VESTRY MEETING NOVEMBER 2015

Transcription

1 VESTRY MEETING NOVEMBER VESTRY MEETING AGENDA NOVEMBER VESTRY MINUTES_OCT SENIOR WARDEN UPDATE _ NOVEMBER ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES_NOV PRESCHOOL UPDATE The following documents can be reviewed in the Parish Office Financials Page 1

2 VESTRY MEETING AGENDA DATE: November 17, 2015 TIME: 6:30pm Opening Prayer Consent Agenda Note: Treasurer s financials will be included in the read-a-heads for today s Agenda. However, all financial information will be discussed in New Business, if there is time. Report from Merrick-Kemper is attached as a read-ahead and will be used for discussion in December s meeting with a meeting with Merrick-Kemper Contractors. Minutes from October 2015 Senior Warden s Report Junior Warden Projects 2016 (attached to Annual Meeting Minutes) Annual Meeting Minutes Recap of meeting with Rev. Canon Amy Coultas re: Interim Priest (included in Senior Warden s Report) Preschool Update Fund Raising & Stewardship Old (or Unfinished) Business Bylaws vote New Business Meeting with Rev. Whit Stodghill, prospective interim priest Additional items to be discussed this meeting or next Closing prayer Next Regularly Scheduled Vestry meeting: Tuesday, December 15, 6:30pm Page 2

3 St. James Episcopal Church Pewee Valley, KY Vestry Minutes October 20, 2015 There was a Vestry Meeting on Tuesday, October 20, at St. James. In attendance were: Joe John, Susan Hinkel, Gabi Keemer, David Gleason, Ed Heymann, Tim Beamer, Skip Bentley, Corky Webb, and Ann Schatzinger. Joe John, Senior Warden called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm, followed by an opening prayer. Consent Agenda Minutes from September 2015 Senior Warden s Report Junior Warden s Report Junior Warden Projects 2016 Cemetery Operations (Bylaws revision) 2012 Worship Survey Recap of meeting with Rev. Canon Amy Coultas re: Interim Priest Joe pointed out that the Consent Agenda to be approved does not include the last two bulleted items. It was noted that to approve the Junior Warden Projects 2016, is not to approve the projects themselves. Susan Hinkel made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda, Corky seconded, vote taken, and the motion passed. Old Business BYLAWS VOTE In the read-ahead documents for this meeting there was a Proposed Rewording For Cemetery Operations that refers to the wording under Cemetery, Section 3 of our bylaws. Joe passed out another document, Cemetery Operations. We decided to table the vote on the bylaws until all the Vestry members have an opportunity to read it. In addition, Joe John will ask Parish Administrator, Angel Morrow, to compare our prices with that of other cemeteries. A Cemetery Committee can be formed but the Vestry is ultimately responsible for the Cemetery and members have a lot of questions about the management of a cemetery. After reading Cemetery Operations and getting additional information of pricing in other cemeteries, we will continue this discussion next month. New Business INTERIM PRIEST UPDATE In the Senior Warden s Report and Joe s memo to the Vestry, both in our read-ahead s for this meeting, he recapped his meeting with Amy Coultas regarding St. James having Page 3

4 an interim priest. Basically we re back to the question of whether or not we want an interim priest. So far we have not been presented with any candidates to interview. Currently, in lieu of an interim priest, our deacon, Mary Abrams is taking care of the needs of the congregation in terms of home and hospital visitation, answering phone calls, Eucharist, and counsel. Mary will leave for Florida in early November and will be away until late March. Discussion followed on how to fill this void. Susan Hinkel reported that the Daughters of the King (DOK), under their program, Spiritual Life, is willing to help out with these duties. It will be important to meet with Mary before she leaves and go over her procedures. While this may not be a long-term plan, we will begin with the DOK providing these services in Mary s absence. We ll rely on members of the congregation to contact the DOK with any needs that need to be filled. Skip is willing to help out with the Eucharist and will work with the DOK. WORSHIP SURVEY We discussed whether or not the congregation needs to be surveyed in regards to the time of the services. Is this an issue we want to address now or wait until we have a new rector. A survey would be more information for the Search Committee to supply to candidates. Joe John will work on the wording of the survey and we will discuss this further at the November meeting. PLAN FOR ANNUAL MEETING We discussed how our annual meeting will be intertwined with the liturgical process of our Rite Two service that day. Everyone agreed that it looked like a good process to follow and that it flows well. We plan to have a potluck meal after the service/meeting. VESTRY NOMINATING COMMITTEE 2016 We have two bio s of members who wish to serve on our vestry, Cherish Joostberns and Terry Quinlan. We have three 3 spots to fill, plus the unexpired term of Shane Ball, who has resigned. Ann Schatzinger is interested in filling the unexpired term, and Joe is talking with two other members, one of whom may fill the third vacancy. STEWARDSHIP UPDATE Corky Webb passed out a handout for St. James Stewardship Campaign 2016 Gifts of God from the people of God. Corky has outlined how we will handle the campaign throughout the month of November. This includes handwritten letters by vestry members, weekly s, weekly reminders at services, a sermon incorporating stewardship, and Stewardship Day on 11/22 when we have one service with breakfast afterwards provided by the choir, vestry and DOK. There will be three speakers during the breakfast presenting on time, talent, and treasures. Pledge cards will be turned in on November 29th. BUDGET YEAR TO DATE Page 4

5 We reviewed the financial reports noting that the Lizzie Fund is down due to the stock market and that we continue to operate in the red. We need the Search Committee to report to us how much money needs to be set aside to fund them. UPDATE ON JUNIOR WARDEN STATUS Ed is seeking clarification about what the Vestry expects from the Junior Warden. We reviewed the recent work done on the church including electrical repairs and painting. We feel the need to have a capped budget for the Junior Warden position and any expenses above that would need to be approved by the vestry. Within the capped budget we would trust the Junior Warden to have the church s best interest in mind and the Vestry would not micro-manage it. Capital items will always be reviewed by the Vestry. David Gleason and Ed Heymann will work together to build a budget for the Vestry to approve. Adjournment Ed made the motion to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Joe John. Skip Bentley led us in a closing prayer. Per Diocesan Audit, Rector s base salary is $49,224, and the housing allowance is $18,576. Due to the departure of our rector, our last payment was the August 15th payroll. Respectfully submitted, Joe John Senior Warden Gabriela Keemer Secretary Page 5

6 MEMORANDUM TO: FROM: St. James Vestry Joe John, Senior Warden DATE: November 2015 RE: SENIOR WARDEN UPDATE FOR NOVEMBER 2015 VESTRY MEETING 1. exchange with Rev. Canon Amy on Wednesday, October 29, Hope Springs Eternal. The Rev. Whit Stodghill has given me permission to indicate her interest in serving as Interim Rector at St. James' Pewee Valley. The Rev. Dr. James Shumard, from Georgia, has also indicated interest. I can share Rev. Shumard s resume for those who are interested. Have been in contact with Rev. Stodghill to discuss the Vestry introduction, the goals and objectives she has a a part time rector and the need to coordinate and dovetail her responsibilities with those of Rev. Jerry Cappel s as well. Rev. Stodghill will meet with the Vestry on Tuesday, November Continuing the scheduling of November, December and January schedules with Rev. Jerry and other visiting (supply) priests. Mary is officially gone, effective Annual Meeting, November 8. Scheduling will need to be adjusted once the Interim is in place and we know how Whit s and Jerry s schedules will work together. As of now, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be covered and full Eucharist planned. Worship Committee agreed that Sunday, December 27 will not be a busy Sunday, thus we are planning Morning Prayer and most likely offer one service. Fr. Jerry will celebrate on Christmas Eve (Midnight Mass) and Rev. Katherine Doyle will celebrate and Preach on Christmas Day. 3. Mary Abrams has contacted everyone impacted by Safeguarding God s Children. Everyone now knows their assignments and can go on line and complete their required assignments. 4. For the October meeting, Angel provided documents regarding Cemetery Operations. I forwarded cemetery prices from local cemeteries to the Vestry, per the request of the Vestry to compare our prices. Recap of current costs from Angel: The burial rights are $500. But the other costs are variables. Matthews bronze is who we order the site markers from and depending on the current stock prices of bronze and gold - will determine the price of marker at time of purchase. In the past 2 years they have gone from $685 to $780 including S&H. (Gold has gone up and they are gold edged) The cost to dig, cover and place marker with concrete is on an average at $375 for all labor and materials. I have tried to call around and didn't get a Page 6

7 call back to see if this can be done for less. It looks like St. James' has been using the same guy & his nephew for many years to do this. I wanted to look into this at other cemeteries, but haven't had the time. So, on average - the actual burial part is an additional $1100 +/- to the $500 burial rights - at current market pricing. The latest being Jeanne Heimerdinger & her prices when ordered. On a personal note (from the Senior Warden), I don t think St. James has been a shopper s market for final resting places. People want to be buried at St. James because of their faith, the hallowed ground, and numerous other religious reasons. The Vestry has something to which to compare, but it s not apples-and-oranges. Bottom line, our rates are great and most importantly, we have plenty of room in our blessed cemetery for those who want the final resting place by the Big Red Doors. Cemetery upkeep has been added to Buildings and Grounds in the bylaws. 5. All Souls Remembrance card, developed last month, is being used throughout the month of November. They are placed on the altar for all services throughout November. 6. Met with David and Corky regarding Stewardship and planned giving program for the month of November. Corky agreed to send notes to those who gave last year and haven t as of yet. I will send thank you s to those who give this year. Rev. Katherine Doyle will address Stewardship in her sermon on Sunday, November 15 th. 7. Annual Meeting appeared to be successful and many folks apparently liked the format with the meeting format woven throughout the liturgical process. A vote of acclamation was approved unanimously for Ann Schatzinger. She will fill Shane Ball s unexpired term of 2 years and two months. A Vote of acclamation was approved unanimously for Mary Harding, Cherish Joostberns and Terry Quinlan to be our three new Vestry Members. Terms to begin January 2016 and to end December 31, Susan Hinkel and I were Lay Deputies at the Diocesan Convention, November Very positive, lots of information. Will process what we learned from the convention and share in next month s Consent Agenda. 9. Ed Heymann, in his projects for 2016, will be conducting an appraisal of items with the assistance of Scott Nussbaum, a certified appraiser. He also got a very detailed and documented report from Merrick-Kemper. This firm comes highly recommended; Ed called Carleton Godsey and he had nothing but great things to say about the firm, plus, he used the firm for his own house. Ed has schedule a date in early December to work the Altar Guild to inventory and photograph all of the items in our Sacristy that are used for worship Respectfully Submitted Joe John Page 7

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10 Twenty Fourth Sunday after Pentecost PARISH ANNUAL MEETING November 8, 2015 The 2015 Annual Meeting took place at the 10:30 a.m. Rite Two service. The plan was to combine all meeting components with the liturgical process. After the openings of the service, in lieu of the Old Testament reading, Rev. Dr. Jerry Cappel officially opened the meeting and explained the process for the morning s meeting. He explained why having the annual meeting dovetailed naturally with the liturgical process and was a very important spiritual exercise. The Psalm was sung and then Sr. Warden, Joe John delivered the State of the Parish. [attachment] After the reading of the Gospel, Sr. Warden, Joe John delivered the Budget Narrative to share with congregation. [attachment] The Nicene Creed and Prayers of the People were read followed by Confession and Absolution. Prior to the Peace, the Senior Warden conducted the Vestry overview and voting for the new members. [attachments]. Ann Schatzinger was nominated to fill the remaining two years and two months of Shane Ball s vacancy. By a vote of acclamation, Ann Schatzinger was approved. Ann s term is November 2015 to December 31, Mary Harding, Cherish Joostberns and Terry Quinlan were nominated to become the three new Vestry members. By a vote of acclamation, the three candidates were approved. Their terms begin January 1, 2016 and expire December 31, Following the Peace, Search Committee Co-chairs, Beth Webb and Connie Coartney updated the congregation on the current search for a new Rector as well as informing them of the survey all members of the congregation are asked to complete (Survey Monkey on line) in order to give the committee and the consultant a benchmark for assessing what the congregation wants from the church and from the new Rector. The service continued with the Vestry receiving communion as a group. Rev. Cappel gave the final blessing and Rev. Mary Abrams officially adjourned the Annual Meeting. Joseph John Senior Warden Gabi Keemer Secretary Page 10

11 State of the Parish Annual Meeting November 8, 2015 In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Come gather 'round people wherever you roam And admit that the waters around you have grown And accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone If your time to you is worth savin' Then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin' I may be dating myself, but I believe that a number of you DO remember Bob Dylan and his famous song, The Times, They are a Changin. I m sure you re pleased I didn t sing that. Well, welcome to St. James, cause the times, they are a changin. And you know what it s ok. Just think about the number of times, you ve been a changin during your lifetime, and also right here at this great church. Think of your fellow Episcopalian brothers and sisters who comprise the thirty-six parishes in this Diocese. Oh, yes, the times, they are a changin for them as well it s non-stop for all of us. Whether it s St. Thomas, St. Paul s, Calvary, St. Albans, or the Cathedral. And all across the United States all of the dioceses the times, they are a changin. Ask yourself, is it really true that the only person who likes change is a baby? That is a rhetorical question and doesn t really require a reply. Change is a fact of life a fact we need to embrace because why should change not be reflected in a church and among its congregation? You and I are not insulated from change, we can t be, it s impossible to ignore. Six days a week, we live our lives outside this beautiful campus of ours. Whether we re part of the 8:00ers, 10:30ers, boomers, or millennials, we all face change. The degree of change may differ, but it s change, nonetheless and it needs to be embraced, because it impacts us 24/7. Change. Think back exactly a year and one day 366 days ago. That s the day I shared with the congregation the news that we selected an architect to restore Gleason Hall and would be entertaining bids for contractors to rebuild the structure right over there. We talked about new entrances, tarping, a temporary wall, and of course, costs and yet, we adapted. We were promised completion dates that mother nature and many other forces beyond our control delayed. Our patience was tested at times, and yet, we adapted. We began to embrace the reality of the Big Blue Tarp on the grounds of the Big Red Doors in Oldham County. Further proof of the strength of our congregation. Ah, the patience of Job congrats to each and everyone of you. Page 11

12 Change. We had Rev. Jerry Cappel join us as a part time priest earlier this year. YES! And then? More Change. Think back to May of this year when our Rector delivered a sermon in which he informed us that he was called to serve another church in another state. Change. And yet life continued and has continued in our historic church. Since last November, we baptized five of God s children, married a few, buried a few, blessed our animals, gained a few parishioners, and, yes, we lost a few as well. All in keeping with the cycle of life in God and through the institution of the Church. The cyclical theory of life definitely pervades our lives. Change. Yes. But we continued to engage, as a church and as individuals, to serve those within our church community and in the greater Oldham County Community and far beyond. We have kept in touch with the troops overseas, collecting food for the Red Cross, delivering healing blankets to the infirmed, visiting those who are sick, bringing the sacrament of the Eucharist to them and sharing God s love while also providing an ear to listen to those who just need someone to talk to or lending a helping hand, where there is comfort in the touch of one who cares. True Pastoral care from our congregation. Again. A HIGH FIVE to all of you. We came together as a congregation in March for our Day of Discovery and Listening to help us chart our future course as a congregation. Little did we know that this exercise would be the basis of incredible information, providing a baseline of purpose and direction for our future Rector. Well, here we are at this annual meeting, which should always be a time of celebration and it is! Because within the massive dynamic, that we call change, there is consistency and continuity. Pauline Kezer states that Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. The annual meeting is a time to be proud of our accomplishments, the consistency, that so many groups within St. James have made in the name of our Church and for Jesus Christ. We have every reason to celebrate because of our ministries and our accomplishments: the outstanding Music and Choral program, the Daughters of the King, the Episcopal Church Women, the Vestry, the Finance/Endowment Committee, the Altar Guild, Sunday School, the Nursery, the Building and Grounds Committee, the Sunday Morning Breakfasts, Tuesday morning Bible Study, the Preschool, the Men s Group, Lunch on the Lawn, Arts Fair, numerous fundraising activities including the successful A Taste of St. James, the Christmas Pageant, the Lenten Programs and Spaghetti Dinners, Trunk or Treat, the Healing Blanket Committee, the Worship Committee, and the list continues. Pat yourselves on the back. What accomplishments. High Fives are allowed in Church. Page 12

13 And now, we add yet another group within this dynamic called change, and it s called our Search Committee, the team assembled to begin looking for and interviewing prospective candidates to be our new Rector. And let us not forget that we also open our doors to AA and Al-Anon; the Girl Scouts; and numerous other nonprofit groups who are seeking a safe haven for a meeting. Within the massive dynamic, that we call change, there is consistency in our inreach and outreach programs. Alright, I d say high five, but your arms are probably tired and rightfully so. In a few moments, during this service, we will review our budget narrative a high level snapshot of the year past, and a snapshot of the year to come. We need to look objectively through various lenses at our fiscal budget, to grasp the touchstones of financial realities. For although we sometimes tend to focus strictly on the bricks-and-mortar of St. James where we worship and celebrate, the budget also provides the roadmap for our Vision, Mission, and Values of our church the roadmap you, our congregation approved in 2013 a statement that extends way beyond the bricks-and-mortar of this 150 year old church. Not long after our Rector s departure, Mary delivered an impassioned sermon to us all. She asked us a pointed question: So are we shepherdless without a full time minister to guide us? It was an inspirational and highly instructional sermon since she guided us through the Book of Common Prayer guiding us and making us focus on Who Are the Ministers of the Church? The answer probably took many people aback because the answer was a simple YOU. You, the Laity, the foundation of the church, and lay persons were listed FIRST, before bishops, priests and deacons. As Mary stated, you are not sitting down the hall behind a desk, preparing for the next service, writing your sermon, YOU are out in the world with the people of God. And so, at this Annual Meeting, we embrace change, we celebrate all of our accomplishments and our Christian Consistency. But most importantly, we celebrate our ministry. YOU make this church run. YOU spread the Gospel to the community. YOU are St. James, not a rector. YOU create the new St. James. YOU embody the 150 years of history that has made this a great church and will continue to do so even as the Times are they a changin. Amen Page 13

14 Budget Narrative St. James Episcopal Church Prepared for the Annual Meeting, November 8, 2015 Note to the Congregation: Last year, at the Annual Meeting, we introduced the Budget Narrative to share with the congregation, similar to what the Diocese presents at the annual convention. The Vestry and the Finance Committee were all of the opinion that most people would prefer to hear a financial story a factual recap of what is going on with the church, with a look back and look forward, while not being overwhelmed with spreadsheets, numbers, and other data that clouds the real issues. I am pleased to present this year s Budget Narrative, which will highlight the state of our expenses/income. As always, we are committed to exercising fiscal responsibility, especially since we are in a period of transition and major change in our church. On behalf of the Vestry, I ask for your patience, your guidance, and ask that you seek out the Holy Spirit to enlighten us as we continue to make tough financial decisions for 2016, all the while exercising fiduciary responsibility. Peace+ Joe John Senior Warden November 2015 Note: Parishioners can request a spreadsheet if they wish to drill down to the details. 1. ENDOWMENT FUNDS LIZZIE FUND We begin this narrative with a very important discussion of the Lizzie Fund. Last year, we prefaced this first section of the narrative with the following statement: The Lizzie Fund is NOT a piggy bank. Lizzie cannot be used for operating expenses, salaries, and day-to-day expense management. Per the wording of the will, the Lizzie Fund is to be used for the restoration and upkeep of such church Our 2015 goal was to reduce our reliance on the Lizzie Fund for operating expenses and to adopt strict guidelines to ensure the sustainability of the Fund. The Endowment Committee adopted guidelines in accordance with Stockyards Bank recommendations to limit withdrawals to 4% annually, plus an additional 1% for emergencies. Withdrawals were $41,600 and $32,000 for 2013 and 2014 respectively. Page 14

15 We are happy to report that the withdrawal through 10/31/15 has been $30,755 or 4.4%, which included all emergency parish hall costs not covered by insurance ([insurance and Gleason Hall are addressed later in this document]. Please note that the Vestry s agreement with the Endowment committee last year, and signed off by the Senior Warden and Treasurer, is that a super majority is required to change any recommendations the Endowment committee has made regarding the Lizzie Fund. The Finance/Endowment committee met with Stockyards Bank on October 28, 2015 for our biannual review. The committee was provided an overview of the current market conditions; confirmation of authorized signers; a review of the investments within the account; and a reconfirmation of maintaining an asset allocation of 60% equities and 40% fixed income. As of October 26, 2015, the market value of the fund was $669,901. Planning for the 2016 Budget includes a 4% calculation of the Lizzie Fund, which will be distributed in either quarterly or monthly increments. BINGHAM FUND The Community Foundation of Louisville manages the St. James Episcopal Church Choral Music Fund, called the Bingham Fund. Distributions are specifically earmarked for the Music Program only. The distribution policy specifies a 5% annual maximum distribution Over the past several years, depending upon market conditions, we have received approximately $10,000 per year. Typically, the payments are made twice during the year, averaging $5,000+ per payment. 2. DIOCESAN PLEDGE On May 26, 2015 three members of the Trustees and Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky came to meet with Vestry members and members of the Finance Committee. In attendance from the Diocese were Rev. Karl Lusk, Rev. Candyce Loscher, and Mr. Hamp Moore, Esq., The specific matter at hand concerned our budget of 2014 and the commitment that we made in July 2013 to accept the canonical assessment of 15% of our 2013 NDI, which we did not meet ($32,000+). The meeting was positive, open, and both sides of the table began to see the importance of St. James playing an important role among the other 36 parishes in the Diocese. [note: minutes of that meeting are available upon request]. We have had many challenges facing us prior to and during this transition period since the departure of Rev. Jim Trimble. Even with building issues (Gleason Hall), the decrease in giving has been a challenge to meet our 15% commitment. However, we are a strong congregation and will continue to do what we must to do in order to move back towards the desired/required canonical assessment. The following paragraph from our meeting with the Trustees and Council will summarize the direction St. James is taking to move towards that goal: Karl reiterated that a goal of 15% is not open ended and we need to take steps to get back to that level of contribution. Karl spoke of baby steps as we work to reach that goal and suggested that we make incremental increases over the next Page 15

16 5 years to move from 7.5% to 15%. Candyce s suggestion was to increase around 1% each year and reach the 15% in 7 years. Our 2015 goal was to honor our pledge of $16,087, an increase from 2014 of $9,754 or 154%. We are happy to report that this pledge has been paid in full. Our Vestry has voted to raise our Canonical Assessment from 7.5% to 9% for 2016: $21,300 ($1,775 monthly). The documentation and explanation to the Diocese, which is public record, was sent to the Diocese [note: copies available upon request]. A new Canonical assessment is being proposed at this year s Diocesan Convention. The lay deputies for St. James (Joe John and Susan Hinkel) will report back on the final outcome of the vote and detail the process if enacted. 3. BUILDING UPKEEP Look around our property and everyone is proud of our beautiful campus. However, it comes with a cost. We must insure our property and thankfully, we have an insurance company that supported us in the reconstruction of Gleason Hall. We have found that shopping around for smaller premiums does not guarantee service and payment of claims at the time of claim. Thus, we will continue to remain insured with Church Insurance. [commentary on Insurance later in this document] There was considerable uncertainty a year ago about our ability to maintain the buildings and grounds, principally the major repairs to the parish hall. We are happy to report that all major repairs to the parish hall have been paid [see Gleason Hall recap], plus we have begun some projects of deferred maintenance, such as trees and maintenance to the sanctuary. We have expenses for lawn care, snow/ice removal, cleaning, and other overhead costs that are minimal considering the size of our building and property. We already know that we don t have enough parishioners who have the time or the equipment to mow the lawn on a regular basis, trim the trees, clean the church, and so forth (we are talking about approximately four (4) acres of mowing and upkeep). Building and Grounds accounts for approximately 15.5%% of the total budget (excluding insurance & utilities) through September That figure does not include the extra money we needed to take from the Lizzie Fund for structural emergencies. Buildings and Grounds has received a major boost from our maintenance team of our Junior Warden, Ed Heymann; plus Debbie Hanna, Kenny Hoback, Randy Stover, Tom Sabin, Scott Greenwald, John and Marilyn Becht, Carolyn Heymann, Ben Matero, Ann Schatzinger, and of course, our fantastic Parish Administrator, Angel Morrow. 4. ENERGY COSTS Projecting energy costs out to December 31, we anticipate a cost of approximately $18,000, which would be 83% of the planned Annual Budget. We have been very prudent in turning off Page 16

17 lights, keeping heating/ac within reasonable levels, changing out water hungry toilets, and so forth. We are always looking for energy savings and looking to see what other savings we can make throughout the building and grounds. Three individuals contributed money to purchase LED light bulbs for the Gleason Hall Chandeliers. Every bulb was replaced with the cost-saving bulb and thus we will save not only on energy, but also replacement bulbs due to the long life of the LED s. The replacement of a new A/C unit should help in keeping utility costs down at a manageable level. Plus, a maintenance agreement was signed with Prudential (lowest bidder) to ensure worry-free A/C and Heating throughout the year. As you can see, we have accomplished a lot in energy efficiency, however, we are at a point where finding additional savings will yield very little unless we make capital investments in other energy efficient systems such as solar, geothermal, etc. 5. CHURCH SALARIES AND BENEFITS Through September, Salaries and Benefits accounted for 78% of the church s regular giving (loose plate collection, memorial donations, Bingham, and gifts are not factored in this calculation), or 54.8% of all expenses. Please keep in mind that the Lizzie Fund is not included in the calculation as well, since the fund is designated specifically for bricks/mortar/and grounds and not salaries and benefits. [refer to #1. Lizzie Fund] Salaries and Benefits will continue to decrease through the remainder of the year since Rector salary and benefits are not being paid the last payment to the Rector was processed on August 15. We must, however, plan to put money aside to prepare for, hopefully, an interim rector salary and benefits will be negotiated with the prospective Interim. In addition, we will be budgeting for Search Committee costs including consultant fee, survey fees, travel costs for committee persons, and other costs associated with the search for the new rector. 6. PLEDGES The budget draft for 2016 is based on 2015, 2014, 2013, and 2012 historical trends. We saw an increase in the number of pledges and the dollar commitment from 2014 to 2015; however, the average per pledge declined. 4-year Annual Giving and Pledges Data Year # Pledges $ Commitment Average $ 154,520 $ 2, ,325 2, ,680 2, ,377 2,570 Regular Giving on our Income and Expense Statement includes pledges plus contributions that come from individuals who will contribute on a regular basis, but will not pledge. Over the past several years, the non-pledging amount has added approximately 15% extra to regular giving. 7. GLEASON HALL Page 17

18 Last year, this section addressed the following: Our insurance adjustor made a comment that after putting the reconstruction out to bid, the winning construction company s bid would essentially be our claim to rebuild Gleason Hall. Again, we can only hope and pray that the insurance company and the adjustor who have been very supportive during this very trying time, will continue to be supportive once the final bids are presented and then awarded. As of this writing, we see that any reimbursement from the Insurance Company will be for construction and not subrogation. We have no idea whether or not we will require legal assistance as we proceed with the remake of Gleason Hall to ensure we remain financially whole. We were blessed with excellent structural engineers, a new architect, an excellent construction company, and most importantly, an insurance company, Church Insurance, that helped us rebuild Gleason Hall at virtually minimal to no cost to us, and most importantly, we avoided subrogation and the potential acrimony (and long process) of court proceedings. The total cost to rebuild Gleason Hall, which included architect, engineer, construction company, as well as some unforeseen costs, was $248, The cost to St. James was $4,707.50, which also included the $1,000 deductible. Thus, Church Insurance paid $243,444.17, or 98% of the total Gleason Hall re-build. The newly carpeted and painted Gleason Hall has presented itself for numerous Wedding Rentals already. Angel Morrow, our Parish Administrator and also the Wedding Coordinator, has been instrumental in selling Gleason and ensuring a competitive edge to gain market share in Oldham County. 8. Stewardship St. James Stewardship Campaign Gifts of God from the people of God The next step is easy, although I say that not in a glib manner. Over the next three weeks, we will collect pledges and/or commitments from those who will support & contribute, but will not officially pledge. Corky Webb, our Stewardship Campaign Chair has created a timeline of events for the month of November: Starting November 1st: A weekly will be sent out to all members regarding pledge cards. There will be a poster placed in the church foyer (with Larry Profancik s help). The poster will have a thermometer with a goal for 10% more giving than last year. Weekly announcements will include reminder about pledge cards. November 15th: Sermon will incorporate stewardship (Rev. Katherine Doyle) Page 18

19 November 22: Stewardship Day will have one service at 10:30 with breakfast provided by the choir, vestry and DOK afterwards. There will be three speakers during the breakfast presenting on time, talent, and treasures. November 29th: Pledge cards to be turned in. The final step is to tally up the commitments and begin the budgeting process. At that point we will have a realistic picture of what the 2016 budget will look like and if there will need to be cost-cutting measures taken. Once finalized, the new vestry in January will be presented with the budget for review and passage. 9. Summary of Income and Expenses as of September 2015 Year to Date Annual Budget Next Year Budget Total Income $ 173,928 $ 235,910 $ 234,820 Total Expenses 173, , ,382 Excess Income\Expenses ,438 Through the remainder of November and December, the Treasurer will be working on several iterations for the 2016 Budget. A final budget will be presented to the Vestry in January for final review and passage. 10. Proposed Projects from Junior Warden for 2016 Costs are not attached since the JW is still collecting data for proposed expenditures of all Capital Projects: Church The stone on church is in need of attention. This is the type of project that can be put off and let others handle down the road but in my opinion that is not in the best interest of our church. I have had several meetings with Jack Hurd and he is of the opinion we need to get on with protecting the church. I am also concerned that down the road how many certified stone masons will there be, and will they understand preservation of a year old stone structure. Having said all of that here are my findings: Entrance to the church : Remove loose mortar, clean mortar, tuck-point, and one coat of water sealant. Left side of entrance towards the cemetery: Clean, tuck point and water sealant East Side of church: Clean, tuck point and water sealant Southside of church: Clean, tuck point and water sealant; this does not include the chimney top as we will not know the work until scaffolding is constructed. We can see at this time stone at top of chimney is broken away and needs reinforcing. West Side of church the walk way to water fountain entrance: Clean, tuck point and water sealant Page 19

20 At this time there are parts unknown and cannot be determined until getting into the work. We have to have an understanding that additional charges could be experienced as the work progresses. Carpet in church To correct ripples in carpet pews would be removed and carpet stretched. Pews would be stored in a Pod during the procedure. This project would be done in spring of Estimated time would be one week. If we find carpet damaged after removing the pews installing new carpet would be necessary. Carpet repair is not for cosmetic purposes as much as safety and liability concerns. Security System I am currently talking with Tyco security and Willis Klein on cost for securing our building. This would include our pre-school, all entrances to Gleason Hall. System would include cameras, audio, and remote door openers at certain location. The system includes keyless entry and time released door locks. I expect to receive written quotes Parking Lot Seal parking lot. Green Space Green Haven Tree Care 3rd year maintenance Sycamore L front remove two lowest 4-8 dead stubs remove sprouts Maple 32 prune R front next to light post major visible deadwood & stubs thin for wind penetration & raise off light post Treat for Emerald Ash Borer Tree injection Appraisal of items in scarcity for insurance coverage. This would be conducted by Scott Nussbaum a certified appraiser located at 2036 Frankort Ave Cost would also include photos and written appraisal. Page 20

21 Vestry Narrative Annual Meeting November 8, 2015 We now come to the final stage in our annual meeting where you, the congregation, grants its assent and vote of confidence to the leaders of this church. The canons of the Episcopal Church state that members of the Vestry shall be elected by the parish at an annual meeting. The parish Vestry is the leadership of the parish family it is a very important ministry in the life of any congregation. The Vestry oversees church operations, budgeting, provides direction, and supports the mission and ministry of the parish. At St. James, the Vestry is comprised of 9 members, plus the rector. Vestry members serve a three-year term. Thus, each annual meeting we elect three members from our congregation, while three members rotate off. If you go to our website, you can read the guidelines for the position of Vestryperson yes, it s a demanding and sometimes time-consuming ministry, but it is very fulfilling. I would like to introduce your current Vestry members, a group I am honored to serve with: Junior Warden, Ed Heymann Treasurer, David Gleason Secretary, Gabi Keemer Fund Raising and now Stewardship Chair, Corky Webb Clerk, Ann Schatzinger Susan Hinkel, co-chair nominating committee Skip Bentley, co-chair nominating committee And Tim Beamer. Please give them a round of applause for their hard work and dedication to this great church and to this congregation. Also, would all members of the congregation who have served on the Vestry at some point in time, please stand and be acknowledged for your service. [please give them a round of applause. thank you] In the handouts you received, we listed the names of those people who are rotating off the Vestry this year, and those who have held up their hands to become Vestry members. Rotating off the Vestry at the end of the year will be Tim Beamer and Skip Bentley. Per the Canons, they must sit out one year, before they can hold up their hands to serve another term. Also rotating off is David Gleason. However, David has magnanimously agreed to continue to be our Treasurer in Per the Canons, the Treasurer of the Vestry need not be a voting member. We owe him many thanks not only for accepting, but what he has accomplished as our treasurer. In 2016 he will be working with someone on the Vestry to prepare that candidate to be the new Treasurer. Page 21

22 I also want to thank Skip and Tim for everything that they ve done on the Vestry, always keeping the church and the congregation as the major focal point, and never ever being afraid of speaking up at meetings. They may appear shy, but they re not. We lost one voting member of the Vestry a few months ago. Our clerk, Ann Schatzinger, who was not a voting member of the vestry, has agreed to fill the remaining two years of Shane Ball s term, with your vote of confidence. If there are no objections, I would like to make a motion that Ann Schatzinger, through a vote of acclamation, become a voting member of the St. James Vestry. All in favor, say Aye. Any opposed, say No. The Ayes have it. Thank you and congratulations, Ann. Ann s term begins immediately and will end December 31, In your handouts, you have been provided bios on our three new candidates for the Vestry. You can see that all three have impressive backgrounds. Without a doubt, it will be an exciting time for them as they bring their great experience to the vestry during a period of change and transition. Mary Harding and Cherish Joostberns could not attend today because of prior commitments taking them out of state. They did say they were very excited to become a Vestry Member and are ready to roll up their sleeves and go to work. The Nominating Committee fully endorses Mary, Cherish, and Terry as outstanding candidates for the Vestry and I agree. Since we have three candidates to fill three positions, if there are no objections, I would like to make a motion that Mary Harding, Cherish Joostberns, and Terry Quinlan, through a vote of acclamation, become voting members of the St. James Vestry. All in favor, say Aye. Any opposed, say No. The Ayes have it. Thank you and congratulations. Their terms begin January 1, 2016 and end December 31, And now, I will ask Rev. Dr. Jerry Cappel to bless the entire vestry. Page 22

23 Vestry Changes and Positions to be Filled Annual Meeting November 8, 2015 Skip Bentley and Tim Beamer will rotate off the Vestry completing their third year (Effective December 31, 2015). David Gleason, Treasurer, will rotate off the Vestry completing his third year. (Effective December 31, 2015). However, David has agreed to remain as Treasurer for 2016 as a non-voting vestry member. (Per the canons, this is allowed). Ann Schatzinger, currently clerk, has agreed to fill the remaining two years of Shane Ball s tenure. Ann s term will begin immediately November 2015 December [bio attached] Mary Harding has agreed to submit her name for one of the three vestry positions January 2016 December 31, [bio attached] Cherish Joostberns has agreed to submit her name for one of the three vestry positions January 2016 December 31, [bio attached] Terry Quinlan has agreed to submit his name for one of the three vestry positions January 2016 December 31, [bio attached] Mary Harding Bio Mary is a product of the central North and Midwest US, has lived in multiple states and even in Germany for a few years. She has been a resident of Louisville, KY for the last 23 years. Graduated from Spalding College (pre-university status! ~ it was actually Catherine Spalding College when I started! ~ ouch, that s old!) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, and she received a Certification in Nursing Administration from the University of Delaware. She has worked in the areas of Head/Neck cancers, medical-surgical nursing, Nursing Education, and, most recently, Orthopedics. In her years as Director of Nursing Education, was responsible for staff development and continuing education, and hospital policy and procedures. She produced seminars on cancer education, and taught and coordinated week-long Critical Care Courses. She taught Basic Life Support (CPR) and was an instructor, an instructor-trainer, and instructor-trainer-trainer (ha! Sounds silly, eh?) of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) for EMT s, paramedics, police, fire department personnel, nurses, hospital personnel, and physicians. She very recently retired from her nursing career, which was last focused on Orthopedics with a specialty in spines. She is active in her church and is a member of Page 23

24 the Order of the Daughters of the King, having served as President of the St. James of the Valley Chapter from 2011 to Additionally, she served as the Chairperson of the 2015 Nominating Committee. She travels extensively and often, and plans to expand her work in pet therapy with her dog. Her children include a (wonderful and handsome) son and his wife, who live in Oregon, and a best-friend-daughter (by marriage) in North Carolina, and a teenage granddaughter in Minnesota. She resides in Crestwood with her (spoiled rotten) Samoyed. Page 24

25 Cherish Joostberns Bio Cherish grew up in Grand Ledge, MI, and has lived in Crestwood, KY, for the past three years with her husband, Clint, their two children, Amelie (5) and Elodie (8), and their pets. Cherish attended the University of Michigan, where she studied Russian and East European Studies and was a member of the rowing and rugby teams. After graduation, she was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Cherish served as a logistics officer, transportation officer and recruiting programs specialist for 20 years. During that time, she lived in a variety of places, to include Japan, Hawaii, Pennsylvania and Virginia. It was during her time in Philadelphia, PA, that she attended Christ Church regularly (in the same pews as William Penn, Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross!) and became a member of the Episcopalian church. Clint and Cherish were later married at Christ Church and enjoyed the city tourists who peeked in throughout the ceremony. Cherish also enjoyed opportunities to deploy in support of military exercises in Japan, South Korea, Australia, and Thailand. She specialized in operational logistics planning and life support. Her last tour of duty was as the Commander of the Military Entrance Processing Station in Louisville, KY, enabling young adults to join all branches of the U.S. military. Cherish retired from the active duty Marine Corps in She plans to continue running in her new free time, trying out some new hobbies and supporting her girls in their activities. She is excited to explore opportunities to volunteer, particularly in youth and adult education and well-being. Cherish recently finished her Master s degree in Community and Economic Development from Pennsylvania State University and hopes to utilize those skills in the local area. Cherish and her family have enjoyed the friendship they have received at St James and participating in the church s many events, to include Lenten Pasta Dinners, Trivia Night, Taste of St James and the Craft Fair. Cherish is excited for new opportunities in the church to encourage families and children. Terrence E. Quinlan Bio Terrence, from here on Terry, first came to Oldham County (age 14) in November Terry s parents (now deceased) were Thomas & Bernadette Quinlan, both cradle Catholics. Terry s father was the Federal Veterinarian in charge of the Bourbon Stockyards in Louisville. Terry s mother had a harder job, homemaker and mother of five. Shortly after moving to Oldham County, Terry s parents bought a 170 acre farm outside of Ballardsville. Approximately three years ago, Terry moved from Sellersburg, Indiana to the farm to take care of his ailing father. Terry has a Bachelor s of Arts Degree from Morehead State University and a Master s of Science Degree from Indiana State University. While Terry has worked in industry, most Page 25

26 of his working life was in the classroom/laboratory as an educator. Terry has taught Junior High School, Senior High School, and Community College. Terry was employed by Ivy Tech Community College (Sellersburg), full and part time for 28 years. While at Ivy Tech, Terry was Professor and Program Chair of the Industrial Technology Program. Terry has two grown children, Jeffrey and John. Jeffrey (soon to be 27), is an Engineer at Cummings Diesel in Columbus, Indiana. John (21) is a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. Both are doing well. Terry first attended the Episcopal Church in Morehead, while a student. A friend of his was an Episcopalian, he told him a little about it and Terry went to the Episcopal Church a few times. Terry jokingly tells the story, my big fear was my folks would find out, or God would strike me dead, neither one happened. I began attending St. James in the Fall of In 1985 I moved to Sellersburg, only occasionally attending for many years. Started re-attending St. James on a regular basis in the Spring of Terry always considered St. James as his church. Terry, now retired, keeps busy on the family farm. Terry s interest include farming, horses (and horse racing), English machines, everything from a Raleigh bicycle to a V 12 Jaguar. Terry s latest project is an old T2 Bentley. Ann Schatzinger Bio In 2012, I was feeling at loose ends after our son left for college and my dear mother, who was living with us, died. I attended the funeral of my dad s best friend at St. Luke s Episcopal Church and Georgine Buckwalter and the Holy Spirit knocked me out of my socks. I decided to look into the Episcopalian Church. I hail from the Presbyterian Church but had never been baptized even. I was led to St. James where I was baptized and confirmed by our Bishop, Terry White and I m very happy here. I stay involved whether pulling weeds in the flower beds, helping out in the kitchen, sewing in our Healing Blanket Ministry, volunteering in the ECW, tithing, ushering, and recently joining the Altar Guild. And now I m asking you to vote me on to the Vestry. I have been a non-voting member of our Vestry, serving as clerk, since January and I m very impressed with the inner workings of our church. I m a good listener, a good compromiser, and a hard worker, and I never have the attitude of but we ve always done it this way. I am a Louisville native. I attended Georgetown College but that little Baptist school was taking a real toll on my liver and after two years of that nonsense I transferred to the University of Kentucky where I settled down and graduated with a major in Spanish. I never spoke another word of Spanish after graduation but rather began working in hospitals where I went from being a clerk to being the director of health information services. I like starting at the bottom and working my way up. After we adopted our son I Page 26