The Church of St. Luke & St. Mary, an Episcopal Church in Warren County Introduction Mission Statement: The Episcopal Church of St. Luke and St. Mary is a holy and diverse community that welcomes all people. We fulfill the Word and Action of Christ in our community and beyond through our ministries of worship, learning, prayer and outreach. Our congregation has spent the better part of five (5) years endeavoring to unite members of St. Luke s Church, Hope, and St. Mary s Episcopal Church, Belvidere. Our joint congregation numbers approximately 100, with Average Sunday Attendance of approximately 50. We recently decided to suspend a Saturday contemporary service, Holy Connections, and beginning in Advent to worship on alternate Sundays in Belvidere (1 st and 3 rd Sundays) and Hope (2 nd and 4 th Sundays). We intend to reassess Holy Connections with our next priest. Jointly with strong lay leadership, the Rev. Laurie R. Matarazzo has led the congregations as part-time priest-in-charge since 2011. We are a creative bunch who is God-seeking and committed to serving God through ministering to others. We strive to share our talents in nurturing our parish, ourselves and our community in Godly ways. We seek a priest to minister with us on a part-time basis (approximately 20 hours per week) as our congregation seeks to live faithfully into whatever God has in store for us in our area of Warren County. Location and History St. Mary s Church became a parish in 1833 as the Zion Church and St. Luke s was organized in 1828 (with consecration of the present church building in 1839). St. Mary s church building is located at 408 3 rd Street, in a residential neighborhood on the square in Belvidere, New Jersey, which is the Warren County seat. Recent census data identifies the Belvidere population as approximately 2,600, with roughly 15% having minor children. St. Mary s and St. Luke s properties are about 11 miles apart. St.
Luke s is located at 246 High Street in a semi-commercial setting in Hope, New Jersey. Hope s population is approximately 1900, with demographic makeup similar to that of Belvidere. The Ministry Plan for the Church of St. Luke & St. Mary (attached) provides further background information about the congregation and other information relevant to our search for clergy to minister with us. Mission & Ministry Goals of the Congregation The major goal is to have a formalized unification of both churches. We want to get to know our communities better thus allowing a greater involvement in it and it in us. We want to be a greater support to those in need in our communities and each other. Our hope is that a greater involvement in the community will bring more families into our congregation. Join our finances for 2015 Keep and use both sanctuaries for worship Sustain our current ministries Participate in year-round stewardship Offer seasonal adult education Conduct general assessment of buildings with prioritized list of maintenance and improvement projects Identify additional ministries for Stout Hall Formalize the union of our two congregations with a new name Establish an active social media presence, joining two websites Buildings and Property Our combined congregation owns eight (8) buildings, three (3) in Belvidere and five (5) In Hope. Approximately 40% of our current expense budget is used for operating and maintaining these buildings. While there is rental revenue realized from some of the property, rents do not fully offset operating 2
costs of the buildings taken as a whole. Energy-saving initiatives now being pursued are expected to provide significant savings on building operating costs during 2015. Further details about the building operating expenses, use and potential can be made available. Drawing on the data concerning our buildings that has been developed, how the buildings contribute to our congregation s ministries can be summarized as follows: St. Luke Sanctuary and undercroft 90% congregation; 10% others use; worship, concerts, Christmas book sale, Haven in Hope summer activities. St. Mary Sanctuary and Thrift Shop 65% congregation; 35% needy families use; worship, Thrift Shop. St. Luke Parish Hall 80% congregation; 20% others use; office, committee meetings, Sunday refreshments; 3 AA groups. Stout Hall (Belvidere, joined to church building) 5% (subject to adjustment to account for recent loss of Senior Nutrition tenant) congregation; 95% others use; office, fellowship, dinners, Sunday refreshments, committee and congregational meetings, 3 AA groups, kitchen for Victorian Days lunch service. Rectory in Hope 100% tenant use. Vicarage and garage in Belvidere Affordable housing outreach for tenant. Cottage used by Haven in Hope for Kids 100% outreach at $0 rent to summer 501(c)(3) program. Cottage 100% tenant use; portion of rent donated to HiHfK. The value of these properties cannot be accurately estimated at this time. Operating, reserve and restricted funds of the combined congregation total in excess of $150,000. The current revenue and expense picture of the combined operating budget for the congregation is as follows, using actual expenses through September 30 and realistic projections for the last quarter of 2014: 3
Church of St. Luke & St. Mary Combined 2014 Budget---PROJECTED ACTUALS EXPENSES 1 Personnel $63,024 41.1% 2 Property $62,251 40.6% 3 Office/Program $10,632 6.9% 4 Outreach $17,361 11.3% Total $153,267 $10,632 $17,361 $63,024 1 2 3 4 $62,251 REVENUE 1 Pledges $70,976 47.2% 2 Fundraising/Donations $29,289 19.5% 3 Rents $49,700 33.1% 4 Interest $288 0.2% Total $150,253 $49,700 $288 1 Deficit Projected -$3,014 $70,976 2 3 4 $29,289 Gifts & Ministry of the Congregation For a small group of people, our congregation accomplishes a great deal of ministry. The skills and abilities of our congregation are many with many yet to be discovered. We are collaborative, creative and willing to trust. Ministry to the wider world: Haven in Hope for Kids Afghan school project Hope clothing collection box Family Promise Ministry to the local community: 4
Thrift shop Seasonal collections for needy families Belvidere ecumenical first Fridays Belvidere and Hope AA meeting space Ministry of hospitality: Concerts Shrove Tuesday pancake supper Victorian Days Hope Christmas craft market (cookie walk & book sale) Spaghetti dinner during Belvidere Christmas Tree lighting Gifts and Ministry of the Clergy The clergy person who would be most at home at St. Mary s/st. Luke s is one who is rooted in faith and prayer; who takes care of their spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. Upon this foundation is a minister who is engaged in the everyday life of the congregation. This minister will partner with the congregation s members (the other ministers) to realize their gifts and talents in mutual ministry with and for the community. We are looking for a priest who is appreciative of the liturgical tradition of the Episcopal Church but also one who is willing and able to look outside the box to acquire and develop more contemporary expressions of liturgy and ritual. A priest who is willing to be teacher and student will find learning companions among people with diverse life journeys. The leadership style that works best with our congregation is one that is collaborative, team-oriented and engaging. As in all congregations, the priest must be comfortable with resolving conflict in a timely manner as it arises and strive toward effective communication. 5
And finally, but certainly not least, we are seeking a priest who responds pastorally to those circumstances in which individuals and families are hurting, suffering or in need of spiritual comfort. Diocesan Mission and Vision: Equipping congregations empowering people engaging in the world with the hope and justice of Jesus. In alignment with the Diocesan Mission statement, we are called to be passionate disciples of Jesus, living in covenant with each other and God, fully equipped, empowered and engaged to undertake God s mission in the world. 6
DIOCESAN MINISTRY PLAN OUTLINE FOR STLSTM UPDATED 10/2014 I. MINISTRY AREA: EXTERNAL MINISTRY CONTEXTS Where and to whom is our congregation called to minister? Our current external ministries include: Concerts in Hope Belvidere Thrift Shop Haven of Hope for Kids Afghan School Project Belvidere Victorian Days Belvidere Spaghetti Dinner during Christmas Tree Lighting Hope Christmas Craft Market (Cookie Walk & Book Sale) Belvidere Ecumenical First Fridays Hope Clothing Collection Box Belvidere and Hope AA Meeting Space Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Family Promise Warren County Census 108,714 resident, 41,208 households in 2013; 32% of Warren County households are struggling with low income; 8% of Warren County households (included in the struggling category) are living below the US poverty line. In our survey for this Ministry Area, we found local programs that address poverty include Family Promise, St. James (Hackettstown) summer backpack program and North Porch program for women and infants. We also discovered through interviewing the Mayor of Hope that there may be a need for making contact with homebound seniors in Hope during bad weather and power outages. And we made a list of potential needs in our neighborhoods that, partnering with others, we might be able to address. We need to continue to go out and look around and see what God is doing out in the neighborhood.
II. MINISTRY AREA: CHRISTIAN IDENTITY, GIFTS, STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES What gifts has God given to us to do ministry? 1. Does your congregation have a mission and/or vision statement? Yes: The Episcopal Church of St. Luke and St. Mary is a holy and diverse community that welcomes all people. We fulfill the Word and Action of Christ in our community and beyond through our ministries of worship, learning, prayer and outreach. 2. What are your top 4 priorities as a congregation? 1) to worship all together in one main location; 2) to combine finances; 3) to maintain a creative and active social media presence; 4) to connect with neighborhoods and partner with others outside congregation (individuals, churches, community organizations, social agencies, etc.) 3. What have you done in the last two years to live into those priorities? 1) From May to August, we had worship in both churches every week with the main service at St. Luke s on Sunday; in August we switched to Sunday worship at St. Mary s, Saturday worship at St. Luke s; 2) We have created joint committees for almost all the dimensions of our congregational life and have combined our Sunday counting procedures; 3) We have a Facebook page and we communicate among each other and on a congregational basis (announcements, e-mail blasts for news, etc.) with e-mail; 4) We share a monthly worship with our Presbyterian, Methodist, and Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, we share the staffing of the Thrift Shop with volunteers from outside our congregation, congregants volunteer for Haven of Hope, Family Promise, community events (all local entities). 4. What are your greatest congregational strengths to achieve those priorities? The strength of our congregation lies in the bonds of friendship and connection we have forged over the last three years. 5. What are your greatest congregational challenges to achieve those priorities? We need to work on communicating both within the congregation and to the greater community; we need to be intentional about inclusion and be mindful of those who may not feel included; we still need to counter the we always did it that way thinking. 6. For what is your congregation best known in your neighborhood? And how do you know this? St. Luke s is known for its history and its building which is rather iconic in Hope, for its music offerings to the greater community, for Haven of Hope, and for the Christmas Cookie Walk. St. Mary s is known in the neighborhood for the Thrift Shop, for hosting the County Nutrition Program, and for St. Mary s Café at the community s Victorian Days. 2
III. MINISTRY AREA: VISION/FUTURE GOALS/DREAMS To what ministry is God calling us at this time? 1. What do you think God wants from and for your congregation? Thankfulness. God wants for us to be happy, healthy, awake and aware of God s will, and engaged in service to others. God wants us to look around our community and become more a part of it. 2. What possibilities does your congregation see for itself in 3 years? In 5 years? Possibilities include: 1) financial stability which will allow us to expand our outreach to others and not have to concentrate on the killer bees buildings, boilers, budgets; 2) nurturing our continued relationship and definitely deciding whether or not to officially, legally and canonically consolidate; 3) committing to being a two-location congregation or a one-location congregation; 4) becoming more connected to our communities 3. What plans do you have for identifying, nurturing and empowering future leaders for your congregation? We will seek to model leadership that is collegial and partnered while encouraging involvement at all levels to create paths for leadership; we will identify personal gifts and invite people personally into leadership 4. What is the role of your congregation s youth now and in the future? What is your ministry to them? Our youth are involved in all aspects of our common life: they are acolytes and lectors and sometimes preachers and actors in worship; they volunteer at all of our events and are the heart of our ministry to the Afghan School Project; as a group, they engage in Biblical learning and discussion and in outreach projects of their own. Our ministry to them is, in large part, their inclusion and the training, learning, participation and spiritual formation that comes with it. Generally speaking, God is calling us to focus outward, aware of the tension between the killer bees concentration and the call to mission and ministry. God is calling us to get out and see what God is doing out there. 3
IV. MINISTRY AREA: SYSTEMS FUNCTIONALITY (VIABILITY) How well do we carry out the internal functions of our church in God s name? 1. How do you identify members individual gifts and engage them with your priorities? We try to be aware of others gifts and interests and to be aware of the match between those and the priorities of our community. 2. In what primary ways do you recruit, empower and support people for leadership? Observation, listening, asking and giving tasks aligned with one s passion or interest. Being aware of who is cc d on communications so that everyone who needs to be is in the loop. Showing up as much as possible, every time we are together. 3. What are the top 3 priorities / needs for your buildings? We need a general physical assessment of all the buildings right now in order to make a long-term plan of priorities and to consider, if necessary, the need for a special financial appeal or assessment to address problems. For example, the water ingress in St. Luke s undercroft and in cottage #1 is a current, pressing problem. 4. How does your congregation plan for repairs and capital needs? We don t. We have no plan at this time. 5. Is your congregation s budget in deficit? If so, how have you and how do you plan (in the next 3 years) to address this? Probably, though relatively small based on recent projections. We have no plan at this time for addressing a potential deficit. Having said this, today our finance function is more accountable to the congregation and more transparent together than it was 5 years ago when the two congregations were distinct. Overall, our financial function is much stronger and we find that communication among all members is much improved. 4
V. MINISTRY AREA: CHURCH GROWTH / EVANGELISM CAPACITY How does God enable us to invite, form, and send out disciples? 1. What has been the trend in your ASA (Average Sunday Attendance) in the last 10 years? Our ASA has steadily declined in the last 10 years: St. Luke s approximately from 50 to 29 and St. Mary s from 63 to 24. Adjustments to our records to reflect reality have significantly reduced the Baptized Members numbers for St. Mary s. This year, since we have instituted the Saturday worship, there has been a slight increase if we count both services, although it must be noted that there are some individuals attending both. 2. Why did the people who most recently joined the congregation come to church the first time? Lynn: don t know Diane and Virginia: looking for a church to get married in Marie and Vivian: looking for a church to share after being rejected by their home church 3. Of those most recent members, why did they join? Join? We don t have a formal reception of members 4. What percentage of people who joined in the last year are not Episcopalians? 100% 5. How are we actively engaged in evangelism? Evangelism is the preaching of the Christian Gospel or the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others with the intention of conversion. We are not actively engaged in evangelism. We don t know anywhere where we are relaying information about our set of beliefs to others (except perhaps with our children) with the intention of conversion. We have engaged in some activities that bring our faith practices into public places as a witness to our faith: 1. Ashes to Go 2. Blessing of Animals outside 3. Belvidere Community Worship Service We participate in some community events as part of our commitment to our local community but these do not have a component of evangelism 1. Belvidere Night Out 2. Hope Township Picnic 3. Hope and Belvidere town-wide clean-ups 6. What role do our youth play in church growth and evangelism? Our youth do not play a role in church growth and evangelism. 5
VI. MINISTRY AREA: STEWARDSHIP How do we understand and practice stewardship of God s abundant goodness? 1. Does your congregation practice year-around stewardship? Yes. The congregation practices year-around stewardship in several ways. Each Vestry meeting agenda includes stewardship as a topic for consideration. At least monthly, the Offertory includes a presentation on stewardship by a member of the Vestry s Stewardship Committee, reminding the congregation of the significance of all their responses to God s abundant goodness which is symbolized in the liturgy at the Offertory. A majority of the families in the congregation make weekly or monthly contributions of pledged amounts of money to the financial support of the church. The Vestry adopts annual budgets prior to the beginning of each year, in reliance on these pledges by the congregation as a substantial portion of the budgeted revenue for each year. In the course of each year s calendar of activities outside worship services, the congregation faithfully offers their time and skills as well as financial support for fellowship, fundraising and outreach activities. 2. Does your vestry lead by example in its stewardship? Yes. The members of the Vestry are very invested in congregational systems and in their respective careers/vocations, giving generously of their time, talent and treasure. 3. How does your congregation understand stewardship? We understand stewardship as the practice of responding to God s generosity in all they are and do: faith in action. As indicated above, on a collective/communal level, the congregation practices stewardship, i.e., responsiveness to God s love and call to care for the whole of creation in all that they do with all that they have all the time. Each member of the congregation is at a different place in their learning and understanding about stewardship, there can be no one answer to how the congregation understands stewardship. One of the goals of intentionally year-around engaging the congregation in learnings about stewardship is to help all individuals to grow in their understanding of stewardship as their faith in action. 4. How does your congregation educate and engage youth in the practice of stewardship? They are present with us in worship and they hear the personal testimonies and the bi-monthly stewardship minutes; their contributions to outreach and worship is in large part how they respond to God s generosity. 5. Describe your present and future stewardship plans. We will continue our current patterns, using the fall to communicate effectively the financial needs of our ministry and the balance of the year for messages of gratitude and revisiting all that our members time, energy, talent, and money accomplishes for God s kingdom. We will seek to increase the congregation s financial literacy. 6
VII. CAPACITY AREA: SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT How do we as a community of faith nurture one another in the knowledge and love of Christ? 1. How is worship/liturgy planned and reviewed in your congregation? Worship/liturgy is planned with a combined worship committee recently consolidating two committees one that was responsible for Sunday and Feast Day worship and one that was responsible for our new Saturday contemporary worship. 2. How are liturgy participants (e.g., Altar Guild, choir, acolytes, lay readers) identified, recruited and trained? One part of recruitment is a question on our pledge card about how people want to be involved. Our priest invites people and some people volunteer. We generally have one training per year in each area, but we need more training opportunities now. 3. What opportunities are provided for spiritual growth in your congregation? Seasonal adult education opportunities are presented in Advent and Lent. Diocesan offerings are posted, announced and encouraged. Preaching is identified as an opportunity for spiritual growth and being open to liturgical experiments and open to questions (ex: sermon time at the Saturday contemporary service is a shared discussion of a theme or scripture). 4. To what extent do youth participate in liturgical and spiritual formation activities? See III above. Our youth participate regularly in liturgy and experience spiritual formation in youth group meetings and projects. We have a small number of youth, and this is an area that needs work and new initiatives. 5. Are lay people significantly involved in your pastoral care and healing ministries? Some. Our congregations responds generously and willingly to help members in need of meals and transportation. There needs to be a better system of communicating needs to the whole congregation and of coordinating visitations when needed. 6. Are there opportunities to do joint worship and spiritual formation with other congregations? We share with other congregations in Belvidere our First Friday worship every month and members of other congregations volunteer at the Thrift Shop. More attention and work needs to be applied to the potential for joint study and mission/ministry. 7