Vestry News & Meeting Minutes
Vestry meetings are usually held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm in Room 301 of Satterlee Hall, and are open to all. During the Coronavirus shutdown, meetings are held via Zoom. The Senior Warden provides a summary of each month's meeting.
Vestry News - December 2022
The Vestry’s December 14 meeting, the last of this calendar year, began after an opening prayer with a meditation by Ted Cage on the ways in which science programs available on YouTube have reinforced his faith. To contemplate the astonishing and utterly improbable ways in which the universe came into being serves, for Ted, as a path toward faith in God and gratitude for Creation and our home within it.
The Treasurer’s monthly report revealed that pledge income fell sharply below budget for the month of November and is running 5% below budget for the year to date. On the other hand, operating expenses for the first 11 months of 2022 have come in 4% below budget. It is hoped that December pledge income will be strong, in keeping with the historical pattern. At November 30, the endowment stood at $5.25 million, having recovered modestly in line with the market from this year’s low point.
Work proceeds on the 2023 operating budget, a task that necessarily continues into January and sometimes beyond. After accepting the Treasurer’s report as submitted, the Vestry passed a resolution extending authorization for continued spending at levels approved for operations in 2022 until the 2023 budget has been finalized and approved. The Vestry also approved housing allowances elected by the Associate Rectors so as to make available to them tax benefits provided by the Internal Revenue Code.
Matt Cunningham, Co-Chair of the annual stewardship campaign, reported that as of December 14 we had raised $953,438 in 173 pledges for 2023, including 11 from first-time pledgers. These numbers compare to our goals of reaching $1,350,000 with 260 pledges and 20 new pledging households. It will take a robust response from parishioners in the closing days of the campaign to reach these goals. To that end, Vestry members were assigned parishioners to contact again from a list of past pledgers who have not yet responded to the current canvass.
The Nominating Committee, led by Rachel Colson and Lisa Garnett, recommended Katie Wilson and Anton Vanterpool be nominated to run for Vestry membership in the January 29, 2023 election along with those previously recommended – Gloria Manzo, Armis Sadri, Dustin Shade, Melanie Williams, and Amie Vandersluis. The Vestry unanimously approved these nominations and complemented the committee on the strength of the slate it has mustered. Also on the committee’s recommendation, the Vestry formalized the addition of Amanda Gilman to the Memorial Lecture Committee.
Gloria Manzo presented a written report that she and Yoimel González Hernández prepared on our Latino ministry. The Latino group within our parish includes members from many different Latin American countries. This community benefits from formation classes offered in Spanish during particular seasons of the year and has enjoyed volunteering for parish events such as the farewell celebration for Geoffrey Hoare and the Thanksgiving community dinner. Leaders of the Latino congregation are considering potential strategies for increasing the number of its participants.
Ted Cage reported on preliminary efforts undertaken by the working group charged by the Buildings and Grounds Committee with thinking through alternatives for rehabilitating the Rectory. In addition to Ted, the working group includes Stephanie Curcuru, Bob Pinkard, and Lucy Cage. The possibilities include rededicating the building for occupancy by a rector or offering it for rent to other institutions on the Close so as to generate an income stream for servicing a mortgage and funding maintenance costs. The next step is to formulate a proposed budget for the Vestry’s consideration to fund the initial professional consultations and research that would be necessary to scope out design alternatives and estimate a range of construction costs accordingly. As Ted wrote, “The committee believes that prudently spending relatively modest amounts, especially during the preconstruction phase, will allow for more informed and smarter decision-making throughout the process, will ultimately be the most cost-effective approach, and will save money in the long run.” The Vestry was favorably impressed by the report and awaits the proposed budget for planning expenses. This complex project will proceed step by step with careful deliberation and oversight at every stage.
Our Associate Rectors each updated the Vestry on their respective areas of primary responsibility. Especially notable was Jim Quigley’s observation that in this season of Advent, emotions of happiness and loneliness are both intensified and that, as a corollary, the church’s phones and emails “are filled with messages from happy people who want to volunteer and sad people seeking help.” Many pastoral visits are underway, the staff responds to emergency calls virtually every day (nearly always from non-parishioners), the WeCare network is busy serving parishioners in need, and our Stephen’s Ministry is being bolstered by three new lay ministers who have completed training, namely, Amanda Gilman, Virginia Schofield and Linda Vitella. The reopened OpShop is doing brisk business under manager Courtney Cunningham, a most welcome addition to the church staff.
In my own monthly report, I reminded Vestry members that the January 2023 Vestry and Junior Warden election will be conducted digitally. It is important, therefore, to let Charles Porter, Mery Montenegro, or me know of any parishioners who lack computer access or do not use email, so that we can make alternative arrangements for such persons to vote.
I noted that, in the course of the work upgrading the HVAC system in Satterlee Hall, it became clear several months ago that work outside of the approved budget for capital projects needed to be undertaken (1) to address mold and other damage from past water infiltration, and also certain lighting issues, in the Satterlee basement, and (2) to install new wiring and lighting fixtures in the OpShop so as to put that space in good condition for reopening. With qualified contractors already on the scene for the HVAC work, and given the need to resume OpShop operations as soon as possible, management considered the circumstances exigent and decided to issue change orders for the work and request Vestry ratification in arrears. Upon motion of the Executive Committee, the Vestry ratified the spending of $16,134 for the first of the above-mentioned categories of work and $13,889 for the second category. The Vestry also authorized charging the sum total of these expenses to the Reserve Fund, but directed the Treasurer to discuss with the president of Workers of St. Alban’s (WSA) and other representatives of WSA and clergy, as appropriate, the question of whether the Reserve Fund should recoup the amounts spent for improvements to the OpShop out of future profits of that operation.
Respectfully submitted,
Ted Swett
Senior Warden
Vestry News - September 2022
The vestry received a panoply of reports reflecting the start of a program year chock full of offerings for learning, service, and growing in faith. Sunday School/Godly Play, Children’s Chapel, Youth Class, Sunday Bible study for adults, Enquirers’ Class, Grate Patrol, the Backpack Program, and The Leadership Roundtable are all gearing up. (Godly Play and Children’s Chapel are fully staffed but more volunteers are needed for the Youth Program.) Several new recruits have signed up to be trained as Stephen Ministers. The choir has begun the new cycle in marvelous fashion, and a reconstituted handbell ensemble are commencing regular rehearsals. Emily Griffin, Mary Kostel, and Yoimel González Hernández will provide interesting forums this fall, and Jim Quigley will host occasional coffee hours via Zoom. Truly, St. Alban’s is abuzz with abundant life!
Several Latino parishioners will be confirmed at the Cathedral on October 5. At vestry member Gloria Manzo’s suggestion, a more suitable cross is being acquired for use in Spanish services. Formation opportunities will be offered after Spanish services.
The goal of better serving young adults is receiving considerable attention. Yoimel is leading this ministry in tandem with parishioner Kara Schmidt. Parishioners studying the book Growing Young will soon present the vestry with suggestions, and St. Alban’s has joined a year-long program of the Fuller Youth Institute that aims to equip churches for this vital mission.
In his final report, after noting routine business, Geoffrey Hoare wrote: “All that remains is for me to say how very blessed my family and I have been to be with you in ministry these past years. St. Alban’s is a happy, confident parish and with good reason.”
Just before the close of the meeting, the vestry surprised Geoffrey by announcing and adopting by acclamation the Resolution in this link.
Ted Swett
Senior Warden
September 28, 2022
Click on the links below to read minutes from past Vestry and church meetings.
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