This Sunday is the annual meeting. It is a great time when all the committees and session make their annual reports. I love the annual meeting, partly because it is also Souper Sunday! Soup, salad and dessert—my favorite meal! Congratulations on all the wonderful accomplishments you have achieved last year. You are to be commended. I am very proud of Topsail Presbyterian Church and I count it as a blessing that I get to participate in the life of such a wonderful congregation.
Just like Rev. Carriker I wrote my letter for the annual report. I had every intention of putting it in the annual report, but Rev. Carriker would not let me. So, I decided that I would not make a scene and publish me report letter here. I think you will like my report. I am going to share with you some of the things that are not included in other reports.
I think one of the marks of an active Church is how many cups of coffee are served. I have been keeping a record of the K-Cups that have been used in the Kuerig Coffee maker. There have been 718 k-cups used last year. That does not include the coffee used in the regular coffee makers!
We used 40 loaves of bread and 6 gallons of grape juice to serve communion. It was served 14 times last year.
Rev. Carriker has used 7 batteries in his wireless microphone. A battery lasts about 6 weeks.
40 pounds of cheese have been used at various functions. This little fact is one that I keep up with so I know it is accurate.
Approximately 260 trash bags have been used. I watch Mr. Elmer take them out each week to the roll out containers.
The van made approximately 47 trips last year and over 3000 miles were logged. That is up from the year before. The two groups who used it the most were the Youth and the Topsail Strings. The longest trip was to Wise Va with the Youth when they went to camp. The shortest trip was to Jones Fish Camp with the Presbyterian Women!
Rev. Carriker’s sermon used up over 468 sheets of paper in the final printing for Sunday. That was for 50 sermons.
We sang 158 hymns last year. The most often sung hymn was “Here I am, Lord” coming in at 7 times! If you have been in church every Sunday it is estimated that you have listened to over 1000 verses of scripture, almost 18 hours of sermons, 5 hours of prayers and 3 hours of anthems!
If you have been in church every Sunday at the 10:30 service you have spent almost 62 hours in worship and stood up over 156 times!
Do you know the large boxes of Goldfish crackers, my personal favorite? The Preschool has used almost 18 boxes of goldfish, over 1500 juice boxes, and 14 of the huge rolls of toilet paper!
It is estimated that over 10,000 cars have parked in our parking lot for various functions and worship!
And, on an average week over 600 people enter our building for the various functions and worship!
It is estimated that the side door off the parking lot leading to the offices is locked and unlocked 16 times per week and is opened and closed an incalculable number of times.
1 full box of paper clips have been used by Rev. Carriker and he has lost 4 pairs of scissors!
All in all, it has been a great year. I too want to thank you for your commitment and love for our church. There are other churches in this world, but not churches that are filled with more love!
Peace.
Josiah
