance Poston and Darren Taylor. 
 
The Church campus has grown over the past several years to include apartment buildings and parking lots.  This Committee has been asked to take a look at "everything" the Church has, and to consider how it can best be used. The Committee has been meeting intensively since the beginning of August.  In the past month, several steps forward have been made:
 
  • We met with members of the Garden Team, who helped lay the foundation for this work two years ago and shared insights from what they had learned. 
  • With the help of Lance Poston, we've integrated input from the Campus Usage Studies that we received from individuals and Ministry Teams.
  • Darren Taylor has been instrumental in helping us draft a proposal to be used to procure design service professionals to advise and assist us in this process.  
 
The work is not slowing down in the winter.  In December, we will be sending out proposals to several design service professionals and interviewing them to discover who best fits the needs and vision of FPC.  
 
Campus Design welcomes your thoughts and feedback as they continue this work.  They will continue to give updates to the congregation as they work through this process.

PW CIRCLE 4 PECAN SALE
 
PW Circle 4 is here to assist you with your holiday baking and gift giving!! We are selling wonderful, tasty southern pecans from the Schermer Pecan Company, established in 1946, located in Glennville, Georgia.  Delicious Mammoth Pecan Halves ($12 - 16oz.) and yummy Pecan Caramel Clusters ($10 - 12 oz.) are available.  If a minimum order of 24 bags each can be met, Chocolate Covered Pecans or Dark Chocolate Pecans ($10 - 12 oz.) can also be ordered.  Proceeds will benefit PW Missions. 

Sales will continue through December.  Orders may also be made by emailing Sharon Chrisman at sbchrisman@gmail.com.
 
Here's to being happy eating Georgia pecans!!
SAVE THE DATE, FRIDAY JANUARY 27 TH

This will be the evening Kick-Off Celebration
2017 Dinner for Eight
Look for Sign Up Registration Soon

Adult Forum
Sundays at 10:00 am

So that everyone can benefit from Dr. Paul Jones time with us, we have combined with the re:formed class (see  below). We hope you will join us!

re: formed
Sundays at 10:00 am
Breckinridge Room (210)

For almost two millennia, Christians have insisted that "the Bible is the church's book."  However, there is no consensus about what that declaration means, let alone how to interpret the text and practice its teachings. Through collaborative conversations, this class will explore this foundational Christian claim by examining the following questions:  What is the Bible?  Why read the Bible?  Why is it important?  How was it formed?  Is the Bible the Word of God?  How do you read/interpret the Bible?  Does the Bible canonize contradictions?  Is the Bible relevant?  Is it still authoritative?

Paul Jones has taught in the religion program at Transylvania University for over 30 years.  Educated at Yale, TCU, and Vanderbilt, he has written four books and authored 26 articles.  He is married to an ordained Disciples of Christ minister, and they have two adult children.

We hope you will join us.
Lexington Recycling Challenge
The city of Lexington is challenging residents and businesses near three downtown elementary schools to increase recycling in their districts.  First Presbyterian is in Harrison Elementary's district and we have been asked to participate with them.  If the school district is successful in increasing the rate of recycling by 50% over the course of the school year, Harrison Elementary will receive $12,000, which they sorely need.  Members of FPC can help by making sure we recycle our bulletins, cans, bottles and other appropriate items.  If you are uncertain what can be recycled, there are posters near most of the recycling bins at the church.  Please Pitch In to help Harrison.
FPC Opportunities
Fresh Stop: a Requiem and an Opportunity

First Presbyterian's Fresh Stop CSA Program, started in 2007 by Julie Hofmeister (nee Hanna), was terminated before this past growing season due to a number of factors. Our farmer, Ricky Courtney, had back surgery and was unable to continue to supply us with produce and Chad Mueller, who had been the de facto leader of the FPC team and president of our informal Board, moved. Although we had committed CSA members and Board representation from Woodland Christian, Centenary Methodist and Calvary Baptist, we had struggled to keep our subscription numbers up. When we dissolved the program, the Board voted to donate the remaining funds in our account as a gift to farmer Courtney and to two other organizations which address food insecurity issues in Lexington: Glean KY and Seedleaf.

If those of you who were Fresh Stop shareholders missed the wealth of fresh produce as much as I did, I have an opportunity for you for next year's growing season. New Roots, the parent organization for Fresh Stop after which Julie modeled our program, has several Fresh Stop pick up locations in Lexington this year and plans to next, as well. The Markets are operating under the auspices of the Tweens Coalition and are able to take EBT cards and sell shares on an income-based sliding scale, providing low-income families with fresh produce. For full-paying customers, the price last year was $25 for a share which may be ordered weekly, instead of a having a full season subscription.

Jeremy Porter, the head of the Tweens Coalition, approached me late in the season to inquire as to whether we had church members who might be interested in either purchasing shares or helping at the markets with distribution. There are several downtown markets which are close to the church and pick ups are generally in the late afternoon/early evening during the week. The program is over for the season, but if you would like information next year on dates, prices and share pick up locations or would like to volunteer, please contact Susan Buhrow at sidneyw363@aol.com.  

Interested in Appreciative Inquiry?
 
Appreciative Inquiry, "AI," works on the assumption that when we carry the best of the past forward as we dream about the future, our future will be built to last.  It will build on our strengths, our excitement, and our energy.  It will follow the life giving source in which when we listen intently, the voice of the Spirit can be heard. 
 
Each person has a story, a hope, or a memory...a sense of where the Holy was and is present in this community.  These individual stories are part of the larger story of FPC, and each story matters.  We would love to hear your story. 
   
To receive a list of available times for a conversation or to schedule a conversation, please email Caitlin Foehse at cfoehse@fpclex.org or call the office.
Pastor Relief & Benevolence Support

Thank you! When we receive donations for benevolence support, these gifts make a big difference!  When someone comes in from the parking lot or off of the street, or when you direct someone in need to a pastor or the main office, we use gifts given to the Pastor's Relief to help those in need-with new boots, a bus ticket, or even on occasion a room for the night.  The gifts of Kroger cards and Subway cards that we receive offer groceries or access to a healthy meal within walking distance.  Keeping these in the office helps us do our best to give to people responsibly and identify those we see repeatedly, who may have deeper needs. 

There are several ways to help:  consider giving to the Pastor's Relief, bringing gifts cards for Kroger or Subway to the office, or when someone approaches you in the parking lot or near FPC-directing people to the office where we can meet with them and hear their needs. 

A big thank you to the people who are helping make this office a place of caring!

Spread the Love
2017 Financial Campaign
2017 Fall Financial Update

As of December 1, 2016, members and friends of FPC have pledged $601,427 to help us plan for ministries in the coming year.  This is a bit more than 75% of our goal. We have work to do.  Please, if you have not already done so, let us know more about your plans for providing financial support to the congregation in the coming year.

This represents the pledges of over 145 families, who are committed to helping us spread the love in 2017.  It includes 30 families who had not pledged in 2016- for 11 of whom this was the very first pledge they made.

We are getting close to our goal but are not there yet.  Your giving makes an extraordinary difference.  You help make us a vibrant place to grow and develop faith.

This coming year is key.  In 2016, we took the step to purchase the Welch Apartments and the adjacent parking lot.  This gives us room for more handicapped parking near the building and expands the possibilities for ministry in the future.  We also made much needed repairs on the Christian Education wing and remodeled the interior.  These new spaces are great for our children and give us options for the future.

By Christmas, we anticipate five of the nine Welch Apartments being rented.  When eight are filled, we will experience a positive cash flow for the property.  However, we still require substantial giving to reduce and eventually retire the debt taken on due to the cost of the initial purchase.

With your help, the future is bright.  We are growing.  We welcomed over 15 new members already this year.  In the past two months, we welcomed six more.  We are gaining momentum.  Over 55 people have been interviewed for Appreciative Inquiry and more are signed up for December. 

We are getting set to spread the love in 2017.


A note of great significance for some of our members: as you may already know, the IRA Rollover Law has been permanently extended.  This means you can make a gift to First Presbyterian Church from your retirement account without including the distributed amount in your total income.  There are specific requirements:

You must be at least 70 ½ years old, you must decline goods and services, and your rollover may not exceed $100,000.

 


DID YOU KNOW...

You can sign up for the Presbytery Newsletter at the link below.  Stay abreast of Presbytery news!


DID YOU KNOW
that the Work Order Request form is available online? It may be accessed here:  http://fpclex.org/facilities/.

The Work Order can be completed online electronically or in the office via hard copy.

DID YOU KNOW

that the worship bulletins are available online? They may be accessed here: http://fpclex.org/publications/bulletins/.

 

Sunday's bulletin is uploaded beforehand on Friday.

FOR SCHEDULING NEEDS:

If you need to schedule a meeting, event, or gathering of any sort in our beautiful facility, please remember to contact the office in order to confirm space availability and officially get it onto the church's calendar.
 
Thank you for your assistance in advance!!!

FPC Lost and Found

Quite a few items have accumulated in our Lost and Found closet.  If anyone is missing something in your family, stop by the church office and check it out!
Treasurer's Report
Financial Summary October 2016
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
Pledge receipts in October returned to near normal levels after last month's very low receipts. We remain under budget for the year and continue to suspend all non-essential expenses. Pledges are tracking fairly well, but we are hopeful that more people can give commitments for 2017.

Our $244K shortfall so far in 2016 is largely due to $134K of post-water-damage renovation in the Education wing, and $38K of net loss relative to the strategic acquisition of the N. Mill property.

REVENUES & EXPENSES
Revenue Summary
October pledges received were $71K, against a monthly budget of $78.  For 2016 so far, pledges are running $133K below our budget of $781K or 17% behind budget. December is traditionally our strongest month for pledge receipts, and we believe that will occur again this year.

Expense Summary
OVERVIEW
  • Expenses were on budget at $92K for October.  For the year to date expenses have totaled $1,138K on a budget of $943K.

  • PERSONNEL
  • Personnel expenses remain on budget.

  • DISCIPLESHIP (Worship, Outreach, Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, Other Ministry)
  • Discipleship expenses remain under budget.

  • RESOURCES (Administration, Building & Equipment)
  • Resources expenses were $34K on a budget of $26K, but that includes an 8K payment of property taxes on the N. Mill property.

  • BELONGING (Fellowship, Membership, Picnic, Life Events)
  • Belonging expenses remain under budget.

  • Net Revenues/Expenses 
    Net revenues for October were -$12K compared to the budget of -$5K. For the year, net revenues have been $-244K on a budget of $0K.

    N. Mill apartment operating expenses YTD have been 63K against a revenue of 25K. We continue to work toward our goal of break even for operations with the apartments.

    As of May 13, the Finance Committee and Session Quorum have approved a motion to stop all discretionary spending until pledges return to normal levels. While this does not affect salary & benefits items, it will limit all other expense categories. We regret the need to limit spending but our budget deficit is currently $244K and pledges have not consistently met the budget.  We continue to use our line of credit cover the shortfall.

    Funds Quarterly Balances Q3 2016

    Line of Credit Balance .............................$421,636

      
    Eben Hollingsworth, Treasurer
    November 9, 2016
    December 2016
    Sun
    Mon
    Tue
    Wed
    Thu
    Fri
    Sat
     
     
     
     
    1
     
    Sayre Upper School Winter Concert,
    7:00 pm
     
    Chancel  Choir,
    7 - 8:30 pm
    2
     
    3
     
    4
    Worship,
      8:45 & 11:00
    Sunday School,
      9:45
    ADVENT Celebration, 10:00
    LOL Christmas
    Party, 12:00 pm
    YC Christmas
    Party, 5:30 pm
    Bach Choir Concert,
    7:00 pm
    5
     
    6
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 8:00 am
    Morning  Prayer, 9:00
     
     
    7
    LOGOS,
    4:30 - 7:30 pm
     
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study,
    4:30 pm
     
    8
     
    Chancel  Choir,
    7 - 8:30 pm
     
    PW Circle 3,
    1:00 pm
     
    Finance, 5:30 pm
     
    PW Circle 4,
    6:30 pm (Offsite)
    9
     
     
    10
     
    11
    Worship,
    8:45 & 11:00
    Sunday School,
    9:45
    Just Lunch Thank You Brunch, 12:00
    Middler Bible Study, 5:30 pm
    (Room In The Inn)
    12
     
     
    13
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 8:00 am
    Morning  Prayer, 9:00
    PW Circle 2 (Sayre Village), 2:00 pm
    PW Circle 5 (Offsite), 7:00 pm
     
    14
    LOGOS,
    Christmas Pageant
    4:30 - 7:30 pm
     
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 4:30 pm
     
    15
    Continuing Connections,
    10:30 am
    VIPs , 12:00 pm
     
    Chancel  Choir,
    7 - 8:30 pm
     
    16
     
     
    17
     
     
    18
    Worship,
    8:45 & 11:00
    Sunday School,
      9:45
     
    First Church
    Christmas Concert, 3:00 pm
    19
     
    PW Circle 6,
    6:30 pm
    20
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 8:00 am
    Morning  Prayer, 9:00
     
     
    21
    NO LOGOS,
     
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 4 :30 pm
     
    22
     
    No Rehearsal
    23
     
    24
     
    Christmas Eve Services, 
    3:00 & 5:30 pm
    25
    Worship,
    8:45&11:00
    NO Sunday School
     
    ONE Worship Service, 11:00
    26
    Diaconate,
    5:30 pm

    Church Office
    CLOSED
    27
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 8:00 am
    Morning  Prayer, 9:00
     
     
    28
    NO LOGOS,
     
    Pastor's  Bible
    Study, 4:30 pm
     
    29
     
    No Rehearsal
    30
     
    Church
    Office
    CLOSED
    31
     
    Just  Lunch,
    11:30 - 1:00 pm
    (Volunteers)
     

    First Presbyterian Church | 171 Market Street | Lexington, KY 40507
      lpreacely@fpclex.org | http://www.fpclex.org