Category: Annual Report

This year was one of transition for the CE program in the church. The spring saw the retirement of our long-term CE director, Tom Stevens. We celebrate his guidance and thank him for his years of dedicated and creative work with our children and families.

While the director position remained unfilled for a few months, the CE program was far from directionless as our incredible board members — Harriet Grenier, Kristin Wolf, Ben DeJong, and Dan Senning — did a great job running things. I cannot thank them enough for their service.

As church school started up again in the fall, our children dug deeply into the biblical story of Noah and the ark, and participated in activities related to animals and our stewardship of them. A number of children and their families visited the local humane society as part of their study. During December, we continued to focus on animals, particularly the feathered kind, as our well-attended Advent craft activity centered on making bird feeders. (As I write this, I’m sitting on my couch watching the chickadees at the feeder I made that day!) At Christmas, the children brought the story of Little Robin’s Christmas to life, complete with masks, costumes, and a second generation baby Jesus actor. Special thanks to Harriet Grenier for adapting the book into script form. The calendar year ended with many families putting their new bird feeders to use as they participated in the national Christmas Bird Count.

As I begin to fulfill my new role as CE director, I look forward to working with Peter and the board. We will continue to use the Progressive Christianity curriculum as we plan engaging and relevant activities for our children, ones that help to cultivate in them an understanding of what it means to be vibrant members of our church. I appreciate the opportunity.

Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Morse, CE Director

It was a busy year for the Board of Outreach and the following is a summary of the work accomplished, thanks to your generosity and support.

In March of 2018, the Board voted to invest money in the Vermont Community Loan Fund. We currently have $4,170 invested in the fund.  The Fund is a mission-driven, community-focused alternative lender. It provides loans and other resources to local businesses, community organizations, non-profits and other organizations that do not qualify for a loan from a traditional lender.  The term of the investment was ten years which capitalized on an interest rate of 3%.

One Great Hour of Sharing was held on March 31st.  Through the generosity of the congregation, $1,040 was raised.  Funding through OGHS provides help for communities around the world who suffer from the effects of disaster, conflict and economic hardship.

In May, our church was the collection point for Church World Service kits. Our church constructed 27 hygiene kits.  We also collected 16 blankets, 147 school kits, 316 hygiene kits, 6 emergency clean up buckets and 251 rolled bandages from about 12 other churches.

The CROP Walk took place on October 6th.  The walkers raised $238 which went to support the Waterbury food shelf.

On October 21st the Neighbors In Need collection was taken during the service and totaled $273.  Neighbors in Need is a special mission offering of the United Church of Christ that supports the ministries of justice and compassion throughout the United States.

The human food chain was attempted on November 10th, to bring donated food items to the food shelf.   Although there were not enough humans to form the chain, a generous amount of food was delivered! We continue to encourage food shelf collections.

The Board held a SERRV sale in late November and again in early December.  The organization’s mission is to promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner.  The sale raised $438 of which $86 was deposited in the Vermont Community Loan Fund.

In early December, the congregation generously donated items, including socks, gloves, toothpaste, toothbrushes, a gift card to the Village market and shampoo.  The items were delivered to the residents of the Kirby House a couple of days before Christmas.

Through the Board of Outreach budget, these additional donations were made during 2019:

• $200 to the Good Samaritan Haven
• $150 to the Vermont Low Income Advocacy Council
• Throughout the year, we continued to collect loose change to support the Heifer Project, and 2 animal banks continue to receive your pocket change.  

The Board would like to thank the congregation for your generosity and continued support of our many projects.

Respectfully submitted, Polly Sabin, Chair

Carla Lawrence, Deb Utton, Alice Durkin

The deacons meet monthly (except the month of August) to discuss the weekly deacon schedule, church events such as baptisms, holidays, communion, & specific parishioner concerns.    Every Sunday one deacon assists with the service by lighting & extinguishing candles (Ned graciously performs this when he is present), taking attendance (discussed further below), taking the collection, passing the microphone during Community Matters part of each service, and tidying up the pews after each service.  In addition to these routine duties, this year:

We continue to take electronic attendance in an effort to help realize if someone is out for an extended period of time.  Diane Leavitt continues to add photos to each parishioner’s name in the Breeze software so that it is easier to identify people and to remember names of newcomers. Guests 1-10 were added into the software account for additional visitors to the attendance roster.  We have also added the feature to group family members to our attendance list, to make Sunday attendance more efficient. During the first hymn of Sunday Service the Deacon on Duty locks the side door and post a sign to inform anyone trying to enter that door to please use the front door during service.  

We did not do Laity Sunday this year.  We held a blessing of the animals. For the last couple of years, we have been alternating Laity Sunday and blessing of the animals.

We coordinated a fire drill on May 12th.  In planning this fire drill, we also revisited general fire safety issues not only for those in the sanctuary, but for the children’s education usually upstairs & the nursery care in the basement.   The fire department did not attend this fire drill. This year’s drill was a smoother transition then in the past. Jill Loewer created a fire drill instruction document (Deacons and Peter approved) to be placed in the pews of the sanctuary. 

We assisted with communion and special services as needed.  On communion Sundays Deacon(s) are responsible for obtaining the bread and juice, setting up the table and assisting Peter with the distribution of the elements. We had one baptism this year.

We assisted a Guest Pastor when Peter was out of town. 

The Deacons (with a lot of help from Polly) hosted a welcome back breakfast in September.

We provided coloring pages and crayons for young children attending the early Christmas Eve service.  We also purchased luminary bags and tea lights to decorate the church outside for Christmas Eve service. 

We sent cards to parishioners who may be ill, injured, welcomed a new member to the family, or who may have lost a loved one.

We reviewed Peter’s document on the ALICE Plan (active shooter).  The congregation was informed of the document. The Gun Policy and ALICE Plan was referenced during the Church Annual Meeting.  Next time Global Campuses host an ALICE Plan Training at Church the Deacons will try to attend as well as any other member from the congregation wanting to participate.

We arranged for a CPR and AED (defibrillator) training on February 5, 2019.  All Deacons participated as well as Peter and Polly. We purchased a Zoll Plus Defibrillator for the church.  The AED battery is checked monthly by a Deacon after our monthly meeting.

We purchased a ladder for the third floor for emergency evacuation.

We edited the Deacon Responsibility document and added Peter’s usual Sunday morning preparations for service in case he is not with us.

Many thanks to all the deacons: John Bollard. Tom Leavitt, Diane Leavitt, Jill Loewer, Rebecca Noyes and Cindy Senning.  June Hibbs and Pat King will be joining us as a Deacons in January.      

Respectfully Submitted, Diane Leavitt, Chairperson & Secretary

World markets began January 2019 in the throes of a significant market correction that began in October of the previous year. As reported last year, the church’s assets were somewhat insulated from these events putting us in a somewhat enviable position of only being down 5.5% from 2018. However, as world political and social events stabilized, the market began to recover and ultimately surpass its high point of 2018.  In doing so, the bull market continued to defy the market pundits’ negative outlook. The Dow Jones Index ended 2019 up 22% and the Standard and Poor’s index ended the year up 29%. National and world gains translated locally to the Waterbury Congregational Church as its collective investments, being slightly more conservative, increased by nearly 20% ($207,252).

Given this good fortune the decision before the church is how to distribute these gains among the portfolio to best support the church’s many functions. Maintaining the church’s physical stature both in outward appearance and its infrastructure is essential if this 200 year old structure is to continue to be used as the important meeting house that it is for its parishioners and the larger community. For this the trustees recommend that 45% of the gains ($93,263.40) be added to the Firm Foundation account. Recognizing that economies ebb and flow and the current bull market will come to an end at some unknown time, the trustees recommend that 45% of the 2019 gains be added to the Endowment account to further strengthen the church’s financial position for when those down economic times arrive. However, in the short term, given the relative prosperity of the church’s current investments, the trustees also recommend the remaining 10% of the 2019 gains ($20,725.20) be applied to the Enrichment fund to further support and enhance the church’s mission beyond its basic and daily needs. Examples of past uses of this fund include youth puppet shows and mission trips for both youth and adults. Distribution recommendation appears in Table 1 (next page) and below.

Endowment: 45% ($93,263.40)
Firm Foundation: 45% ($93,263.40)
Enrichment: 10% ($20,725.20)

Table 1. Illustration of 2019 gains distribution to Endowment, Firm Foundation, and Enrichment  accounts.

Fund	Prior Balance	%	Designated Income	Expenses	New Balance	Allocation of Gains	New Balance with Gains	Desired Allocation
Endowment	$497,989.83	54.20%	$0.00	-$17,000.00	$480,989.83	$93,263.40	$574,253.24	45.00%
Housing	$194,733.04	21.20%	$0.00	$0.00	$194,733.04	$0.00	$194,733.04	0.00%
Firm Foundation	$179,010.72	19.50%	$400.00	-$6,680.00	$172,730.72	$93,263.40	$265,994.12	45.00%
Amy Bingham	$4,639.22	0.50%	$0.00	$0.00	$4,639.22	$0.00	$4,639.22	0.00%
General Enrichment	$11,952.30	1.30%	$317.89	$0.00	$12,270.19	$20,725.20	$32,995.39	10.00%
Somerville	$4,526.37	0.50%	$0.00	$0.00	$4,526.37	$0.00	$4,526.37	0.00%
Goodwill	$3,594.63	0.40%	$0.00	$0.00	$3,594.63	$0.00	$3,594.63	0.00%
Graves	$9,258.98	1.00%	$0.00	$0.00	$9,258.98	$0.00	$9,258.98	0.00%
Memorial	$7,500.53	0.80%	$0.00	$0.00	$7,500.53	$0.00	$7,500.53	0.00%
Music Instrument	$5,159.47	0.60%	$0.00	$0.00	$5,159.47	$0.00	$5,159.47	0.00%

	Approved 2019	Actual 2019		Proposed 2020
Income
Bertha Joslyn Fund	$4,410.00	$4,409.00		$4,410.00
Christian Education Fund (E. Joslyn)	$3,800.00	$3,743.00		$3,800.00
Donations & Special Offerings	$1,500.00	$1,352.00		$1,000.00
Loose Offering	$2,500.00	$1,588.21		$2,000.00
Pledged Envelope	$140,000.00	$135,113.31		$133,000.00
Rents (Church)	$5,900.00	$4,337.50		$5,000.00
Special Events	$9,000.00	$10,556.27		$10,000.00
Church Endowment	$0.00	$17,000.00		$19,558.71
TOTAL INCOME	$167,110.00	$178,099.29		$178,768.71
EXPENSES
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
Bibles	$35.00	$0.00		$35.00
C.E Director	$7,033.23	$4,391.60		$7,033.23
Children’s Ministry/Camp Scholarships	$200.00	$0.00		$200.00
Child Sponsorship	$336.00	$364.00		$336.00
Curriculum	$100.00	$203.39		$100.00
Curriculum Enhancement	$500.00	$0.00		$0.00
Food	$100.00	$0.00		$100.00
Nursery Attendant	$960.00	$740.00		$880.00
Supplies	$200.00	$203.43		$200.00
Youth Ministry, Workshops, Retreats	$500.00	$0.00		$500.00
Youth Mission Trip	$250.00	$0.00		$100.00
TOTAL CHRISTIAN EDUCATION	$10,214.23	$5,902.42		$9,484.23
DEACONS
Candle Supply	$50.00	$0.00		$50.00
Choir Director	$8,117.15	$8,116.16		$8,947.02
Choir Director Substitute	$800.00	$0.00		$800.00
Coffee/Tea	$75.00	$113.28		$100.00
Communion Supplies	$50.00	$0.00		$50.00
Floral Arts Ministry	$100.00	$0.00		$100.00
Gifts	$100.00	$222.47		$100.00
Guest Preacher Program	$300.00	$0.00		$0.00
Miscellaneous	$100.00	$75.00		$100.00
Music Programs / Supplies	$100.00	$536.29		$100.00
Organist	$8,117.15	$8,116.16		$8,947.02
Organist Substitutes	$800.00	$200.00		$1,000.00
Piano Tuning	$350.00	$470.00		$400.00
Pulpit Supply	$215.00	$0.00		$215.00
Sound System	$25.00	$0.00		$25.00
VT Conf. Annual Meeting	$500.00	$302.91		$600.00
White Meeting House Arts	$50.00	$0.00		$50.00
Youth/Bell Choir Director	$0.00	$0.00		$300.00
TOTAL DEACONS	$19,849.30	$18,152.27		$21,884.04
OUTREACH
Discretionary Fund	$150.00	$0.00		$150.00
Good Samaritan Haven	$200.00	$200.00		$200.00
Local Charity	$100.00	$0.00		$100.00
Mission Trip	$500.00	$0.00		$500.00
OCWM	$13,792.29	$13,792.29		$13,670.15
VT Conf Per Capita Dues	$2,405.00	$2,162.16		$2,405.00
Washington Assoc. Per Capita Dues	$143.00	$0.00		$143.00
VLIAC	$150.00	$150.00		$150.00
TOTAL OUTREACH	$17,440.29	$16,304.45		$17,318.15
PARISH ADMINISTRATION
Administrator	$10,845.97	$10,900.96		$11,008.66
Copier Service Contract	$2,000.00	$1,704.55		$2,000.00
Office Supplies, Paper, Bulletins	$1,000.00	$890.25		$900.00
Postage	$200.00	$160.00		$150.00
Website Admin	$675.00	$686.34		$650.00
Secretary of State	$20.00	$20.00		$0.00
Computer	$0.00	$0.00		$700.00
TOTAL PARISH ADMINISTRATION	$14,740.97	$14,362.10		$15,408.66
FINANCE
Fundraising expenses	$1,000.00	$564.54		$600.00
Payroll Services	$880.00	$1,509.42		$880.00
Bank / Service Charge	$50.00	$10.00		$50.00
TOTAL FINANCE EXPENSE	$1,930.00	$2,083.96		$1,530.00
PASTORAL EXPENSE
Annuity (retirement)	$9,109.73	$9,883.18		$9,255.49
Book Allowance	$100.00	$220.33		$100.00
Continuing Education	$100.00	$20.00		$100.00
Housing	$21,808.81	$21,808.80		$22,157.75
Life Insurance	$927.36	$881.54		$927.36
Salary	$43,260.70	$43,260.72		$43,952.87
Soc. Sec. Allowance	$4,977.82	$4,977.84		$5,057.46
TOTAL PASTORAL EXPENSE	$80,284.42	$81,052.41		$81,550.93
BUILDING ADMINISTRATION
Church Repair	$0.00	$417.21		$0.00
Custodial Supplies	$1,225.00	$845.04		$1,000.00
Electricity	$2,500.00	$2,315.96		$2,500.00
Elevator Maintenance	$750.00	$500.00		$750.00
Fire Safety Maintenance	$1,100.00	$587.00		$1,100.00
Propane	$6,000.00	$8,081.69		$6,252.00
Furnace Maintenance	$300.00	$300.00		$300.00
Floor Maintenance	$1,000.00	$0.00		$1,000.00
Employer Taxes	$2,961.96	$2,668.16		$3,107.02
Property Insurance	$5,500.00	$5,208.25		$5,500.00
Worker’s Compensation Insurance	$1,150.00	$1,277.25		$1,138.00
Rubbish	$1,000.00	$1,005.18		$1,005.00
Phone / Internet	$1,761.60	$1,776.92		$1,762.00
Custodian	$4,605.00	$3,200.48		$4,678.68
Water / Sewer	$1,500.00	$1,505.36		$1,500.00
TOTAL BUILDING ADMINISTRATION	$31,353.56	$29,688.50		$31,592.70
TOTAL EXPENSES	$175,812.77	$167,546.11		$178,768.71
TOTAL INCOME	$167,110.00	$178,099.29		$178,768.71
BUDGET BALANCE	($8,702.77)	$10,553.18		($0.00)