Evening Prayer and Thanksgivings & Prayer Requests
The vestry assembled in the church for evening prayer at 7:00 PM followed by offered prayers of thanksgiving and intercession.
Attendance
Present at the meeting were: the rector, Kristin Orr; the senior warden, Audrey Ongman; the junior warden, Bill Bestow; vestry members Candice Barrera, Anne Edwards, Steve Hofer, Gale Michael, Mark Moxley, and Patti Pohrte; the treasurer, Debbi Huggett; and the clerk, Susan Marquis. Vestry members Bob Berner, Greg Lawrence and Jim Whitfield were absent.
Parish Stewardship
Approval of Minutes from the August Meeting
Anne Edwards moved that the August minutes be approved. A vote was taken after a second from Mark Moxley, and the motion passed.
Treasurer’s Report from August
Debbi Huggett noted that collections continue to lag a bit from the summer. The ECW paid $579 for a new freezer to replace the old one. Nothing extraordinary has happened budget-wise in the last month. Gale Michael moved that the treasurer’s report be accepted. Steve Hofer seconded. The motion passed.
Information
Rector’s Report
The rector expressed gratitude to Cyndie Knoll, Candice Barrera, and Shirley Reilly who prepared food for the Jubilation, and to Cynthia Turnquest, who set up and decorated the tables.
In what has become an annual event, the church school children painted a mural on the large window in the Atrium. This year’s theme is All Creatures Great and Small.
Patti Pohrte and Diane Walsh-Madden will teach the church school children who are in kindergarten through third grade. Mark Moxley, Nichole Dailor, and Bob DeOliveira will teach fourth, fifth, and sixth graders, while Cyndie Knoll will prepare seventh and eighth graders for confirmation using a program called “Confirm Not Conform.” Pastor Orr will teach the adult class using a version of this same program. Larissa Smith is the new Nursery Director. Dee McManamy and Shirley Reilly are reinstating a high school youth program that will meet every-other-week on Sunday evenings.
Pastor Orr continues to think about a sabbatical, although she has no definite plans yet. She has one more week of vacation remaining this year.
Work has been completed on tree removal and pruning on church grounds.
Wardens’ Reports and/or Reports from Parish Organizations
Audrey Ongman reported that a new freezer has been delivered and is working in the sexton’s room. The kitchen will be professionally cleaned, and a parishioner has offered to pay for the service. One of the ovens in the kitchen is not working.
Upcoming Parish Events
September 29th – Bishop Lee will visit St. John’s. He will preach at both services and meet with the children of the parish during the 9:00 o’clock hour. He will meet with the vestry in the rectory for a potluck lunch. Vestry members signed up to bring food.
Discussion and Decisions
Convention
The rector presented a list of delegates and alternates for the diocesan convention to be held in November. Cyndie Knoll, Gale Michael, and Shirley Reilly were slated as delegates, and Sue O’Brien, Don Rubins, and Doris Sheffer were proposed as alternates. Bill Bestow moved that the list be approved. Audrey Ongman seconded, and the motion passed.
Stewardship
Pastor Orr recommended that the vestry read a stewardship article from “Vestry Papers.”
The vestry brainstormed a bit and came up with some preliminary ideas, including:
- Vestry talks during the Sunday services
- Periodic talks about what various groups do
- Adults pledging to match youth contributions
- A garden/harvest theme
- Set aside an amount (e.g. 10%) up front to donate to Millennium Development Goals
- Direct, earmarked contributions to support the high school youth group
- Letters sent out aimed at different age groups
Accessibility
The vestry subcommittee that has been working on the accessibility project (Cyndie Knoll, Mark Moxley, and Patti Pohrte) met along with Steve Hofer and the rector to discuss the feasibility of installing a lift in the church rather than an elevator. The committee’s recommendation was that the vestry affirm an ongoing pursuit of a lift. There was general agreement that this pursuit should be undertaken. Steve met with a representative of one company to assess the site, and a second lift company will come out to do the same. Pastor Orr will be in contact the architectural firm that already did some work on the accessibility project.
Closing
The meeting ended with prayer and with Pastor Orr’s reminder to the vestry to come with specific ideas about stewardship at the next meeting on October 21st.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Marquis Clerk of the Vestry
Approved by the vestry: October 21, 2013
