November has been a very good month around Shiloh Church. For me, it started with the November 5 Fall Meeting of the Southwest Ohio Northern Kentucky Association (SONKA), over which I presided as the Association Moderator. The tension and stress that I experienced leading up to the meeting was greatly diminished as I handed the gavel over to new Moderator, Karl Ulrich.
That stress reduced, attention turned immediately to the November 13 congregational meeting. It had promised to be contentious, especially since the leadership at Shiloh had heard that a member planned to bring a motion to fix the deficit problem by staff reductions. Such discussion was held at the meeting, but the congregation responded instead by increasing their on-the-spot support, erasing the remaining 2011 deficit. Stewardship pledges have reflected the same higher level of support, and the leadership is hoping that Shiloh may have turned a corner in relying on better financial support instead of making continual cuts.
The next week, November 18 and 19, Shiloh held its annual Holiday Bazaar. A few years ago, Shiloh brought what had been called The Shiloh Church Fair back to its own site from Hara Arena, separating the event into two parts. The first part, The Shiloh Fall Fair, is now held in September. The Holiday Bazaar remains at the previous Fair dates, in November. Given the tense economy, most anticipated a reduction in the number of people attending, and a corresponding reduction in what those people were able to spend. Instead, the Holiday Bazaar was well attended. At first glance, it also appears as though profits are up from 2010.
It has been a stressful, but rewarding, month. Now the congregation looks to a restful Thanksgiving holiday. The office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25. The Robinson family will travel to Indianapolis, where we will share thanks with my mother. We will return in the afternoon, to sup with friends here in the Dayton area. I urge readers of The Shiloh Insider to remember those who hunger this season. Make special Thanksgiving contributions at Shiloh. All such contributions are split equally between Shiloh's Ministry Fund and St. Vincent DePaul. Also, you may be interested to know that Shiloh collected its goal of 150 grocery bags full of food. Those supplies were delivered to FISH Foodbank pantries and distributed to hungry families.
This coming Sunday, November 27, is the start of a new church year. Advent begins this next week. Shiloh will once again collect funds to purchase a Heifer Project International "Ark" for those whom we might help around the world. You can give the gift of an animal or animals for the Ark, thinking of those who might find it more meaningful to solve poverty around the world than put another knick knack on the shelf. Also remember the annual Shiloh Church Christmas Musical. The Musical will be performed this year on December 11, at both 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. A new feature this year will be the addition of American Sign Language interpretation. Come and join us!
It has been a marvelous month at Shiloh Church. It looks as though December might follow suit. On behalf of every member of the staff and the leadership of the congregation, I want to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas celebration.
See You Sunday!
3 comments:
?? Always wonder why there so few comments here?? Just wonder ....
Yes, Jim, I agree. I am thinking that few people actually read the blog.
I read the blogs but rarely leave a comment. I find them generally informative and sometimes provocative. Often a discussion goes on in my head as a result. I wonder if it can be compared to other ways in which we communicate. I read "The Connection" thoroughly; but I have heard others say, "I didn't know about that." When told the information was published in "The Connection," the reply will be, "Oh, I never read that." Remember the old adage, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink." You can write and publish, but there is no way of knowing how many will read or reply. My guess is that many more read than make a reply.
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