2011 will long be remembered for the flooding from Hurricane Irene on Sunday, August 28. Indeed, much of my time in September was spent dealing with the aftermath. For the first 12 days after the storm I served our community as a fire fighter, working from the time I got up until I went to sleep, mostly dealing with the public at the road block by the fire station. My schedule gained 40 hours per week of flood related assistance the first month, with a large number of Deacon’s Fund distributions and many Irene relief related meetings (some that are still ongoing). But the Great Flood of 2011 was merely one part of a rather busy year.

My regular duties (for which I’m scheduled 35 hours per week, smile) included leading and preaching for the Sunday Morning Worship service, teaching Adult Sunday school, leading Thursday night Bible Hour, working on VBS and the church’s Old Home Day booth, visitation of the sick and homebound, individual instruction and counseling of youth and adults, joining with the Calvary Church for town wide prayer meetings, participating in the Chester-Andover Ministirium, representing the Church in the Southwest Association of ABCVNH and at ABCVNH regional meetings. As your pastor, I’ve been continuing to help lead renewal of the region through the All Things New initiative as chair of Action Group 2 and now serve as a regional Trustee. I also started a fellowship group of pastors under 40 with hopes of fostering long-term commitment and impact for the region. I’ve been coordinating and doing work on the addition including the new propane line being hooked up, a new furnace and hot water heater installed, and electrical work. Some of us had hoped to be able to use the elevator for the 250^th Charter celebration in October, but perhaps we’ll be able to use it for the one-year anniversary of Irene. I had two weddings this year, one being the coldest I ever hope to do, outside in January! As part of my pastoral ministry I did seven funerals, including the largest one I’ve ever done which was attended by 800+ people filling all available space in the building and then overflowing.

2011 was the 250^th Anniversary of the town charter which included a prayer picnic, a church history evening and an Open House. Other special events this year included a 40 day study of the Purpose Driven Life, the ecumenical Thanksgiving Service and for the first time I went to teach about Chanukkah at the Elementary School. We discontinued the music changes started last year, because they weren’t too effective at this time for spiritual enrichment or outreach, but we continue to be open to improving both aspects of our ministry in the future. We were hopeful that the Light Radio would be able to rent the church steeple, but although we met several times to work out details, were never able to install a repeater due to another radio station’s signal in the area. To improve heating efficiency, we insulated the Parsonage attic this year; by selling the old floorboards, which we had to pull up to do this, we made $1102, making the net cost about $300 for the whole project.

In April we had a special meeting at which we passed an “austerity budget” and set four steps for getting the Current Expense Account to a positive balance: 1) Everyone continue to focus on Evangelism and Reconciliation; 2) Each of us pray over the $1040 we need weekly or $4541 monthly for God to lead us what to give; 3) Make the commitment to God to give that amount, and be faithful regardless of our attendance; 4) Consider what to give as a one-time donation of money, items for sale/auction, services to address the debt. In July, we did start on the fourth point as we participated in the Town Wide Yard Sale. A second one was planned for September, but Irene made it unfeasible, perhaps next year. God has used our financial situation to draw us close to him, to rely on his providence and, to follow his guidance.

This coming year we need to maintain our attention to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Sam 10, Samuel tells Saul, “The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person. Once these signs are fulfilled, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God is with you.” I believe that in 2012, this scripture will apply to us, as individuals and as a church. This year God will send his Spirit, we will be transformed, and we will do his work.

Exterior Window Sills Rotten ::Repair & Repaint
Men’s Room Primed :: Patch Holes & Repaint
Pews Coming Apart :: Glue, Clamp & Screw Together
Hymnal Holder Broken :: Repair
Sanctuary Back Doors :: Replace Closer(s) and Cut new niches

There is no free lunch, but gifting of appreciated assets, such as stock certificates, comes close. Briefly, this is how it works. If you are holding an asset that has significant appreciation over the years, you would incur capital gains tax upon the sale of the asset, however if you give the asset to the church, you do not owe any taxes on the gift. You are entitled to claim the current value as a tax deduction, the church can sell the asset and because we are tax exempt, no taxes are due.

A simple example: If you bought 100 shares of AT&T stock for $10.00 per share and it is now worth $28.00 per share, when you sell the stock today you would have a capital gains of (28-10) x 100= $1800.00, which would be taxable income, if we assume a 15% rate, you would owe taxes of $270.00. Of course if you live in Vermont and get a property owners rebate, this would also increase your property taxes by approximately $12.45.

Perhaps you are not feeling that generous but you plan to sell the shares. If you were to donate 10 shares to the church, and sell the remaining shares, the example would look like this: Sale of 90 shares 90x(28-10)=$1620 capital gains. The tax assuming the 15% rate would be 1620×0.15= $243.00. Your tax-deductible gift for the 10 shares would be 10×28=$280.00. Because the deduction is approximately the same as the tax, the church wins, the taxman looses, and you break even. So you could say there is a free lunch.

But you can have your cake and eat it to.

If you have appreciated assets, but you want to hold them for retirement, and you have a stash of cash that you want to donate to the church, consider the above example. Whenever you sell the stock you will owe taxes on the capital gains. If you were to donate the 100 shares to the church and repurchase the shares at today’s price, the numbers look like this:

You have a tax-deductible donation 100×28=$2800.00 with no capital gains tax owed. The 100 shares you purchased with the cash now has a tax basis of $28.00 per share. When you sell the shares in your retirement years, your capital gains are based on the $28.00 per share rather than the $10.00 per share that you originally held. Your brokerage costs should be more than offset by the tax deduction for the gift. Therefore, the church wins, you win, and the taxman looses.

“Give unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” (Matt 22:21), unless you can use a loophole to eat your free lunch and have it too.

Neil Snyder

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Genesis 1:26-28,31; 2:4-25 24:61-64
Ruth 1:16-17
Psalms 23; 33; 34; 37:3-7; 67; 100; 103; 112;117; 121; 127,128; 136; 145; 148; 150
Proverbs 5:15-19
Ecclesiastes 4:7-12
Song of Solomon 2:8-14;16a; 8:6-7
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Isaiah 43:1-7 54:5-8 55:10-13 61:10-62:3 63:7-9
Hosea 2:16-23

New Testament

Matthew 5:1-16; 7:21, 24-29;19:3-6, 13-15; 22:35-40
Mark 10:6-9, 13-16, 42-45
John 2:1-11; 15:9-17; 17: 20-26
Acts 18:1-3, 24-26
Romans 8:31-39; 12:1-2, 9-18
1 Corinthians 6:15-20; 7:1-5, 10-11; 13:1-13
2 Corinthians 5:14-17
Ephesians 2:4-10; 3:14-21; 4:1-6; 4:25; 5:2; 5:1-2, 21-33
Philippians 2:1-12
Colossians 3:12-17
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
1 Peter 3:1-9
1 John 3:18-24; 4:7-16; 16-21; 15: 9-12
Revelation 19:1, 5-9

Why are you getting married?
How will being married be different?  Love, Money, Sex, Name, Sleep?
What do you as a couple want out of life?
How do you see your marriage in 10, 20, 40, 60 years?
What are the situations that would call for counseling? Separation? Divorce?

Do you have a good marriage role model?  Do you ask them questions?
What was your childhood like?
Was your family an affectionate one?
What will you do with your families during the holidays?
What values do you want to bring from your family into your marriage?
What habits do you not want to bring from your family into your marriage?
What do you like and dislike about your family?  Your spouse’s family?

What part does religion play in your life?
How does your faith manifest itself in your day-to-day?
Do you think faith and spirituality are important in a marriage?
What is your image of God?  What is your spouse’s image of God?
What do you think of your spouse’s image of God?

Do you want to have children?
How many children do you want to have?
How long should you be married before having children?
Do you want to be an authoritarian, authoritative, or permissive parent?
How will you provide spiritual growth for your children?
How will you provide for the material/emotional needs of your children?
Will one of you stay home after you have children?
What type of birth control will you use to prevent or postpone parenthood?
How do you feel about adoption?
Are there circumstances where you would want to abort a pregnancy?

How do you handle conflict?
How would you describe yourself?
How would your spouse describe you?
How will you make decisions?
Is there a set leader in your relationship?  How is the leader determined?
What does leadership that you are willing to follow look like?
What does the support you need look like?
Are you both willing to deal with difficulties or do you try to avoid conflict?
Are you willing to work on your communication skills?
Are you ready to share intimately with each other?

Are you a spender or a saver when it comes to money?
Do you want to have a budget?
Are you going to have joint bank accounts or separate or both?
Who is going to be responsible for making sure bills are paid on time?
What do you consider necessities? Luxuries? 
What are your financial goals?
How was money handled or talked about while you were growing up?

What are your life goals?
Would you like to achieve financial independence? By when?
What are your plans for retirement?
Would you like to buy a house? If so when?
What is your idea of the perfect career?
Would you ever want to be self-employed or start your own business?
Do you think that parents should pay for their children’s educations?
Do you have funeral plans?
Do you want to be cremated or buried?

This page of our website is under construction. Look around and feel free to kibitz with Pastor Abraham.

Current Ministries

Bible Study
Choir
Church Council
Community Suppers
Bone Builders Exercise Class
Flowers & Decoration
Helping Hand Class
Meals Ministry
Sunday School
Ushers

Here at Cavendish Baptist you can find God in a friendly setting. We provide practical teaching to help you apply the Bible to your everyday life. We are people like you, walking with God.

Our service is fairly traditional, albeit flexible, and usually lasts about an hour. After announcements for the week, we sing a rousing praise hymn.

We are then drawn further into worship with an entire Psalm. Next there is a time where we share good things God has done for us, and can bring concerns that need prayer.  Pastor Abraham prays and we sing the Lord’s Prayer. On the first Sunday of the month we sing the Glori Patri, a hymn that dates to the very first generation of Christians.

We sing a more modern chorus, or a hymn or two before the children leave for Sunday School and nursery care.

Pastor Abraham reads our Bible chapter for the morning, and usually talks about the passage for 15-20 minutes.

Then the choir, or a special guest, present a musical offering while we give back to God some of the money God has given us.  Afterwards we sing the Common Doxology, a song from 1674, and give thanks over the offerings.

This is followed by a final hymn and blessing.  On the first Sunday of the month we celebrate the Lord’s Supper or Communion, and like every other part of the Sunday service, your decision to participate is about your relationship with Jesus, more than the particulars of Cavendish Baptist.

Most of us dress casually, but some wear our Sunday “church clothes.”  The average dress is casual to business casual with exceptions every week.  Wear what you will be comfortable in, and we look forward to seeing you here!

How do we know that God wants a relationship? Three ways. The first way is the very existence of the Bible. For 4000 years, people of faith have turned to one book over and over to have God’s truth revealed to them. It’s a unique book, the product of mortal hands and minds, and yet God’s immortal truth. A miraculous text, limited human language guiding us to limitless God-filled life.

The second way we know that God desires a relationship is that he sent us his son, in order for us to know and relate to him. This is the little baby we celebrate at Christmas, the Virgin Mary’s son, Jesus. He was a human who exists in space and time just like we do, but he is also fully God. The same God who created everything we see, and everything we can’t see, was a little baby who grew into a man, who died and raised from the grave. That’s how we know he was more than just a teacher or prophet.

The third way we know that the God of the Bible wants a relationship with us is that we have felt his Holy Spirit in our lives. The Holy Spirit stirred up our seeking of God. Out of that yearning we asked God to be a part of our lives, and just like a relationship with any other person, we know he is there because we’ve experienced him.

Have you ever tried to seek a relationship with God? That desire is God calling to you. What you feel is his Holy Spirit. You can talk to him right now, that’s what prayer is. You can pray anytime and anywhere. You can read God’s Word in the Bible. The same Word that became human flesh, Jesus. You can invite Jesus to be with you, and live with you. Imagine, you can relate to the Divine the same way as a neighbor. And when God creates that relationship with you, he makes a relationship for you with others who know and love him. That’s what the Church is. If you are part of the family of God, or you’d like to be, we invite you to visit Cavendish Baptist.