David’s Doodle’s Oct/Nov 2009
Dear friends, I am writing this Eagle Article as I sit in the woods of Central Louisiana at the Solomon Conference Center where I am attending CREDO. In case you missed last month’s explanation of CREDO, in short, it is a conference that seeks to improve the wellness of the clergy of the Episcopal Church. During the next week I will be working with the faculty of CREDO looking at my spiritual, financial, physical and vocational health. I have been looking forward to this deep experience for some time now. I ask your prayers for a helpful time and successful implementation of the recommendations that are discerned in this conference.
This month I am sharing with you part of the letter that I wrote to the Program Group on Missions of the Diocese requesting support of the ministry and mission of Saint John’s in 2010. As you read it be proud of what we have accomplished as a church over the past few years going Forward in Mission here in San Bernardino.
The letter begins: Over the past three years, Saint John’s has built a team that is geared to the mission of bringing Good News and hope to our neighbors, the people to God has given us to serve alongside our traditional congregation.
Looking at the budget numbers does not adequately speak to the mission Saint John’s is engaged in here in San Bernardino. In addition to our traditional mission, this budget supports the missions of our Community Success Center, Homework Center and our Rector’s Pantry whose incomes and expenses do not show in our budget.
The Community Success Center, a separate 501(c)3 corporation, operates on a budget of $45,000: $25,000 comes from the San Bernardino Unified School District to fund the Homework Center, $15,000 from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and $5000 from private donations and smaller grants. The church gives back in-kind support to the Homework Center by providing space, utilities, Internet, administration, and janitorial services. The value of these services could easily be valued at $25,000. Safe Space on the other hand will return $6000 to the church for use of the Parish Hall for their activities and administrative services.
The Community Success Center (CSC), including the Homework Center, touches 30 - 40 youth each week. They do this with the assistance of several volunteers, including The Rev. Linda Pederson, Director; who together contribute over 2,500 hours of volunteer time each year.
Rev. Pederson has expanded the CSC program over the past year to include a reading program for parents and kids and ESL classes. Volunteers provide childcare for the ESL classes.
In addition to his other duties, our parish administrator and bookkeeper supports the Community Success Center with bookkeeping and administration services.
Each month, under the direction of Ms. Cheri Azbarea, 14 neighborhood volunteers provide 270 hours of their time to support the Rector’s Pantry. The Rector’s Pantry provides the food that is blessed and distributed at our Community Eucharist each Wednesday at 10AM. The average attendance on Wednesday so far this year is 88. This number does not show up in the Parochial Report. Average Sunday attendance as reported for 2008 was 67. The $500 a month spent to support this program comes entirely from donations.
Over the past three years we have increased pledging to $96,000 in 2009 from $76,000 in 2006. In addition, our largest donors are involved in supporting our various ministries through volunteerism. This indicates that the traditional congregation of Saint John’s is in support of our mission to bring Good News and hope to our neighbors.
The Spanish Speaking Congregation is energized. The addition of Leonardo Barrientos as Spanish musician has added a new dimension to the worship services. Average Sunday Attendance so far this year is 26. The major challenge that faces us in the next year is to create a sense of ownership among the congregation. To this end, I am expanding our adult education series focusing on who we are as a church and what it means to be a Christian disciple and an Episcopalian. We currently have two members of the Spanish Speaking Congregation serving on the Bishop’s committee.
We have a lot to accomplish during the next year. First, we need to attract more people to our mission that are interested in bringing Good News and hope to the people we serve through their time, talent and treasure.
Second, we need to find sources to fund the expansion of our ministries. We would like to expand the Rector’s Pantry to include distributing food bags every week instead of just rice and beans on alternate weeks and to provide a communal meal once a week along with a Bible study. We are continuing to seek funding to create a neighborhood athletic and skate board facility in part of our parking lot.
Third, we need to dream creatively on ways to raise money to support the operating budget line item for fund raising and put them into action.
Fourth, we need to begin planning for the modernization of our facilities to better serve our mission. There is currently a lot of space that goes unused because it lacks adequate heating or air conditioning and is not in compliance with persons with disabilities codes. This is just the beginning. Imagine an after school arts academy on the property.
Saint John’s is actively involved in the community. Rev. Pederson serves on the board of directors of the Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) and is active in the struggle to improve the air quality in the city. I am involved with ICUC as well and serve the San Bernardino Interfaith Clergy Association as Secretary/Treasurer. I am also involved with CLUE in the struggle to win just working conditions for the warehouse workers in the Inland Empire. Saint John’s was recently featured on the front page of the Inland Empire Press Enterprise as a place where people with diverse opinions can be in communion with each other despite their differences. Many of our parishioners volunteer at local hospitals and service organizations as well.
We are working hard here at Saint John’s to use the loaves and fishes that God has given us to create hope for our people. We respectfully request that you and the Program Group for Missions grant our request for funding this year.
“Mission, mission, mission …” (Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts-Schori, General Convention, 2009)
Fr. David
