Dear people who have been chosen by Jesus to be his friends and to befriend others,
Here is the congregational meeting agenda for this Sunday, May 13, 2012. The service starts at 10:30 am and the meeting will be at the end of the service. Dr. Ed Knight, President of the Presbyterian Children's Home and Services, will be available to answer your questions during the congregational meeting. He will also bring the architect's sketch of where on our church property the buildings will be placed.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the Presbyterian Children's Home proposal for a Single Parent Family Ministry on the campus of St. John's Presbyterian Church.
Here is the congregational meeting agenda for this Sunday, May 13, 2012. The service starts at 10:30 am and the meeting will be at the end of the service. Dr. Ed Knight, President of the Presbyterian Children's Home and Services, will be available to answer your questions during the congregational meeting. He will also bring the architect's sketch of where on our church property the buildings will be placed.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the Presbyterian Children's Home proposal for a Single Parent Family Ministry on the campus of St. John's Presbyterian Church.
- What is the purpose of this project? The purpose of this project is to provide support, care, and training for highly motivated single parent mothers and their children to help them get back on their feet and become more capable of being successful in society.
- What is the nature of this project: Four brand new single story duplexes will be built on St. John's property between our parking lot and the Westbury United Methodist parking lot. Three of the single story duplexes will be for mothers and their children for a total of six families served at any one time. One of the duplexes will provide housing for a full-time, highly qualified employee hired and trained by Presbyterian Children's Home and Services. This employee will live on site and oversee the project 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The other half of the employee's housing unit will serve as an office building for this project. The buildings will be coordinated and partially financed by HomeAide Houston.
- How much will it cost St. John's? The project is designed so that it will not cost St. John's any money now or in the future. Presbyterian Children's Home and Services currently raises about three million dollars per year for their operating budget. They see this new project based in Houston as a great opportunity for them to raise more money through foundations that are based in Houston as well as the many Presbyterian congregations in Houston. Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services has a full-time fundraiser who is experienced and well qualified and they already have a plan for raising the money for building and sustaining this project.
- Will the project use any of St. John's parking lot? No. The project will not use any of the church's parking lot. Presbyterian Children's Home and Services will build their own parking lot for this project in addition to the houses they build.
- Will St. John's make any money off the project? St. John's will not make any money off the project except for one dollar per year in a lease arrangement whereby St. John's maintains ownership of the land and leases the land to Presbyterian Children's Home and Services.
- What will St. John's get out of this project? St. John's will get some great publicity that will raise awareness of our congregation within the city of Houston and the surrounding presbytery. Our congregation will also get access to many hands on mission opportunities right here on our campus. While we will not be responsible for providing any help, we will have the opportunity to provide as much support as members of the congregation want to give. Such hands on mission projects are particularly attractive to young adults which is a segment of our community whom we want to reach.
This is an exciting opportunity that God has laid before our congregation! I hope this Sunday at the congregational meeting we will walk through that door into the future God has prepared for us as we continue to fulfill our mission which is to glorify God by making disciples and meeting human needs. It is especially fitting that this ministry to single mothers comes to our congregation on Mother's Day.
Your looking forward to connecting with God's people on this Mother's Day pastor,
JON BURNHAM
--
Sunday Schedule: Church School for all ages: 9:00 am; Worship 10:30 am; Youth Fellowship 5 pm
