CONGREGATIONAL PROFILE FORM
Date May 17, 1999
Name of Church First Presbyterian, Hopewell, N. S.
Address: 4622 Trafalgar Rd. Our Charge Web Page
City: Hopewell Province: Nova Scotia Postal Code: B2K 1C0 Year Congregation Organized Telephone hall 902 923-2457 Area Code
Presbytery Pictou Presbytery
CHURCH INFORMATION
AVERAGE WEEKLY ATTENDANCE at Sunday Worship_____65-100_____ Church School______18____
Other Services (describe) Christmas and Good Friday, anniversary and special choral nights. We also share Maundy Thursday Services with the United Church
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
| Age Group | Enrollment | Curriculum Used | # of Teachers |
| 3-5 | 5 | Whole People of God | 2 |
| 6-8 | 9 | Whole People of God | 1 |
| 8-10 | 4 | Whole People of God | 1 |
| 10+ | 3 | Whole People of God | 1 |
Financial Statement for last year(1998)
| Income from | Expenses | ||
| Offering/Gifts | $26,614.50 | Operating Expenses | $31,464.82 |
| Investments | $2,327.93 | Debt Payment | $0 |
| Rentals | $245.00 | Benevolences
Presbyterians Sharing... Synod, Presbytery, AMS, PWS&D |
$5533.50 |
| Other | $2301.92 | Other | $0 |
| Total Income | $31,489.36 | Total Expenses | $36,998.32 |
Approved Budget for the current year We do not work with a budget
Presbyterians Sharing... Allocation for the current year $____4,800___ ____
Accepted $___ 5,253.50 ____
Convener of the Search Committee: Rev. Mitch McVeigh
Address: RR# 5 New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, B2H 5C8 Telephone #: 902-922-2238 Fax: 902-922-2777
CONGREGATION AND COMMUNITY
Type of Congregation: Rural Self Supporting
Type of Community: Small Village
Congregation Community
| Size | Now | 5 Years ago | Now | 5 Years ago |
| Active Members | 100 | 175 | ||
| Total Population | 960 | 910 | ||
| Radius of Area in Kilometres | 10K | 10K | ||
| Total Number of churches in this area | 3 | 3 | ||
| Presbyterian Churches in this area | 1 |
| Age (Estimate) | Now | 5 Years ago | Now | 5 Years ago |
| 0-5 | 5% | |||
| 6-14 | 5% | |||
| 15-24 | 8% | |||
| 25-44 | 22% | |||
| 45-65 | 37% | |||
| 65+ | 33% |
Living Patterns
| Adult(s) with at least one child | 30% |
| Single Persons | 10% |
| Two or more Adults | 60% |
Occupations Within the Congregation
| Now | 5 Years Ago | |
| clerical/secretarial | ||
| college/university students | ||
| elementary/secondary students | ||
| farmers | ||
| homemakers | ||
| professional/business | ||
| retired | ||
| unemployed | ||
| other |
PASTORAL SKILLS AND INTEREST INVENTORY
All skills listed below are used in pastoral and Diaconal ministries, but each person has special gifts and particular interests. Rank in order of priority from 1 - 18 -- 1 to 6 being the areas you most wish to exercise. In cases where two categories are of equal value you may designate them so. Leave blank any that do not interest you at all.
6 Administration (Managing the affairs of the congregation and other organizations)
4 Christian Education (Writing or selecting appropriate curricula for the educational ministry, and planning activities for groups of all ages.)
9 Community Leadership(In areas like drug problems, schools, community organizations)
13 Counseling (On a regular basis)
3 Crisis Visiting (Serving people at times of illness, death, trauma, family crisis, job loss)
18 Denominational Service (Sharing in the work of all the courts of the church)
8 Equipping Church Members (For integrating Christian faith with life)
17 Evangelism (Relating the gospel to people outside the church and helping the congregation to do the same)
10 Home Visiting (On a regular basis)
15 Inter-Church Co-operation (Working in inter-denominational programs and activities)
11 Leadership Development (Planning for and sharing in the training of leaders for the church's programs)
1 Leading Worship and Preaching (Planning and conducting worship services)
13 Mission Outreach (Evangelism and social justice in the community, the country, and the world)
5 Personal and Spiritual Development (Providing resources and guidance for people's devotional life, and for prayer groups, retreats and other small group experiences)
7 Program Development (Establishing goals, and organizing programs in church and community)
14 Stewardship (Faithful use of our time, gifts and money in response to the generosity of God in Christ)
12 Work with Seniors
2 Work with Youth
Position Description
TITLE: Minister of Word and Sacrament
PURPOSE/RESPONSIBILITIES/WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The regular ministerial duties of a 3 point charge including Bible Study, Personal and Spiritual Development, Prayer etc...
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
(What additional qualifications, if any, are essential in this position such as education, experience, certification)
We are looking for a minister who can enhance our good working relationship with the 3 points. Since there is a division between the church and our Presbytery, we are looking for someone who can help us work alongside of our Presbytery. We also would like the minister to be able to work with our organist, and musical ability would be an asset. Our selected minister will also be able to work closely with the United Church in Hopewell. Christian Education and working with youth must be a priority in our future minister's direction. Our preferred candidate will be one in whom visitation between the various age groups is a utilized gift, helping us to reach out to those members who have been absent for the past couple of years.
OTHER FULL AND PART-TIME STAFF
Name/Title/Full or Part-time
Martha MacLean Organist part time
Faye MacDonald secretary/treasurer Part time
How long has the position been open? 2 years
By whom was the position last filled? Rev. Wayne Smith
Current Address and Telephone: CFB Borden (Barrie Presbytery) e-mail bicpc@connex.net
List the 3 previous ministers
| Minister: | Dates Served |
| Rev. Wayne Smith | 1991-1997 |
| Rev. Charles MacPherson | 1998-1990 |
| Rev. Hugh Jack | 1986-1988 |
COMPENSATION
Stipend or Salary
$49% of minimum stipend for increment Annual cash stipend or salary (inclusive travel allowance)
$3,920 including utilities Manse Allowance OR use of manse
$ included in Manse allowance, Utilities allowance
if living in the manse utilities WILL be paid
$245.00 (our portion) Continuing Education Allowance
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Length of Vacation 5 Weeks
NARRATIVE - SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Name of Church First Presbyterian Church, Hopewell Nova Scotia
Community
The village of Hopewell has a population of about 850 people. It is a typical WASP community, about 15 minutes drive outside of New Glasgow/Stellarton. We are nestled among the hills of Nova Scotia with beautiful scenic areas. We are about 30 minutes from Nova's Scotia's best beach, an hour outside of historic Antigonish which harbours Xavier University. We are also about an hour and a half from Halifax. If you are looking for a charge that is out of the mass time constraints of a large city, yet is accessible to shopping conveniences we are the perfect setting. We are a friendly community, and help out whenever a neighbour is in trouble.
Program areas in the Congregation
The first Sunday of every month is a coffee and refreshment time following the service. Since the next point is only a 10 minutes drive on most Sunday's this allows you as our minister to have a time of fellowship with us. We enjoy trying new music, and new (to us) types of preaching experiences. We also have an AMS (Atlantic Mission Society) each month, and the guild meets once a month. We also have various types of fund raising activities that happen periodically through out the year which our fund raising committee sponsors. In the past we have had a shelled lobster supper, pot-luck suppers, silent auctions, sing songs, and each year we have the St. Mary's all Male choir. At Christmas and at Easter we are blessed to be able to have the Village Choral group perform for us.
Goals and Objectives
We have a good relationship with each of the three points and we are continually striving to have an even better relationship. We are lacking a mission statement and direction for our future, and are looking for your input to make this a reality in the near future. We have been without a minster for two years, and have struggled with 6 interim moderators, through no fault of our own. As a result the church has lacked a rudder, with many of our regular members sliding to the wayside. We recognize the need to have a focus for the future. We are waiting for you to help mold us and prepare us for the new millennium. We have enthusiasm, and commitment, we just need a leader to steer us in the right direction.
Organizations:
Atlantic Mission Society once a month
Guild once a month
Board of Managers
Session
Village Choral is a group of ecumenical singers led by the United Church organist, who practice within our church.
Sunday School which meets during the regular worship service after a brief time of worship with the congregation ending with a children's story time.
In past years we have offered a VBS which has had an attendance of between 40 and 70 children in the summer.
Denominational Involvement:
When ever we can we attend the various special services offered in other charges in the denomination. We help each other out when ever there is something happening within our charge. We usually meet and go over our Presbyterians Sharing... allocation, which is a big commitment within our church.
Mission:
We have helped out the flood victims in Manitoba, the Ice Storm Victims in Quebec, and participated in the Hurricane Mitch Relief effort all through PWS&D and currently are looking at ways we can help the Refugees from Kosovo.
Administration and Stewardship of Financial Resources:
We have a Board of Managers which administrates our financial resources.
Goals and Objectives:
Our goals are to reach out to those who have been sidelined for too long. Our emphasis on a strong worship and Biblical preaching should continue. We need to emphasize Christian growth both numerical and spiritual, developing a clear mission statement allowing us to once again become a vital community.
Property:
Our church is a well maintained building, that has been remodelled inside and is wheelchair accessible. Our hall is adjacent to the sanctuary with a big kitchen, and large area for whatever meeting needs to be held within the community. When ever there is a need within the congregation we have always been able to raise the funds needed within the community. Our manse needs to have work done within it, if you are to live in it. At the present we have it rented out, and the people living there are stripping the hard wood floors and revarnishing them. It is a beautiful manse, which needs to be updated, with beautiful original wainscoting throughout. We have a manse fund to refurbish the necessary repairs.
Our Charge Home Page Our Church Home Page or email our Interim Moderator