ZOAR UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
PROFILE – 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contact Information 2
Membership Information 3
Church Finances 4
Zoar Properties and Facilities 6
Financial Support of Ministerial Leaders 7
History of Zoar United Church of Christ 8
Our Community 9
Community Characteristics 10
Three Distinctive Attributes of Our Community
Major Sources of Employment/Income in the Community
Major Trends Envisioned in Our Community During the Next Five Years
Problem Areas in Our Community
Community Missions 11
Congregational Life 12
5-Year Trends Envisioned in Our Church
Planning
Theological/Faith Stance of Our Church
Educational Programs
The Worship Service
Style and Preaching Content We Value
Boards, Committees, Groups, and Organizations
Reflections on Congregational Life 16
Three Most Important Faith Experiences/Events in the History of Zoar
Most Challenging Event in Our Church Life in Past Three Years
What the Congregation Intends to Accomplish in Next Three Years
How the Church Expects Its Pastor to Help Achieve Goals
Strengths and Positive Qualities of Our Church
Conflict
Wider Church Connections 18
Relationship with Ministerial Leaders 19
Relationship with Prior Leaders
Pastor/Parish Relations Committee
Performance Assessment
Leadership Expectations
Statement on Leadership in Ministry 21
References 22
March 21, 2016 Pastor
POSITION TO BE FILLED
Zoar United Church of Christ
4600 Church Road
Evansville, IN 47720
(812)-963-3749
Church Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/zoarucc
Search Committee Chair
Tracy Wingo
7730 Shireman Road
Poseyville, IN 46733
Home Phone: (812) 673-2364
Cell Phone: (812) 480-0467
Email:
Other Members of the Search Committee
Patty BitterFred Happe
Larin LaFontaine
Dan Schneider
Conference Staff Person Assisting Our Church
Stephanie Weiner
Associate Conference Minister
IN-KY Conference, UCC
862-596-1791
Membership Information
Number of church members / 195 / 243 / 318
Average attendance at worship / 60 / 120 / 124
Average Sunday School attendance / 30 / 73 / 60
Number of members who are ordained clergy / 0 / 0 / 0
Church Finances
Income:
2015 / 2010 / 2005Total church Income / $159,068 / $214,194 / $165,782
Members’ offerings and pledges / $116,054 / $144,097 / $141,346
Interest from investments or endowments / $0 / $0 / $0
Rentals / $6,700 / $200 / $705
Special fundraising / $583 / $33,971 / $0
Other / $35,731 / $35,926 / $23,731
Annual Stewardship Campaigns
Year / Pledges / Actual Received2015 / $94,412.00 / $120,775.00
2014 / $99,808.00 / $121,478.00
Expenditures:
2015 / 2010 / 2005Total operating budget / $129,845 / $216,144 / $246,022
Our Church’s Wider Mission basic Support / $95 / $235 / $232
Our Church’s Wider Mission special Support / $4,000 / $1,861 / $4,815
Other gifts / $0 / $0 / $0
Current local expenses / $129,845 / $216,144 / $246,022
Annual capital payment / $0 / $0 / $0
Other debt / $0 / $0 / $0
UCC Special Offerings from 2015:
Offering Amount
One Great Hour of Sharing $130
Neighbors in Need $75
Christmas Fund $70
Strengthen the Church $0
Significant Local Mission Support for 2015:
Mission/Organization Amount
Helping Hand Fund $642
Habitat for Humanity $490
Ruth’s House $304
Crop Walk $144
The mission project that has excited our church the most in the past 3 years is our annual Cruise-In for Christ car show. We are able to support several local missions from the funds raised from that event each year. Putting on the car show is a “whole church” effort from all ages.
Indebtedness:
None
Capital Campaigns:
In 2010, Zoar Church rallied together to send 11 members on a mission trip to an orphanage in Russia. The goal was to raise $32,000.00, and Zoar exceeded that goal by raising $33,970.52. Blessings from that trip were “priceless”.
Fundraisers for this campaign included pizza & BBQ sales, local restaurant “give back” days, a scrapbooking crop, Avon & Pampered Chef fundraising sales, and many generous donations.
Assets Held by the Church (February 2016):
Building and Debt Reduction Fund $ 5,589
Memorial Fund $26,659
Endowment Fund $128,686
Other miscellaneous accounts $83,859
Zoar Properties and Facilities
The church is located on the 14-acre grounds in a semi-rural setting a few miles west of Evansville. The sanctuary seats approximately 225 worshippers. In the basement, there is a fellowship hall with a kitchen, stage, and restroom facilities. Attached to the rear of the church is a two-story Christian education building which includes the pastor’s study, the church office, classrooms, restrooms, and a wheelchair lift accessible to all levels.
On the grounds, there is a beautiful outdoor woodland chapel, an area with a shelter house and playground, a softball diamond, outdoor restrooms, a maintenance building, concrete paved driveways, parking lot and the church cemetery.
The brick parsonage is located next to the church. Built in 1940, it is a two-story brick home, fully carpeted with a living room, kitchen, dining room, four bedrooms, and two baths. There is also a basement with a finished family room and a second kitchen plus a large utility area. The main kitchen has a built in dishwasher and microwave. The home has central air, an enclosed porch, and a beautiful landscaped yard. The total living space is approximately 2,850 square feet. Near the parsonage, but not attached, is a 1 ½ car garage with an attached carport.
Financial Support of Ministerial Leaders
Zoar attempts to follow Indiana-Kentucky Conference compensation guidelines. The entire salary and benefit package will be negotiated. We are currently seeking a part-time pastor with a desire to transition the position back to a full-time pastor like Zoar has had in the past. Our church would be supportive of a part-time or bi-vocational pastor who may need another job to supplement the church salary.
Salary History:
Start Date
/End Date
Year / Salary / Housing / Parsonage / Year / Salary / Housing / ParsonageLast / 2004 / $39,000 / $5,000 / P / 2014 / $29,106 / $5,928
Previous / 1995 / $26,000 / N/A / P / 2002 / $39,000 / N/A / P
Next previous / 1990 / $23,400 / N/A / P / 1992 / $26,000 / N/A / P
Salary, Benefits and Expenses Offered:
$30,000 total compensation package, including:
· Salary
· Housing - onsite parsonage, utilities included
· Vacation - 2 weeks annually
· Retirement
In addition to the compensation package we will also offer:
· Sabbatical leave of 3 months full salary after 5 years of service
· Mileage reimbursement
History of Zoar United Church of Christ
The founders of Zoar Church had been members of the St. John Church congregation in German Township. Early in the year 1859, a split in the congregation caused the smaller of the two to form a new church. Thus, 14 families joined together and chose the name “'The Evangelical Zoar Church of German Township, Vanderburgh County, Indiana.” Five acres of land were purchased at our present location, where a oneroom log cabin housed the charter members at worship and study.
The Constitution of Zoar was originally written in German in 1859. It was translated into English in 1937 and has been amended several times. In 1866 the church became a member of the newly formed German Evangelical Synod of North America, founded that year in St. Louis.
In 1911 a new brick and masonry church was dedicated, which had a seating capacity of approximately 250. The church building has been renovated several times since then. Most significant was the addition of the educational wing in 1957. An electronic carillon was installed in the bell tower in 1961 and was upgraded to modern technology in 1996. The last major renovation of the building was in 1993.
Over the years, several capital improvements were made to the property. In 1940 a fourbedroom, brick and masonry parsonage was built next to the church. A freestanding parsonage garage and carport were added in 1964. The softball field was completed in 1964. In 1967 the Woodland Chapel, an outdoor worship center, was added on donated property adjacent to the Zoar cemetery. It was given in loving memory of Randall Henze, who was killed while serving in the armed forces in Vietnam.
The lighted anchor cross atop the steeple of Zoar Church still stands as a beacon of Christian hope and stability amid a rapidly changing community. Zoar Church, which began nearly 150 years ago as a little country church surrounded by family farms, still offers her people traditional Christian values and church centered family activities.
Begun with 14 families, Zoar reached a peak of approximately 400 members in the early 1970s. Today our membership is 195.
Zoar has had 23 pastors from 1859 until the present time.
Our Community
Zoar United Church of Christ is located near Evansville, the third largest city in Indiana, located on the Ohio River, with a population of about 120,000, according to Census.gov. Zoar is located just outside the city limits on Evansville’s west side in German township.
Zoar is located in the Cynthia Heights Elementary, Helfrich Park Middle, and F.J. Reitz High School district within the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation. F.J. Reitz High School (pictured) has a solid academic program, strong athletic traditions, and an excellent music program. The school will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2018. (www.evscschools.com/reitz)
Evansville is the home of the University of Evansville, with approximately 2,300 students and the rapidly growing University of Southern Indiana, with approximately 10,000 students. There are also several other institutions offering specialized training and technical degrees. In addition, Evansville recently broke ground on a new IU School of Medicine that is scheduled to open before the end of 2017.
Evansville is home to several organizations and facilities dedicated to the arts, including the Philharmonic Orchestra, museums, including a children’s museum, and several local theatre groups.
Football, basketball, soccer, and semi-pro baseball provide year-round sports entertainment. Public sports facilities abound for those with interest in golf, tennis, softball, basketball, swimming, skateboarding, and ice skating. Many opportunities for boating and fishing can be found at the Ohio River, state parks and other locations.
Evansville offers a wide variety of special events during the year, with something for everyone. Notable among these are:
· The Shriner’s Fest is a popular summertime tradition. This festival is held on Evansville’s downtown river front and includes concerts, carnival rides, and food booths. This festival usually coincides with the Independence Day celebration.
· The West Side Nut Club Fall Festival is one of the country’s largest outdoor festivals. Church groups, school groups, and other organizations offer unique varieties of food, as well as carnival rides and nightly entertainment.
· For over 80 years, the Hadi Shrine Circus has delighted children of all ages with a “Big Top” performance. The circus is typically held annually on Thanksgiving weekend.
Other popular points of interest in the area include Mesker Park Zoo (Indiana’s largest zoo), Burdette Park, Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, Historic New Harmony, Angel Mounds Historic Site, Historic Bosse Field, and the Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari theme park.
Community Characteristics
Three Distinctive Attributes of Our Community are:
· Education – Evansville boasts more than 60 elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and post-secondary educational institutions. This includes private, public, Catholic, Lutheran, and Christian schools. On a collegiate level we have nationally accredited universities such as the University of Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana, and Ivy Tech.
· Geographic Location – Evansville is a diverse and growing city of over 120,000 residents that has managed to both offer all the amenities of the modern world and strong ties to our cultural heritage through its historical districts. Our town is surrounded by scenic river views, vibrant forests, and miles and miles of beautiful farmland.
· Family/Community – Evansville has a broad range of attractions to meet the interests of any family. For those looking for a sense of culture and history, we recommend the Evansville Museum, Reitz Home Museum, or a quick trip to New Harmony (one of the few attempts in the U.S. to create a Utopian Society). For those with a taste for art and crafts, you could visit Haynies Corner Arts District or one of the frequent open air markets hosted on historic Franklin Street. For nature enthusiasts, Mesker Park Zoo and Wesselman’s Nature Preserve are located in the center of town, and both New Harmony State Park and Angel Mounds are a short drive away.
Major Sources of Employment/Income in the Community Include:
a. Manufacturing: Toyota, Berry Plastics, Shoe Carnival, Mead Johnson, Sabic, Alcoa, Lewis Bakeries
b. Health Care: St. Mary’s Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, IU Medical School
c. Education: University of Southern Indiana, University of Evansville, Ivy Tech, IU School of Medicine, Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC)
Major Trends Envisioned in Our Community During the Next 5 Years:
With the coming of the IU School of Medicine, much of the area for 10-12 city blocks around will be revitalized. Old and blighted rental properties, both industrial/business and residential, will be cleared or remodeled, creating a more desirable neighborhood than what is currently located in the area.
Several large sports venues have been and are being developed to the north and east sides of the city. These properties are already booked completely for 2016 and 2017. These will bring revenue and employment opportunities to the Evansville area.
The University of Evansville, University of Southern Indiana and Ivy Tech will continue to grow because of more trades, tech support and services being needed to meet the growing needs.
It is our hope that some of the churches in this portion of the city, which have struggled with membership issues, may be impacted in a positive way by these growth prospects.
Problem Areas in Our Community that We Feel Our Church Should Address:
· People’s needs such as hunger, poverty and homelessness
· Youth issues such as the youth not having Christian role models
· Society in general which has pulled away from Christian values
Community Missions
· Assist with St. Peter’s food pantry, Simpson’s Food Bank, United Caring Shelters
· Habitat for Humanity