Kitimat First United Church
1180 Kingfisher Ave. Kitimat, B.C. V8C 1J8     632-7149
Pastor:  Don Holmes
www.kitimatunitedchurch.ca

Newsletter

spring 2008

Dates to Remember

Fri. Feb. 29th         7:00 PM  Chocolate for the Soul
Fri. Mar. 07th          7:00 PM  World Day of Prayer
Sun. Mar. 16th       11:00 AM  Palm Sunday
Thurs. Mar. 20th    7:30 PM   Maundy Thursday
Fri. Mar. 21st          11:00 AM   Good Friday
Sun. Mar 23rd        7:00 AM   Sunrise Service @ Alcan beach
Sun. Mar. 23rd       11:00 AM  Easter Sunday Service
Tues. May 27th      6:00 PM   Ladies Night Out

Chocolate for the Soul Night

Dessert & coffee house  Friday, February 29th @ 7:00 p.m.
There will be scrumptious Desserts & Chocolate Fountains, entertainment for the Soul, and a Silent Auction.  Tickets are $10.00 each, children 10 & under $5.00 each.  Tickets are available from: Alice Holmes at 632-6408 and Teresa Petry at 632-4198

World Day of Prayer

Our church is hosting The World Day of Prayer Service on March 7th at 7:00 PM.  There will be refreshments downstairs following the service.  All are welcome.

Ladies Night Out

Tuesday, May 27th @ 6:00 PM.  Come out and enjoy a good meal and an evening of fun and entertainment.  For more information stay tuned to the weekly bulletin at the church.  Or contact Teresa Petry @ 632-4198.

Hospital Visits

The M&P committee has looked into the subject of hospital visits, and have found that the hospital no longer keeps a list of patients that wish to be visited by their minister.  If you, or someone that you know, would like a visit from our minister, Don Holmes, contact him at the church.

Healing Touch

Healing Touch Gatherings.  We have decided we would like to get together for meditation and healing on the 3rd Sun of each month, after coffee at about 12:30 in the Lounge.  It is open to anyone in the congregation, and we will be taking turns facilitating (we have a signup list for those who are willing).  The tentative schedule is March 16th, April 20th, and May 18th.

Spring Garage Sale

Watch the weekly bulletin and/or the website for date of this upcoming event.

Valentine Cakes and Candy

Once again, Valentine cakes and candy were sold by the Sunday School and just over $300 was raised this year. We sent $150 to Canadian Bible Society and the rest was donated to our church fund.
We would like to say “Thank you!”  to those who baked and decorated the cakes, or made candy for us to sell.  Also, a big “Thank you!” to everyone who purchased (and ate) the cakes and candy!  Your support is appreciated.

Outreach

Save your old eyeglasses, Campbell Soup labels, Super Valu tapes, and used stamps.  Used eyeglasses, lenses and frames are collected in a box at the back of the church and taken to Dr. Murphy.  They are sent to a blind mission.  Campbell’s Soup Labels are given to St Anthony’s to purchase new equipment for their school.  Super Valu Tapes are collected in an envelope at the back of the church, and are tabulated and reimbursed for food vouchers, which are given out by the minister to those in need.  Postage Stamps are collected for the brownies, who send them for de-inking, and the monies raised is used to provide dressings for cancer patients. 

Church Reno

The Maintenance Committee will be having some scaffolding erected at the back of the sanctuary.  The big window at the entrance to the church will have an insulating plastic installed on the inside.  This will be done to reduce the heating bill.

Food Bank

Churches take turns packing and distributing at the food bank on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  If you are willing to help when it is our turn please give FayEllen McFarlane a call at 632-2929.

BC Conference

BC Conference (a) wants to bring the United Church's own rEvolve musicians to our General Meeting at Capilano College in May, and (b) wants to practice good stewardship of limited funds. Can you help bring Chris Griffen and Gord Oaks from Edmonton, and Josh McHan from Montreal by donating your extra Aeroplan miles? (The orange card, not the blue) If so, we hope you will contact Christine Ackermann in the Conference office soon. Phone 604.431.0434 x302 or email cackermann@bc.united-church.ca Thank you

Treasurer’s Report

At the Annual General Meeting this year we approved a Budget of $85,992.00.  This is a
“no frills” budget – all the expenses are necessities – heat, hydro, Minister’s salary, insurance, etc.  This does not include givings to M & S or Benevolent Fund.
Of this amount we need to receive congregational givings of $75,292.00, the rest (we hope) will be coming from fund raising, weddings, funerals, and rentals.  This breaks down to approximately $6,275.00 per month, or $1448.00 per week. 
In January we received $4939.71, so already we are short of our projection.  Please look into your hearts (and wallets) and see if there is some way you can increase your givings.  The Church may be in real danger of having to close its doors – please do not let this happen. 

The Lighter Side

Meatless Fridays
John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood.  On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill.

Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper.  This went on each Friday of Lent.  On the last Friday of Lent, the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John.  He was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore.

They decided to try and convert John to Catholicism.

They went over and talked to him.  John decided to join all of his neighbors and become a Catholic, which made them all very happy.

They took him to church, and the priest sprinkled some water over him, and said, "You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are a Catholic."

The men were so relieved, now their biggest Lenten temptation was resolved.

The next year's Lenten season rolled around.  The first Friday of Lent came, and, just at suppertime, when the neighborhood was settling down to their cold tuna fish dinner, the smell of steak cooking on a grill came wafting into their homes.  The neighborhood men could not believe their noses! WHAT WAS GOING ON?

They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent.  The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water.  He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill, saying, "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish."

Palm Sunday:

Palm Sunday is a moveable feast in the Christian calendar which falls on the Sunday before Easter. In the Western church it must always fall on one of the 35 dates between March 15 and April 18. In 2008 it will be observed on March 16th.
The feast commemorates an event reported by all four Canonical Gospels (:Mark 11:1-11, Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19) - the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before his Passion.
According to the Canonical Gospels, before entering Jerusalem, Jesus was staying at Bethany, and the Gospel of John adds that he had dinner with Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha. While there, Jesus is described by the Synoptic Gospels as sending two unnamed disciples to Jerusalem, in order to retrieve a colt that had been tied up but never been rode, and to say, if questioned, that the colt was needed but will be returned in a short period of time. The Synoptics and John state that Jesus knew people in the area, such as Simon the Leper, and so it could be argued that the presence of the colt had already been organised by Jesus' associates. The Gospel of John, however, merely says that Jesus found the colt wandering in Bethany.
Both John and the Synoptics state that Jesus then rode the colt (or in Matthew the colt and its mother) into Jerusalem, with the Synoptics adding that the disciples had first put their cloaks on it, so as to make it more comfortable. The Gospels go on to describe how Jesus rode into Jerusalem, and how the people there lay down their cloaks in front of him, and also lay down small branches of trees. The people are also described as singing part of Psalm 118 - ...Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh. Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father, David. ... (Psalms 118:25-26).
Where this entry is supposed to have taken place is unspecified; some scholars argue that the Golden Gate is the likely location, since that was where it was believed the Jewish messiah would enter Jerusalem; other scholars think that an entrance to the south, which had stairs leading directly to the Temple, would be more likely

Maundy Thursday:

Church services held on this day typically include a reading from the Gospel account of the Last Supper, which includes Christ's taking bread and wine and, declaring them to be his body and blood, giving them to the Apostles. This day also stresses Jesus' washing of the feet of the Apostles at the start of the Last Supper, as recounted in the Gospel of John.
The word Maundy, used only in this context, is generally held to be derived through middle English and old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" (A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you), the statement by Jesus in the gospel of John by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action.

Good Friday:

Many Protestant communities hold special services on this day as well. In the German Lutheran tradition from the 16th to the 20th century, this was the most important holiday. It was the prime day on which to receive Holy Communion, and services were often accentuated by special music such as the St. Matthews Compassion  by Lutheran Johann Sebastian Bach.
Good Friday is the Friday before Easter.  It commemorates the crucifiction of Jesus at Calvary.  This year, it is on March 21st, 2008.
Good Friday is a holy day observed by Christians. Special prayer services are often held on this day with readings from the Gospel giving accounts of the events leading up to the crucifixion. Mainstream Christian churches view Christ's crucifixion as a voluntary and vicarious act, and one by which, along with resurrection on the third day, death itself was conquered.
The Latin calendar includes partial days as full days, thus the early church determined those three days Jesus Christ was in the tomb included Friday and Sunday.

Easter Sunday:

Easter, also known as Pascha (Greek Πάσχα: Passover), the Feast of the Resurrection, the Sunday of the Resurrection, or Resurrection Day, is the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year, observed between late March and late. It celebrates the ressurrection of Jesus, which his followers believe occurred on the third day after his death by crucifixion some time in the period AD 27 to 33. 
Easter also refers to the season of the church year, lasting for fifty days, from Easter Sunday through Penticost.
In Western Christianity, Easter always falls on a Sunday from March 22 to April 25 inclusive.
Easter and the holidays that are related to it are moveable feasts,  in that they do not fall on a fixed date in the Gregorian or Julian calendars (which follow the motion of the sun and the seasons). Instead, they are based on a lunar calendar similar—but not identical—to the Hebrew Calendar. The precise date of Easter has often been a matter for contention.
At the First Council of Nicaea in 325 it was decided that Easter would be celebrated on the same Sunday throughout the Church, but it is probable that no method was specified by the Council. (No contemporary account of the Council's decisions has survived.) Instead, the matter seems to have been referred to the church of Alexandria, which city had the best reputation for scholarship at the time. The Catholic Epiphanius wrote in the mid-4th Century, "...the emperor...convened a council of 318 bishops...in the city of Nicea...They passed certain ecclesiastical canons at the council besides, and at the same time decreed in regard to the Passover that there must be one unanimous concord on the celebration of God's holy and supremely excellent day. For it was variously observed by people..."(Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47–80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471–472).
The practice of those following Alexandria was to celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the earliest fourteenth day of a lunar month that occurred on or after March 21. While since the Middle Ages this practice has sometimes been more succinctly phrased as Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox, this does not reflect the actual ecclesiastical rules precisely. The reason for this is that the full moon involved (called the Paschal full moon) is not an astronomical full moon, but an ecclesiastical moon. Determined from tables, it coincides more or less with the astronomical full moon.
The ecclesiastical rules are:

• Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after March 21 (the day of the ecclesiastical vernal equinox).
• This particular ecclesiastical full moon is the 14th day of a tabular lunation (new moon).

New Church Council

Our church has undergone some changes in this past year.  We have changed the structure from the Board to a new Church Council.  The following is to help you understand how this Council is set up.  Also included is the list of all the members of the Council and committees.  If you are willing to join one of these committees please call the church at 632-7149.

FIRST UNITED CHURCH – KITIMAT
CHURCH COUNCIL COMMITTEES

As directed at the Annual General Meeting, committees will be elected from the general Church congregation. 

Each committee will elect one Chairperson who will report and sit on the Church Council as well as an Assistant or Alternate Chairperson to cover at the Church Council meetings should the Chair not be able to attend.

Council members may serve for a maximum of two consecutive 3 year terms and then must step down from council for a one year period.

Council members can only chair one committee.

Committee members may serve for a maximum of two consecutive 3-year terms on a particular committee.  They may attend the council meetings but only the chair (or alternate) would have a vote.

Each committee will keep their own records.

The committee will determine frequency of meetings.

A budgeted amount (requested at the Annual General Meeting) by the committee should be made available and empowered to spend within the approved budget amount.

It is suggested the committees be comprised of a minimum of 4 members.  Other people of the congregation may be called upon to assist as needed by the committee.

The congregation will elect: 
Note:  Chair of council and secretary cannot chair another committee (conflict of interest).
Chairperson  (3 year term)
Vice Chairperson  (3 year term)
Secretary  (3 year term)
Treasurer  (3 year term)
Presbytery representative (2 year term)
Alternate to Presbytery (2 year term)

Worship Committee:

• Requirement of full membership in the Kitimat United Church to serve on this committee.
• Assist the minister in planning services including Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and/or any special services.
• Will work with the minister by assisting the individual or family with preparation for Baptism.
• Responsible for the worship service and sanctuary in consultation with the minister.
• Responsible for obtaining pulpit supply when the minister is away, and ensures summer services are arranged.
• Oversees to ensure up to date church records are maintained (Baptism, Funerals, Weddings, Confirmations, Transfers, Historical Roll).
• Arranges for someone to coordinate lay leaders and scripture readers.
• Arranges for banner rotation.
• Arranges for communion and servers.
• Other duties as specified in the United Church manual.

Christian Development Committee:

• Oversees Sunday School – gives leadership in the recruitment of Sunday School Superintendent and teachers.
• Oversees youth leaders and group.
• Arranges for babyfold.
• Co-ordinates the church picnic.
• Adult education – bible study groups, workshops. 
• Confirmation Classes and Reaffirmation (orders bibles or congregational gift for confirmations).
• Spearheads the organization of the Appreciation Luncheon with the Congregational Life and Work committee.
• The church library falls under this committee.

Fundraising Committee:

• Spearhead the fundraising for the church – many others will be needed and called upon to help set up and run the events.  Ideas for fundraising done in the past are:
• Annual Congregational Christmas Bazaar (including craft nights).
• Thrift/Garage Sales.
• Fall Dinner (this could possibly include a silent auction or talent auction). 
• Will look into other fundraising ideas (do a play / strawberry social / etc.)
• Work with other committees for special needs as requested.

Congregational Life and Work Committee:

• Compiles list of Greeters and Coffee/Juice servers.
• Organizes social events such as potlucks, breakfasts.
• Assist Christian Development with the Appreciation Luncheon.
• Organizes and serves refreshments for baptisms and following funeral/memorial services.
• Buys supplies for fellowship hour and kitchen as required.

Outreach Committee:

• Keeps the congregation informed of Outreach projects to the world and our community. 
• Arranges Minute for Mission (presented as part of our weekly service)
• Organizes reverse offering – generally the last Sunday of the month.  Delivers groceries received to the Food Bank.
• Organizes volunteers to work at the Food Bank, Tuesday and Thursday when it is the rotation for our church.
• Collects and tallies Super-Valu sales receipts and redeems for food vouchers (given to the minister for distribution).
• Ensures eyeglasses are forwarded to the Christian Blind Mission.
• Collects Campbell soup labels for International Christian Ministries – money helps orphanages in Mexico and Central America.
• Collects used stamps to be de-inked – money is used for cancer dressings.
• Co-ordinates the Observer subscriptions.

Membership / Memorial Committee:
Membership Duties:

• Keeps the Parish list up to date.
• Reviews the Historic Roll:  adds new members;  sends transfer certificates;  notes removal of transferred members;  notes members who have become non-residents or deceased.
• When new members are received, have them sign the old Historic Roll.  Be sure their name and other information is recorded in the new Historic Roll.
• Arranges for farewell cards for congregational members or families leaving Kitimat to be signed and inserted in picture folder and forwarded to new address.  Note:  if a member, send transfer of membership upon request.
• Ensures the Newsletters and Annual General Meeting Reports are distributed.

Memorial Duties:

• Keeps the church memorial book updated by ensuring donations received are recorded.  Identifies previous donations received as memorials and ensures they are recorded in the memorial book.
• Educates the congregation in regards to the memorial fund, the importance of memorial donations and how to make such donations.
• Reviews the memorial donation card with the minister to ensure it is kept current.
• Co-ordination of the Memorial Wreaths at Christmas.

Stewardship Committee  (Finance Committee):
Duties.
 The Stewardship Committee shall have the following duties:

• to be responsible for the overall stewardship level of the Pastoral Charge so that its full financial potential may be realized. To this end the Committee shall review annually the total financial objective of the Pastoral Charge, that is, the needs at local, regional, and national levels;
• to interpret to the Pastoral Charge why the funds are needed and
• how they will be expended;
• to keep in perspective and under review the proportions of money spent locally and regionally in relation to the amount provided for the wider work of the United Church through the Mission and Service Fund;
• to cultivate knowledge and conviction concerning the mission of the church in all its aspects, among all age groups and by all media available;
• to make available to the Pastoral Charge the materials issued through the relevant General Council working units;
• through the use of approved methods of church finance, to secure commitment and participation in the mission of the church by the Pastoral Charge. To this end the Committee shall organize periodic visitations for stewardship purposes; and
• to report regularly to the Official Board or Church Board or Church Council and to prepare an annual report for the Pastoral Charge.

Manse Committee:
Membership: Spouse of the Minister (or the Minister) will sit on this committee,

• Member of the Trustees
• Member of the Maintenance Committee

Duties:

• The care and maintenance of the manse and equipment. The Committee shall inspect the manse, equipment, and grounds annually, shall consult with the settled or appointed Ministry Personnel in regard thereto, and shall report to the Church Council with recommendations. A stated amount should be made available each year for manse purposes and the Manse Committee empowered to spend such funds (excepting major capital expenditures) without further reference to the Church Council; and
• Seeing that the Pastoral Charge provides the settled or appointed Ministry Personnel with accommodation that is in every way suitable.

Maintenance Committee:

• Responsible routine cleaning and maintenance of the church buildings.
• Responsible for the maintenance of the equipment in the church
• Responsible for the routine and major maintenance of the manse with direction from the manse committee.
• Responsible for major maintenance of the church building(s)
• Responsible to count of the weekly offering prior to delivering the monies to the Treasurer.
• Will appoint one member to sit on the Finance committee.

Ministry and Personnel Committee:

• Meetings. The Committee shall meet and shall report to the Church Council quarterly or more often as circumstances warrant
• Membership. The Committee shall consist of not less than three (3) and not more than seven (7) members representative of the Pastoral Charge. Members of the staff of the Pastoral Charge, including members of the Order of Ministry, shall not be members of this Committee, and it shall not replace the Joint Search Committee in the event of a change in the pastoral relationship or a vacancy.
• Duties. The Committee shall:
• provide a consultative and supportive agency for the staff of the Pastoral Charge and for members and Adherents of the Congregation(s);
• review working conditions and remuneration for the staff of the Pastoral Charge and make appropriate recommendations to the Church Council;
• oversee the relationship of the staff of the Pastoral Charge to members of the Congregation(s) and others;
• iv. oversee the relationship between and among different members of the staff of the Pastoral Charge with respect to their            responsibilities and authority;
• consult with all members of the staff of the Pastoral Charge about their plans for continuing education and ensure that those eligible avail themselves of the provisions or continuing education and that money and time are made available.
• review and evaluate annually the effectiveness of the staff of the Pastoral Charge as those persons and positions relate to the mission of the Pastoral Charge as defined by the Church Council;
• maintain close liaison with the Presbytery Pastoral Relations Committee;
• review regularly the responsibilities of all staff of the Pastoral Charge and revise position descriptions when required or requested; and
• receive from each Ministry Personnel settled in or appointed to the Pastoral Charge, a current police records check, at the expense of the Ministry Personnel, no later than the completion of each three­(3) year period of the pastoral relationship.

Trustees:

• Upon trust to use the trust property for purposes directed by the congregation and maintenance of public worship.
• To obey all lawful orders and directions.
• To permit use of the trust property for church, manse and Sunday School purposes.
• To let and sell pews and burial plots and to let manses.
• The trustees shall have powers to sell, mortgage, exchange, or lease the trust property with the consent of the Presbytery.
• The trustees shall keep proper accounts and minutes.
• The trustees shall have seven days’ notice of all special meetings and one day’s notice of other meetings.
• The number of trustees shall not be fewer than three or more than fifteen, and vacancies shall be filled by election by the congregation, or in default of such election, by the Presbytery, and the property of a congregation which ceases to exist shall be subject to the trusts determined by Conference.
• Trustees shall not be liable for involuntary loss.

Chair Person – Zo Mulder
Vice Chair – Ken Maitland
Treasurer – Ruth Brady
Secertary – Donna Schwarz

From the Editor
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.  Stay tuned to the weekly bulletin at the church to find any new additions to the events calendar, or checkout the church website at www.kitimatunitedchurch.ca.