April 2022 News - National Association of Church Facilities Managers

April 2022 NACFM News

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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHURCH FACILITIES MANAGERS | April 2022

Thinking About April - Showers, Flowers and Jesus
MESSAGE FROM NACFM PRESIDENT HOMER CLARK

What's happening in April 2022? One unusual item is that Easter is on the third Sunday. During this month we often hear "April showers bring May flowers." And, of course, many folks have some fun on April Fool's Day! With the warm weather arriving facilities people usually pull out the list of exterior projects compiled during the cold winter. While Christmas is so important for the believer, Easter carries the significance of the Lord's death and resurrection; a great reason to celebrate and give thanks. It’s a shame that for so many people Easter is only about baskets of candy and gifts from the Easter Bunny.

For those of us working in churches, we have an opportunity to help others understand and celebrate the true purpose of Easter Sunday. As we ready our facilities for Easter services, remember Jesus' words recorded in Matthew.

[18] “When we get to Jerusalem,” he said, “the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die. [19] Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, whipped, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” Matthew 20:18-19 (NLT)

And John wrote about the magnificent, life-changing event on the first Easter Sunday morning!

[1] Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. [2] She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!” John 20:1-2 (NLT)

The Lord has risen! He has risen indeed! Mary and all the others would exclaim these words a bit later in scripture.

April Fool's Day is a date many facilities professionals dread (especially if the youth ministry is in the building). While the first day of April is on a Friday this year (Good Friday), there's still plenty of opportunity for mischief! I'm all for some innocent, harmless fun underscoring the keyword “harmless." In my research, I discovered that April Fool's Day is celebrated around the world. It is not a public holiday anywhere except Odessa, Ukraine, where day one of April is an official city holiday. In light of the atrocities occurring in Ukraine, let’s take time on April 1st to pray for the Ukrainian people, their leaders, soldiers, medical personnel and the first responders.

Perhaps as a twist on the usual April Fool's shenanigans this year, we all purpose to do something nice for someone; a friend, a family member or even a stranger. Here’s the catch, do it in secret. Again, we can recall Matthew's record of Jesus' admonishment to us.

[1] “Take care! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. [2] When you give a gift to someone in need, don't shout about it as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. [3] But when you give to someone, don't tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. [4] Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4 (NLT)

The phrase " April showers bring May flowers" has roots as far back as the proverb, "March winds and April showers bring forth May flowers," first recorded in 1886. The original phrase goes even further back - "Sweet April showers/Do spring May flowers," part of a poem recorded in 1610. It's also referenced in the General Prologue of The Canterbury Tales: "Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote The droghte of March hath perced to the roote." (Try saying that very fast, three times!) Of course, the current reality for facilities pros is that April showers bring weeds in flower beds, tall grass, and tune-ups for mowers and other equipment!

I encourage you to add one final item to your to-do list for spring: Register for the 27th National Conference in Denver, CO this June 13-16th. Much like planting your spring garden in hopes of a harvest in return, the National Conference will provide a return on the investment you make. Professionally and spiritually it's a great investment of your time and money. Also, the fellowship is wonderful!

Thanks for reading this article. Your often unseen service as a facilities professional and as a NACFM member are so appreciated!

Homer Clark
NACFM President

Thank You and Congratulations to Patrick Hart!

The NACFM Board would like to let you know that Patrick Hart, the Director of Development, is following the Lord’s leading as he takes a career path change by joining the facility stewardship team at Smart Church Solutions. As this presents a conflict of interest, Patrick will no longer be serving as the Director of Development for the NACFM. We would like to thank Patrick for his many years of dedication and service. He has been a valuable member to the NACFM in his tenure on the board and will be greatly missed. You will still be seeing him around, as he plans to remain involved and is pursuing Emeritus Membership.

2022 Exhibit Hall in Denver

Take advantage of the Exhibit Hall at this year's NACFM Conference in Denver. You'll have the opportunity to learn about the latest technology and services in the church facilities industry. The Exhibit Hall takes place on Wednesday, June 15th.

Pro Tips for Facilities Professionals

Have you seen the new Pro Tips for FMs that we have been sharing across NACFM social media accounts? These short informational tips are designed to help sharpen your skills as well as your team members' skills. You can access these on the NACFM website.

Featured Member:
Jim Thurman - Oakland Baptist Church, King George, VA

Jim Thurman has been a successful facilities professional for the past 18 years. Prior to his arrival in a church facilities career, Jim had a work life that almost defies the imagination.

Facilities Managers are in the best position to reduce the risk of electrical fires and electrical safety violations. In our recent Pro Tip we discussed the American Wire Gauge (AWG) and the limit of the current-carrying capability of an extension cord. An example would be your backpack vacuums. They may draw 11 amps and if you add a lower gauge additional extension cord to reach the middle of the seating area, you may be creating a hazard or damaging your vacuum motor. One of our business members, ACCO, has resources that include Job Site Inspection reports. Review local violations of wire gauge load on equipment in your workplaces and prevent equipment damage or worst case a fire by visiting the "Safety" menu option on the ACCO website.