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Place your message here. For maximum impact, use two or three sentences.

Heading

THE EPISTLEVolume 13 Issue 1 JANUARY 24, 2008

Congregation Invited to Send Confirmation Class

A Message of Care

In todays youth culture, Valentines Day is almost exclusively reserved for romantic love. Is

it any wonder, then, that so many kids sit sadly on the sidelines at this time of year -- wishing

they had a boyfriend or girlfriend so that they, too, could enjoy all the wonderful senti-

ments delivered in greeting cards, gifts, candy and flowers?

Christians believe there are other forms of love, as well. There is agape love the love that

Jesus showed for humankind. Last year, our congregation wrote hundreds of letters to our con-

firmation class letting them know that they are loved and cared for right here at First Church.

In 2008, we again invite all members of our congregation to participate in this project di-

rected at our confirmation class students. These 14 young people are preparing to claim the

faith as their own when they are confirmed in May. Please take a few minutes to send them a

note encouraging them and telling them you care about them.From now through Feb. 17, well be collecting agape notes for the members of our confirma-

tion class: Dan Allen, Ed Gharzouzi, Kyle Goodrich, Peter Jackson, Megan Jones, Michael

Ledwin, Luke Meraw, Conrad Record, Brad Record, Sean Reid, Meghan Strong, Ryne

Veenema, Taylor Waldrop, and Jill Weidman. You, are invited to write a short note of caring

and affirmation to as many members of the class as you wish. Share your honest sentiments.

Let them know you notice them and are happy they are worshipping with us!

Place the letters in a sealed envelope with the persons name on the front, and drop them in the

collection basket in Fellowship Hall. You may also place this sealed envelope inside another

envelope and mail it to the church. These letters will be completely confidential to be read by

the recipient only.

Once collected, the letters will be sorted into individual packages and delivered to the confirma-tion class.

With your help, we will ensure that EVERYONE receives a note. If you have any questions,

please contact Kelly Weidman at 223-8978 or kweidman-ucc@choiceonemail.com.

Thank you for participating!

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THE WORSHIP PAGE

February 10, 17, 24 March 2, 9, 16Sunday Worship at 9:30 AM

Fellowship Time and Christian Education follow

February 10: First Sunday in Lent

Genesis 2:15-17Psalm 32Romans 5:12-19Matthew 4:1-11

About Us or About God?

February 17: Second Sunday in Lent

Genesis 12:1-4aPsalm 121Romans 4:1-5, 13-17John 3:1-17By Water and the Spirit

February 24: Third Sunday in LentExodus 17:1-7Psalm 95Romans 5:1-11John 4:5-42

The Water of Life

March 2: Fourth Sunday in LentI Samuel 16:1-13Psalm 23Ephesians 5:8-14John 9:1-41

Through Darkness to Light

March 9: Fifth Sunday in LentEzekiel 37:1-14

Psalm 130Romans 8:6-11John 11:1-45

From Death to Life

March 16: Passion/Palm Sunday

Blessing of the Palms

Choral Service

WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT OF TAIZE-

January 27 & February 24

Taize is a simple candlelight service or prayerand meditation. The prayer is primarily ex-pressed through the repetition of several simplemusical lyrics based on biblical passages andpsalms. The repetition of these mantra-like mu-

sical phrases is to assist the participants in cen-tering their thoughts on God and is interspersedwith periods of silence.

Christ is the center of the service and worship-pers are invited to sing, hum, speak or pray si-lently during the music. Young people worldwide have been especially influenced by Taizeas they seek a more intimate relationship withthe Lord Jesus.

Taize services will be held at 5:00 PM on Sun-day January 27 and February 24. If you arelooking to calm your spirits and center yourhearts as we move through the season of Lent,this experience will be helpful. It would also bea good opportunity to introduce non-churchedfriends to this community of faith.

MEAGER MEALAsh Wednesday is February 6th. Plan to at-tend the meager meal and family worship to beheld in Fellowship Hall at 6:30 PM. A sign-upsheet is posted in Fellowship Hall. Plan to be-gin the Lenten season in this meaningful way.

Questions? Contact Chuck Hamill, 943-7920.

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REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS:

Martha Bowman, St. Johns HomeGeraldine Stearns, Perinton Manor

Barbara Cobb, Fairport Baptist Home

THANK YOU

ONE AND ALL!

We want to thank you for your very generousChristmas gift to us. We appreciate more than

you can know not just the gift but the love

and good thoughts which go with it. As each

year passes our ties to this congregation and

this community are deeper and deeper. We are

blessed to have ministered in, with and among

such a caring congregation. May God bless

each and every one of you as we continue our

pilgrimage together.

Blessings and Love,

John and Jean

Habitat for HumanityThe Perinton Congregations Habitat for Humanity has collected enough money to start construction on

a new home. The home will be located in the Paetec Park/School 17 neighborhood in Rochester. The

construction will begin sometime in April and continue for about four months. There will be many op-

portunities for people to lend a hand in the construction of this home. The general schedule is that volun-

teers can help on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturdays. On each of these days only six volun-

teers are needed to help on the home. We would like to form a group that could go down on Tuesdays on

a regular basis to work. In addition, anyone can sign up to help on the other days. There will be a web-

site available to facilitate signups. More details will be available as we get closer to April.

If you would like to contribute financially to this effort, some money is still needed. There are Buy aSquare Foot forms on the Missions bulletin board.

For information, please see Joe Charles, Ted Avgerinos, or Jim Franzen.

SENIOR

VALENTINELUNCHEON

The Youth Groups

would like to invite

all Seniors to attend the Senior Valentine

Luncheon on February 10 starting at 12

noon. Come enjoy a light lunch of deli-

cious soup, salad, and bread while enjoyingthe company of fellow Seniors. Please sign

up on the bulletin board in Fellowship

Hall. Hope to see you there!!

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To all our Church friends,I would like to thank all of you for the

prayers and support youve provided us dur-

ing my recent health diagnosis and surger-

ies. Your many examples of Christian lovehelped me to deal more positively with this

situation. I look forward to being back to

100% in the near future.

Sincerely,

Nan Notar

Thank You

We would like to thank everyone who helped

make our December Sunday Dinner Ministry agreat success. We served and delivered over

ninety meals. Everyone enjoyed a delicious

dinner of cranberry juice, veggies with ranch

dip, meatloaf, cheesy potatoes, tossed salad

with Italian dressing, green beans, crusty Italian

bread and butter, and cupcakes for dessert. Our

guests and our volunteers all had a good time.

Its a great outreach to the community, and we

need a lot of help to make it happen. Thankyou to all the cooks, helpers, and delivery peo-

ple!

There are four fifth Sundays in 2008

March, June, August, and November. Please

consider signing up to coordinate a dinner or at

least help out in some way. Our next Fifth

Sunday Dinner Ministry will be March 30th.

Watch for sign up sheets and more informationin March.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any

questions.

Thanks,

Peter and Melissa Tieslink

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANKYOU

Many thanks to all who donated

food and money and who helped

to deliver the Christmas Baskets

this year. Eight families enjoyed a

more cheerful Christmas because

of your generous donations.

Pot Luck Supper a

Great Success!!

The very first Pot Luck - Just For Fun washeld on Sunday, January 13th, and fortypeople turned out to share a meal and en-joy each others' company. The food wasgreat (and plenty of it!), and the conversa-tion was affable and happy. People com-mented that they especially enjoyed thefact that there as no program or agenda

that we all had to rush off to after we ate.Set-up and clean up was a breeze, andeveryone was glad to have a night thatthey didn't have to cook supper.

The next dinner is scheduled for Sunday,March 2, 2008 at 5:00 PM - so markyour calendars!

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Easter is early this year, about the earliest that it can be and that being thecase Lent also begins early. Ash Wednesday is February 6. Once morewe will gather to begin this holy season. Our traditional Meager Mealwill be at 6:30 PM in Fellowship Hall after which we will move to thesanctuary to celebrate Holy Communion.

In the early church Lent was traditionally the time when candidates forbaptism at the Easter Vigil prepared for membership in the church. Thisyear we will look forward to receiving new members on Palm Sunday.

The theme which will center our thinking as we gather for worship each Sunday in Lent is that of baptism.When we think of baptism we might think of three ways that we see water.

Sea: The water of baptism joins us to a very large community.

The currents of the sea draw us out of our own insular identities, our little lives, and into a wider

world.Sundays and Seasons

In our prayer, we pray for the whole world. We fast for the whole world, living simply so that others maysimply live. Lent may be a good time to put into practice certain spiritual disciplines so that we might bet-ter center our hearts on our relationship with God and reach out to others. Seeking to live simply as DianaWright in her adult education class taught us, is the Christian thing to do.

River: like a river, Christ flows down and through the world. Sundays and Seasons

In the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, we see Jesus at a low point: a woman and a Samaritan.

Here he was speaking to someone who was not seen as worthy. He was in that low place talking to thelowest of persons. The river carries us into the low places. These low places are folks who usually escapeour attention. Perhaps it is as simple as the person at the edge of the coffee hour on Sunday or as compli-cated as those who are ensnared in drugs, alcohol. This year our mission outreach work will include twoministries which minister to the low: Bethany House and St. Josephs House of Hospitality. Our baptismtakes us into the low places with our lord.

Rain: When we imagine the waters of baptism as rain we see the presence of the Holy Spirit in all things.Like rain it falls everywhere, surrounds everyone and everything.

This Lent my preaching will focus on the meaning of faith. As I said Lent was a time of preparation for

those who were going to be baptized at the Easter Vigil, so it was a time of preparation. As we movethrough Lent, we look at the lessons in the context of the meaning of our baptism, the meaning of faith.

My prayer is that each and everyone will seek to deepen his or her faith as we gather together for worship,education and mission.

Your pastor,

John

Pastoral

Perspective

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NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM FEBRUARY 21, 2008.

Sunday Flower

DonationsThe sign-up sheet for Sunday floral dona-

tions has been posted on the moveable bulletin

board in Fellowship Hall. The cost of the ar-

rangements will be $30.00 per week. Checks

should be made out to the First Congregational

Church with the notation, Sunday Flower Do-

nation.

Indicate on the sign-up sheet whether you

would like to take the flowers or donate them

to the church following worship. Donated

flowers will be delivered to shut-ins.

Special note for

Lent

Kittelbergers has been

asked to prepare ar-

rangements the same as

was done last year. The

same arrangement will

be used for the entirety

of Lent. At the begin-

ning of Lent, the arrangement will be sparse.

Each week, Kittelbergers will add to the exist-

ing arrangement. This means that arrangements

cannot be taken or donated. Following the ser-

vice, the arrangement will be taken to the

kitchen area to be picked up by Kittelbergers

and reused the following week. The cost of the

arrangements will still be $30.00 per week.

Easter

FlowersBy the end of the month, a

sign-up sheet will be posted

on the moveable bulletin

board for those wishing to

donate flowers for Easter

Sunday at a cost of $8.00. Lilies, daffodils

and hyacinths will be purchased. If the do-

nor wishes to take a plant home, it can be

picked up after the Easter Sunday Service.

Checks should be made out to the First

Congregational Church with the notation,Easter Flowers.

SympathyOur Christian sympathy is extended to Flo

Kraai and her family on the recent death of

her grandson, Andrew Dezio. He was a

sophomore at Penfield High School. A ser-

vice was held for him January 14, 2008, at

Browncroft Community Church, Pastor

Cedarleaf officiating.

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MORNING CIRCLEMorning Circle will meet in Fellowship Hall

on February 12 at 10 AM. Kathy Steblen

of Safe Journey, a local organization that

assists victims of abuse, will be our

speaker.

EVENING CIRCLEThe Evening circle will meet on February 11, 2008 in the Snow Room at 7:00 PM.

Holly Wolf will review a book that she feels would be of interest to us. The book is

Woodswoman by Anne Labastille. Please come to this fun event. All are welcome.

Call Judy Baxter or Beverly Gray for more information.

IS YOUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

WITH THE LORD DOWN IN THE VALLEY?

Would you like to spend some time seeking the Lord and growing your personal rela-tionship with him? Join me this upcoming Lenten Season, join us on each Wednes-

day at 11 AM, as we seek the Lord. The lessons will be lead by Glenn Harris.

We will begin February 13th, the week following Ash Wednesday, with Who is God to

you? The following weeks we will spend sometime in search of Jesus, In the

Crowds, At the Garden, At the Cross, and At the Tomb. We conclude the

Wednesday of Holy Week with What does He Was Crucified Mean and what does it

Mean to You?

It will be a time of discussion and learning. We will take some time during Lent for

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM FEBRUARY 21, 2008

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Save Your Bottles to Support the Youth

Mission Trip!

To raise money for our youth mission trip in July, we have

opened an account at EZ Bottle and Can Return, 1259 FairportRd., Fairport. The congregation is invited to support our cause

by saving their NYS deposit beverage containers and delivering

them directly to EZ Bottle and Can Return OR bringing them to

church, where theyll be gathered and delivered periodically.

To deliver directly to EZ Bottle and Can Return: Bring your

returnable containers to 1259 Fairport Rd. Tell the employee in

the office that you have containers from which the proceeds

should be designated to the First Congregational UCC Mission Trip Fund. Their workerswill take the bottles from your car and deposit them accordingly.

To deliver to the church: Bring your returnable containers in a plastic garbage bag. Leave

these in your trunk, while you locate Karen Hamill. (She is at church by 8:45 a.m. each Sunday

and mornings most weekdays.) She will store your containers and deliver them to EZ Bottle

and Can Return for you.

Questions? Call Karen Hamill at 425-1958.

Thanks for your ongoing support of our youth!

Help Our Senior High Starve HungerThe Senior High youth group (SYF) will fast on Feb. 29 Mar. 1, so that children around the world caneat. For the first time, our youth will join with ten other churches in the area to participate in the 30Hour Famine, sponsored by World Vision.

30 Hour Famine is an international youth movement to fight hunger. Youth get friends and family tosponsor them while they fast. Over the last 16 years, Famine participants have raised more than $100million to help fight hunger. Every $30 raised will help feed and care for one child for a month. And,by fasting, youth learn for themselves what hunger really feels like.

During the fast, our SYF will gather with other youth groups for an opening ceremony (at our church!),talks and reflections, praying and having fun. Our youth will spend the night at church and will devotethe following morning to volunteering their time helping at Saints Place, a refugee resettlement organi-zation in Pittsford, and Bethany House, a womens emergency shelter in the city.

You can help by sponsoring one or more of our youth during the fast. They will be signing up sponsorsduring coffee hour on Feb. 10. Or, you can call Karen Hamill at 425-1958 to sponsor a youth. Thankyou for your support!!!

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To Help Us Etch Christs Character Into Our OwnThis Lent, join our workout! Through small groups, well study spiritual disciplines celebra-

tion, slowing, prayer, servanthood, confession, receiving guidance from the Holy Spirit, practic-

ing secrecy, reflecting on Scripture, having a well-ordered heart, and experiencing suffering.

Well reflect on these disciplines from a 21st century perspective, realizing that God meets us

not in a monastery but on Main Street. Most importantly, well begin to see that our daily life

has the potential to be lived as if Jesus himself were the one living it.

You are invited to join us again, as we embark on our Lenten journey beginning Sunday, Janu-

ary 27. The theme, this year, is Six Weeks of Spiritual Fitness. The goal of this Lenten program

is three-fold: First, it is designed to deepen the sense of community, fellowship and unity

within our church family. Second, it will help us to move closer to Jesus through our six-week

study on spiritual discipline. And finally, it will enable us to reach out to the community

around our church in a meaningful way.

Join A Small Group

We have five small groups meeting at various times and on various days. Please check the roll-

ing bulletin board in Fellowship Hall to see which day and time works best for you. Our small

groups will meet weekly for the six weeks of Lent (Feb. 3 Mar. 23). These study and discus-

sion groups will use the curriculum, The Life Youve Always Wanted, based on the best-selling

book (with the same title) by John Ortberg. Each class will include viewing a 15 minute video

and group discussion. Participants guides will be available for $8 at the first small group meet-

ings (or you can purchase one from Kelly Weidman).

Mission Focus: Bethany House & St. Josephs

During the six weeks of Lent, our church family will assist Bethany House and St. Josephs

House of Hospitality with various projects. Unlike the large, fund-raising efforts of past

years, this year we will do a variety of smaller jobs to help these organizations. Both Catholic

Worker Houses of Hospitality, Bethany House serves homeless women and children, while

St. Josephs serves homeless men in the City of Rochester.

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Bethany House, located at 169 St. Bridgets Drive, shelters, feeds and clothes women who

come from experiences of eviction, rape, abuse, imprisonment, abandonment and/or illness of

both body and mind. Women and their children may live at Bethany House for approximately

45 days, while they search for a more permanent residence. During this time, Bethany House

staff and volunteers advocate for these women, putting them in touch with employment oppor-

tunities and social services in Rochester. Bethany House is able to provide emergency housing

for six women and their children. The organization also operates a clothing room, a drop-in

center and an emergency food cupboard for women and children.

Founded in 1941, St. Josephs House of Hospitality serves a noon meal for men and women six

days per week, operates a men's emergency shelter, gives out clean men's clothes, provides a

shower, offers clothes washing, and makes available a local phone. Transitional housing is

available for up to one year for men who need to build financial resources before acquiring

more permanent housing. A weekly ecumenical service is held here on Tuesdays. St. Josephs

advocates for those who are homeless or on the brink of being there." It is located on 402

South Avenue.

Both Bethany House and St. Joseph's House of Hospitality are independent, non-profit organi-

zations, sustained solely by the donations and financial contribution of individuals, churches,

and charitable groups.

Program Kick-Off is January 27

On Sunday, January 27, everyone is invited to the inspirational worship service and official

kick-off for ourSix Weeks of Spiritual Fitness Lenten program. During our morning worship

service, we will have speakers from both Bethany House and St. Josephs House of Hospitality

share their mission with us. A special coffee hour will follow.

Questions? Contact: Pastor Cedarleaf 223-0224Kelly Weidman 223-8978Karen Hamill 425-1958Jim Franzen 223-8074Joe Charles 381-4744

Bethany House (cont.)

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Family News

Preschoolers & Elementary Students To

Learn About the Prophets Elijah and

Elisha in February

Where are our heroes? Who should we model ourselves after? Cer-

tainly, Jesus is our role model, but there are others, too, whom we

can admirably emulate. Through our drama, storytelling, art and

movie classrooms, our preschoolers and elementary school students

will learn about the great prophets Elijah and Elisha in February.

They will learn how these prophets put their full trust in God. They

will also learn of their compassionate acts. Finally, they will learn

how our Christian actions can serve as a model to others who may

not know Jesus.

Junior High and Confirmation

Class To StudyThe Lords Prayer

Our REALtime junior high and confirmation

class will continue with their 10 week study of

the Lords Prayer. They will study the prayer

itself, the context in which Jesus gave it to us,

and its impact on our lives today.

***REMINDER: The second Confirmation

Class Breakfast With the Pastor is resched-

uled for January 27 at 8:30 a.m. in the Snow

Room.***

Senior High Series Continues:Doubts, Struggles With Faith

The Senior High class will

continue its video discussion

series examining questions and

doubts about their faith and

looking for practical and Bibli-

cal solutions. The class will

learn that everyone struggles

with their faith, and it is ok to

have questions.

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Dont Miss Answering the Cry at Your

Front Gate on Feb. 2!

Have you ever desired something a little more radical when it comes to church and

being a Christian? Are you ready for a fresh look at following Jesus? Chris Lahr, aca-

demic director for Mission Year (a program for folks 18 29 years of age to serve in an

urban setting for a year), will talk about his journey and how being a follower of Jesus

has led him from the comforts of a well-to-do church in Indiana to the streets of Philly

and the slums of India. He will also explore what it means to follow Jesus in a world

filled with poverty and injustice, as well as stir our imaginations as to how we can more

effectively serve in our own area.

WHEN: Saturday, February 2

WHERE: Nazareth College, Linehan Chapel in the Golisano Academic Center

TIME: 1 3 p.m. (Anyone needing a ride may meet at our church at noon.)

COST: $5 (Beverages will be provided.)

Lahr has lived in Philadelphia with his wife and three daughters since 2000, working

with the simple way, Iglesia del Barrio, Covenant House, and Mission Year. He is cur-

rently the Academic Director and Regional Recruiter for Mission Year. He is a gradu-

ate of Asbury Seminary and Eastern University, and is still a student of the streets of

Philadelphia.

Tickets are available from Kelly Weidman or Karen Hamill. Sign up in Fellowship

Hall, if you need a ride. For more information, call Kelly Weidman (223-8978) or Karen

Hamill (425-1958).

JYF & SYF

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JYF & SYFJYF & SYF

JYF & SYF JYF & SYF

Help With the

Senior Valentine Lunch-

eonJunior and Senior High students are in-vited to help prepare and serve a special

luncheon to our church seniors on Sun-

day, Feb. 10. The lunch is at noon. All

preparations will take place during Chris-

tian education time. Please sign up on the

Senior HighJoin the 30 Hour Famine and Help

Starve Hunger!

Come, be seen, be heard and be hungry! Join your fellow SY-Fers and ten other youth groups in starving hunger by participat-

ing in the 30 Hour Famine.

DATE: Friday Feb. 29 Saturday, Mar. 1

TIME: 5 p.m. Friday, meet at church. Pick up is Saturday nightat approx. 6:30 p.m.

SIGN UP IS REQUIRED. Mrs. Hamill has a packet of informa-tion which includes parental consent forms, what to pack, andthe schedule of events. Sign up in Fellowship Hall, in Sunday

School class or call Mrs. Hamill at 425-1958.

This event will be great! Were expecting 150 youth to attend thekickoff at our church on Friday night, followed by bowling at Clo-

ver Lanes. On Saturday, well do service projects at SaintsPlace, a refugee resettlement organization, and Bethany House,a shelter for homeless women and children. The closing cere-mony will be at Fairport United Methodist Church, and a meal

will be served.

You will never forget this experience!

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Elementary Students

NOTE: The Winter Carnival scheduled for Jan. 27 has been cancelled. Instead, we have

scheduled Family Bowling on Feb. 9.

Bring the Family Bowling on Feb. 9!Come get out of the cold and enjoy some fun and fellowship with other First Church families!

DATE: Saturday, February 9TIME: 1 3 p.m.PRICE: $8.50/personWHERE: Fairport AMF Bowling Lanes (Route 31F)WHO: Families (including adults and siblings) of preschool and elementary schoolstudents (Supervision for the children attending is requested)

The cost is $8.50/person and includes 2 games and shoe rental; a savings of $4.00/person from

the regular bowling price. We will have bumpers available for the smaller children (and anyone

else who needs them!).

Please sign up on the Elementary Kid News bulletin board in Fellowship Hall (to the left of

the restrooms) or email Felicia Johansen (fnjohansen7@hotmail.com) with the number of bowl-

ers you will be bringing.

Deadline to sign up is Sunday, Feb. 3. Payment is required in advance to hold your spot.Checks may be made out to First Congregational UCC with family bowling written on

memo line. Checks may be dropped off at the church office or mailed to First Congregational

UCC, 26 E. Church St., Fairport, NY 14450.

ADVENT HOUSE FUNDRAISEROn Friday March 28th2007 at 6:00 pm, Advent House will be holding its 14th annual Dinner

Dance and Auction at the beautiful Casa Larga Vineyards, 2287 Turk Hill Road, in Fairport.

Don Alhart will be the master of ceremonies and Carol Ritter Wright will be conducting

the live auction. There will also be hundreds of wonderful items to bid on in our silent

auction. Music will be provided by Bill Tiberio and the band, "Time Piece" for your

dancing pleasure. Tickets are $80.00 per person and can be obtained by calling Ad-

vent House at 223-6112. Dont miss out on the social event of the season.

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The church finished the 2007 financial year with a small net loss of $232. As you may recall when the2007 budget was presented to the congregation in December 2006, we anticipated that we would incura loss of $31,364 (shown in the budget as an income item Transfer from Reserves). Fortunately, giv-ing was substantially above the budgeted amount, primarily due to pledges received after the budgetingcutoff.

A summary of the 2007 Income Statement, including the 2008 budget, is shown below. Please note thatflow through items, or gifts/payments intended for outside organizations such as Veterans of theCross and One Great Hour of Sharing are excluded from this summary.

2007

2007 B/(W) * 2008

Actual Budget Budget

IncomeGiving, including plate collections 238,793$ 15,958 253,000$Previous Year Giving 7,360 7,360 -Rent 9,725 - 9,910Interest 3,516 1,016 4,500Fund Raising / Antique Sale 7,574 2,574 15,000Flower Donations 1,632 (318) 1,950Room Rental & Other Donations 1,565 865 700Fry Donation 11,160 (840) -Columbarium 1,000 1,000 -Transfer from Reserves - (31,634) 12,467

Total Income 282,325 (4,019) 297,527

Expenses

Salaries and Related Benefits 188,007 2,104 199,156Church Utilities & Supplies 13,674 2,326 14,000Church Maintenance 21,690 (3,690) 20,000Insurance 8,976 108 9,165Office Expenses 11,259 (658) 11,200Boards & Committees 12,524 3,361 15,606Genesee Valley Assoc. Dues 2,231 (131) 2,300Missions Donations 22,349 151 24,000Flowers 1,782 131 1,950Other Miscellaneous 65 85 150

Total Expenses 282,557 3,787 297,527

Net Income (232)$ (232)$ -$

* B/(W) = Better or Worse than

First Congregational ChurchIncome Statement

For 2007, the church is facing another challenging year. Pledges (and giving in total) have been decliningsince 2004. Our budget for 2008 is $14,200 higher than the giving was in 2007.

As chart B below depicts, 2007 was the lowest year for giving in several years. While some 2007 pledgesremained partially unpaid at December 31, 2007, even if the pledges were fully paid we would not reachthe 2005 and 2006 giving levels. So, the challenge before us is to increase pledging and find new ways toraise money to fund church expenses.

Look for regular financial reports in theEpistle throughout the coming year.Nancy Keith, Treasurer

Treasurers Report

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2007 PLEDGE STATEMENTS AVAILABLEPledge/giving statements for 2007 are now available in Fellowship Hall ready for you to

pick up. If you are unable to come into church to pick up your statement, please call

the church office at 223-0224, and your statement will be mailed to you.

Advent House Help

Wanted

Director of Development

Advent House has a salaried, part time position

open, for a motivated individual to initiate and

oversee all fundraising. Flexibility is impera-

tive. Applicants must be comfortable in a hos-

pice-like environment, as well as working with

volunteers. Send resumes to Advent House,

Attention: Glenda Hastings, 1010 Moseley

Road, Fairport, NY 14450. Please no phone

calls.

First Congrgational Church

Giving

225

230

235

240

245

250

255

260

265

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

$Thousands

Treasurers ReportChart B

8/14/2019 Epistle 1 2008

17/17

17

NEXT EPISTLE DEADLINE 3 PM FEBRUARY 21, 2008

The Epistle is printed once a month

By the First Congregational United

Church of Christ, 26 East Church St.,

Fairport, New York 14450

Office Phone: 585-223-0224

Fax: 585- 223-4264

Pastors Phone 585-223-8172

E-mail: church1@choicemail.com

Webpage: fairportucc.org

Office Hours: M-F 9:00-3:30

Church Service 9:30AM

Sunday School: 10:50AM

Pastor: Rev. Dr. John Cedarleaf

Christian Ed. & Family Ministries:

Kelly Weidman & Karen Hamill

Admin. Asst: Cathy Kinton

Church Moderator: Hank Ralston

Organist: Beatrice Benedict

Choir Director: James C. Jefferis

Business Administrator: Sue Brooks

Epistle Editor: Bill Lindsay

Wedding Coordinator: Sue Bickel

First Congregational United Church of Christ

26 East Church Street

Fairport NY 14450

Address Service Requested

Dated Material

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDFAIRPORT N.Y.PERMIT NO. 61