Photo of the Week: Community Clergy Breakfast

Energy savings and planning for the future were the top issues of discussion at this month's Community Clergy Breakfast hosted by State Senator James Sanders Jr. on November 20th at St. Clement Pope Church in South Ozone Park. The guest speakers were Levar Haffoney, principal of Fayohne Advisors, a financial planning firm located in Manhattan, and Ron Spinelli, business development manager with Con Edison. 

Haffoney discussed the importance of succession and retirement planning. He noted that 60 percent of churches nationwide do not have a succession plan, which is essential to establishing financial security for the outgoing and incoming pastor, and reaffirming the church's identity. He recommended developing a plan by identifying the organization's most critical roles, training existing leadership to assume the pastor's responsibilities and encouraging key members of the congregation to provide assistance. 

In a second presentation, Spinelli of Con Ed explained how the demand for energy is increasing, thereby taxing an already strained system, so the company is offering energy saving tips and incentives for people to reduce their power consumption. Con Ed will even visit small business owners and conduct a free survey to identify ways to upgrade one's lighting, water heating and cooling systems to make them more energy efficient

Senator Sanders' Community Clergy Breakfasts are held monthly with a new topic each time, but always aimed at educating clergy and giving them the tools and information they need to help themselves and their congregations.