Last Saturday your newly elected vestry and ongoing members met to begin the process of forming as a group and of engaging the faithful work ahead. There was amazing energy and enthusiasm as we began to find our rhythm of working together and embracing our leadership roles.
Here are some highlights we discussed or action decided:
- There’s a group of vestry members who will work with Chad Linder, our Diocesan Canon for Financial Operations, to learn about grant and loan opportunities from the diocese and how they may connect to funding our current or future ministries.
- We are preparing for our day-long Vestry Retreat on 2/24 which will be facilitated by Dan Morrow, the Diocesan Canon for Congregational Life and Mission. The purpose of this retreat is to begin the conversation and process to discern with increased clarity the parish’s identity, purpose, and mission. We will learn a process that we can then take out to the parish.
- Each vestry meeting will begin or end with one member sharing a meaningful spiritual practice with the group. It can be as simple as a particularly important prayer from the BCP or it can be chanting, yoga, meditation, or listening to music that lifts your soul.
- One of of our goals is to create regular and transparent financial reporting at the vestry meetings and to the congregation. The Treasurer (Ken Dotson) and Mother Barbara will begin our work to accomplish this goal in the next month.
- A Vestry member will share with the congregation each month the highlights of our vestry meeting as an announcement during church the Sunday following our meeting.
We all came away from the orientation better informed, energized about our leadership role, and with a sense of purpose and motion moving forward. We are very blessed to have these members serve in this capacity.
