GETTING THROUGH THE WINTER OF 2008-09
From August/September 200 MainStay
- Small Churches Workshop by Darren Morgan
- Making Ends Meet by Gina Finocchiaro
- God's Gift to the Church Local... by Bricker Gibson
From the Yarmouth Energy Savers Committee
Rev. Gini King reports on the activities of the Washington County Fuel and Food Assistance Alliance
Rev. Jeff Gallagher of First Congregational at Kittery Point reports:
In September, we held a "green" worship service on the last Sunday of the month. There were no bulletins, the pastor made his notes on previously used paper, the organist played the piano instead of the electronic organ, there were no lights, and no heat was turned on. The coffee fellowship after church featured iced tea, made without boiling water, and non-cooked goodies. More significantly, the congregation was encouraged to carpool, or walk to church or bike. Our goal was consciousness raising, and we got a nice article in the Portsmouth (NH) Herald. We would love for other churches to give it a try.
As for the fuel situation, we brought in a consultant to analyze our needs and
make recommendations. As a result we have drastically lowered the minimum temperatures
in the buildings to 45 degrees in the sanctuary and 50 degrees in the parish
house. The heat will be raised only to 60 for scheduled events. Committees are
encouraged to meet in homes. The choir will rehearse in the parish house instead
of heating the uninsulated sanctuary. We have met no resistance from the three
AA groups that meet in our church, but we are negotiating with the Garden Club.
I think they will be offered a surcharge option.
Rev. Heather Kurtz of Dover-Foxcroft Congregational reports:
Our church is helping people with fuel costs through our deacons fund. In order to get more money for the Deacon's Fund we are giving the option to people in the congregation to give money to the fund instead of fresh flowers in the church. If a congregant gives money to the fuel fund, we light an electric candle during the announcements and I say something like we remember our friends, neighbors, and people within the community who are unable to purchase fuel. And a moment of silence follows.
First Congregational of South Portland reports:
During this summer of 2008, we used the same worship bulletins for July and August. There was one for the two communion Sundays and another for the rest of the Sundays. The order of worship remained the same throughout the summer. The scripture readings, hymns and sermon title were given each Sunday by the worship leader. A single page insert was printed each week giving announcements and calendar of events. Our intent to reuse the bulletins was announced to the congregation on the first week, and the worshippers deposited the bulletins in a basket on the way out of worship. We originally printed 150 bulletins, and 8 weeks later we still had around 90 in good useable condition. Printing new bulletins each week would have consumed nearly two and a half reams paper, plus staff time and the energy used to copy and fold them.