St. Paul's Episcopal Church ANNUAL PARISH MEETING JANUARY 22, 2017

Transcription

1 St. Paul's Episcopal Church ANNUAL PARISH MEETING JANUARY 22, 2017 St. Paul s Episcopal Church 16 North Sixteenth Street Wilmington, North Carolina (910) E-news announcement submissions: e-news@spechurch.com Bulletin announcement submissions: bulletin@spechurch.com The Rt. Rev. Robert Skirving, Bishop The Rev. Dena Bearl Whalen, Rector The Rev. Deacon Kay Swindell The Rev. Richard Banks, Priest Associate Ronnie D. Wise, Director of Music and Organist Richard Rhoads, Assistant Director of Music and Organist Carl Samet, Parish Administrator Diane Matz-Kane, Bookkeeper Brent Erway and Walter Alonzo, Sextons

2 Tour of Refurbished Rooms AGENDA Brunch Call to Order Collect for a Church Meeting and Invocation The Year in Review Introductions Vestry Members Ministry and Organization Leaders Merry Ann T. Wright, Senior Warden The Rev. Dena Bearl Whalen, Rector The Rector Senior Warden Recognition of Retiring Vestry Members Steve Bucci, Cleve Callison, Chip Carter and Jay Stewart Recognition of Staff Election of Vestry Members for term of Barbara Bucci Herb Gant Royster Hedgepeth Kathy Richardson Spencer Weig Brief Reports Director of Music Rector Senior Warden reads underlined highlights of report Junior Warden Treasurer Tellers Report Question and Answer Period Senior Warden and Rector The Rector Announcements: Monday, Wednesday, February 6, Vestry Meeting Sunday, February 5, Commissioning of new Vestry members, Wardens, Treasurer, Clerk Friday - Sunday, February 17-19, Vestry Retreat at Trinity Center Adjournment Blessing Senior Warden The Rector 2

3 2016 Vestry Merry Ann Wright, Senior Warden - Management/Communications Steve Bucci, Junior Warden - Operations Jay Stewart - Membership Chip Carter - Membership Don Brainard - Outreach/ Asst. Clerk Peggy Thompson - Pastoral Care Sue Sramek - Stewardship Cleve Callison - Christian Formation Twink Barr - Christian Formation Tom Erway - Parish Life /Fellowship Cecilia Peers - Parish Life /Fellowship Steve Martin - Music Lynda Miller - Clerk Herb Gant - Worship Bob Crafts - Treasurer 3

4 RECTOR ANNUAL PARISH REPORT The Rev. Dena Whalen Last year in my annual report I stated that the congregation of St. Paul s was growing in four major ways: We are growing in numbers as first-time guests return and newcomers become members. Individuals who are new to St. Paul s tell me that our welcome to them is warm and genuine. I hope we continue to welcome newcomers and greet each other as we would welcome and greet Christ. Of course the result of this is the building of friendships in Christ and helping people enter into involvement in our parish that brings joy, fulfillment, and spiritual growth to them. We are growing younger as young adults and young families are joining us in worship and ministry. What gifts is God bringing through them? How are they calling us to provide fertile ground for their nurture in the knowledge and love of the Lord (BCP 423), their stability of life, and their growth into the full stature of Christ (BCP 302)? We are growing outwardly as we expand our presence in the community. Part of a church s reason for being is to provide a context in which people can worship and pray together, grow in their knowledge of holy scripture, live the Good News of God in Christ, serve others in the light of God s love, and seek the justice and peace that is due to all God s children and creation. Growth in membership and ministry demands growth and improvements in four areas, finances, administration, communication, and facilities. We are steadily working to adapt these support systems as they enable us to move forward in responding to God s call for us as a parish. As your rector, I serve as celebrant and preacher at three services of the Holy Eucharist each week and as officiant at the monthly services of Evensong and Taize. I believe it is time for us to add a fourth service of Holy Eucharist to meet the diverse schedules and lifestyles of our congregation. I have baptized three people, buried nine members, and officiated at one marriage. Along with a compassionate and dedicated pastoral care team, I have faithfully sought to visit our members in the hospital and at home. I have been available to those who seek pastoral guidance in their personal and spiritual lives. Our various ministries are filled with energy and successes, thanks be to God. The reports in this document are enthused with the present and expectant for the future. Each week our staff meets in the joint endeavor of making sure all is being done to help our ministries and those of the groups we host in our facilities be the best they can be. Thanks to our administrator, Carl Samet, for his professionalism, his skill in multi-tasking in this complex community, and his genuine care for all of us. Diane Matz-Kane, our bookkeeper, assists our Treasurer, Bob Crafts, in all aspects of managing and recording our finances. Brent Erway, our sexton, faithfully keeps our facilities clean. Nicole Thompson assists us with the upkeep of the website and print design. Our office volunteers, Susan Carter, Kathryn Hedgepeth, Lyle Sullivan, Judy Wilson bring their gifts and talents to support Carl with computer skills, correspondence, hospitality and whatever is needed on a given day. 4

5 Our music ministry is truly an instrument of God. St. Paul s is lifted into the beauty and majesty of God s presence each time we worship. We gift the larger community of Wilmington with the enjoyment of concerts and special events that are possible because of the excellent performance space our church provides. Ronnie Wise, our Director of Music & Organist, is a person of vision, excellence, and unwavering dedication to God and Church as he oversees our music program. He plans music for liturgy and concerts and conducts the St. Paul s Choir, the Choristers, and the Wilmington Boys Choir. His work is supported by a person of great musical skill and depth of spirit, Richard Rhoads, Assistant Director of Music & Organist. As Dean of the Lower Cape Fear Deanery, I serve to facilitate mutual support among our congregations and strengthen our ministry together in outreach to those in need. As a member of the Executive Council and the Trinity Center Board of Managers, I participate in the leadership of our diocese. As we review the life and ministry of St. Paul s in 2016, we have a multitude working together to the glory of God. Our Wardens and Vestry, our Staff, and most important of all, each person at St. Paul s who participates, giving their time, their talent, and their resources with faithfulness and joy all, together, we are saying Yes! to Jesus call for us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. SENIOR WARDEN Merry Ann Wright, Senior Warden The reason that we chose St. Paul's as of church home nearly ten years ago was based on two things - the traditional Episcopal worship and the hospitality shown to us. The composition of this parish family has changed a great deal in those ten years but these two characteristics have remained constant - the worship has grown and become cathedral-worthy with excellent preaching and tremendous music and the hospitality and fellowship continues to welcome all. We are, indeed, a family that can count on one another in "sickness and health" as we continue to welcome as many as 31 new worshipers a month. The changes in our ministries to meet a growing and diverse membership have necessitated many changes in our staff, physical plant, programming and funding. Early in 2016, it was decided to expand the position of administrative assistant to that of Parish Administrator adding ten hours to that position. We were privileged to interview and hire Carl Samet for this position and he has become a valuable member of the team. Increasing from three children regularly in the children's program to each week enrolled in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd necessitated the third move or our Rector's office in as many years...this time to the lower level of the South end of the Parish Hall. With the exception of the Finance Office, the children's area now encompasses entire south second floor. The move of the offices for the Rector, the Archivist and the Deacon necessitated major cleaning, repair and painting in these areas, almost entirely accomplished by the Thursday Morning Men's work group. Once this space had been completed, this extraordinary group moved to work on the lower (continued) 5

6 level of the North end of the Parish Hall - cleaning out and renovating a discarded nursery and children's play area and once again plastering, painting and generally renovating this space for meeting rooms. I hope you will have enjoyed seeing both of these spaces during your tour prior to this meeting. As space started to become an issue this year, we convened a group of past leaders of St. Paul's and began discussing how to meet future space needs, including parking issues. While it became clear that space is at a premium in our current facility, some is underutilized. Discussions have included building on the back lot, using the gym space on the lower level for alternative space (with a huge reservation to do so because the gym serves as an outreach for the many teams both male and female who use the space). When the selling price was reduced significantly on the house and lot at 1524 Princess St. (corner of Princess and N. 17th St.), this group believed the space was worth the investment and made a recommendation to the Vestry to purchase it. The Treasurer, Chairman of the Endowment Board and Senior Warden spent many hours and days negotiating the purchase and transactions with the Diocese required to do so. With the approval of the Vestry, the Endowment Board and the Diocese, in October St. Paul's took possession of what will be known as the Ormond Center. Plans are going forward to make it suitable, at as low a cost as possible, for use for outreach ministries and meetings. Huge steps have been taken with landscaping and refurbishing of the outside of the physical plant. The new landscaping committee submitted a grant to the Cape Fear Garden Club, which was funded at $4,568. In addition, the committee completely renovated the Bellamy Memorial Garden, creating a beautiful and safe walkway and a striking, black marble wall memorial plaque. In the process, we all learned the necessity of working with the Wilmington Historical Commission to comply with their guidelines for the historic district within which St. Paul's resides. While discussion of finances is in the purview of the Treasurer, I would note that, upon request of the Lehto Foundation, a grant proposal was made in October for funding the replacement of the Parish Hall ceiling, lights and windows, refurbishment of the Parish Hall fire escape and the installation of a new security system. The grant was awarded in the amount of $40,000 and work will begin on these projects in We are grateful to these two entities for the support that allows us to provide improvements to our property that would not otherwise be possible. Special gifts like this are always welcome and a "Wish List" of items that need funding is being created by the current Junior Warden. The Vestry held a half-day Vestry Orientation in February as well as a one and a half day Vestry Retreat at St. Andrews on the Sound. Our monthly meetings have been productive. Please thank these dedicated volunteers who spend many hours a week working here in the building, at other ministry volunteer activities, attending a myriad of meetings and making decisions that affect how we not only do business but also how we interact with one another and the community. Many Vestry members were integrally involved in the fourth annual Coastal Carolina Christmas and are working on the February 25 Coastal Carolina Cabaret mardi gras at the Scottish Rite Temple. Both of these events allow us to support financially Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, Help Hub at the Harrelson Center and the Wilmington Boys Choir. Please plan to be a part of the Cabaret next month and to support it with your sponsorship and ticket purchases. The Horizons group continued to study issues that impact current church culture and growth and has presented findings to the parish through the adult Sunday forum. Spectacular outings for our young (continued) 6

7 adults under 40 meets alternately as an adult group and as a family group. The Senior Warden meets regularly with the Rector and attends weekly staff meetings, as many ministry meetings as she can, prepares agendas, reviews minutes, meets with the leadership team monthly or more and fills in wherever needed In the reports you have received, you will find those of the Rector, the Wardens, the Treasurer and the Chairman of the Endowment Board as well as the Liaisons for each of our ministries and groups here at St. Paul s. I hope you will read them with a mind open to becoming a significant participant in one or more of the ministries and activities that make St. Paul s a family who knows Christ and makes Christ known. JUNIOR WARDEN - FACILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE Steve Bucci, Junior Warden It was a very busy and exciting year in the area of Church Operations. As you will see by the list to follow we were able to accomplish a great deal through the combined efforts of many, many people. Much of what was done is the direct result of the tireless hours and hours of work performed by the previous 3 Junior Wardens: Dave Tousignant, Bob Belaustegui, and Chip Carter. Without the foundations that they laid their and continued efforts, hard work and support much of what we did this year would not have been possible! It was my goal upon assuming the role of Jr. Warden to attempt to make it a position which others would want to do rather than run away from. In my opinion it needed to become less of a 24/7 hands on position and more of an administrative one. Two monumental things happened this year which made it possible for me to move this position closer to my vision. The first was the hiring of Carl Samet as Parish Administrator. Carl assumed the role and immediately embraced the notion of being the true hub around which the entire parish revolves. He has been invaluable in helping to set up and refine needed systems and information bases. He helped to refine and truly implement the parish Work REQUEST form which is now the way to get things done in the church. Carl can give you one or one to you and hopefully it may soon be available on the website. There are countless other things he handles to make sure that things get done and that the right people are contacted. His support and readiness to assume this role have been invaluable to me. The second and equally important event was the hiring of Walter Alonzo to the newly created position of Part Time Parish Handyman. Many of you have heard me speak of him in glowing terms and he has truly been a godsend. Working on his own and in conjunction with the Thursday group he has made it possible for us to complete as many jobs as we have. He, too, has been a key player in helping me to remake this position. I'd also like to thank our sexton Brent Erway for his continued support and hard work. He is always there when something needs to be done. Also thanks to Guillermo Garcia and William Murphy who handle our landscape maintenance and odd jobs respectively. This is a list of projects that were completed this year by our Thursday group and Walter. In many cases some renovations were involved and either new or cleaning of carpets and furniture rearrangements. All required painting, electrical and lighting updates, window treatments and cleaning. 7 (continued)

8 Parish Hall floor installed Bellamy Garden renovation Library renovated (Source) Rector's new office Rector's Ante room (alcove) Downstairs north wing hallway Rector's conference room (old 12 step room) Downstairs north wing bathroom Downstairs south wing new meeting room/classroom (old toddler area) Downstairs south wing new 12 step/comfortable meeting area (old nursery) Downstairs south wing meeting area kitchenette Downstairs south wing bathroom Completion of upstairs office and classrooms Exterior landscaping cleanup Painting of fences Exterior lighting (building and goosenecks) (BB and DT) New door holders/closers (BB) New kitchen wares and carts(bb) Electrical cataloging (BB and DT) HVAC filter cataloging (BB) Church powerwashing (arr, DT) New HVAC units Exterior drain blowouts In addition there were numerous weekly jobs which were performed by the Thursday group. These include putting up and changing the exterior event signs, moving the organ and pews for concerts, lighting and electrical needs, changing bulbs, plumbing needs, fixing/replacing faucets and toilets and leaks, clean up/removal of accumulated junk and trash, changing hymn board numbers and candle oil, putting up wooden candle holders, and taking care of countless requests and other odd jobs. I'd like to thank the men of the Thursday group for their dedication hard work! They are: John Morton, Jim Edwards, Ron Morgan, Chuck Deerling, Spencer Weig, Gary Dillon, Tom Sramek, Tom Matthews, Bob Belasutegui, Dave Tousignant, and Chip Carter. These are the men who literally hold this church together, in one piece. I'd also like to thank Tom Ballard and Rick Sorrenti for their incredible efforts in leading the restoration of Bellamy Garden and all the other landscape efforts. They and their committee have put a great deal of thought, planning and hard work into improving our exterior. Additionally, I'd like to address financial issues. We obviously accomplished much more this year than what our specific budget might allow. We are very fortunate to have endowment funds available for emergencies and one time investments in infrastructure. We are also very blessed to have concerned parishioners and outside foundations and organizations who are willing to donate money for specific projects. Going back to the kitchen project, $60k from a member and $50k from the Lehto Foundation. The funds for the library renovation and refurnishing came from a donation by the ladies of The Source. The new door openers/closers were made possible by a member donation of $3k. The Bellamy Garden project was partially funded by general donations but also there was a specific member donation of over $6k and a Garden Club grant of over $5k. We have also now received another grant (continued) 8

9 from the Lehto Foundation for $40k for the completion of the Parish Hall and a few other projects. We are also additionally blessed to have some many of our workers who weekly buy project items and work supplies and who do not use operational funds. Hundreds and hundreds (and probably thousands) of dollars are contributed to getting things done by many many people and no one realizes their contributions. We have many, many other projects which still remain and will not be covered by the 2017 operations budget or the Lehto grant. The reality is that we don't have enough of our membership pledging nor enough total pledges to effectively run this parish and to continue to repair and improve this facility! I am attaching a short list of projects which we need/would like to complete this coming year. If something on the list hits one of your hot buttons please consider donating all or part of the funds needed. We would be most happy to install a plaque commemorating or memorializing your donation! Finally I'd like to give my thanks to Dena and Merry Anne for their total support for me and their belief in the things I was trying to accomplish. I would also like to thank the Vestry for supporting me for this past year (and my humor for the past 3 years). Lastly I want to thank our Treasurer Bob Crafts for his support, counsel, advice, co-operation this past year! Without his contributions of advice, reason, and level headiness much of what we accomplished would not have been done. Additionally my thanks go out to all of the parishioners who have been so helpful and supportive this past year. The following is a list of projects which are needed/would like to accomplish in 2017 along with projected dollar costs. Many of these will not be completed because of budget constraints. If any of these projects are important to you or strike a hot button, please feel free to partially or fully fund that specific project. We will be happy to commemorate or memorialize your donation with a plaque or in a church donation book. Exterior doors (5) $7,500 Emergency/exit lights $1,000 Fire door $350 Upstairs north wing carpet (maroon) $7250 Upstairs south wing carpet (green) $6500 Security and door locking/opening system $4500 Refurbish & paint exterior fire escape $2100 Remote programmable control of HVAC system $2000 Parking lot sealing & striping $2750 Church interior lighting upgrade $5000 to $18,750 ( depending on level of upgrade) Gym entrance area refurbishment $500 Kitchen hallway FRP wainscoting $$750 Upgrade network to CAT 6 $1000 Seat cushions for church pews $7500 Blinds for downstairs renovated rooms $500 Interior directional signs $2750 New meeting area kitchenette $1000 9

10 2016 ANNUAL FINANCE REPORT Bob Crafts, Treasurer The finance office is staffed by a part time Financial Secretary, Diane Matz-Kane, along with Bob Crafts - Treasurer, and Tom Brunton - Assistant Treasurer. The finance office mission is to accurately and effectively manage the money used to operate St. Paul's. There are many activities required to fulfill this mission, including budget preparation, financial transactions, record keeping, financial reporting and managing cash flow. Church Windows, an integrated software system specifically for churches, consisting of Membership, Donations, Accounting and Payroll components, is used to process most membership, donations and financial transactions. It is supplemented by spreadsheets where necessary. The finance office does not determine on what St. Paul's money is spent, only when and how the bills are paid. The finance office is open 9:00 3:00 Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with offerings and other income from The Source, CCC, Belk Charity, Halloween movie, breakfast, lunch and dinner donations, and other fund raising events counted and entered into the system. The cash is counted by Tom Erway, Ron Morgan, Cheryle Wade, volunteer members of the congregation. Checks and income from other sources is processed by the Finance Secretary. Wednesdays are bill paying days and on the last Wednesday of the month, payroll is processed. Tax reporting, reconciling the checking account, preparing reports, filing paper records and depending on the time of the year, preparing the budget, assisting with the stewardship campaign, preparing the system for the year end processing, or setting up the new year in the system are other activities performed on an as needed basis. Other activities performed by the Finance Secretary include assisting the Parish Administrator as needed and answering the phone in his absence. Over the last few years, we have been blessed by growth in membership and our weekly services attendance; we have had increases in Christian formation activities, in member participation in events and internal and external activities, and in the use of our facilities by parishioners and external users. And as seen below, we have also experienced steady growth in our pledges, income and expenses. Pledges, Income and Expenses Pledge $$$ Income Expenses / / / / / /103 Year/Number of Pledges 10 (continued)

11 In 2016, we continued to use our financial resources to support the needs and activities of our Parish. While we were able to cover all our expenses, doing so required judicious use of cash flow and Endowment funds. The following summarizes our 2016 financial activity. Number of pledges 103 Amount pledged $314,170 Amount received $306,796 Difference $7,376 or about 2.3% unrealized Operating Income $367,418 Operating Expenses $421,767 Non-Operating Income of $96,851 Transfers from Endowment $83,102 Non-Operating Expenses $121,277 Operating and Non-Operating Income plus Endowment Transfers $547,351 Operating and Non-Operating Expenses $543,044 Other Income $26,079 Other Expenses $29,195 Grants Cape Fear Garden Club Grant $4,568 Lehto Foundation Grant $40,000 Endowment January 1 value $1,196,002 December 31 value $1,070,862 Additions $45,000 Interest and Dividends Earned $26,792 Funds used for Vestry and Endowment Board approved items $231,637 Ministry start up, extraordinary one time items and capital expenditures $54,496 Rector housing supplement $25,000 Purchase of 1624 Princess Street building $152,141 Fees $9,205 Checking account balance as of December 31 $ 32,

12 The following charts provide a graphic breakdown of income and expenses: 2.3% 1.8% 1.3% 1.1% 0.7% 0.5% 0.4% 0.2% 0.1% 2.6% 2.7% 5.9% Income Sources Percentages 80.5% Does not include income from: The Source, St. Agnes, Mens Group, Wilmington Boys Choir, Kitchen Renovation, Endowment Transfers Offerings Fund Raisers Music Fees and Mortgage Non-Restricted Gifts Organ Maintenance Parish Life Christian Formation Flowers & Worship Miscellaneous Management Outreach Pastoral Care Expenses Percentages 2.0% 1.7% 1.4% 1.0% 0.8% 0.4% 0.3% 16.3% 17.8% 3.1% 55.1% Does not include expenditures from The Source, St. Agnes, Mens Group, Wilmington Boys Choir, Kitchen Renovation, Capital and One Time items Clergy and Staff Facilities Business Ops Music Outreach Christian Formation Parish Life Flowers & Worship Fund Raisers Management Organ Maintenance 12

13 2016 MUSIC MINISTRY Ronnie Wise, Director of Music and Organist 2016 was a year of tremendous growth for the music program at St. Paul s. At the 5:30 pm Christmas Eve service, we saw the beginnings of what a choir of adult singers and trebles will look like, thanks to our new afternoon Choir School. The Choir School offers boys and girls age 9 through eighth grade the chance to sing services at St. Paul s, participate in voice lessons, and receive piano lessons. The trebles who participate in the Choir School are the children of St. Paul s members, Wilmington Boys Choir, and children from the community. Parents of the Choir School trebles attend services each time their children sing. The adult choir currently has 36 regular members who sing Sunday services, concerts, and a monthly evensong. We are still developing and evolving the concert series with a Music at St. Paul s Series, which includes free organ recitals and choral concerts. The Guest Artist Series is a ticketed series that targets the community with quality concerts in a beautiful acoustic. WORSHIP Herb Gant, Verger Vestry for Worship Every person who worships at St. Paul s is called upon to contribute to worship, in the sense that our worship is an organic thing of which we are all parts. We actively participate when one of us bakes the bread that will be consecrated and given back to us as the Body of Christ, lights an altar candle, welcomes a visitor sitting next to us, sings God s praises in hymns, or responds and also with you, when the priest declares The Peace of the Lord be always with you. Some of us get a title and job description for what we do. We need that because bringing together the many parts of worship to lift our hearts to God can be, well, a bit complicated. And so the titled lay people in worship include music director, organists, choir, acolytes, members of the altar and flower guilds, ushers, greeters, bread bakers, readers ( lectors ), Eucharistic ministers, and the Verger. They minister to the glory of God and to raise the spiritual lives of us all. We now have 23 parishioners who are licensed as Eucharistic ministers assisting the clergy in distributing Holy Communion in our worship. Another 14 are lectors, reading the Word of God and prayers at the Eucharist. Among the other visible ministries, our choirs, under Ronnie Wise assisted by Richard Rhoads, are simply splendid. How blessed we are by them and the dozens of others who welcome and usher visitors, attend to flowers and setting up the altar before worship, and assist at the altar. We have seen and rejoice in the growth of the number of children and youth functioning as acolytes recently. As a Eucharistic-centered community, much of our worship focuses around our Sunday services. But worship ministers are also active in special services, weddings, funerals, Holy Week services, and all of the occasions when we gather to offer praise and thanks. Our worship aims at spiritual uplift, beauty, dignity, and making Christ known to all. We welcome those of you who wish to join us in any of these capacities. Please ask the clergy or Verger for more detail. We can never have too many who wish to serve God in these ways. 13

14 CHRISTIAN FORMATION Cleve Callison Vestry Liaison (Adults) The Christian Education Committee (also known as Christian Formation) is responsible for working on the formal, adult side of our growth in Christ as individuals and as a parish. We are primarily responsible for two main branches: Sunday morning meetings from 9:15 10:15, and Wednesday night meetings with simple meals. Here are highlights from 2016: Sunday Mornings Sunday sessions typically are a mix of Bible study (mostly tied to the Common Core Lectionary), special thematic sequences of 2-5 weeks or so, and 1-Sunday special topics on seasonal themes. Presenters usually come from the Committee, with occasional guests. No classes are held on certain activity days and some major Feast days. Winter 2016 began with light-hearted looks at Top 10 Reasons to Be an Episcopalian, followed by a visit from Bishop Skirving and the 2015 Annual Meeting. The focus afterwards in Lent was a multi-part series on Transfigurations, Transformations, Re-Creations, both on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday sessions. There were no classes on Palm Sunday or Easter. Spring 2016 was a mixture of lectionaries and topics tied to Feast Days such as Rogationtide, Good Shepherd Sunday, Ascension, Pentecost and Trinity Sundays. Topics included A Mighty Fortress and Jesus as Rabbi, ending with Elijah and Elisha. No class on May Day Picnic! Summer 2016 saw Lectionary lessons, as has been our custom. In Fall 2016, the topics were primarily focused on the Horizons reports requested by the Rev. Dena on diverse topics related to planning for our future. Most sessions were led by the report compilers rather than our Committee. We looked at Goals and Objectives, the 21st Century Church, Demographics, Church Architecture for Liturgy and Aging Populations, the Church in Community. Postponed by Hurricane Matthew, the final segment on Contemplative Spirituality was postponed until February Advent 2016 classes centered around The Four Names of God by theologian Walter Brueggemann (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace). Wednesday Evenings (2nd Wednesdays) Wednesday evening sessions feature a simple meal and fellowship, followed by a presentation or discussion. In most months we meet once, on the 2nd Wednesday, but Lent and Advent usually meet weekly to discuss particular topics. Winter 2016 saw us partner with our Sunday series to reinforce the Transfigurations, Transformations, Re-Creations sequence, with a special focus on discipleship. Spring 2016 continued the focus on discipleship and included a special presentation on Storytelling by Madafo Lloyd Wilson, a local griot (a passer of traditions in African-American culture). Summer 2016 was a continuation of our popular Pizza and a Movie Series, with three films and discussions: Crash, K-Pax, and Tender Mercies. Fall and Advent 2016 focused on the topic Modern Magi, and how our journey in life can be informed by the progression of the Kings to the Child in the stable. 14

15 In addition to this work of the full Christian Education Committee, member Cheryl Brainard has contributed a series of Bible Studies on Wednesdays. On a personal note: I m rotating off the Vestry as of this parish meeting, and will no longer chair this Committee. It has been my great honor and pleasure in the last three years to work with this fine, committed group of parishioners the Rev. Dena Whalen, Cheryl and Don Brainard, Joe Farri, Kathryn and Royster Hedgepeth, and joining us for this last year Spencer Weig. I have learned a great deal from the process and enjoyed many fine breakfast discussions at the K&W. I believe and hope that the parish has benefitted from our efforts. Many thanks to St. Paul s for entrusting me to serve in this ministry. Twink Barr Vestry Liaison (Children) The Children s Christian Formation program came to life in Our Godly Play Montessori curriculum was used through May, We had one class of 3-6 children, 4-10 years of age. Nancy Bray, April Sanchez, Twink Barr and Jeanne Steward led the Bible stories and parables each week. The children entered the sacred room and were invited to wonder about the story through conversation, art and play, for the Word of God became a living word as they connected to it. In June, 2016, Ed and Alix Ablard hosted an end of the year picnic at their home. Parents and teachers discussed the possibility of changing curriculums in the fall from Godly Play to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and expanding into two classes due to the growth of the program. By the end of the schoolyear we were serving children each week. A small group of clergy and teachers met with the Rev. Catherine Powell in July to explore Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and how we could make a smooth transition in the fall. Teachers and assistants were recruited and we welcomed Paula Waterfield, Amanda Morgan, Cecelia Peers, and Zona Tounsley to join our awesome team. We were fortuneate to be able to incorporate our hands-on Montessori materials from Godly Play into the stories and parables. In August the men s group painted the upstairs hallways, added blinds, moved a coat rack and relocated our rector, Dena, downstairs, making room to add a second classroom (atrium). The Parish s response to our needs for the two Atriums was overwhelmingly successful. The St. Agnes Women s Guild donated money to purchase chairs for Atrium 2. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd began on September 18 th at a new time 9:30-10:15am. Our parents wholeheartedly supported the new time and we quickly grew in numbers of children to our current 14, 7 in each atrium. Nancy Bray and Jeanne Stewart retired in December, 2016, after serving a dedicated three years in Godly Play. We already miss their loving spirit and support but know they are becoming active in other areas of the church. We just welcomed five new assistants: Hadley Iacovelli, Erika Geisler, Alix Dorr, Francisco Aguilar and Beatrice Beardsworth and they are currently being trained. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd provides quality spirituality and theology lessons for the children of St. Paul s. It focuses on children s inner spiritual growth. The atrium is a special place and time to savor the gospel words and images. It s a quiet place with special things. It was renamed Children of the Good Shepherd to focus on our children. Atrium 1 The Good Shepherd: serves children 4-6 years; Atrium 2 The Way: serves children 7-11 years. Twink Barr is the Children of the Good Shepherd Coordinator. 15 (continued)

16 Nursery The Nursery is for infants and toddlers during the Christian Formation time 9:15-10:15am and for infants and children through 1 st grade during the 10:30am service. A second nursery attendant, Kelsi Teegardin, was hired in August to assist Aubree Sutton. We are currently looking to hire two more nursery attendants. Diana Wallace is the Nursery Coordinator. Children s Chapel On September 18, 2016, children first grade through fifth grade were invited to attend our Children s Chapel as part of their worship on Sundays. After the reading of the Gospel, the crucifer and chaplain of the day leads them out of the church and brings them back to church during The Peace. Chapel includes a children s creed and prayers, music, Bible stories and learning about our worship. Dena Whalen is the Children s Chapel Coordinator. Acolyte Training Acolyte training at St. Paul s began this fall. It includes Christian formation as well as how to perform Sunday morning duties. Training and Christian formation occurs in three ways: Children s Chapel, individual coaching on Sunday mornings before or after the worship service, and several scheduled Saturday morning meetings from 10:00am-12:30pm every six to eight weeks during which the children receive training and enjoy a fun activity and lunch. A merit system has been devised by Jeffry Hughes to give the children incentives to participate and learn. Jeffrey Hughes is the Acolyte Coordinator. Family Activities in 2016: Easter Egg and Hallelujah Hunt Trunk or Treat in October-- Cecelia Peers and Tom Erway are the Parish Life Coordinators Children s Christmas Eve Pageant Lucy LaSalle PASTORAL CARE Peggy Thompson - Vestry Liaison Members: Cheryl Brainard, Don Brainard, Kathryn Hedgepeth, Kay Swindell, Dena Whalen, Larry Wright, Merry Ann Wright It has been a blessing for me this past year to serve on the vestry at St. Paul s. I have grown so much in my faith and all the facets of love, generosity and care we offer to our members and visitors at St. Paul s. I enjoy serving on the Pastoral Care Team, visiting members at home, hospital, and rehab centers. I hope to continue to grow in this mission and I am very proud to be a member of St. Paul s and welcome our new vestry members. The pastoral care team meets monthly with administrator Carl Samet to review the people listed on the parish prayer list and report updates on ministry provided. These ministries include: Eucharistic Ministers take communion to those who are unable to attend church due to illness or confinement at home or long-term care facility. Visits and calls are made, and cards sent, to those in need. 16 (continued)

17 The bulletin and sermon are mailed weekly to members who are confined at home or long-term care facility. Community of Hope trains and supports individuals in the parish who enter into caring relationships with those in need of pastoral support. Helping Hands provides hospitality for funerals. STEWARDSHIP Sue Sramek Vestry Liaison In the secular world, living abundantly suggests acquiring more and more worldly possessions. But to me, living abundantly means embracing nature and all of its beauty, opening our arms and lives to others, and fully celebrating all of the other gifts God gives us every day. When I began 2016 as the new Stewardship Chair, I thought about how Living Abundantly might tie in with the national church s stewardship theme of Living Generously. It seemed to me that Living Abundantly should automatically lead to Living Generously. We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. What we do with our time and treasure in the interim is what matters. I will address the treasure area shortly, but we need to celebrate how many ways people have given so generously of their time and talents to make St. Paul s the vibrant community it is and also serve the wider community with great love. In May I embarked on a project to personally call all of our parishioners, and one of the questions I asked was, What community organizations are you involved in? I was amazed at the time people give and the wide range of organizations people are involved in! They include Mother Hubbard s Cupboard, Snipes Academy, The Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, the Police Department s Victims Advocacy Program, Aging in Action, Habitat for Humanity, the Samaritan Ministry, the refugee program, the SPCA, NAMI, the Cameron Art Museum, New Hanover Hospital and others. In the fall it was time to begin addressing the part of stewardship known as treasure. We have a large facility to maintain, salaries to pay, and other financial obligations that are ongoing. Just as a family needs to know what money is coming in to pay the bills, so our church needs to know what financial resources we can count on for the coming year. Our Stewardship Campaign was launched on Oct. 3 with the first of three letters. They included letters from the Senior Warden, Merry Ann Wright, and also one from our rector Dena on Oct. 10th, which included a pledge card. There were also inserts in Sunday bulletins. In addition three parishioners, M.J. Giammaria, Bill Anlyan and Sue Sramek shared their stories of what St. Paul s means to them. As of Jan. 9, 2017 we have received 101 pledges for a total of $287,112 versus 103 pledges last year for a total of 314,170. That shows that we are short $27,058 over last year s pledged amount. The Stewardship team comprised of Tom Brunton, Joe Farri, Bill Anlyan, Bob Crafts and Sue Sramek, Chair, met with Dena on Tuesday, Jan 17 to review the results of the campaign. We will be contacting the 15 parishioners who pledged last year but have not, as yet, pledged for 2017, and also letters of appreciation will soon be going to those who have already pledged. In addition, there are more than 40 people who did not pledge but did support the church financially, so they will also be contacted soon. I recently read an article in Guideposts magazine called The Joy of Giving, which challenged me to (continued) 17

18 seriously look at tithing. How would giving 10% of what I have to others change my life? And would it be possible for the church itself to give 10% of all the funds we receive to support our outreach ministries? What sacrifices would that mean for us as a church community and blessings could that bring? The vestry will be on a retreat the weekend of Feb and stewardship will be high on the weekend s agenda for prayerful deliberation. God has abundantly blessed us and our gifts of time and treasure should be a reflection of those abundant blessings. The Stewardship Committee will be acting on the results of those discussions and laying out a plan for the coming year to not only meet our financial obligations, but also to give more generously to God s children in need. PARISH LIFE Tom Erway Vestry Liaison Cecelia Peers Vestry Liaison The mission of Parish Life is to provide the members of St. Paul's opportunities to know each other better and to know God within each other and through relationship with the greater community. This is accomplished through fellowship, friendship and hospitality in the following: The times that we gather after worship in fellowship and communal meals. Events hosted by St. Paul's that enhance our sense of connection and appreciation of one another. Community activities hosted by/involving St. Paul's that deepen our sense of relationship within our community. As St. Paul s continues to grow, parish life activities help new and existing members get to know each other, and develop stronger relationships. Our members who have graciously offered to help with preparing and cleaning up after service and events are at the heart of building parish life. Sunday Breakfast and Reception Hot and hearty breakfasts are prepared by one of our nine teams of Breakfast Chefs following the 8:00 service. Then after the 10:30 service the wonderful reception spread keeps our members chatting and noshing. As we eat and talk, we become more aware of the many gifts that God has blessed our members with and feel the Holy Spirit move among us as we hear encouraging words, make plans together, share the things that bring us joy, and just engage in great conversation. There are eight hospitality teams with 5-6 members each, and almost every team has at least one new member of the parish. Wednesday Lunch After the 12:10 Wednesday service, we host a tasty lunch. About people regularly gather after the service to enjoy the mid-day meal and great conversation, and for some this is the only service they attend and time to gather with parish family. We are always looking for members who would like to help host lunch as it continues to bring members together during the week. SPECtaculars We have a growing number of members in their 20 s, 30 s and 40 s. This group gathers once a month for family dinners or a kid-friendly activity, and every other month for kid-free time. Past gatherings include family dinner soup-swap and adult only jump time at Defy Gravity. This has helped our growing younger membership get to know each other and build stronger friendships. (continued) 18

19 Parish Life Events Outside of our regular gatherings, the following are events within Parish Life that have brought us together throughout the year: May 1st Holy Eucharist in the Park Service and Parish Picnic at Hugh McRae Park September 9th-11th Parish Retreat at the Trinity Center, Pine Knoll Shores October 14th Nosferatu Movie and Organ Performance by Dorothy Papadakos October 29th St. Paul s Trunk or Treat November 24th Thanksgiving Dinner at St. Paul s MEMBERSHIP Chip Carter Vestry Liaison Jay Stewart Vestry Liaison The year 2016 saw continuing emphasis placed on strengthening and broadening the two major activities within Membership - Welcoming and Incorporation. Welcoming The Greeter Team - These are 22 volunteers who represent St. Paul s as the first official people who welcome new guests to our church. A genuine greeting or welcome is an initial and vital part of our care ministry. Our Greeters ensure that all who enter St. Paul s for worship services are recognized and assisted as needed. Great first impressions are essential to inspire a visitor to want to return to St. Paul s in the future. The results of these efforts are noted below for the past year: Overall New Guest Attendance = 200 plus New SPEC Church Membership = 24 (2015 Total Year = 19/represents growth of 26%) The Welcoming Ministry also introduced a new program to better correlate our Greeter activities with other parts of the Membership s Ministry (which include Newcomer Dinners, Fellowship Dinner Groups, Ministry Fair discussed in more detail below). All of these components are designed to work together to focus energy and on building a robust and vital church community. Highlights of enhancements include: A completely redesigned Welcome bag was developed for each new guest which includes among other things historical information about St. Paul s in the form of a book mark. Also included is an invitation card for new guests to share their names and address (the Guest Book also remains as another way for guests to provide information about themselves). Handwritten notes of welcome are mailed to each guest by either Deacon Swindell or Rev. Whalen based on the collected information. Name tags are also created after the 2nd visit. Reinstatement of delivery of larger Gift Bags to visitor homes by volunteer Ambassadors who support this responsibility by designated zip code. Newcomer Dinners - presents a further and more enriching part of Welcoming. The focus of each dinner is to offer not only a sense of community, but also to extend an invitation to each person attending a way to become fully involved in the life of the parish by offering time, talent and treasure both in the parish and in our local community. Invitations follow within a short time after (continued) 19

20 the Gift Bag delivery to each guest. Newcomers are provided with a share opportunity to meet and socialize among themselves and to interact with our Rector, our Deacon, and our Senior Warden in an informal, casual setting. Results of 2016 Dinners are: All together three (3) dinners were scheduled for 2016 with an average invited list of twentyfive (25) Newcomers. However, due to difficulties resulting from Hurricane Matthew only two (2) dinners were held with 30 Newcomers attending. In 2017, the focus will be on smaller and more frequently scheduled dinners hosted in home settings. Incorporation Fellowship Dinner Groups - this Membership program is one of two developed to assure that all Newcomers become acquainted with more parishioners and will begin to be part of the St. Paul s church family. Traditionally these groups are arranged through a drawing in late August and the first events are planned for September. The events are rotating dinners, going to shows/plays/concerts or even meeting at a chosen restaurant for a shared meal and lively conversation. Fellowship Dinner Groups are different than Newcomers Dinners in that they cover a broader segment of our parish membership not just those who are new to our church thus offering new experiences and new acquaintances in shared engaged setting. The results of this years dinners are: Drawing produced 89 participants divided into 9 traditional groups each headed by a volunteer team captain. Groups range from 8 to 11 parish members each Additionally, there is one family friendly group comprised of younger members (counting this group the total number of participants in our Fellowship Dinner Groups in over 100 parishioners). Plans for 2017 include moving the start of sign-up sheets for the dinner drawing to an earlier date - possibly the month of July. Also the drawing for groups might possibly be done in mid- August to all for September starts for group events. Ministry Fair - this program was reinstated in 2016 as a way to heighten parish member awareness/ participation in educational programs, ministries and fellowship activities conducted in the church. The Fair seeks to encourage/ enlist each parish member s dedication and participation to some aspect of the church whether it be the traditional Sunday morning worship service or other activities of parish life. The emphasis is on making a contribution of time, talent to the many very many worthwhile activities St. Paul s sponsors and supports. Very positive results were produced in 2016 as follows: 27 new volunteers were enlisted for 17 church programs ranging from Hospitality to Eucharistic Ministers. OUTREACH Don Brainard Vestry Liaison The St. Paul s building and grounds is our home for the Body of Christ. However, we are enjoined to be the Body of Christ in the world. In large measure our work in the world is through our Outreach 20 (continued)