Missions

The Missions Committee solicits input, makes assessments, coordinates and recommends mission programs and projects to the KUMC staff. They inform and enlist church members to provide supplies and hands-on help in mission opportunities. They are responsible to the Church Council.

Chair: Chris Smith

Shirley Rickner (10)
Linda Bianco (10)
Jeri Lynn Barnett (10)
Chris Smith (11)
Chuck Lewis (11)
Debbie Swoboda (11)
Lynn Morrow (11)
David Voorting (12)
Doris Geohagan (12)
Rich Layer (12)

Member by Virtue of Office: David Morrissey, Director, Love at Work

Mission Committee Minutes

Killearn United Methodist Church
Mission Committee Minutes
May 7, 2009

Committee Members Present: Chris Smith, Debbie Swoboda, Catherine Gibbs, Scarlet Smith, Chuck Lewis, and Joyce Reeves.

The meeting opened with prayer and devotion by Chris Smith…Matthew 9:25-38.

Minutes Approval:  April minutes were reviewed and approved.

Financial Report:  Presented by Chris Smith and discussion followed.

Gaylen Jungling, mission liaison to Kathy Hodge, reported that as of 05-07-09, the mission committee has a budget of $36, 453.17 minus $4376.02 in expenditures for a total of $32,077.15. Gaylen reported to Chris Smith that the mission committee has collected $10,127.33 from fundraisers, mission boxes and plate collection offerings in addition to the committee’s starting funds of $20,000 and $6451.46 carried over from 2008 mission committee budget…totaling $32,077.15.  Discussion revealed the need for the funds raised to be delineated between fund raising events, mission boxes, and plate collection in order to monitor the differing streams of fund raising.  

Revenue and expenses discussed. In an effort to focus our giving, the committee voted to eliminate a few ministry areas from the expenses area of the budget. The ministries of Alzheimers, Angel Tree, and Killearn Quilters were eliminated from the budget. Committee discussed giving to ministries above and beyond what is currently included in KUMC apportionment. FSU Wesley Foundation, FAMU Wesley Foundation, Hispanic District, UM Children’s Home, and UMVIM Atlanta remain on the budget with a $0 disbursement balance at this time. Other ministries in consideration of remaining on the budget but a $0 balance are Centenary Camp, People’s Institute, Twelve Churches and KUMC Vacation Bible School. Committee agreed to disperse funds; please see new business.

Some items were brought up for clarification in the mission committee expenditures section. Questions concerning expenditures such as KRDEYO inc. Video, Sam’s Club, and Frenchtown Breakfast will be addressed by Chris Smith and Kathy Hodge and will be reported on in June meeting.

Staff Report:  No report given. Jim Divine was on Sabbatical.

Ministry Updates:  No report given.

Old Business
Global Outreach Weekend will be held on August 28-30, 2009. All committee members are strongly encouraged to participate. Chris Smith reports there is a leadership team reflective of KUMC’s various committees to make the weekend a success…congregational buy-in. They will begin preparing in late June.

New Business
June Hamburger Cookout fundraiser planned for June 28, 2009. Chris Smith takes the lead in this function and will need volunteers for ticket sales, cooking, cleaning, and serving.  

Committee agreed to disperse the following funds to the following ministries:

Shadetree                           $500
ECHO                                  $1000
Meals on Wheels                  $500
Hope House                         $1500
Frenchtown Breakfast           $500
Lighthouse Children’s Home  $1000
Food Bank                           $500

Missionaries
a. Howells                            $1000
b. Ogdens                            $1000
c. Ramsey’s                         $500
d. Porch de Salomon             $1000

Phi Center                            $1000
India Children (3)                 $540

Adjourn and Prayer

Chris Smith

Next Meeting June 4, 2009

Respectfully Submitted by Catherine Gibbs

The Shadetree Group Newsletter
June 2009

Life Together
Last week we helped Quincy Presbyterian Church host a Vacation Bible School in Gretna at Gretna Presbyterian Church. With our friends, we offered the love of Christ to 30 children in Gretna.  We had so much fun w! ith the kids. It was especially touching to see the children who attended on Monday bring their friends along the following days.  One of our daily skits involved a man stealing bread from a Christian shopkeeper in a marketplace in Rome. During the skit, four boys, unprompted, instantaneously offered the “thief” their own money they had been given to use in the market.  Love is truly contagious.  I just love VBS.  It is such a simple and effective way that we all can know that simple truth…Jesus Loves ME!

Looking Back
We are continuing to establish our long range strategic plan for the ministry as a whole. We are working with a talented group of friends from Killearn United Methodist Church who are helping develop a Board of Directors so that we can sustain the ministry for many years to come. We are excited how God will grow this ministry. A group of friends joined us in Gretna for the Gretna Centennial Celebration a few Saturdays ago. We were able to offer face painting, little prizes and lots of hugs to the children in Gretna.  We were all blessed by spending time with kids. We are sad to report that our beloved principal, Ms. Lisa Robinson, at Gretna elementary school has been reassigned to another school in Gadsden County. In two short years, she improved academics and many lives at the school.  Although we look forward to partnering with the new principal, Ms. Robinson will be greatly missed.

Looking Ahead
With anticipation, we are pursuing viable strategies to ensure that the ministry thrives. We are busy making plans to begin the Gretna after-school program in the August 2009. We need financial and human resources to successfully host the after-school program as well as the English Language Learning classes. We are gearing up to help host a Backyard Bible Study once a month with an amazing group of volunteers from Tallahassee. This family friendly Bible Study will be for children ages 4-12 one Saturday morning each month at Gretna Presbyterian Church. The time will be organized in a friendly, casual way where families can move and groove during dance and worship time, play games, and enjoy learning about God’s love with storytelling and craft time. A simple lunch will follow. Our next study will be on Saturday, July 11th. If you would like to know more about how your small group or family may host a Backyard Bible Study in Gretna, please contact us. It would be great if we could fill each Saturday throughout the summer and beyond with families loving one another, serving together, hanging out together and loving the children in Gretna.  

Thank you for your prayers and support. We invite you to come and see what God is doing in our lives and in this ministry. We welcome you to walk alongside us as we love God and love our neighbors.

With gratitude,

Catherine D. Gibbs
Director, The Shadetree Group