Category: Worship & Fellowship

A lot of progress has been made over the past month for our “Embracing a God-Sized Vision” efforts!  You will begin to see the results of those efforts very soon.   What has been happening behind the scenes to make construction and renovation happen?  Read on!!!

1. We have secured the Building Permit for the Fellowship Hall/Basement Area changes.
   A final meeting with the city Safety Committee is scheduled for 3/23/15, and that is expected to be the last part of receiving approval from the city to proceed with our Phase 1 construction and renovation plans.  (See related article in this edition of the TAB.)
2. Architectural Plans for the Sanctuary Level have been finalized.
   Plans have been reviewed with many of our church members.   An updated copy of the floorplans will be provided in the video update that you see on our new monitor in the Meadow Street foyer, as well as posted on the wall near that entrance.
3. Architectural Plans for the demolition of the row houses and creation of the new addition/updates to the Williams building are in process of review.
   Nelson Melton, Chairman of the Construction & Renovation Committee, will review with Frances Mathews, Tabernacle Child Care Center Director, and the Children’s Ministry team revisions to original floorplans based on analyses completed by Huff-Morris.  Measurements as part of the architect’s analyses show some variances in the elevations between our various buildings (row houses, church building, and Williams Building).  Updated floorplans that correct for those elevation variations will be available for everyone to view in the next couple of weeks.  Look for an announcement soon for an opportunity to look at revised drawings and hear an explanation of the modifications made.
4. Fundraising efforts continue, sending letters to Tabernacle Child Care Center current and some alumni parents.
   Letters inviting donations from current and alumni Tabernacle Child Care Center parents were mailed in early March.  Our recently published campaign brochure was included with each letter.  We will track results of the mailing in conjunction with our Financial Assistant and keep everyone posted on commitments and contributions received.

As a note, the Construction & Renovation Oversight Committee has considered over the past couple of months adding a full voting member to the Committee.  The Committee unanimously approved adding Donna Soyars to that role in their meeting held on March 19^th.  Nelson Melton stated that Donna has been immensely important in conveying to our church congregation the activities of the Construction and Renovation Committee.

Do you have any suggestions to help the Committee as we move into the construction phase of the project?  We welcome your comments and questions on cards available on the campaign table located in the Meadow Street foyer.  Place your completed card in the Vision mailbox.  We invite you to communicate with any Committee member personally if that is your preference.

Look for an updated video presentation in the near future, along with ongoing updates in the TAB.  Your prayers are a blessing to TBC’s efforts.  God is showing the way for what is a demanding project for our church—we know His light will continue to guide us through each and every step!

It was on May 4^th last year when we held our churchwide Vision Event, where we all had a chance to review and ask questions about what improvements we believe are important to make to our physical structure meet the needs of our current and future spiritual missions.   Within one year we are now ready to begin to realize that Vision.

On April 6, 2015 we launch the construction and renovation activities for the Fellowship Hall area.  As a reminder, those Phase 1 modifications include:

• A new and more accessible Ladies’ bathroom that will have three stalls.
• A new mechanical room for the Fellowship Hall air conditioning and heating unit.
• A new, larger storage room for the church’s kitchen activities
• A small storage room for the musical instruments used in Worship Services meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Currently the equipment is being stored behind the coat rack in the Fellowship Hall.
• A small office area for the church’s custodian.

Due to the complexity and correlation of these changes to the overall project from an engineering perspective, the Construction & Renovation Committee has agreed to have the General Contractor, Kjellstrom & Lee, begin their project management role now.   Construction is expected to take 4 to 5 weeks.  We do not anticipate any parking impact for the church or our neighbors during this phase.  However, if the General Contractor determines that any impact on parking will be experienced, we will communicate to everyone as soon as we are aware.

Nelson Melton, Chairman of the Construction & Renovation Committee, has reviewed with Frances Mathews, Tabernacle Child Care Center Director, where in the Fellowship Hall the children will eat lunch during this period of construction.   The Committee members will also be working with the General Contractor to be fully aware of all church activities on the calendar to ensure minimal inconvenience during this construction.  Please be certain that all of your activities are on the church calendar so that we plan use of our space effectively.

Please do not hesitate to use our God-Sized Vision mailbox located on the table in our Meadow Street entrance foyer to ask any questions that you might have.  Our committee members will respond to you in a timely manner.  Also continue your prayers for our Construction & Renovation Committee leaders, as well as for work safety during construction.   Your prayers are an important component of the overall success of our endeavors!

March 18, 2015

First Baptist Church, Colorado Springs

317 E. Kiowa St.

Colorado Springs, CO

To the Congregation at First Baptist Colorado Springs,

Greetings from Richmond, VA! We at Tabernacle are celebrating with you all this weekend as you officially install Rev. Dan Schumacher as your senior pastor. We will be praying for you (as we already have been for months) as you continue to learn about one another as ministers and followers of Christ, and as you begin to understand how this new chapter in life of your congregation and ministry will unfold.

As you continue to welcome Dan into your fold, know that we continue to pray for him as well. He has left a wonderful impression on our congregation, and has contributed to the kingdom of God in Richmond in tremendously life-giving ways. As he settles in in Colorado Springs, we pray that he will continue to live into his calling as senior pastor. We pray of peace, patience, and love as he begins to minister to and alongside you.

As we, the big “C” Church go about the work of mission and ministry, we give thanks for leaders among us who guide with a gentle and caring heart, a passion for the Word of God, and a love of all the people of God’s kingdom. As Dan begins his work at First Baptist Colorado Springs, we also give thanks for the bridge that has been built across the country, joining our congregation with yours. For as we are each individual places, we are all part of God’s kingdom on earth, and we recognize that we must go about the work of God together.

We feel so blessed to celebrate with Dan and you all at First Baptist Colorado Springs! Blessings be upon you, and my joy and nothing less find you, and may Light––Love’s own crucified, risen Light––guide you all along the way.

In Christ,

Megan Fullerton Strollo, Deacon Chair

Tabernacle Baptist Church, Richmond, VA

You may remember the following question from our January church business meeting, reported on in a recent TAB edition:

“I would like to have a more detailed view of the project and the associated time line.  Where and when will that be provided to me and the rest of the congregation?”
The Construction & Renovation Committee has created a PowerPoint/video presentation that provides an update to be shared with our congregation….Included in that progress report is an estimated time line.  This information will be updated regularly as we confirm more details regarding each phase of the initiative.  David Wolf and Jay Hartman are working to place a video monitor in the hallway near the Meadow Street entrance.  This monitor will be used for not only updates for our Embracing a God-Sized Vision campaign, but other information of interest to the congregation from time to time.

We are very pleased to confirm that the video equipment has been installed and the update presentation started playing on Sunday, February 22^nd.  We hope you have seen the display!  We sincerely appreciate everyone’s efforts in both completing the technical work of the installation and creating the update for the congregation, with particular thanks to David and Jay for their assistance.

Feel free to contact Donna Soyars, our Communications Sub-Committee lead, if there are specific requests for information to be included in our updated presentation.  Also, we continue to accept all campaign and construction questions on cards that can be placed in our Embracing a God-Sized Vision mailbox, located in the foyer near the Meadow Street entrance.  We are grateful for your interest in this very important initiative.

2014 found the Kitchen Team hard at work in the area of the church it carries in its name.  Amazingly many of the same people on this team find themselves in other areas of the church serving as well!  The Kitchen Team coordinates the Fellowship Meals on Wednesday nights during the program season of the church year—September-May.  The team also helps to coordinate receptions, meals for special events such as business meetings and Fan Feast and the cleaning and care of the kitchen and eating areas of the Fellowship Hall.  The members of this team serve faithfully each week to make sure that meals are served that both taste good and are affordable.  Bonnie Bailey, Priscilla Kinchen, Gerry Spiller, Peggy Strong and Linda and Jack White have served as the mainstays of this committee for several years.  Anita McCarty has served each Wednesday evening as our “cashier.”  This ministry is both budgeted and supported by the payments for meals each Wednesday.  It has been a great help to have the “Square” available each week to help Anita as she takes payments.  We work hard to stay within the budget.

The kitchen is seeing a large increase in use as our International congregations often have meals after their events.  Tabernacle Child Care Center uses it each weekday to prepare the meals for their children and staff.  Groups that stay in the building sometimes prepare their meals in the kitchen.  We are often cooking in shifts, cleaning as we go so that the next group can prepare for their event.  The equipment and space are well used.   We are blessed to have a great kitchen and serving space—you should come volunteer to serve on the kitchen team!  We don’t have a lot of meeting, but are likely to be together cooking and cleaning.

In our recent church Business Meeting, Nelson Melton, Construction & Renovation Committee Chairman, presented an update regarding our God-Sized Vision campaign.  Meeting participants heard about changes planned for the basement/Fellowship Hall area as well as the First Floor/Sunday School Classroom area.  Those present were also given the opportunity to ask questions that they had about this significant project.  Below are a couple of those questions and a summary of the responses provided (questions are paraphrased):

• “I would like to have a more detailed view of the project and the associated time line.  Where and when will that be provided to me and the rest of the congregation?”
  The Construction & Renovation Committee has created a PowerPoint/video presentation that provides an update to be shared with our congregation.  We plan to have it on display in the very near future.  Included in that progress report is an estimated time line.  This information will be updated regularly as we confirm more details regarding each phase of the initiative.  David Wolf and Jay Hartman are working to place a video monitor in the hallway near the Meadow Street entrance.  This monitor will be used for not only updates for our Embracing a God-Sized Vision campaign, but other information of interest to the congregation from time to time.
• “How much money has the campaign raised to date?”
  As of the end December 2014 we have collected $617,051.13 of the approximately $1.4 million dollars committed by our congregation.  We are so very appreciative of everyone’s contributions!

Please check each edition of the TAB for additional information about our construction and renovation efforts.  The TAB is a key method of communication for the committee.  Also look for displays in areas of the church impacted by upcoming renovation activities.

Your input is always welcomed.  Contact Donna Soyars, our Communcations sub-committee chairperson, if you have any additional ideas for how we can get the message out to our congregation about any aspect of Tabernacle’s Embracing a God-Sized Vision.

As we gather, let us wonder. As we wonder, may we worship.

On Wednesday nights, the children of Tabernacle gather together to engage in the Bible through Godly Play. Godly Play is a creative Bible story technique that encourages children (ages Pre-K to 5th) to imagine themselves as part of the story and to wonder freely about the biblical narrative. They are also encouraged to respond to the stories through art and play. The rooms are filled with the children’s artwork – come check it out!

Our curriculum matches up with the narrative lectionary. So, this Fall we engaged the stories of the Old Testament, from Abraham to Esther! As we move into the Spring, Godly Play will spend some time learning Parables from the book of Matthew before engaging Lenten stories.

Our Godly Play team is dedicated to walking alongside the children as we learn together. Christen Schumacher, Anna Tuckwiller, Ryan Corbitt, Kristen Koger, Joe Perdue, and Megan Strollo serve each week with the children.

Visitors are always welcome to join us and experience the wonder and worship that occurs each week in Godly Play!

Megan Strollo, on behalf of the Godly Play Team

Young adults continue to be a vibrant, growing, and vital part of the Tabernacle Baptist Church family.  The Young Adult team exists to encourage young adults to build close relationships with one another and to engage them in the existing ministries and activities of the Church.

The Young Adult Team hosted several fellowship events during 2014.  A large group of us gathered for the Super Bowl last February, where some of watched the game itself and others just to spend quality time with old and new friends, and commercials. Several of us went apple picking again this fall at Carter Mountain Orchard. In September we attended a party at the home of the Schumacher’s, and even that is even more meaningful now that Dan has accepted a call to his first senior pastorate.  A large group of us gathered in December for our annual Christmas party, where there was much laughing and abundance of chili during a boisterous white elephant gift exchange.

While the Young Adult team tries to organize several “official” events during the course of the year, we believe that the best, most meaningful connections happen organically and often spontaneously. In order to help foster these connections, the Young Adult Team maintains a fairly active Facebook page where people can connect with one another, ask questions, and invite people to events they are attending. Fellowship, discipleship, worship, and service opportunities are frequently posted there.

Young adults continue to support children and youth activities.  They also meet regularly for discipleship activities and small groups.  Young adults participate regularly in worship, serve as deacons and committee members, and continue to support the life and mission of the church.  We find that Tabernacle is a place where we feel called to serve, to plunge into the deep waters of faith, to offer our best to God in worship, and to find kindred spirits to share our lives with.

As we look to the future, we are excited about how we see God leading us.  Tabernacle is growing, and new faces continue to show up regularly.  The Young Adult Team hopes to continue supporting the life church by helping people feel connected and welcome.  We hope to do even more in the year to come to promote fellowship, mission, and discipleship opportunities for young adults as we seek to follow Christ in the world.

Joe Perdue and Art Wright

Young Adult Team Leaders

This past year has been a year of tremendous growth and relationship building for our youth! Here are a few of the highlights from the 2014 year.

* We continued with our Wednesday night D Groups as our middle and high school students gather in smaller groups to discuss the upcoming Sunday’s scripture passage with leadership from Mark Snipes and Kate Ayers (middle school) and Emily White and Julie Sisson (high school).

* Sunday School continues to be a time of fellowship, music and discussion led by David Wolf

* The youth gathered together for a Disciple Now weekend in May where they talked about identity and being rooted in Christ. Thank you to the Hoffpauirs and the Hartmans for opening up their homes again for our youth to stay overnight.

* This summer, 3 adults and 11 youth experienced a new camp called UniDiversity where they participated in bible study, seminars, electives, worship, and games. The theme for the week was “Everyone is… Is Everyone…?” Our group got to explore different ways that they are broken, forgiven, invited and powerful and how they can be vulnerable, accepted, welcome, and responsible.

* We also had youth that participated in the VA Baptist All-State Choir and the VA Baptist Music and Worship Arts Camp

* The group has gathered together for fellowship events like a trip to the river, a trip to Turner Smith’s river house and the Welstead’s house, gathering together on Halloween, and cheering each other on in various sports and extra-curricular activities.

* We have also enjoyed having our youth lead on many occasions in worship by reading or singing. We learned a song in the Kachin language and were able to share this in worship!

We look forward to seeing how our youth learn about themselves and grow into the people God formed them to be as we continue to live in a time filled with vibrant and life-giving ministry.

Youth Team: Julie Gaines, Kristen Koger, Sterling Severns, Emily White, David Wolf

This ministry provides food and clothing to needy families in our neighborhood.  The pantry and clothes closet are open every Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm.  Food is distributed and the clothes closet is open for all to shop.  This is also a place where people can come to share their experiences and situations, and sometimes to just fellowship and talk or have prayer.  It is funded by contributions made to the Fellowship Fund and Food Pantry Fund and from time to time grants. Bill Finley was able to secure a $1000 grant from Chevron again this year.

Food pantry and clothes closet are staffed by dedicated volunteers.

In 2014, we distributed 2,503 bags of groceries to 650 families, including 70 homeless persons.  Some came only once and some every month.  On average a family came between 3 and 4 times a year.  There were 261 families who visited the food pantry for the first time in 2014.  We distributed over 50,000 pounds of food (25 tons) this year – an increase of 6% over 2013.  We strive to provide well-packed bags of food each week.

This year about 75% of food we distribute comes from the USDA program.  The Food Bank makes an allotment of food based on number of families served.  USDA food is picked up on the first Wednesday of each month.  One week we picked up almost 4,000 pounds of food.  Dan Schumacher has been a real help in organizing volunteers to pick up food on the first Wednesday of each month.  Many thanks to Dan and his team for taking on this task.  We will miss Dan and his help and welcome Nathan Hatfield who has taken over this task from Dan.

This ministry to the needy could not be accomplished without the help of a lot of volunteers.  In 2013, 19 volunteers gave over 1,900 hours of their time to make this ministry possible.  Many thanks to our regulars who come most every week – Jerry Spiller, Priscilla Kinchen, Jack White, and Bill and Jean Finley – who serve so faithfully.  Hope Nycum joined us this year to help stock the shelves.

Jane Denzler continues to manage the clothes closet, assisted by Linda White, Connie Jones and Brenda Cox.  Each week the volunteers sort donated clothes, shoes, etc., hang clothes in designated areas for women, men and children and assist clients in selecting clothes.  Items chosen are bagged and toiletries given out if available.  An important part of this ministry is to maintain a friendly environment where clients feel welcome and comfortable.  Each week, a steady number of clients visit the clothes closet as the word spreads about this ministry.  Consequently, we always need your clothing and shoes, particularly for men.  Thank you to everyone who donated clothes and toiletries this past year.  With your donations, our clients are able to tell us Tabernacle’s Clothes Closet is the best in the area.

If you visit us on any Thursday, do not be surprised if you hear laughter, for it truly is a fun working environment.  Every week people tell us what a great thing this church is doing and how much they appreciate what we do and the way they are treated.  I think that is what this ministry is about – whether it is getting food, clothing, or just having someone listen.  We want people to feel better after coming here.  I find every year that the people who serve in this ministry do so because they want to help others.  We are still here because there is still a need and because we have people willing to help address the need.

Dick Denzler

Director, Food Pantry/Clothes Closet Ministry

 

 

A little history:

The food pantry started around 1978 by collecting food from the congregation and distributing to people who came to the church.  It was actually stored in a pantry.

In 1998 (first year we started keeping statistics) the food pantry began participating in the USDA program. The first year the monthly average was 19 families and 27 bags of food distributed.  In 2014 monthly average was 185 families and 209 bags.

In the first 5 years we had about 540 families visit the food pantry.  As of December, 2014 that number has grown to 3,682.

The clothes closet began in 1978, and in 1998 it was operating in a 10 ½ by 22 foot room, about 230 square feet.  We have expanded the clothes closet space to almost 1,400 square feet.