(Click on image to view enlargement.)

 

 

 

(Click on image to view enlargement.)

 

 

 

Rural and Small Town Pastors and Lay Leaders,

• Future Rural Cultural Values -  Dr. Randy Cantrell, University of Nebraska School of Agriculture
• Christ-Centered Education for Children & Youth in Rural and Small Town Settings - Rev. Bob Riggert, Iowa West District Executive & Terry Schmidt, LCMS Associate Director of Schools
• Transforming Rural and Small Churches -  Rev. Richard Boring, Nebraska District Executive & Rev. Dr. Terry Tieman, Transforming Churches Network Director
• Regional Ministry Partnership - Rev. Tim Renstrom, Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Appleton, MN & Rev. Gary Griffin, Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lockwood, MO
• Outreach/Church Planting - Rev. Scott Snow, LCMS Director of Outreach
• Biblical, Personal, and Congregational Stewardship - Rev. Dr. Stuart Brassie, Missouri District Executive

Cost per participant: $325 double occupancy; add $65 for single occupancy (includes 2 nights lodging, 6 meals, banquet, and all materials).  Participation limited to the first 130 registrants, deadline October 2, 2009.  To register call toll free: 888-463-5127.  (Click here for conference flyer.)
 

President Newton, during this past May's district convention offered to  set up a series of circuit or multi-circuit convocations to study the restructuring proposals that Synod has developed. Our Synod has been engaged in a lengthy process of looking at different ways Synod might restructure itself to better serve our congregations and districts and their mission work.  President Kieschnick established a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Synod Structure and Governance (BRTFSSG).  The Reverend Robert Greene, chairman of the task force, presented the latest thinking on this project to our district in convention.

 

We have now set up a number of convocation dates and locations in California, Nevada, and Hawaii for the purpose of reviewing the restructure proposals, discussing them thoroughly, and providing official feedback to the task force.  These convocations, called: "Walking Together - The LCMS Future." - their dates, times, and locations are:

 

Please come and bring interested members, and select a convocation site that works for you.  Simply call the host congregation by the date printed above with the number of people from your congregation that will be in attendance.  The meetings are set up primarily for convention delegates to be able to respond to the BRTIFSSG, however, attendance is open to any and all of the members of your congregation-any who has an interest in participating in synod's efforts at restructuring itself.  
  

As a courtesy to the host congregation please call no later than the Monday before the scheduled meeting in order to give them a count of the people attending so that  the appropriate preparations of food and materials can be arranged. 

 

Hi fellow servants in Christ at the CNH District,
 
This is Chaplain Pon Chanthaphon, Lieutenant Junior Grade, USN.  Just call me Pon or Chaplain Pon and that's respectful enough.
 
I was officially commissioned as scheduled on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at 2:00 PM CST.  What a day to be commissioned and to remember the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession in our Lutheran history!  I didn't plan that date specifically but it was one of the days I told the Officer who would then swear me in.  He was available on that day and so we went as scheduled.  Of course, God was and always has been the One who does all the planning all the steps along the way and He will continue to be, too.
 
What's next?  Since, I'm joining the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps as Active Duty, my Detailer (an officer who writes orders) and my family are discussing about some possible places where I could be assigned for my first Order.  It could be with either, the Navy, Marines, or US Coast Guard.  It could be anywhere in the US or Japan.
 
The Order will take place immediately after my 12 weeks of training, which include: the first part, a 5-week of Basic Training, and the second part, a 7-week of Chaplain Training.  All these will take place in Newport, Rhode Island, which begins in August 2009.
 
Thank you for all your prayers and support up to this point.  Blessings in Christ always!  And Go Navy!
 

This week I will continue the theme of addressing the issues surfacing for our congregations and schools during these tough economic times.  The question I want to address this week is, "Do all your gifts get counted as income?"
 
This may seem like a silly question.  Of course all gifts flow through income on the profit and loss.  At least that's the way it's supposed to work.  However, I have seen designated gifts accounted for in a number of ways.  In a number of instances, designated gifts were booked straight to the Balance Sheet as a restricted fund and never hit income.  Why does it matter?
 
Any gift received should be booked as income.  There can be different income accounts to separate out designated funds from general funds, but every gift needs to be booked to income.  Then, at yearend the designated funds get moved to the appropriate restricted fund account on the Balance Sheet, and the rest of the unrestricted net income gets booked to unrestricted Net Assets/Net Equity.  
 
If designated funds are being received which have offsetting expenses, the net of the two is what would be booked to the designated fund.  For instance, say a congregation is collecting funds to redo the youth room.  As donations are received, they are booked to an income account, perhaps titled "Youth Remodel".  As paint, carpet and other materials are purchased, they are expensed to an expense account titled "Youth Remodel".  At yearend, the difference is what gets booked to the designated fund.
 
I realize this seems like more work, but in the end, the congregation has a much better picture of what happened during the year.  At the same time, the leadership has a better understanding of the total income and expense activity which occurred during the year.  It keeps the designated fund accounting much cleaner and more readily explainable.  Perhaps even more important, a few years later when memories become vague, it is much easier to follow the trail of what transpired.
 
If your congregation or school needs some assistance in this area or any other financial area, please feel free to contact Adriene Iverson at 866-452-6739 or email cnhcef@pacbell.net.  In the meantime, I will continue to focus on financial topics in these In Touch articles and our Congregational Newsletter (see the June newsletter on budgeting).         

 

 

Details of the following events can be found on the "Upcoming Events" section of the CNH website:                                                                                             

• July 5 - 9 Identity - CNH District Jr. High Gathering - Mt. Cross
• July 12, 2009 - Ordination and Installation of Vicar Ryan Alvery, Peace Lutheran Ministries, 924 San Juan Rd., Sacramento, CA, 4:00 PM
• July 19, 2009 - Commissioning of DCE Becky Rumsch, Mt. Olive, Folsom, CA, 3:00 PM
• September 22, 2009 - LSS Presents: Garrison Keillor Live In Concert - Sacramento, CA
• September 25-27, 2009 - Lutheran Men's Retreat - Redwood Christian Park
• Oct. 4, 2009 - Zion - Terra Bella, CA - to Celebrate 100th Anniversary - Zion Lutheran Church and School, Terra Bella, CA,
• Oct. 21-24, 2010 - Zion XIV Conference for Chaplains, pastoral counselors - Atlanta, GA 

Congregations:  The CNH District office staff has a practice of remembering in prayer the congregations and ministries of our district during devotions on Wednesday mornings.  This week the staff is praying over the following churches and we invite you to join us in remembering them in prayer:  Trinity, Paso Robles, CA; Zion, San Luis Obispo, CA; Grace, Santa Maria, CA; Our Saviior, Santa Maria, CA.