My Parents Dancing at Cousin's Wedding Reception

This has nothing to do with AFUMC but it's just fun and funny to watch. :)

IMPORTANT: Consecration Sunday October 25th!

Dear Avent Ferry United Methodist Church Family,


I wish I could sit with each of you and tell you all the amazing stories of how God is at work, locally and around the world, through our church on Avent Ferry Road. Your heart would truly be touched. For example, I could tell you about the 15-year-old girl who has been coming to our afterschool tutoring program and turned her grades from F’s to A’s in the span of less than a year. She’s now started coming to Confirmation Class, Sunday School, and she will be baptized in a few weeks!


I’m writing to you because we need to continue making a difference in people’s lives with the love and good news of Jesus Christ. Not only that, but God wants us to expand our ministries in the community and offer more opportunities for you as a Christian. In addition, midway through 2010, our capital campaign will come to a close and we will begin making our monthly building payment from the main budget, not from the campaign fund as we have been doing.


To maintain our current ministry programs, God is calling us to do two things in 2010: (1) those who have not yet begun a giving pattern with our church should begin one with the start of 2010, and (2) that those who are giving now will need to grow in their giving for 2010, perhaps by 1% of their income. Unless we are all open to God’s call to give generously in 2010, we simply will not be able to maintain some of our current ministries at this crucial point in the life of our growing church.


But I have seen God accomplish far more than we could ever hope or imagine through you, the faithful people of Avent Ferry United Methodist Church! You believe in what we represent as a church: things like radical hospitality and hands-on mission in the community. So I know that you will faithfully respond to God’s call to grow in generosity for 2010.


I am so confident that you will respond that your Finance Team has begun preparing a free celebration lunch for everyone after the worship service on October 25th, a week from Sunday. That morning, during worship, we will all have an opportunity to fill out “Estimate of Giving” cards, to bring them forward, and to place them on the altar. It is important to make an estimate of your 2010 giving so that I and the church leaders can know what the church’s financial picture for 2010 will be, thereby equipping us to make important budget decisions.


No one will come to your home or call you to ask you what you plan to give in 2010. We will, however, call you to get your RSVP for the October 25th free lunch. There will be RSVP cards at church this Sunday or you can also respond via email to pastor@afumc.com. Please make a special effort to attend worship and the lunch on October 25th!


Please take a few more moments now to read the important Frequently Asked Questions document I prepared for you and linked here. I will be looking for you on October 25th. Thank you in advance for all your faithfulness to our ministries in 2009 and thank you for growing your giving in 2010 that we might fulfill God’s call upon our church!

In Christ’s Love,

Pastor Taylor Mills

Consecration Sunday FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Where does the money I give go? What does it do?
Currently, you can give to two funds in our church: (1) the General Fund, or (2) the Capital Campaign/Building Fund. The General Fund pays the largely fixed costs of having a church, like church utilities, the pastor’s salary, and insurance premiums. Also, the General Fund is used for any ministries we can afford, like Sunday School children’s curriculum, music ministries, mission projects, and worldwide connectional ministries through The United Methodist Church (“apportionments”).

The Capital Campaign/Building Fund has been used to pay down the church’s debt to the bank for the new Sanctuary building. Midway through 2010, the Capital Campaign we started in 2007 will reach its conclusion. By that point, the monthly mortgage payment will have to be absorbed by the General Fund.

Therefore, we need those who have pledged to the Capital Campaign to finish their pledges in the coming year. And we need everyone to truly rally around our General Fund for 2010 that we might be able to keep meeting our obligation to the bank without having to cut back on any of our current ministries.

Can we cut any spending as a church?
Your Finance Committee and Board of Trustees have been extremely frugal in how church funds are spent. Nothing is spent that is not absolutely required. There were no staff raises for 2009. If we were to cut the budget any deeper, it would entail scaling back our current ministry level, such as going to a part-time pastor. We do not feel that is God’s call upon our church.

By the way, in coming weeks you may notice that a covering will be erected over the walkway between the education building and the Sanctuary building. The covered walkway was a generous gift, paid in full, by a family in the church. It was part of the original plan for the new building but had to be cut to save costs. Your regular offering is not being used to pay for the walkway covering.

How much do we owe on the building?
Your Building Committee worked very hard for several years to keep building costs under control, even scaling back from their original plans in various ways. Nevertheless, the new building cost $1.2 million. By the grace of God, and by your faithfulness over the last years, about a third of the cost has been paid back to the bank. Now, about $800,000 remains to be paid. The monthly mortgage payment is $6490.

How much does it cost to be the church?
Many folks may not realize the costs involved in carrying on our regular ministry. The Finance Team put together a simple breakdown of annual costs for your information:

Staff Salaries (pastor’s salary ($51,000), church portion of pastor’s insurance and pension, Minister of Music salary, Childcare Specialist wage).....$100,155
Building Debt Retirement.....$77,800
Our Fair-Share of World-wide United Methodist Ministries (apportionments).....$27,000
Utilities (lighting, water, trash, telephone, internet for office and Kid’s Café, etc.).....$17,963
Building Maintenance (A/C service, office equipment repair, plumbing repair, pest control, weekly cleaning, etc.).....$11,030
Insurance.....$3,255
Christian Education (VBS, Sunday School, Hallelujah Club, and other small groups).....$2,000
Worship (pew pads, envelopes, candle oil, etc.).....$1,839
Support of Local and Community Missions.....$1,300
Office Expenses (copy paper, bulletin paper, etc.).....$1,200
Evangelism .....$600
Contingency Fund.....$500
Music Ministry Materials (Cutting costs by utilizing existing resources).....$0
Grand Total.....$244,642

I want to give. What should I give? How do I start?
Give what God calls you to give. Consider all that God has given you. God only expects that you return 10% to God’s work in the world. We call this the “tithe.” Follow these steps to help you calculate what God is calling you to give for 2010:

First, calculate what your tithe would be. Simply consider your yearly salary or your monthly or weekly pay before taxes. Then move the decimal to the left one space. That is your tithe.

Second, calculate what you are currently giving. And determine what percentage of your income you are returning to God. Finally, if you are not yet tithing, make a commitment to grow your giving by one percentage point or more for 2010.

If you are already tithing, consider how you can grow in your adoration of God for 2010. In either case, calculate what your commitment will be and put it on your “Estimate of Giving” card at the October 25th Worship Service.

Here are some example scenarios:
· An individual with a $30,000 a year salary would make $576 per week. If she gave $20 every week to the church, they would be at a 3.5% giving rate. She could move up to $29 per week for 2010 and already be at 5% of her income.

· A family bringing in a combined annual income of $65,000 ($1,250 per week) would be tithing if they gave $125 per week to the church. But perhaps they are working their way to tithing. Currently, they contribute $50 per week which is a 4% giving level. For 2010, they want to move up one percentage point to 5%. So their pledge for 2010 will be $62.50 each week.

In both of these examples, and in your life and mine, giving is a spiritual response to all that God has done for us. Please pray about your decision! Begin now. God will “tug” on your heart and lead you in what you should do. And God will always provide for all your needs, even as you move towards God in your generosity and giving.


Prepared by Rev. Taylor Mills
October 13, 2009

ALPHA STARTS MONDAY

ALPHA STARTS MONDAY
Join Pastor Taylor and others who ask the big questions for ALPHA, an exploration of faith. Starts Monday 9/21 at 6:30PM. Includes free dinner and course book. Childcare included - starts at 7:00. Kids invited to the meal. Runs every Monday night (except near Thanksgiving) until the week before Christmas.

Sign up now, there are only 3 spots left!

The Gay Community and the Church

Healthy Controversies and Holy Conversations

Host:	Avent Ferry United Methodist Church
Type:	Education - Workshop
Network:	Global

Date:	Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Time:	7:00pm - 9:30pm
Location:	Avent Ferry United Methodist Church
Street:	2700 Avent Ferry Rd.
City/Town:	Raleigh, NC
	View Map Google MapQuest Microsoft Yahoo

Phone:

9198339394

Ryan Goes to Confrence- Day One Musings

"Out of Order" on the Rules of Order, Horse (inspired) Baptisms, Dodging the Pastor and...PAYING YOU $100 PER COMMENT ON THIS BLOG!!

Well, day one of conference is behind us, and, despite the suggestion of the opening photo, I'm disappointed to report that there have not been any fisticuffs to report--not even a random flying object. Kidding of course.

Indeed, everything has been rather quiet, polite and ordered. Of course day one is mostly getting settled, introducing the budget that will be voted on on Saturday (the last day), and approving the procedural rules for how we conduct business. However, perhaps as a preview of what is to come, four people did manage to raise objections to the minor changes of the rules that had been put before the body for approval. And I thought "Ah, taking a half hour to discuss and disagree about the rules by which we will discuss and disagree--THIS is the Annual Conference that I've heard so much about!" : )

So here we are at the fairly new, glass fronted structure that is the Greenville Convention Center.
I must admit, as I stood in the back for the opening session, I caught myself calculating demographic percentages (hey, I'm a social scientist by trade) for underrepresented groups like non-Caucasians, people under 45, and folks with mullets (my non-scientific estimations respectively: 3%, 2% and 2). However, I did meet a pastor who appeared do be my age or younger named Chad. Rev. Chad started a church from scratch in Fayetteville right after graduating from Duke seminary. After two years, he now has 120 people in regular Sunday attendance, preaches in jeans and baptizes folks outside of their rented high school sanctuary in a modified horse trough.

Other than that I've spent most of my time dodging Pastor Taylor (just kidding Taylor!) :) Pastor has actually been quite busy as the head of the communications committee. We found each other today and he took me on a tour of the media operations on the other side of this big ominous black curtain behind the conference stage. Their web, print, and video media is suprisingly elaborate and it looks like a mini TV stations back there.

Day two seems to be picking up with the amount of people and buzz.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!


I'm on my way to a worship service sponsored by the Reconciling United Methodists (more on them later when I post about amendment 1)

I want to sincerely thank everyone who sent me private notes of encouragement and commitments of prayer. Again, as I pray to stay faithfully present and pliable to the Holy Spirit moving through me in interaction, dialogue and decisions here, I draw strength from your kind words. Thank you!

Now, speaking of prayers and hopes. I'm still holding out hope that we can actually get a conversation going on this blog. As you might have guessed, the "$100 PER POST" rumors (OK the thing I wrote in the headline) is a reference to 100 bucks in heaven (come on, do I really have to pay you?!) I think I have a couple of emailed comments to post soon--hey that's a start! I will be putting up separate posts on some of the more talked about amendments so that we we can focus on different topics in what I have faith will be rewarding and engaging conversations! :)

If...I mean when the comments come pouring in, I've posted some "ground rules" for blog comments that have the potential for disagreement (I borrowed these from the Sojourners Magazine blog--also a great resource for dialogue across the labels like conservative, liberal, "concerned", reconciling etc).

Thanks again for your support. And I promise, if there are no fisticuffs by day 4, I will at least throw something...Just kidding Pastor Taylor!!


Peace,
Ryan

Ground Rules:
I will express myself with civility, courtesy, and respect for every member of the AventView blog community, especially toward those with whom I disagree—even if I feel disrespected by them. (Romans 12:17-21)

I will express my disagreements with other community members' ideas without insulting, mocking, or slandering them personally. (Matthew 5:22)

I will not exaggerate others' beliefs nor make unfounded prejudicial assumptions based on labels, categories, or stereotypes. I will always extend the benefit of the doubt. (Ephesians 4:29)