St. Mary’s Parish
Annual Report
2017
St. Mary’s Mission Statement
“St. Mary’s is a family of God’s people called to love the Lord,
serve others, and be a beacon of hope in our
community and the world”
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
2017 Annual Meeting Agenda
January 21, 2018
I.Call to Order
II.Appointment of Recording Secretary
III.Opening Prayer
IV.Minutes of the 2017 Parish Annual Meeting
A.Questions
B.Comments
C.Motion to Accept/Seconded
V.Presentation of Awards
A.The Rector’s Award recognizes an individual who serves the parish with dedication and constancy.
B. The Reverend William Latané Award honors a vestry member for faithful and steadfast leadership.
VI.Vestry Openings
A.Nominations from the Floor
B.Motion to Close Nominations/Seconded
C.Acceptance of Candidates
VII.Interim Rector’s Report
VIII.Reports
A.Questions
B.Comments
IX.Motion to Adjourn/Seconded
PART II
A vestry presentation will follow on the benefits of actively participating in our Regional Council.
Many of the secret misnomers of the Regional Council will be dispelled by true accounts of the Region’s purpose.
2016 Annual Meeting Minutes – Annual Report – 2017
The 2016 Annual Meeting of St. Mary’s, Colonial Beach, was held on 22 January 2017. The Rev. Thomas R. Hughes, the Interim Rector, called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m., in the Parish Hall. He appointed Jack Gaines as recording secretary for the meeting. He then opened the meeting with a prayer.
The minutes for the 2015 meeting (7 February 2016) were distributed as part of the reports package. Donna Derry moved suspension of the reading of the minutes. Erin Bartley seconded the motion and the meeting approved it. There being no questions on the minutes, Peggy Johnston moved approval of the minutes as distributed. Cordelia Ray seconded the motion and the meeting approved it.
Awards
St. Mary’s presents two awards at each annual meeting, the Rector’s Award and the Latané Award.
The Rector’s Award is presented for continuous dedicated service to the parish. This year, Mary Barber was the recipient of this award.
The Rev. William Latané Award is for outstanding dedicated Vestry service. Erin Bartley was the recipient of this award.
Vestry Election
The Vestry, according to the canons, manages the business of the church and works with the rector to nourish all aspects of parish life. This year the Vestry had two members rotating off, Donna Derry and Mary Barber.
The Vestry, acting as a committee of the whole, presented the following slate of candidates for the two open positions: Robert Harrison and Donna Shelar. There being no nominations from the floor, Marianne Moore moved that the two presented candidates be elected by acclamation. Janet Markwith seconded the motion and the meeting approved. Fr. Hughes invited the newly elected Vestry members to read and sign the Vestry Declaration and Promise as prescribed in the Canons of the Diocese of Virginia, making them official Vestry members.
Interim Rector’s Report
Fr. Hughes’ full report is available as part of the package of meeting materials that was handed out prior to the meeting. Today, he spoke of Spiritual Nature being what we are about at St. Mary’s. He thinks it is time to consider a mission to reach out to others, such as a mission trip. He also suggested a renewal program, possibly the Alpha Program. Donna Shelar commented favorably about the Alpha Program.
Questions on the Reports
There were no questions on the reports published prior to the meeting.
Vestry Presentation
At this point, the meeting arrived at the end of the published agenda. Fr. Hughes handed the meeting over to Erin Bartley and Mary Parker for a Vestry report on the results of the two appreciative listening sessions and the membership survey. Erin presented the results, and Mary discussed the realities of the focus group and survey responses. Hard copies of the results of the focus groups, surveys and facts from Mary's presentation were available to all.
Erin also reviewed the two resolutions coming up at the Annual Diocesan Convention and the Vestry’s support of them.
The meeting concluded with open discussion from the floor. Topics discussed included music in church, possible parenting programs, and help for high school students with their service requirements and some kind of recognition for these students for their service (e.g., a special coffee hour).
The meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m. with a unison reading of St. Mary’s Mission Statement and a prayer from Fr. Hughes.
Respectfully submitted,
Jack Gaines, Recording Secretary
Vestry Opening Report – Annual Meeting, 2017
Sometimes members of the church agree to be on the Vestry without knowing what it really means to serve in this capacity. After all, there is an implicit understanding that the Vestry person will be a role model in the parish, in one’s stewardship, in one’s ability to lead and in one’s willingness to communicate with transparency.
What are some expectations of a vestry member at St. Mary’s?
- To prepare for and attend Vestry meetings.
- To attend the Vestry retreat and participate in prayer, reflection, team building, and vestry business.
- To worship regularly and attend and participate in the activities and life of St. Mary’s Parish.
- To exercise leadership by example and participation in the temporal and spiritual life of the church.
- To serve as leader of a ministry domain.
- To be a faithful steward with time, talent and money.
- To speak the truth in love for the upbuilding of Christ in the Church.
- To consciously consider and review all deliberations and actions of the Vestry in the light of St. Mary’s Mission Statement.
- To pray for the clergy, the leaders of the church and the congregation.
- To engage in ethical behavior and recognize that God is the center of all vestry decisions.
- To honor confidentiality and listen to another with attention and reflection before responding.
Our two vestry candidates, Jeff Crook and Julie Irving understand these components and will serve St. Mary’s well to the best of their abilities.
For the 2018 Vestry, the definite members include:
Mary C. Parker
Erin Bartley
Mary Coombes
Robert Harrison
Gladys Clark Johnson
Janet Markwith
Donna Shelar
Jeff Crook
After much thought and prayer, I feel led to offer my service to the Vestry of St. Mary’s.
Although I have only been attending since the Spring of 2016, I feel as if I was clearly led to the St. Mary’s community at a crucial time in my spiritual life. I have been a long-time attender at two churches (my home church of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts from 1977, when I was in 3rd grade, until 1993, when I moved to Washington, DC, and the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC from 1993-2007, when I moved to Colonial Beach). I have rarely encountered such a warm and loving spirit in a church. In recent years I have despaired as I have seen parts of the Christian body be captured by worldly pursuits of power divorced from the concern for love, grace, and justice to which we as Christians are called. I’ve encountered churches that either have little in the way of spiritual or theological substance or ones that fail to understand that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world. In St. Mary’s I have found a church that both believes in the truth of Christ — our human sin and weakness, and the need for Christ’s love and grace to overcome it — and that lives that truth out with a compassion and concern for justice that is uncommon in the modern American church. I believe that the Holy Spirit is clearly at work at St. Mary’s, and that it is genuinely a beacon of light both in our local community and the broader church as a whole.
I wish to support this special group of people and contribute in any way I can with my spiritual gifts. Although shy, I am very gracious, loving, and supportive of people, and also bring a judicious and analytical mind to the kind of discussions, decisions, and problem-solving in which the Vestry engages. I have worked for 21 years in the world of public policy, both for a non-profit and the government, and have extensive experience with teamwork, communication, and facilitation that would contribute substantially to a collaborative body like the Vestry. I have been both an analyst and a strategic communicator throughout my career and believe that these skills, along with my spiritual gifts, can provide tangible and intangible support for St. Mary’s.
In the past when I have attended churches, I have often been reticent to put myself out there and volunteer, but just as I believe the Lord led me to St. Mary’s, I feel called to take my light from behind the bushel and share the work and joy of living the love of Christ within St. Mary’s and our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration…
Warmest regards,
Jeff Crook
Julie Irving
At this time, I would like to be considered for candidacy again for a seat on the Vestry for 2018.
I have held this position for 3-year term years ago, and know the commitment that is required both for time and spirit and feel I am being called once again to serve.
For those who may not know me personally, I am 45 years old and moved to Colonial Beach in 2001 as a business owner (healthcare staffing). I was from the DC area (MD/Northern VA). I joined St. Mary’s in July 2004, just after my daughter Madelyn was born. From the moment I stepped into St. Mary’s I was immediately at HOME.
Through the years at St. Mary’s, I have involved myself in the best ways the church needed and the ways I knew how I could make a difference. I thought of doing the annual silent auction, as a fundraiser and have continued annually to keep this amazing event going for our parish. I’ve pitched in at times when needed, whether it be other events, home visits to the sick, helping in the church office, vacation bible school, and advertising/marketing the church. For a couple of years vacation bible school was having a lot of trouble in terms of manpower and kids responding to our own program, so I assisted with partnering with the Methodist Church in lieu of us not doing VBS at all. It was a great way to bring community together, and serve Christ! I’ve taken on the role for the past few years as Assistant Treasurer, and although it’s a background role most of the time it’s a vital role for our church and I am very much prepared to act whenever needed. Several years ago, I created a Facebook page for St. Mary’s, which I update on a weekly and sometimes more often basis. This has been an amazing resource for the community. Being able to get the word out, spread our GOOD NEWS, and get people to engage back with us, and spread to others…I truly believe is helping grow our church.
But, I do have to say that most importantly out of all of this, what means the most to me is celebrating Christ. Being a LEM, being a Lector, coming to church and being with my church family is what brings me peace in my heart.
I feel that timing is right as I have recently closed down the main portion of my business this past May. I know that we as a Church will be transitioning again soon, and would be honored to help through this time, to ensure the best for St. Mary’s.
With love in Christ,
Julie Irving
Annual Reflections for 2017
Submitted by the Reverend Thomas Roddy Hughes, Jr.
Thank you, Saint Mary's, for having Jan and me as a part of your familyfor all this time. We have laughed
and cried, baptized and buried, celebrated and loved just like a family, for that is just what we are. What a blessing!
When I came to you in the summer of 2013, l promised that l would LOVE YOU and I would PREACH THE GOSPEL. These things l have done to the best of my ability and as the Holy Spirit empowered me. What
none could have known was that there was to be an additional factor in our time together - Jan's declining health. This unwelcome source of both love and energy, sadness and passion, bonding and separation,
has become a part of our togetherness. You have loved us from the beginning, for I had only been here a month when her ALS diagnosis fell like the sword of Damocles. It has been a defining event for our life together, and the loving hand ofGod has been revealed at every turn. But it is now time to move on from this chapter in our journey together.
The ministry and work of Saint Mary's is vital in this community. The labor the Lord has given us to do is
our calling. Our private and public prayer life is our calling. Sharing the Holy Spirit is our calling. Loving each other and witnessing to the love of Christ is our calling. We all come from God and we are all going back to God and everything in between is about the growth of our souls - andthat is what we are doing here together. Time to bring in the straying sheep and to tighten the circle - both those things - for who knows when the trump will sound foryou and me...
What an incredible experience lies ahead for your new rector when he or she is called, for this is a church community like no other: open arms, open minds, open hearts. And after one hundred and seventeen
years, we've just begun.
So, once again l challenge you as I did five years ago: share your church with someone. Bring a friend,
bring a family member. That is the way churches grow - by invitation. Saint Mary's is a joyful experience
to share, and so let's each one of us make a commitment to that for the new year. Your heart will be
glad!
Blessed be the year of our Lord twenty-eighteen. Tom+
Vestry Summary – Annual Report, 2017
The following summary offers highlights of the year 2017 from a vestry perspective. During this year, the Vestry made some significant changes in its discussion of and required decisions for the budget and ministry framework. These two topics are now addressed at multiple meetings rather than monopolize one meeting.
The Ministry Framework had seven components with a vestry member as lead of each ministry. Buildings and Grounds, Robert Harrison, Christian Formation, Mary Coombes – Church and Worship, Mary Parker – Fellowship, Janet Markwith – Outreach, Gladys-Clark Johnson – Pastoral Care, Donna Shelar – Stewardship, Erin Bartley and Lewis Ray.
The Prayer Shawl Ministry continues to grow with new members. Under the direction of Sue Coulson, the locations that receive the shawls have expanded to include The Haven in Warsaw and the Doorway in Richmond. This committee meets weekly on Thursday morning to pray, knit or crochet and engage in fellowship.
Thanks to volunteers and direction from Ann Flaim, Gladys Clark-Johnson and Susan Mack, the Food Pantry continues to offer sustenance, four times monthly, to locals and make a difference in the lives of many who would otherwise go hungry.
Former vestry member, Donna Derry, sends birthday and anniversary cards to parishioners.
The Book Club meets four times a year to discuss books with spiritual themes.
The Soup Troop remains faithful to and enthusiastic about preparing free lunch on the first Saturday of every month, so the Community can enjoy soup and meet strangers who will become friends.
Under the direction of Robert Harrison, batteries, light bulbs and filters are replaced; lawns are mowed, and snow removed.
It is with great delight that we witness the application of our Prayer Warriors at the 8:00 and 10:30 services. The four women who hold the hands of fellow parishioners in supplication, gratitude or praise are fulfilling a long-held wish for such witness while offering the promise of shared prayer throughout the week. Mary Barber, Charlette Queen, Peggy Johnston and Donna Shelar already know that prayers are stronger than any troubles could possibly be.
The 2017 Vestry year in review
January –
- The Annual Meeting took place on January 22, 2017. Robert Harrison and Donna Shelar became vestry members replacing Mary Barber and Donna Derry. Following the business component of the meeting, Junior Warden, Erin Bartley, presented a summary of results from the three questions posed at the two focus group meetings held during the fall of 2016:
- What do we want our awaiting rector to help us become as a church both within and without the walls of St. Mary’s?
- What would a full-time rector do that a part-time (3.5 days) could not do?
- Having acknowledged that it takes both the gifts of the rector and parishioners to make a church all that it can be, in what ways can the laity contribute to the whole of St. Mary’s?
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