GIFTS AND MEMORIALS

Have you ever had a wonderful feeling that you had been especially blessed?  What have you done? . . thanked God, surely, but have you ever gone beyond that verbal thanks to something more tangible?  I’m sure that many of you have and will again.  Religious organizations all over the world rely on that family or individual who go beyond the “verbal thanks” and give modest and generous gifts to their churches and other places of worship.  Many times these donations are given as memorials of those we have loved and lost, but gifts can be given at any time to augment the needs of various areas of the church that can’t be covered by pledges.  We have some of those needs!  Won’t you, at some time, when you feel especially blessed, consider a gift to your church or favorite group within the church?

The following is a Vestry approved list for appropriate items that can be purchased as a gift or memorial.

1. Remodel our Sacristy. (Where all vestments, silver, and candlesticks are stored and where the Altar Guild members work – approximate cost: $3,000.00)

2. Remodeling our choir room (new cabinets for robes, white boards instead of black boards, and other improvements.)

3. New furniture for the Rector’s office. (Approximate cost $2,000.00)

4. A tape player, VCR and CD player with rolling table or cabinet to house them, for Sunday School, Youth, ECW and Adult Ed to use.  The one we have is very outdated.  You know how the kids love to listen to CD’s and tapes.  The Diocese has many that we could get from their library for Christian instruction if we had the correct equipment.  (Approximate cost:  $1,700 plus table $300.00)

5. Our church has and hosts many meetings in the Parish Hall and we need 5 good Seminar Tables (8’ x 18”) for better use of our space for these meetings.  Many of our present tables are getting broken along the edges and need to be replaced so clothing doesn’t catch on them. (Approximate cost: $90.00 to $250.00 each)

6. Have you looked at the baseboards in our church proper lately?  They are very old and look shoddy to our newcomers.  First impressions mean a lot in looks as well as preaching and liturgy.  Let’s put our best foot forward.  These need to be restored.  (Approximate cost: Property Committee is investigating)

7. Also needed in the Church are new track racks on the back of the pews to replace the present ones. More informational material could be available to new comers and parishioners if these were larger.  (Approximate cost: $34.00 each for 23 pews)

8. Our committee has recommended a changeable directory sign.  This would be placed at the inside back entrance to direct guests to various areas of the church, e.g. the church office, church proper, Sunday School rooms, library, rest rooms, parish hall.  Frequently, when guests enter from the parking lot, they don’t know which way to go.  Wouldn’t a sign help St. John’s to be more people friendly?  (Approximate cost: $95.00 plus shipping – 5 inserts to 10 inserts $130 plus shipping)

9. New swivel torches are needed for the acolytes to use so candle wax doesn’t  drip on the altar linens.

10. A woven cloth to cover the cremation urns at memorial services.

11. Vestment and Choir robes always need to be replaced or added to.

12. Communion kits to be used by our Lay Eucharistic Visitors when making calls to shut-ins and hospitals.

13. A marker at the cemetery with an etching or picture of our church to be placed at the spot of the original church location there.

14. The Library can always use money to add new books, tapes and materials.

15. Always needed are new Prayer books and Hymnals to replace the worn ones.  Many of you may have noticed loose pages or ones falling out.  Please turn these into the office.  We are glad that they are getting good use, but they do wear out.