Annual Meeting - Thank Yous and Next Steps
What a bountiful feast! Thank you to everyone for great food and fellowship. We continue to know how to create community around both God's table and the meal table. Thank you to Jackie Willis, Candy Cooper, Mark Willis, and Susan George in the kitchen and all the rest who helped with clean-up.
Congratulations to Yvonne Johnson, Erin MacKenzie, and Kirk Tibbett for their vestry election; Michele Leblanc, Kathy Whall, and Mark Willis for delegates to Diocesan Convention (David Lettice, Deb Turi-Smith, and Lynne Stokes, alternates); and Deb Turi Smith, Kathy Whall, and Mark Willis for delegates to Monmouth Convocation (Candy Cooper, Lynne Stokes, and Laura Wittman, alternates).
During my Rector’s Address, I introduced four ministry teams I would like to put in place to give structural support and more effectively carry out New Member Ministry, Baptismal Shepherding, Stewardship, and Pastoral Outreach. You can read descriptions of these ministries from my Rector’s Address here. If you feel called to learn more or participate in one or more of these areas and did not sign up at the Annual Meeting, please let me know which ones here. I will be promoting this for two more weeks. Once everyone has had a chance to express their interest, I will then schedule initial organization meetings during fellowship hours through the remainder of February and March. I am excited to hear positive feedback about this conversation and we are off to a good start with names.
Here are links to my full address, download the full Annual Report, and the sermon. They will also be on our homepage for the next month.
Snow is coming! What’s our policy?
If we are expected to receive a major snowfall (greater than 3”) Saturday night, the Wardens and I will decide by late Saturday afternoon whether or not to cancel one or both Sunday services. This will depend on the amount of snow predicted and when it is supposed to end. Our snow removal contractors begin once the snow is stopped and need time to complete their work. If both services are canceled, we will offer Morning Prayer with sermon on Zoom at 10 am, and simulcast over YouTube. Once we have made our decision Saturday afternoon, we will send out an email blast by 6 pm Saturday and put notices on our Facebook Page and Website Home Page.
Joins us February 23 for a Screening of the Philadelphia Eleven Documentary
The Philadelphia Eleven is powerful documentary that celebrates the 50th anniversary of the ordination of the first eleven female Episcopal priests at Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia in 1974. The film is a moving exploration of faith, vocation, and welcoming of God gifts in all of God’s people. We will screen the Philadelphia Eleven on Sunday February 23 at 12:15 pm. Lunch will be provided. This will give time for other churches in the area to join us after the service, as well as provide time for those who cannot stay to enjoy some fellowship before leaving.
I tested the screening this week to make sure the tech was all set and was so captivated I watched the first half. I truly believe everyone connected with the Episcopal Church will appreciate this documentary, as will any women who have found themselves marginalized in other denominations. I hope you can join us.
If you would like to help with lunch provisions, here’s the Sign-Up Genius. Soups and sandwiches go a long way!
Music Ministry Updates
As our transition begins to a new Director of Music we have plans in place to for the next several months while a formal search gets underway.
We are blessed to have a deep bench within the congregation and some supply organists who are available for key Sundays. Laura Wittman will accompany the congregation this Sunday on the piano. Choir members Nancy Condardo and Erin MacKenzie will direct the choir and accompany on the organ and piano February 16 and most Sundays in Lent. We will welcome back Melissa Manning as organist on February 23, March 2, and Ash Wednesday, March 5. Steven Russell, head of the American Guild of Organists chapter in central New Jersey will cover all of our services from Palm Sunday through Easter Day.
We will likely continue with in-house and supply coverage during Easter and have the goal of issuing a call to a new Director of Music in the early summer. I will soon be forming a search committee composed of representatives from the choir and congregation to help me in this process.
Lent is Coming
Finally, Lent begins in a few weeks with Ash Wednesday on March 5. Beginning March 12, we will offer a Wednesday evening Lenten series on the life of Moses as an icon of our relationship with God. This series is inspired by the quote concluding an ancient spiritual biography of Moses, “To be known by God and to become God’s friend, this is perfection.” This will help us frame Lent not only as a season of penitence, but as a time to nurture our own friendship with God and look forward to the promises of the Resurrection.
Stay tuned for more information on this series and all of our other Lenten offerings!