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