The Christian Education Committee
This year the education committee was chaired by Elder Dick Hultman and included the following members: Elder Joe Schoeler, Deacon Ron Boehmer, Deacon Debbie Santmyer, Sally Corry, Art Miller, and Colleen Yarbrough.
This committee has oversight of Children’s Church, Sunday School, adult evening classes, FINKS Confirmation, all youth groups, summer camp opportunities, Work Camp, Rally Day, teacher training, Graduate Recognition, and Vacation Bible School. The Fair Committee is a sub-committee of CE and oversees our activities at the Washington County Fair.
Highlights of the year:
Our church school program and nursery have maintained steady attendance averaging close to 130 with a peak in the fall pushing 140. The strength of the program is completely dependent on our teachers and helpers who have an incredible accumulation of years of service and experience. They are faithful, dependable, motivated, and a blessing for all. Thanks to Lauretta Darby, Karen Morgan, Shirley Donaldson, Mildred Johnston, Marcus Solobay, Kelli Terpenning, Mildred Miller, Sally Moore, Greg and Melissa Sulc, Mary Solomon, Dolores Miller, Sharon Cox, Linda Hill, Lori Stopperich, Doug and Miriam Miller, Dick Hultman, Angie Austin, Wendy Lucas, Carl Neishloss, Gary Yarbrough, Larry Miller, Vivian Lewis and Art Miller. Thanks are also extended to Barb Jones and many teen volunteers for care in the nursery. Special thanks go to Charlie Balentine for many years of perfect attendance as Assistant Superintendent collecting offering and attendance data and ringing the bell! Dick Hultman continues as Superintendent of the Sunday School.
On May 21, 2007 ten FINKS completed the Confirmation Program and joined the church. Most continue to be actively involved in the life and ministry of our congregation. From May 21 to 23, Co-directors Karen Homrock and Linda Richardson attended Head to the Heart University, the Faith Inkubators training center in Stillwater, Minnesota. Several minor revisions and updates were planned for the FINKS startup in the fall.
Vacation Bible School continues to be a highlight of summer community outreach. Attendance averaged 160+ with over 100 volunteers. Response to the mission of raising funds for Variety-The Children’s Charity of Pittsburgh resulted in over $1,600. School supplies and backpacks were also collected for the needs of students in Drift, Kentucky. Congratulations for a job very well done go to Mary Beth Virgin and all of the teachers and helpers. A number of new members and families currently attending resulted from this outreach in the community.
We gave $2,250.00 in camper scholarships for Pine Springs summer camp attendance and followed up with similar awards for Work Camp 2007. Camper scholarships had increased emphasis in the 2007 budget, yet the $4,000 was not all distributed.
In June, 31 youth and eight adults traveled to Mathews, Virginia for Work Camp through Group. Inc. All of the hard work of fund-raising and house repair earned these campers a memorable experience of service and fellowship. Leaders Gary & Colleen Yarbrough, Gary & Wendy Lucas, Linda Richardson, John Walker, Barb Jones and Carl Neishloss continue to provide excellent leadership for this mission. Plans are moving along for the 2008 Workcamp in Binghamton, New York with 31 youths and 8 adults registered to attend. With Session approval, our Workcamper leadership has initiated the process involved to host a Group Workcamp in 2009. This is a very ambitious project and will challenge our congregation to join them in service to many neighbors in the Chartiers Creek area.
The CUP Food Booth at the county fair earned valuable dollars for youth mission work and special projects and gave many members the chance at some great fellowship as we worked the booth. The week’s proceeds were $12,660. $2,500 was allocated to the All Church Retreat, $4,175 to workcampers’ accounts, $3,760 to the Eagle Scout Storage Garage project and $2,225 for next year’s start-up expenses. Chef Gary Lucas and Rege & Doreen Griesbaum are the leaders of this effort.
Cadets (Grades 3 & 4) enjoyed a steady year with 17 participants, three earning T-shirts and nine earning Adventure Bibles. Additional resources for this year included The Ultimate Bible Guide for Children’s Ministry, Making the Bible a Kid’s Lifelong Friend and The Eggspert, an electronic game device for Bible quizzes. Dolores Miller, Sharon Cox and Tiffany Jamerson continue to provide solid leadership.· C.R.E.W. (Grades 5 & 6) is now led by Sharon Cox and Tiffany Jamerson. They continue to emphasize service projects and lessons that study the Scripture. Some joint efforts are being planned with the Cadets.
● The Senior High Youth Group (Grades 9 thru 12) is under the leadership of Len & Kim Morton and Gary & Wendy Lucas with attendance averaging 19-23 youths per week. They are currently using the “IT” program from Group Publications however the leaders are finding it tough not to repeat lessons and will be looking for a new curriculum for fall 2008. They meet weekly on Sunday evenings at 7:30 PM with the Workcampers joining them once a month.
The All Church Retreat of 2007 was a wonderful opportunity for 78 attendees to grow closer to the Lord and each other. Some recent new members were among those who attended.
The Drama Ministry continues as a church school class for grades 6 -12 under the guidance of Angie Austin, Wendy Lucas, and Carl Neishloss. Their efforts have been meaningful in worship and in fellowship gatherings. This ministry continues to be an outreach of our congregation to the community and other congregations.
We recognized 14 high school graduates in May. They were presented with the book “How to Stay Christian in College” by J. Budziszewski.
● Pastor Hamilton’s Wednesday Noon Bible Study has been a great time for folks to get together for faith discussion, prayer and encouragement.
If anyone was left out or the report is incomplete, I apologize. It is a joy to be involved in Christian Education and I am very glad so many others have placed such a high priority on this program. That is a measure of the success that God is having with us. I especially want to thank Pastor Tom Hamilton and the staff for their leadership and support in the Christian Education of this congregation.
Respectfully,
Dick Hultman