Cypress Lake United Methodist Church
2007 Year in Review
Our mission is to be dedicated follower of Jesus, making a positive difference for Christ in our community and world. With God’s help, we at Cypress Lake United Methodist Church (CLUMC) have done well in performing this mission. While there are always areas for improvements toward our goal to serve Christ and our community, the information contained in this review for 2007 shows us to be a caring and growing congregation that continually demonstrates our faith and fellowship to the world around us.
This year brought a major change in the leadership of the church. It was formally announce to the congregation, on April 15, Pastor Jamie Westlake was being appointed to a new church. The effective date was at the end of June. It was a decision consistent with
Pastor Denman was born “at an early age” in
Pastor Denman has served a variety of settings in
Pastor Denman is a welcomed addition to
Speaking to those who contribute; each has special skills like those who humbly make Wonderful Wednesday Night Dinners. Most weeks of the year, members and friends and visitors routinely found a wonderful experience in fellowship, Bible Studies and a chance to taste and enjoy the culinary fixings of some of the church’s best cooks.
Those volunteers with gifts of compassion and mercy join the Congregational Care Team. They met the needs of some of those who are lonely and/or who are shut-in. Like most ministries, however, those needing assistance far outweigh the supply of volunteers or the treasures from our congregation.
We have two parish nurses who continue their health programs for our community and church. This past year they provided well received and organized programs for the annual dispersal of flu shots, the periodic blood pressure checks and scheduled blood donor drives. These two nurses also enlightened us with their weekly contribution to the “Chronicle” with sage advice. Each article addressed the means to improve the wellness and wholeness of the body, mind and spirit and often addressed the programs held at the church to meet those needs.
Loving acts of service also are seen in our
Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT) is a private, not-for-profit agency which provides assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault through crisis intervention, shelter and counseling. It provides: emergency protective shelter, a 24-hour crisis hotline, one-on-one counseling, advocacy, support groups, transitional housing, batterer’s intervention groups, community education and awareness, and information and referrals.
From the ongoing Angel Tree and October Focus: individual gifts, client transportation and housing needs, an estimated $4,412.00.
Brightest Horizons is an early childhood development center for low income working families in the
We collected food monthly (First Sunday), delivered three SUV loads of craft supplies and food from March’s focus and provided 163 weeks’ scholarships (state matched), and estimated $ 10,597.00.
The Heights Foundation is a Christian, not-for-profit organization providing long-term intervention to make available life-changing opportunities for the
Our Mother’s Home (OMH) is another not-for-profit organization that provides temporary shelter to teenage mothers and their babies who seek a safe, loving community, where they are taught to love and respect themselves, their children and others. OMH facilitates the educational process toward the emotional and spiritual development in hopes these young mothers become self-sufficient and nurturing mothers and moral members of the community.
We delivered five SUV loads of donated teen clothing, deposable diapers, and other consumables, plus cash from February’s focus. We also paid for septic system repairs, emergency diapers, wipes, paper supplies, new cribs and bedding totaling $5,042.00
Super Kitchen (Community Cooperative Ministries) is also a not-for-profit agency meeting the food and family needs in downtown
Ongoing monthly serving and preparation of “Meals on Wheels”, donations of food and dry goods, paper products supplied regularly amounted to $1287.00.
Additional local activities include:
n Joseph H. Messina Children’s Center ($320.00)
n Providing the CLUMC bus for
n Pastor’s discretion individual gifts ($3488.00)
n Grace Place (a
n Young Life ($2,000.00)
n Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoeboxes (440 boxes collected $563.00);
n United Methodist Women Projects: $1977.00; Heifer Project $20.00; Joseph Messina Children’s Center $320.00.
n United Methodist Men’s Projects: 600 turkeys for Nations Association,
n Conference Programs: $600.00 and the Cuban Church $55.00
n Bright Beginnings also stocked over 400 cans for Bright Horizons
Our
n Florida United Methodist Children’s Home; 5th Sunday collection ($9877.00)
n Bahamas Methodist Habitat Mission Trip whereby seven CLUMC members spent 320 hours in April building a house, refurbishing the caretaker’s cottage, counseled local leaders and made van repairs ($10,669.00)
n The Bahamas Methodist VBS Trip had twelve CLUMC members go in July for children in
n
n And over 400 Samaritan’s Purse Christmas shoeboxes were collected (563.00)
In total, CLUMC people contributed $82,461.00 identified giving.
In addition to the bullet items highlighted above, many hours of time, caring and materials were gladly given in meeting CLUMC mission to be dedicated followers of Jesus, in making a positive difference for Christ in our community and our world.
There also is a wonderful Student Ministry. Under the new Director, Stephanie Lain, they have set out goals to make the CLUMC Youth Group a place to go for our youth. Most programs begin and end in the newly renovated
Each month the youth participate in a service projects in the immediate CLUMC area. They also play a much broader role as they did in the most recent Super Bowl of Caring this past Sunday. In 2007, 11,000 groups throughout the country and beyond donated to a charity selected by the participating organizations. Since the Super Bowl of Caring began as a national grassroots event in 1993, more than $33 million has gone to help those in need.
The Trustee
From the “meeters” and greeters at the Sunday worship services to the Ministry staff we all should take pride in what our church has accomplished. The Operating Account as of
Trustee’s Report:
Parsonage Renovation: Our Parsonage is in very good health. Prior to Doris and Pastor Denman moving in, the kitchen area was renovated with new cabinets and counter tops at a cost of $7,000.00. Outside landscaping was completed around the parsonage costing $6,300.00. The exterior of the parsonage was repainted. New rain gutters were installed, DSL internet service was added and a new washer and dryer were donated and installed. Two other projects should have been completed at time of this writing; the installation of a new sliding patio door, and the installation of a new solid front entrance door. Total expected improvement costs for the parsonage in 2007 exceeded just over $22,000.00.
Church Grounds: Trustees Wayne Stockbower and Archie Blackwell monitor our church grounds.
The Church Bus: Better known as the Don Sell Express, bus continues to serve our church community. The bus just received its “fall detailing”. Bus service is scheduled as required. The bus pavilion, a related project, was completed in early spring. The project was completed under the supervision of Trustee Archie Blackwell at a cost of $16,000.00.
High Tech: This is a continuing effort at CLUMC. We are blessed with a great technical team who continue to make our worship services come to life in our sanctuary and we hope to keep it that way. Dave Dalton heads this team. Trustee Ron Deatherage has been in charge of the installation over the past two years. A number of our technological renovations have come from using interest from Endowment monies. Additional funds approved by our Finance Committee when combined with the Endowment interests helped the Trustees to move quickly to make the necessary enhancements. By the end of 2007, the Trustees invested over $55,000.00 to this important endeavor. As an added bonus, two video cameras, having an estimated value of $100,000.00, were donated truly enhancing the churches technical capabilities.
Other highlights of 2007 identified for our technological enhancements were made primarily to the Sanctuary and connecting buildings. These include: the installation of new lighting, installation of rectangular video screens and three projectors, a large audio computer sound booth, a large video recording booth, new flat screen TVs installed in the infant nursery rooms connecting the Sanctuary, new speakers, wireless microphones for the praise team, other computer upgrades, a new video mixer was installed to allow for the viewing of services in all nursery rooms, a new 32 channel sound board was purchased and installed in the Sanctuary, a new sound equalizer, new speakers, new wireless microphones for the praise team, and a new video mixer installed. For the Fellowship hall there was a large video screen and a new sound-video booth installed along with new speakers placed in the ceiling. Ten new lightweight tables also were part of the purchases for the Fellowship Hall. Lastly, there were some miscellaneous installations and wiring costs, and a new TV monitor in the Narthex areas.
Additional actions taken by our Trustees upgraded stained ceiling tiles and cleaned the air conditioning vents at our nursery to meet Lee Country health inspection standards. They also visited Bright Beginnings to ensure we are in compliance with health/safety requirements.
Finally the Trustees had volunteers expand the library area to allow for more space in the Friendship Room. This was accomplished to allow members and visitors to gather for a quick snack and conversation preceding our Sunday morning services.
The Youth Center renovations were completed this year as previously mentioned. The estimated costs were $20,000.00. The final cost of the renovations to this 35 year old building came to $54,000.00. We changed out old or outdated fixtures throughout the building, and corrected unacceptable or hazardous electrical connections. Happily, part of the overrun costs were defrayed by donations from our youth and Bright Beginnings and through a restricted account designated for the youth.