stoop to my weakness, mighty as thou art, and make me love thee as I ought to love.

3 Hast thou not bid us love thee, God and King;

all, all thine own, soul, heart, and strength, and mind?

I see thy cross; there teach my heart to cling. O let me seek thee, and O let me find!

5 Teach me to love thee as thine angels love, one holy passion filling all my frame;

the baptism of the heaven-descended Dove, my heart an altar, and thy love the flame.

WORDS OF WELCOME    

CALL TO ORDER and DECLARATION of QUORUM     

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                                                 Ephesians 5:8, 14

ONE: Live as Children of the light.

MANY: Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 

                                                   

PRAYER OF THE DAY 

Lord of love, you have taught us that love is your greatest commandment.

Teach us to love as unconditionally as you love us. Amen.

*HYMN OF THE MONTH Change My Heart, O God (695)

Change my heart, O God; make it ever true. Change my heart, O God, may I be like you.

Chorus: You are the Potter; I am the clay. Mold me and make me; this is what I pray.

-CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE

• Brief Overview of CE: The Christian Education Committee has the duties of educating children, youth, and adults of John Calvin and providing a time of Christian Education to the children at the Playschool. We seek to help you deepen your faith through personal study, discernment, and fellowship activities for all ages. Through adult Sunday School, Youth Group, Children’s Church, Children’s Sermons, Youth Events, Youth Work Projects, Community Events, and Playschool Bible Time. 

• What we did in 2023

• We had several wonderful activities in 2023 including but not limited to: 

1. 1. 1. 1. 2 All church Work Days. Doing several projects all over campus
         2. Good Friday Day of Prayer with activities for all ages. 
         3. Father’s Day bowling and treats.
         4. A Youth Concert for Sundays at 6
         5. Celebrated the women of the church with flowers on Mother’s Day.
         6. We raised $870 for the Super Bowl of Caring to be used in our food pantry and gift cards
         7. We celebrated the graduation of High School Seniors with cake and gifts. 
         8. Events especially for youth. 
            1. Trip to the New Orleans Fan Expo 
            2. Workday at Okra Abby 
            3. Movie night and egg-stuffing party
            4. Youth Pool Party
            5. Jack-Box Party Game and Pizza Night
            6. June 18-24, 2023 we took 3 youths to Camp Agape.
               1.  Louise and Aaron were both counselors and Aaron was the spiritual leader and Teacher for the Camp. 

• Community Events, and Playschool Events

1. 1. 1. 1. Easter Egg Hunt: On April 1st with snacks, egg hunts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and crafts. 
         2.  2 All Church and Community Picnic. With food, Water Fun, get-to-know-you games, and The Saints game 

• Adult Education 

1. 1. 1. 1. From Jan. to Mar. we continued our intergenerational How To Read The Bible Series. 
         2. Over the summer, we started up prayer groups that would meet after church each Sunday have a small lesson on prayer, and then pray for a specific group of people. 
            1. After the summer the Deacons took over this activity. 
         3.  We started a New Sunday School series in Fall 2023: Off The Deep End Taught by Briana Mayfield. 
            1. Session 1 was a deep dive into the Gospel of John
            2. Season 2 was a Deep Dive into Maccabees  
         4. We had a Zoom Advent Book Study 
         5. We continue to offer topical book and Devotional recommendations each week. 

• Youth Sunday School and Children’s Church

1. 1. 1. 1. From Jan to March all ages were invited to join the intergenerational Sunday School.
            1. After the video, the kids had a brief discussion and then a time of fellowship.
         2. In the fall we started Fellowship time for youth instead of traditional Sunday School.
            1. Every other Sunday we had middle and high School Sunday School during this time using Spice Rack Curriculum. 
         3. We continue to use the narrative lectionary curriculum for elementary age so the kids are learning about the same scripture we are studying in Church, during our Children’s Church time 
         4. Once a month and most Sundays in Summer we had Bible Builds:
            1. This program continues to be a wonderful way to get the kids to engage with the Bible in a way that they enjoy and are excited about. 

•  Youth Services

1. 1. 1. 1. Youth Service based on the Lord’s Prayer: We had 11 kids involved in the service in various ways including a skit reminding us of the meaning behind the words of the Lord’s Prayer. 
         2. Christmas Service, with all the wonderful music and pageant. We had 11 youths involved in various ways. The youth did all the liturgy and presented a poetic twist on the nativity store. We celebrated after the service with Coffee, Chocolate milk, and  Cookies made by the youth.

• Playschool 

1. 1. 1. 1. Every other Monday we teach Bible Time for the 3 year olds classes. This includes a story, a song, prayer, and a handout to take home so their parents know what we studied and what’s going on here at Church. 
         2. Every Tuesday we host a Bible Time for the PK and TK classes. We open with a song, read a bible story, hear from Theophilus the faithful retriever, learn a new song, and close with prayer. We give them a take-home sheet with what they learned and tell them about the events here at church. 
            1. Special visit
               1. Pastor Aaron took us on a tour of the sanctuary and the special things we use in worship. 
               2. Kelly showed us how the organ and piano work and we learned more about worshiping God with music. 
            2. The kids also spent time learning about the bible stories told through our stained glass windows. 

• VBS: Hero Hotline July 18th – 22nd 

1. 1. 1. We had over 34 kids attend, 7 adults volunteered to be group leaders, 5 rotation leaders (Music, Craft, story, snack, and games), and between 10 and 12 youth volunteers (many not from our church).  

All in all, we had a fun and successful year with CE and we are looking forward to another awesome year in 2024. 

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN        

RESPONSE [GTG#62] Love the Lord Your God (62) 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart Love the Lord your God with all your soul

Love the Lord your God with all your mind Love the Lord your God with all that you are

 CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of mercy, you sent Jesus Christ to seek and save the lost. We confess that we have strayed from you and turned aside from your way. We are misled by pride, for we see ourselves pure when we are stained, and great when we are small. We have failed in love, neglected justice, and ignored your truth. 

Have mercy, O God, and forgive our sin. Return us to paths of righteousness through Jesus Christ, our savior. Amen. 

KYRIE [GTG#577]

Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord have mercy. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                   

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE                                              Mark 12:28-44

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; and “to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength”, and “to love one’s neighbor as oneself”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.

While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared,

“The Lord said to my Lord,

‘Sit at my right hand,

   until I put your enemies under your feet.’ ”

David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

ANTHEM                      “I Give You a New Commandment”                                         by Peter Aston

ANNUAL MEETING

-CHRISTIAN EDUCATION COMMITTEE

• Brief Overview of CE: The Christian Education Committee has the duties of educating children, youth, and adults of John Calvin and providing a time of Christian Education to the children at the Playschool. We seek to help you deepen your faith through personal study, discernment, and fellowship activities for all ages. Through adult Sunday School, Youth Group, Children’s Church, Children’s Sermons, Youth Events, Youth Work Projects, Community Events, and Playschool Bible Time. 

• What we did in 2023

• We had several wonderful activities in 2023 including but not limited to: 

1. 1. 1. 1. 2 All church Work Days. Doing several projects all over campus
         2. Good Friday Day of Prayer with activities for all ages. 
         3. Father’s Day bowling and treats.
         4. A Youth Concert for Sundays at 6
         5. Celebrated the women of the church with flowers on Mother’s Day.
         6. We raised $870 for the Super Bowl of Caring to be used in our food pantry and gift cards
         7. We celebrated the graduation of High School Seniors with cake and gifts. 
         8. Events especially for youth. 
            1. Trip to the New Orleans Fan Expo 
            2. Workday at Okra Abby 
            3. Movie night and egg-stuffing party
            4. Youth Pool Party
            5. Jack-Box Party Game and Pizza Night
            6. June 18-24, 2023 we took 3 youths to Camp Agape.
               1.  Louise and Aaron were both counselors and Aaron was the spiritual leader and Teacher for the Camp. 

• Community Events, and Playschool Events

1. 1. 1. 1. Easter Egg Hunt: On April 1st with snacks, egg hunts, pictures with the Easter Bunny, and crafts. 
         2.  2 All Church and Community Picnic. With food, Water Fun, get-to-know-you games, and The Saints game 

• Adult Education 

1. 1. 1. 1. From Jan. to Mar. we continued our intergenerational How To Read The Bible Series. 
         2. Over the summer, we started up prayer groups that would meet after church each Sunday have a small lesson on prayer, and then pray for a specific group of people. 
            1. After the summer the Deacons took over this activity. 
         3.  We started a New Sunday School series in Fall 2023: Off The Deep End Taught by Briana Mayfield. 
            1. Session 1 was a deep dive into the Gospel of John
            2. Season 2 was a Deep Dive into Maccabees  
         4. We had a Zoom Advent Book Study 
         5. We continue to offer topical book and Devotional recommendations each week. 

• Youth Sunday School and Children’s Church

1. 1. 1. 1. From Jan to March all ages were invited to join the intergenerational Sunday School.
            1. After the video, the kids had a brief discussion and then a time of fellowship.
         2. In the fall we started Fellowship time for youth instead of traditional Sunday School.
            1. Every other Sunday we had middle and high School Sunday School during this time using Spice Rack Curriculum. 
         3. We continue to use the narrative lectionary curriculum for elementary age so the kids are learning about the same scripture we are studying in Church, during our Children’s Church time 
         4. Once a month and most Sundays in Summer we had Bible Builds:
            1. This program continues to be a wonderful way to get the kids to engage with the Bible in a way that they enjoy and are excited about. 

•  Youth Services

1. 1. 1. 1. Youth Service based on the Lord’s Prayer: We had 11 kids involved in the service in various ways including a skit reminding us of the meaning behind the words of the Lord’s Prayer. 
         2. Christmas Service, with all the wonderful music and pageant. We had 11 youths involved in various ways. The youth did all the liturgy and presented a poetic twist on the nativity store. We celebrated after the service with Coffee, Chocolate milk, and  Cookies made by the youth.

• Playschool 

1. 1. 1. 1. Every other Monday we teach Bible Time for the 3 year olds classes. This includes a story, a song, prayer, and a handout to take home so their parents know what we studied and what’s going on here at Church. 
         2. Every Tuesday we host a Bible Time for the PK and TK classes. We open with a song, read a bible story, hear from Theophilus the faithful retriever, learn a new song, and close with prayer. We give them a take-home sheet with what they learned and tell them about the events here at church. 
            1. Special visit
               1. Pastor Aaron took us on a tour of the sanctuary and the special things we use in worship. 
               2. Kelly showed us how the organ and piano work and we learned more about worshiping God with music. 
            2. The kids also spent time learning about the bible stories told through our stained glass windows. 

• VBS: Hero Hotline July 18th – 22nd 

1. 1. 1. We had over 34 kids attend, 7 adults volunteered to be group leaders, 5 rotation leaders (Music, Craft, story, snack, and games), and between 10 and 12 youth volunteers (many not from our church).  

All in all, we had a fun and successful year with CE and we are looking forward to another awesome year in 2024. 

-PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN (PW) of

JOHN CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

2023 ANNUAL REPORT

PW Council 2023:

Sandy Cranfill Linda Lowry (Jan-Sept)

Emily Garland Barbara Remmelts

Lorraine Hicks Evelyn Tobey

Beverly Kennedy Ann Trapani

Jananne Lankard

The Presbyterian Women of John Calvin serve the church through Mission, Bible Study, and Fellowship.

MISSION

• Through a special collection, the PW bought school supplies for Alice Birney Elementary School. The supplies were given to the school in January 2023.
• Each year the Grace Circle (Bible Study) collects money for a Sunshine Fund. The Grace Circle bought a child’s bicycle for the Playschool Fun Fair Auction.
• In October, the PW coordinated the Fall Harvest Food Drive with the church and Playschool. This year’s collection was brought to Jefferson Presbyterian Church for their community food pantry.
• In December, 20 Salvation Army Christmas Angels were adopted by members of the congregation and sent back to the Salvation Army to bless children with a nice Christmas.

Many thanks to the John Calvin congregation for their generosity in reaching out to those in need!

BIBLE STUDY

A Bible Study for Presbyterian Women is scheduled for the 3rd. Tuesday of each month. It’s called the Grace Circle. The group meets at 10:00 AM in the church library. All women (and their friends) are welcome to attend. The curriculum comes from The Presbyterian Women of PCUSA. In January, the group study was Celebrating Sabbath: Accepting God’s Gift of Rest and Delight. The September Study was Sacred Encounters: The Power and Presence of Jesus Christ in Luke-Acts.

FELLOWSHIP

• Game Day – The PW sponsors a Game Day on the second and fourth Thursday of each month (with some exceptions). Anyone is welcome to attend.
• Palm Sunday Luncheon – The PW hosted a potluck luncheon after the Palm Sunday Cantata and invited the congregations of John Calvin, Chinese Presbyterian, and Little Farms United Church of Christ. Over 100 people attended.
• The PW hosted a Tablecloth dinner at Outback Steakhouse in May for any interested member of the congregation. A second Tablecloth dinner was offered in September at Sawgrass.
• Christmas Cantata Luncheon – The PW hosted a luncheon after the Christmas Cantata and invited the congregations of John Calvin, Chinese Presbyterian, and Little Farms United Church of Christ. Approximately 100 people attended.
• White Elephant Party – The annual White Elephant Party was held in December and was well attended, as usual.
• The PW worked in the kitchen and sweet booth for the Playschool Fair on March 11th.

For more information on the Presbyterian Women of the PCUSA, go to

www.presbyterianwomen.org

-OUTREACH COMMITTEE

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Committee Elders:  

Sue Crawford, Beverly Kennedy, Richard Britson, and Sharon Fortin

Frequent guests: Linda Lowry – Diaconate Chair, Louise Ochart – CE Committee Chair – Reverend Aaron Ochart

Did you notice?  We changed our name to the name that is always used anyway!  With session approval and along with the name change, we changed our structure to align with the Matthew 25 focus areas.  Learning about Matthew 25 was our theme throughout 2023.

Matthew 25 – Discovery

The Presbytery challenged all of our churches to consider becoming Matthew 25 Churches in 2023.  Sure, we could take a vote and sign-on, but the Outreach Committee decided that we needed to learn more before taking this step.  After looking into the resources, we determined that a Matthew 25 Bible Study would be a nice approach for the committee and congregation.

“August Cool Down Sundays!”

Joining in with the “Sundays at 6” activity planned by the music team at 6pm, we put together “Exploring Matthew 25” at 5pm and including a light supper.  The activities were held July 30 thru August 27.  We had 7 participants, and it was well received by those that attended.  A huge thank you to Joan and Sue for the desserts and snacks.

The most impactful session appears to have been a simulation activity.  Most participants learned things they never knew.

“Matthew 25 – Round 2”

An 2nd small group headed by Linda Lowry put together an additional 4-week Matthew 25 study to coincide with the sandwich making for Program of Hope throughout October.  Again the simulation activity was an eye opener.  Many expressed a wish that the Session would go through this activity.

Building Congregational Vitality

A huge “Thank You” to the Presbyterian Women and Beverly Kennedy who picked up the Tablecloth Dinner activity along with the White Elephant Party.  These seem to fit with the social event focused Game Day and Cookie Swap activities they have sponsored.  Thank you ladies for a job well done!

Church/Community Picnic

We invited Little Farms UCC , Chinese Presbyterian, and the Playschool to our Community Picnic on Sunday, May 21 after worship.  The picnic was sponsored by Outreach and Christian Ed, with lots of help from the congregation!  Thank you all for your help grilling hamburgers and hotdogs, and for bringing sides.  The kids enjoyed outside water activities and inside Video “Switch” golf and dance games.  Thank you to Louise Ochart and Sue Crawford for putting it all together!!

Glass Half Full

Several church members regularly take their glass down to Elysian Fields to the Glass Half Full recycling non-profit.  Neat idea, but kind of out-of-the-way.  Kelly Cuppett (with Sam) started collecting glass bottles and jars that they take to Glass Half Full and it really took off.  So much so the influx of glass became a bit overwhelming!  

Glass Half Full converts glass jars and bottles that have been going to landfills into sustainable and functional resources: glass sand and gravel that are used in applications from coastal restoration and flood mitigation to eco-construction (goes into concrete) and sandblasting.

So why not work the Glass Half Full organization to collect the glass right at our own church in a small corner of our large parking lot?  Glass Half Full will bring a glass collection bin and place it where we want it, then come periodically to pick up the bin and exchange it for a new one!  

Currently there are no glass drop-off locations outside of Orleans Parish.  Ours would be the first one in the area.

Kelly donated the money for the set-up fee, and we are using our portion of the Peace & Global Witness Offering to pay for the monthly fee.  This is the easiest outreach project ever!

Beer and Hymns & Carols in the Courtyard

Monday, April 24, we organized a Beer and Hymns event at Zony Mash.   We had a nice turnout of around 23 people, from 3 different local Presbyterian Churches, plus a few young people from Loyola.  Fun was had by all!

Thursday, Dec. 21, we held a new event geared to those who don’t want to venture down to New Orleans: Carols in the Courtyard!  Who’s courtyard?  Why, ours, under the large tree near the parking lot.  We had Christmas lights, and Kelly’s piano, and sang all the Christmas songs we could find – right out of the hymnals.  Sue provided cocoa and treats and folks brought a favorite beverage to enjoy with friends.  We had several from our church and 2 from Chinese PC, plus a few visitors, about 14 of us in all.

Wait, what?  “Favorite beverage”?  That sound like alcohol on the church grounds.  Yes, the session is considering allowing beer and wine, only, at events in the Fellowship Hall.  The session voted to allow beer and wine at this event.  It worked out fine, but probably would have been fine with or without the additional beverages.

Blood Drive

In the summer we were approached by a group wanting to hold a blood drive to benefit a 4-year-old girl with leukemia.  The event was held on Saturday, October 14 from 8.  All we had to do was open the Fellowship Hall, set up the table and chairs, bring snacks, and have a few volunteers on hand to help out. What a day!  We had nearly 200 people go through our Fellowship Hall!  

Thank you to Sue and Sharon for organizing, to Aaron and Louise for putting the flyer on the website and our Facebook page, and to Mike Fortin and the Deacons for set up, take down, and a dozen other tasks that needed doing!  Special thanks to the church members who donate blood.

The blood drive was done by “The Blood Center”.

Welcoming Card for Newcomers to the Area

Louise Ochart put together several wonderful options for a welcome card to send to people who recently moved into the area.  Due to inappropriate behavior by a member toward our pastor and his family, and the session’s struggle to deal with the problem, the welcoming card activity has been delayed until the session has a better idea of what we want our church to be.

Support for Church Activities

As always, the Outreach Committee is involved in support of the events that the other committees put together: easter egg stuffing, the easter egg Hunt, the Playschool Fair, the Church Work Day(s), etc.  Has anyone not noticed the repainting of our sign?

Dismantling Structural Racism

This possibly the toughest of the 3 Matthew 25 focus areas to tackle.  Our work with Program of Hope and our donations to some of the PCUSA offerings go toward dismantling structural racism, but nothing we are doing directly affects this problem.  In fact, we are generally unsure of what this really is and what the problem is.  With that in mind, we had several discussions within the Matthew 25 discovery sessions and participated in a simulation that addresses the structural aspects of racism.  Nearly everyone involved learned something new and gained a new understanding and appreciation for the ways our society have made life particularly difficult for our non-white neighbors.

 One discussion was about Juneteenth.  We found places to agree and place where we disagreed – with respect.  

Juneteenth (officially Juneteenth National Independence Day) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining June and nineteenth, it is celebrated on the anniversary of the order, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.  Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, and others. (Wikipedia)

Eradicating Systematic Poverty

Program of Hope

We continue to be leaders of Program of Hope, with 4 other Presbyterian congregations.  Program of Hope is a mission to the housing-challenged in New Orleans.  We provide lunch, a voucher for a night at the Salvation Army shelter, bus passes, toiletries, clothing, worship leadership, and most importantly a dignified, respectful, loving, respite from the world, on Wednesday mornings throughout the year.

We serve on the Advisory Board  for Program of Hope which meets via our zoom account monthly.  Program of Hope is pursuing becoming a New Worshipping Community to expand our ability to help our clients, and John Calvin PC’s Outreach Committee members are right in the thick of making the decisions.  John Calvin PC has been involved with Program of Hope for over 10 years, since Sue Crawford went to a meeting and got us involved.  

But it all comes down to the actual activities of which we have many to thank:

• Richard Britson has organized the volunteers and bought the food for years.  Lorraine Hicks spent time and effort.  This year, Sue Crawford has taken over much of that work.  Thank you both!
• Little Farms United Church of Christ is sending 3 or 4 people each Wednesday when it is our turn to serve.  This is really helping and the rest of the POH folks are getting to know and appreciate then.
• Aaron provides communion and a worship message at least once in the months when we serve, plus an empathic ear for our clients.
• All of you who stop by on Tuesday afternoons at 2:00 to make the sandwiches!  You vital to making this work.
• A huge thanks to our folks who come to serve on Wednesday’s.  In 2023 we’ve had much more of a role in working with the clothing, and our team is doing a great job of making it feel like a bit of a fun shopping experience for the clients, instead of a handout.

Program of Hope proved Narcan, and training on how and when to use it for all of the interested volunteers.

Clothing Drives

We held 2 clothing drives and subsequent sorting parties in 2023: one in May for summer clothes, and the other in September for winter clothing.

Thank you to everyone who donated the wonderful clean and well-kept clothing for the clients at Program of Hope!  And thank you to all of the sorters and labelers who came to package the clothing for easy use at POH.

Y’all did good!

Berean Presbyterian Church Christmas Party

Our Playschool holds a coat drive every year.  It is wonderful and many bags of coats for all ages are collected.  But what happens to those coats?  Did you know that the Outreach Committee are the ones who take care of distributing those coats?  In 2023, the coats for adults went to Program of Hope as part of their extra Christmas help for the clients.  But POH cannot use the children’s coats.

In 2023, the children’s coats all went to Berean Presbyterian Church for the Christmas party they hold for their community.  In making this arrangement, we discovered that they needed gifts for the young teens aged children, who are too old for “toys”.  A group of our wonderful women purchased all sorts of gifts for these kids, giving them a super Christmas!  Thank you ladies!!  We all make a great bunch of Mrs. Claus’s!

Ulster Project

Though our work with the Ulster Project is much smaller than what was needed many years ago, we are still involved.  Our church hosted a Northern Irish teenager this summer for the month of July.

PCUSA Offerings

This wonderful congregation always gives generously to the 4 PCUSA Offerings.  Thank you!

• One Great Hour of Sharing
• Pentecost – 40% stays here to impact the lives of young people within our community.
• Peace and Global Witness Offering – 25% stays here for peace projects.
• Christmas Joy Offering

You also give generously to Evergreen Life Services a long-time mission of this congregation.

Tackling our Money Troubles

Antique and Vintage Auction

Purely in an effort to do some small thing to decrease our budget, Sue Crawford along with Louise Ochart and Gwen Nolan came up with the idea of an On-Line “Antique and Vintage Item” Auction!  No one wanted to hear about a Yard Sale, so could we do something similar, but all on-line?

Using the “Auction32” platform that the Playschool uses for the Playschool Fair auction, Sue and Louise devised a way to sell donated items to fund a portion of the maintenance and insurance costs to run our church buildings!

Thank you to everyone who donated items and to everyone that purchased the items!  Gwen Nolan’s hand painted oyster shells were the rage. The auction made $1100!  Yes, it’s drop in the bucket, but we are looking at it as a good first try.

Building Use

The Outreach Rooms were used by 11 different Anonymous type groups and 2 additional groups for a fee.  The Outreach Committee with much help from Louise Ochart, screens these groups and supports their need for space, tables, chairs, and a screen for internet.

The Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary are used for various events for a substantial fee.  The Outreach Committee (Richard Britson and now Sue Crawford) does minor set up and take down, and monitors for cleanliness when the group is done.  Louise Ochart handles the paperwork for each group.  Thank you for this work, Richard, Sue, and Louise!

Examples:

• Use of the Sanctuary on Saturday, May 20 by Terry Liberto for a piano recital.
• Use if the Fellowship Hall on Thursday, May 11 for a meeting of the Boy Scout Council of Greater New Orleans.
• Use of the Sanctuary on Saturday, December 30, 2023, for the wedding of Ryan Isham.
• Use of the large Outreach Room (Room 2 and 3) by Kelly Cuppett, JCPC Music Director, for “Music Together” classes, an activity of Kelly’s small business and music studio, Garnett Music LLC.  
• Use of the sanctuary every Sunday and Thursday from for worship by the New Beginnings Ministry for a building use fee of $1500 per month ($18000 annually).  (This did not come to pass.  Pastor Chaz became very ill and has been unable to continue his church.  We pray for his recovery.)
• Use of the Fellowship Hall by Wayne Tracy for a “Boy Scout Adult Dinner for Wood Badge Training” on Sunday, October 8, 2023.
• Use of the Fellowship Hall for a Blood Drive on Saturday, October 14.

Changes to the Building Use Policy

The session has been discussing how we might “rent” out our space to raise money to cover our insurance and maintenance costs.

• In August, Kelly Cuppett approached us asking if she could rent one of the Outreach rooms to work with Playschool parents and children doing music together.
• The Playschool has had a small business for teaching Playschool students the game of soccer.  
• The Playschool has also had a small business for teaching music skills to Playschool students.  

All of these are for-profit businesses independent of the Playschool where parents enroll their children and pay directly to the small business.  The Building Use Policy does not currently allow for this and no fee for the building use was assessed.  So, what do we do?  A policy allowing for such businesses would allow us to charge the small business an appropriate fee for the use of our property.

But can we “rent” our facilities if we are a non-profit?  Much research and questioning has been done and we have guidance on renting church property.  Church buildings can be used for any of their own religious purposes, and further, for other religious purposes (including commercial), without regard for cost.  

Looking at any given space, it cannot be rented out for commercial use (insubstantial purpose) more than it is used by the church.  

• The use of the sanctuary by New Beginnings Ministries at $1500/month is fine – religious purpose.
• Rental of the office space (the space behind the glass area) is not fine – insubstantial purpose, not used by the church.  Could be used by a non-profit group.
• The use of the large outreach room by Kelly Cuppett’s LLC for 2 hours per week is either a mission of the church to foster parent/child bonding or the Outreach Groups are a mission of the church, and their use of the large outreach room is substantially greater than Kelly’s use.
• The rental of the Fellowship Hall to Little Farms is clearly fine – religious purpose.
• The rental of the Fellowship Hall for birthday parties and showers is substantially less than the Fellowship Hall is used for religious activities.

When we “rent” space to a group, we need a written contract (our building use form).  Our insurance carrier needs to know we are using our space for these purposes.

For continued uses by a non-profit we need: the written contract, their letter that states that they are a non-profit, proof of their insurance, and we need to tell our insurance carrier.

The Outreach Committee re-wrote the Building Use Policy to reflect this new information.  Kelly was allowed to rent an Outreach Room and if the Playschool allows any business to use the facility, they need to provide rent.

New Committee for 2024!

The Outreach Committee for 2024 is: Session Members: Sue Crawford, Beverly Kennedy, Joan Albright, and Brianne Mayfield.  Volunteers: Richard Britson, Andrew Crawford, and Sharon Fortin

-PLAYSCHOOL COMMITTEE

Playschool Committee Annual Report 

Members: Jeremy Moore – Chairperson, Linda Lowry, Sheryl Wise, Emily Garland, Rev. Aaron Ochart, Louise Ochart, Lauren Oufnac, and Stephanie Gagliano 

The purpose of the Playschool Committee is to provide a liaison between the Playschool and the Church. The committee works to make sure the Playschool has everything it needs from the Church to make it the best Playschool in the area. The Playschool has 155 students with 26 teachers. The Playschool has been in operation for over 50 years and has received numerous awards and accreditations throughout the years. Enrollment has been excellent as there is usually a waiting list at registration. 

John Calvin Presbyterian Church has a role in the development of the students as the Playschool was the first mission of John Calvin Presbyterian Church. This continues to be a mission for our congregation. Once a week, Linda and Louise lead a “Bible Time” with the students. The children are learning about the joy and love our Lord provides. We have church volunteers doing maintenance work around the campus and playground. We have church volunteers to help with the Playschool events, especially the Fair. Rev. Ochart leads Playschool ceremonies in the sanctuary with opening prayers. The Church has a Blessing service at the beginning of the school year for the teachers and staff. 

Highlights of Playschool Events from 2023

• Fundraisers- Little Caesar’s/Gift Wrap & Cookies/ Cane’s Night 
• Open House 
• Grandparents Week 
• Scholastic Book Fair 
• Big Red Barn Farm Tour 
• Art and Fun Festival 
• Family Fun Night Disney Dinner 
• Trunk or Treat 
• Thanksgiving Performance and feast 
• Christmas pictures with Santa 
• Angel Angel Christmas Play 
• Summer Camp 

2024 is here and the Playschool has some great events coming up. 

• Art and Fun Festival- Date TBD 
• Summer Camp registration 
• Big Red Barn Tour 
• Grandparent’s Day 

Thank you to everyone who has helped with the Playschool. There are so many to name, I believe most of our congregation has touched the lives of our wonderful students. It takes a village to raise a child. We have an unbelievable village of teachers, staff, parents, grandparents, and volunteers who love these children and have a desire to make a positive Christian influence in their lives. We can always use more villagers to help. If you have a desire to help in any capacity with the Playschool or with the maintenance and upkeep of our campus, please let the Church office or myself know.

-BOARD of DEACONS

DIACONATE (BOARD OF DEACONS) OF

JOHN CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 2023

2023 Deacons: Mary Antill, Bill Bottomley, Laurie & Tony Hill, and Linda Lowry

Since deacons are new to John Calvin, 2023 has been a year of learning. The first thing we did was decide upon our mission. Building a community of believers was important so we saw our mission to be the spark for a congregational community that will care for and reach out to others.  

Each deacon chose families they knew (about 15 families for each deacon) to communicate with. It’s always a question of reaching out to people without being intrusive. This is an area the deacons continue to work on. You may have noticed that just because each deacon is responsible for a particular family, we do not limit our outreach. Through the diaconate, a member may hear from another deacon or another church member. Congregational care is a shared responsibility and one which the people of John Calvin do well.

Continuous communication between the deacons and Rev. Ochart is through group texts. Sometimes the communication simply asks all to pray. Other times, concerns are shared and a plan is made.

The deacons meet once a month. In September, the deacons decided to have a Deacon Minute for Mission once a month, followed by a prayer vigil after the worship service. The prayer vigil did not attract many people (people like to visit after the service and we encourage that as well) so we decided that the deacons will begin each monthly meeting praying for friends and members of the congregation.

The deacons prefer to do their work without fanfare, so you may wonder what deacons actually do. Here are some things the deacons have done during 2023

•         Visiting people in hospitals & nursing homes
•         Delivering food to those who are sick or have surgery
•         Providing transportation or help to persons who come to the church in need
•         Emailing church members to share concerns or needs of others
•         Greeting at the door for funerals
•         Volunteering for outreach activities
•         Providing coffee and cookies each Sunday
•         Sending Christmas cards to church families
•         Sending cards or Happy Birthday messages
•         Sending care and concern cards and/or notes

Galatians 5:14: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

-WORSHIP COMMITTEE

Worship Committee Annual Report For the Year 2023 

Session Members: Volunteer Members: 

Aaron Ochart, Worship Mary Antil 

Kelly Cuppett, Music Beverly Kennedy 

Dennis Lauland and Mike Fortin, Technology Evelyn Tobey

Lorraine Hicks, Chair 

The Worship Committee is responsible for all church functions that are held in the sanctuary. Music and Technology for the worship service also come under the umbrella of the Worship Committee. The committee meets monthly to discuss the worship and music plans that are upcoming. Any technology issues relating to the airing of the worship service are discussed. 

The committee secures greeters, ushers, and liturgists for each Sunday. The committee is responsible for the monthly communion, which includes obtaining the communion supplies, arranging for communion servers, preparing the elements, and washing communion trays afterward. The committee is responsible for lighting the candles and placing flowers in the sanctuary each week. They are also responsible for putting pledge cards and prayer request cards in the pews racks, and for tidying the sanctuary after services. 

The Worship Committee is responsible for Easter and Christmas preparations. At Easter, this includes putting up the Cross and any other special items needed for the services. The committee orders the lilies and places them in the sanctuary. At Christmas, the Worship Committee organizes the decoration of the sanctuary and narthex, as well as ordering and placing poinsettias at the pulpit. The committee orders and assembles the candles for the Advent services and the Christmas Eve candlelight service. After these special services, the committee removes and stores the decorations. 

In the Summer our Music Director, Sam Garnet, was called to another church. The Worship Committee and Session approved moving Kelly Cuppett to the position of Music Director. Kelly is a gifted musician with two music-related Master’s degrees who has served as Assistant Music Director since 2022.

Instead of hiring a second music staff person, the Worship Committee and Session approved using the funds budgeted to provide stipends for music students from Loyola as additional singers in the choir (an increasingly common practice). This program provides additional strong voices for our volunteer choir, experience for these students in performance, and provides a ‘learning lab’ for music ministry in a local church (one of the fall students has even started playing piano at Chinese Presbyterian Church because of her experience at John Calvin). We have started referring to these students as ‘scholarship singers’ because of the generous money provided by congregation members which funded the singers through part of the fall. Funding for these singers has been approved by Session through Spring of 2024 noting the difference that these students have made in the overall music program. 

Thank you to all the many church members who assisted us with these duties during the year. We are always grateful and eager for any help you can provide. 

Respectfully Submitted, 

Lorraine Hicks, Chair

-MUSIC

-FACILITIES COMMITTEE

Annual Facilities Report 2023

It has been busy regarding facilities over the past year. Aside from normal maintenance, there were a few larger projects that were tackled in 2023.

Aside from day-to-day repairs that are done throughout the year, door knobs, leaking faucets, changing lightbulbs, etc.., we tackled many projects that we planned from last year.

In March we had a congregational work day and got many things accomplished. We were able to weed gardens, clean trash, trim bushes, paint rooms in the fellowship hall, as well as restriping the Glendale St. parking lot.

In April, we replaced the main LED Parking lot lights over the Glendale St, lot. These were years old and very dim. The new lights offer safety and security.

We had all the gates around the campus fixed to comply with playschool licensing.

Another large project we tackled in 2023 was the updating of lighting in the fellowship hall. We purchased 200 LED light bulbs to replace the old fluorescent bulbs that have been used for years. To date, we have changed approximately 140, and continue to upgrade as we move through the year.

While we were relatively fortunate, in regard to AC maintenance and repair this past year, we do have some work coming up. We have approved the replacement of the Narthex unit which will begin in the coming weeks. We also plan to replace an estimated 2 of the older problem units in 2024.

Throughout the year we have had repairs made to the fire system, and sprinkler system, as well as adding rodent control to address issues that have come up.

One of our largest upcoming projects is to address the aging metal awning and gutter system around the fellowship hall. While a structural assessment was done, and repairs are scheduled to be made, this just addresses the structural supports and beams. We will still have to address rust/paint, as well as the gutter system failing and needing replacement. This project along with the AC replacement are top priorities as we move into 2024.

I would like to thank Andrew Nolan, Jeremy Moore, Aaron Ochart, David Garland, and many others who help with the ongoing facilities projects at our campus.

Submitted By:

Jacob Russo

-PASTOR’S REPORT/HOMILY

This year has been a challenging one. As you know, John Calvin Presbyterian Church faces many challenges to continued ministry (let alone vibrant ministry). The good news (or the bad news) is that we are not alone in these struggles. The Session has been continuing the process to discern what the will of Christ is for the future of this congregation, and know that our current path is not sustainable. We also know that such a big deficit will likely require big changes to the way that we operate as a church, big changes which take time to discern and implement. This last year, we invited the Small Church Options team from our Presbytery (which I and Sharon Fortine served on) to hear some of the many solutions that churches like ours are taking. I was pleased to see how many from the congregation also attended this presentation. Session and staff have been exploring various solutions. Some examples: a team has been discussing the possibility of yoked ministry with a team from Chinese Presbyterian Church, the Outreach committee has been looking into the Matthew 25 Initiative to help focus our mission engagement, and the church auction that was held last December was also a result of these discussions. 

Session is continuing this discernment work through engagement with “Project Regeneration.” The Project is hosted by the Presbyterian Foundation, a part of our denomination, which has been safeguarding the long-term financial interests of the Presbyterian Church since 1799, and has overseen the longest running continually dispersing endowment since 1821 (in other words, they know what they are talking about). Project Regeneration is a tool that they have developed to help congregations like ours to discern where the Holy Spirit is leading. This program is paid for by the denomination, and is of no cost to us.

We had our first meeting with Joseph Moore, the Presbyterian Foundation representative, where we discussed the challenges that we face as a congregation, as well as the hope that we see. We went over some of the highlights and lowlights of this congregation’s history. He shared some of his experiences in work with other congregations, as well as his own years of experience in parish ministry. He introduced the Project’s main text, Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Practice by Joan S. Gray, a teaching elder (minister) and former moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The big picture message of the book is to contrast ‘rowboat churches’ where everything that the congregation does is based solely on human effort, and ‘sailboat churches’ where the leaders and congregation discern and ‘sail’ where the Holy Spirit is leading. Both models take work and effort, just have different expectations for the involvement of God in the process. You may recognize the title from last year’s “Vital Churches” suggested reading list, and from our Zoom book study going on now! Those participating are reading and considering the bulk of the book between the first and second meetings. Anyone who is interested is invited to join us in reading this book, and reflecting on God’s call.

The second meeting will focus on an analysis of our specific financial situation. Our treasurer, Bill Bottomley, (with help from others) filled out a treasurer’s questionnaire with information about our budget and practices. This week, Bill and I met virtually with Paul Grier (one of the Presbyterian Foundation’s lead financial analysts) to go over their findings. The analysis that they have prepared takes our information and compares it to financial averages for our area, churches of similar sizes, national trends, and their suggestions for best practices. In the second meeting with Session, we will go over all of this information in detail to get an objective and honest view of the financial situation. One of the reasons that the proposed budget was approved to be reevaluated in April is so that we can have the benefit of hearing this analysis before we make any major changes. 

The third, and final, meeting will be held after an intentional 40 days of prayer. Using the Sailboat book as a guide, we will reflect on the lessons from the book and the financial analysis. In this time of discernment, we are each asked to listen for where God is leading us individually and together as a congregation. In our final meeting, we will discern together where the Holy Spirit is leading this congregation and expect that God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. We invite you to join us in prayer (especially during the 40 days), in discernment, and in expectation of where the Holy Spirit is leading us. 

Today’s scripture calls us back to the purty of our calling, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. If we do that, we will not be far from the Kindom. 

Aaron 

-FINANCE COMMITTEE

2024 Budget as approved by the Session (to be reevaluated in April)

2023 Budget Report for Congregational Meeting
			2023		2024
			Budget	Actual	2024 Proposed Budget
REVENUES
	Pledges		$219,100	$224,405	$218,160
	Other Offerings		$13,000	$11,359	$10,000
	Christian Education		$1,300	$1,514	$1,300
	Facilities Use		$15,600	$15,790	$13,860
		Outreach Rooms	$5,000	$6,435	$5,000
		Little Farms UCC	$6,000	$6,000	$6,000
		Other	$4,600	$3,355	$2,860
	Playschool		$144,000	$138,469	$130,000
	Other		$1,100	$644	$500
TOTAL REVENUES			$394,100	$392,182	$373,820
EXPENSES
	Staff		$181,097	$176,997	$179,845
		Minister	$109,067	$109,317	$112,343
		Christian Education Leader	$35,690	$35,140	$36,743
		Music Direction	$29,840	$26,842	$24,059
		Nursery	$500	$0	$500
		Other	$6,000	$5,698	$6,200
	Office		$21,800	$19,139	$22,000
	Benevolences/Stewardship		$12,500	$10,326	$10,660
	Facilities		$239,819	$220,653	$245,900
		Insurance	$101,019	$94,244	$100,000
		Utilities	$45,000	$51,773	$52,000
		All Other (Security, Grounds, Janitor, Repairs, AC Repairs)	$93,800	$74,636	$93,900
	Worship		$5,650	$4,020	$6,176
	Deacons		$1,200	$1,034	$1,500
	Outreach/Congregational Life		$200	$0	$200
	Christian Education		$4,500	$2,784	$4,500
	Playschool Committee		$300	$152	$300
TOTAL EXPENSES			$467,066	$435,106	$471,081
NET TOTAL			($72,966)	($42,924)	($97,261)

The budget proposed and being considered by the Session for 2024 has a projected deficit of $97,261.

• 44 giving units made donations in 2023. 34 giving units pledged for 2024.

• There was some savings in insurance premiums for 2023. Premiums in 2024 remain high.

• The church has approximately $330,000 in the bank.  Just under $270,000 is unrestricted.  The remainder is in restricted accounts.

• The Session and some others are working through the book, Sailboat Church. The Session is working through the Project Regeneration process with persons from the Presbyterian Foundation. Part of this process will involve 40 days of prayer and reflection.

Terms of Call

Annual Review of the Pastor’s Terms of Call – 2024

Per the Book of Order G-2.0804:

“The session shall review annually the minister’s terms of call and shall propose for congregational action such changes as the session deems appropriate.”

Recommendation from the Session

The Session reviewed Rev. Aaron Ochart’s Terms of Call for 2024 on January 15, 2023, and recommend a 3% raise to his annual salary, with the resulting changes in benefits:

2022 2023 2024 change

Total Effective Salary $68,052 $69,490 $71,618 +$1,960/year

Total to Board of Pensions for Medical and Pension, and Allowances

$32,545 $34,577 $35,725 +$1,148/year

Total Reimbursable Expenses Budgeted $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 +$0/year

Total Cost to the Church $105,596 $109,067 $112,343 +$3,276/year

Rev. Ochart chose to put $1,536 of his salary into a 403b retirement savings plan (just like 401k) which saves the church $417 in Board of Pension and SECA costs.

Board of Pensions Benefits Breakdown Rev. Aaron Ochart- 2024 Terms of Call
Benefit Type	Monthly Employer Dues	Annual Employer Dues
Medical	$1,730.75	$20,769.00
Pension	$507.29	$6,087.53
Death and Disability	$59.68	$716.18
Temporary Disability	$29.84	$358.09
Dental and Vision	$133.83	$1,606.00
Total	$2,461.39	$29,536.80

 RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Confession of Belhar

We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; 

that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells…

that the credibility of this message is seriously affected and its beneficial work obstructed when it is proclaimed in a land which professes to be Christian, but in which the enforced separation of people on a racial basis promotes and perpetuates alienation, hatred and enmity…

Therefore, we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY  

*DOXOLOGY

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

THE LORDS’ PRAYER

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.  Amen

*HYMN [BLUE#391] [GTG#697]  Take My Life (697)

1 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee; take my moments and my days;

let them flow in ceaseless praise; let them flow in ceaseless praise.

2 Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love; take my feet and let them be

swift and beautiful for thee, swift and beautiful for thee.

3 Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King; take my lips and let them be

filled with messages from thee, filled with messages from thee.

4 Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold; take my intellect and use

every power as thou shalt choose, every power as thou shalt choose.

5 Take my will and make it thine; it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine own;

it shall be thy royal throne, it shall be thy royal throne.

6 Take my love; my Lord, I pour at thy feet its treasure store; take myself and I will be

ever, only, all for thee, ever, only, all for thee.

*PARTING PRAYER

Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us, by your Word, through these forty days, and minister to us with your Holy Spirit, so that we may be reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE [BLUE#599] [GTG#227]  Jesus, Remember Me

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 

Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

POSTLUDE                               Improvisation on ‘I Give You a New Commandment’ 

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly.

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Kelly Cuppett, Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland. Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved. 

STAFF