Admin Zone News
March 27: Admin Board Update:
The process is under way for selecting new Administrative Board Elders. The deacons are also going through this process. We ask for your continued prayer. The names of those who are letting their names stand will be in the March 27th bulletin. April 10th during the service is when the names will be selected.
The Administrative Board met with the staff again. We continue to look for ways to address how we can better compensate our Zone Coordinators for the great work being done. We ask for wisdom and direction in this process and appreciate your prayers and support of the staff. Let’s keep encouraging one another.
Increased Giving + Increased Volunteering = Possibilities
On March 27th after both the 9am and 11am services we are planning on having a “living it” discussion circle. We hope to have input from the congregation on the issues we have been talking about with regards to staffing and finances. So please plan to come out and join in with the discussion.
- Sharon Wildeboer on behalf of the Administrative Board Elders
March 6: Admin Board Update:
The process is under way for selecting new Administrative Board Elders. The deacons are also going through this process. We ask for your continued prayer. Pray for people with the right gifting and a willingness to serve to step into these roles.
Last month at the Administrative Board meeting we met with the staff. We appreciate all the hard work of the entire staff body at Hope Fellowship. The concern is that the current structure with the zone coordinators is not adequate to the growth we are experiencing. They all work above and beyond the hours that were set many years ago for most of the zones.
Hope is growing and that is great. Financial giving and volunteering however are not growing at the same rate. How do we reconcile this? We don’t have answers yet but we have invited the Staff again to this months meeting. Please pray for wisdom going forward, for God’s direction.
GROWING CHURCH + INCREASED DEMANDS— AVAILABLE RESOURCES = GAPS
INCREASED GIVING + INCREASED VOLUNTEERING = POSSIBILITIES
Feb 6: New Sign Design
As you have likely noticed, work has begun on our permanent sign. The steel structure currently in place will be covered with brick and stucco in the spring and then fitted with an illuminated sign for our church as well as a three-line LED display. We will also be able to offer our current and future tenants their own smaller sign, below the LED. We are at the stage of finalizing the layout and text of our section of the sign and we would like to hear from you. If you visit our website at www.hopefellowship.ca/newsign.php you will be able to see a mock up of the planned sign and a few options for the large 4 foot by 6 foot section at the top. Please take a look and let us know if you have a preference regarding the different wording, font and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Richard, Chris Ritskes or any member of the Property Committee or email admin@hopefellowship.ca.
February 6: Rental Notes
Hope Fellowship has been selected to host a Public Hearing regarding the environmental impacts of the proposed new nuclear generators at Darlington. The Hearing will start on Monday March 21st and run for 2 to 3 weeks. The rental will involve the sanctuary, Prayer Room, Boardroom, Room 127, the Library and possibly some other rooms. The full schedule has not yet been determined but will involve either a morning and afternoon or an afternoon and evening session each day from Monday through Saturday. If you are looking to book a meeting or event during this time, please contact Chris Ritskes, Evelyn or your Zone Coordinator.
We are also looking for hosts that would be willing to work during the sessions of the Hearing to deal with any issues that arise during the day or evening such as extra tables or chairs, spill cleanup, directing traffic. If you are 18 or older and are interested in working a shift or two at any time between March 21 and April 9th, please contact Chris Ritskes. We will be in touch once the schedule is finalized.
December 26: Admin Board Notes
With regret, we accepted the resignation of Daniel Mailhot from the Administrative Board. His input, insight and great questions will be missed. This means that in the springtime we will have 4 open positions for the Admin. Board—3 positions for a three year term and 1 position for a 2 year term.
At the congregational meeting people expressed a desire for more input into our decision making processes. In response the Administrative Board will be hosting quarterly “Living It” circle discussions. Topics and dates will be announced. Meetings will include discussion and prayer over issues important to Hope Fellowship.
Safe Church Team- (Please note: this group was formerly known as the Abuse Prevention team.) Four volunteers for are needed for this team. Their mandate is to continue to keep our children safe by screening volunteers and providing education regarding the policy and prevention of child abuse. Please consider if this is a team is a place where you can utilize your gifts and abilities. Contact Caroline or the office for more information.
Hope Fellowship has been anonymously bequeathed a future gift via the Christian Stewardship Services. This means someone has planned ahead in their will to donate to Hope Fellowship. If you would like more information on the CSS please visit their website at www.csservices.ca/index.html . “Christian Stewardship Services together with its supporting Christian organizations promotes Biblical stewardship through planned giving and education.”
- Sharon Wildeboer
October 31: Catch the Wave
In May 2010 the Administrative Board took some time during the Spring Membership Meeting to acknowledge each of Hope Fellowship’s Zone Coordinators. While celebrating and recognizing what each person brings to his or her position, the Board started a wave of appreciation that is spreading through each Zone. Over the coming months we will be spreading that wave as we share a bit about the people involved in each of our six Zones and the great work they are doing. This month we are focusing on the Administration Zone and we would like to acknowledge the work of a couple that do their best to keep our building looking it's best.
Ron and Linda have been a very dedicated addition to our staff since assuming the custodian position. They spend many hours cleaning and straightening up for both our services and ministries and for our various tenants, often working odd hours as they work around their other jobs. With the increasing traffic at our building during the week, it's a constant challenge to find even a few hours to mop the floors since there always seems to be another group ready to walk all over them. If you see either of them in the coming weeks, please share your appreciation for their willingness to serve our church.
- Chris Ritskes, Admin Zone Coordinator
October 31: The Personnel Committee
We are a committee at Hope Fellowship with the overall purpose of "Assisting the Admin Board in meeting its oversight responsibility with respect to the human resource functions of the church". So we work with the Board, Pastor Peter and other staff in all aspects of their work life here at Hope.
Here are some of the things we do:
- Touch base with each staff member periodically to explore both the joys and challenges of the work they're doing.
- Review and recommend compensation of all staff annually, to ensure fairness as well as affordability within the overall budget.
- Guide the hiring process of new staff as required.
- Provide assistance in the performance appraisals of staff, including the Senior Pastor.
- Develop and update personnel policies.
- Be ready to help with conflict resolution when it's required.
If you have any questions about the committee and our work, talk to any of us. We maintain confidentiality with sensitive information, but we will answer as openly as we can. Clarence, Simon and Joanne
October 31: Classis Quinte Update
Classis Quinte – In Brief
Classis Quinte (the group of Christian Reformed Churches between Ajax, Peterborough and Kingston) met on Tuesday, Sept 28 at Cephas CRC in Peterborough. Rev. Norm Sennema of Crossroads, Ajax served as chair. Some highlights from this meeting include:
- How can classis best serve the congregations in classis Quinte? Delegates had the opportunity to set priorities for classis by voting on ideas that were solicited from the last five classis meetings. The top six priorities are: additional campus ministries, intergenerational connections, prayer support, training in worship, combined youth services, and outreach with both word and deed.
- Classis heard reports from the 5 ministry areas. Volunteers are needed to lead classis in the areas of worship/prayer, fellowship, discipleship. Contact statedclerkquinte@gmail.com.
- Seaway Ministries chaplain, Michelle DePooter, encouraged congregations to send Christmas parcels as they are much appreciated by the seamen who stop in the Montreal harbour.
- The classis Quinte website has been launched. See www.classisquinte.ca Groups and churches are invited to submit events for the calendar.
- Classis gave thanks to God that the legal action against Pastor John Visser, the Maranatha, Belleville council, the church visitors, classes Quinte, Toronto, and Eastern Canada and the CRC of North America has been withdrawn. There are still unresolved matters, however, and a 5 member independent team to assess the situation is being set up.
- In accordance with Church Order Article 17a, Classis Quinte acceded to the joint request that Rev. Ron Smeding be released from ministerial service in Rehoboth CRC, Bowmanville. An oversight committee was appointed to help both parties move forward.
- The next classis meeting is on January 25, 2011. Please submit items for the agenda by December 6 to statedclerkquinte@gmail.com.
October 17: Catch the Wave
In May 2010 the Administrative Board took some time during the Spring Membership Meeting to acknowledge each of Hope Fellowship’s Zone Coordinators. While celebrating and recognizing what each person brings to his or her position, the Board started a wave of appreciation that is spreading through each Zone. Over the coming months we will be spreading that wave as we share a bit about the people involved in each of our six Zones and the great work they are doing. This month we are focusing on the Administration Zone and we would like to acknowledge the work of a couple of guys that are working behind the scenes to keep this Zone, and in effect all of the Zones, working effectively and efficiently.
Jef has been working on keeping our computer network up and running as we settled into our current location on Bloor Street. Working behind the scenes, Jef has been both patient with the questions that various staff and ministry leaders keep asking over and over and also visionary with the design of the wired and wireless computer network in our new building.
Online, Rick has also been instrumental in developing our website. In addition to setting up the current site, Rick has set up each of our Zone Coordinators with the tools to maintain their pages and keep our online presence up to date and a one-stop shop for info about our ministries. Without the commitment of these two individuals using their God-given skills and abilities, Hope Fellowship would not be as networked or as web-savvy as we are today. If you see either of them this month, share your appreciation for their willingness to serve our church.
- Chris Ritskes, Admin Zone Coordinator
September 19: Financial Update - Administrative Board
Please note that we had a shortfall of expected donations from our last fiscal year, June 2009- June 2010. This decrease was exacerbated by reduced giving over the summer. This means Hope Fellowship is experiencing a cash shortage for this quarter. Our hard working Treasurer, Denise Kiessling does not have the necessary funds on hand to pay our expenses. We are committed to paying our staff, run our programs, pay for our facilities and keep our promise of a 100% of our ministry shares to the Christian Reformed Church. (Link listed explains what ministry shares are and how they work. www.crcna.org/pages/ministry_shares.cfm )
We are enjoying growth in our congregation which means we are paying more ministry shares. We would like to experience growth in giving to cover the increase in ministry shares. Our shortfall for this quarter is $35,000. We are taking an offering on September 26th, 2010. Please pray for our finances and consider how you will give to this offering.
In order to have adequate cash flow we ask that everyone as part of your worship give on a regular basis. Setting up an Electronic Transfer of Funds using a Pre-authorized Donation Form allows for consistent, dependable cash flow. Contact our Treasurer, Denise, if you want to set this up. When you use envelopes during our Sunday services, be sure to designate the money to the budget so it goes towards our operating budget. Unmarked envelopes go to the cause of the Sunday.
To avoid future shortfalls we will have offerings designated to our operating budget on a quarterly basis. Our hope is that with regular giving to our operating budget this is unnecessary.
We will have our membership meeting November 25th; at the meeting last year’s financial statements will be presented.
Thank you on behalf of the Administrative Board Elders. Sharon Wildeboer
July 25: Property Visioning Update
In 2007 the Property Visioning Team (PVT) was formed to lead the congregation through a planning process for both short and long term plans for our property. The PVT forwarded their report to the Admin Board in May and it was approved at their June meeting. The highlights of the report are included here with the full version available on our website (www.hopefellowship.ca/ourvision.php) or from the office. As mentioned at the Membership Meeting, the Admin Board thanks the PVT for their work and commitment to Hope Fellowship’s future.
Summary of Property Visioning Team Report
1. Our current property is zoned as Light Industrial in the Clarington Official Plan. Development of the land has been slow due to the slow economy. A review of the Official Plan is underway and we, as land owners, have an opportunity to provide input.
2. Surveys of the congregation and community in 2008 and 2009 yielded the following suggestions:
a. Short Term Uses: Soccer fields, Community garden, Skateboard area, Ultimate Frisbee field, Park with benches for people to gather, Baseball field, Walking trails, Off leash dog park, Basket ball court, Ice skating rink, Camp grounds, Climbing wall, Driving range, Splash pad.
b. Longer Term Uses: Retirement community, Stores and apartments above, Storage facilities, Daycare center, Amphitheatre, Sell, Low income housing, Cemetery, Memorial wall, Summer kids camp, Tennis courts, Inline hockey pad, Youth center, Running path, A meeting place.
3. The PVT also made the following recommendations:
a. That the PVT not be primarily responsible for conducting a Community Opportunity Scan (as per previous mandate from the Admin Board) but that another group conduct the Scan
b. That a visual aid (overhead map) should be created to help keep the issue of our property vision before the congregation and the leadership.
c. That a new group of individuals be created to move Hope Fellowship’s property vision to the next stage of implementation, when appropriate.
4. The PVT also shared the following comments with the Admin Board:
a. As a team, we have come to believe that we have been given a lavish gift from God of this land, that certainly there’s a plan our Lord has for this land that Hope Fellowship has acquired, that the land should be used within Hope’s desires to be an outreach focused church and that prayer and discernment are needed to understand God’s plan
b. It was felt that within the journey of Hope Fellowship other issues have taken priority over the visioning process (fundraising, moving to a new building, anniversary celebration, ALPHA, moving to two worship services, etc.). We need to ask what makes the continuation of the PVT important at this stage of Hope Fellowship’s journey when we have 1) issues about debt reduction, 2) concerns of overworking the staff, 3) needs for volunteers to keep pace with needs and demands of ministries, and 4) a season where we are not likely to spend more money developing the property.
Respectfully submitted, David H (Team Facilitator), Allan K, Vic P, Judi B, Matthew G, Melissa C and Catherine B.
July 25: Interim Strategic Plan
The ministry leaders at Hope Fellowship submitted an interim Strategic Plan to the Administrative Board in June. The Strategic Plan is used to guide our ministries both for the short term and for the next 3 to 5 years. This interim plan will be in place until we begin the next formal update process in January 2011; as a result a few of the items are a bit out of date. A few copies of the plan are available at the Welcome Centre but you are encouraged to take a look at the Plan on our website at www.hopefellowship.ca/strategicplan.php Please take a look to see what our various ministries are up to and get in touch with our Zone Coordinators to provide encouragement and feedback on these plans. It is our prayer that God will bless these plans as we move forward as a congregation. - Chris Ritskes, Admin Zone Coordinator
July 25 Restorative Congregation Pilot Project
What does it mean to be a “conflict friendly church”? How can people build relationships by repairing harm and making things right? How can conflict resolution and positive relationships bring people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ?
The Administrative Board is setting up a Restorative Congregation Pilot Project group to investigate and implement restorative practice at Hope Fellowship. Hope Fellowship is one of 2 CRC congregations in Canada that have been asked to be a pilot church. A small financial grant is available to us for this work. An initial meeting of interested people at HF is scheduled for August 4. Please contact Stan for further info.
June 27: Kitchen Committee
Do you have an inventory list of all your pots, pans, dishes and cutlery at home? Can you stand blindfolded in your kitchen and find the muffin tin and flour without bruising your shin? If so, then do we have a job you! The Kitchen Committee is being formed to act as a link between the Community Building Team, the Property Committee and the various groups that are interested in renting our building for events that include food. You would be involved in recommending purchases for new items, ensuring that there's a place for everything and everything is in it's place and helping us make the most out of our warming kitchen without drawing the attention of the Fire Marshall.
If this sounds like a job you would be interested in, please contact Chris Ritskes.
June 27: Note from the Counting Committee
When you contribute to our Sunday offerings, it would be so helpful if you would take the time to mark clearly on your envelope your envelope number and/or your name, as well as what you would like to see your donation be used for—the cause listed in the bulletin, our budget or our building fund. Thank you for helping us ensure we put your money to the cause you intended.
If you don’t remember your envelope number, or aren’t sure what it is, please contact the office and Evelyn will look it up for you.
Thank you for helping us do the best job we can! Your Counting Committee
June 27: Year End Expenses/Update
June 30 marks the end of our fiscal year. If you have expenses from this past year for which you would like to be reimbursed, please submit them to the office as soon as possible. They must be accompanied by an expense reimbursement form, which can be picked up in the office during regular office hours. You will also find copies of the form in the Evelyn Oudyk, Secretary mail slot. As it stands at this moment, we have received only 85% of the money pledged for this fiscal year. Please consider carefully if you are able to help us reach 100 %. Thank you!
May 16: Admin Board Notes
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER:
Thursday May 27th, 2010 is the date of our next Congregational Meeting. There will be updates from the Zones and the budget for June 2010-June 2011 will be looked at. You will also get a look at the MPR –Ministry Partnership Renewal. Here about our plans to conduct a COS – Community Opportunity Scan.
May 30-June 6th will mark a week of prayer and fasting –a time of reflection and to think about how you are living out your relationship with God in prayer, service, community, and finances.
Sunday June 6th, 2010, we will be having a Living It Celebration which will include Professions of Faith and Baptism. There are 22 people professing their faith and/or being baptized on Sunday, June 6 during our services. MPR forms will be handed in for the first time. We will celebrate with a church picnic/BBQ after the second service at 12:30.
COS-Community Opportunity Scan: What is a Community Opportunity Scan? It is a process by which we can learn about our community and better understand where there are needs, an opportunity to look at existing agencies and ministries that may give opportunity for partnering. It will allow us to strategically look at the best approach for outreach and to evaluate what we are currently doing. It will also help us set direction with the Property Visioning Committee about how to use the land with which God has blessed our church. We have submitted a grant application to the Diaconal Ministries to help cover the cost of the COS and hope to begin the process in the fall. For more information you can go this website: www.diaconalministries.com/communityministry/cos.htm
May 2: Financial Update and Request
As Hope Fellowship’s various ministry leaders are preparing their budget submissions for the next fiscal year (which starts July 1st), the Admin Board has been keeping a close eye on this year’s current budget. As of the beginning of April, our giving is approximately $50,000 behind the amount we had planned for. Since April represents ¾ of the year, this would put us about $66,000 behind at our fiscal year’s finish line of June 30th, 2010.
We would like to encourage each of you to take a few minutes to review your giving so far to the budget and prayerfully consider if you can help us make up this shortfall and finish strong. As you know, each Sunday we have an offering for one of the various causes that we support as a church and we have a strong desire not to schedule a dedicated budget offering in it’s place.
As always, you can use one budget envelope to designate funds to both the budget and the morning’s cause or you can ask the usher for a second envelope. Hope Fellowship is also able to set up automatic withdrawals from your bank account for regular budget donations and you are encouraged to contact our Treasurer, Denise Kiessling, to set this up if it would help to plan your giving. If you are new to Hope and have any questions about giving or the budget, please contact me and I will be glad to answer them.
As we prepare for our Spring Membership meeting on May 27th, we will be presenting and approving a new budget that will set our financial course for the year ahead. With your help over the next 3 weeks, we can approve that budget with the confidence and trust that those commitments we make to our ministry leaders will be abundantly and faithfully met.
- Chris Ritskes, Admin Zone Coordinator, on behalf of the Admin Board.
May 2: Admin Board Notes
It’s here—the book “The (Externally focused) Quest-becoming the best church for the community”, by Eric Swanson and Rick Rusaw has arrived. The Administrative Elders all have a copy of this book to start us thinking about being more externally focused. If you would also like to read this book several copies are in the library. This could be used as a group or individually. Here is part of the introduction- “Becoming an externally focused church is not about becoming the best church in the community. The externally focused church asks, how can we be the best church for the community? That one little preposition changes everything. And that is the big question this book from the authors of The Externally Focused church seeks to answer.”
We are blessed as a church to have a Pastor with a servant heart who wants to model that external focus of serving. Admin Board heartily endorsed the request from Pastor Peter and Marja to serve for 2 weeks with DRS (Disaster Response Services) in Indiana which means 1 additional Sunday away this summer. We can’t wait to hear the stories. If you want to be a part of this summer’s Hope Fellowship DRS Team please call Bill or the office for more details.
March 21: Admin Board Notes
FUTURE DATES FOR YOUR INFORMATION:
Sunday March 28th, 2010, names will be selected for new Elders and Deacons. We ask for your prayers with the selection process.
Saturday May 1, 2010 is the date for the next Vision Seminar for Hope Fellowship. More details will be available closer to that date or you can call the office for more information.
Thursday May 27th, 2010 we will have our next Congregational Meeting. There will be updates from the Zones and the budget for June 2010-June 2011 will be looked at.
May 30-June 6th will mark a week of prayer and fasting.
Sunday June 6th, 2010 we will be having a LIVING IT CELEBRATION. Professions of Faith and Baptisms will happen that Sunday during the services. We will also be handing in our Ministry Partnership Renewal forms. We will celebrate with a church picnic/BBQ after the second service.
MINISTRY PARTNERSHIP RENEWAL (MPR): The MPR form will encourage us to look at how we are in a Living Relationship with Jesus Christ. Yes, it will ask about our financial giving as the previous faith pledge promises did. It goes deeper and further, though. The MPR looks at how we are involved in group life at Hope Fellowship. It will help us understand where people are serving inside and outside of Hope Fellowship. It will call us all to pray for Hope Fellowship and others beyond our walls. We are excited about how this form will encourage us all to reflect on how we are living out our faith walk with Jesus.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Sunday June 6th, 2010 – The Living It Celebration picnic/BBQ needs a few good people to help with organizing this year’s celebration. If you want to be involved again or for the first time call Sharon, Rod or the office.
A note of clarification regarding Shalem mental health network and CAP. CAP – Congregational Assistance Plan is the program we are participating in as a congregation. That means our members can access quality counselling from a professional Christian therapist. The offerings taken for Shalem do not pay into the CAP program. Those offerings support all the ministries of Shalem. For more information about what services Shalem offers please visit their website at www.shalemnetwork.org.
Feb 21: Admin Board Notes
Feb. 6th we had a retreat at the church combining the Administrative Board, a representative from the Pastoral Care Elders and the Staff. We looked at the Natural Church Development, a survey that was filled in by people in various leadership positions. We celebrated the growth seen in areas that were previously identified as needing improvement. We also looked at areas where we want to improve. We highlighted two areas where we want to improve. The first is personal prayer life, helping us all to get a better understanding of what prayer can look like and applying that. And second, we also want to get better at becoming a more outwardly focused church.
We know Hope Fellowship members are already active within the larger Clarington/Durham area. We want to be intentional about freeing up time for more people to serve outside of Hope Fellowship's walls. We want to get a better idea of where people are already doing that and celebrate that. Her is where you can help by sharing your stories of how you are involved in the community. Please pass those stories on to the office via Evelyn or Pastor Peter.
One way we are working towards being more outwardly focused is by putting some reference material on order. The leadership has committed to reading The Externally Focused Quest: Becoming the Best Church for the Community by Eric Swanson, Rick Rusaw. This book is coming out next month and is written by the same authors of the Externally Focused Church. We are ordering 5 of these books for the library. This means individuals or small groups can read this material as well. We will let you know when the books arrive and are ready for loan.
Another area we are working on is seeking out new candidates to serve as Administrative Board Elders. Please pray for those considering service as Administrative Board Elder, Pastoral Care Elder or Deacon as others complete their terms of service.
Let us keep encouraging each other to bring others into a Living relationship with Jesus Christ. Let us encourage each other to keep deepening our own relationships with Jesus. Keep living it.
- Sharon Wildeboer
