Priest-in-Charge’s Report for 2008

          It is my privilege to write this report for 2008 as your parish priest.  I began my ministry here in December, and was blessed with a warm welcome from so many of you.  First impressions are always important, even if they do not tell the whole story.  My first impressions were that this is a church with energy and a spirit of giving.  I pray that these impressions hold true.

            As I look forward to 2009, I hope to work with the Vestry on creating a vision and some goals for the next several years.  How are we to be the body Christ to one another and to the larger community?   What are we being called to do, right now, in this place? One of our goals may be to move the church office, some of the church school classes, and several parish activities over to the Rectory, to free up space in the church and undercroft.  Other goals will emerge in the coming months.  I look forward to this process of visioning and goal setting.

            Of course, central to our life here is our Sunday worship and our annual cycle liturgical seasons and celebrations.  Christmas was beautiful, even with our Christmas Pageant being moved from its allotted time on Advent 4 to Christmas Eve.  The choir has been excellent for a parish as small as yours, and you are blessed with a contemporary musical ensemble “Wing and a Prayer” once every month.  I hope to work with your education committee in creating a Lenten program this year, leading us to a celebration of Christ’s Resurrection on Easter.

            St. Christopher’s is a small congregation, but one with many talented people.  I encourage those of you with skills and gifts to come forward and use them to help build up Christ’s body in this place.  Many of you have been here for a long time, and have given years of service to St. Christopher’s.  My hope is that those of you who are newer to this community will join in the leadership circles.  Don’t be shy.  And don’t think that you are too young, or too old.  There is something for everyone.

            Thank you to all who have given of their time and talents to the ministry of Christ at St. Christopher’s, and also to the wider community.  May we continue to grow in our discipleship, of spreading the Good News of Christ’s love.  

Wing and a Prayer – 2008

“Let our voices rise like Incense, Let it be like sweet perfume...” from a song recorded by one of the original contemporary Christian groups, Petra

Our goals remain the same as when we started:

1.     Introduce the congregation to non-traditional music of various genres, including but not limited to contemporary, blues, jazz, gospel, country, folk, and revival.

2.     To encourage and welcome the congregation into active participation

3.     To attract, encourage and welcome the younger members of the congregation to active participation in singing during the service and/or participate in the group.

Wing and a Prayer is in it 3rd year. We come together twice a month to practice, each of us contributing to the selection of songs, instrumentation, dynamics and style. We have incorporated songs from the African American hymnal – Lift Every Voice and Sing, and Wonder Love and Praise, both supplemental Episcopal hymnals. Some of the songs we sing are written by our members, other songs are by contemporary artists/composers, many of which are heard on the radio, and are available on CD.

We are very blessed that Jane Gillis continues to assist us as our recording keyboardist. We are ever indebted to Jane for sharing her talents with us, especially when she does so without any compensation for her time. Without her, we would not have been able to continue this ministry.

As the congregation becomes more comfortable with the diverse styles we take that as a good sign. We have all noticed more participation with the congregation singing, and as you become more familiar with the songs and more comfortable with the “change” we hope you embrace the music even more. We are using some of the songs and hymns we have sung as general hymns now, to encourage the congregation to participate even more.

We are ALWAYS OPEN to suggested songs, and would love to have more of you join our group. We just don’t accept the “I can’t sing” excuse….

A special thanks to the following people, (in no particular order) who share themselves, their talent, and time to enhance our group

Larry Cole – who keeps us on track, can read music... and adds variety to our music and can improvise on a moments notice.

Mary Clark – who can “hit those high notes” the rest of us struggle with…

Jeanne Cass – who always finds the humor and keeps me from getting too serious,

John Mroz – steadfast and serious, even when he won’t hum….he is an anchor to our group

Liz Mroz – who finds the joy in the music, and is a joy to know.

David Marshall – a specialist at improvisation, and whose harmonica and deep resonating voice gives depth and emotion to anything we sing

Lisa McShane – our newest member, who adds a new dimension to the sopranos and whose enthusiasm is infectious

Linda Flaharty – a solid rock alto, who can pick out a harmony that blows me away

Michelle Jacobson –for her strong sense of tradition, yet she has helped lead the way in stepping outside the box.

Mary Cass – who adds that touch of youth we all can use

Sharon Gould – who pops in a joins us with a strong bass and great beat.

We miss the contribution of Steven Fuir, who added not only his talent, but his youth and dedication to our group.

We would like to thank all of you for your encouragement, suggestions, prayers and most of all participation.

Prayerfully and respectfully submitted,

Beth Tickle

St Christopher's Church Property Report for 2008

The 2008 Property Committee consisted of Mark Pepi and Paul Tickle, plus our main man Bob Jacobson along with all those who assisted with the upkeep and beautification of the church and grounds.

At the Parish Meeting of 2008, a list of property concerns was presented to the congregation. The list was considerable and maybe to some overselling. We have completed a number of these task which are listed below.

1. Replaced the entire front door with an all glass unit.
2. Replaced door in the nursery
3. Painted down stairs bathrooms
4. Painted kitchen
5. Remulched all bed areas, including the outside worship areas
6. Installed handicap bars in both the men and women's bathrooms
7. Removed dividers in the men and women's bathrooms
8. Carpet was cleaned but still should be replaced in the future

The following items are in some degree of progress.

1. Repaint in yellow cross above the front door when weather conditions permit. Supervision by Joe Rifon
2. Rewire kitchen to prevent overloading circuit breakers. Rewire fans to have some controlled individually. Bids are being reviewed and contract will be released within the month.

In the fall, a major leak was discovered in the church heating boiler. A temporary fix was installed to hopefully get us through the heating season. This boiler will have to be replaced this year at a cost of between $8,000 and 12,000. This is a major concern for our budget.

With the departure of Father Scott, the rectory will no longer be used as a residence. The vestry has elected that this building be our church house. This will give us office space, meeting rooms, youth group space, storage areas and possible coffee hour areas allowing the handicap to attend. Monies and volunteers will be needed to paint the interior and furnish it.

The ongoing list of Items that still needed attention and were listed in the 2007 annual report are posted in the undercroft. We needed your help.

In 2008, the Vestry established an ongoing Property Fund, as described below. We encourage your contributions to this fund, in addition to your pledge, in order that we may plan for the future needs of St. Christopher's over a longer term. Your contributions will accrue to allow planning and budgeting of projects that take longer than the annual budget process.

Currently, we are faced with the need for Boiler replacement and the expenses to outfit our new Church House in the Rectory. Through your contributions to the Property Fund, we will be able carry out these projects and minimize the impact to other programs in our budget. A description of this fund as approved by the Vestry follows:

St Christopher's Church Property Fund

St. Christopher's Church, in exercise of its religious purposes, has established property fund to provide for the future needs of the church for major repairs, major remodeling, expansion, or construction of facilities for the church. The church welcomes contributions to the fund.

The administration of the fund, including all disbursements, is subject to the control and discretion of the Property Committee, with Vestry approval. The Committee may consider recommendations from anyone, but in no event is the committee bound in any way to honor the recommendations. Donors will not be permitted to recover a contribution on the grounds that the church failed to honor the donor's recommendation.

St. Christopher's Church recognizes that planning for future needs is a practice of good stewardship and has established this fund as an ongoing fund. Should at any time in the future St. Christopher's Church vote to close this fund, all money in the fund at that time will go in the General Fund of St. Christopher's Church.

Respectfully submitted,
Paul Tickle

REPORT OF RECTOR’S WARDEN

2008 was a momentous year in the life of St. Christopher’s Church.  We have witnessed and endured and celebrated many changes in our small congregation.  Few events in the life of a congregation are as potentially unsettling as losing a Rector.  Yet, despite the uncertainty, sadness and distress that were occasioned by the departure of Fr. Scott and his family, we continued to do God’s work here in our small corner of his creation.

We have also been blessed this year by the arrival of our new Priest-in-Charge, the Reverend Barbara Rivers.  The thought of a long search and discernment process was certainly a daunting prospect for us.  Those of our number who were involved in the last search can attest to the hours of time and effort that such an undertaking can consume.  To have reached a long term solution to our clergy search in such a short time is certainly something for which we should all be thankful.

I also want to express how delighted I am that the grace of God brought Pastor Barbara to St. Christopher’s.  In the short time that we have worked together, I have been impressed with her dedication, inspired by her thoughtful sermons, and invigorated by her enthusiasm.  I am confident that a full-blown clergy search could not have brought a person who fits our needs at St. Christopher’s better than Pastor Barbara does.

Finally, in thinking about our path forward at St. Christopher’s, I keep coming back to something that the minister said that really struck me at the funeral of David Jenkins’s father, Paul.  He said that one of the most important things that Paul Jenkins did for Aldersgate Methodist Church was show up on Sunday, every Sunday.  The minister pointed out the pew where Paul and Mimi always sat. 

At first, I thought it odd that, of all the things that Paul Jenkins did over many years for that congregation, “showing up” was the act that the minister chose to highlight.  He went on to explain that the church, the Body of Christ, can only grow and thrive and “do the work that God has given us to do” if the individual members of the body show up.  Worship, outreach, inreach, education, stewardship and all of the other ministries of this church only happen because we show up. 

So my challenge to each of us for the coming year is to show up.  Show up at church on Sunday not only for yourself, but for the congregation that will be diminished if one of us is missing.  Show up at committee meetings that plan and perform the many amazing ministries at St. Christopher’s.  Show up at the blood drive, or at the CROP walk, or at choir practice, or at the Lenten program, or at church to prepare meals for Aid for Friends.

Just remember to show up.

Peace,

Mike Vild

Rector’s Warden

Pathways – 2008 Annual Report

February 8, 2009 Annual Meeting

Pathways Mission Statement:

To provide the congregation an inclusive monthly newsletter to:

• Advertise and announce upcoming church activities (what will happen)
• Report on important church events (what has happened)

Calendar year 2008 was the second full calendar year that I have been editor of Pathways. Pathways was published each month and the length ranged from 4 to 8 pages an issue, depending on submissions.

I achieved both goals for 2008:

• Complete the written procedures.
• Encourage the use of receiving Pathways electronically to reduce costs.

Father Scott was provided a copy of the procedures in late Spring/early Summer. In the beginning of the 2008, around 150 copies were being printed and 30 copies were being mailed with the remaining distributed via e-mail or in the church mailboxes. By the end of 2008, 23 were being mailed. This has dramatically decreased the costs of producing Pathways: in December we printed 52 copies – 10 are used for the Welcome packets, 19 are placed in the church mailboxes and 23 are mailed.

The use of the subscription to www.newsletternewsletter.com is a very useful tool; often used for articles as well as clip art. Please note that other communication pieces share in this subscription: Sunday bulletin, website, and flyers.

The goals for 2009 are:

• Continue to encourage electronic receipt of Pathways
• Find a way to place Pathways on the web
• Ensure Pathways can be used to let people find our church

Some of these are already under way; for example, with the updates to the church directory we now mail only 14 copies; A link has been created to a webpage that will list recent editions of Pathways; and a map and brief directions to the church has been placed on the last page. You may also have noticed that the Mission Statement moved to a more prominent place on the front page.

Any feedback that you wish to provide, please feel free to see me directly. Or if your prefer, please see Pastor Barbara.

Submitted by Bethany Borrelli