November 2015
Dear Friends,
Your remarkable response to the 2014 year-end appeal 2014 allowed us to complete the repair of the Carriage House (under budget). In addition to paying ongoing bills with your year-end donations, we continue to set aside reserves for roof replacement, for vehicle replacement and for other anticipated and for unexpected needs for church campus maintenance. This year’s upcoming need is to make necessary repairs to the rear wall of the Church which has bowed out from the foundation. It is non-supporting wall but it requires strengthening and reattachment to secure the structure. Like us, the Church is aging.
Our season on Grindstone has come to a close. We look back on a very successful, week-long 125th Anniversary celebration that culminated in a luncheon in the Church courtyard. The History Committee did an outstanding job and we have the permanent timeline in the rear vestibule of the Church to mark this special anniversary. We are thankful for the leadership of our Summer Minister, Rev. Jeff McArn who celebrated his tenth anniversary as our Summer Minister. We are also rewarded with the additional spiritual leadership of Art Couch, Charlie Moehs, Rex Ennis and Rev.Joe DeGroot. Visiting ministers Dr. Khalid Sindu and Rev. Tom Mousin provided additional richness to our services. Book Study was initiated with a weekly discussion of McLaren’s Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha, and Mohammed Cross the Road. The Sunday School program for our youngsters continued under the leadership of Jeri Couch and Lindsey Bogacz.
We particularly cherished the attendance of visiting friends, neighbors and relatives at church services and at the annual Turkey Dinner which set records for attendance this year. Wonderful liturgical music was presented throughout the summer by our organist, Joan Flint and the talented islanders that she recruited.
It is said that ‘Mission is the love of God manifested through works’. Each year the congregation selects one domestic mission and one foreign mission. In 2015, we raised over $1,200 for scholarship aid to a Haitian student of Nursing. During the August mission we raised $1,600 to expand the services of our Saturday free medical clinic that is offered through the goodness of its leaders Dr. Charlie Moehs and Nurse Mary Taylor and through our other volunteers, Drs. Bruce Baird and Theresa Stoltz. Your gifts will have touched many lives as we provide medical support for people in Haiti and Grindstone Island this coming year. Your generosity is appreciated.
We ask that you continue your generosity by including the Grindstone Island Church in your remembrances with an annual gift because, without your year-end gifts, the church cannot continue and thrive. Weekly collections do not meet the church’s overall expenses. Year-end donations are necessary to meet the needs of our church and of its facilities so that it can continue to be part of the “Unbroken Circle” that ties our unique community together.
Luke 12:33-34 “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
We are a unique and diverse congregation. Our strength is in our unified love of God and in our love for each other. With your support, we can look forward to many summers of worship, fellowship and reaching out to communities near and far. Until we gather once more at our most beautiful river…may the peace of the Lord be with you all.
Rev. Jeff McArn, Summer Minister, Betsy Fitter, Chair of Church Council, Ken Deedy, Church Treasurer
November 2013
Dear Friends,
Each year we report to you on the welfare of our church. We also ask you to support it with a year-end gift, without which the church would face severe financial difficulties. Your contributions are vital and they have allowed the church to minister to Grindstone Island’s needs sine 1890.
The church has a particular need this year; for the safety of everyone, the Carriage House requires structural repair and site alterations due to the collection of water in the crawl space. Although much of the required work has been donated by island residents, the cost of repairs will still exceed $15,000. We sincerely ask that you reflect on this addition need when considering a year-end gift.
Another season on Grindstone has come to a close. We look back over the years at the transition that has occurred on Grindstone Island. Formerly, we had a vital year-round community with two active schools and a year-round church. The schools have closed, the permanetnt population has lessened, but the church not only remains but thrives. We are thankful for the leadership of our Paster, Rev. Arthur Couch, and that of our Summer Minister, Rev. Jeff McArn. We are also rewarded with the additional spiritual leadership of Rev. Andy Davison.
Bible Study continued, as did the Sunday School program for our youngsters. We particularly cherished the attendance of visiting friends, neighbors and relatives at church services and at the Pancake Breakfast and Turkey Dinner.
It is said that “Mission is the love of God manifested through works.” Each year the congregation selects one domestic mission and one foreign mission. In 2013, the congregation raised over $3,000 for the Clayton-area Food Pantry and, in addition, donated over seventy bags of groceries. We also provided $2000 in support of a Rainbow Center Christian Coalition orphanage in Burundi. Our Saturday medical clinic continued through the goodness of Drs. Charlie Moehs and Bruce Baird and Nurse Mary Taylor.
We ask that you include the Grindstone Island Church in your remembrances because without your year-end gifts, the church cannot survive. Weekly collections do not meet the church’s overall expenses. Year-end donations are necessary to meet the needs of the church and of its facilities.
Luke 12:33-34 “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.”
We are a unique and diverse congregation. Our strength is in our unified love of God and in our love for each other. With your support, we can look forward to many summers of worship, fellowship and reaching out to communities near and far. Until we gather once more at our most beautiful river…may the peace of the Lord be with you all.
Rev. Arthur Couch, Pastor
Rev. Jeff McArn, Summer Minister
Ken Larson, Chair of the Church Council (2013)
Betsy Fitter, Chair of the Church Council (2014)
Ken Deedy, Church Treasurer
November 2012
Dear Friends,
Another season on Grindstone has come to a close. Our church thrives. We look back over the years at the transition that has occurred on Grindstone Island. Formerly, we had a vital year-round community with two active schools and a year-round church. The schools have closed, the permanent population has lessened but the church not only remains but thrives. We are thankful for the leadership of our Pastor, Rev. Arthur Couch and that of our Summer Preacher, Rev. Jeff McAm. We are also rewarded with the additional spiritual leadership of Rev. Andy Davison.
Bible Study continued, as did the Sunday School program for our youngsters. We particularly cherished the attendance of visiting friends, neighbors and relatives at church services and at the annual Pancake Breakfast and Turkey Dinner. Pastor Couch would like the church to expand its youth ministry and seeks from each of you, suggestions as to how to bring the life of the church into the lives of the youth of Grindstone Island. He would like you to convey your ideas to him at acouchl@aol.com.
It is said that ‘Mission is the love of God manifested through works’. Each year the congregation selects one domestic mission and one foreign mission. In 2012, the congregation raised over S1,000 for the Clayton-area Food Pantry and, in addition, donated over sixty bags of groceries. Thanks to the incredible good works of the Taylor and Purcell families, among others, the church became acquainted with the needs of The New Voice House of Life Orphanage in Haiti. Our successful mission campaign of almost 9,000 allowed the orphanage to purchase an adjacent parcel of land on which it can expand and establish a garden to grow its own food. Our Saturday medical clinic continued through the goodness of Dr. Charlie Moehs and Mary Taylor.
It is close to the end of 2012 and we have reached the time of traditional year-end gifting. We ask that you include the Grindstone Island Church in your remembrances. The church relies on year-end gifts to sustain the church and its work. Weekly collections do not meet the church’s overall expenses. Year-end donations are necessary to meet the special needs of our church and of its facilities.
Luke 12:33-34 “Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
We are a unique and diverse congregation. Our strength is in our unified love of God and in our love for each other. With your support, we can look forward to many summers of worship, fellowship and reaching out to communities near and far. Until we gather once more at our most beautiful river.. .may the peace of the Lord be with you all.
Rev. Arthur Couch, Pastor Ken Larson, Chair of the Church Council (2013)
Ken Deedy, Church Treasurer Tom Davison, Chair of Church Council (2012)
