On Monday, July 20, Leadership Board chair, Linda Curson, signed the paperwork for the voluntary “buyout” in Cedar Rapids. Our Leadership Board decided to do this as the deadline was upon us and we needed to sign the paperwork if we ever wanted to be considered for the buyout.
Salem is eligible for the voluntary property acquisition program ("buyout") as the Salem properties downtown are located within a flood-impacted neighborhood and our properties are determined to be "beyond reasonable repair," which is defined as a rehabilitation cost that exceeds 60% of the pre-flood assessed value of the property.
We are able to back out of the buyout at any time up until closing. If we participate in the buyout, we will first need the approval of the district building and location committee, the approval of the Bishop and Cabinet, and the approval of our congregation (charge conference).
If we participate in the buyout, it could take a year or longer to close on our downtown properties. The money is available, however, and closings will begin in the coming months. Salem would receive a check for almost $700,000, the 2008 pre-flood assessed values. That is $488,166 for the main church building; $180,152 for the annex building; and $30,809 for the parking lot (total = $699,127). Salem has also just received $50,000 of Jumpstart money. Any of that money not used for renovation will be deducted from the total buyout price. If Salem would receive any insurance money, that would not be counted against the buyout.
Salem has faced some major issues. The Flood of 2008 was the worst disaster in Iowa's history and one of the ten worst in the nation. Our buildings, gathering space, furnishings, equipment, and base of operations were destroyed. The church office was also destroyed, including all the data, information, history, and filing therein. The staff changed radically with a new pastor and no associate pastor, discipleship director, or contemporary music director. The chaos interrupted many of the ongoing congregational ministries. The flood directly compromised many in our congregation. The flood displaced the Walk to Emmaus community after 133 walks at the Salem site. But God is good! Look at the timeline below and see how we have dealt with these issues this past year.
Friday, July 31, 2009
The Year That Was
It has been a year since the flood and we want to
remember what has happened during that time and
celebrate what has been accomplished.
While many things have changed, we are still the people of God, participating in God’s mission in the world. Exciting things have happened and continue to happen. This is an adventure!
Please see the following timeline for a summary of what has happened since the flood last year and our major milestones.
TIMELINE
Salem UMC
June 11 – move and sandbag at church buildings, members’ homes
June 13 – Cedar River crests at 31.12 feet;church buildings flood with over 10
feet of water
June 15 – begin worshiping at Lovely Lane UMC (11:00 am)
June 17 – a few staff and members see destruction
June 17 – Bishop Palmer visits Cedar Rapids and Salem
June 19 – begin cleanup of church buildings and members’ homes
July 1 – congregation receives new pastor
July 6 – Stephen’s Ministers begin training Salem persons to work with flood
survivors
July 14 – executive leadership team forms
July 28 – begin conversation with DS, FOM, Trinity, St.James, and MT 25 about
future
Aug 3 – begin worshiping at Kenwood Park Presbyterian Church building(8:30 & 10:30)
Sept 8 – congregation tours King of Kings church building
Sept 24 – Bishop Trimble visits Cedar Rapids and Salem
Oct 28 – contentious administrative council meeting regarding Salem’s future
Nov 9 – cleanup on church buildings complete
Nov 13 – begin conversation with New Creation UMC
Nov 16 – re-creation of membership list begins
Nov 18 – charge conference
Dec 7 – begin conversation with Buffalo UMC leaders
Dec 17 – congregational Q&A session with ad council
Jan 8 – begin conversation with KP UMC leaders
Jan 20 – ad council adopts new organizational structure
Jan 21/28 – Q&A about new structure and current state
Jan 23 – receive notification that Kenwood Park Presbyterian building selling
Jan 28 – begin Nominations and Leadership Development work for new structure
Feb 17 – administrative council empowers new Leadership Board and its members
Feb 24/25 –Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and joint Ash Wednesday worship with KP UMC
Mar 1 – new conference superintendent, David Crow
Mar 25 – Kenwood Park Presbyterian church building sells
Mar 31 – re-creation of membership list complete
April 19 – decide to move to Kenwood Park UMC
April 9/10 – joint Holy Thursday and Good Friday worship with Kenwood Park UMC
April 26/28 – move to Kenwood Park UMC church building
May 3 – begin worshiping at KP UMC (9:30 am)
May 12 – task force explores Blair’s Ferry Land use
May 26 – conversation with MT 25 about annex building
June 14 – special charge conference vote on leasing annex building to MT 25
June 23 to July 7 – meet with contractors to obtain estimates of downtown building
repairs
July 20 – sign the voluntary “buyout” paperwork
July 21 – Iowa United Methodist Foundation presents capital campaign information to
Leadership Board
July 23 – MT 25 decides to move away from annex to allow Salem to take the buyout
MAJOR MILESTONES
did not miss a single week of worship
missed a bulletin only one Sunday, June 15, 2008
continued all ministries for children and adults
no issues of the newsletter, The Forecaster, were missed
paid 2008 apportionments and Rainbow Covenant mission giving
volunteers from 45 churches and organizations (plus other families and individuals) donated 6,438 hours; about 805 eight-hour days!
volunteer equity equaled $42,168.90 ($6.55/hr)
received $30,000 for flood relief
received and distributed $7,650 to Salem’s own 18 flood survivor families
sent #123 thank you letters for gifts and volunteer service
created a 2009 budget lower than previous years
created a new, transitional organizational structure, the Leadership Board
created pastoral care team for daily hospital visitation and home-bound care
re-created membership list
re-creating church office
participated in numerous conversations with other congregations and district and conference leaders regarding moving forward
received $50,000 Jumpstart money
signed the “buyout” paperwork, making possible the buyout of the downtown properties for $700,000
remember what has happened during that time and
celebrate what has been accomplished.
While many things have changed, we are still the people of God, participating in God’s mission in the world. Exciting things have happened and continue to happen. This is an adventure!
Please see the following timeline for a summary of what has happened since the flood last year and our major milestones.
TIMELINE
Salem UMC
June 11 – move and sandbag at church buildings, members’ homes
June 13 – Cedar River crests at 31.12 feet;church buildings flood with over 10
feet of water
June 15 – begin worshiping at Lovely Lane UMC (11:00 am)
June 17 – a few staff and members see destruction
June 17 – Bishop Palmer visits Cedar Rapids and Salem
June 19 – begin cleanup of church buildings and members’ homes
July 1 – congregation receives new pastor
July 6 – Stephen’s Ministers begin training Salem persons to work with flood
survivors
July 14 – executive leadership team forms
July 28 – begin conversation with DS, FOM, Trinity, St.James, and MT 25 about
future
Aug 3 – begin worshiping at Kenwood Park Presbyterian Church building(8:30 & 10:30)
Sept 8 – congregation tours King of Kings church building
Sept 24 – Bishop Trimble visits Cedar Rapids and Salem
Oct 28 – contentious administrative council meeting regarding Salem’s future
Nov 9 – cleanup on church buildings complete
Nov 13 – begin conversation with New Creation UMC
Nov 16 – re-creation of membership list begins
Nov 18 – charge conference
Dec 7 – begin conversation with Buffalo UMC leaders
Dec 17 – congregational Q&A session with ad council
Jan 8 – begin conversation with KP UMC leaders
Jan 20 – ad council adopts new organizational structure
Jan 21/28 – Q&A about new structure and current state
Jan 23 – receive notification that Kenwood Park Presbyterian building selling
Jan 28 – begin Nominations and Leadership Development work for new structure
Feb 17 – administrative council empowers new Leadership Board and its members
Feb 24/25 –Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and joint Ash Wednesday worship with KP UMC
Mar 1 – new conference superintendent, David Crow
Mar 25 – Kenwood Park Presbyterian church building sells
Mar 31 – re-creation of membership list complete
April 19 – decide to move to Kenwood Park UMC
April 9/10 – joint Holy Thursday and Good Friday worship with Kenwood Park UMC
April 26/28 – move to Kenwood Park UMC church building
May 3 – begin worshiping at KP UMC (9:30 am)
May 12 – task force explores Blair’s Ferry Land use
May 26 – conversation with MT 25 about annex building
June 14 – special charge conference vote on leasing annex building to MT 25
June 23 to July 7 – meet with contractors to obtain estimates of downtown building
repairs
July 20 – sign the voluntary “buyout” paperwork
July 21 – Iowa United Methodist Foundation presents capital campaign information to
Leadership Board
July 23 – MT 25 decides to move away from annex to allow Salem to take the buyout
MAJOR MILESTONES
did not miss a single week of worship
missed a bulletin only one Sunday, June 15, 2008
continued all ministries for children and adults
no issues of the newsletter, The Forecaster, were missed
paid 2008 apportionments and Rainbow Covenant mission giving
volunteers from 45 churches and organizations (plus other families and individuals) donated 6,438 hours; about 805 eight-hour days!
volunteer equity equaled $42,168.90 ($6.55/hr)
received $30,000 for flood relief
received and distributed $7,650 to Salem’s own 18 flood survivor families
sent #123 thank you letters for gifts and volunteer service
created a 2009 budget lower than previous years
created a new, transitional organizational structure, the Leadership Board
created pastoral care team for daily hospital visitation and home-bound care
re-created membership list
re-creating church office
participated in numerous conversations with other congregations and district and conference leaders regarding moving forward
received $50,000 Jumpstart money
signed the “buyout” paperwork, making possible the buyout of the downtown properties for $700,000
Pastoral Care at Salem
Salem’s Pastoral Care Team
By Deb Black
Our Salem Pastoral Care Team is made up of Dave & Ginnie Clark, Jane Knapp, Jan Hutchison, Momodu Kamara, Sharon Vavra, Marilyn Whittlesey, Deb Black and Pastor John. On a day-to-day basis one person on the team will visit both St. Luke’s and Mercy hospitals. We have enough volunteers to cover the entire week, Sunday - Saturday.
On our assigned day, we call both St. Luke’s and Mercy hospital to see if anyone in our church family is listed as a patient. If so, we come and pay a visit to see how you are, listen to your cares or concerns and pray with you.
We have monthly training meetings to nurture, educate, encourage, build relationships and answer questions for our spiritual growth in this caring ministry. Once a year we plan to bring in a guest speaker to give more training and insight for us.
Members of the Pastoral Care Team have begun organizing visitations for members of our Salem congregation who are in a retirement community, a nursing home or shut-in.
We also offer communion to those we visit on the 1st Sunday of each month.
If you know of someone who is not receiving a visit please call the church office at 362-6178 or Deb Black at 365-3624 to let us know so we can arrange to visit. Our prayer is to stay connected with our church family and to be a spiritual heart-beat and friend to those in need of care.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2
+++If you, or a family member, or Salem friend are hospitalized, please be sure to let us, at Salem, know. Even if you list Salem as “your church” when you are admitted, the information does not always get to the right people so that it is communicated to us when we call to ask if any of our members are hospitalized. The Salem office phone number is 362-6178. Thank you.
By Deb Black
Our Salem Pastoral Care Team is made up of Dave & Ginnie Clark, Jane Knapp, Jan Hutchison, Momodu Kamara, Sharon Vavra, Marilyn Whittlesey, Deb Black and Pastor John. On a day-to-day basis one person on the team will visit both St. Luke’s and Mercy hospitals. We have enough volunteers to cover the entire week, Sunday - Saturday.
On our assigned day, we call both St. Luke’s and Mercy hospital to see if anyone in our church family is listed as a patient. If so, we come and pay a visit to see how you are, listen to your cares or concerns and pray with you.
We have monthly training meetings to nurture, educate, encourage, build relationships and answer questions for our spiritual growth in this caring ministry. Once a year we plan to bring in a guest speaker to give more training and insight for us.
Members of the Pastoral Care Team have begun organizing visitations for members of our Salem congregation who are in a retirement community, a nursing home or shut-in.
We also offer communion to those we visit on the 1st Sunday of each month.
If you know of someone who is not receiving a visit please call the church office at 362-6178 or Deb Black at 365-3624 to let us know so we can arrange to visit. Our prayer is to stay connected with our church family and to be a spiritual heart-beat and friend to those in need of care.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2
+++If you, or a family member, or Salem friend are hospitalized, please be sure to let us, at Salem, know. Even if you list Salem as “your church” when you are admitted, the information does not always get to the right people so that it is communicated to us when we call to ask if any of our members are hospitalized. The Salem office phone number is 362-6178. Thank you.
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