Epiphany of the Lord

From the Pastor

Brothers and Sisters in Christ, With the events of the past several months, it appears to some the world has gone crazy, and literally everything is out of control. There are people who are scared, even terrified, especially those who are most vulnerable. There are people are anxious and worried, because they don’t know what will come next, or how long we will be in this mode of isolation. And there are people who have panicked, because they are not feeling confident that there will be enough to sustain them. These are the realities we face. And we face them together. I take my comfort in the knowledge that God is in control, God is with us, God is for us, and God loves us! God has us in His hands. Therefore, I have made the intentional choice to not be afraid, anxious, or discouraged. For I know, “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (I Cor. 1:9) We are doing what we can. People have retreated to their homes. People are practicing safe social distancing. People are wearing all sorts of face masks. These actions are necessary to short-circuit the movement of the Coronavirus. Face-to-face worship services have been suspended, and we are working on new ways to be together. Remember, Pastor Jody and I will be offering live-stream worship to everyone through our Facebook pages, and on both our web site (www.merrittislandpc.org) and the St. Luke’s Presbyterian web site (www.stlukespresbyterian.org). The church office will be sending an email each week with the bulletin for those services. Maintaining our life together as a worshiping community is vitally important!

From the Pastor

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Ps. 100)

Sadly, for the time being, we are limited in what we can do to be physically present with one another. But, we can always love one another as Jesus loves us. Our Deacons have been doing their very best to stay in contact with their “flocks” and keep our prayer chain informed of peoples’ needs. We can stay in contact with others via telephone, e-mail, FaceTime, Skype, etc. We can send encouraging notes or letters. We can exhibit our Christian joy and confidence in the midst of all of this. We can always share God’s peace with one another. We can be tolerant of and kind to others. And we can do good as we remain faithful to God. Peace & Joy, David

Session Highlights

Your Session met on 16 April with the following highlights:

1. Because the Coronavirus pandemic continues, the meeting was conducted via ZOOM conference in order to maintain social distancing as recommended by the CDC. As such, the agenda concentrated on

only essential issues. It is anticipated that ZOOM Session meetings will continue until the CDC relaxes their social distancing recommendations.

2. The “Covenant Agreement of Ministries and Churches,” which was approved during the last Session meeting, has been signed by the Clerk of Session and the pastor, and forwarded to the Presbytery. This two year initiative is designed to help MIPC grow in faithful discipleship with the help of Presbytery.

3. The Nominating committee has recommended one Deacon and continues its work to find one more Deacon for the class of 2022.

4. MIPC has applied for the government Payroll Protection Program (PPP), but has not received funding to date. We are, however, in the queue for future funding.

5. The live streaming of worship services seems to have had a positive impact on the congregation and are expected to continue through May. Of course, we remain flexible should anything change.

6. A subcommittee of the Session was formed for the purpose of reviewing the many options available to us as we move forward following Pastor David’s retirement as of July 31, 2020. The subcommittee is charged with coming to the Session with a recommendation for pastoral services beginning in August.

7. Because working hours have been significantly reduced due to the virus, the Finance Committee presented a motion to help supplement pay for the preschool teachers during the months of April and May. Office and church staff positions were also addressed. The motion was adopted, thereby providing much needed financial assistance to our loyal staff and teachers.

8. The next Session meeting is scheduled for 21 May, 2020.

Craig Smoot, Clerk of Session

Worship

First of all—we miss worshipping in person with our

church family!

We are so grateful to Rev. Lindemer, Rev. Noble, and

the music/AV staff at St. Luke’s Presbyterian for making our live streaming

services possible each week. We can really feel the connection with both

church families as we worship remotely, together! We will continue these

services until further notice. Remember to tune in anytime after 9:45 AM

Sunday mornings to either the St. Luke’s or MIPC Facebook pages. (Make

sure the video you click on has the red “LIVE” box in the upper left corner.) If

you miss a service, they can be viewed later on our website.

Once you find the live service, you may share it to your own Facebook

page, if you wish, and it will be viewable to all your Facebook friends.

Meanwhile, Chancel Choir Director Chad McClellan is emailing the choir

weekly, with links to choral pieces and cute jokes/cartoons. Also, if you check

out Chad’s Facebook page, you will see a daily link to an inspiring choral

performance. He titles these update “Choirantined, Day (X).”

Organist Maryrose Beerman shares with us this charming video, Bird Song

Opera, setting bird calls to an operatic score: Bird Song Opera

You can also view a gorgeous version of the hymn It Is Well, performed by

Nashville studio singers, here: It Is Well

Let’s all keep finding ways to reach out to each other and bring joy

whenever we can! God bless our church family.

Leslie Neihouse

Worship Chair

Mission

Because we are not gathering in person, we were unable to receive the Easter PC(USA) Special Offering, One Great Hour of Sharing. Each gift to OGHS supports efforts to relieve hunger through the Presbyterian Hunger Program, promote development through the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, and assist in areas of disaster through Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. If you would like to contribute directly, click here. Or you may send a check to the church office, marked “One Great Hour.” We have also not been able to collect for our monthly 2 Cents Per Meal offering. If you wish, you may include 2 Cents giving in your check or online offering. Just be sure to note how much is designated for this program. Thank you!

Cheryl Cominsky has been selected as the new Executive Director of The Children’s Hunger Project, bringing to the position a diverse background of operations expertise, sales management and volunteerism. Prior to accepting an official role with The Children’s

Hunger Project four years ago, Cheryl served as a volunteer for two years. As Community Outreach Coordinator, she became well-known for her ability to connect the mission of TCHP with the goals of local businesses, organizations and faith-based groups. The Children’s Hunger Project is continuing to provide meals to 5500 children, and they need our continued support, now more than ever. As in the past, $150 feeds a child for the year. If you wish to contribute, please mail your donation to CHP, 1855 W. King St, Cocoa, FL 32926. Add a note you are with MIPC, for their tracking purposes. You may also donate online at www.thechildrenshungerproject.org. Thank you so much!

Cindy Bottomley Mission Chair

Member Spotlight

JULIA (SIS) BECKMAN was Merritt Island born and

raised. She graduated from Cocoa High School in

1945. After college, she taught at Cocoa High

School for sixteen years, then nineteen years at

Satellite High School; she became an assistant

professor at Mercer University in Macon for two

years, and taught one year in Palm Beach County—

a total of thirty-eight years as an educator.

Physical Education was her specialty, though she

also served as a Guidance Counselor.

Julia is best known as “Sis,” a title bestowed upon her because she was the only

sister of her four brothers.

Sis’s long life has been one of service. Not only did she teach and guide

students, but for one year she held the office of president of the Cocoa chapter

of the International Pilot Club , a women’s service organization that strives to

influence positive change in communities throughout the world. As a Pilot Club

member and representative, Sis sponsored the Cocoa High School Anchor Club,

an international organization that prepares youth to be responsible citizens for

the rest of their lives. Sis also served two years as president of Delta Kappa

Gamma, its mission being as follows: The Delta Kappa Gamma Society

International promotes professional and personal growth of women educators

and excellence in education.

Sis retired in 1989. In 2019 she was inducted into the Space Coast Sports Hall

of Fame.

Carol J. B. Illinik

When things seemed like too much to handle, my Stephen Minister brought normalcy and calm. With him by my side, I knew I could make it from one

week to the next. I could feel God’s presence when my Stephen Minister was

there.

James

When I was with my Stephen Minister, I felt Jesus was with me. I saw the love

of God in her eyes while we talked and prayed, and it would fill me with such comfort and peace. It helped me know that I could make it through.

Ashley

My Stephen Minister listens…really listens. He doesn’t judge me or tell me what to do, but walks side by side with me. I never realized how helpful and

healing that can be. With his care and support, I’m making it through.

Brian

My Stephen Minister loves me, listens to me, cares for me, prays for me,

supports me, and gives me a safe, confidential relationship where I can totally

share my heart. No matter how much I have to unload on her, she listens to

whatever is going on.

Celeste

Those are some comments from people who have experienced the care of a Stephen Minister. If you know of anyone in crisis who might benefit from a

listening, caring person, please call Craig Smoot (MIPC Stephen Minister

liaison with Grace Methodist church) at 223-4841.

Stephen Ministry

Outreach—Fellowship—Thanks

Several members of our church are making face masks. Here are just a

few that are being so lovingly made by our church family!

Thank you to:

Shirley Kidd

Nancy Shuford

Mary Lou Tipton

Holly Ficker

Preschool

Brevard County Public School announced closures

effective after Spring Break (March 23). This was

followed by the governor’s Stay At Home order

effective April 1. Child care centers were able to care

for children of essential employees only, meaning our

attendance dropped dramatically in March. We

expect that will continue until restrictions on child

care facilities are lifted. Even then, as parents may or may not be able to

work, it may take quite some time before we resume the levels of pre-

COVID days.

We are keeping our teachers working on a rotating basis, as they are

able, and we are adhering to all CDC guidance concerning hygiene,

cleaning, disinfecting, safety, and preventive measures.

As outlined later in this newsletter, MIPC is supplementing teachers’ pay

as much as possible at this time. We are so grateful to the congregation

for their support of our teachers during this stressful time.

Tammy Lewis, Preschool Director

Patricia Smith, Preschool Committee Chair

Finance

Update on Income and Expenses

The financial figures for the month of March were encouraging. General Fund

income during March modestly exceeded General Fund expenses for the month –

an outcome helped in part by having five Sundays in March. But year-to-date

General Fund revenue (as of the end of March) fell short of year-to-date expenses

by nearly $5000. On the bright side, that first-quarter deficit for the General Fund

was smaller than we had projected at the beginning of the year!

Preschool revenue in March exceeded preschool expenses for that month by

$4,410. That’s not as large as the net positive revenue that had been realized in

January and February, but when we consider that the COVID-19 crisis was already

dramatically affecting preschool operations in the latter part of the month, it was a

blessing to see “black ink” at all for the month of March. As expected, the year-to-

date (as of 31 March) net positive revenue of $23,169 served to eliminate the

backlog of expense reimbursements owed by the preschool to the main MIPC

account that had built up in 2019 in creating the new Before and After School

program.

March Year to Date (31 Mar)

General Fund Revenue $17,908 $43,480

General Fund Expenses $16,925 $48,437

General Fund Net Revenue + $984 - $4,957

Preschool Revenue $41,268 $128,599

Preschool Expenses $36,858 $105,430

Preschool Net Revenue + $4,410 + $23,169

Finance

Please be aware that the April summary (not yet available) will show significant

financial impacts of the COVID19 pandemic on the MIPC General Fund and on the

MIPC Preschool. With the suspension of our usual (in-person) worship gatherings

on Sundays, income for the General Fund during late March and early April

appeared to be reduced by about half of its normal levels. Meanwhile, preschool

revenues have fallen very sharply due to COVID19 restrictions as that program is

currently providing child care only for children of essential workers. (Please see

the companion article in this newsletter concerning our church’s efforts to assist

our preschool staff during this time.)

These are exceptional and challenging times for our church. We sincerely thank

those members who have mailed-in checks or used Online Giving to continue their

tithes and offerings in support of our ministries during this public health

emergency. Thanks be to God for the gift of such faith and for the grace we

continue to experience even in times of stress.

John Shuford

Finance Chair

Finance - COVID19

COVID19 Financial Considerations / Share Your CARES

By early April, concerns about Covid19 and stay-at-home orders from the

State of Florida forced the suspension of most of our MIPC Preschool program

except for child care for children of workers providing “essential services.”

That situation has led to loss or sharp reduction of paychecks of most of our

twenty Preschool staff members. In addition, some of our Preschool staff

were unable to work even to the extent that reduced labor hours were

available because they have children of their own needing care at home

during the day due to school closures. These circumstances have led to acute

financial hardship for many of our beloved Preschool staff members.

With Session approval, MIPC applied for a so-called Paycheck Protection

Program (PPP) loan – a provision of the $2.2T Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and

Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress in late March to help small

businesses impacted by Covid19 keep paying their employees and avoid

layoffs. Under the terms of the CARES act, we would not have to repay a PPP

loan if we used the loan to maintain our payroll. Unfortunately, in that first

wave of PPP loans, there were so many applicants that the money Congress

provided for this program was quickly exhausted – even before our application

could be processed by our bank. Facing uncertainty as to whether we will

ever receive a PPP loan or when that money would arrive even if we do,

Session approved a set of motions – referred to as “Plan B” – to partially

restore the lost income of staff during the months of April and May even with

knowledge that this would further stress our church’s finances. The Session

approved the creation of a special Preschool Staff Assistance fund to receive

“extra mile” gifts from members of our church family that are designated to

help cover the unplanned extra cost of “Plan B”.

Finance - COVID19

When additional funding to the PPP was provided by Congress later in

April, we reapplied. We are pleased to announce that on May 1st, as this

newsletter was in final stages of preparation, we just received word that

our PPP loan is approved! Additional information about the impact of

that loan and status of our finances will be provided in later

communications as the situation clarifies.

-- -- --

Through another provision of the CARES Act, most Americans will soon

receive a federal income tax credit/rebate directly from the US Treasury.

Some members of the MIPC congregation have already indicated that

they plan to gift some or all of their “stimulus check” to the church. We

invite others in our congregation to Share Your CARES money if you can.

Especially for those of us who may not have suffered significant financial

hardship from the Covid19 pandemic, such gifts to MIPC, whether

unrestricted (general fund) or designated to particular ministry needs,

would be a true offering of thanksgiving and a great blessing for our

church’s ministries.

Giving Sacrificially

A husband and wife who were traveling around the world saw a boy in Korea one day pulling a crude plow in a field, while an old man held the plow handles and directed it through the rice paddy. The husband was amused by the sight and took a snapshot of the scene.

“That’s very curious,” he remarked to the missionary who was their interpreter and guide. “I suppose they are poor.”

“Yes,” said the missionary. “That is the family of Chi Noui. When the church was built they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money, so they sold the only ox they had and gave the money to the church. This spring they are pulling the plow themselves.”

The husband and wife were silent. Then the wife said, “That was a real sacrifice.”

“They did not call it that,” said the missionary. “They thought it was fortunate they had an ox to sell.”

The two tourists had little to say, but, when they reached home, they took the photograph to the church and told their pastor about the incident. “We want to double our pledge to the church,” they said, “and give us some plow work to do. We never knew what gratitude or joy or sacrifice really meant until now.”

God spoke to this couple through their experience in Korea about the joy that comes from giving. In his Word, God speaks to all of us about the importance of giving. Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). He also said, “Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8). If we choose not to give faithfully and generously, we forego the blessings that God gives to those who give cheerfully.

There is no better time than now to examine your level of giving, and, if need be, to take a leap of faith and increase your giving. In the words of Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

Stewardship

Update for Kids Klub & One Purpose Productions With regard to COVID-19, the following notice was sent to all

the wonderful families who faithfully support our Performing

Arts programs:

During this global pandemic, our church leaders are taking

things week by week and often one day at a time. With so

much uncertainty, it is hard to know when we will return to

gathering in our buildings and what that will look like. As new cases of

COVID-19 start to decline in the US, some state restrictions are going to be

slowly lifted, but some forms of physical distancing will likely need to

remain in place to protect the most vulnerable members of our community. We don't

know exactly what that will mean for our faith communities, but it seems that the

return to "normal" ways of gathering will be slow. With all that said, it is with great

sadness that this concludes our Spring semester. We are devastated that the kids

won't be able to perform the shows that they worked so hard on. Mary Lou and the

whole staff would like everyone to know that we miss and love you all very much. No

matter what we are facing or feeling, when we're willing to stand together as the

body of Christ, dependent on God for the Spirit's fresh filling of power and love, all

other things lose their hold on us. For God's love encompasses all. It reaches to every

dark crevice and fills every need or longing. It gives power to forgive and let go of the

past. It releases sin's hold and gives peace to the hurting. It is powerful and

surpasses our own knowledge and understanding.

It is wide. It stretches to a greater expanse and extent that we can ever imagine.

It is long. It encompasses the length of our days, before and all beyond.

It is high. It reaches to the highest heavens.

It is deep. It extends to the deepest pit.

His Love never fails!

It is with great faith in God and optimism that we hope to reunite with each other in

August in some way. We will stay in touch and keep you updated.

Faith Formation Ministries

13th Annual Women’s Retreat Saturday, September 26, 2020

8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Merritt Island Presbyterian Church

Fellowship Hall

Join us for a time of relaxation and renewal as we rest

in our God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus.

We will keep you posted about this event as the status of COVID-19 evolves.

Blessings to all! Pamela Poland - FFM Associate Carlos Assemany - FFM Elder

Faith Formation Ministries

BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our

APRIL BIRTHDAYS:

1 David Miller

3 James Neihouse

7 Andre Koodie

10 Gloria Burk

11 Ashleigh Serfozo

11 Bill Carpenter

12 Pat Smith

13 Bunny Finney

14 Randy Stalnaker

15 MIPC

15 Bert Hentschel

16 Laura Ficker

17 Sara Hall

19 Kara Ficker Toledo

20 Phil Finney

21 Leslie Ritter

27 Betty Cox

BELATED HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to our

APRIL ANNIVERSARIES:

2 Al & Heidi Sams

7 Tina & Mike Kicklighter

7 Bob & Sandy Hill

MAY ANNIVERSARIES 20 Jim & Jan McConnaha 24 Cathy & Bob Erb 25 Linda & Rob Serfozo

MAY BIRTHDAYS

1 Mike Smith

5 Don Webster

12 Stacy Boote

13 John Heenan

14 Karri Fjeldheim

19 Heidi Sams

23 Reid Finney

23 Barbara Seaman

26 Sarah Finney

26 Marsha Strickland

26 Frances Fernald

BUDGET UPDATE YTD as As of 3/31/2020

Actual Revenue: $ 43,480 Budgeted: $ 41,793 Actual Expenses: $ 48,437 Budgeted: $ 54,313

Birthdays & Anniversaries

The MIPC Press is printed by the Merritt Island Presbyterian Church,

600 S. Tropical Trail, Merritt Island, Florida 32952.

Rev. David Lindemer Interim Pastor Pam Poland Faith Formation Ministries Associate Leslie Mitchell Financial Secretary Maryrose Beerman Organist, Handbell Director Tammy Lewis Preschool Director Chad McClellan Chancel Choir Director MaryLou Tipton Performing Arts Director John Heenan Sexton Leslie & Carl Ritter & Crew Newsletter Coordinators

Each month, we feature an “Eco-Friendly Tip!” It’s our way of helping conserve resources and preserve our beautiful Brevard

beaches and waterways. This month’s tip: It’s very challenging trying to remain environmentally aware while also

taking safety precautions to prevent the spread of COVID 19. We can all still do our part, by continuing to recycle appropriate items, re-using as much as possible, and making sure your favorite restaurants know how much you appreciate when they use environmentally friendly take-out

containers. Most of all, keep safe!

Do you have a tip to share? Contact mipresbyterian@gmail.com.

Please contact the church office if we can assist you in any way.

Office extensions: Office phone number: 321-452-5689 101: Reception Preschool phone number: 321-453-1640 102: Leslie Mitchell Office fax number: 321-454-4988 104: Pam Poland Send E-mail to: MIPresbyterian@gmail.com 105: Rev. Lindemer Preschool email: MIPCPreschool@gmail.com 201: Preschool

Email: mipresbyterian@gmail.com Website: www.merrittislandpc.org

Facebook: Facebook.com/Merritt.Island.Presbyterian.Church Twitter: @MIPresby