25 March 2022 Greetings Yorkshire!
I find it hard to believe that we are approaching the last Sunday in March this weekend. I truly believe theyunderestimate the saying, “time flies when you are having fun!” March has been full of activity and if the speed in which the month passed is any indication of what April will be like, we better enjoy as much of April as we can!
I want to thank the team that came out to the church to support the attic cleanout. Although the work was hard, a great deal of fun was had and many laughs shared as tons of stored stuff was effectively re-dispositioned. Much of the stuff that was removed literally fell apart as it was carried due to multiple seasons of intense summer attic heat and the frigid cold experienced over the winters. I was amazed not only how much stuff came out of the attic, but more so that it was put up there in the first place.
Easily the most discussed items to exit the attic after an extended period in exile there were the three Kings, or Wise Men that in years past paraded down the aisle of the sanctuary. Since being removed from the attic, they have shown up at Scout meetings and even participated in the Wednesday
morning 6AM Men’s Fellowship. Mysteriously, they continue to present themselves in places that no one seems to have placed them in. Maybe they are simply happy to be free from the attic?
We have some important meetings coming up this next week. On Monday, March 28, the Staff Parish Team will hold its standard quarterly meeting to discuss all things personnel. On the agenda for this meeting is discussions on the new position we are recruiting for, Director of Youth and Family Ministries. We have received several applications from potential candidates and we will begin the interviewing process in the very near future. We are still accepting applications for consideration. It is our goal to fill this position as quickly as possible to ensure a smooth transition in our Youth Pastor position as well as begin to provide benefit to our younger students and families as well!
On Tuesday, March 29th, at 6:30PM we will have an Administrative Council Meeting that will have two distinct objectives. The first is that we will have an Ad Council Charge Conference to address corrections on Form 6 that was voted on during our Charge Conference back in November. This form has to do with my compensation. After working with our payroll company and the conference, we realized that there
was some confusion regarding how a block that represented my pension was filled out. This is not a large concern , just administrative, but in the correction process, requires a “charge conference” vote to accept the corrected numbers.
The second far more critical objective is a discussion on how we proceed with the Fellowship Hall and facility access project that our Trustee Leadership has been working through to repair the damage from last year’s flooding. We have currently spent over $50,000.00 on immediate repair needs and now must make a decision on how to move forward with the restoration. The Trustees considered two paths forward. 1) Repair the Fellowship Hall with improved convenience/bathroom facilities at an estimated cost of $150,000.00 or 2) Repair the Fellowship Hall with improved convenience/bathroom facilities including an ADA accessible entrance ramp at a total estimated cost of $250,000.00. The plan is to secure financing for the project from an outside bank source as well as get a sense of what type of support the fellowship is willing to provide to offset the financed amount. At this point, the Trustees are recommending Option 2 to the Administrative Council. The goal is for the Administrative Council to consider the recommendation based on our current financial situation and giving trends. Following the Ad Council’s recommendation, we will present the project to the church at a forthcoming Town Hall meeting to ensure that the plan has the support of the church fellowship. This is important. Your input is important! If you would like to attend the Ad Council
meeting on the 29th, you are welcome to do so. It will be held on the second floor of the Education Wing of the Church. If you would like to share your thoughts and cannot attend the meeting, please contact me or Jim Valentine through phone call or email and I will ensure that your thoughts are shared at the meeting.
Everything is going well at Yorkshire Church and our attendance trends are reflecting positively as we continue to grow. It is exciting to see our Bible Study groups reflecting the same trends. As you may notice, I do not dwell on “attendance numbers,” nor do I believe this is an indication of the health of a church. But what I do focus on is the trend. If we are growing, then we must be aware of this to be sure that we have all that we need to facilitate and support the growth. If we would be in a situation where we were not growing, we would want to understand the why of such a trend, and ensure that our forward planning took these things into consideration. Considerations include our financial ability to support and invest in our ministries, while taking care of the administrative needs of our facility and staff. Maintaining the proper balance of ministry, facility and administration spending is a constant challenge. I look forward to sharing with you our 1st Quarter Financial Report early next month.
As always, your input is important and it is valued. Much is going on and many decisions being made. This is part of being a dynamic church. It is part of the growing process. It is exciting. But the ultimate reward is to see how we are making an impact on our church community, those whom we are called to serve, and those that do not yet enjoy a relationship with Jesus Christ. That is being the church!
Have a great day and a great week!
Peace and Blessings! -pastor dave. dkominsky@susumc.org 717-858-5870
125 Edgewood Road, York, PA 17402
• (717)755-4952
• www.yorkshirechurch.org
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