Scarboro United Church

2018 Annual

Report

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REPORTS

2018 MILESTONES 03

GOVERNANCE

Mission & Mandate 04 Leadership Team 05

Chair of the Board 06

MEMORIALS & BEQUESTS 07

DAY TO DAY

Ministers 09

Manager 10 Coordinator 12

EXPLORING &

CELEBRATING

OUR FAITH 13 Music 14

Children & Youth 15

ScarboroArts 16 WELCOMING & SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY 18 Elda Daniels 20 Observer 21 STEWARDING OUR FUTURE 22 Finance 24 Ministry & Personnel 26

Board of Trustees 28

APPENDICES Appendix A: 29 Minutes of the 2017 AGM Appendix B: 35 Minutes of December 2, 2018 Congregational Meeting Appendix C: 38 Financial Statements

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2018 MILESTONES

David Gaskell

Penny Lattoni

John Snyder

Gordon Quon

Muriel Lauder

Marion Jorgensen*

Gail Snyder

Russell Powell*

William Bell

Douglas Bartindale

John Manry*

Joanne Edie*

Murray Colwell

Norma Bannerman*

Angus Leitch

Matthew Sklepowich

Keith Williams

*listed on the Membership Roll

of Scarboro United Church

Seme Kwashie Landar Monica Paul

Brie Nelson

Monica Paul Mary Axworthy Brie Nelson Chris Mah Poy

Evan Spielman Jennifer Spielman Dean Halliday Pace Freeborn Maia Forsyth Sonia Landwehr

Cindy Christie-Brooks Fiona Landwehr

Alexander Large & Yoon Lee*

Jay Wiwchar &Meaghan Harvey*

Leonard Schmaus & Barbara Simpson*

*wedding ceremony conducted off site

by Rev. Lee Spice

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GOVERNANCE

OUR MISSION Is to be:

• A church that offers spiritual sustenance

and that others see as WELCOMING,

DIVERSE, and INCLUSIVE.

• A church that is committed to SOCIAL

JUSTICE and is fully engaged in LOCAL

OUTREACH.

• An ARTS BASED ‘destination’ church.

OUR MANDATE

Scarboro United Church is a caring community of risk-takers, adventurers and explorers in

contemporary Christian living. Working from a traditional base, we seek new ways of understanding

the meeting of the human and the divine. We are a liberal, open-minded congregation, welcoming

doubters, seekers, questioners, believers and those of other faith experiences.

As a worship-centered community, we emphasize participatory, innovative worship while honouring

the ancient rituals and practices of the church. We offer challenging sermons, meditation and

reflection, and excellence in the quality and variety of music.

As a Christian community in a largely secular society, we recognize the need to respond to the

spiritual hunger of our time. Toward this end, we provide opportunities for education and discussion in

contemporary theology, biblical interpretation and spirituality.

As those who recognize the value that children and youth bring to our church community, we are

prepared to engage in the exploration and study necessary to determine their needs and to nurture

their gifts. We are committed to working with our young people in developing programs and worship

that relate to their lives.

As those who are called to embody Christ’s love, we provide pastoral care opportunities that minister

to the changing needs of our church community. We also build relationships by providing

opportunities to socialize and enjoy each other’s company in a variety of informal ways.

As those who are called to be partners with God in creating a just society, we are committed to

being agents for change, challenging moral and economic injustice, both locally and globally. We

support those benevolent ministries that address critical social needs, and point the way to social

change.

Adopted by the Congregation on May 28, 2000

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LEADERSHIP TEAM

OFFICAL BOARD OF SCARBORO UNITED CHURCH Chair: Wade Wiley

Past Chair: Don Edie Co-Vice Chairs: Joyce Maloney

Kathleen Jessiman Treasurer: Betty Mitchell

Secretary: Karen Garrick Ministry & Personnel: Fred Pynn

Presbytery Rep: Stutt Pottruff Member at Large: Melinda Lang

Mission Team Leads: Craig Ainsworth, Exploring & Celebrating our Faith

Norma Wood, Welcoming & Supporting our Community Mary Axworthy, Stewarding our Future

STAFF

Ministers: Lee Spice Erin Klassen Music Director: Liz Paynter

Interim Music Director: Richard Gaskell

ScarboroArts Coordinator: Melissa Lebo

Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator: Pace Anhorn Children’s Worship Leader: Jennifer Spielman Youth Worship Leader: Chris Mah Poy

Manager: Laura Maloney Coordinator: Jill Newman

Caretaker: Sonam Gonpo

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chair: Ralph Garrett

Members: Mary Axworthy Don Edie

Enid Holtby Keith Olsen Kathleen Downing

Terry Wyman Lee Spice, ex officio

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CHAIR OF THE BOARD

2018 has been another exciting year at Scarboro, and I’m proud to represent this amazing community as Chair of the Official Board. We’ve had some really great times, and some really sad times; and through it all, we are together as one family here, coming from an array of locations

throughout the greater Calgary area. Especially exciting was the West Entrance project, which now

allows us to be barrier free for persons with reduced mobility.

My second year as Chair of the Board has been as exciting as the first year, but for much different

reasons. The one thing that has only increased is how proud and honored I am to call Scarboro my

church home.

Rev. Lee Spice and Rev. Erin Klassen have joined together in team ministry this year, and the

combination of their time and talents has served us well with renewed energy and engaging

spirituality. Our Children and Youth team has grown with Pace Anhorn leading and supported by

Chris Mah Poy and Jennifer Spielman; giving the youngest members of our family spiritual guidance

and care. Administration and care of our facility is aptly handled by Laura Maloney, Jill Newman,

Melinda Lang, and Sonam Gonpo; between them, the operations of our facility are in extremely

capable hands, even when faced with hurdles and challenges. Our Arts and Music program

continues to thrive with Melissa Lebo leading ScarboroArts and performing as our amazing pianist;

and with Liz Paynter (currently on leave of absence until mid 2019 teaching in the UK) and Richard

Gaskell directing the choir, which greatly enhances the worship experience here.

I would be remiss to not offer my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Scarboro in 2018, in

whatever manner. We wouldn’t be together as a family without everyone involved, and that involvement is so appreciated and valued. No matter how you got here, why you came, what you

look like or whomever you love, you are welcome here.

Lastly, to the Board Members; thank you once again for an amazing year of working, laughing,

loving, crying, and just generally being together to be the hands and feet of Jesus through Scarboro

United Church. Your dedication and passion for our family is shown clearly in every action. I thank

you sincerely for that, and for your friendship and support.

2019 is yet again going to be filled with change, love, hope, tears, and many other emotions. A new

structure of the United Church of Canada; Rev. Lee Spice’s departure to work with the regional church; and a changing financial landscape are but some of the hurdles we will face, and with

God’s help, navigate our way through with grace and dignity; continuing to be the light in the community that we are known to be.

Respectfully submitted,

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MEMORIALS & BEQUESTS

MEMORIAL TRIBUTES

Each year members of our congregation, and others from outside the church community, donate

memorial gifts or tribute gifts in the name of someone who has died recently or in a past year. The

church also occasionally receives tribute gifts to acknowledge a special birthday or milestone event

in the life of someone. These unique donations are gratefully received by the church and an

announcement is sent to the family or to the special person involved. The Finance committee is

responsible to ensure these gifts are receipted and acknowledged. If the donor has not indicated a

specific fund for the gift, this committee then decides to allocate the donation to an area in most

need. In 2018, all tribute gifts were allocated towards the Heritage Renovations fund. In 2018, this

resulted in total receipts of $3,133 for the restoration of our stained glass windows.

In 2018, memorial tribute gifts were given in the names of the following individuals:

• David Gaskell

• John Snyder

• Marion Jorgensen

• Joanne Edie

• Norma Bannerman

• Angus Leitch

• Jack McMillan

This is an effective way to support the church at the same time as you remember a loved one or

acknowledge a milestone event in your life.

BEQUESTS

In 2018 the church gratefully received three significant bequests from the estates of members who

died and remembered the church family in their wills.

While we grieve the loss of these people within our community, we celebrate their visionary actions

that will help the church in the future. None of these gifts were restricted by the estates, so these

donations were also allocated toward the Heritage Renovations fund. These three gifts totalled

$38,000.

In gratitude we remember the life and legacy of the following individuals:

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• Shirley Morrison

Shirley spent her whole life as part of the Scarboro congregation. Her parents were the

Parkinsons, well remembered for their leadership and generosity to the church. Shirley

raised her daughters at Scarboro, working with the United Church Women and helping

raise funds through the Blue Cookbook.

• Marion Jorgensen

Marion’s dedicated work for Scarboro was wide ranging, showing both her deep social justice interest and her business office skills. She was a long-time member of Scarboro’s finance team. Marion was a consistent participant in Women in Black protests and various

Marches in support of vulnerable people. Marion’s welcoming presence at Scarboro events, with her smile, sense of fun and willingness to help is missed.

• John Manry

John was involved in a variety of roles at Scarboro United Church. Both John and his wife

Jeanette took turns at the helm of the Property team. Our current building and grounds

have stood the test of time with John’s hard work and insight. John is remembered for his

Stewardship work, using imaginative fundraising ideas to help raise funds and educate the

congregation.

There are a number of ways you can leave a legacy gift and have a powerful impact on the future

of this church: a specific bequest in your will; naming Scarboro as a beneficiary to an insurance

policy; or advising loved ones of your intentions.

If you need more information, just contact the church office or members of the Finance Committee.

In addition, the United Church of Canada provides several options to assist people to find the best

way for their legacy gifts to be structured.

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DAY TO DAY

MINISTERS

I said this recently in a sermon, but I’ll say it again: I can’t believe that I have been at Scarboro for a year now. On one hand, I can’t believe that it has been a whole year, as it certainly feels as though the time has passed quickly. On the other hand, I can’t believe that it has only been a year, as in some ways, it feels like I’ve been here for longer. My relationship with Scarboro United Church began a few years ago, when I began taking on more regular pulpit supply here. So many of those Sundays

felt like I was in what could be a wonderful church home. So, I am both very happy and honoured to

have joined you in ministry for this past year. It has been a real joy to work with Lee, sharing the work,

as well as ideas and knowledge and support. I have rejoiced in this whole team, in our effectiveness,

and creativity, and camaraderie. The worship planning meeting are especially animated as we

“chase squirrels” in the form of ideas and dreams for making our time together on Sundays that much more meaningful. I appreciate the intention with which everyone approaches their work, paid and

unpaid, and the attention paid to incorporating art into our worship. I give thanks to everyone who

offers their gifts to the church, whether they are musical or artistic, good with numbers or planning,

have a heart for others or for justice. Thank you for your contributions to this community.

As we look toward 2019, we are facing some uncertainty. Lee will be leaving us soon, to take on her

new role as the Pastoral Relations Minister for the newly formed Chinook Winds Region. While we will

definitely miss her here, we know that we are not exactly losing a trusted friend, colleague and

minister but are now sharing her with the wider church. Lee has been a steadying force in the

church. She has a knack for bringing calm, holding us in love while also keeping us accountable to

one another and to the Gospel that we proclaim. These same gifts will make her so very effective in

her new role. I am sad to see her go, but so excited for what is ahead for her, and for the rest of the

United Church of Canada, which will be able to experience her gifts as we have.

Where does that leave us? Excited and hopeful for Lee, sad and anxious for ourselves. We are still

here and will continue to be here in the days to come. We will still gather for community and worship,

we will carry on. While we will miss Lee, we know that we are a stronger church for her ministry with us,

and we give thanks for that. We will move forward confident in her legacy and in ours. This is a

church that inspires and forms leaders in ministry. It is part of who we are and will continue to be. We

are gifted with a great staff team who will maintain continuity for us while continuing to be creative

and conscientious. Our church will continue to make connections in the community. We have a

strong foundation and will enter our 90th (!) year with open and hopeful hearts. I am curious to see

where the Spirit leads us in the days to come.

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Beloved Community, it was been my passion and my delight to have served amongst you. We are

the Church, together, and will continue to be, in a different way. I invite you to keep the Vision – a

vision of an inclusive community that reaches out to its neighbours, proclaiming the Gospel of love

and justice. I invite you to keep the Faith – in the God of love that is present with you through the

Word, through the community, and through the Holy Spirit. I invite you to keep believing – that The

Holy One calls you to very important work in the world.

Our paths have brought us together for a little while, and now we part. I have loved you and been

loved. I have grown with you, grieved with you and rejoiced with you. You have been a gift to me.

May The Holy continue to guide and uphold you. May you continue to find grace in community.

In the Light of Christ,

MANAGER

As the Manager at Scarboro United Church, I am honoured to be a public face to our neighbours,

renters, congregants, visitors and friends. It continues to be a privilege to serve our congregation and

to work on building relationships with the wider community. Every passing year, I learn more about

our history and the dedicated folks who have been a part of this community. This fall will mark

Scarboro’s 90th birthday – I look forward to celebrating this milestone, while continuing to contribute

to our ongoing legacy.

My responsibilities in the Office include answering the phones and greeting visitors, maintaining our

weekly website posts, contributing to our social media presence, managing building rentals, meeting

with interested groups, preparing bulletins for our services, publishing the ScarboroNews, overseeing

security and daily maintenance concerns, updating the ritual of friendship records, licensing the

music that we use in church, formatting and printing letters for mail outs, assisting committees with

communications, ordering office materials, and wrangling various “squirrels” that dart through the offices at any given time.

We continue to provide a first-class concert venue for a variety of musicians, from the prestigious to

students just starting out. Thanks to our beautiful Marilyn Perkins-Memorial Hall, we have had rave

reviews from choirs and workshops who are happy to make use of the space, filling it nearly every

weekday evening. A newly installed sound system further enhances this terrific space.

Our building is home to a number of arts and community groups, including: the Westside Singers, St.

Giles Scottish Dancers, Chinook Winds Show Chorus, Stampede City Chorus, Westside Concert Choir,

Foothills Brass, Royal Scottish Dancers, IODE, CGH Nurses Alumnae, Irene the “Jam Goddess”, Voyage Kids’ Academy, and a number of recovery groups. We continue to seek a long term, mid-week

tenant to partner with us and invest in the lower level.

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I have to thank all of our renters and user groups, as well as our own community members, for their

patience while we demolished, framed, poured and competed our brand new, fully accessible West

Entrance. Thank you in particular to Ralph Garrett for adeptly overseeing the project.

This Advent season Pace and I co-wrote and directed an original play in collaboration with Melissa

and ScarboroArts, drawing parallels between our sacred Christmas story and the need to support

and affirm LGBTQ2+ youth in our own time and place. I am proud to report that the play went

beautifully and was well received – thank you to our very talented cast (Sonia, Maia, Cindy, Pace,

Maddie, Mary-Jo, Wendell), musicians (Melissa, Sonia, Rossana), and crew (Marian, Dean, Fiona). As

a result of this project, this was the first Christmas Eve in years that I took a step back from the Family

Service, attending with my kids instead. Melissa Lebo took the lead, supported by the Children &

Youth team, crafting a lovely service for a church packed with children!

I enjoy working closely with Lee, Erin, Pace, Richard, Joe, Cindy, Jill, Ralph, Art, Sonam, Melinda,

Melissa, Andrew, and our Mission Teams to ensure that the work of the church runs smoothly – from

producing consistent and effective communications and worship materials, to maintaining the

effectiveness, security and cleanliness of the building. I am happy to see Jennifer Spielman and Chris

Mah Poy become part of the Scarboro staff family this year, as they joined Pace, working with our

Children and Youth. I welcome Pace’s new role working on Communications, and happily cede bulletin covers, the lion’s share of our social media presence, and various event posters and

promotion to their capable hands. I look forward to seeing this work continue to grow through 2019.

As we prepare to celebrate Lee’s move to the wider church, as Pastoral Relations Minister for the

Chinook Winds Region, I will miss her wisdom, kindness, and humour, but I am grateful for the time I

have been able to work closely with her. I wish Lee well as she brings her gifts to the broader United

Church community. At the same time, I am comforted by the strong and capable leadership that we

have in Erin. I have every confidence that she will walk with us, holding us with love and grace,

growing with us, challenging us, and making us better. I am so lucky to get to work alongside strong,

funny, smart, determined women of faith, and I look forward to another year of collaboration.

Evonne, our weekday welcoming committee and pastoral care assistant, continues to greet each

day and every visitor with vigorous enthusiasm. She passed her first obedience class with flying

colours and looks forward to eventually doing some training as a therapy dog.

Respectfully submitted,

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COORDINATOR

Benjamin Franklin said “When you're finished changing, you're finished.” Scarboro continues to move forward. The team of co-workers and volunteers that support the work at Scarboro make the forward

movement go smoothly. I have found it possible to do more of my own work off site, still spending

most Sundays supporting the congregation, but doing some work through email and internet. My 12

hours per week gets spent on various tasks to support the mission teams. I help with the Sunday

service, service recording, website posts, electronic news, community outreach, membership data

and various other tasks that come my way. Laura, Melinda, Sonam and I have found that a weekly

touch base on Mondays helps keep thing organized. We are able to share the workload and

support each other as required. Laura is often the first contact people make with Scarboro and her

friendly smile serves us well. Sonam is always willing to fulfill our caretaking needs. Melinda sees what

needs to be done and steps up to complete the task. Working to support Lee and Erin in their ministry

with Scarboro is great work.

Scarboro has had a long relationship with a community partner, Closer to Home. This agency offers a

variety of services to our vulnerable neighbours and we have supported many of their programs

throughout the years. It was an honour this year to be named their Donor of the Year. When we get

a referral from one of their programs, West Central Community Resource Centre, I often use our

Benevolent Fund to help out. I always feel confident that our funds are going to those who need it

most and know that these families are receiving ongoing, long-term guidance and support to reach

their goals. It was nice to represent Scarboro at their annual Report to the Community and thank

them for honouring our long partnership.

Respectfully submitted,

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EXPLORING & CELEBRATING OUR FAITH

The Exploring and Celebrating Our Faith Team continues to work hard to ensure that we provide an

engaging experience every Sunday morning, but we are mindful that “we (at Scarboro) are here

every day of the week”: It is a creative, caring and ‘fun’ team of dedicated individuals that makes it

all happen.

The Exploring and Celebrating Our Faith Mission Team provides spiritual leadership that supports

Scarboro’s growth as a vibrant and inviting faith community, for the higher purpose of experiencing the Holy and bringing ourselves and others to God. It includes the complementary areas of Worship,

Christian Development, Children and Youth program, Music Ministry and ScarboroArts. Our ongoing

objectives continue to be:

1. To promote spiritual health and practice for all ages;

2. To promote our use of inclusive language, intentional and visible recognition of others’ faith experiences and the celebration of diversity;

3. To facilitate faith formation for all ages;

4. To celebrate meaningful, relevant and diverse worship;

5. To lead and celebrate meaningful and diverse music ministry.

6. To share our special artistic gifts with the wider community.

We take great pride in the work we have done and know that we are just one part of a much larger

team that is responsible for the development of positive worship energy here at Scarboro.

During this past year many things have occurred which we should raise up and celebrate, including:

1. Lee Spice, Erin Klassen, Liz Paynter, Richard Gaskell and Melissa Lebo and the Worship Committee

have provided outstanding leadership and worship experiences throughout the year. This work

would not come to the high level of quality without the staff meeting each Tuesday afternoon to

develop the Sunday program based on the work completed by the Committee.

2. We have been blessed by the work of Pace Anhorn and the team of Children and Youth leaders

over this past year. Each member of the team has brought love and energy to working with our

children.

3. Melissa Lebo continues her role as coordinator of our ScarboroArts program and supports Liz

Paynter (and Richard Gaskell too!) in the Music Program. ScarboroArts has been re-energized.

4. Increased lay leadership in Worship has been well received and appreciated. We thank all those

who have shared their gifts in Sunday worship over the last year. We lift the special gifts of Joe

Kadi and Cindy Christie-Brooks and express our appreciation for all the members of the

congregation who have supported worship by reading scripture, serving communion or sharing

their stories.

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5. We are so pleased that we are part of team that has fostered the commitment of members of our

congregation to explore their Faith and Ministry, we will support both Charles Eastly and Cindy

Christie-Brooks in this enquiry. We continue to support Joe Kadi in his theological studies.

6. The Scarboro choirs, including the Sunday Choir, Gospel Choir and guest choirs were wonderful,

as always.

7. Summer Services at Scarboro were very successful, especially the Pancake Sunday Service and

thanks to everyone for their musical support.

8. Under the leadership of Rev. Lee Spice and Rev. Erin Klassen several adult activities have been

undertaken including:

• Indigenous & Non-Indigenous Women’s Talking Stick Healing Ceremonies

• “First Contact” Screening & Discussion Group

• 94 Calls to Action

• Tuesday Book Study

• Wednesday Communion

• Thursday Tea with the Revs

• Adult Faith Exploration Class

9. Thank you for those who have responded to the call for support in preparing the PowerPoint

presentations for Sunday. We now have all the MV hymns on PowerPoint and are working slowly

on the VU hymns, making the preparation of the slides easier each week.

Looking forward: There is always an opportunity here at Scarboro for you to share your leadership

skills. Are there some learning opportunities that you’d like to lead? Do you have an idea for a faith formation experience that you’d like to share? Please contact Craig Ainsworth, Team Lead of

Exploring and Celebrating Our Faith or let the Office know.

A special thank you goes out to all members of the Worship Committee in 2018: Adele Thomas,

Marian Hood, Kathleen Downing, Nancy Leitch, Liz Paynter, Pace Anhorn, Melissa Lebo, Richard

Gaskell, Joe Kadi, Erin Klassen, Chris May Poy and Lee Spice.

MUSIC

The musicians at Scarboro United have always played an important large role in our Worship Services,

and we are blessed to have so many talented and dedicated musicians in our church family to

continue the strong tradition of music leadership. Thank you to all our singers and instrumentalists

who shared their gifts with us last year.

The Church Choir rehearsed every Thursday evening throughout the year in preparation to lead our

worship services: singing gathering hymns, anthems, and sung liturgies. Many, many thanks to our

Church Choir for their tremendous dedication and contributions to the life and work of Scarboro

United Church!

Additional special music:

• October Fall Fest

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• Affirming Celebration Service – guest choirs: Calgary Men’s Chorus and BarberEllas • Chris Morrison played trumpet Remembrance Sunday

• Scarboro children wrote the words to our Advent hymn and introduced the music to the congregation with the choir

• Vocal soloists: Jeanine Williams, Craig Ainsworth, Marian Hood, Sonia Koning, Mary-Jo Hackney, Wade Wiley

• Instrumentalists: Maia Forsyth (violin), Ethan Hill (organ), Chris Morrison (trumpet).

Liz Paynter is teaching in London, England from September 2018 to June 2019. I am the interim

Musical Director while Liz is away. I would like to thank the Scarboro Choir, the Scarboro Worship

Team, the congregation and, especially, Melissa Lebo for their help and advice to continue the

music ministry at Scarboro.

Thank you to all for sharing your time and talent to allow this special ministry to continue to thrive.

Respectfully submitted,

CHILDREN & YOUTH

What a year! 2018 brought many changes. Brianna Gibson moved on in her career, leaving us at the

end of June. She was simply amazing with the children and her presence is missed, however, we

have been blessed with Jennifer Spielman who joined our team in September 2018 as the Children’s Worship Leader.

Chris Mah Poy also joined us in September 2018 as our Youth Leader. Chris is passionate about service

and we are honoured to have his passion and energy serving with the youth.

With approximately 6 children on Sunday mornings, 4 youth, and 1 nursery child we are blessed to

worship and serve with them all. Using “A Joyful Path” curriculum for the children, we learned about

Jesus, God, and what it means to be Progressive Christians, honouring all people for their diversity. As

always, the children teach us as much as we teach them. Each Sunday is filled with joy and laughter.

What more could we ask for?

Under Chris’ leadership, the youth served at Inn from the Cold in Nov 2018 with more plans to serve in the future.

We had our Annual Family Bowling Night in February that was a huge success! And, of course, our

C&Y Wind Up in June. For this we had “A Very Merry Unbirthday Party” for everyone and it was so much fun. We ran out of tables and chairs and had to set up more. What a beautiful problem to

have!

We ended 2018 with Unto Us, a play which was created to provide the youth with an opportunity act

and sing, offering their talents and gifts for the whole. It, too, was a huge success. The children had a

wonderful opportunity to engage in the traditional Christmas Story on Christmas Eve. It was a

beautiful service.

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Truly, 2018 was a wonderful year! It’s an honour to serve at Scarboro United Church and we look

forward to what 2019 will bring.

Namaste,

SCARBORO ARTS

2018 was a great year for ScarboroArts. We explored several new musical ideas with the

congregation and got to experience some new art forms!

Throughout the year we made a point of incorporating as many of our musically talented members

as possible! We were lucky to be joined by Sonia Landwehr, Maia Forsyth, Rossana Arcega, Ian Leitch

and Gerry Hebert to name a few. We were also fortunate to have several guest artists join us,

including members of the Foothills Brass, the Walden Trio, and Ethan Hill on organ.

ScarboroArts brought in Arise Dance for a thought-provoking performance during our Palm/Passion

service. They are always a pleasure to have and we look forward to seeing them again soon! Also,

during our season of Easter, we also enjoyed the use of the Knox labyrinth in our hall.

Throughout Lent Liz worked downstairs with the children and they joined the choir for our anthem on

Easter Day!

Following Easter was our annual Fruits of the Spirit fundraiser. Our weekend was full of activities and

workshops including a “paint night”, prayer rock painting, labyrinth painting, ukulele workshop, and gospel choir! Liz had the ukulele choir play for a service and we had Marian Hood show off her skills

on ukulele with one of our weekly gathering songs. What a talented church we have!

June came quickly and we said “so long for now” to Liz and Graham and began our journey with Richard at the musical helm!

Throughout the summer months we continued with ScarboroArts activities. The congregation was

invited to participate in worship themed “I spy” games, we made a lovely hanging banner of our gifts and talents written on felt hearts, and we learned a little more about the importance of bees and

made beeswax candles before church. With September soon in full swing, the children painted

birdhouses made by Art Sanden to honour “Sky Sunday”. Come Spring, we’ll hang those and hope for some winged guests.

Before we knew it, Advent was upon us. The children wrote words that spoke to them for our weekly

candle lighting song and I also spent time downstairs with Jennifer teaching Silent Night to the

children. The littles ones and youth joined us for that anthem (with Maia on violin!) and the

congregation even joined us for a verse.

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As Advent came to a close, we saw the hard work of Pace, Laura, the youth, and our team pay off

with “Unto Us”, a modern setting of the Christmas story. The drama was a huge success and the reception from the congregation was spectacular.

With the huge amount of work that was put into the drama, we opted for a smaller, quieter family

service. Our early service was packed tight with families enjoying warm drinks and treats and

members of our congregation joined Erin in a reader’s theatre style telling of the traditional Christmas story. The front of the church was decorated in a “homey” style complete with a rocking chair, loveseats, and many pillows for the children to lounge on while they listened to the story. A great time

was had by all and everyone left with a bag of goodies and warm Christmas feelings!

I’m looking forward to another arts filled year at Scarboro United Church. We’re already starting plans for our workshop weekend, musical guests have been secured, and more fun projects are in

the works! Keep your eyes on our Facebook page for updates on how you can participate!

Respectfully submitted,

In conclusion we are able to report something new each year because we have a creative team of

volunteers and staff which have the common goal of providing an opportunity for us to grow in faith

together whether it be the Sunday morning Worship Services or opportunities to learn together in

community with programs occurring at other times during the week I know I continue to report that

the Worship Team is a group with great energy and limitless humour and a true pleasure to share our

role in finding ways to Celebrate Our Faith,

In the coming year we will continue to build on the success of the last ensuring that we continue to

be authentic, creative and diverse in all that we do. We will work with you and for you to make what

we are doing relevant to your needs and we invite your ideas and thoughts. If you would like to join

us in planning for the coming year, please let us know.

We will continue to take every opportunity to explore and celebrate our faith through the arts.

The feeling of community in this place brings energy to the team which works together in finding

ways to find the path to be closer to God.

Respectfully submitted,

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WELCOMING & SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

This Team’s purpose is to support Scarboro’s congregation and establish meaningful connections with

our neighbours in the local and wider communities, for the higher purpose of loving and serving

others, living into our call as a community and building the body of Christ. The Team includes the

complementary areas of pastoral care, membership and fellowship, Affirming Ministry, being a good

neighbour, supporting the regional church, and local and global outreach. On behalf of Scarboro, it

is the mandate of this Ministry Team to effectively communicate Scarboro’s mission. In addition to the guiding principles of the Mission Plan, this Ministry Team embodies the principle and value of

hospitality. Its objectives are:

1. To welcome, support and offer a nurturing spiritual environment to our Scarboro United Church

community;

2. To be a visible, welcoming, affirming and helpful neighbor;

3. To establish a stronger regional church presence;

4. To strengthen Scarboro’s outreach to the wider world in four areas of focus – LGBTQ2+,

environmental, poverty and reconciliation; and

5. To effectively communicate Scarboro’s mission.

In 2018, the team was led by Norma Wood, with the support and leadership of Wade Wiley, Charles

Eastly, Ross Gould, Diana Reece, Wendy Ainsworth, Joe Kadi and many others. Close to 40 individuals

contributed to the activities of the Team in 2018.

SCARBORO COMMUNITY

The Pastoral Care group includes a committed group of members led by Diana Reece and

supported by Reverend Lee Spice and Reverend Erin Klassen: Ross Gould, Stutt Pottruff, Charles Eastly

and Verna Moodie. The main functions of the group are:

• to visit shut-ins and those unable to attend Worship services;

• to complete Scarboro In Touch visitations three times a year;

• to deliver special gifts of Easter plants and bouquets and home-baked Christmas cookies to

shut-ins;

• to send caring cards that include messages of sympathy, get well, thinking of you,

congratulations (marriage, baptism and joining the church); and

• to welcome newcomers during worship as well as through the Ritual of Friendship when contact

information is provided.

The group welcomed Joe Kadi during his first appointment of Spiritual Care through his studies at the

Centre for Christian Studies. Joe took part in visiting and leadership of the Seniors’ Group.

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Each of the twenty-five (25) individuals who left contact information via the Ritual of Friendship were

welcomed and sent information about Scarboro. Sixty-eight (68) cards were sent or delivered to

members of the congregation during 2018.

The Promise of Aging seniors’ group met monthly a total of ten times for fellowship, discussion of various topics, a potluck lunch and Christmas singalong. Devotionals were shared and a book

entitled “The Gift of Years - Growing Older Gracefully” formed the basis for a book study.

The Welcoming ministry includes greeting worshippers and refreshments before and after worship on

Sundays. The Newcomers welcome program includes an invitation to Coffee time after church and a

‘tour’ of the building to learn about the various ministries at Scarboro.

GOOD NEIGHBOUR ACTIVITIES

• Scarboro contributed to the University of Calgary’s interfaith “Simple Supper” program in 2018. This program supports students of all faiths.

• Over 20 volunteers teamed up again to make Oatcakes as a contribution to the annual Fall

Fair. The “Bee Team” was proud that close to 500 dozen oatcakes were made, baked and packed to be sold at this year’s rebranded ‘Fall Fest’.

• Wendy Ainsworth continued to co-ordinate sandwich-making for the Drop In Centre. There

were four sessions throughout the year with dozens of loaves contributed to the Centre each

session.

• Scarboro joined Calgary’s Alliance for the Common Good (CACG) in 2018. A number of Scarboro’s members participated Core Team and Listening training. Scarboro will participate

in the CACG 2019 Listening campaign.

• Scarboro continues to support Bankview House / Grace Lutheran Manor through membership

on its Board. Craig Ainsworth and Greg Stirling serve on the Board as church and community

representatives.

REGIONAL CHURCH

• Scarboro again participated in “Serve Day” in June, joining with local churches, the Sunalta Community Association, the Elizabeth Fry Society and Alpha House for programming at the

Sunalta Community Hall. Premier Rachel Notley made a surprise appearance for a short

speech, and cake cutting and photo opportunity.

• The Healing Pathways group involves healers from three churches and meets two Fridays a

month.

OUTREACH (LGBTQ2+, Environmental, Poverty, Reconciliation)

• Scarboro celebrated ten years as an Affirming Congregation this year. Members from

Scarboro participated in the Pride Parade and other Calgary LBGTQ2+ community events this

year.

• The past year Scarboro's small but enthusiastic Environmental Team has had several successes,

including two completely new initiatives. We hosted Bicycle Sunday in correspondence with

the end of the Faith Commuter Challenger from June 1 - 10th. We had somewhat rainy

weather for Bicycle Sunday this year, but none-the-less the day included offering bike tune-ups

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by donation and having a Blessing of the Bicycles. The Faith Commuter Challenge was also

promoted by the Environmental Team. We are working on strategies for greater turn-out for

both of these events. Prayers for the Earth was also held regularly throughout this past year.

These short, small group meetings offer a few minutes of reflection in the busy week and an

intimate and open space for sharing thoughts and prayers together. A major accomplishment

from this year was Joe Kadi completing the rigorous application process for Scarboro to be

awarded funding to have an energy audit completed. The audit was completed in October

2018. The final report gives a helpful overall indication of Scarboro's environmental footprint

and our energy use. The report also provides a detailed list of potential improvements that

we'll be able to make over time, to improve our energy and water efficiency.

• The Indigenous & Non-Indigenous Women’s Talking Stick Healing Ceremony continued for its

second year, facilitated by Marilyn Shingoose and attended by an Indigenous elder when

possible. The Ceremony has been an opportunity for significant learning and healing. The

program was profiled in the United Church Mandate magazine in its fall issue.

• Orange Shirt Day was commemorated in August and funds were raised for this initiative from

the sale of T-shirts.

Respectfully submitted,

THE ELDA DANIELS GROUP

The ladies parlour is the normal meeting place of the Elda Daniels Group, noon is our choice of time

in the months of April, June, August and December. Our December meeting followed this course as

we met to disperse our monies for the year and of course gather our socks for the Drop In Centre. As

a group we gathered seventy pair of socks, not bad for a group of nine seniors. The gatherings over

lunch are so enjoyable, each of us brings our own sandwich or whatever and the volunteer host

brings a dessert to share with the rest.

It is surprising the amount of news we find to share after a few months break, we have been together

for so many years conversation and sharing flows easily and our time together seems so short. We

have lost Vicki Davis to the Okanogan this year, truly a disappointment, it was so nice to experience

a "younger" person joining our ranks.

The “Sock it to Them” project went well once again for 2018, staff and clients at the Drop In Centre

are always appreciative but this year the congregational effort brought forth FOUR HUNDRED AND

FORTY TWO pairs of socks. Thanks to all of you who participated, this is a new record for Scarboro

Church, the previous record was 365 pair.

We must admit there was outstanding support given by our church staff, the event was so well

advertised by their efforts and that shows in the results. Thank You!

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Our groups outreach to the community is a source of pride, this is the result of our giving this year:

Calgary Women’s Shelter $ 350.00

Calgary Food Bank $ 200.00

Kerby Centre Rotary House $ 200.00

Stephen Lewis Foundation $ 200.00

Scarboro Benevolent Fund $ 400.00

L’Arche Assn. of Calgary $ 150.00

Drop In Centre Socks $ 105.76

United Church Mission & Service Fund $310.00

Women’s Interchurch Council $ 26.95

We give thanks for our ongoing ability to give service to our community and this congregation.

Please accept our thanks to those of you who kindly support our various calls for your services.

Bless you all,

THE UNITED CHURCH OBSERVER

This year I looked after renewals and new subscriptions again, as I have done for the past several

years. We had 2 new subscription and 26 renewals for a total of 28 subscriptions, a decline of 4

subscriptions. One of these is for the church. Otherwise, every subscriber pays for his or her

subscription. The cost of each subscription stayed at $25.00. Our number continues to decline slightly

each year.

Respectfully submitted,

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STEWARDING OUR FUTURE

The Stewarding Our Future Mission Team helps foster a stable, committed and generous

congregation at Scarboro by stewarding its human, financial and physical resources. It includes the

areas of Finance, Human Resources, Property, Stewardship, and Building Development. In particular,

this area of ministry is responsible for ensuring that our 90-year-old building, designated as a Municipal

Historic Resource, is kept in good repair, not only for our church community, but for the many non-

profit groups that use our facilities. This team is also responsible for Scarboro’s annual financial pledge campaign, various fundraising projects and other administrative and ‘behind the scenes’ support activities. The Stewarding Our Future team undertook the following activities in 2018:

Building in Faith

Our big project for 2018 was the renovation of the west entrance and the Memorial Hall to further our

objective of being a “barrier-free” building. We applied for and received a provincial Community Facilities Enhancement Program (CFEP) grant of $82,000 and a federal Enhancing Accessibility grant

of $50,000 for this project. We also received permission to use a small portion of our Municipal

Heritage grant for the project and were successful in raising money from the congregation for the

balance. The project, which includes a ramp to a new platform to access both entrances, a canopy

roof over the entranceway and automatic door openers on the exterior and interior doors, is now

complete, except for landscaping. We deferred the digital signage portion of the project due to

cost and community opposition.

We are committed to continuing with the remaining phases of the overall Building in Faith program

(kitchen renovation, lower level refreshment and new windows, improved lower level access);

however, further work in these areas has been postponed until the necessary funds are in place. If

you would like to assist in moving any of these projects forward, we would gratefully receive

additional donations to the Building in Faith Fund.

Property/Equipment

2018 was an active year for the Property team. In addition to normal maintenance, the much-

needed repair of the wood frames around the windows continued. Note that 50% of the cost of

these repairs to the windows qualify under the Municipal heritage grant program. In addition, thanks

to the generosity of Barbara Beaton, a new sound system was installed in the Marilyn Perkins-

Memorial Hall.

The manse rental continues to be capably handled by Glori-Jeanne Stephenson. Thanks in particular

to Art Sanden, Ralph Garrett, and Dean Halliday for their on going commitment to keeping our

church property well maintained.

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Fundraising activities

Fall Fest: The Fall Fest (formerly known as the Fall Faire) was ably led by Joyce Maloney and

generated approximately $7,400 in revenue for the operating fund. As usual, the bake sale

generated the largest amount of the profits, thanks to the efforts of all the individual bakers, the

jam/jelly makers, the “holy rollers” who produced the oat cakes, and the many other volunteers and Scarboro UC staff members who made this long-standing event a success.

Experience This!: An Experience This! auction and musical evening was held at the end of April. Music

was provided by the Scarboro Choir. It was a lovely social event and $7,800, was raised for church

operations.

Calgary Co-op Cards: Co-op Cards (which can be used for groceries or gas) were sold three times

last year and raised $2,100 for church operations. We plan on making the sale of Co-op Cards and a

regular practice!

2019 Stewardship Campaign

Thank you so much to those that responded to our 2019 Stewardship Campaign. A pledge amount,

no matter how small, allows us to effectively plan for the annual budget, and to continue our ministry

to our congregation and the larger community of Calgary. As the chart shows, 156 letters were sent

to households that have some kind of a tie to Scarboro UC. The number of pledges is down slightly

from last year, primarily due to deaths. Essentially, there are 107 congregants who regularly support

church operations. This does not include those who contribute sporadically (about 12 people) or put

money in the plate with no identification as to the giver. Based on these results, we are projecting

that the amount pledged or donated by regular givers in 2019 will be approximately the same as

2018. If you have not yet pledged, but wish to do so, pledge forms are available from the church

office.

Letters sent out

2018 pledges

Pledges (includes cont. PAR)

Pledges same

Pledges increased

Pledges decreased

New pledges

No pledge but give*

156 96 91 (21) 54 27 7 3 16

*Give regularly based on last 2 years.

Finally, special thanks to the members of the Stewarding Our Future Mission team: Betty Mitchell, Kris

Compton, Ralph Garrett, Fred Pynn, Art Sanden and Lora Wyman, for their dedication to this

important area of church operations.

Respectfully submitted,

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FINANCE 2018 Year in review

Operating Fund - Revenues

The Operating Fund received total donations of $287,652 from our congregation in 2018 (2017 -

$288,793), which slightly exceeded our budgeted amount. We continue to be grateful for the

commitment and prayerful consideration people give to their stewardship role at Scarboro.

In 2018, rental and other miscellaneous revenue declined to $77,471 (2017 -$83,020). The current rental

market is extremely challenging for both rates and utilization of our building and manse. This is an

important part of our ministry to the wider community and continues to be a significant revenue source.

There were several fund-raising initiatives in 2018 which have been described in the Stewarding Our

Future report. All fund-raising efforts contributed a total of $19,117 (2017 - $25,495) towards operations.

It is our army of volunteers who made these events successful, from the dual perspectives of finance

and community building.

Operating Fund - Expenses

Our largest single expense category is salaries and related benefits, in 2018 71% of total expenses. All

expense categories were at or below budget for the year except for Insurance and Finance. Insurance

increased as a result of additional coverage required due to the 2017 renovations. However,

substantial savings were achieved in maintenance and utilities. In total, operating expenses were

below budget by 2%.

Operating Fund - Surplus

The congregation responded to our appeal for support and Scarboro ended 2018 with a small

operating fund surplus of $380 (2017 - deficit $1,702). The Operating Fund has a cumulative surplus of

$8,140 to start 2019.

Financial Position – December 31, 2018

The following items affecting our “net worth” are highlighted below: • In December 2018 a final claim of $36,303 was made to the City of Calgary under the initial

Historical Grant application submitted in 2014.

• Loans to finance completion of the Phase II renovations: accrued interest plus the loans with

two year maturities were paid out in December, 2018 for a total of $95,625.

• The West Entrance upgrade will be completed in Spring, 2019. Estimated remaining costs to

complete are $21,000.

2019 Operating Budget

The Official Board is recommending for approval a deficit budget that projects a level of donations

based on pledges received in the Stewardship campaign of November 2018. We will actively pursue

new facility rentals and the budget reflects a modest increase from this revenue source. We believe it

is important to build on the sense of community and purpose seen in the 2018 Spring Fundraiser and

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Fall Fest events. Accordingly, we anticipate that fundraising events will play an important role at

Scarboro in 2019 and hope that you will support them.

The Official Board recognizes that with an anticipated decline in revenues, Scarboro needs to reduce

expenses. After comparative analysis with other United churches and discussions with staff, office and

administrative staff hours have been reduced over the summer months. Also, salaries have been held

at 2018 levels with the exception of ministry personnel who fall under United Church salary guidelines.

A consequence of this reduction in staff hours will be the need for additional volunteer commitment.

2019 capital projects will continue but at a reduced level and will be dependent on the availability of

grant monies from various levels of government.

What can you do to help?

If you are reading this report, you care about this church and want to see it continue to meet your

needs and the needs of this community. Here are just two ideas you might consider:

• If 20 people found an extra $10 per week to support operations (the equivalent of 2 Grande

mochaccinos), that would add an additional $10,000 to our budget

• We have a beautiful space to rent for all sorts of functions. Spread the word to friends,

colleagues, contacts.

Designated Funds

The Church receives and disburses funds for specified purposes other than general operations. A brief

description of the six largest and/or most active funds is set out below:

• The Special Reserve fund is intended as a “rainy day” fund, to be used in times of need. Special Reserve investments amounting to $135,775 were used to provide internal financing of

Phase II renovations in 2016. Currently, we have investments totalling $89,000 in reserve and

once the West Entrance upgrade is complete, this fund will be repaid.

• The Building in Faith or “BIF” fund was established to finance major building renovations. A sound system was added to the Marilyn Perkins-Memorial Hall during 2018 and pledge funds

continue to be received from the 2016 capital campaign.

• The Heritage Renovations fund captures building maintenance costs which are eligible for City

of Calgary Historical grant funding. The Scarboro portion of qualifying expenditures is 50% and

this initial grant period is now complete.

• Scarboro Arts is a fund unique to our Church. Music and arts events involving our

congregation and the wider community occur throughout the year and are described

elsewhere in this report.

• The Refugee fund helps support individuals and families who are immigrating to the Calgary

area. In 2018, this fund was inactive. We have pledged financial support to another United

Church who is in the process of sponsoring a family.

• The Benevolent fund provides financial assistance to individuals and families in our community

for items such as: rent deposits, utility payments, transportation subsidies, household or

personal items.

• A summary table of the designated funds is provided below:

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Summary

I would like to express my appreciation for the continued support of the Finance committee, which

includes Enid Holtby, Lora Wyman, Mary Axworthy and Helen Smith. We are grateful for the assistance

of Glori-Jeanne Stephenson, Cheryl Pynn, Paula Stewart, Karen Garrick, and John Jessiman in

completing the weekly offering "count" after Sunday worship. In addition, I would like to thank Richard

Gaskell (2016 and 2017) John Hsu (2018) who acted as auditor of the annual financial statements.

Details of the 2018 financial statements and 2019 Operating budget are appended to this annual report.

Respectfully submitted,

MINISTRY & PERSONNEL

Each year I am hopeful that Scarboro will enjoy a period of stability with respect to the church staff.

Some years see more stability than others, but change is ever present.

During 2018 we were fortunate to enjoy stability in several areas as Laura Maloney (Church

Manager), Jill Newman (Church Coordinator), Sonam Gonpo (custodian), Melissa Lebo (Music and

Scarboro Arts) and Melinda Lang all contributed their energy and talent to the church throughout

the year. The congregation also enjoyed the Team Ministry of Lee Spice and Erin Klassen for the full

year and realized the benefits of having two very talented and hard-working clergy at Scarboro.

The music program experienced change as Liz Paynter was able to arrange to work in the UK for a

year. Melissa Lebo took on additional hours and responsibilities with respect to the music program

and Scarboro Arts, while Richard Gaskell was engaged as Interim Choir Director from September 1,

2018 to June 30, 2019. Melissa will run the music program singlehandedly during July and August, as

BALANCE

JAN 1, 2018 DONATIONS GRANTS INTEREST DISBURSED

BALANCE

DEC 31, 2018

$ $ $ $ $ $

Special reserve 220,236 - - 2,838 - 223,074

Building In Faith (97,194) 158,930 156,883 310 (210,276) 8,653

Property reserve 5,000 - - - - 5,000

Heritage renovations (38,863) 41,886 12,068 1,728 (16,819) -

Scarboro Arts 7,211 680 - - (1,170) 6,721

Refugee 14,627 - - - - 14,627

Benevolent 7,246 1,002 - - (1,885) 6,363

Other designated funds 8,973 100 - - (861) 8,212

TOTAL DESIGNATED FUNDS 127,236 202,598 168,951 4,876 (231,011) 272,650

SCARBORO UNITED CHURCH

STATEMENT OF DESIGNATED FUNDS

Year ended December 31

(Unaudited)

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she did in 2018. Liz will rejoin the staff as Choir Director on September 1, 2019 upon her return to

Calgary.

Scarboro also experienced change in our Children and Youth program in 2018. Brianna Gibson, who

had worked in the nursery and with children, resigned as she moved to Edmonton to attend

university. Jennifer Spielman joined the Children and Youth team to work with the children, while

Chris Mah Poy joined the team to work with Scarboro youth. Pace Anhorn continues to lead the

Children and Youth Ministry and splits his time on Sundays between the nursery and the children’s program. In 2019 Jennifer will be taking maternity leave at which time Pace will take over the

children’s program. When Jennifer decides to return, she will initially supervise the nursery and may move back into her role with the children later in the year.

Looking forward to 2019 a significant change will occur as a result of Lee’s decision to resign, effective February 28, in order to take a full time position with the United Church. Lee and Erin have

provided the congregation with an effective team ministry and Lee’s many contributions to Scarboro since she joined us in 2010 will be missed. We wish Lee well in the next phase of her career as she

answers an important Call within the wider church.

Erin’s appointment has been extended and she will be Scarboro’s full time minister effective March 1, 2019. The Board has organized a Joint Needs Assessment Committee which is tasked with the search

for our next minister. The plan is that Erin will continue as our full time minister until the search process

is completed. At this time it is not possible to estimate how long it might take for the search process

to issue a Call, but the Board is hopeful that the process can be concluded by June 30, 2019.

Due to budget constraints, both Laura Maloney and Jill Newman will be working fewer hours in the

year ahead. Laura will not be present in the church office during the months of July and August but

will work several hours per week from home. Jill will be working fewer hours per week throughout the

year. The Board is thankful for both Laura’s and Jill’s cooperation in reducing their hours of work in order to reduce expenses and help control the budget deficit.

While Scarboro’s financial situation does pose some problems it also presents the congregation with opportunities to engage in the work of the church. Going forward, volunteer opportunities will be

identified and brought to the attention of the congregation. While stewardship is frequently

associated with financial donations, it also encompasses gifts of time and talent.

I would like to thank all of the church staff for their hard work in 2018 and their understanding as the

Board manages though our current financial difficulties. I am optimistic that the congregation will

embrace the changes we will experience in 2019 and takes advantage of the opportunities that

become available to participate in our church community.

Respectfully submitted,

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees is composed of the following: Don Edie

Mary Axworthy

Ralph Garrett

Enid Holtby

Keith Olsen

Terry Wyman

Kathleen Downing

Lee Spice

The requirements of the Board are that it be composed of between 3 and 9 members and include at

least one member of the clergy.

The Board did not meet this year.

In the opinion of the Board, the church has adequate insurance to deal with any reasonable losses.

Respectfully submitted,

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APPENDIX A

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

SCARBORO UNITED CHURCH

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2018

held during the Sunday morning worship service

MEETING OPENING

Wade Wiley opened the meeting portion at 1040 am with a welcome to Scarboro and a reminder to

those speaking, whether answering questions or moving/seconding motions, to speak loudly and

clearly to assist in the recording of the meeting minutes.

MOTION: That the Annual General Meeting be chaired by Wendell Koning and that Velma Noble be

appointed the Recording Secretary.

Moved by Don Snow

Seconded by Kathleen Jessiman

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Wade then turned over the meeting to Wendell

MOTION: That speaking and voting privileges be extended to include adherents of Scarboro United

Church.

Moved by Diana Reece

Seconded by Lora Wyman

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTION: That the Order of Worship be the agenda for this meeting.

Moved by Nancy Leitch

Seconded by Don Edie

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CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTION: That the congregational meeting be adjourned immediately following the Blessing, with no

further motion necessary.

Moved by Karen Garrick

Seconded by Leila Keith

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

MOTION: That the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of February 12, 2017 be approved, and that

all Reports and Appendices distributed in the 2016 Annual Report be approved as circulated.

Moved by Shauna Snow-Capparelli

Seconded by Craig Ainsworth

2 abstentions

CARRIED

MOTION: That the Minutes of the Congregational Meeting of November 26, 2017 be approved.

Moved by Pat Ruby

Seconded by Wade Wiley

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Brie Nelson read the scripture Mark 9: 2-9 – Transfiguration of Jesus

Scarboro Choir sang the anthem entitled “Speak, O Lord”

Rev. Lee Spice delivered a reflection entitled “Shining Moments”. She highlighted aspects of her recent trip to London and experiencing 2 different worship services. She and Ron heard Evensong at the

Westminster Abbey and experienced a sung eucharist at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The legend of the ravens was explained as well. The ravens are well cared for and loved, but their wings

are clipped so that they cannot fly away, which lore dictates would mean the end of the monarchy.

REFLECTING BACK – ANNUAL REPORT:

Wade introduced the annual report and specifically highlighted the mission statement of

Scarboro United Church, with comments on his perception that throughout the report, the work

that we do embody the mission statement copied below.

Our Mission is to be:

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• A church that offers spiritual sustenance and that other see as WELCOMING, DIVERSE, and

INCLUSIVE.

• A church that is committed to SOCIAL JUSTICE and is fully engaged in LOCAL OUTREACH.

• An ARTS BASED ‘destination’ church.

TIME OF REMEMBRANCE:

Lee Spice read aloud the names of members, adherents, and friends of Scarboro United Church

who passed away in 2017.

Joan Davis Betty Ellis

Vern Gairns Margaret Huston

Florence McClurg Helen McInnis

Shirley Morrison Sandra Newhouse

Hendrina Soice

FIRST CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR:

No nominations were made

REFLECTIONS FROM THE BOARD CHAIR:

Wade spoke about his experience over the past year and recalled a specific memory of being

involved and present at the church when a construction site at the bottom of the hill burned,

displacing residents in the apartment buildings on either side of the site. Being able to assist our

neighbours during their time of need and providing a space for the Red Cross to do their work

was a very rewarding experience. He also commented on his own feeling of coming to

Scarboro as being a home away from home and likened it to “going to church in God’s living room”,

WELCOMING AND SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY

Norma Wood thanked the innumerable volunteers on her team. She asked for any questions

from the congregation, none were asked.

EXPLORING AND CELEBRATING OUR FAITH

Craig Ainsworth spoke how he feels honored to chair this team, and also asked for any questions

from there congregation. None were asked.

STEWARDING OUR FUTURE

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Lora Wyman spoke on behalf of team lead Mary Axworthy. She advised that tax receipts were

available to be picked up and will continue to be available for a couple of weeks. She also

mentioned that financial pledges are not only accepted during the stewardship campaign,

people are free to make pledges at any time during the year. She then provided some breaking

news in regards to grants for renovations that have been applied for. Mary wrote in the report

for 2017 that the Province of Alberta has approved an $82, 000 grant for us to renovate the West

entrance to make it accessible. Lora advised that a voicemail was left on Lee’s phone from Kent Hehr that the Federal Government has approved our application for an additional $50,000.

Lora offered a tremendous thanks to Mary for her work, and to Kent Hehr for his work in pushing

this grant through, especially during the current difficult times. Lora then opened the floor to

questions, none were asked.

HYMN #595 – VOICES UNITED

SECOND CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR:

No nominations were made.

FINANCIAL POSITION REPORT

Betty Mitchell reviewed the Financial Position reports, and the proposed 2018 Budget contained

in the 2017 Annual Report. She highlighted:

• Overall revenues exceeded the budget by $4400, but expenses also exceeded the budget

by $6100, part of which came from a non-cash transfer of $5000 to a designated property

reserve fund. This resulted in a net loss of just over $1700. This was offset by the 2016 surplus.

• The contractors for the Phase 2 renovations have now been fully paid. The agreements

contained holdbacks in payments and those have now been lifted.

• The first round of BIF (Building in Faith) loans have been repaid with interest. There will be 2

more payments, one in 2018, and the last in 2019.

• Betty walked through the proposed budget and advised the board has recommended that

the congregation pass a balanced budget. The budget anticipates a 2% decrease in

revenue and a 2% increase in salary and benefits, which is in line with United Church of

Canada guidelines. A transfer to the designated property reserve fund is not suggested for

the 2018 fiscal year and that will balance the budget.

Betty thanked her committee members and weekly counters for the offering collection. She

also offered a special thanks to Richard Gaskell for completing the audit of the finances, so

that we are confident that what we are providing to Canada Revenue Agency and the

United Church of Canada is accurate and can be backed up if required.

Questions and comments were made:

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Pat Ruby asked for clarification on her understanding of the $1700 deficit. Betty answer that

the $4400 was an excess of revenue.

Enid Holtby stood and said “Thank you, Betty, for all you do for the Church”. Betty replied that she is privileged to do the work.

Stutt Pottruff stood and requested more paper copies of the Annual Report be made

available, as he has no electronic access. The comment seemed to be agreed upon by

several other congregants.

MOTION: That the 2018 operating budget be approved as presented.

Moved by Terry Wyman

Seconded by Melinda Lang

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

THIRD CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR:

No nominations were made.

NOMINATIONS FOR BOARD POSITIONS:

Nancy Leitch came forward to read aloud the slate of board officers for 2018

• Chair: Wade Wiley

• Past Chair: Don Edie

• Co-Vice Chairs: Joyce Maloney and Kathleen Jessiman

• Secretary: Karen Garrick

• Treasurer: Betty Mitchell

• Ministry and Personnel: Fred Pynn

• Presbytery Representative: Stutt Pottruff

• Team Lead (Exploring and Celebrating Our Faith): Craig Ainsworth

• Team Lead (Welcoming and Supporting Our Community): Norma Wood

• Team Lead (Stewarding Our Future): Mary Axworthy

• Member at Large: Melinda Lang

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MOTION: That the slate of presented Scarboro United Church Board officers be approved.

Moved by Pat Ruby

Seconded by Scott Forsyth

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

COVENANTING WITH THE BOARD AND CONGREGATION:

Rev. Erin Klassen led the board, followed by the congregation through words of covenanting.

PRAYER

RESPONSE – “Grateful” in More Voices #182

The worship service continued.

Prior to the offering being received, Rev. Erin Klassen introduced Cyndi Christie-Brooks, who will be

transferring her membership to Scarboro United Church and discerning her call to ministry in the United

Church of Canada.

While introducing the final hymn (I’m Going to Live So God Can Use Me - Voices United #575), Rev. Lee

Spice thanked all persons who have stepped forward to serve the church.

Adjournment of the Meeting occurred as per the motion, at the end of the service at 11:50 am.

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APPENDIX B

MINUTES OF CONGREGATIONAL MEETING

SCARBORO UNITED CHURCH

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2018

1. Call to Order and Opening Prayer

Board Chair, Wade Wiley-Ross, called the meeting to order at 11:40 a.m. and offered prayers for

community and guidance.

2. Introductions and Explanations

Wade introduced Hugh Johnson, a representative from Calgary Presbytery, attending in

accordance with United Church of Canada policy.

Wade outlined that the purpose of the meeting is to extend the appointment of Rev. Erin Klassen,

which is set to expire on December 31, 2018. He noted the following:

• Rev. Lee Spice will be leaving her half-time Ministry position with Scarboro by March 1, 2019; • The Official Board of Scarboro is accountable for ensuring Ministry continuity at Scarboro;

• The Board unanimously recommends that Rev. Erin Klassen’s appointment be extended to June 30, 2019; and

• This time will be used to conduct a needs assessment and search process for Scarboro Ministry

personnel.

3. Approval of the Agenda

The agenda was agreed to without amendment. The Minutes reflect the Agenda order, not

necessarily the order in which the meeting took place.

4. Voting Procedure

It was confirmed that only full members are permitted to vote; adherents may not vote.

5. Motion to Extend Ministry Appointment

Per the explanation provided under Agenda item #2, the following resolution was made:

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Motion: Effective January 1, 2019, Rev. Erin Klassen’s appointment be extended to June 30, 2019.

Moved by Wendy Ainsworth, Seconded by Nancy Leitch

Discussion ensued with the main question being why the contract extension was until June 30, 2019

only. Those opposed to the resolution felt that the timeframe set out was too short. An amendment

to the resolution was put forward as follows:

Amended Motion: Effective January 1, 2019, Rev. Erin Klassen’s appointment be extended to December 30, 2019.

Moved by Trevor Axworthy, Seconded by Velma Noble

A question regarding the expected timeframe for the Needs Assessment was responded to by

Norma Wood, who admitted it is an ambitious timeline. She outlined the steps as follows:

• Set timeline • Strike Ministry Profile and Search (MPS) Committee

• Consult with congregation • MPS Committee Report

• Declare a Vacancy • Call and Recruitment

Norma noted that the intent is to strike the MPS Committee immediately.

In response to a question about Erin’s feelings about the extension, Wade confirmed that she has

indicated she is committed to Scarboro.

Concern was expressed by some about the message that a six-month extension sends to Erin and

how that would be received by her in terms of how the Scarboro congregation feels about her.

Hugh Johnson noted that it is easier to extend a contract than to truncate a lengthier one.

In response to a request from the congregation that the Board will take the required time to engage

in a thorough process notwithstanding the date attached to Erin’s contract extension, Wade offered that assurance on behalf of the Board. He also indicated there is no predetermined outcome.

On the question contained in the Amended Motion (above) DEFEATED

On the question contained in the original Motion (above) CARRIED

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The second part of the resolution before the congregation with respect to Erin’s contract pertains to increasing her current hours under a half-time contract to reflect a full-time commitment:

Motion: The Board be authorized to increase the number of hours from 20 to a maximum of 40

hours per week for all or any portion of that period (Jan 1 – June 30, 2019).

Moved by Mary Jo Hackney, Seconded by Donelda Snyder

Discussion ensued with the main point being whether the increase would be effective January 1st or

March 1st. Budget constraints were noted as the rationale for the question. It was noted it could be

anytime within the January 1-March 1, 2019 timeframe dependent on Rev. Lee Spice’s actual departure date.

On the question contained in the Motion pertaining to contract hours (above) CARRIED

6. Motion to Strike Ministry Profile and Search Committee

It was noted that the Terms of Reference for the MPS Committee were outlined as follows:

• 5-7 members

• Official Board representation • Mission Team representation

• Other members who represent a cross-section of the church community • To be appointed by the Board

It was confirmed that the Board would be approaching congregation members to participate on the

committee. Further, any member of the congregation can approach any Board member to express

their interest in standing for the committee.

Motion: That Scarboro United Church approves the striking of a Ministry Profile and Search

Committee.

Moved by Velma Noble, seconded by Trevor Axworthy CARRIED

8 Adjournment

Wade thanked the congregation for their time and input, and adjourned the meeting at 12:17 p.m.

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APPENDIX C

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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