If you are a member of Zion with up-to-date information in our database, you should have received or will be receiving a letter from Pastor Potter via US Mail. The text of this letter, as well as an explanation of the "Give Thanks" campaign, is found below. If you did not receive a letter in the mail and believe you should have, please contact Cantor Kurt Schmidt using the information at the end of this e-mail.
Dear Members of Zion.
As the holiday season is approaching, I realize I may not be able to see some of you in person. I hope that you will have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your pastor. Since beginning full-time December of last year, I have been working to organize the documentation of our congregation, including parish records, other documents, and financials.
There have been amazing things happening and a good part of that is thanks to you and your support. We responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by going online, livestreaming Sunday worship and adding worship opportunities Monday mornings and Wednesday evenings. This has had the unexpected result of reaching a much broader "congregation," sometimes numbering well over 300 people! We have worked with Zion Church School alumni who are now parents themselves with virtual learning, offering Bible stories via Zoom to their children one morning a week and parental support twice a month. We have added online giving as a way to contribute to the ministry of Zion and so much more.
At the same time we have had unexpected expenses such as having to replace an AC unit for the preschool, repairing other AC units for the sanctuary and the preschool, roof leaks in the preschool and at Somerset Academy Key for which we are responsible, drain issues in the back parking lot, the need to replace broken speed bumps, and termite treatment. These are the costs of maintaining the Zion campus.
I have explored avenues for increasing our revenue. One was the Council working out a lease agreement with the Brazilian Church Seventh Day Adventist to use our space for their worship, following the same CDC guidelines, including sanitization.
In the works are a "wish list" for capital improvement and repairs of our church as well as a "Give Thanks" campaign starting on November 1st. We have also received a donation of a car from a member of Zion to sell and those funds will go to the capital improvement of the church.
Taking advantage of historic low interest rates, we are also exploring being able to refinance the mortgage of the congregation, withdrawing some funds to cover some of these repairs. In order to do that, we are seeking to have an accurate record of the chronological, financial, and corporate history of Zion, so that we can have the best opportunity for refinancing. Having this documentation will also assist us in investigating other avenues of revenue and be more aware of our commitments and responsibilities. The Council is taking seriously its fiduciary and legal accountability as the leaders of the congregation, for which I am grateful.
I and the Council will be seeking to keep you informed with updates on our progress and ways you may be able to assist us so that we can continue to effectively follow Jesus, inviting, equipping, and serving our neighbors and one another.
In Christ,
David E. Potter, Pastor
