St. John/Norrona News
September 2020
Please have any reports or information to be included in the newsletter, please submit by the 24th of each month to stjohn.norrona@sasktel.net. Thank you.
If anyone is interested in receiving this newsletter by email, please send a message to stjohn.norrona@sasktel.net
Pastor Carlton Larsen
Parish Phone (306) 725-3113
Email – stjohn.norrona_pastor@sasktel.net
Mailing Address: Box 505
Strasbourg, Sk. S0G 4V0
Website: stjohnnorrona.com
Please accept this invitation to view all St. John and Norrona Lutheran Church services at http://stjohnnorrona.com until further notice. Thank you.
Scripture Lessons
September 6, 2020
Ezekiel 33:7-11 Psalm 119:33-40
Romans 13:8-14 Matthew 18:15-20
September 13, 2020
Genesis 50:15-21 Psalm 103:1-13
Romans 14:1-12 Matthew 18:21-35
September 20, 2020
Jonah 3:10-4:11 Psalm 145:1-8
Philippians 1:21-30 Matthew 20:1-16
September 27, 2020
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 Psalm 25:1-9
Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32
| St. John Lutheran Church |
| |
| Income Statement 07/01/2020 to 07/31/2020 |
| |
| REVENUE |
| |
| Regular Offering |
| |
| Benevolence | 755.00 |
|
| CLWR | 25.00 |
|
| Envelopes | 5,845.00 |
|
| Loose Offering | 0.00 |
|
| Total Regular Offering | 6,625.00 |
|
| Other Revenue |
| |
| Church Use | 0.00 |
|
| Dividends | 0.00 |
|
| Church Directory | 0.00 |
|
| Fund Raising Income | 0.00 |
|
| Clay Revenue | 0.00 |
|
| Faithlife Grants | 0.00 |
|
| Hospital Ministry | 0.00 |
|
| Epiphany Dessert | 0.00 |
|
| Gifts Received | 20.00 |
|
| Property Donations | 0.00 |
|
| Memorial Donations | 0.00 |
|
| Mosaic Fundraiser | 0.00 |
|
| Miscellaneous Income | 11.00 |
|
| Parsonage Rent | 850.00 |
|
| Plan 24 Interest | 2.85 |
|
| Strasbourg District Foodgrains Bank | 60.00 |
|
| Total Other Offerings | 943.85 |
|
| TOTAL REVENUE | 7,568.85 |
|
| EXPENSE |
| |
| Pastor Payroll Expenses |
| |
| Pastors Salary | 4,230.69 |
|
| CPP | 210.63 |
|
| EI | 93.58 |
|
| Mileage | 0.00 |
|
| Health & Dental | 334.50 |
|
| Church Pension | 353.35 |
|
| Continuing Education Plan | 37.50 |
|
| Long term Disability | 169.23 |
|
| Total Pastor Costs | 5,429.48 |
|
| Missions of the Church |
| |
| Benevolence | 635.00 |
|
| CLWR | 0.00 |
|
| Hospital Ministry | 0.00 |
|
| Total Sask Synod | 635.00 |
|
| Fundraising Expenses | 0.00 |
|
| Strasbourg District Foodgrains Bank | 60.00 |
|
| Clay Expenses | 0.00 |
|
| Parish Youth | 0.00 |
|
| Total Missions | 695.00 |
|
| Worship & Services |
| |
| Supply Travel Time | 0.00 |
|
| Parish Secretary | 225.00 |
|
| Employer share of EI | 4.98 |
|
| Employer share of CPP | 0.33 |
|
| Organist & Choir | 150.00 |
|
| Postage | 0.00 |
|
| Worship Supplies | 0.00 |
|
| Designated Fees | 125.00 |
|
| Copyright Licensing Fees | 108.75 |
|
| Copier Lease, Paper, Insurance | 508.83 |
|
| Office Equipment | .00 |
|
| Total Worship & Services | 1,122.89 |
|
| Church Properties |
| |
| Church Maintenance | 0.00 |
|
| Church Energy | 53.87 |
|
| Church Power | 70.04 |
|
| Website Hosting | 0.00 |
|
| Internet Service | 0.00 |
|
| Church Telephone | 98.37 |
|
| Church Water & Sewer | 0.00 |
|
| Total Church Costs | 222.28 |
|
| Parsonage Energy | 0.00 |
|
| Parsonage Power | 0.00 |
|
| Parsonage Water & Sewer | 0.00 |
|
| Parsonage Maintenance | 0.00 |
|
| Total Parsonage Expenses | 0.00 |
|
| Insurance | 0.00 |
|
| Audit | 0.00 |
|
| Payroll Management | 37.98 |
|
| Service Charges | .00 |
|
| Line of Credit | 1.50 |
|
| Church Directory | 0.00 |
|
| Elevator Maintenance | 0.00 |
|
| Groceries Purchased | 0.00 |
|
| Total Church Properties Expenses | 261.76 | |
| TOTAL EXPENSE | 7,509.13 | |
| NET INCOME | 59.72 |
| St. John Lutheran Church |
| |
| Balance Sheet As at 07/31/2020 |
| |
| ASSET |
| |
| Current Assets |
| |
| Affinity Credit Union Chequing | 2,487.16 |
|
| Youth Savings Bank Account | 5,055.88 |
|
| St. John Youth Savings | 1,661.49 |
|
| Memorial Account | 8,366.48 |
|
| Property Account | 8,888.82 |
|
| Insurance/Taxes Account | 851.93 |
|
| Total Current Assets | 27,311.76 |
|
| Investments |
| |
| Flex Term | 50,364.77 |
|
| Escalator GIC 60 month | 85,036.16 |
|
| Total Investments | 135,400.93 |
|
| Receivable Accounts |
| |
| Norrona Receivable | 2,103.38 |
|
| Total Norrona Receivable | 2,103.38 |
|
| 50 % GST Receivable | 78.31 |
|
| Total Receivables | 2,181.69 |
|
| Capital Assets |
| |
| Church & Property | 675,339.00 |
|
| Office Furniture & Equipment | 116,800.00 |
|
| Net-Church Building & Equipment | 792,139.00 |
|
| Parsonage | 228,500.00 |
|
| Total Capital Assets | 1,020,639.00 |
|
| TOTAL ASSET | 1,185,533.38 |
|
| LIABILITY |
| |
| Current Liabilities |
| |
| Damage Deposit | 500.00 |
|
| Total Current Liabilities | 500.00 |
|
| TOTAL LIABILITY | 500.00 |
|
| EQUITY |
| |
| Member’s Equity |
| |
| Equity – Previous Year | 1,190,277.20 | |
| Current Earnings | -5,243.82 | |
| Total Retained Earnings | 1,185,033.38 | |
| TOTAL EQUITY | 1,185,033.38 | |
| LIABILITIES AND EQUITY | 1,185,533.38 |
Norrona Lutheran Church
Financial Report – July 2020
Norrona Revenue
*Regular Sunday Offering (envelopes,
benevolence/missions (including CLWR),
loose, and other Norrona regular offering) $2,055.00
*Other revenue (e.g. bank interest, Norrona
fundraising, and other Norrona-specific
revenue) $ 106.20
Total Revenue $2,161.20
Norrona Expenses
*Norrona portion of Parish Expenses (e.g.
Pastor salary, benefits, EI, mileage, Pulpit
Supply, office & worship supplies, telephone
office secretary) – paid to St. John $2,507.07
*Norrona Congregational Expenses (e.g.
maintenance, insurance, utilities, fundraising,
worship & office supplies, organist) $ 209.00
*Missions of the Church (e.g. Sask. Synod,
CLWR, and other Norrona specific mission
projects) $ 580.00
Total Expenses $3,296.07
Net Income (-$1,132.87)
The parish purchased an audio video system to aid in the recording of on line worship services. Norrona’s share is recorded in the amount paid to St. John.
Pastor’s Report
Back to school time! But a strange one this year. Such weird times we are having aren’t we? So much uncertainty, and so much fear all around. Things that were front of mind just a few months ago, like climate change for example, have taken a back seat to Covid 19 and the virus that causes it. Now we are contemplating opening things up and resuming things like school. We are all feeling the strain from months of social isolation and none more than our children and our elderly. What to do? These are hard questions and hard decisions. Nobody really knows what is the best and safest thing to do for our society and our world. This is a new disease and it keeps surprising the researchers and everyone around us. It is confusing and it can be frightening, especially when we really do not know what is the best decision.
As people of faith, we have resources to draw on and a deep well of wisdom in our scriptures and in our traditions. We have the example, the teaching and the faith of Jesus as our first principle. As trite as it is, the “WWJD” wristbands have a point. What indeed WOULD Jesus do? If it were only a simple and clear answer to every question that would be convenient. It is however almost never that simple. We have all these stories and we have each other and our scholars, but most of all we have the Holy Spirit moving in and among us. As we read and hear the stories of Jesus, we wrestle with the meanings of these stories in our context.
Jesus’ consistent action on behalf of the lowest and least regarded is one of the clearest things about him. Lepers, traitors, outcasts and the powerless came to him and were never turned away. Jesus chose to act on behalf of the vulnerable. When those with power and authority challenged him, Jesus pointed to the grace and generosity of his Heavenly Papa toward the least. He gathered around himself a rag-tag group of ne’er-do-wells and women. Almost the opposite of a king’s court! His women were never mere ornaments or playthings, but trusted partners in serving the world. He taught and loved and gave and served.
Jesus also was ready to challenge any and all forms of abuse of power. He had harsh words for the religious leaders of his day who were far too comfortable with their authority and their privilege. He called on them to humble themselves and act as the servants they were called to be. He had no patience at all for the greedy and the self-serving. He did not bow down to abusers of power. In the end, this was far too challenging for the authorities and they stirred up a riot and staged a lynching. Following Jesus is good but it may not be safe!
So, what does this mean for us? How does this inform our re-opening plans? I believe we need to be very careful how we expose our most vulnerable people to the very real danger of this illness. We also need to be very intentional about fostering and nurturing our connections with them and each other in a safe way. We need each other. We are social creatures and we crave and need love, to give it and receive it. As we contemplate our course of action over the coming months this must be our constant and consistent bottom line. All decisions must be weighed by caring for and protecting and loving one another.
So we struggle and we pray and we talk and we will come together to decisions. Some of those decisions will be wrong because we do not have all knowledge. Some will be very right and we will look back with pride on those. But we need to take action on behalf of each other and especially our most vulnerable. Let’s be careful. Let’s be cautious, but in loving let us always be bold and creative. Our on-line services have been a huge challenge and a tremendous blessing to many and I hope we can continue that ministry in some form when we eventually begin having live services again. And until then, love one another as best we can and struggle with decisions as to how to move forward. God will be with us, guiding and inspiring and forgiving because that is how our God works in and with us. Amen.