Mt Zion UCC

Toward the end of 2009 as we were gearing up to set our goal for the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign, we shared a great deal of information regarding the goals of the campaign and what our contributions would support. Time has passed. Two years later, it’s hard to remember just what this is all about! So here’s a little pop quiz to jog your memory.

1.    Where was the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign initiated?
2.    What is Mt. Zion’s contribution goal?
3.    How long does Mt. Zion’s campaign run?
4.    Are our contributions the only source of funding for meeting our goal?
5.    What do the four icons in the logo stand for?
6.    What percentage of our contributions funds each of the four initiatives?
7.    Does Mt. Zion ever see any return on our investment in this capital campaign?
8.    We weren’t here at the beginning of the Campaign; can we still contribute?
9.    Is it okay to decrease my weekly contribution to support the Campaign?
10.    Where can we get the answers to these questions to check our score? (OK, this one’s a freebie; answers below — don't peek!)

Jim Groff, Jim Shiffer, Deb Herlocker & Bonnie Dull (Council Liaison)

(Answer key)

1.    Where was the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign initiated? The Campaign is an initiative of our Penn Central Conference.
2.    What is Mt. Zion’s contribution goal? Mt. Zion’s congregational goal is $100,000.
3.    How long does Mt. Zion’s campaign run? This is a five-year campaign which began in January 2010 and runs through December 2014.
4.    Are our contributions the only source of funding for meeting our goal? No, in addition to the pledges and regular contributions, we have several fundraisers (chicken BBQs, Cloister car wash, Funny Fashion Show, etc.). Council has been very generous in designating a tithe of estate bequests to the campaign goal, and each year we apply for a grant from our Mission Core Team. These are a few of the other sources of funding.
5.    What do the four icons in the logo stand for? The chalice represents our commitment to New and Revitalized Churches. The tree represents our commitment to the new multi-purpose facility at Hartman Center. The hammer reminds us of our commitment to help Beecher Memorial in New Orleans rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. The arrow represents our commitment to the future of Penn Central Conference by building an endowment fund.
6.    What percentage of our contributions funds each of the four initiatives? 35% of our contributions go to New and Revitalized Churches; 35% to Hartman Center; 20% to the Endowment Fund and a tithe (10%) to Beecher.
7.    Does Mt. Zion ever see any return on our investment in this capital campaign? As a matter of fact we do! Thanks so much for asking. Every summer a number of campers head to Hartman Center for recreation and renewal. The Road to Vitality program in which Mt. Zion is participating is partially funded through the 4 Our Churches Campaign. And Mt. Zion has benefited on numerous occasions from our association with Penn Central Conference (rewriting our Bylaws and our pastoral search come to mind), so a strong conference is in our best interest.
8.    We weren’t here at the beginning of the Campaign; can we still contribute? You betcha! If you e-tithe, there is a place on the authorization form to indicate an amount to go to the Campaign. If you’re not an e-tither, you can use the 4 Our Churches envelopes found in the pews.
9.    Is it okay to decrease my weekly contribution to support the Campaign? Ummm, no. While this is definitely a worthwhile campaign, it is important to continue your regular support to Mt. Zion’s ministries. Contributions to the Campaign should be what is considered “second mile giving.”
10.    Where can we get the answers to these questions to check our score? If you didn’t score well on this quiz, then it was well past time for us to publish this article!!

At the end of the first half of our second year of the campaign, Mt. Zion has forwarded an additional $11,668.34 to Penn Central Conference toward our annual goal of $20,000. Of the remaining $8,331.66 toward our annual pledge, we have members continuing to send in their pledges, and we are in the process of planning another chicken BBQ.

A Grand Total of $31,673.02 has been sent to Penn Central Conference in our first year and a half! Thank you to everyone who is contributing their time, talents and treasures to fulfill this pledge.

Jim Groff, Jim Shiffer & Deb Herlocker

As a general rule, the money we contribute to the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign is divided among the four campaign purposes: 35% for new church starts and church revitalization, 35% for the new multi-purpose facility at Hartman Center, 20% for the conference endowment fund, and a 10% tithe to Beecher Memorial Church in New Orleans. This August, we make an exception.

Our special benevolence offering this month is designated for Hartman Center, Penn Central Conference’s church camp and conference center. The Center has been providing quality outdoor Christian Education for many decades. Hartman Center “alumni” are now leaders in churches, communities, business and government.

While the Center has many excellent facilities, the major missing piece for a fully flexible camp and conference center is a multi-purpose facility. $1.5 million of the funds raised by the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign will be used for the multi-purpose facility which will include a full-size gym, new offices, a medical suite, expanded dining facilities and the camp store. This will also be a “green” facility to ensure reduced costs of maintenance over time.

Our August special benevolence offering for Hartman Center will be part of our 4 Our Churches pledge. Over the years, Mt. Zion has sent many campers to Hartman Center. This summer alone, we have 12 members and 5 littles from Big Brother Big Sister registered. Let’s ensure that they continue to have a Spirit-filled experience at a quality facility.

Mt. Zion met its first year goal of $20,000 toward the congregational pledge of $100,000 to this campaign. Over $35,000 has been pledged by congregational members for the five-year campaign. In 2010, over $10,000 was raised through fundraisers by various organizations. The 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign Team would like to thank those who worked so hard to make reaching our goal possible.

On Sunday, August 22, you can multi-task in a way that benefits the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign!  We’ve arranged for a fundraising event to be held at the East Market Street Hoss’s.  You, your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, visitors and guests can dine at Hoss’s anytime during that Sunday and 20% of the total bill will be returned to Mt. Zion.  

And if you are one of those people who likes to get a head start on their Christmas shopping, you can purchase Hoss’s gift cards and 20% of that total will also be returned to Mt. Zion (please note, you cannot purchase the gift card and then use it on August 22).

You are thinking to yourself, “How can I be sure that Hoss’s will know I’m part of the fundraiser?”  You can identify yourself in one of two ways: 1) we’ll be sending out an email that you can take with you, or 2) in the church narthex are Hoss’s cards  to present at the time you pay your bill.

We need your help to make this fundraiser a success.  Please take some of the Hoss’s cards to pass out and forward emails to your family, friends, neighbors…well, you get the idea.  Since this is a campaign team sponsored event, 10% of the proceeds will be returned to help support Mt. Zion’s budget.

So save the date of August 22 and bring everyone you know, along with your Hoss’s card or email, to the East Market Street location for some fun, fellowship, and fundraising!

Jim Groff, Deb Herlocker and Jim Shiffer – Council Liaison

As a general rule, the money we contribute to the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign is divided among the four campaign purposes: 35% for new church starts and church revitalization, 35% for the new multi-purpose facility at Hartman Center, 20% for the conference endowment fund, and a 10% tithe to Beecher Memorial Church in New Orleans. In May, we make an exception.

Our special benevolence offering this month is designated for Hartman Center, Penn Central Conference’s church camp and conference center. The Center has been providing quality outdoor Christian Education for many decades. Hartman Center “alumni” are now leaders in churches, communities, business and government.

While the Center has many excellent facilities, the major missing piece for a fully flexible camp and conference center is a multi-purpose facility. $1.5 million of the funds raised by the 4 Our Churches Capital Campaign will be used for the multi-purpose facility which will include a full-size gym, new offices, a medical suite, expanded dining facilities and the camp store. This will also be a “green” facility to ensure reduced costs of maintenance over time.

Our May special benevolence offering for Hartman Center will be part of our 4 Our Churches pledge. Over the years, Mt. Zion has sent many campers to Hartman Center. Let’s ensure that they continue to have a Spirit-filled experience at a quality facility.
Jim Groff, Deb Herlocker, Jim Shiffer – Council Liaison

The 4 Our Churches Campaign at Mt. Zion continues with great momentum thanks in part to the fundraising successes at the Holy Heat! Chili 4 Our Churches and the Spaghetti Dinner events. Holy Heat! raised $640 for the Campaign, and an anonymous donor brought that total to $1,000! The Spaghetti Dinner was also a great success with their fundraising total of $800, and yet another anonymous donor came forward to make their total $1,000! Thank you to all who planned, participated, and donated to these events!

More wonderful news! To date, 25 families have pledges a total of $35,020 toward the $100,00 Mt. Zion congregational goal! We have a total of 72 green leaves on our giving tree (55 from the $110,000 major gift pledge, and 17 from congregational pledges). If you wish to contribute to the campaign, you may place your offering in the "4 Our Churches" envelopes found in the pews, narthax, and hallway, or ask a member of the Capital Campaign team for envelopes that you can use throughout the year. The team — Jim Groff, Deb Herlocker, and Jim Shiffer (Council Liaison) — thank you for your generous support of this campaign.