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UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

LOCAL CHURCH PROFILE

Trinity Christian UCC Skippack, Pa

Pastor Full Time

Pennsylvania Southeast Conference

Ursinus Association

Validation Date _______________

LOCAL CHURCH PROFILE CONTENTS

Position Posting

Who Is God Calling Us To Become?

Who Are We Now?

Who Is Our Neighbor?

References

Consent and Validation

“God is able to provide you with every blessing, so that

having all sufficiency in all things at all times,

you may abound in every good work.”

(2 Corinthians 9:8)

March 20, 2018

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POSITION POSTING

LISTING INFORMATION

SCOPE OF WORK

COMPENSATION & SUPPORT

WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US?

LISTING INFORMATION

Church name: Trinity Christian UCC

Street address: 2009 Church Road, P.O. Box 538, Skippack, Pa 19474

Supplemental web links: www.trinityskippack.org

Additional ecumenical affiliations (e.g. denominations, communions, fellowships):

Conference: Pennsylvania Southeast Conference

Association: Ursinus Association

UCC Conference or Association Staff Contact Person:

Rev. Sharon Morris

Associate Conference Minister

484-949-8774

morris@psec.org

Summary Ministry Description:

Trinity Christian UCC is on a journey to be more diverse and would like to grow both

spiritually and numerically. We are looking for a strong leader who is assertive yet

flexible, enthusiastic, energetic, and who has that light of Jesus shining so bright that it is

contagious. We have a beautiful historic church, an Education Building, and a parsonage

in the heart of our small town ready to welcome your family. Just as the cornerstone was

laid for our historic little church in 1863, we have a solid foundation upon which to build

a new Trinity Christian Church that is a homage to the old but forward facing to serve for

the next millennium. Our church has so much possibility. We want to let our light shine

in the community and the world, but we need someone to guide us to do that. If you are

an innovator, creative, have a passion for understanding and serving the community,

Trinity may be for you.

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What we value about living in our area:

Trinity Christian is the only church in the quaint little village of Skippack, PA

www.skippacktownship.org. Skippack has a small-town, friendly village atmosphere

with a rich history and lots of unique shops. People come from neighboring towns to

enjoy special events held in our historic village, such as Skippack Days, 4th

of July

Parade, car shows, sidewalk sales, Wine Festival and the lights and luminaires that line

the streets during the Christmas season. With the fire company, ambulance and hospitals

nearby as well as proximity to parks (a playground right across from our church) and a

good school system, it is a great place to raise a family. We are about 10 minutes from

the Lansdale Exit of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike which puts us

about an hour from the mountains, 2 hours from the beach, 2 hours from New York City

and less than an hour to Philadelphia.

Current size of membership: 112

Position Title: Full Time Pastor

Position Duration:

Settled – a called position intended for longer-term ministry in which the minister moves

church membership to the congregation and moves standing to related association

Compensation Level:

Full Time

Does the total support package meet conference compensation guidelines?

Yes

SCOPE OF WORK

Preparation and leadership of Sunday worship including scripture study, crafting

of liturgy and bulletin, sermon preparation, guiding and sometimes finding lay

liturgists, planning of music in coordination with musical staff and Worship

Committee, preaching, offering of prayers, etc.

Faith formation and vitality through prayer, Bible study, service, identifying

helpful resources and opportunities and helping lay persons take advantage of

them

Leadership development by working with people in the church to create ministry

and programs

Pastoral care in collaboration with lay people

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Community engagement and leading the way for the church to be an ambassador

of God’s love

Weddings and funerals for participants in the worshipping community

Strategic planning for current and new directions in ministry

Attend meetings (Consistory, Worship Committee, Christian Education

Committee…) and give leadership as needed to church programs, in collaboration

with lay leadership

Participate in wider church activities such as conference, association meetings, and

local ministerial meetings

Administration responsibilities (unless delegated) such as email, website, church

supplies, meetings with Director of Music and Secretary for service planning, etc.

Faithful financial development and stewardship

Responsibility for supervision of staff

Availability to wider community for funerals, weddings, and special worship

programs, as well as serving as a representative of the church to local

organizations

Counseling, listening and referral

Study and prayer to increase faith and to improve skills so as to lead, teach, and

preach better

Energizing and deepening spiritual connections and faith understandings of others

in all they do

Core Competencies:

We hope to find someone who is caring, sensitive, sociable, innovative as well as

organized, goal oriented, time-conscious, and able to motivate and excite the

congregation toward common goals.

COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT

Salary Basis range $44,000 to $62,000 depending on years of experience and parsonage

or housing allowance

Salary plus benefits

What is the expected living situation for your next minister: Parsonage provided

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WHO IS GOD CALLING TO MINISTER WITH US?

1. A pastor to create a nurturing, challenging, and meaningful worship

experiences for a diverse and multigenerational congregation:

Plan and lead Sunday morning worship services, coordinating with music director

and other participants.

Provide practical and relevant, yet scripture-based, spiritual leadership in sermons.

Lead special worship services, e.g. Thanksgiving, Holy Week, Advent & Lent.

Officiate at weddings and funerals; perform sacraments of baptism and

communion.

Be available to the community and other churches for special service programs

and as a representative of our church in community organizations.

Maintain personal spiritual evolution/journey so as to find strength and vision to

lead. Sustain personal self-care practices.

2. Someone to lead the church in development and recruitment for a growing

congregation:

In partnership with Committees, develop and implement programs that grow

membership and giving.

Connect with potential members and prepare them to become members; guide the

congregation in extending our welcoming, supportive and nurturing culture.

Encourage and engage the talents and gifts of members so as to involve them in

the mission and life of the church. Affirm and invite involvement in committees,

music, spiritual growth, special programs, and church maintenance.

Advise the Christian Education Committee in growing the spiritual education

programs and offerings for our children, youth, and adults.

3. Someone to provide compassionate pastoral support:

Maintain regularly scheduled office hours; be available for appointments as

needed outside of office hours.

On a continuing basis, visit and give comfort to the sick, grieving, those in crisis,

and confined or inactive congregants.

Provide pastoral counseling and support to members during important life

transitions (premarital, vocational, family, bereavement, etc.) and in times of

celebration.

Attend meetings and give leadership as needed in relation to church programs, in

collaboration with lay leadership.

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4. A pastor to provide administrative direction and support:

Respond to phone, mail and email contacts in a timely manner; maintain online

presence.

Ensure effective administration of church business by coordinating work among

staff and committees and facilitating communication between committees and

Consistory.

Maintain interface with Conference and UCC at large.

Participate and encourage involvement in local ecumenical and interfaith activities

and organizations.

Maintain communication with the congregation through articles or

announcements, written and spoken, in church newsletters, bulletins and worship

services.

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WHO IS GOD CALLING US TO BECOME?

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all

your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37 NRSV)

Who is God calling you to become as a congregation?

We would like to be a family of worshipers who are loving, accepting and are a glowing

light in our community. We want to continually nurture our faith in God, love in service

and go where God leads us.

WHO ARE WE NOW?

CONGREGATIONAL REFLECTIONS

11-YEAR REPORT

CONGREGATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

PARTICIPATION AND STAFFING

CHURCH FINANCES

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

CONGREGATIONAL REFLECTIONS

Describe your congregation’s life of faith.

Our life of faith at Trinity Christian UCC is focused on spreading God’s good word,

ministering to all in our church family and in our community, and educating our children

about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

We offer Worship Services, Sunday school, Bible Study and Prayer Group Meetings. We

also bring God's message to our greater community by regularly volunteering and

donating items for the community food pantry, and donating Christmas gifts and

homemade cookies to the senior citizens and buy Christmas gifts for the children that rely

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on the community food pantry. We offer Vacation Bible School in the summer,

participate in the Village of Skippack celebrations (e.g. Fourth of July parade and

Christmas caroling through the Village) and hold community dinners and other social

events open to the community. We are a congregation that is blessed to be able to

support our church family and those in need in the greater community.

Describe the Holy Spirit in your midst.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is particularly evident in our worship services through the

gifts of music, message, sacraments and prayer.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is also evident when we gather for meetings and informal

gatherings, and allows us to have an open mind and accepting attitude as we share our

faith journey.

Describe several strengths or positive qualities of your congregation.

Our congregation is warm, friendly, dedicated, prayerful, family-oriented, caring,

service-oriented, generous, and community-focused. We have a core group of committed

individuals who give their time and talents on Consistory and several committees to

ensure the life of the church continues on.

Describe what worship is like when your congregation gathers.

Our Worship Service includes the

traditional aspects of a worship service

with a blend of contemporary some

weeks. The presence of the Holy Spirit

is most evident during the music, joys

and concerns, children's message,

passing of the peace and a sermon that

interprets the scripture readings in a

contemporary framework.

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Describe the educational program and/or faith formation vision of your church.

You will find children of all ages joining together for an exciting Sunday school

program every Sunday, September through May, following the Children's

Message by the pastor. All children are welcome any

Sunday at our Sunday school.

Our Sunday school is an active environment where

children are encouraged to experience new life in

Jesus Christ. We offer a nurturing program from

nursery through age 12. We believe that the future of

the church resides with the children. It is our desire to

provide for them a place where their questions are

always encouraged.

Our Vacation Bible School during the summer allows

children throughout the community to learn about Jesus in a fun and interactive

way.

For adults, we have a “Lunch Bunch” Bible study group which meets every week.

We also have an adult Sunday school class that meets September through May that

focuses on current issues that are tied to Biblical lessons.

Describe how your congregation is organized for ministry and mission.

The church benefits from dedicated members who willingly contribute their time serving

on a variety of committees for the benefit of all. The committee structure is as follows:

Consistory consists of 2 elders, 4 deacons, the pastor, and an appointed treasurer,

the Consistory meets monthly to handle the ongoing business of the church.

Reports are received regularly from the following committees as described below

Archives oversees 150 years of records that trace the life of our congregation.

Christian Education is especially focused on the Sunday School, Youth

Fellowship, and the faith formation of the church

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Cemetery maintains the records and is responsible for the perpetual care of our

historic cemetery. Burials date back as far as the Civil War era

Finance oversees special church accounts and

investment decisions

Human Services seeks out ways to reach out

to others in need

Outreach looks for ways that Trinity can reach

out to the community and spread His Word

Pastoral Relations works closely with the pastor relative to the life of the church

and its membership

Prayer Team meets monthly to pray for prayer requests of the congregation and

holds them confidential as requested

Property faces the tasks associated with the upkeep of our buildings

Social plans and hosts many special events including meals, barbecues, and hoagie

sales

Stewardship handles special fundraisers and looks at ways for Trinity members to

be good stewards of the gifts that God has given us

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Worship works closely with Pastor planning our worship services including music

and communion

When it comes to decision-making, how many hours are spent in meetings per

month?

Out of respect for people’s time, we try to limit the committee meeting to 1 to 1 ½ hours,

and meet no more than once per month.

Think of a time when action had to be taken quickly, for example when a crisis or

disaster occurred. How was that accomplished?

When urgent actions or decisions need to be taken, we handle it via email or an adhoc

meeting after the worship service on Sunday or another evening that is convenient to

committee members.

Can you provide the next minister with a copy of an organization structure, bylaws

and/or annual report to further explain the patterns of the church’s activity and

governance?

Yes, we would be happy to provide the next minister with that information. Some of

these items are already available on the church website at www.trinityskippack.org.

Under the About tab, there is a link to the Church Constitution (which also includes our

Bylaws). By going to the News tab and selecting the Newsletter link, access is provided

for the most recent annual report, newsletters, and Safe Church Policy.

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Note: in 2015 we updated the rolls

CONGREGATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

Is this number an estimate? (check if yes)

Number of active members: 112

Number of active non-members: 10 √

Total of church participants (sum of

the numbers above): 122 √

Percentage of total participants who have been in the church:

Is this number an estimate? (check if yes)

More than 10 years: 80% √

Less than 10, more than 5 years: 10% √

Less than 5 years: 10% √

Number of total participants by age:

0-11 12-17 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75+ Are these numbers an

estimate? (check if yes)

11 7 5 7 16 6 17 18 35 √

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Percentage of adults in various household types:

Is this number an estimate? (check if yes)

Single adults under 35: 16% √

Joint household with minors: 12% √

Single adults age 35-65: 15% √

Joint household with no minors: 33% √

Single adults over 65: 24% √

Education level of adult participants by percentage:

Is this number an estimate? (check if yes)

High school: 31% √

College: 47% √

Graduate School: 9% √

Specialty Training: 3% √

Other (please specify): unknown 10% √

Percentage of adults in various employment types:

Is this number an estimate? (check if yes)

Adults who are employed: 51% √

Adults who are retired: 42% √

Adults who are not fully employed: 7% √

Describe the range of occupations of working adults in the congregation:

We are a diverse group of professional, business, and trades people.

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PARTICIPATION AND STAFFING

Complete the following chart. Please leave blank any fields that are not applicable to

your congregation.

Ways of Gathering Estimated

number of

people involved

in attendance

Who plans each of the listed

gatherings? (list any and all worship

planners, such as various lay leaders,

pastors, musicians, other staff)

Adult Groups or Classes 5 Pastor

Baptisms (number last year) 2 Pastor

Children’s Groups or Classes 10 2 teachers, 2 assistants, Christian Ed

Committee

Christmas Eve and Easter Worship ~50/service Pastor, Director of Music, Worship

Committee

Church-wide Meals 30 Social Committee

Choirs and Music Groups 10 Director of Music, Choir

Church-based Bible Study 9 Pastor

Communion (served how often?) ~45 1 per month

Community Meals Up to 200 Social Committee, Stewardship

Committee

Confirmation (number confirmed

last year) 5 Pastor

Drama or Dance Program N/A

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Funerals (number last year) 1

Intergenerational Groups N/A

Outdoor Worship N/A

Prayer or Meditation Groups 5 Prayer Group

Public Advocacy Work N/A

Retreats N/A

Theology or Bible Programs in the

Community N/A

Weddings (number last year) 0

Worship (time slot: _10:15 AM_) ~45 Pastor, Director of Music, Worship

Committee

Worship (time slot: _______) N/A

Young Adult Groups or Classes N/A

Youth Groups or Classes N/A

Other N/A

List all members or regular participants in your congregation who are ordained,

licensed, or commissioned ministers. Indicate those with current United Church of

Christ Three-Way Covenants (i.e. serving in a congregation) or Four-Way

Covenants (i.e. serving in a ministry beyond a congregation).

None

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If one or more previous pastors or retired ministers currently hold membership in

the church, describe their role(s) in the life of the congregation:

N/A

List all current staff, including ministers. Exclude the position you are seeking to

fill. Indicate which staff person serves as head of staff.

Staff Position Head of Staff?

Compensation

(full time, part

time, volunteer)

Supervised

by

Length of Tenure for

current person in this

position

Church

Secretary Staff Part-time Consistory 1 ½ Years

Director of

Music Staff Part-time

Worship

Committee Open

CHURCH FINANCES

Current annual income (dollars used during most recent fiscal year)

Source Amount

Annual Offerings and Pledged Giving $ 124,748.53

Endowment Proceeds (as permitted within spending policy, such as a

cap of typically 4.5%-5% on total return) $5,307.68

Endowment Draw (beyond what is permitted by spending policy,

“drawing down the principal”) $11,000.00

Fundraising Events $16,940.65

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Gifts Designated for a Specific Purpose $1,940.63

Grants $0

Rentals of Church Building $3,715.00

Rentals of Church Parsonage $0

Support from Related Organizations

(e.g. Women’s Group) $0

Transfers from Special Accounts $0

Other (specify): $0

Other (specify): $0

TOTAL $163,652.49

Current annual expenses (dollars budgeted for most recent fiscal year): $154,298.26

Attach most recent church budget:

Approved 2017 Budget

Trinity Christian United Church of Christ

Code Item

Committee

Responsibility

2017 Budget

Amount

Building and Expenses

120 Janitor Property 8,320.00

130 Fuel Property 0.00

135 Gas Property 12,000.00

140 Electric Property 4,200.00

150 Sewer Property 760.00

160 Telephone/Internet/TV Property 1,500.00

170 Insurance - Property Property 5,400.00

180 Building Maintenance Property 5,000.00

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182 Trash Removal Property 600.00

183 Lawn Care Property 360.00

184 Snow Removal Property 3,000.00

185 Janitor Supplies Property 500.00

195 Piano /Organ Maintenance Worship 250.00

197 Landscaping Property 0.00 (1)

Christian Education Expenses

220 Church School Supplies Christian Ed 450.00 (2)

221 Vacation Bible School Christian Ed 350.00

270 Christian Children's Fund Christian Ed 390.00 (2)

Worship Expenses

310 Flowers Worship 92.00 (3)

320 Chancel Supplies Worship 200.00

340 Bulletins & Literature Worship 75.00

Choir and Music Expenses

360 Director of Music Worship 10,000.00

361 FICA Tax Worship 765.00

370 Guest Accompanist Worship 250.00

380 CCLI License Worship 124.00

330 Choir Music Worship 250.00

Pastor and Expenses

411 Pastor's Salary Pastoral Relations 42,000.00

412 FICA Tax Pastoral Relations 4,152.96

413 Travel Pastoral Relations 3,000.00

414 Health/Dental/Vision Insurance Pastoral Relations 13,830.00

415 Pension Pastoral Relations 7,644.00

416 Pastoral Supplies Pastoral Relations 0.00 (4)

417 Life Insurance Disability Pastoral Relations 819.00

Church Management Expenses

430 Office Supplies Consistory 500.00

431 Machine Repair & Replacement Consistory 600.00

432 Copier Expense Consistory 3,500.00

440 Conference Meeting Consistory 100.00

441 Continuing Education Consistory 400.00

450 Secretary's Gross Salary Consistory 9,597.12

451 FICA Tax Consistory 734.18

452 Tax Consultant Consistory 1,300.00

460 Workman’s Compensation Ins Consistory 1,200.00

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Other Administrative Expenses

500 Archives Archives 125.00

600 Offering Envelopes Financial Secretary 300.00

610 Advertising Consistory 50.00

620 Outreach Supplies Outreach 255.00

621 Stewardship Stewardship 100.00

701 Postage Consistory 650.00

Total Budget (Operating Account Only) 145,693.26

Benevolence Cash Giving 8,374.14 (5)

(7% of Weekly Loose & Envelope Giving Income)

Total Expenses (Including Benevolence Giving) 154,067.40

Notes:

(1) Ground Maintenance provided by the Property Committee members trimming bank &

flower beds maintenance. Other expenses paid by member donation

(2) Church School supplies and Child sponsorship expenses to be funded by the Sunday School

offering. Any overage will be picked up by the Operating Account.

(3) Cost of flowers $23.00 per week. Budget is to cover 4 Sundays. All other Sundays covered

by member sponsorship.

(4) Currently expenses are covered by member donation to Membership Development account.

(5) Estimated giving based on year-to-date giving as of August 2016

Considering total budgeted expenses for the year compare total ministerial support.

What is the percentage?

49%

Has the church ever failed to pay its financial obligations to a minister of the

church?

No

Is your church 5-for-5, i.e. does it include each of the following contributions during

the church year? (Indicate those included during the most recent fiscal year)

_√ Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM – Basic Support)

_√ One Great Hour of Sharing

__ Strengthen the Church

__ Neighbors in Need

__ Christmas Fund

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In what way is OCWM (Basic Support) gathered? If calculated as a percentage of

operating budget, what is that percentage?

1.75%

What is the church’s current indebtedness?

None

Does your church have an endowment?

Yes, we have an endowment in addition to our unrestricted operating fund balance.

What is the market value of the assets?

Trust Fund Balance = $177,000.00

Other Restricted Funds = $67,400.00

Total Endowment = $244,400.00

Are funds drawn as needed, regularly, or under certain circumstances?

Trust Fund: income is distributed monthly. Principal is only withdrawn for

hardship situations, and is currently not being withdrawn.

Other Restricted Funds: each fund has been established for a specific purpose, and

use of the funds is governed separately.

Describe draw on endowment, if any, to meet operating budget expenses for the

most recent year and the past five years:

Our weekly giving and fundraising income have more than covered our operating

expenses over the last year, and we are currently not drawing on the principal of the Trust

Fund. Over the last 5 years we have had times when we needed to draw on the Trust

Fund principal to cover a portion of our operating expenses.

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At the current rate of draw, how long might the endowment last?

We are currently only drawing the monthly income distributions from the endowment, so

it will last indefinitely.

Other Assets

Savings & Checking accounts (Operating Fund): $99,800.00

Does your church have a parsonage?

Yes

Fair market rental value of the parsonage: $1,800.00 per month

How is the parsonage used? Residence

Street / City / State / Zip: 2009 Church Road, Skippack, PA 19474

Finished square footage: 2000 Sq Ft

Number of Bedrooms, Number of Bathrooms: 5 Br, 2 ½ Bath

Assessed real estate value: $250,000.00

Available for minister residence: Yes

Expected minister residence: Yes

Condition of structure, systems and appliances: Good

Entity in the church responsible for review and needed repairs:

Property Committee

Well maintained turn of the century bungalow in the heart of the historic village

Recently renovated

Prime location with multiple restaurants within walking distance

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Describe all buildings owned by the church:

Parsonage, Education Building, Church, garage, and shed

Which spaces are accessible to wheelchairs?

Education Building, 1st floor Church

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Reflection: After reviewing the church’s finances and assets described above, what

does this information reflect about your congregation’s mission and ministry?

We made a major budget change in 2010 to cut excessive spending. Currently we are

financially well positioned with no debt or mortgage. The Finance Committee gathers

recommendations from each committee regarding specific line items. The Consistory

and Finance Committee review the recommendations and present the proposed budget to

the congregation for approval.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

Name one to three significant happenings in the history of your church that have

shaped the identity of your congregation. Add the most important event in the life of

your church in the past 10 years.

1) Milestone church anniversary celebrations are memorable occasions in the life of

any congregation, and during the past thirty years we enjoyed three such events: our

125th

anniversary occurred in 1988 (during an interim pastorate period), the 140th

celebration was observed in 2003 (while Gerald Smith was our pastor), and our 150th

anniversary led to a year-long series of events during the 2012-2013 year (with Michael

Evans as our pastor). Our approach to each one illustrates how our identity evolved over

that time. This needs clarification and some additional history that goes even further

back in time.

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Through the mid 1970’s, many of the church members were parts of long-time families

whose roots at Trinity Skippack went back for generations. Some were descendants of

the founding members of the congregation and/or came from traditional German

backgrounds. While the membership formed a tight community, they were content being

led by “Herr Pastor” and could be a bit distant at first to outsiders. But times were

changing. The German Reformed tradition and the tenets of the Evangelical and

Reformed church were giving way to the broader, more ecumenical nature of the United

Church of Christ.

Thus, by the time of our 1988 celebration of 125 years as a congregation, we had

welcomed a far broader spectrum of individuals into our congregation, the atmosphere

was warmer, and the mindset a bit freer than in the past—still conservative, to be sure,

but friendlier as a whole. The focus of our anniversary that year involved a dinner and a

special church service.

Go forward another 15 years to our 140th

anniversary, and more change had taken place.

The strict German Reformed sensibilities were vanishing. By then Richard Adinolfi, who

did not become associated with the UCC until his teenage years, had completed his entire

pastorate with us, and we were in the middle of our years with Gerald Smith, who was

raised as a Roman Catholic. In fact, within our own congregation were a number of

former Catholics as well as individuals coming from a variety of Protestant backgrounds.

Not surprisingly, this blend of backgrounds had broadened our perspective. We had an

anniversary dinner and special church service that was noticeably joyful and even

included a number of young people performing a worshipful dance presentation under the

direction of one of our members during the service.

Finally, for our 150th

anniversary we had grown into an even friendlier church and

planned a full year celebration. The anniversary committee worked out a schedule of

monthly events, starting with a chicken barbecue and a bluegrass band in September 2012

as the kick-off. Some of the monthly events were traditional observations held regularly

by the church but given anniversary flair. Other special activities included a trip to the

Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster for dinner and a musical, and in the middle of the

winter we held a game night. A special painting was commissioned with prints made

available to members of the congregation. Trinity church of 1988 probably would not

have considered such a series of events, but when we held our final dinner and special

anniversary service in September 2013, we had many fond memories to look back on as a

church family.

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2) Trinity has a long history of outreach efforts and church wide fundraising efforts.

An examination of our archives includes references to such things as the Needlework

Guild, the annual ham dinner, Mission Band, and a team of quilters from the Women’s

Guild selling their creations to provide funding for special charities they wished to

support (including our own church at times!). There was a natural ebb and flow of these

efforts, dependent upon interests, abilities and leadership available.

Such fundraising and outreach efforts have become much more woven into the fabric of

our church, especially during the last ten years. Fundraising can seem a bit mundane, but

hosting of such events as our church Gala for ten years and the resurrection of our

community ham (and recently, turkey) dinners after a nearly thirty-year absence have

provided opportunities for inviting members of the community to our church functions.

We also hold hoagie sales and chicken barbecues.

Not all community projects are fundraisers. Certainly our Summer Vacation Bible

School is opened up to children in our area, and we have participated several times as a

church in the Fourth of July parade in Skippack. As a thank you to area merchants who

have made contributions to our Gala event, a group of us head out into town Christmas

caroling.

3) More importantly, direct involvement with outside charitable organizations has

become firmly engrained in our church’s existence and has been growing in the last few

years. Members are more consistent than ever before in bringing canned goods to church

in support of one of the local food banks, Daily Bread. A faithful group of volunteers

from our church go to Daily Bread’s facility at least twice a month to help sort food,

stock shelves, and perform other tasks as needed by this worthwhile operation.

We had the opportunity on two occasions to provide full lunches for distribution to

homeless and mentally troubled residents at Norristown State Hospital. We’ve

established a “Make a change for change” jar to collect for special outreach needs to the

community. We set a goal at a Congregational Meeting to provide a set percent of our

church’s loose and envelope collections for a variety of charitable efforts, which now

include Our Church’s Wider Mission, One Great Hour of Sharing, Daily Bread Food

Bank, and Every Good Gift Ministries. Currently, 7% of our contributions is split evenly

into four parts each month and sent to these various groups.

As a small church, we can be challenged by our own budget at times, but when special

causes occur, the membership responds. This includes support for seniors in need,

families in crisis, and national or international disaster efforts. Many times the support is

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simple: mittens, socks, freshly baked cookies, or small gifts are taken to individuals in

nearby extended care facilities. Yearly we gather school supplies to contribute to the

children whose families benefit from the food bank. Annually, we participate in

Christmas Angels to provide gifts to local young people in need, and we send Operation

Christmas Shoeboxes containing small gifts and supplies worldwide. Collections

gathered at our summer Vacation Bible School are used in their entirety for a special

need each year, with the cost of VBS materials being met by the church rather than these

collections.

The vast majority of these efforts (and others not listed here) have been spearheaded by

members of our church, which demonstrates a very healthy attitude for a church to take

on. Even though our coffers might be low, individuals step forward—generously sharing

both time and talents—to meet the needs that are greater than us.

Describe a specific change your church has managed in the recent past.

Throughout our history, we have faced financial challenges at times, a not-surprising

reality for a small church. To this end, the Consistory presented a major procedural

change at an Annual Congregational Meeting to address what had become a difficult

problem. Prior to that time, committee chairs, the church office, and the Pastor often felt

free to spend money “that was already in the approved budget,” without regard to the

income side of our ledger. There were many occasions when purchases had been made

and bills presented to the church Treasurer for items that were not necessary expenses for

the church. Naturally, a refusal to pay the bill for an already-assumed expense would

have been especially touchy, putting the Consistory and the Treasurer in a difficult

position.

The change presented by Consistory at this meeting was the requirement that all expenses

needed to be submitted in advance and pre-approved before the purchase could be made.

The only exceptions to this policy were ongoing, mandatory expenses like salaries and

utilities. We actually already had a voucher system in place prior to this time, but the

process was sloppy and served the purpose more to identify for the Treasurer which part

of the budget an expense referred to rather than to monitor responsible spending. Going

forward from the time of that meeting, those vouchers were required to be submitted in

advance so that pre-approval could be obtained for any purchases.

The transition required effort, but the change has been a positive one. Those people

charged with recommending purchases quickly learned to submit their requests in

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advance, spending patterns have become more responsible, and the church has been able

to curb unnecessary expenses. In fact, in some cases there has been greater effort to more

closely examine potential costs and quality for the purchases being made. Naturally there

were occasional slip-ups, but the big picture result has been quite positive and the sloppy

spending of the past has essentially been halted. As time passed, the Finance Committee

released its hold on the approval process, turning the responsibility over to the Treasurer.

As a result, the Treasurer reviews the submitted requests, immediately approving those

which are clearly necessary expenses. These approved requests, as well as less obvious

requests needing special permission (which are exceptionally rare), are presented to

Consistory as a part of the monthly Treasurer’s report.

There are still times when our budgeting issues are challenging. Our small congregation

status has not changed. But this change in spending approval has been quite positive in

terms of well-being of our church.

Every church has conflict, some minor, some larger. “Where two or three are

gathered, there will be disagreement….” Describe your congregation’s values and

practices when it comes to conflict.

Actually, the above description regarding the change to our spending procedures started

off as a major conflict when it was presented at the Congregational Meeting. The

preceding November the congregation had approved a budget which was presented with

the endorsement of Consistory. Three months after a budget was approved the

Consistory decided to implement new spending procedures that limited authority within

budget parameters. Some in our congregation were caught off guard. Yet, as described

above, the end result of this conflict and change has been good for the church.

What was learned from this (or perhaps it would be better to say what was reaffirmed

from this) is how important it is for our congregation to be open and communicative

when it comes to issues that affect the church as a whole. Often we can resolve conflict

simply by meeting together and discussing all issues and solutions.

Of course, there are times when issues arise which are far more sensitive and which

would be inappropriate to address in a large venue, especially those involving

individuals. To that end, we have a number of structures in place to try to resolve these

concerns. Our Pastoral Relations Committee has, as part of its charge, the responsibility

of working with the Pastor in handling concerns regarding his or her role and

performance at the church. The Consistory Vice President is in charge of the Personnel

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Committee, which privately and sensitively addresses concerns involving any of the

employees of the church other than the pastor, including those difficulties the employee

might be having that the Consistory needs to be aware of. Everyone is heard and has a

voice. We may not agree but we will respect your opinion. Discussions will be

conducted in a mature and caring manner. Our Safe Church Policy, approved in 2017, is

primarily aimed at outlining policies to conform with the Pennsylvania Commonwealth

requirements regarding persons who work with juveniles, but it also contains provisions

for a Response Team and a process in the event that a serious conflict occurs involving

the members of our church.

Ministerial History (include all previous ministerial staff for the past 30 years)

Staff member’s name Years of service UCC Standing (Y/N)

Alfred Creager and Eugene Grau

(interims)

1987-1989 Y, Y

Richard Adinolfi 1989-1997 Y

Willard Wetzel (interim) 1997-1999 Y

Gerald Smith 1999-2009 Y

Charles Maxfield (interim) 2009-2011 Y

Michael Evans 2011-2017 Y

Wanda Schwandt (interim) 2017- Y

Comment on what your church has learned about itself and its relationship with

persons who provided ministerial leadership:

A listing of what we have learned as a worship community seems to be the best way to

address this section.

As a congregation, we have a blend of both traditional and contemporary views

Change can be difficult to accept (both for the congregation and the Pastor), but

open explanations can go a long way in undertaking something new.

Our members are clearly comfortable with a liturgical service. However, we have

welcomed new elements to our approach to worship, including special praise and

worship hymns on the third Sunday of each month, holding hymn-sing Sunday

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(when we have a Director of Music who is comfortable with playing

spontaneously chosen hymns), and using different formats for responses and

prayers.

We know how important it is to allow a change in worship to play out for a while

and to have some sort of assessment to decide whether such should continue. An

early church service during the Sunday school hour (aimed at the parents) was

tried for nine months. A monthly series of more informal services held in our

Educational Building rather than our sanctuary was attempted as an alternative to

usual format. Neither of these efforts proved successful, but the point is that that

Pastor and the Worship Committee had the opportunity to explore alternatives

which were still worshipful but different from the usual.

The spiritual growth of the congregation is obviously tied to the Pastor’s efforts in

teaching and leading us. We usually respond well to sermons that we know are

carefully prepared by the Pastor, especially those that are clearly Bible-based and

just as clearly tied to our everyday lives a Christians.

The membership is appreciative of a Pastor whose messages are well-organized,

yet which may still include open-ended aspects intended to help us examine our

Christian existence and beliefs. Moreover, a heartfelt sermon, especially those

that are presented from broad notes (or even without notes) rather than read from a

prepared script can help open us up to asking questions, thinking more insightfully

about the content, and seeking out clearer understanding of our faith.

Open, positive communication is needed between the Pastor and Consistory,

committees, and the congregation.

The consistency of this communication is a must, including reminders of

appointments, committee meetings, and the like, even when they seem redundant

or unnecessary.

Support between the Pastor and the congregation needs to flow in both directions.

We are a small congregation, but we work well together to get events

accomplished. We appreciate it when the Pastor supports those events with direct

involvement, encourages the persons leading those events, and is a champion of

what the church is undertaking.

While many of the mundane tasks of the church are handled by the membership,

we still appreciate the support and involvement of the Pastor. As a small

congregation, we respond generously and even more so when the Pastor embraces

the activity and provides encouragement.

Feedback and follow-up should be regularly practiced. This helps keep everybody

on the same page, both for the practical functioning of the church as well as for

our spiritual growth and understanding.

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Times and issues change, and we need to periodically revisit and review job

descriptions and conduct regular performance reviews for all our employees,

including our Pastor.

We expect the Pastor to undertake visitation of sick and dying members and to

provide grief counseling when appropriate. Spiritual guidance at such critical

times is crucial.

Has any past leader left under pressure or by involuntary termination?

The answer is yes, in 1997, and a brief summary will be helpful in understanding what

transpired. However, it is important to know in advance that we made the effort

throughout the process to act in a manner that was supportive and calm, rather than

abrupt and angry.

We had a pastor who developed an outside hobby that become so consuming of his time

that he was neglecting the church. Ultimately, there was a joint decision of the Pastoral

Relations Committee and the Consistory to let him go. This was done with involvement

of the Conference. To make the difficult situation as easy as possible, we gave him three

months’ notice and even allowed use of the parsonage beyond that time. We also had a

reception to wish him well and thank him for his service.

Has your church been involved in a Situational Support Consultation?

As mentioned above, we certainly communicated with the Conference through this

dismissal process and appreciate the support and guidance that they provided.

There have been other times when Conference was approached for clarification and/or

help, but nothing that would be considered a Situation Support Consultation.

Has a past pastor been the subject of a Fitness Review while at your church?

No

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WHO IS OUR NEIGHBOR?

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39 NRSV)

COMMUNITY VISION

MISSION InSite

COMMUNITY VISION

How do the relationships and activities of your congregation extend outward in

service and advocacy?

Our biggest Mission Project is the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. With 7% of our

monthly collections going to special causes, one fourth of this is donated directly to Daily

Bread, and we also take up special collections when needed and regularly donate food,

paper products, personal care products, and time. Twice a month, three to six volunteers

from our congregation work at the Food Pantry. At Christmas time, we bake cookies and

give “goodie bags” (sometimes, socks, gloves or scarves and this year an assortment of

items including hand cream, chap stick, puzzles, adult coloring book and colored pencils

and chocolates) to 70 seniors who might not get any other gift. We have an angel tree to

buy gifts for 25 of the children at Christmas time too.

Our Vacation Bible School collected school supplies during the summer months to fill

backpacks for the kids associated with the Daily Bread Food Pantry when they go back to

school.

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We also have an ongoing change jar that we can “Make a Change with Change”. Weekly,

people put their change into the jar and as we hear of needs in our community, we are

able to help.

Operation Christmas Child helps needy children across the globe by providing them with

little gifts and notes saying that the 1st - 4

th grade members of a little church in Skippack,

Pennsylvania, thought about them, prayed for them and wished them a happy and healthy

Christmas season. This year, the children collected supplies to fill 23 shoe boxes with

five more filled and donated by members of Trinity for a total of 28 sent.

It's a joy to give to others and we have been told that “our church may be small, but we

are mighty generous”.

Describe your congregation’s participation in meetings, relationships and activities

connecting the wider United Church of Christ (association / conference / national

setting).

We have sent delegate to conference meetings and the Pastor attends association

meetings.

Many local churches love to tell the story of what they are doing in the community

to transform lives. Some have identified certain aspects of their witness into the

wider community using language shared with other UCC congregations. (Find more

information as desired at ucc.org.) Check any statements below that apply to your

UCC faith community.

√ Accessible to All (A2A)

__ Creation Justice

__ Economic Justice

√ Faithful and Welcoming

__ God is Still Speaking (GISS)

__ Border and Immigrant Justice

__ Inter-cultural/Multi-racial (I’M)

__ Just Peace

√ Global Mission Church

__ Open and Affirming (ONA)

__ WISE Congregation for Mental Health

__ Other UCC designations:

__ Designations from other denominations

__ None

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Reflect on what the above statement(s) mean(s) to your community. Is your

congregation interested in working toward any of the above statements of witness in

the near future?

We would be open to entertain the possibilities.

Describe your congregation’s participation in ecumenical and interfaith activities

(with other denominations and religious groups, local and regional).

Skippack Pike Area Ministerial Mid-week Lenten Worship services, Martin Luther King

Service

MISSION InSite

Comment on your congregation’s MissionInsite report with data for your

neighborhood(s) or area. What trends and opportunities are shown?

A full detail of our Mission InSite report can be found at:

https://maps.missioninsite.com/GenerateFile.aspx?Type=1&ID=659825

We are located in Montgomery County Pennsylvania. The population of our area is

mostly Caucasian, with African-Americans and Asian-Americans being the next largest

minority groups. The average income in the area is above $60,000/year. The average age

of the study area is rising and is expected to continue to rise over the next five years.

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How do your congregation’s internal demographics compare or contrast to a) the

neighborhoods adjacent to your church, and b) other neighborhoods with which

your church connects?

We don’t know for sure. Part of what we need to do is a more in-depth study of

Skippack, not just race and income, but religious views, sexual orientation, family

situations, really any differentiator that can help us better tailor our church to serve this

precious community. We are the only church in the village Skippack and we’d like to

move from being a church neighbor to an integrated and integral part of Skippack’s

lifeblood. Just 50% of our church is between the ages of 18 and 65. We suspect the

population of Skippack is not as heavily weighted to retirees.

What do new people in the church say when asked what got them involved?

There is a welcoming feeling when you enter the church. Any sense of anxiousness or

nervousness about going to a new church for the first time quickly goes away when you

enter through the door. The church is also child friendly. Children are encouraged to

participate in the service.

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REFERENCE 1

The Rev. Michael Evans, retired

Living in Kill Devil Hills, NC

610-635-6752

mweoct1517@gmail.com

I served as pastor of Trinity for six years and retired the end of February 2017.

Strength: The greatest strength at Trinity is the commitment of its leadership. There is a

core of extremely committed individuals who keep the ministry alive and dynamic. They

commit time, talent and treasure for their beloved congregation. A few grew up at

Trinity. Most have come to love Trinity as their church home as they were touched by

the ministry in one form or another. They serve on the Consistory and staff the

committees and functions.

I should like to highlight two areas. One, support of the Daily Bread Community Food

Pantry. Most members of the congregation regularly bring food stuffs to share with the

food pantry. Then a core group of four or five go once a month to stock the shelves of

the pantry. This is a significant outreach ministry that goes on all year.

Two, there is a prayer team that grew out of a congregation revitalization program.

Again, a very dedicated group keeps this ministry going with daily prayer and a once a

month group meeting for prayer for members and non-members of Trinity.

Trinity has some very dedicated members who make it a place in which to express the

faith in word and deed.

Improvement: The chief area needing improvement is in the area of inviting people to

church by expressing their individual joy at what the Holy Spirit at Trinity means to each

individual. The folks have every reason to feel positive about the faith they share in

common. But, at the same, time the folks are hesitant (as a whole, with a few exceptions)

to share the sense of blessing with non-churched neighbors.

Significant Experience: An example in which a member did reach out to a neighbor is a

highlight I shall never forget. One of the people who never officially joined Trinity but

was a blessing to all who knew her was indeed invited by her neighbor who knows the

joy of the Lord. The lady in question was sent home from the hospital several times to

die. For several years she outlived what the doctors prognosticated. The people of

Trinity reached out to her as if she had been a lifelong member. In blessing her, the

people of Trinity were blessed by the witness and testimony of this woman's faithful

reliance upon the grace of God.

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REFERENCE 2

Lewis U Motter, Jr

274 Pebble Beach Drive

Linfield, Pa 19468

610-495-0632

lewmotter@comcast.net

I am a life-long (83 yrs) Lutheran. My experience in the administration of the church and

participation in the laic ministry includes years of teaching youth and adult Sunday

School, church council, Confirmation/Affirmation teacher and mentor, and substitute

preacher. I have a passion for spreading the Kingdom of God through various forms of

discipleship.

My intersection with Trinity Christian UCC in Skippack comes from the active presence

of my daughter and her family in the life of that church. I first became involved by

attending events of the church and observing the people. I was struck by their warm

reception and their enthusiasm for “doing church stuff.” I participated several times in

their VBS as story-teller and have been invited to preach and lead worship. I regard the

people there as my second church family.

Areas of strength in this church’s ministry

My knowledge here is limited. I can merely reflect on clues I have noticed when

comparing against my own church experience in a membership and leadership role.

Trinity has a group of truly committed individuals who have led this congregation

through some difficult and trying times. Their leadership skills have served them well.

Despite the vagaries of member attendance they have maintained a positive approach and

a loving atmosphere for the Holy Spirit to do the work that only God can do. I have

talked with several of them individually and they have been positive in their approach to

concerns they have about the church. They know the challenges they face and they are

prepared to do whatever the Holy Spirit requires of them.

One area of ministry that has stood out for me is their choir. It is a joy to hear and a

moving experience for the congregation. Their singing is truly an example of “singing

unto the Lord.” I remember one cantata of music that much larger churches would not

have even attempted to perform. They were magnificent. I will never forget that evening.

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Areas for improvement

I hesitate to enter this area since I do not have first-hand knowledge of the daily life of

sailing on this specific journey. Just as most members of any congregation have little

awareness of the struggles their church’s leadership has to contend with, it is the

individual’s perception of the love and support they experience that drives their

participation. Of course it is the Holy Spirit who speaks to their heart and urges them on

but it is the atmosphere engendered by leadership and the congregation which fans the

flames of desire for the life of a disciple.

Evangelism is one area which Trinity (and almost all churches) could improve. It isn’t the

need to simply knock on doors. They need to hear about and believe in the role which is

given to all of us—“Go ye therefore and make disciples…” Grassroots evangelism is

simply telling your personal story.

Significant experience

I can enthusiastically say that the congregation has been welcoming and kind to me a

Christian guest. I have also seen the same warmth showered on complete strangers.

Trinity’s community events are presented with the verve and activity of a much larger

church. Their Gala is not only a high-light for the members but an nonintrusive invitation

for the community to return for worship. And, of course, the community dinners are often

occasions for church-home seekers to experience Trinity’s grace as well as God’s grace

through the church.

When I think of Trinity I always see children at play in VBS and the look of wonder in

their eyes during a children’s message in worship. We become a kid’s congregation at

worship but allow the adults to listen and learn. I also remember adults asking questions

after the service showing a real desire to know more about this Savior/Redeemer called

Jesus. I am humbled by all this and thank God for the faith I see in the congregation and

am hopeful for the future growth and discipleship of these dedicated people of God.

“Please come back,” they say, and I will gladly.

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REFERENCE 3

Loretta Stever, Executive Director, Daily Bread Community Food Pantry

3938 Ridge Pike

Collegeville, PA 19426

(610) 489-5540

www.dailybreadcommunityfoodpantry.org

It’s an honor to us to be asked to share our experiences over the years in working side by

side with folks from Trinity Church at the Daily Bread Community Food Pantry. The ties

between the Food Pantry and Trinity go back many years and are deep and lasting. What

started as an invitation to speak on Mission Sunday has grown into steadfast support in

time, talent, and treasury in multiple facets and special fundraisers and food drives. We

can highlight a highly successful Vera Bradley Basket Bingo and the continuous

collection of food and personal care items at worship each week. Many groups and

churches hold occasional food drives, but the folks at Trinity make it a part of their tithes

and offerings and have helped to ensure that in 20 years we’ve never been forced to send

a family home because we had no food. Perhaps our favorite thing is the great fellowship

and fun we have working together. To us it feels as it may have been centuries ago in the

early church when believers gathered and tried to help their neighbors as best they could.

We’d love to see a youth group grow and flourish at Trinity. There are so many adults

who would be wonderful friends, mentors and role models. There’d be plenty of

opportunities to work together at the pantry, the church and in the community. Trinity

Church is a place that would give young people a true sense of belonging.

Perhaps most significant of all is the genuine concern our friends at Trinity have and

continuously demonstrate for the families our food pantry serves. The people know that

hunger and need don’t go away and they support the Food Pantry financially each month.

Twice a month groups come to volunteer and help with all the mundane tasks of stocking

shelves and weighing and sorting food. Some folks even help on a weekly basis and

there are always people who answer the call when we need some extra help on short

notice. Love abounds in the hard work, tireless effort and in sharing of the joys and

sorrows. Additionally the deep personal friendships we share have carried us through the

ups and downs as we joyfully watch our Father in Heaven provide in ways we can’t

imagine. Trinity has had an integral place in the 20-year journey of the Food Pantry and

we look forward to working together in the days ahead, as we know there is so much

more that needs to be done. Maybe we will never be able to eradicate the poverty that is

so effective in beating people down, but with our Father, his Son and the Spirit we intend

to continue to do our best to disrupt it as much as we can.

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CLOSING THOUGHTS

CLOSING PRAYER

STATEMENT OF CONSENT

CONFERENCE/ASSOCIATION VALIDATION

CLOSING PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

It takes a special person to be called into any type of ministry, let alone pastoral ministry,

where this Shepherd is responsible for their flock of sheep, even in a small church like

Trinity Christian. The countless hours of work put in, whether it is preparing their

sermon, visiting the sick/shut-ins, counseling those who need to be counseled, attending

meetings, etc., along with juggling time with their family is a daunting task to say the

least. Isaiah 41:10 says “Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your

God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous

hand.” Lord, we just pray that you will always be with, strengthen and bless this person

whom you are calling to minister to us.

There is so much sin and temptation in this world today, we pray that you help this pastor

to remain firm and guard him/her from sin and keep them close to you in fighting for

their faith and for their people. As Proverbs 3:5-6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your

heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and

he shall direct your paths”. Give this person wisdom to know which way to go when the

way is not clear.

This job can be challenging, because pastors can be in the midst of horrible situations

daily (death, divorce, separation in the church, etc.). There is often no progress seen. We

pray Lord that You let the love of Christ refresh his/her spirit daily and as it is said in

Galatians 6:9 “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we

do not give up.”

Ministry can take a toll on the body and the soul with high stress, lack of sleep,

discouragement and disappointments, so we pray that you will give this pastor strength to

keep him/her physically and spiritually strong.

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“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer

than a brother “ is told to us from Proverbs 18:24. We understand that people look

towards the pastor as a leader, not a close friend, but we also understand that pastors

needs close friends who encourage them, and listen to them and help them to stay Christ-

like. We pray that you will help them to have someone that they can talk to about their

troubles, uphold him/her when they are weary, who will stick closer to them than a

brother, because ministers often feel alone.

And last, but not least, I Timothy 3:2-6 spells out the guidelines for the qualifications of

being an “overseer”. “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one

wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a

drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage

his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone

does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church.”

Lord, we realize that this was written over 2000 years ago and things have changed , but

the basic principles are same. We pray that our future pastor has a good and healthy

family. Strengthen the bonds between them and give them wisdom to be able to juggle

family life and church life.

We pray this in Jesus' name,

Amen

STATEMENT OF CONSENT

The covenantal relationship between a church and those called by that church to

serve as pastors and teachers and in other ministerial positions is strengthened when vital

information is openly shared by covenantal partners. To that end, we attest that, to the

best of our abilities, we have provided information in this profile that accurately

represents our church. We have not knowingly withheld any information that would be

helpful to candidates.

As the committee charged with the responsibility for identifying and

recommending suitable new minister for our church, we have been authorized to share

the information herein with potential candidates. We understand that a candidate may

wish to secure further knowledge, information, and opinions about our church. We

encourage a candidate to do so, recognizing that an open exchange of relevant

VALIDATION BY CONFERENCE/ASSOCIATION

The congregation is currently in good standing with the association / conference named.

Staff Comment:

To the best of my knowledge, ministerial history information is complete.

Staff Comment:

To the best of my knowledge, available church financial information is presented

thoroughly.

Staff Comment:

My signature below attests to the above three items.

Signature:

Name: Rev. Sharon S. Morris

Title: Associate Conference Minister

Email: Phone: 484-949-8774 ext. 302

Date: 3-20-18

This document is created through support to Our Church’s Wider Mission (OCWM) and

is only possible through the covenantal relationships of all settings of the United Church

of Christ.

“Jesus answered them, ‘Have faith’”

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