New Hampshire Council of ChurchesFurthering Christian unity, life, and action in New Hampshire

Candlelight Vigil for a Time of National Anxiety, January 10,Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH

2020 Annual Report

ContentsContents........................................................................................2

Executive Director’s Message.......................................................3

Year in Review..............................................................................4

Relationships..............................................................................4

Programming.............................................................................5

Giving............................................................................................9

Denominational Gifts..................................................................9

Congregational Donations..........................................................9

Annual Appeal..........................................................................10

Board of Directors.......................................................................11

Membership.............................................................................11

Election of Officers...................................................................11

2021 Budget...............................................................................12

Annual Report of Finances...........................................................14

Denominational and Church Support........................................16

2

Executive Director’s MessageEncourage and build up one another. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Over the past year, the NH Council of Churches how shown itself to be an organization that makes us stronger together. This year has shown me the amazing things God can do through us.

As you read this Report you will see many examples of how our churches cooperated and became stronger together, including:

1. Mutual support, sharing and prayer in the pandemic2. Confronting racism and antisemitism in New Hampshire3. Hiring a new chaplain to the Women’s Prison4. Joint Statement on Substance Use Disorder and Recovery5. Support for our immigrant neighbors through prayer vigils6. Growth of NH Interfaith Power and Light

For the first time since 2017, the Council expects to have a nearly-balanced budget after years of deficit spending from its invested funds. This change will make the Council’s operation stable for years to come.

To accomplish this, two major changes will happen in 2021:

1. The Council will close its office space after March 31 as we embrace online meetings and paperless operation.

2. The position of Executive Director will become a half-time position by midyear, which has been our historic practice.

We commit to keeping you informed as these changes progress and the Council of Churches continues its ministry of uniting our churches so that we can be stronger together.

Yours in faith,

Rev. Jason Wells, ExecutiveDirector

3

Year in ReviewThe NH Council of Churches is made up of 9 member denominations, totaling around 380 congregations. In 2020, the Council’s primary work focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and racial injustice, bringing together denominations and congregational leaders for support, information and conversation.

RelationshipsOur weekly email newsletters now reach 850 subscribers. Most importantly, this tool helped us form a 2020 Cycle of Prayer to pray for 7-9 congregations each week throughout the state.

Throughout the year, Rev. Jason Wells preached in the following congregations.

January 12 Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd NashuaMarch 8 St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church ManchesterApril 5 Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua NashuaApril 26 YouTube sermon series on 1 PeterMay 3 YouTube sermon series on 1 PeterMay 10 YouTube sermon series on 1 PeterMay 17 YouTube sermon series on 1 PeterMay 24 YouTube sermon series on 1 PeterMay 3 United Church of Acworth AcworthMay 10 United Church of Warner WarnerJune 14 Grace Episcopal Church ManchesterJune 21 Concordia Lutheran Church ConcordJuly 5 St. Christopher Episcopal Church HampsteadJuly 13 Hillsboro United Methodist Church HillsboroJuly 26 Bedford Presbyterian Church BedfordAugust 2 First Congregational Church ConcordOctober 18 Durham Unitarian Universalist Fellowship DurhamOctober 25 Durham Community Church Durham

4

November 15 St. Matthew Episcopal Church GoffstownNovember 22 St. Christopher Episcopal Church HampsteadDecember 6 Christ Episcopal Church Exeter

Programming

COVID ResponseAs early as March 23, the Council organized a Zoom presentation with Yale epidemiologist Dr. Nicholas Christakis to educate churchleaders about what would be coming in the next months. Also, theCouncil began hosting regular Zoom calls between our 9 denominational leaders to support each other and share resources, ideas and messages.

In May, Rev. Jason Wells organized interfaith leaders (evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist) in the state. We advised Governor Sununu on the guidance given to Places of Worship under his May 29 Stay At Home order. The Council then worked tocommunicate and interpret the guidance for church leaders. The Executive Director regularly commented in the media about how churches were handling the disruptions due to COVID.

In October, NH denominational leaders joined their colleagues across New England in signing the letter “Lament and Live Together” urging good mental health support for clergy leaders inthe pandemic. Locally, we joined the national Mourning Into Unity project to lead candlelight vigils for those who died of COVID.

Confronting Racism and AntisemitismFollowing the murder of George Floyd, the Council led denominational leaders in writing an Open Letter on Racial Justice. This letter was circulated among churches and media.

In July, the Council offered a month-long book study on James Cone’s The Cross and the Lynching Tree with about 50 participants each week.

5

The NH Council of Churches joined the Jewish Federation and Catholic Diocese in testifying on SB727 (later HB1135), which required Holocaust and genocide education in school curricula. The law passed and the Council was invited to name a person to sit on the Governor's Commission on Holocaust and Genocide Education, currently filled by Rev. Zachary Harmon of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Hampstead.

Following several public acts of antisemitism, the Council organized denominational leaders in a letter condemning the actions and joined the Jewish Federation in a joint statement.

From these efforts, the Council played a leading role in interfaith conversations on anti-racism with Jewish, Catholic and other faith leaders. On December 3, we together led a Zoom conversation onfaith and racism that included nearly 100 participants. Future Zoom conversations were scheduled for January 7 and March 18.

Prison MinistryIn 2019, Pastor Beth Richeson retired her 15-year tenure as the Ecumenical Chaplain to the Women’s Prison. The NH Council of Churches participated in the Department of Corrections interview process to hire a full-time successor, a first for the women’s chaplaincy. Caroline Brown started in her role as chaplain in March 2020, which was immediately upended by the pandemic. The Council continues to promote Chaplain Brown’s work among the network of churches that her predecessor established.

6

Addiction and RecoveryThe pandemic has delayed plans for a Substance Use Awareness Sunday, to be piloted by Hampstead and Atkinson churches. We have built connections with Better Life Partners, who can meet in church buildings when it is safe for recovery counseling and prescriptions for suboxone, a medication to assist treatment.

All of our denominations joined together to approve a Joint Statement on Substance Use Disorder and Recovery (https://nhchurches.org/statements/).

Immigrant SolidarityThe Council continues to coordinate support ministry for New Hampshire’s immigrant families across faith lines through the Immigrant Solidarity Network. Due to the pandemic, Prayer Vigils outside of ICE ended as immigrant check-ins themselves moved to phone calls. Two specific programs included:

The January 29 prayer service of “Holy Family, Migrant Family” held at St. Anne-St. Augustin Church in Manchester. This service connects the story of the Flight into Egypt in Matthew 2 tothe current situation of our immigrant families.

On August 16, we provided leadership for the Immigrant Solidarity Day of Action. This event replaced the summertime Solidarity Walk in 2018 and 2019. Teaming up with Jewish-led Never Again Action, we drove from the Manchester ICE offices to the Strafford County Jail for a “rolling rally” where participants remained in their cars. The Indonesian community provided a socially-distanced meal in take-out boxes afterward.

7

Interfaith Power and LightIn 2019, the Council voted to become the fiscal agent for Interfaith Power and Light (IPL). In the past year, NH IPL became arecognized chapter from the national IPL program. At the end of 2020, NH IPL received a $200,000 grant to help churches with energy audits and efficiency upgrades.

2020 ElectionDuring the election season, the Council joined Open Democracy inhosting September 22 and October 6 Zoom programs on voter education. These were nonpartisan events to bring people trustedand good information about absentee voting and pandemic safety.

On October 28, the Council worked with the What in God’s Name podcast to host webinar on Christian Witness in an Election Season, “Worth Our Salt: The Distinctive Flavor of Christian Witness in this Election Season”

8

GivingIn the place of an in-person Spirit of Unity dinner, the Council designated Sunday, November 1, as a “Spirit of Unity Sunday.”

The Council interviewed Work of the People awardee Arnie Alpert and posted a short video for churches to use in their Sunday services that day: https://nhchurches.org/spiritofunity2020/

The Council board is proud to see our donor base broaden to include congregations and individuals supporting our ministry out of their confidence in our mission. (These financial donations do not include honoraria for Sunday sermons preached.)

Denominational GiftsEvangelical Lutheran Church in America, New England Synod $470Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire $6,000Religious Society of Friends, New England Yearly Meeting $503United Church of Christ, New Hampshire Conference $10,000United Methodist Church, New England Conference $336Unitarian Universalist Association, New England Region $750Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester $1,000Total $19,059

Congregational DonationsEpiscopal Diocese of New Hampshire $450Religious Society of Friends, New England Yearly Meeting $245Presbyterian Church (USA) $1,500United Church of Christ, New Hampshire Conference $1,500Unitarian Universalist Association, New England Region $1,350Other $600Total $5,645

9

Annual AppealSpecial thanks to our individual and congregational donors, who responded to our annual appeal letter of November 1. Your contributions go beyond the denominational gifts above and provide a stable, diverse base of support for our ministry!

Congregational DonorsTotal $3,885

Individual DonorsTotal $1,381

Atkinson Congregational ChurchBedford Presbyterian Church

Church of Christ at Dartmouth College, HanoverConcord Friends Meeting

Congregational Christian Church,FranklinDeering Community Church

Dover Friends MeetingDurham Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

First Congregational Church, ConcordFirst Congregational Church, Walpole

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, LaconiaGreater Concord Interfaith Council

Hanover Friends MeetingLyme Congregational Church

Nelson Congregational ChurchSt. Andrew Episcopal Church, Manchester

St. David Episcopal Church, SalemSt. Paul Lutheran Church, Berlin

Unitarian Universalist Church, ConcordUnitarian Universalist Church, Manchester

United Church of AcworthWeare Monthly Meeting of Friends

10

Board of DirectorsThe NH Council of Churches board is made up of members appointed by their own denominational leaders. We thank them for their faithful work toward our shared mission.

MembershipThroughout the year we welcomed as board appointees:

Rev. Jim Thomas United Church or Christ, NH Conference

Election of OfficersThe current officers were elected at our Annual Meeting on February 29, 2020. Today we express our gratitude for Phil Kimball for his service as our Vice President as we elect his successor, Rev. Jim Thomas.

Current OfficersPresident Rev. Allison Palm Unitarian UniversalistVice President Phil Kimball United Church of ChristSecretary Marian Baker QuakerTreasurer Rev. John Sawyer Presbyterian

Slate to ElectPresident Rev. Allison Palm Unitarian UniversalistVice President Rev. Jim Thomas United Church of ChristSecretary Marian Baker Quaker

Assistant Secretary Rev. Cheryl Meachen United Methodist

11

2021 BudgetThis is a letter of introduction to our 2021 annual budget. The budget was given a unanimous vote of adoption by the board on January 28, 2021.

Here are some highlights:

1. It reduces our annual deficit from $43,579 in 2020 to $8,711in 2021. This is a significant change in our financial trajectory from previous years. For several years, the NHCC has been pullingfrom our invested accounts to cover deficit spending. Even though we still have enough in our invested accounts to cover the2021 deficit, the size of the 2021 deficit is actually within range tobe covered increased fundraising.

2. The expenses in the budget reflect actual costs as seen in 2020. One expense item – rent of office space – has been reducedbecause the NHCC office will be “virtual” as opposed to a physical space.

3. The proposed budget includes a reduced salary for the NHCC Director as our Director moves from full-time to part-time mid-year. For many years, the NHCC had a part-time Director and we know that even though the Director’s hours are being reducedback to part-time this year, it is being done only after increasing the NHCC’s visibility across the state and getting us on solid financial footing, which has been a goal for several years. We are thankful for the extraordinary leadership of Rev. Jason Wells and look forward to his continued ministry with us.

4. Significant increases in grants and donations are expected in 2021. This is in keeping with the trajectory set in 2020 and a hoped-for outcome of our partnership with our fundraising consultant, Leslie Pendleton.

The Rev. John Hardin Sawyer, Treasurer

12

Unanimously approved by the board on January 28, 2021.

2020 2021 Difference Actual

INCOMEIncome from Contributions

Denominational Bodies 18,000 20,000 2,000 17,824Individuals & Miscellaneous 3,000 10,000 7,000 3,962Local Churches 5,000 15,000 10,000 5,646Donations for Sunday Services5,000 2,500 (2,500) 1,794

Income from InvestmentsDividend Income 1,600 1,600 - -Gains on Shares, If Sold 11,000 10,000 (1,000) 11,075Bank Interest 35 20 (15) 12

Income for Restricted ProgramsProgram-Related Donations 10,000 5,000 (5,000) 2,715Grants & Miscellaneous 25,000 21,000 (4,000) 21,500

Total Income 78,635 85,120 6,485 64,528

EXPENSEExecutive Director Payroll 73,965 52,500 (21,465) 67,308Executive Director Benefits, Travel26,339 9,190 (17,149) 17,184FICA, Insurance & Payroll Admin13,414 10,641 (2,774) 10,360Rent 2,400 600 (1,800) 2,400Administrative 3,300 2,000 (1,300) 1,965Telephone 1,600 200 (1,400) 1,738Programs & Services 7,000 2,500 (4,500) 1,889Taxes/Audit & Bookkeeping 6,200 6,200 - 6,882Public Relations & Fundraising3,600 10,000 6,400 -

Total Expenses 137,818 93,831 (43,987) 109,726

NET INCOME (DEFICIT) (59,183) (8,711) 50,472 (45,198)

13

Annual Report of Finances2020 Income & ExpensesTotal Income for 2020 – $69,311.51* (compared to $56,586.49 in 2019)

Total Expenses for 2020 – $112,890.56 (compared to $131,510.22 in 2019)

Deficit Reduction of $31,344.68 ($43,579.05 deficit in 2020, compared to $74,923.73 deficit in 2019)

*Note – Denominational/Local Church/Other Giving was at 31,199.50 for 2020, which was slightly lower ($687.55) than 2019. For the NHCC to have a(nearly) balanced budget in 2021, the Board, in consultation with the fundraising committee being put in place by Leslie Pendleton, will need to work toward increasing this number. The Board is in a unique position to tell the story of the New Hampshire Council of Churches and inspire the generosity of our partner churches and denominations.

Income & Expenses Denominational, Church and other contributions, through January 19, 2021 total $1,767.36

Investment, Grant, and other interest income – $2,500.00

Total Income Y-T-D for 2021 is $4,267.36.

Total Expenses Y-T-D for 2021 are $5,283.10(Expenses have exceeded income by $1,015.74 so far in 2021).

We have received a $2,500 grant from the Synod of the Northeast of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Checking Account and Available Cash (As of October 20, 2020)NHCC Checking Account Balance (Not Restricted): $29,445.05Restricted Account – Women’s Prison: $10,475.47Restricted Account – Kendrick Foundation Grant: $23,500.00Restricted Account – NH Interfaith Power and Light: $6,097.23

Interfaith Power and LightAs approved by the NHCC Board at its November 19, 2019, meeting, (and as outlined in a “Memorandum of Understanding”) the Treasurer assisted in the opening of a checking account under our Federal EIN for the

14

Interfaith Power and Light Program with the understanding that IPL is working toward creating their own 501(c)3.

Until the 501(c)3 is established, these funds will not be commingled with the general operating funds of NHCC, but will be held as a designated fund on behalf of the Interfaith Power and Light Program.

Invested FundsAt the present time, we have $20,643.71 of invested funds in United Church Funds, which are “Unrestricted” and can be drawn upon, if needed. We have $40,270.31 in “Restricted” funds which are designated for other uses and cannot be drawn upon at the present time.

Report prepared byThe Reverend John Sawyer, NHCC Treasurer

15

Denominational and Church Support

16