[Lekooks] Lekooks Digest, Vol 121, Issue 15

Tue Oct 17 14:49:47 CDT 2023

This is a conversation that needs to be addressed through our LCUUC
administrator.  If a response/commitment is needed from the church as an
organization, it needs to be handled through official channels.

I don't mean to sound rude, just trying to get the conversation to the
level it needs to be at.

Carol

On Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 12:15 PM <lekooks-request at lekook.org> wrote:

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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Re: Your Input is Requested Please - Time Sensitive
>       (Michael McNett)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2023 17:15:06 +0000 (UTC)
> From: Michael McNett <michael.mcnett at sbcglobal.net>
> To: Gail Ostler <gailostler at live.com>, Kerry Duma
>         <kerryduma at gmail.com>
> Cc: Gina Magnus <gmarksonmagnus at gmail.com>,  Paula Hillmann
>         <paula.hillmann at gmail.com>,  Tammara Wolfgram via Lekooks
>         <lekooks at lekook.org>,  "minister at lcuuc.org" <minister at lcuuc.org>
> Subject: Re: [Lekooks] Your Input is Requested Please - Time Sensitive
> Message-ID: <718378786.294449.1697562906547 at mail.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> I think this is a wonderful idea and a very good way to provide help to
> those who need it.
> I'm deeply concerned, however, about whether this is the time that our
> struggling church should be providing the services and money to support it.
> Do we really want to make a commitment of our financial resources to this
> when we're predicting a $48,000 budget deficit this year and continue to
> see declining membership?? Based on what I heard at our stewardship
> committee meeting last Sunday, we're looking at a looming financial
> crisis.? In times like these, it's very important that we focus on
> committing our resources to healing our church's problems.? Heal the
> patient, then let them go out and help the world.
>
> If we were a thriving community with a healthy budget surplus, I'd be 100%
> for this.? I really have to wonder, however, if it's realistic for us in
> our currently weakened condition.
> Trying, perhaps unsuccessfully, not to be "Debbie Downer,"Mike
>
>
> Nehru to Gandhi, on his deathbed: "Mahatma, in your lifetime, you have
> turned the world utterly upside down. How must that feel??"
>
> Gandhi: "Yes, I turned the world upside down. I stood on my head."
>
>
>     On Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at 11:24:34 AM CDT, Kerry Duma via
> Lekooks <lekooks at lekook.org> wrote:
>
>  First of all, I want to thank Gina Magnus for all her many (10?) years of
> outstanding leadership on coordinating our involvement with Family
> Promise.? Gina has done the huge lion's share of our involvement with the
> program since we started, and without her willingness to take charge and do
> whatever needed to be done, we wouldn't have been able to keep up our
> commitment to date.??
> That said, as the program has changed since Covid, and as our church has
> also changed, it is really important for us to consider what our level of
> commitment to Family Promise will look like? going forward.? I know we all
> understand the huge challenges to being able to afford housing these days,
> and the overwhelming need for support for people who are unhoused.? I'm
> sure we all feel like supporting Family Promise is a good idea --? and
> being responsible for one meal a month doesn't seem like a big ask -- but
> the question is whether or not we actually have enough people willing to
> commit to making food and bringing it where it needs to go each month.?
> Since Covid, the number of people who have been involved is quite small,
> and I know Gina has made a lot of the food herself.
> With this new model, people can make and provide food without being
> trained, so everyone in our congregation could contribute.??
> I would like to see us continue our involvement going forward.? I am
> willing to continue to make food and help, but of course I, like many of
> us, am retired and am traveling often.? I think I can realistically commit
> to providing food in January and March.? I would also be happy to help with
> coordinating the Signup Genius or help deliver the food to the shelter.??
> I think Gina needs to hear from many of us that we are committed to making
> food or helping in another way in order to decide that we are willing and
> able to be a part of this program.??
> Thanks to all who have responded.? I hope we hear from enough of us to
> justify a decision to remain committed to Family Promise!
> Kerry
>
> On Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 10:43?AM Gail Ostler via Lekooks <
> lekooks at lekook.org> wrote:
>
> Gina, I'm willing to help.? Gail OstlerFrom: Lekooks <
> lekooks-bounces at lekook.org> on behalf of Paula Hillmann via Lekooks <
> lekooks at lekook.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2023 11:54 AM
> To: Gina Magnus <gmarksonmagnus at gmail.com>
> Cc: Tammara Wolfgram via Lekooks <lekooks at lekook.org>; minister at lcuuc.org
> <minister at lcuuc.org>
> Subject: Re: [Lekooks] Your Input is Requested Please - Time Sensitive?Hi
> Gina,Thank you, as always, for all you do!I see the pros and cons, as you
> mention.I'm all for helping support families who need the encouragement
> that Family Promise provides.I'm happy to donate food if that's the way we
> decide to go.But to be honest, my favorite part about?Family Promise has
> been the way we've supported families both socially and emotionally by
> having direct interactions - "feeding the body and the spirit" by spending
> time with the families.Might this FP change be something that no longer
> matches our mission,?and our capacity to serve in this way?I hope everyone
> chimes in - I'd like to hear what others have to say.Paula
> On Mon, Oct 16, 2023 at 10:57?AM Gina Magnus via Lekooks <
> lekooks at lekook.org> wrote:
>
> Good Morning All,
> I will try to keep this as brief as possible while trying to give you the
> information you need to help with this decision regarding our participation
> in the "new" version of Family Promise.? I am very proud of our
> congregation for being the first church to sign on with the program in 2014
> and for our continued support of the program as the model changed in
> response to the pandemic. The staff at Family Promise has proposed a
> dramatically different model for the upcoming winter/spring months.? For
> the sake of brevity, I will bullet point the rest of the information.
> *? Family Promise of Waukesha County (FP)? has partnered with Hebron House
> in Waukesha to manage the Emergency Overflow Shelter (EOS) for families and
> singles experiencing homelessness in Waukesha County from Nov '23 - March
> '24.*? The EOS is located at 1210 Sentry Dr. and can house up to 35 people.
> *? Families and Singles will be placed in the EOS only after every other
> available shelter bed is full.?
> *? We have been asked to provide a meal once a month for the shelter (5
> times).? Our day is currently the third Thursday of the month.? The census
> will change and is weather dependent, but we should plan on feeding 35
> people.? We will have census data prior to our host date, but again, it can
> change quickly.?
>
> Pros:*? This is a very vulnerable group of people who will benefit greatly
> from having a safe place to stay and meals provided.*? Trained staff from
> HebronHouse and FP will be onsite daily. ?*? No training is required to
> provide the meal.? Only trained volunteers will be able to stay and serve
> the food.*? It is a 5 month commitment at this time and if enough people
> sign on to provide food or $$, I believe it is doable. ??
>
> Cons:*? Feeding 35 people will be expensive and take some organizing.
> *? This is an atypical volunteer experience in that we will not have many
> opportunities to build relationships with other volunteers or our guests at
> the EOS.
> *? This is radically different from the model of FP that we signed on to
> in 2014. (con or simply the truth?)
> I met with Rev. Matt and Phil Smith yesterday and we decided that the best
> thing to do is to pose the question to all of you.I would like you to
> respond as to whether or not you think we should sign on to provide a meal
> once a month for 35 people for 5 months.?IF you think we should, please
> also let me know if you are willing to commit to providing meals/food or $$
> to support the effort.? I am willing to continue to coordinate our
> volunteers and the meals, butI cannot do this without significant help from
> all of you.?
>
> FP is looking for our answer by midweek this week.? I appreciate all input
> on this matter.
> Thank you, and as always I am so grateful to this congregation for the
> support that you have provided for FP over the last 10 years.
>
> gina markson
> magnus262-424-7640_______________________________________________
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>
> --
> Paula Hillmann
> paula.hillmann at gmail.com
> cell: 262-366-5991_______________________________________________
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> End of Lekooks Digest, Vol 121, Issue 15
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