September 2016

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On many summer nights of my childhood, my family and I would drag some of the patio furniture out to the middle of the open field next to our home, eat dinner, and talk

well past midnight. Those late night conversations under the stars often drifted in the direction of big questions. What’s out there in the star speckled night sky? What in the world are we up to? What makes life worth living? During this past year the Center for Faith Devel-opment at Round Hill Community Church began to wonder how we might form a faith formation pro-gram around one of these big life questions. In that process of discernment, we discovered that the Center for Faith and Culture at Yale University developed for its students a new class entitled “Life Worth Living.” That captured our imagination: what would it mean to examine this theme as a congregation that lives at the intersection of faith and culture? And to do so for an entire year! To design the program, we enlisted the counsel of John Roberto, an outstanding educator who helps communities across the nation with these kinds of endeavors. So this year we will have an opportunity to learn and grow in faith together by participating in a unique educational program that has been designed especially for Round Hill Community Church. Each month we will focus on a theme to help us explore the larger question of a life worth living. Our focus for September will be on gratitude, and in addition to the Sunday sermons on this theme, you can visit our website, roundhillcommunitychurch.org, to access music, book suggestions, artwork, spiritual practices, and readings to enhance our learning.

SEPTEMBER EVENTSPASTOR’S MESSAGE

Round Hill Community Church

@395roundhill

The News Letter

Round Hill Community Church

roundhillcommunitychurch.org

RALLY SUNDAYSeptember 11

Worship at 10:00 a.m.Picnic and Fun at 11:00 a.m.

Games Bouncy CastleRound Hill Express Train Rides

Ben’s Ice Cream Truck

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PASTOR’S MESSAGE

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CENTER FOR FAITH DEVELOPMENT

We are thrilled with the launch of this year’s faith formation program, A Life Worth Living, and I look forward to learning and growing alongside you as we delve into this big theme. Please drink deeply of the resources that we will provide, and just as impor-tantly, share them with your friends and family mem-bers and neighbors at Growing in Faith: Learn, Like, Share. May our lives become more loving, vital and compassionate as we strengthen the world by nour-ishing our faith.

Yours in Christ,Ed

A Life Worth Living

“In all affairs it’s a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”

– Bertrand Russell

Students at Yale University can select courses from a dazzling array of possibilities, but I wonder if many of them will be as beneficial as a relatively new offering. This recent addition is a course entitled “Life Worth Living,” and it gives students a way to assess that most important of questions from many religious and ethical perspectives. I am grateful to the Yale Center for Faith and Culture, whose faculty and staff have brought to reality this exciting adventure in learning. This is how their leaders describe the purpose of the course:

Today, more than at any previous time in history, the question of the good life – what makes for a flourishing life – is a pressing one. This question once came pre-answered – by culture, by religion, by tradition – but these days, we each have to ask and answer for our-selves: What is the good life? What does it mean to live a flourishing life? These are difficult questions that require intellectual muscles we’ve long let atrophy; we need one another’s help to ask and answer them well.

Starting in September, the Center for Faith De-velopment at Round Hill Community Church, with the full support of the Board of Trustees, is offering a yearlong examination of the question, “What is a life worth living?” Through sermons, classes, guest speakers, website resources, art, music, and literature we will give you many ways of engaging this question: with one another, family members and friends, and on your own. We will update you regularly with invitations to start and enjoy this journey of faith, and may all our explorations help us to deepen our commitment to a life that is worth living in every possible way!

– Ed Horstmann

Learn • Sunday sermons – Each week the sermon will explore one aspect of the current theme.

• Website – The yearlong Faith Formation curriculum, sermons, scriptures, resources, links, videos, and more are uploaded. (Perfect for those who like to learn at their own pace and refresh their learning periodically)

Like • Facebook – Join the RHCC Facebook page by clicking on the Facebook icon on our web-site and then click the Like button. Each week we will be uploading videos and additional re-sources to our Facebook page. This platform makes it easy to share your experience with your community of friends.

Share • Email – You will receive a monthly email snapshot of the current theme. If you like what you are learning, forward the email to your cir-cle of friends and family. Let’s start a dialogue.

As we grow in Faith together by listening to sermons, watching videos, and reading scrip-ture, we encourage one and all to share your experience and spread the word.

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ASSOCIATE PASTOR’S MESSAGE

All over the Western world, there is the annual ritual of people returning to their normal lives at the end of the Summer – from school children, to of-fice workers, to politicians. Lauretta and I experienced a very unique ver-sion of this in France, known as la

rentrée. Every September there emerges a renaissance after the August shut-down, a new beginning after long holidays on the coast and slow summer days at rural retreats. In the blink of an eye, life in France changes. Children go back to school, people return to work, and the rhythm of day-to-day life resumes. This is la rentrée – with all the optimism and oppor-tunity this time of year brings. Streets become busy once more, restaurants pull back the shutters to wel-come back the crowds, and a new calendar of cultural events begins. In many ways, life in Greenwich mirrors this ex-perience as summer camps cease operations, schools begin opening, and families hustle back from vaca-tions and summer homes to “re-enter” the often fren-zied pace of life here in town. There is an air of opti-mism and opportunity in Greenwich, and certainly here at Round Hill Community Church. Contrary to the typical French experience, life did not slow down here during the lazy days of summer. Far from it! Our summer at Round Hill saw the first of “Friday Night Live” youth group gatherings; three “On the Lawn” community events – Graham Clark concert and two movies, with all three events averag-ing approximately 75 guests; youth group trips to Six Flags and Mini-Golf; our annual Beach Day at Tod’s Point, where we welcomed close to 100 friends for a day of summer at the beach; our summer service trip to the reservation in South Dakota; and two search committees working hard to ensure the continuation of our amazing music and children’s programs. These exciting events and programs helped us extend a warm welcome to hundreds of guests and friends over the summer. In addition, thriving and dynamic worship continued each Sunday and five new young families began to attend Church. What a summer we have had indeed! We are now fully entering a new chapter in our journey together. Lauretta and I are thrilled to begin

our second year of life and ministry here at Round Hill Community Church and I am beyond excited to see what the new school year brings. Our boys, Jack and Blake, will begin attending the Round Hill Nurs-ery School five days a week (exciting for them and for Mom and Dad) and a host of programs and minis-tries resume in September.

Our Youth Group will relaunch “Friday Night Live” on September 16 as middle and high school students from local towns come to our campus for a fun evening of games, activities, music, relevant discussions, and food! Additional monthly meetings, social events, and meaningful service projects are planned for the start of the school year as well. The children’s ministries are also gearing up for a year of growth as we anticipate the arrival of a new Director of Children’s Ministries this fall. Our plans will be guided this year by our church theme “A Life Worth Living,” and September’s focus is on Gratitude. Youth will explore this topic through discussion, testimonies, activities, and through our website at roundhillcommunitychurch.org/youth.Similar content for young parents, grandparents, and children is avialable at roundhillcommunitychurch.org/families-children. I must acknowledge that summer has come to an end and September is already upon us. However, let us keep these words in mind from Helen Hunt Jackson; “By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather and autumn’s best of cheer.” Thank you for the wonderful summer we shared together and as our tans begin to fade, may our hearts remain full of summer’s cheer and antici-pation of an incredible year ahead!

– Dan Haugh

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CHURCH SCHOOL AND FAMILIES “A child is not a vessel to be filled but a lamp to be lit.”

Back to School Belongings

“How was your summer vacation?” “What did you do for summer?” These are often the two most asked questions by children on the first day of school. Ev-eryone wants to know where their friends went and what they did. There is a tangible level of excitement in sharing the news of trips to the beach, summer travels, adventures, fun camps, and time away from SCHOOL! But alas, just as all good things must come to an end . . . so does summer. Growing up, I vividly remember the last days of summer and trying to squeeze the most out of every single waking hour. I remember the feelings of both nervousness and excitement as the first day of school approached. What usually helped me with this tradi-tion was taking a shopping trip to the local store to purchase my new school supplies. Every few years it would be a new backpack and lunchbox, but every year I was able to buy new note books, “trapper keep-ers” (that dates me just a tad!), pens, pencils, cray-ons, erasers, and more. Of course, now some students only need to update their software on their laptops before heading back to school. As each new supply was purchased, I would proudly write my name on it. This label provided both a sense of ownership and se-curity that was helpful as the new school year began. When we head off to school or start a new adven-ture, it’s important for us to know that we belong to God. In much the same way that we mark things that belong to us, God has marked us with God’s Spirit. So children, I hope you remember to put your name on all the new school supplies that belong to you. I hope you will also remember that you belong to God and God will go with you to school and always be by your side in the class-room, hallways, cafeteria, and sport fields. Pray: God, thank you for the great summer that we had and the wonderful experiences we get to share with others, and memories that we will have forever. Thank you for the many things (especially our new school supplies) that belong to us. Thank you, too, for the fact that we belong to you and you have marked us as yours. Thank you that you will watch over us and help us live for you during this new school year – in Jesus’ name, Amen.

– Dan Haugh

RHCC Welcomes New Director of Children’s Ministries: Jenny Byxbee

Dear Families of Round Hill Community Church,

It brings me such joy to welcome our families to Round Hill Community Church for the 2016-2017 school year as I have humbly accepted the role of Di-rector of Children’s Ministries. As Connie Blunden steps down, (who happens to be a dear friend and mentor of mine), I know there are big shoes to fill. While I learn the ropes, please feel free to reach out to me any time with any thoughts or ideas to make the children’s program the best it can be. It truly does take a village. In the children’s ministry this fall, we will be do-ing lots of exploring of faith, fellowship, and fun for our young people. Our goal is to help all of our chil-dren to feel and be a special part of our church com-munity while enjoying some fellowship with their peers. Every Sunday children will hear a story from the Bible brought to life with props and movement. We will share our thoughts about what we just heard and bring some personal reflection and meaning to it through an activity, art, or play. We kick off the program year this Sunday, Sep-tember 11, with Church School at 10:00 a.m., fol-lowed by a wonderful picnic with lots of treats and maybe a couple of surprises in store. Please extend an invitation to any family or friends who would like to join the fun. The more the merrier! Feel free to contact me any time. I can be reached at jenny@roundhillcommunitychurch.org. Looking forward to meeting many of you soon!

Warmest regards,Jenny Byxbee

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OUTREACH: FAITH IN ACTION

2016 Beach Day

As in years gone by, the sun was shining brightly as our friends from Little Sisters of the Assump-tion arrived at Greenwich Point from Harlem. Sev-eral RHCC members were there to warmly welcome about 90 big and little folks with cold ice pops. Food was spread on picnic tables to greet the swimmers on their return. Volunteers and families ate heartily and laughed together as we got to know each other.

This event that has gone on since the 1970s is very special for those of us who have been involved over those many years. Again we thank Roland and Alison Kistler for their wonderful participation and long-standing leadership. We all settled in the shade of those large stately trees where Roland spoke to every-one in English and Spanish. Time was spent meeting the families before going down to the water’s edge. Pastor Dan amused everyone with a very large horseshoe crab. Children giggled with delight as they felt the cool water come in and out over their little feet – their joy was felt by all. See more photos at roundhillcommunitychurch.org/album/beach-day-2016.

– Helen O’Malley

Blessing of the BackpacksSunday, September 11 10:00 a.m.

We are sending students back to school with our prayers and blessings. Children in preschool through college are invited to bring their backpacks and school bags with their new supplies to

worship on Rally Sunday. Educators and school administrators are encouraged to bring their briefcases. Join us for this special time of blessing as we kick off the new school year.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Graham Clarke on the Lawn

In June we had our summer kick-off concert on the lawn featuring Graham Clarke and his guitar “friends.” Go to our website to see more photos.

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OUTREACH: FAITH IN ACTION

Greenwich Teens Make Life-Changing Trip to Reservation in South Dakotaby Tom Renner for Greenwich Daily Voice

Six teenagers from Greenwich stepped outside their comfort zone this summer for a week to help change the lives of residents of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. In doing so, they changed their own lives as well. The students are members of Greenwich High School’s AVID program, or Advancement Via Indi-vidual Determination. They partnered with Round Hill Community Church, Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, and a Norwalk-based organization, Sim-ply Smiles, to spend a week on the reservation. Pastor Dan Haugh, who served as one of the chaperones, said the students worked at homes on the reservation doing painting, light carpentry, flooring, and restoration work. They also led camp activities for 30 to 40 children, ranging in age from 4 to 16. Ac-tivities included crafts, sports, and traditional sum-mer activities. The students also lived for the week in a “com-munity house,” spending nights in sleeping bags in a room that included the entire travel party. There were nearly 35 in the house, including chaperones and Simply Smiles workers and volunteers. “Our slogan at the church is we want to be a force for good,’’ Haugh said. “We discovered that Simply Smiles is doing just that on the reservation. We wanted to embed ourselves on the reservation for a week. We ate what they ate and tried to live to like they live for one week. The hard part was knowing that after one week, we’d be back in our comfort zone but the peo-ple we fell in love with would not be coming home with us.” Haugh said living conditions on the reservation were dire. The homes were dilapidated and broken down by neglect and harsh, extreme weather. “There’s a 150-degree difference between sum-mer and winter,’’ he said. “The houses are not insu-lated for that and not maintained well.” Education is minimal and health issues, such as diabetes and obesity, are rampant. “It was eye-opening,’’ Haugh said. “Where they are living is very much like

a third world environment. They don’t have the re-sources to improve their quality of life, and they don’t have many people advocating for them.” Education is particularly challenging. Children don’t aspire for academic achievements. “They see no benefit of graduating high school,’’ Haugh said. “It’s shocking. We asked them ‘What do you want to be?’ They said nothing. Education is not a prized attribute.” In a recent partnership, Fairfield University of-fered high school graduates from the reservation a full scholarship. The first student from the reserva-tion is expected to attend the college this year. The hardships endured by residents of the reser-vation impacted the Greenwich students, who came home with a renewed appreciation for their sur-roundings. “Our students had two main takeaways,’’ Haugh said. “One, they realized how much they take for granted. The education, the resources and the op-portunities they have here. They have the support of family and teachers who care about their education. That was an eye-opening lesson. “Secondly, they realize these are stories that need to be shared. There’s a real need to help these people through community service.” The students’ communities in Greenwich could be the ultimate winners from the trip. Haugh believes the students returned from the trip motivated to vol-unteer in their communities “We’re hoping to create student leaders,’’ he said. “They saw the impact one week could have. They made people smile. But imagine what impact they can make in the local community if they could do it every week.”

On behalf of the students and all participants in the trip, I would like to thank the Outreach Committee and other members of the RHCC congregation who made this life-changing trip possible for the six Greenwich High School students.

– Dan Haugh

See the GHS students’ “takeaways” from their trip at roundhillcommunitychurch.org/simply-smiles.

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OUTREACH: FAITH IN ACTION

Reflections from LaPlant, South Dakota

“My friends, how desperately do we need to be loved and to love. When Christ said that man does not live by bread alone, he spoke of a hunger. This hun-ger was not the hunger of the body. It was not the hunger for bread. He spoke of a hunger that begins deep down in the very depths of our being. He spoke of a need as vital as breath. He spoke of our hunger for love. With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we are able to sacrifice for others.”

– Chief Dan George

This sums up how we felt the week we spent on the reservation. Spending a week with children that need desperately to be loved and have hope for the future is an unforgettable experience. Hope is the big red school bus that picks up the kids and brings them to summer camp Monday through Friday. Love is what the Simply Smiles staff and volunteers give to the kids each day with crafts, games, and outdoor activities.

Each of the volunteers from RHCC has their own story to tell. For the last three years we have met and worked with Kee who has full use of only one arm. The first year we worked with Kee at the community center, where he was mixing cement with one hand and helping pour a handicap ramp. The second year he was helping us unload the materials for the house that was going to be built for him and his niece. This year we actually put up a wall in his kitchen. One morning we had a sewing class for women in the community center. We taught them how to sew a pillow case but most importantly we listened to and laughed with them as we heard their stories. The last night we spent in LaPlant, we had a community din-

ner for everyone. Ten-year-old Ava came up to me, gave me a big hug and asked me to be her pen pal. A heart warming, loving feeling.

We were also impressed with the students who were selected by RHCC. They did an amazing job of working with the kids on a number of projects. We think this experience had a profound impact on these students that they will carry for the rest of their lives. Dan did a superb job of facilitating group discussions among the students about their experiences.

It is very hard for us to describe in writing the emotions that we feel while being on the reservation. There is a great beauty and peace to the plains even though we are experiencing extreme poverty and continued injustice to the Lakota people. They are largely forgotten and their voice needs to be heard. Simply Smiles is truly keeping hope alive for the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

– Jenny Rye and Linda McGough

For more reflections go to: roundhillcommunitychurchblog.wordpress.com.

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OUTREACH: FAITH IN ACTION

Haiti and Mission Grandbois Summer Camp

Last year, we had 85 children in camp. This year the number grew to 135! Days often started at 6:45 a.m. and one day ended at 9:00 p.m. That night everyone was on edge expecting a visit by Delta Airlines em-ployees, Belle Esprit, and Change the World, with do-nated school supplies. They were late arriving but the wait was worth it! We distributed 140 backpacks full of basic school supplies – note pads, pencil sharpen-ers, crayons, pencils, and of course, erasers! The next day was the last day of camp and each child received toys and other goodie bag gifts as well. As Margarett Alexandre said “We can’t get the kids to go home – often beginning each day at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. – so we must be doing something right.” Camp ended at 4:00 p.m. daily. Mornings were devoted to breakfast followed by classes in basic subject areas for each age group. There were also 22 children, ages 3 to 5. How did we do it? Our 22 camp counselors were volunteers from our scholarship students teaching younger kids in the morning and supervising play and games in the after-noon. Five of our kids took the sixth grade national exams and all passed. Margarett recently received a Caribbean Health Care Award from Caribbean Life Magazine. Our eight solar panels were stolen from our main camp building; this theft is being investi-gated by the police. We are sending this year 32 chil-dren to school, some for the first time, from outside the Grandbois village area because they are diligent in their studies and need support as well. We are look-ing to conduct hearing tests for two students and will seek a hearing aid for one. We continue to explore a closer relationship with Grace Children’s Hospital in Port au Prince around healthcare delivery to our rural community. Political life in Haiti remains mud-dled with little prospect for progress. We are reaching out to other churches in the Greenwich area that have an interest in Haiti and its people. Connect with Mission Grandbois on Facebook and see photos from camp at facebook.com/Mission-Grandbois-249310961585/.

– Michael Sandifer

Volunteer Opportunities

The Outreach Committee continues to collect Clothing for St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in the Bronx. We recently received a special request indicat-ing a high demand for men’s dress clothes and shoes, in particular. Please bring clothing (laundered and pressed) on hangers. If you have any questions please contact Caroline Lazzara or Alice Fisher.

Please join us this year in the Inspirica Youth Center.Volunteers are needed every Tuesday starting Sep-tember 6 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Children arrive off the bus, have some free time, are fed a hot snack, and then work on homework. Please talk with Jenny Rye or Caroline Lazzara if you are interested.

We are looking for meal providers for Inspirica’s Early Childhood and Parenting Program [ECPP] beginning in September. The program runs Tuesday, Wednes-day, and Thursday nights with the meal being served at 7:00 p.m. You can either cook on site or drop off a prepared meal, whatever is easiest for you! Please look for available dates that you would be able to fill at inspiricact.org/meal-calendar/.

Neighbor to Neighbor

With school back in full swing, we are initiating a special Lunch-box Collection in September. Please help fill lunch boxes (and

hungry tummies!) with healthy and nutritious ele-ments such as granola bars, single serve boxes of dried fruit, 100% real fruit juice boxes/pouches, fruit roll-ups, peanut butter or cheese crackers, beef jerky, pouches of trail mix, fruit or pudding cups, etc. Also, canned tuna is a welcome addition for sandwich fillers. Please leave donations in the food wagon located in the Narthex.

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LES BEAUX ARTS GALLERY

Positive OutlookLandscapes by Yukio Ishizuka

To open the season, Les Beaux Arts Gallery will fea-ture a collection of landscapes and drawings by Yukio Ishizuka. The exhibit opens Sunday, September 11 and runs through October 19. Dr. Ishizuka, a Harvard trained psychiatrist, brings to the art field a fresh, positive outlook on landscape painting with vivid bold colors. As for his drawings, they are masterful and painstakingly de-tailed. Dr. Ishuzuka was born in Japan and in 1965 left for the United States to complete his medical studies. He has been a member and a resident artist of Salma-gundi Art Club in New York City since 1976.

– Mirella Hajjar, Gallery Curator

September 15 and then every other Thursday6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Meeting Room

The Meditation Group will meet every other Thursday evening from 6:30 to 7:30 starting on September 15. The group seeks to draw men and women closer to God through spiritual studies and the practice of “mindful-ness,” as we study works by authors on meditation, phi-losophy, poetry, and the world’s great religions in the context of Christianity. We take turns reading, sharing, and discussing meaningful passages. During our hour together we spend some time in silent meditation and discuss the physical and mental health benefits of this practice as a way of life. As we move forward, our plan is to invite various guest leaders to share their insights with us. All are welcome.

– Grada Herrick

MUSIC AT ROUND HILL

August 28 was Christopher Kabala’s last Sunday on the bench conducting the choir at Round Hill. It was a bittersweet morning that was filled with the glorious sounds of organ, choir, and strings, all beautifully con-ducted by the maestro. He has already left to do what he loves – travel the world – but before he got away, Jenny Rye offered

some heartfelt sentiments to him during the service that morning:

“Chris, it is very difficult to put into words how we are feeling. How do we even begin to express our gratitude for all the joy you have brought to our lives through music? Like many others I know, I was drawn to this church because of the music, because of you. You have given us two decades of extraordinary music every Sunday. Your enthusiasm and passion for achieving the highest levels of excellence in music have enriched all our lives. It will be with great dif-ficulty for many of us to look up in the choir loft and not see you there, but part of you will always be here. Part of your energy will always remain here in this sanctuary. As we go forward, your dedication to the music at Round Hill will live on in future programs. Your spirit will always be here with us. In celebration of all the times we have shared together, the recitals, concerts, lectures, musical trips in to the city, and so many other things, we have a photo book of some of those memories to give to you. I want to extend a special thank you to Suzy Simpson and Lynda Kinney for spending many hours in putting this together. Chris, on behalf of the congregation, and from the very bottom of my heart, we are grateful. Thank you for the joy, and thank you for all the music.”

Christopher Kabala

MEDITATION/STRESS REDUCTION

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WOMEN’S GATHERING

Stewardship 2017

ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH

REMEMBRANCE

Susanna Nielsen

It was with great sadness that we learned at the end of August that Susanna Nielsen had died. She and her husband, Kristian, had moved to Washington state in 2013, and had been members of Round Hill from the early 1990s until they relocated to be near

family. There will be a memorial service to celebrate Susanna’s life on Saturday, September 10, at their home. If you would like to contact Kristian and his family, their address is 251 Sprague Landing Road, Stevenson, WA 98648.

STEWARDSHIP

SAVE THE DATE

Friday, October 216:30 p.m. Sanctuary

Women LeadersLivvy Floren, CT State RepresentativeNancy Mazzoli, Board Chair, RHCC

Leslie Lee, Board Chair, CT Fund for the Environment

Come one, come all – women, men, and guests – to hear these outstanding women of our church talk about their experiences as leaders. Followed by an open discussion.

Reception:Wine and delectable goodies in the Parlor

RSVP Church Office by October 17Cost: $10

Program Chair, Helen O’MalleyReception Chair, Carolyn Gilbert

Having selected a stewardship consultant this sum-mer, the committee has begun its work for the coming year. The annual giving campaign will be known as Heritage and Hope using the logo you see here. In a changing and challenging climate, we hope to honor our heritage by funding our future . The process will include opportunities for edu-cation about the state of our finances and why it is important for everyone to be a steward of the Church. Key dates:

October 30: Stewardship Vision Awareness Three Stewardship JourneysNovember 6: Stewardship Journey in Worship Ministry Celebration Pledge Cards mailedNovember 13: Stewardship Journey in Worship Pledge Cards due Thanks for Giving luncheon

There will be updates on our progress throughout the season. Please take this opportunity to become more informed about the needs of our church and how we are all vital to the future here. If you have any ques-tions, please feel free to contact any of us.

Nancy MazzoliPhoebe FordBruce Dixon

Josh JewettJake Kommer

Leslie Lee

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FINANCES AS OF JUNE 30, 2016

Financial Performance Six Months Ended June 30, 2016: A Church in Transition

Round Hill Community Church, like many religious or-ganizations in the country, and especially in the Northeast U.S., is in transition. The Church’s founders were able to build the Church without debt, support a ministry and music program that formed a spiritual haven for back-country families, and fund a modest endowment to en-sure the Church’s financial security. Today, RHCC continues to deliver inspirational preaching as well as beautiful music. The Church is for-tunate to have exceptional ministers in place and is work-ing to add a dynamic music director to ensure its musi-cal heritage continues. A core group of supporters give their time, energy, and financial resources to the Church. However, each year, this group gets smaller as members age and move away from Greenwich. The Church has not been able to replace the same level of pledges that its de-parting members provided in prior years. A number of strategic initiatives have been approved by the Board of Trustees to reverse declining member sup-port of the Church. The Strategic Plan for Growth was adopted in 2016, and sets forth a vision of supporting the ministry and programs that our longtime members desire as well as identifying new programs and missions that will attract young families seeking greater spirituality in their lives. The Church also recently hired a consulting firm to help with the stewardship program.

How Does the Church Pay Its Bills?In 2016, the Church has budgeted annual operating ex-penses totaling $1,240,000. This year we received pledges from 90 of our 150 active members. These pledges and other contributions are budgeted at $401,000 and will cover approximately 32% of the annual operating expen-ditures. We need to grow the membership so that pledges cover at least 60% of annual expenditures. This year bud-geted expenses not covered by pledges are to be funded by rental income of the Community House ($122,300) and the Cell Tower ($192,000) as well as drawing down the endowment ($510,000). At June 30, 2016, the endowment totaled $4,800,000. The Church for many years has relied on the endow-ment to fund approximately $240,000 (about 20%) of its annual operating costs and benevolence giving. In 2016, the Board of Trustees approved a budget whereby an ad-ditional $270,000 in the first year would be used to pay for our new Associate Pastor and programs to be developed in support of the Strategic Plan for Growth, the mission of which is to double our membership over five years. A total of $600,000 of supplemental spending has been ear-marked over a three-year period.

Where Does the Church Spend Its Money?The Church incurs fixed costs that are predictable and re-curring each year, and variable costs that are discretion-ary. Fixed costs include personnel costs for salaries, hous-ing, health care, benefits, and taxes that are budgeted to total approximately $730,000 or 60% of annual operating costs in 2016. Other fixed costs include utilities, insurance, repairs and maintenance on the Church, the Parsonage, and the Community House, as well as weeding, pruning, and snow plowing, and are budgeted at $270,000. The Church’s variable expenditures include the cost of music soloists and guest musicians budgeted at $60,000, planned outreach giving of $90,000, a portion of which is funded directly by member contributions, and in 2016 $94,000 was earmarked for special initiatives in support of the Strategic Plan.

Results of Operations for 6 Months Ended June 30For the first six months of 2016, the Church has incurred a deficit from operations of $40,800 versus a budgeted defi-cit of $45,100. Pledges and other member contributions are lower than budget by $32,000, reflecting the fact that many pay their pledges in December, whereas the bud-get assumes pledges flow in equally each month. For the first six months of 2016, the Church has drawn down the endowment by $46,100 less than budgeted because many of the special initiatives will be rolled out in 2017. As a result, spending on these initiatives is under budget by $35,000. Outreach giving, while presently under budget, is expected to increase to amounts budgeted by year-end. All other fixed and variable expenses are running at bud-geted amounts and are projected to do so for the balance of the year.

Challenges AheadRHCC must add new members to remain a viable and relevant institution. We have begun to put in place the people and programs that we believe are appealing to longtime members as well as attractive to new members, including young families. Success is occurring but this is a multi-year program. It is the job of all members to be ambassadors of the Church and to introduce our friends and neighbors to this special place. The Board of Trustees has recently hired Hewett Con-sulting to help our leaders develop a more effective model of annual stewardship and other giving with the goal of raising member contributions to cover 60% of annual ex-penditures. This will reduce our dependence on the en-dowment in the years to come. We hope you will participate in a deeper dialogue about how you can assist the stewardship program of the Church. Your comments and guidance are welcome.

– Craig McKibben, Finance Chair

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6:30 p.m. Meditation/Stress Reduction

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410:00 a.m. Worship and Church SchoolEd Horstman preaching

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Labor Day, Office Closed

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4-6 p.m. Volunteer atInspirica

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8 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

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11RALLY SUNDAY10 a.m. Wor-ship and Church SchoolEd Horstman preaching11 a.m. Picnic and Fun, lawn

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3 p.m. Music Committee Mtg.

7:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Mtg.

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4-6 p.m. Volunteer atInspirica

7 p.m. Outreach Committee Mtg.

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5-9 p.m. Alliance Francaise Cocktail Soiree

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6:30 p.m. Meditation/Stress Reduction

8 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

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6 p.m. Friday Night Live Community Youth Gathering

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1810:00 a.m. Worship and Church SchoolEd Horstman preaching11:30 a.m. Sim-ply Smiles stories

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3 p.m. Cooking for Inspirica

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4-6 p.m. Volunteer atInspirica

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8 p.m. Choir Rehearsal

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3 p.m. Blessing of the Animals set-up

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10:00 a.m. Blessing of the AnimalsCommunity House

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4-6 p.m. Volunteer atInspirica

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6:30 p.m. Meditation/Stress Reduction

8 p.m. Choir Rehear

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In Les Beaux Arts Gallery

Positive OutlookLandscapes by Yukio Ishizuka

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

SEPTEMBER 2016 AT ROUND HILL COMMUNITY CHURCH

Round Hill Community Church395 Round Hill RoadGreenwich, CT 06831