"Annual meeting 2009”
The 3d Sunday After the Epiphany, Jan. 25, 2008
"This past year has been awesome, I think…
filled with programs and activities…
and a couple of major improvements in our facilities."
Streaming audio version of the sermon is available. Click here.
I don’t have a real sermon this morning.
In previous years, on the Sunday of the annual meeting, I preached during the Eucharist.
Then I made my report in the parish hall.
This year it’s different.
I’m making my report here, and now.
Sort of an informal “state of the church” address.
Here goes.
Membership statistics (parochial report)
Each year it’s our job to file a parochial report to the national church.
There’s a website where statistics get reported.
It provides the number-crunchers with numbers to crunch.
The guidelines given for counting heads is to count anyone who has participated actively in the life of the church in any way during the previous year.
It’s a bit ambiguous.
Do you count the husband or wife or adult child who shows up on Christmas and Easter?
I don’t know.
Do you count the “friend of the church” who sends a check for $20 every now and then?
I don’t know.
I do know that I struggle with the long list of names we’ve collected, trying to figure out who’s in and who’s out.
Basically, here’s what I’m reporting this year.
Summary
I’m reporting 15 new members.
And I’m reporting 39 fewer members.
(Thirty-nine people didn’t “leave” this year, obviously.
It was a matter of cleaning up the records.)
Communicants in good standing?
I’m reporting 103.
Average Sunday attendance last year?
The numbers is 46 (up 9%).
Easter attendance last year?
That number was 92 (up 12%).
We had two adult baptisms.
We baptized six people under the age of 16.
Financial statistics
Carolyn Cuilty, our treasurer, submitted the financial portion of the annual report.
What began last year as a deficit budget worked out alright in the long run.
We ended up with several thousand dollars at year-end.
An approved budget
The vestry has approved a balanced budget this year.
We have fewer families pledging this year than we had last year.
The way we balanced the budget was to apply the surplus from last year to make ends meet.
(The vestry had been hoping to hold that money in reserve, and egg nest for emergencies.)
Copies of the 2009 budget should be available in the parish hall.
Election of new vestry and wardens
Ida Davis has now completed her 3-year term on the vestry.
Ida has been a thoughtful and supportive member of the vestry, and we greatly appreciate her commitment to this ministry.
Her claim to fame, I think, is that roadside sign!
Ida was the one on the vestry who kept nagging us (me?) to make it a priority.
And an awesome sign it is!
I also want to thank Ted Millar for stepping in and completing Bill Ogden’s 2d term.
That opening was created when he became warden.
Joanne Ward has completed her two-year term as warden.
I’m very pleased to report that he’s agreed to be nominated for a three-year term on the new vestry.
The annual meeting
Following the service, we’ll hold our annual meeting.
Call to order
Please hurry downstairs so we can start the meeting quickly.
Lunch will be waiting!
Election of officers
Vestry has come up with a slate of candidates, which I’ll present after calling the meeting to order.
If additional nominations are not made, the nominations will be closed, and the slate will be declared “elected by acclamation.”
If of vote is required, the polls must stay open for an hour before counting and closing the meeting.
closed/election by acclamation.
In order to vote, By the way, here’s who can vote (according to our bylaws):
Persons of the age of 18 years or more belonging to the parish, who have been baptized and are regular attendants of its worship and contributors to its support for at least twelve months are qualified to vote.
Treasurer’s report (she’s not here)
Ordinarily, our treasurer would give an oral report describing the proposed budget.
She had every intention to be here.
She even prepared and delivered dish to share at the potluck.
She found she had to be out of town this morning, and as I said, copies of the budget are available downstairs.
And of course she and any of the vestry members are available to discuss church financial matters any time.
Reports from employees, officers, volunteers
I’d like to take a few minutes downstairs to give employees, officers, volunteers, and anyone else an opportunity to speak briefly.
The “business” should be over fairly quickly.
If you don’t have time to stay for lunch, you might consider staying long enough to hear what goes on at the meeting.
The year 2008
This past year has been awesome, I think, filled with programs and activities, and a couple of major improvements in our facilities.
Programs and activities
Here’s the list of things we did in 2008:
Epiphany “regifting” party
Nursing home ministry
Inquirers’ meetings in January
Habitat for Humanity EpiscoBuild
Sunday school burned palm branches for Ash Wednesday
Lenten potluck dinners (w/kids’ activities)
Maundy Thursday agape meal
Many baptisms
Attended Doing Church at the Cathedral
Acolyte festival at the Cathedral
Yard sale!
Vacation Bible school
Parish cookout
Choir!!!
Blessing of the animals
Animal Rescue Foundation support
Scheduled children’s services
Diocesan convention
“No strings attached” pledge drive
St. Nicholas Advent breakfast
Taizé with Presbyterians
Two Christmas eve services
Choir
Sunday school & childrens activities
Child-friendly masses
Parallel activities during Lenten adult group & at cookout
Awesome Sunday school room (child-friendly)
Great curriculum
An awesome Vestry
Facilities
In terms of our buildings and facilities, I’m thrilled to read this list:
Sacristy rehab almost complete
Fine new stained glass windows
New chairs in the parish hall
Dishes and napkins and tablecloths mysteriously appearing
Cleaning services
The year 2009—All that, and more!
The year 2009 promises to be all that, and more.
Programs and activities
The lineup of activities right now includes:
Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper
Lenten program
Easter vigil w/open baptisms
Spring yard sale
Vacation Bible school
Blessing of animals
Parish cookout
St. Nick Advent Breakfast?
Thanksgiving dinner (?)
Taizé service?
Epiphany pageant
Facilities
Finish sacristy
Kitchen upgrade (?)
A Note on Today’s Reading from Paul
In this morning’s second reading, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul suggests that the church is the ongoing “epiphany” of Christ in the world, the ongoing “face” of Christ in the world.
The church is what Christ looks like to the world.
As the sign of the immanence of God’s kingdom, the church, Paul says, and its members, should live as though there will be no tomorrow.
I don’t think that means to operate a church without a budget, or to make our way through the church year without a calendar, or not to make plans and keep records.
To me it means that the church, its members, should stay “in the moment.”
Life right here, right now, in this little church, is pretty awesome.
We have a tight budget.
But we have a lot of enthusiasm.
We have a lot of energy.
We have a lot of love for one another, a lot of concern about others, appreciation of God’s creation, and an awareness of the sacredness of every human being, and every moment.
We celebrate the Eucharist this morning remembering Jesus’ death, and proclaiming the real presence of Christ, on the lookout for Christ’s coming at any minute.
Prayer
Let us pray.
Eternal God, the Great Mystery that is outside everything and yet at the same time inside, keep alive in each one of us the search for a faith that is real, a faith that helps us to live happier lives, a faith that gives us a fuller meaning to life and the events of life.
Bring us to know the goodness that flows from the heart of the universe and may we be expanded in heart and soul by that goodness.
This is our prayer. Amen.
In previous years, on the Sunday of the annual meeting, I preached during the Eucharist.
Then I made my report in the parish hall.
This year it’s different.
I’m making my report here, and now.
Sort of an informal “state of the church” address.
Here goes.
Membership statistics (parochial report)
Each year it’s our job to file a parochial report to the national church.
There’s a website where statistics get reported.
It provides the number-crunchers with numbers to crunch.
The guidelines given for counting heads is to count anyone who has participated actively in the life of the church in any way during the previous year.
It’s a bit ambiguous.
Do you count the husband or wife or adult child who shows up on Christmas and Easter?
I don’t know.
Do you count the “friend of the church” who sends a check for $20 every now and then?
I don’t know.
I do know that I struggle with the long list of names we’ve collected, trying to figure out who’s in and who’s out.
Basically, here’s what I’m reporting this year.
Summary
I’m reporting 15 new members.
And I’m reporting 39 fewer members.
(Thirty-nine people didn’t “leave” this year, obviously.
It was a matter of cleaning up the records.)
Communicants in good standing?
I’m reporting 103.
Average Sunday attendance last year?
The numbers is 46 (up 9%).
Easter attendance last year?
That number was 92 (up 12%).
We had two adult baptisms.
We baptized six people under the age of 16.
Financial statistics
Carolyn Cuilty, our treasurer, submitted the financial portion of the annual report.
What began last year as a deficit budget worked out alright in the long run.
We ended up with several thousand dollars at year-end.
An approved budget
The vestry has approved a balanced budget this year.
We have fewer families pledging this year than we had last year.
The way we balanced the budget was to apply the surplus from last year to make ends meet.
(The vestry had been hoping to hold that money in reserve, and egg nest for emergencies.)
Copies of the 2009 budget should be available in the parish hall.
Election of new vestry and wardens
Ida Davis has now completed her 3-year term on the vestry.
Ida has been a thoughtful and supportive member of the vestry, and we greatly appreciate her commitment to this ministry.
Her claim to fame, I think, is that roadside sign!
Ida was the one on the vestry who kept nagging us (me?) to make it a priority.
And an awesome sign it is!
I also want to thank Ted Millar for stepping in and completing Bill Ogden’s 2d term.
That opening was created when he became warden.
Joanne Ward has completed her two-year term as warden.
I’m very pleased to report that he’s agreed to be nominated for a three-year term on the new vestry.
The annual meeting
Following the service, we’ll hold our annual meeting.
Call to order
Please hurry downstairs so we can start the meeting quickly.
Lunch will be waiting!
Election of officers
Vestry has come up with a slate of candidates, which I’ll present after calling the meeting to order.
If additional nominations are not made, the nominations will be closed, and the slate will be declared “elected by acclamation.”
If of vote is required, the polls must stay open for an hour before counting and closing the meeting.
closed/election by acclamation.
In order to vote, By the way, here’s who can vote (according to our bylaws):
Persons of the age of 18 years or more belonging to the parish, who have been baptized and are regular attendants of its worship and contributors to its support for at least twelve months are qualified to vote.
Treasurer’s report (she’s not here)
Ordinarily, our treasurer would give an oral report describing the proposed budget.
She had every intention to be here.
She even prepared and delivered dish to share at the potluck.
She found she had to be out of town this morning, and as I said, copies of the budget are available downstairs.
And of course she and any of the vestry members are available to discuss church financial matters any time.
Reports from employees, officers, volunteers
I’d like to take a few minutes downstairs to give employees, officers, volunteers, and anyone else an opportunity to speak briefly.
The “business” should be over fairly quickly.
If you don’t have time to stay for lunch, you might consider staying long enough to hear what goes on at the meeting.
The year 2008
This past year has been awesome, I think, filled with programs and activities, and a couple of major improvements in our facilities.
Programs and activities
Here’s the list of things we did in 2008:
Epiphany “regifting” party
Nursing home ministry
Inquirers’ meetings in January
Habitat for Humanity EpiscoBuild
Sunday school burned palm branches for Ash Wednesday
Lenten potluck dinners (w/kids’ activities)
Maundy Thursday agape meal
Many baptisms
Attended Doing Church at the Cathedral
Acolyte festival at the Cathedral
Yard sale!
Vacation Bible school
Parish cookout
Choir!!!
Blessing of the animals
Animal Rescue Foundation support
Scheduled children’s services
Diocesan convention
“No strings attached” pledge drive
St. Nicholas Advent breakfast
Taizé with Presbyterians
Two Christmas eve services
Choir
Sunday school & childrens activities
Child-friendly masses
Parallel activities during Lenten adult group & at cookout
Awesome Sunday school room (child-friendly)
Great curriculum
An awesome Vestry
Facilities
In terms of our buildings and facilities, I’m thrilled to read this list:
Sacristy rehab almost complete
Fine new stained glass windows
New chairs in the parish hall
Dishes and napkins and tablecloths mysteriously appearing
Cleaning services
The year 2009—All that, and more!
The year 2009 promises to be all that, and more.
Programs and activities
The lineup of activities right now includes:
Shrove Tuesday Pancake supper
Lenten program
Easter vigil w/open baptisms
Spring yard sale
Vacation Bible school
Blessing of animals
Parish cookout
St. Nick Advent Breakfast?
Thanksgiving dinner (?)
Taizé service?
Epiphany pageant
Facilities
Finish sacristy
Kitchen upgrade (?)
A Note on Today’s Reading from Paul
In this morning’s second reading, Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul suggests that the church is the ongoing “epiphany” of Christ in the world, the ongoing “face” of Christ in the world.
The church is what Christ looks like to the world.
As the sign of the immanence of God’s kingdom, the church, Paul says, and its members, should live as though there will be no tomorrow.
I don’t think that means to operate a church without a budget, or to make our way through the church year without a calendar, or not to make plans and keep records.
To me it means that the church, its members, should stay “in the moment.”
Life right here, right now, in this little church, is pretty awesome.
We have a tight budget.
But we have a lot of enthusiasm.
We have a lot of energy.
We have a lot of love for one another, a lot of concern about others, appreciation of God’s creation, and an awareness of the sacredness of every human being, and every moment.
We celebrate the Eucharist this morning remembering Jesus’ death, and proclaiming the real presence of Christ, on the lookout for Christ’s coming at any minute.
Prayer
Let us pray.
Eternal God, the Great Mystery that is outside everything and yet at the same time inside, keep alive in each one of us the search for a faith that is real, a faith that helps us to live happier lives, a faith that gives us a fuller meaning to life and the events of life.
Bring us to know the goodness that flows from the heart of the universe and may we be expanded in heart and soul by that goodness.
This is our prayer. Amen.
THE NEW VESTRY…
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