December 14, 2007

Getting It Right: Membership & Statistical Reporting

The New Year brought gifts in many forms. For me, and many in our congregations, there is the opportunity to labor and learn together as we complete our annual process of measuring our congregational strength and reporting our statistical summaries for the year. I’ve been receiving phone calls and emails from churches about each of these short-term challenges.

The annual review of church rosters is driven by many needs. Local resource issues make it so tempting to approach this from the standpoint of what one perceives as “best for my church” rather than “best for the members of His church”. This is a time when we must recall our Christian obligation to each and every member of the church, even though it may feel as though some have forgotten their obligations.

The Book of Order memorializes this in specific direction on how and when to move a member from the Active Roll to the Inactive Roll and how and when to drop a member entirely from Inactive Roll. Significantly, this measure requires that pastoral care be provided to the church member throughout the process -- with the intent of renewing the member to the Active Roll and active discipleship. This is all repeated, with a few tips added, in the Presbytery of Baltimore Manual for Clerks of Session.

Having verified the accuracy of your Church Rolls, there is then annual statistical reporting to be accomplished for the year 2007. It is not necessarily difficult, but could be time consuming if you do not have a process of tracking and consolidating the information throughout the year.

Each church received statistical reporting packages from the Presbytery last month. Many will recall that the Office of General Assembly streamlined this process last year by introducing on-line reporting. The majority of our churches reported on-line last year and we hope all will do so this year because it is – for everyone concerned – a more efficient way to process church statistics.

The OGA deadline for online reporting this year is February 20. Churches not reporting by that date must revert to a more cumbersome process of reporting manually. Please call me if you have questions or unique issues; I will be delighted to learn along with you. I urge you to get current with your reporting as soon as possible -- preferably before the Presbytery’s Stated Meeting on January 24^th. At that time, I will provide a list of churches that have completed their statistical reporting for 2007.

What a gift to be on that list.

Love and Peace

Vaughn Brown

Inside this issue

827^th Stated Meeting –

1pm. Jan. 24^th Havenwood Presbyterian Church

The BIG EVENT is COMING!

(If submitting registration by mail, please write workshop selections on form.)

Take Note/Act Now

§ VBS Meeting

§ Stop the Violence Sunday, Jan 20^th

§ Annapolis Day

§ The Big Event & Scholarships!

§ 2009 Mission Grants

§ High School Retreat, Mar. 7^th-9^th

§ Viewing of “Sicko” and Panel Discussion

§ New Imani Community Church

§ Form of Government Task Force

§ Middle East Task Force

§ Developmental Disability Day

§ Bryn Mawr Endowment Conference

§ Wanted: administrative assistant

People

The Presbytery this week marks the following transitions:

Congratulations to Rev. Tracey Davenport, who was installed as pastor of Harundale Presbyterian Church in Glen Burnie.

Welcome Rev. John Thomas and his wife, Jennifer, to Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church. Rev. Thomas, formerly of Indianapolis, and his family plan to reside in the Hamilton area.

Great appreciation to Rev. Dr. Carroll Jenkins as he nears the completion of his term as interim pastor of Madison Presbyterian Church.

Contact Information

The Presbytery of Baltimore:

Phone: 410-433-2012

or 800-511-0087

Office E-mail: office@baltimorepresbytery.org

Website: www.baltimorepresbytery.org

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Take Note/Act Now

Baltimore Presbytery Items

Presbytery of Baltimore’s 827^th Stated Meeting will be held 1pm on Jan. 24^th at Havenwood Presbyterian Church.

Church educators are invited to attend a preview of the Presbytery’s new summer vacation bible curriculum kits. The hour-long review will be held at noon on Jan. 24^th, prior to the Presbytery meeting.

Save the Date! Stop the Violence Sunday will be observed on Jan. 20^th. This Presbytery-wide event is sponsored by the Initiative Against Urban Violence. Click here to download "Stop the Violence Pamphlet"

Save the Date! Presbytery of Baltimore in Annapolis Day. On Monday, Feb. 4^th, the Presbytery will sponsor Annapolis Day in Rm. 170 of the House of Delegates building. Everyone, including youth --

is welcomed to participate in this event to witness state government in action. [more]

Save the Date! The Big Event will be held Saturday, Feb. 23^rd at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church in Severna Park. The Education and Nurture Committee will offer 10 (ten) scholarships to the Big Event. For more information, contact, jjohnson@baltimorepresbytery.org

Apply Now for the Presbytery of Baltimore’s 2009 Mission Grant. Churches and ecumenical agencies supporting programs and projects that help to improve the environment or address human may submit a proposal to the Mission Committee by Apr. 14^th. For information, visit www.baltimorepresbytery.org.

Sign Up Now for the Presbytery of Baltimore’s High School Retreat. The retreat will be held Mar. 7^th – 9^{th at}Camp Wo-Me-To. For more information, visit www.baltimorepresbytery.org

Church Notices

Join Towson Presbyterian Church on Jan. 18^th for a viewing of the film "Sicko" and a panel discussion on universal health care. This event is free and open to the public! For information, click [more].

New Imani Community Church celebrated its first Sunday at their new church, located at #10 Gwynns Mill Court in Owings Mills. The congregation is preparing to launch its outreach program in the Owings Mills area on Palm Sunday. To see photo, click [New Imani]

Synod and General Assembly Items

The General Assembly’s Form of Government Task Force is proposing changes to the Book of Order. Pastors and Clerks of Sessions are encouraged to review the Task Force report by clicking link below and referring their comments and questions to vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org. [more]

The Middle East Task Group offers an extensive resource list of speakers and groups supporting peace in the Middle East. To review the list, click [Middle East ].

Join the Presbytery in supporting Developmental Disabilities Day in Annapolis on February 26^th. The agenda includes a legislative reception and briefing as well as several hours of constituent meetings with legislators. For more information, click: http://www.md-council.org/resources/PDF/DDDay_Flyer08.pdf

Other Items and Events

Growing Ministries through Growing Funds: A Regional Conference of the Presbyterian Endowment

Education & Resource Network will be held January 26^th at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania. To purchase a ticket for this informative event see driving directions or click [more]

Towson Presbyterian Church is seeking a part-time Administrative Assistant. Must be skilled in Microsoft programs. For more information, contact Elsie Hurt at 410 823 6500 ext. 240

Also on the Presbytery of Baltimore website

Find past issues of Tidings at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/midweekmail.html.

See new Church Announcements at: http://www.baltimorepresbytery.org/announcements.html

Peter Nord, Executive Presbyter

pnord@baltimorepresbytery.org

Bill Millen, Associate Executive

bmillen@baltimorepresbytery.org

Vaughn L. Brown Jr., Stated Clerk

vbrown@baltimorepresbytery.org

Deb Milcarek

Associate of Mission and Justice

dmilcarek@baltimorepresbytery.org