|
Presidents Message
Thank
you for your support of Third’s missions. As can be seen by
looking around our facilities, much of our energies over the
past 2 to 3 years have been focused on property issues. We
have significantly improved the appearance of our facilities
by cleaning up, painting, floor replacement and refinishing,
as well as trimming and removing trees that had become more of
a liability than an asset.
There
is still more work to be done. On Saturday June 7, there will
be a church clean up day. The more people we can get to help,
the more we can get accomplished. We are in the process of
receiving bids on cabling the walls (recommended by an
engineer several years ago), replacing the church roof (about
17 years old) and trimming or removing some trees (white pine
along back fence). The total cost of these three projects is
roughly $26,000. In addition, there are some leaking and rust
stain issues that need to be addressed with the belfry, the
garage roof and soffits need replacement and the exterior trim
needs to be painted.
A
few weeks ago the Village Tree Community planted a maple tree
in Third’s front lawn between the church and the parsonage.
Although we were not officially informed, there was some
informal discussion and several days later the hole was dug
and the tree planted. The location is good in that it should
not interfere with any of our utilities and as a bonus, in a
few years it should shade the parsonage helping to control
summertime utility costs. Speaking of trees by the parsonage,
we have identified the spruce tree there as a potential issue
in years to come. Although as a young tree it looked nice
there, it will soon take over the front yard as it grows and
becomes wider at the base. A solution that has been discussed
is to use it as a Christmas tree for Third while it is still
possible to have it taken down by a member rather than hiring
a tree service.
As you
can see, property continues to be a major focus of our
attention. The timing is good to address these issues as we
don’t currently face the financial pressure of paying a
full-time pastor.
In April,
the Heilmann’s, Jonathan, Kim and Joshua moved into the
parsonage. They have patched walls and painted all the rooms.
In early May, they held an open house to let us see the
results of all their efforts. There is a signed written
agreement between Third and the Heilmann’s regarding the
expectations for both parties. Essentially, Third is
responsible for any necessary major repairs. The Heilmann’s
will undertake minor maintenance and repair such as spackling,
painting, faucet leaks, appliance issues, etc. They are also
responsible for general yard work including mowing and snow
removal, as well as general cleaning in the Fellowship Hall.
Third is being reimbursed for all utilities by the
Heilmann’s. The combination of lawn care, snow removal, and
utilities will save Third just under $7,000 for a year. There
are also intangible benefits accruing to Third resulting from
the building being occupied rather than vacant. The benefits
of having an interested party presence are difficult to
quantify, but important nonetheless.
|
We have
agreed that there is one liaison person through which all
issues and concerns, in both directions, should be addressed,
the Property Chair or President. At this time, I am that
liaison. I can be reached most Sundays in church or at the
contact information provided below. A copy of the written
agreement is available in the church office or by contacting
me. With a positive and constructive approach by all
concerned, this can truly be a win-win situation.
Our Youth
Group has also become more active. They recently held a
spaghetti dinner/movie night. The youth did the cooking,
serving and most of the cleaning under the watchful eye of
several adults. They have a game night on the 1st
Friday of the month. The next one is on Friday June 6 @ 6:30
PM. All are invited, including adults. Pizza and goodies,
including healthy snacks will also be available. Cara
Silvernail-Thomson organized the Spring Music Fest again this
year. Many of our youth and some of our adults, as well as
youth from the community participated. This event, along with
the Music Fest after Christmas, has become very popular with
the participants.
As many
of you may be aware, the Lutheran churches in Red Hook and
Rock City are currently without a called Pastor. Our Council
has initiated a social gathering with the Councils of the two
churches to be held in July.
The
current climate of rising energy costs has actually turned our
need to replace the boiler into a blessing. Our fuel
consumption, based on heating degree days, has decreased by
almost 1/3 as compared to last year. Unfortunately, the rising
cost of energy has negated much of our savings as compared to
last year. However, the reduction in consumption has helped to
offset the increase that we would have experienced if we still
had the old boiler. Our participation in the Dutchess County
Interfaith Consortium (DCIC) for fuel oil purchases has helped
to mitigate our costs. We pay roughly $1 per gallon below the
“street price” as a result of this participation.
Unfortunately, even that price has increased from $2.79 in
November to $3.49 per gallon in April, a 25% increase.
The past
several years have been good for Third. We have made great
strides in refurbishing our facilities and with everyone’s
continuing support will be able to continue with the remaining
projects. Attendance is up over previous years and we continue
to attract new visitors and members. Our youth is becoming
more active in the services and they are planning and
participating in more activities. It is up to each one of us
to keep the momentum going by participating and supporting our
services and activities, as well as by inviting friends and
neighbors to join us.
Yours in
Christ,
Monica C.
Gabryszewski
Council
President
|