Greetings in Christ,

 

We had a Congregational Forum this past Sunday to share information about our year end finances, our Covenant Keeper Program, the Pastoral Search Team and our upcoming contract renewal with Lakewood UMC.

If you would like a financial report for the end of the year, please contact the church office and we will be glad to provide that for you. Currently we have 78 people signed up for our Covenant Keeper program and $181,712.00 pledged. If you have not made a commitment for this year, please prayerfully consider doing so.

The big news was that we will not be renewing our lease agreement with Lakewood UMC. We had made several attempts to meet with them in the fall of 2022 and finally had a first meeting January 11, 2023. Our representatives, Ian, Jeanne and I were given a 5-page contract seeking $8,337/month. It certainly took our breath away as I am sure it did yours. Our board met several times and prepared a counteroffer of $5,000/month which was turned down. We were informed by the Lakewood leadership that it is a financial issue.

Last week, we had a final meeting with them to negotiate our exit from Lakewood. We will be charged $5,000 for April and May, then $7,000 for June and $8,000 for July. Our hope is to be gone as soon as possible and certainly by the end of May.  

We are reforming a Facility Search Team and asking for people who have experience in real estate and time to give over the next few months. If you are interested in serving on this team, please contact Jeanne Scanlon (jscanlon04@yahoo.com) or Tom Nichols (tomandgrant@gmail.com) with your qualifications.

We currently have two realtors looking for property for us to purchase or lease. If you see a property that you think may fit our needs, please give that information to Jeanne or Tom. Please have the physical address, name of realtor if listed and phone number.

Because of the demand for real estate in the St. Pete area we will be asking your permission to authorize the Board of Directors to act on the church’s behalf if we find a suitable property to purchase.  It would take two weeks to hold a Congregational Meeting and by that time the property could be sold out from under us. We will be holding a Congregational Meeting on Sunday, March 26th to vote on authorizing the Board. You will receive notification of that meeting this week by email or mail.

The Pastoral Search Team will continue to get their packet finished and ready to go. They will not put out the call for a Senior Pastor Candidate until we have secured a new place to worship. My contract expires August 16, 2023. I have agreed to stay on if this process takes longer. We will execute an extension to the contract as necessary.

We know that God has great things in store for our future. This is just a bump in the road that we will climb together. We will come out of this on the other side stronger, more connected to each other and to God, ready to be King of Peace in the new location God has for us.

Please be in prayer for our Board and the Facility Search Team as we search for our next home.

Moving forward in God’s plan, 

Rev. Renae