Beloved,
We have received many inquiries
regarding two memorial services scheduled for later this week.
Here is the schedule as of today;
and if you have any questions, please call the church office at 815-544-6402:
John F. Kemp
Visitation at Church on Wednesday
(4-8 pm)
Memorial Service at Church on
Thursday (11 am)
Sara K. Williams
Visitation at Buck-Wheeler FH on
Thursday (5-8 pm)
Memorial Service at Church on Friday
(11 am)
Certainly, the preceding is
sobering; and as we praise the Lord for the eternal life for Sara and John
and beg His mercies for family and friends, we differentiate the important from
the incidental with greater firmness. I recommend clicking on www.koppdisclosure.com for more on
that.
Speaking of sobering moments, these
are tight financial times in our nation, counties, communities, and
churches. As we praised God for the wherewithal to drain reserves to
complete the first and biggest part of our "Blessings Campaign" with
joy and anticipation and praise Him for continuing excitement, activity,
expansion, and opportunity, our wherewithal for general expenses (viz.,
maintenance, utilities, bills, remuneration, etc.) is lagging. For
example, while we still have reserved funds to meet designated ministries,
today's general fund checking account for the aforementioned is $128.78.
Surely, we trust Him to supply the
resources for our life and ministry together.
However, tough decisions are being
made right now.
For example, we are now
micro-managing daily expenses. No one - member, officer, or staff - is
authorized to spend $ for anything unless it passes through a procedure under
the review of Session; or as I told one fellah, "If you buy it apart from
prior approval, be prepared to pay for it and not be reimbursed."
We are not in a panic mode.
We are doing quite well in this
terribly difficult economic culture.
It's just that - despite the heroic
stewardship of Carl, Dale, and Pat during the "Blessings Campaign" -
there ain't much wiggle room anymore.
Surely, as our recent bathroom,
playground, and pantry experiences illustrate, our family of faith is
resilient, resourceful, and, most important, faithful.
Recently (8/15/12), I sent a
confidential memo to our elders; and the time has come to share it with the
whole family (slight editing):
Friends,
Our last Session meeting was typical
of the totally
awesome way our Lord is working
through elders,
deacons, members, and staff to be a
beacon for
Jesus and safe haven for all of His
children on the
corner of Lincoln and Main.
Anyway, I would like to handle one
item right now
before there is any more
discussion/deliberation
on it: staff remuneration for 2013.
Our Finance and Personnel chairdudes,
echoed by
almost everyone in attendance,
lamented no increases
in remuneration for staff for the past
four years and
expressed passion for doing something
about it in
2013.
Their comments were affirming and
affectionate and
profoundly appreciated.
We have made two remunerative
adjustments in the
past year: a 20% increase for the DOMA
at my
recommendation as figured out by
Finance/Personnel
and 40% remunerative savings by
reduction in calling
our new CE/Youth person.
Everyone else has stayed
the same for the past four years;
which is tantamount
to an actual decrease in remuneration
juxtaposed to
the cost of living and so on.
As I told Session on Monday and will
reiterate now, I
have already told staff there will be
no remunerative
increases for 2013.
Deliberations regarding an accompanist
for the
Chancel Choir and second service
continue.
Now I'm going to say something that I
decided
several months ago that I will not reconsider.
The pastor's remuneration - terms of
call - are approved
upon recommendation of
Finance/Personnel/Session by
the congregation. All other staff remunerative packages
are at the prerogative of Session and
not subject to
congregational approval. Surely,
the congregation can
comment; but Session approves and the
congregation
receives that approval. Conversely, the Session can
recommend and comment on my
remuneration; however,
the congregation approves the terms of
call at its
prerogative at the annual meeting to
receive reports and
the budget. Only the congregation has the right to
approve
the terms of call.
The preceding is important as I want
to make this completely
clear with enthusiasm and without
equivocation. Under
no
circumstances will I accept or
entertain an increase to my
remuneration (terms of call) for
2013. I will declare any
motions to that effect to be out of
order and such a moderator's
ruling can only be challenged and
reversed by a 75% vote
of the congregation. Any
recommendation from anyone to
increase the pastor's remuneration,
therefore, will provoke
uncomfortable discussion.
Parenthetically, I believe all other
staff members must be
treated equally because they are all
doing a great job -
percentage increases concomitant to
current remuneration -
and, therefore, I will not inhibit increases
for the rest of the
staff in 2013. That is Session's
prerogative and I will not
interfere.
Let me stress, again, that I will not
accept and will use my
moderatorial prerogatives to prevent
any increases for
the pastor.
While I still have a selfish covet in
my life, that's between
God and me. I struggle with it
daily; though it is related to
my evangelistic ministry, personal
refreshment, and safety.
I submit to His will on that.
My call to our family of faith is
unrelated to remuneration.
My call to our family of faith
increases daily; and I am more
excited with more energy for our life
and ministry together
for the next decade than I have been
for the last one.
My wife and children will adjust with
me as necessary.
Note this well because it is the
passion that prompts this
inconvertible conclusion. I
cannot accept an increase when
members of our family of faith are
losing their homes, jobs,
cutting back in all areas of family
life, and all of the rest with
no signs of relief on the horizon.
Granted, the stewardship of
reserves/endowments despite
the best efforts of our friends
contributes to our vigilance
and my decision that any increase in
my remuneration
would appear selfish on my part and
reckless on our part.
I apologize for the length of this
note; but I felt it must be
said as completely and clearly as
possible to prevent
misunderstandings.
I cannot begin to tell you how
thankful I am for the privilege
to be in life and ministry with you;
and the aforementioned
only increases my joy and sense of
vocational stability.
I am just scratching the surface of my relationship
with Jesus - personally and as your undershepherd -
and feel like our increasing
intimacies with Him and His
are kinda like hanging onto the
coattails of the Holy Sprit
for the greatest adventure this side
of heaven.
Blessings and Love!
Again, in the spirit of John
3:19-21, I thought you should know.
Blessings and Love!
