Three Things from Admin Council

The Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday May 21st immediately following the Worship Service. Here are "The Three Things" that you need to know from that meeting.

1. Hospitality as a Focus
   We centered our "New Business" time around a larger conversation of Hospitality. Oftentimes we think of hospitality in very narrow terms -- it is that thing that we outsource to the Fellowship Team and the Greeters in the Narthex, right? But actually, hospitality is something that needs to be baked in to everything that we are and everything that we do as Christians. That means that hospitality needs to be a part of each of our ministry teams. Over the course of the conversation we reframed hospitality as invitations and follow-up. So what are we doing that invites folks to be a part of our community? What makes FCC Scottsdale a warm and inviting place? And how can we follow-up with folks who have participated in some aspect of our ministry?
   
2. Property Updates
   We received several updates on church property related projects. New doors will be installed in the sanctuary this summer and the parking lot has been resealed. Administrative Council authorized Curt McCormick to seek an appraisal of our buildings as a supplement to our insurance. And we received the good news that through the first five months of the year our income is exceeding our expenses!
   
3. Post-Election Plans
   During my Pastor's Report I shared my plans for communicating with the church following the UUA General Assembly's Presidential Election. 

Three Things from the Elders Meeting

The Elders had their regularly scheduled meeting this past Sunday following the Membership Potluck.

As is our practices, here are "The Three Things" we want you to know from that meeting.

1. The Elders have made dozens of visits and contacts with our church members
   Our Elders are reaching out to the homebound and hospitalized members of our congregation on a regular basis. They are checking in with the members of their Shepherding Groups. They are extending the care and compassion of Christ. The reported number here ("dozens") is a bit loose, because they are still formalizing the total number of visits, cards, phone calls, and emails they have sent out...but know that your Elders are hard at work in their care-giving ministry!
   
   
2. They Cleaned-up Their Visitation Lists
   You probably don't know this, but the Elders keep a detailed list of our homebound members, those members in hospitals, those members recovering at rehab facilities, and members in need of prayer. We update those lists weekly via email correspondence, but at our Elders Meetings we walk through those lists, name by name to offer any further updates and discern who is missing from our lists and who has graduated off of them.
   
   
3. Prayers for our Baptismal Candidates
   I reported to the Elders on Sunday that we have three baptismal candidates this year: Jordan, Darren, and Henry. As they are completing their "Pastor's Class" with me in preparation for baptism on Easter Morning, I asked the Elders to please keep these three youth in their prayers. Jordan, Darren, and Henry are as excited to be baptized and fully welcomed into the membership of this congregation and the fellowship of the wider church as any baptismal candidates I have ever seen!

Three Things from Admin Council

The Administrative Council held their regularly scheduled meeting this past Sunday immediately following the Worship Service. Here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting:

1. S.A.I.L. Coming up on June 14 to July 19
   Our Summer Adventures In Learning series will return for a third straight year, with the program running every Wednesday Night from 5:45 to 7:30 from June 14 to July 19. There will be dinner, Bible stories, dramatic performances, crafts, songs, and wonderful fellowship! Postcards will be going out shortly to all of our young people and volunteer opportunities will be coming up for our church members!
   
2. Understanding our Love Gift Policy
   Mary led an excellent discussion on the church's "Love Gift" Policy. (For the record, "Love Gifts" are any financial donation that is made by a member or a friend of FCC Scottsdale that is not a part of their regular pledge or offering). The discussion helped all of the Admin Council members come to a clearer understanding of our church's financials, the difference between designated and undesignated gifts, and how we can better record the wishes of the giver for our church records. If you would like to see a copy of the "Love Gift" Policy then just contact us in the church office.
   
3. Introduction of the General Minister and President Nominee
   Rev. Brian offered a thorough introduction of the Rev. Teresa "Terri" Hord Owens who is our nominee for the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The election will happen at General Assembly in Indianapolis this summer. Rather than rehash the introduction that was offered, you can learn more about Rev. Terri at the "Meet the Candidate" page on the Disciples.org website. In fact, stop by regularly because they are updating that page all the time with new materials!

I was in Indianapolis earlier this week for the General Board Meeting of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada.

Since we’ve developed this practice with our leadership board here at FCC Scottsdale, it only seems fair to do the same thing for the General Board…so without further adieu, here are “The Three Things” you should know from that meeting!

1. We formally nominated the Rev. Terri Hord Owens as our candidate for General Minister and President of the denomination.
   So there is a little bit of confusion in the church on this one. The General Board is NOT tasked with calling the next President of our denomination – only the General Assembly can do that. What the General Board does is affirm the nomination of a candidate selected by the Search Committee that is then forwarded on to the whole church for a final decision. So at the General Assembly in July we’ll have the chance to call a new GMP, and our candidate is the Rev. Teresa “Terri” Hord Owens.
   
   Rev. Terri is the Dean of Students at the University of Chicago Divinity School where she works with ministers in training, helping to develop the leaders of our tradition and other protestant denominations. In addition to that fulltime job, Rev. Terri also serves as the Senior Pastor of First Christian Church of Downers Grove, IL. That means that she has a unique, first hand understanding of bi-vocational ministry and what it means to serve in a small church context.
   
   What’s more, ministry is a second career for Rev. Terri. She has over 20 years of corporate experience where she served as an executive and consultant with technology companies. She specialized in working with large teams, restructuring organizations, and creatively meeting the needs of large scale operations.
   
   You can learn more about Rev. Terri by clicking here.
   
2. We formally launched a new Mission Imperative for the church.
   We have been doing a two year Mission First! Pilot Project as a General Church. As a part of that process more than 80 Mission Gatherings were held throughout the United States and Canada, with the intention of hearing directly from our churches and rallying around a common mission imperative.
   
   At the General Board Meeting the Mission Council unveiled our Mission Priority: “God calls us to work with and for children, youth and young adults so together we may share and receive the good news of Jesus Christ by creating communities of healing, learning and transformation.”
   
   The hope is that this Mission Priority will help orient the work of local congregations, focus the programs of General Church units, and foster cooperation between local churches.
   
   You can learn more about the Mission Priority and the Mission First Project by clicking here.
   
3. We approved a boatload of reports and resolutions for General Assembly this summer.
   
   The whole church will be gathering in Indianapolis this summer for General Assembly from July 8-12. In the build up to General Assembly we received reports from all of the General Units of the Church and the Regions as well (and that was really exciting! There are incredible things happening in the name of Christ!). We also edited official resolutions for consideration (which is about as boring as it gets, but is nonetheless necessary work!). Those reports and resolutions will posted on the GA Website shortly.
   
   You can learn more about General Assembly by clicking here.

Three Things from the Elders

The Elders had their first meeting of 2017 this past Sunday. Here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting:

1. Daily Email Devotions
Sandi DeFeo, as Chair of the Elders, is sending out Daily Prayer Devotions to our Elders over email in order to help our Spiritual Leaders continue to strengthen their personal faith life.

2. Teaming Up with Membership
The Elders will be working jointly with our Membership Team in order to care for our members and reach out to visitors and prospective members.

3. Upcoming Elders Retreat
The Elders will meet on 2/2/17 from 12:30 until 4:30 for an intentional time of retreat so that they can pray together, plan together, and work
together in service to the Lord!

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their first meeting of 2017 on Sunday January 15 immediately following the worship service. As always, here are "The Three Things" that you should know from that meeting!

1. Joint Lenten Worship Services
For the second year in a row we will be sharing our Lenten Worship Services with our sister congregations at Foothills and Coolwater. FCC Scottsdale will be hosting the Ash Wednesday Service on 3/1/17 at 7PM in our Sanctuary, Foothills will host the Maundy Thursday Service on April 13 and Coolwater will host the Good Friday Service on April 14. It was a great way for us to get to know our brothers and sisters and Christ last year, and I'm sure it is going to be even better a second time around!

2. Finance Team and Gift Policies
The Finance Team will be clarifying our policies and procedures for accepting financial gifts and making sure that they are put to use correctly.

3. Full Budget Review
In a technical part of our work, the Admin Council Reviewed our Budget, and Combined Funds, helping us on our way to a Balanced Budget.

Three Things from Admin Council

Administrative Council had their final regularly scheduled meeting of the year, this past Sunday immediately after the worship service.

Here are "The Three Things You Should Know" from that meeting:

1. Regional Assembly/Asamblea was a huge success
   Thank you to everyone who kept the joint Arizona Regional Assembly/Asamblea in your prayers. It was a different kind of event, because for the first time in a long time we held our Arizona Regional Assembly in conjunction with the Hispanic Convencion's Asamblea. It was a wonderful event with over 300 brothers and sisters in Christ gathering from all over the state of Arizona. Thank you to East Mesa Christian Church for doing such a lovely job hosting our meeting. The worship services were inspiring, the breakout sessions were life giving, the community spirit was palpable. We had a full slate of representatives from FCC Scottsdale in attendance...and oh by the way I was formally installed as the Moderator of the Christian Church in Arizona!
   
2. Admin Council approves a full Nominating Slate for the Annual Meeting
   You'll be seeing the names in the coming days and weeks, but know that our Nominating Team did an incredible job putting together a full slate of Officers, Elders, and Ministry Team Chairs for the coming year. That slate was approved by the Administrative Council and will now go to the full congregational meeting (scheduled for December 11, 2016 immediately following the Worship Service) for final approval.
   
3. Another Successful Stewardship CampaignYou’ll remember that here at the church we received a $10,000 Challenge Grant. For every increase in a pledge this year it will be matched dollar for dollar up to a grand total of $10,000. What’s more, that grant will be used to double every new pledge we received this year! Well, as of Dedication Sunday we have received pledge increases totaling $7,666 and new pledges totaling another $5,040 meaning that the total of $12,706 more than exceeds our Challenge Grant! Great job church!

Three Things from Admin Council

The Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting this past Sunday immediately following the worship service. Here are "The Three Things" you need to know from that meeting:

1) We have several special events coming up!
Please join us for the "Sing Along for Peace" on 9/25 at 2PM in the Sanctuary, the Fellowship Potluck on 10/9, the annual "Unloading of the Pumpkins into the Pumpkin Patch" on 10/15, the Children's Sabbath Worship Service on 10/16, the Stewardship Season Kick-Off on 10/23, and The Fifth with First on 10/30! What a full month!

2) Arizona Regional Assembly on November 4 and 5
Registration is now open for the Arizona Regional Assembly on 11/4-5 hosted by our brothers and sisters at East Mesa Christian Church. Check out the Regional Assembly Website for more information and swing by the Church to register for the event!

3) Financial Review Completed
The Finance Ministry Team reported back to the Administrative Council that the contracted financial review has been completed and a full report received. With the help of Curt and Mary we are "digesting the report" and will be making policy recommendations on any necessary changes.

Three Things from the Elders Meeting

The Elders had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday September 11 right after worship. Here are "The Three Things" that you need to know from that meeting!

1) AZ Regional Assembly
We discussed the upcoming Arizona Regional Assembly (November 4 and 5 hosted by East Mesa Christian Church). This will be a joint Assembly/Asamblea as the Regional Assembly and Hispanic Asamblea will be held jointly for the first time in several years. We discussed the opening festival on Friday night, the guest speakers, business resolutions, and the registration process. You can learn more about the Regional Assembly/Asamblea by visiting RA.AzDisciples.org and you can register in the church office.

2) Open Letter on Racism
While I was attending the Regional Ministers and Moderators Forum in Indianapolis we set aside our business-as-usual agenda in order to have a Spirit-filled and Spirit-led conversation about race in the United States and Canada. As a result of that discussion the Open Letter to the Church in North America was written and then distributed (you will find my signature on the letter). I invite all church members to read that letter and engage in the type of faithful conversation that is described therein. We'll be talking more about this in our September 25 worship service that will focus on the Reconciliation Special Mission Offering.

3) Dialogue Team at FCC Scottsdale
Speaking of Spirit-filled and Spirit-led conversations, the Elders were brought up to speed on work of the Dialogue Team here at FCC Scottsdale. You'll remember that in the wake of the horrific gun violence of this past summer I invited members of congregation to join me in engaging in serious, faithful conversations on what can be a controversial subject. I am pleased to say that the Dialogue Team has been meeting regularly and made significant headway in this project. They have constructed a "Civil Discourse Agreement" that helps guide their conversations, modeled faithful discussion and dialogue, researched the topic of gun violence, and taken steps leading to real action on the issue. One such action is the upcoming "Sing Along for Peace" that we will host at FCC Scottsdale on Sunday September 25 at 2PM as part of Faiths United Concerts Across America series.

Three Things from Administrative Council

It was a busy weekend for Administrative Council. They had their Annual Leadership Retreat on Saturday and then met for their first official meeting of 2016. As always following those regularly scheduled meetings of the Council, here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting:

1) We're in the Black
I am happy to report that we finished 2015 in a strong financial position. Not only were we able to complete all of our Dream Fund Projects, but we were also able to pay all of our bills and still roll over just short of $4000 into our longterm reserves at the end of the year! Your continued generosity and support makes these things happen!

2) A Full House
We are truly blessed to have ever single leadership position filled on Administrative Council. Each ministry team has co-chairs and everyone is excited for the good work that will come in 2016!

3) National Stewardship Conference
I reported to the Council that I have been selected by the Center for Faith and Giving as a "Stewardship Ambassador" on behalf of the wider church. That means that at the end of March (right after Easter) I will be attending a National Stewardship Conference in Orlando, Florida that will bring together some of the best minds and best practices for developing generosity in local congregations. This Conference will be a joint effort between the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and our cousin denomination the United Church Christ. Oh, and as a "Stewardship Ambassador" I have been awarded a full scholarship plus travel expenses to cover the event! I am looking forward to being there, learning lots, and bringing plenty of good things back to the church.

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their last regularly scheduled meeting of 2015 this past Sunday immediately following the Worship Service. Here are the "Three Things" you should know from that meeting!

1) Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee presented a full slate of leaders ready and willing to serve our congregation in 2016. The Administrative Council unanimously approved the slate that will now go to the Annual Congregational Meeting (scheduled for Sunday December 6) for final approval. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Nominating Committee for their prayerful, tireless work on behalf our congregation. Thank you to Judy Kares for chairing the committee and to Ron Prast, Donna Blakely, and Jean Decker  for serving on the Nominating Committee this year. Thank you as well to all of the church members who have accepted the invitation to serve in 2016.

2) Stewardship Season's Blessings
Administrative Council was appreciative of the hard work of the Finance Team and our Pastor in putting together an excellent Stewardship Season. This was our second year of working with the Narrative Budget framework and it was such a joy to spend four weeks talking about the Worship, Mission & Ministry of our congregation alongside of our Dreams.

3) Outreach Ministry Recognitions in our Community

Rev. Judy lifted up a long list of Outreach accomplishments for our church in the month of October. That list included:

• The Pumpkin Patch, our major fundraiser, was a great success thanks to all the 350+ volunteers.Nearly $5000 was raised for the community!
• The Healthy Packs distribution has increased to include all seven Title One elementary schools in Scottsdale!
• We partnered with Scottsdale Congregation UCC as they hosted homeless families on behalf of Family Promise. We helped by preparing and serving dinner on two nights as well as by leading activities after dinner. 
• We gave 35 pairs of glasses to the Lions Club.
• Monthly we donate to Vista Del Camino food bank and to Family Promise.
• We were invited to join city, faith communities, businesses & non-profit leaders from all around Scottsdale for the Mayor’s “Our City” Task Force to help with the needs and concerns of Scottsdale citizens. It is an important gathering of leaders from all around our city, and our church was specifically invited to be there!
• Rev. Judy was asked to deliver the prayer at a recent Paiute Community Center Fundraiser.
• At a recent the Interfaith Breakfast Meeting Rev. Judy was one of three featured presenters that morning, where I had the chance to talk about Healthy Packs.
• Several of our members screened families for Adopt a Family.
• More than 20 Church members participated in the East Valley Crop Walk.

Three Things from the Elders Meeting

The Elders had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday September 27. Here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting:

1. Sharing BlessingsWe opened out meeting in a new way. I've been reading the Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer's terrific new book Beyond Resistance and in a section on leadership and vision he mentions that he likes to begin meetings with one simple question: "Since our last meeting, how have you been blessed by our church?"
   
   Isn't that a great question!
   
   So we opened the Elders Meeting that way and we shared some terrific stories -- from the Women's Retreat to the East Valley Lock-In, the Thank You! Event to the Work Day Crew. In fact, it was such a successful way to start our time together, that we are going to regularly use that question ("Since our last meeting, how have you been blessed by our church?") to open all of our Elders Meetings going forward!
   
2. Reflecting on the AZ Region's Elder Training Event
   On August 29 the Arizona Region hosted an Elder's Training Event in Casa Grande featuring the Rev. Dr. Dick Hamm (former General Minister and President of our Denomination) as our Keynote Speaker. It was a wonderful event with over 100 Elders from all over Arizona gathered together (note: we had six folks from our church in attendance). Learn more about the event by clicking here.
   
   Sandi put together an excellent recap of the event and we took the time at our Elders Meeting to not only catch everyone else up on the presentation, but to also reflect on some of the ideas and issues that were raised at the Training. So at the Elders Meeting this past Sunday we talked about the role of the Elders, best practices with our Shepherding Groups, Considering young people as Elders, how to appropriately address gossip, and what it means to have six generations alive and active in the church.
   
3. Recruiting New Elders
   The Nominating Process is starting back up at First Christian Church Scottsdale, and so we spent some intentional time lifting up those names that we would like to consider for the position of Elder in the future. We have so many wonderful members here at that church and so we brainstormed a list that will be shared with the Nominating Committee going forward. 

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their regular meeting on Sunday September 20, 2015 immediately following the worship service. Here are The Three Things you should know from that meeting:

1. We celebrated the success of the Thanks You! Event on September 19!
   The Dream Team sponsored a church-wide Thank You! Event that included a wonderful luncheon (with special guest speaker, our Regional Minister, the Rev. Denny Williams), and a morning filled with Outreach Opportunities. We had 80+ folks in attendance for the luncheon! We had 17 folks from the church who spent the morning at Feed My Starving Children in Mesa preparing 31,000 meals for starving children around the group and another 18 folks who met up at the church to make Plarn ("plastic yarn") that will be crocheted into sleeping mats for local homeless men and women.
   
2. Council Approved a full Energy Audit of our Church Campus!
   On the recommendation of our Green Team, Administrative Council approved a full Energy Audit of our church buildings. Rev. Brian has been in contact with a local engineering firm that has agreed to do the audit at no charge and will provide us with a full breakdown of cost saving measures, possibilities, and opportunities for us at the church.
   
3. Hope Partnership Education Survey Needs Your Responses!
   The Hope Partnership Team has begun working to revitalize our Education Ministries here at the church. As a part of that process they have put together a "Christian Education Survey" in order to learn about the wants and needs of our congregation, as well as to discern the best times and places to offer new classes. 

Three Things: Administrative Council

Administrative Council held their regular meeting after worship on July 26, 2015, and here are "The Three Things You Should Know" from that meeting!

1. Multiple Dream Fund Projects Approved!At July’s Admin. Council Meeting the following projects were also approved:
   -- Hired Max Beckman as the newest member of the Praise Team!
   -- New Playground Equipment will be going in for our youth!
   -- New screens and projectors will be going in to the sanctuary!
   -- An upgraded soundboard with the ability to fully record the entire worship service will be installed!
   -- We will be hosting a "Thank You...Now Let's Keep Dreaming!" Event on September 19!
   
2. Budget Numbers Look Great!Our Treasurer did a happy dance in reporting that we are ahead of budget through the midway point of the year and that we are on track for the rest of the year!
   
3. Celebrating the S.A.I.L. Program We celebrated the good news that the S.A.I.L. Program (a project that grew out of the Dream Fund, by the way) was such an overwhelming success! Thank you to Julie and Carol for organizing it, to our church members from volunteering and participating, and our youth and families for taking part in the Summer Adventures In Learning!

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting this past Sunday following the worship service. Here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting!

1. A New Name: The Dream TeamThe Dream Fund Task Force continues to meet regularly in order to put our budget surplus to good use for the work of the Lord. They have prioritized several key dreams and are currently collecting bids from different vendors in order to make them happen. They hope to have several bids ready for Administrative Council's approval at the next Administrative Council Meeting. That said, it has been exciting to watch as the Dream Fund Task Force is evolving into something new. The meetings are dynamic and energetic, and this Task Force has become more than a group committed to faithfully putting our budget surplus to work. In fact, it has become an incubator of new and innovative ideas at the church. They aren't simply taking the dream suggestions from the congregation, they are tapping into the Spirit alive and at work at FCC Scottsdale and seeking to dream big dreams for our church. As such, on the recommendation from Administrative Council we are going to stop calling them The Dream Fund Task Force and simply rechristen them as The Dream Team! This is the place (hopefully one among many, actually) where church leaders are coming to dream together about what is possible for our church and what God is calling us to do. How wonderfully exciting!
   
2. A New VBS: The SAIL Program
   One of the Dream Fund dreams that is coming to fruition is a new model of Vacation Bible School. Several dreams from the Dream Fund Box mentioned, "Let's bring back VBS!" and we are going to do that, but in a way that better fits our church and our community. A traditional model of VBS (a full day of Vacation Bible Study done five days in a row in the heat of the summer) isn't the most effective model for our church. We know because we asked our parents and our volunteers. Instead, we are going to an intergenerational weekly evening model. We are calling it S.A.I.L (Summer Adventures in Learning) and Julie Erickson has already put together an amazing program! There will be a light supper, there will be themes, there will be events and opportunities to get to know one another as we deepen our faith this summer. Look for more information (including opportunities to volunteer and help out!) in the coming weeks. The S.A.I.L Program will kick off on June 24 and continue on each Wednesday evening through the end of July.
   
3. During the Prayer Vigil: Discerning our Gifts
   The Prayer Vigil runs from Wednesday May 20 until Pentecost Sunday May 27, and the Administrative Council has a special request: Please be in prayer to discern what gifts you have to offer in service to our Lord. What is God calling you to do? What ways can you help our church? What ways can your gifts be put to use to benefit the wider community? At our next Administrative Council Meeting (July 26) we'll be talking about leadership and begin the work of discerning Ministry Team Chairs for 2016, and Administrative Council would particularly appreciate it if our church members would use the Prayer Vigil as an opportunity to begin considering those questions. 

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday March 15 after the worship service. Here are "The Three Things" you need to know from that meeting:

1) The Dream Fund Task Force brought an update of their work (they are meeting regularly, reviewing the dreams from the Dream Fund Suggestion Box, and moving ahead to receive bids on certain items) and also three formal motions for Administrative's Council's approval. Those motions were:

• To use $2500 from the Dream Fund to seed a Long Term Maintenance Fund for the church, with the intention that putting money aside into the Long Term Maintenance Fund would become a regular part of our Annual Budgeting Process. Further, at year's end we will examine putting additional Dream Fund monies into the Long Term Maintenance Fund.
• To increase our giving to the Disciples Mission Fund from 9.75% of our total pledges to a full 10%. This percentage increase means will no longer need to split hairs about being a congregation that tithes to the wider church (if you combine the 9.75% with the donations to Special Day Funds you get a full tithe) and from now forward we will be able to affirm that our 10% pledge to the wider church is the baseline for our giving with other gifts and donations going above and beyond.
• To authorize a financial threshold for the Dream Fund Task Force. The Dream Fund Task Force will be permitted to spend up to $1500 to fully complete Dream Fund Projects without seeking Administrative Council approval. There are several Dream Fund Projects that will only require a small expenditure (like say buying a new handheld recording device to record the entirety of the worship service so that we can share it -- sermons, songs, prayers and all -- with out homebound members) and it did not make sense to hold up those projects pending a full formal vote from the Council. At the same time, for those larger projects that require bigger expenditures (i.e. anything over $1500, like say hiring a guitarist/bass player for the Praise Team or replacing the playground equipment) those expenditures will need to be formally approved by the Administrative Council.

2) The Planned Giving Task Force is having regular meetings and will have formal motions for the Administrative Council in the coming days. These motions will address creating a Gift Policy and re-designating our Endowment Fund as a Foundation for First Christian Church Scottsdale. The Planned Giving Task Force is also discussing ways of recognizing estate gifts, encouraging non-budget gifts to the church, and furthering the culture of generosity here at FCC Scottsdale.

3) We discussed the Holy Week Schedule. This will include:

• Palm Sunday/"The Fifth With First" March 29, 2015 at 8AM and 10:15AM
  Our Workship Crew will gather an hour early, meeting at Chaparral Park at 8AM for a brief service before going to a worksite organized by our partners at Operation Fix-It. This way folks wanting to partipate in both the Workship Service and the special Palm Sunday Worship Service in the Sanctuary (including a Palm Processional, special music, and a dramatic retelling of the Crucifixion story) will be able to do both. Following the Worship Service the "Healthy Packs Assembly Line" will be set up in the Fellowship Hall.
• Maunday Thursday April 2 at 7PM
  We will celebrate the blessed gift of Christ establishing The Lord's Supper during this worship service (consistently my favorite one each and every year) while also taking part in a traditional service of Tennabrae (sharing the holy words of scripture detailing Christ's final hours, while extinguishing candles).
• Easter Sunday April 4 beginning at 8AM
  We will celebrate Christ's resurrection and the gift of new life! The morning will begin with an Easter Breakfast in the Fellowship Hall provided by DWM. The Children and Youth Ministries Team will provide an Easter Egg Hunt for our youngest members and friends. The worship service will feature special music, guest musicians, a powerful sermon, and a church filled with people eager to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Three Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council had their first regularly scheduled meeting of the new year immediately following worship on Sunday January 18, 2015. Here are "The Three Things" you should know from that meeting:

1. Our Financial Health has never been better!
   I lead the Administrative Council in a thorough discussion of our total financial picture here at First Christian Church Scottsdale. Presently we have over $180,000 in total assets on deposit at the bank. Please note, this is in addition to our General Operating Fund. These are largely reserve funds, designated gifts, and the endowment fund. Of those total assets some of the highlights include $33,730 in the Endowment Fund, $18,848 in the Nehemiah Fund (designed to help cover any annual budget shortfalls), $14,183 earmarked for Missions, and $52,071 in the Reserve Fund. In fact, did you know that we ended 2014 with a small budget surplus and were able to move $3,578 into the Reserve Fund. Financially, thanks to your generosity, the good stewardship of the Administrative Council, and the fiscal planning of the church we are in great shape!
   
2. Administrative Council Retreat
   As has been our tradition for the last five years, the Administrative Council will start off the new year by meeting for their Annual Leadership Retreat. This will happen this coming Saturday, January 24. Julie Erickson has graciously opened up her home to us. The Council will be meeting for a time of prayer, reflection, goal setting, and faithful conversation that will set the stage for our work this year.
   
3. The Evolution of the Administrative Council Meetings
   The Administrative Council will continue having regular scheduled meetings every other month (our next meeting will be Sunday March 15 following worship), but the nature of those meetings will be evolving throughout the year. The Administrative Council will be intentionally working on long term and short term goals. Less of our meeting time will be built around hearing reports (those will be turned in ahead of time and will have a specific section for "Celebrations" to help us share the good news of what is happening at FCC Scottsdale) and more of the meeting time will be given over to big picture issues and discussions about where God is calling us and how we will faithfully get there. It is an exciting time for the Administrative Council, and we will be working hard to find ways to share the success stories of what is happening here at our church. Later this year you can look forward to new sections in our Newsletter and on our website to highlight our "Celebrations of FCC!"

3 Things from Administrative Council

Administrative Council held their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday September 21 immediately
following the Pumpkin Patch Information Session that immediately followed the Worship Service. As always, here are "The Three Things" you need to know from that meeting:

1. Calendar Stuff!The Calendar is getting quite full at FCC Scottsdale. In the coming weeks we have:
   -- The Spiritual Gifts Potluck Luncheon on Sunday 9/28 in the Fellowship
   -- The Disciples 101 Class in the on 9/28 (immediately following the luncheon) in the Sanctuary.
   -- The first Keenagers Luncheon of the Season on 10/1 in the Fellowship Hall (featuring the music of the Rags Allen Band!)
   -- Girl's Nite Out on 10/7 in the Fellowship with special guest speaker, our very own Katie Ballentine!
   -- The Pumpkin Patch Delivery on 10/11
   -- The Membership Appreciation Luncheon on 10/19 (which will be feature the 2014 Chili Cook Off!)
   
2. The Budget
   In advance of our upcoming Stewardship Campaign, Administrative Council reviewed the 2015 Budget Proposal. Our Finance Team (and particularly our Treasurer) has been working tirelessly to put all of our budget line items together to help us further our mission and ministry and continue our work of reaching out into our community with the good news of God's love!
   
3. Regional AssemblyThe Arizona Regional Assembly will be held at First Christian Church Tucson on October 24 and 25. If you are interested in attending then come and talk to us in the Church Office and we'll get you all signed up. You can learn more about the Arizona Regional Assembly by visiting the website -- RA.AZDisciples.org
   

Three Things from the Elders

The Elders had their regularly scheduled meeting on Sunday September 7 after the worship service. Here are The Three Things you should know from that meeting!

1. We spent a good portion of the meeting prayerfully discerning who should be nominated to serve as Elders beginning in 2015. It was a fruitful, spirit led conversation that will lead to good things for the spiritual leadership of FCC Scottsdale. In the coming days and weeks individual Elders will be approaching members of the congregation to ask them to consider serving as an Elder at FCC Scottsdale.
   
2. Regional Assembly is coming October 23-24 at First Christian Church in Tucson. You can read more about Regional Assembly on the Blog by clicking here, or you can go straight to the source and visit the Regional Assembly Website by clicking here.
   
3. Speaking of Regional Assembly, I have been nominated to serve as Vice Moderator for the Arizona Region! I spoke with the Elders about the responsibilities and opportunities that come with this position, and they enthusiastically offered their support. 

Three Things from Administrative Council

This past Sunday our Administrative Council did something different.

You see, for the very first time we met for a “Mid-Year Appraisal”.

For several years now Administrative Council has had a special retreat at the beginning of the year to identify our goals and lay out a plan for the year. This year we decided to take an extra step and carve out a special meeting in the middle of the year to see how we are doing, identify the larger issues before us, and spell out our top priorities for the remainder of 2014.

You all know that I like to end every meeting by brainstorming “The Three Things You Should Know…” Well, it just so happens we have Three Top Priorities for the remainder of 2014! So here they are:

1. Strengthen the Education Program at FCC ScottsdaleWe have a special Education Task Force that is already meeting to discuss the educational needs and faith formation opportunities here at the church. Be on the look out for some exciting new things!
   
2. Recruit/Train Leaders for the Coming Year(s)This is about more than filling out the slate for the nominating committee. We are seeking to develop a pipeline of leaders to serve our congregation (and the wider community) for years to come.
   
3. Focus on Financial ResponsibilityIn addition to developing the 2015 Budget and coordinating the Annual Stewardship Campaign, we’ll be looking into developing our Planned Gifts and starting up with the SCRIP Gift Card system. More details to come!

Yours in the Journey, Rev. Brian

Bonus “Fourth Thing” from the Meeting: With Administrative Council’s blessing I have accepted the nomination to serve as Vice Moderator for the AZ Region!