The Warden’s Corner
The Annual Meeting was held on Sunday, January 24th, with thirty-four members in attendance. Elected to the vestry for three-year terms were Martha Ryan, Jane Bower and Mark Kalbfleisch. Elected to a three-year term, as Convention delegate was Joyce Chase, to join our other convention delegates Herk Dunsmore and Carolyn Fouts. Elected, as alternates were Linda Ballard, Carolyn Murray, and Janice Rocheleau. Elected to represent the Parish at the Deanery for one year were Sally Sweeney and Carolyn Fouts.
After the election of the various positions, there was a review of the reports of the various organizations of the Parish. I am attaching my report to this newsletter, as it gives a synopsis of our year as a Parish.
At the Vestry meeting following the Annual Meeting, the following were elected: Carolyn Fouts, Senior Warden; Martha Ryan, Junior Warden, Herk Dunsmore, Parish Treasurer and Clerk.
We do have an update from the Rev. Canon Thad Bennett, the Diocesan Ministry Deployment Officer, regarding our search for a Priest-in-Partnership (PIP). As I reported in Church, the Diocese has four or five candidates that have expressed an interest in the position. The Diocese will review the candidates and the Bishop will then make a recommendation to the Vestry of the candidate they feel best meets the gifts and skills that we identified in our Parish Profile last year. This candidate will then be presented to the Vestry to consider for the position. The PIP is appointed by the Bishop, with the approval and consent of the Vestry, for a three-year term with the parish. Here are the guidelines regarding a Priest-in-Partnership:
The Bishop suggests to the Vestry that because of past circumstances it might be helpful for the congregation to have a Priest-in-Partnership. If the Vestry agrees the Bishop will appoint the Priest-in-Partnership with the approval and consent of the Vestry. The Priest-in-Partnership will function like a rector (as according to diocesan and national canons) of a parish with the exception of tenure.
The Priest-in-Partnership and the Parish enter into an agreement for a period of at least three years. A review of the relationship, conducted by the Office of the Bishop, will occur at approximately six months intervals. After an agreed upon period of time (usually at least 2 years), after a more formal review, the relationship may be made permanent, with the Bishop’s approval, by the Vestry electing the Priest-in-Partnership as Rector and the Priest-in-Partnership accepting the call.
If the Vestry, the Priest-in-Partnership, or the Bishop decides that the Priest-in-Partnership will not become Rector, the relationship shall continue for a period of at least twelve months. This period shall be used by the Parish to initiate a search process and by the Priest-in-Partnership to seek another call while continuing to function as the interim.
The Diocese is hopeful of meeting with the Vestry during the latter part of February with a name for the Vestry to consider.
Thank you to all in the Parish who contributed to another successful Mitten Tree. It was well decorated and several schools benefited from the contributions. Also, thanks to all who made our Christmas celebrations possible, including Jo-Anne Blouin, who made a number of telephone calls to help find coverage for our Christmas Eve services.
Thank you also to Herk Dunsmore for being the “chief cook” for the January Senior Luncheon.
Finally, I extend a thank you to the three retiring members of the Vestry: Rick Lunderville, Carol Livingston, and Joyce Chase. Your years of service and support are greatly appreciated.
We extend the sympathy of the Parish to the family of Richard Carroll, who died on Thursday, January 21st. Dick and his wife Judy came to St. Luke’s in 1988, and Dick served on the Vestry in the 1990s.
Regards.
Carolyn Fouts, Senior Warden
The year 2009 has been a year of challenges for the Parish of St. Luke’s, as well as a year of successes. Last January we moved our winter services into the parish hall, as a way to save heat and power, and do a little to reduce our carbon footprint. A recent analysis for an energy audit conducted by Vermont Interfaith Power and Light showed that our cost savings was over $2,000, and our energy use decreased by nearly 20% for our gas usage, and just over 20% for our electric usage. The report from Vermont Interfaith Power and Light will be reviewed by the vestry and we will determine which recommendations we can implement.
In mid-April our Interim Pastor, the Reverend Jean Austin, left for vacation after Easter, and was unable to return to work due to illness. We worked with the Bishop’s office to help Jean qualify for early retirement through the Church Pension Fund, as her health will not allow her to return to work full time. We were truly blessed to be able to enter into a long-term supply relationship with the Reverend George Moyser of Shelburne. We are thankful that George has agreed to help out in this capacity as we continue toward a call for a Priest in Partnership. We are also very thankful for the Reverend Stanley Irving, retired rector of St. Luke’s, who has been kind enough to provide the weekly Wednesday morning service during this time. These two gentlemen have helped to ease the load for me, as Senior Warden, when we learned that Jean could not continue with us. I offer my deepest thanks to both of them.
In early July we bid a fond farewell to our Verger, Colin Christie, and his wife Gloria Mapes, when they moved to
In November we were hopeful that we were nearing the end of the transition process when the Vestry voted to issue a call to one of the candidates presented by the Ministry Discernment Committee. Unfortunately, that person turned down the call. The Vestry met after receiving that word and decided to work with the Diocese for a Priest-in-Partnership. Under this model, the Bishop will appoint the Priest-in-Partnership with the approval and consent of the Vestry. The Vestry will interview the candidate before the Bishop makes the appointment. The appointment is made for three years and may, after a formal review, the relationship may be made permanent, with the Bishop’s approval, by the Vestry electing the Priest-in-Partnership as Rector, and the Priest-in-Partnership accepting the call as Rector. The most recent communication from the Diocese indicates they hope to come before the vestry with a candidate by the end of February.
In November we placed the rectory on the market at a price of $265,000. Meanwhile, we maintain minimum heat in the building, and lights go on in the evening and early morning hours.
Our other parish activities have continued during the interim. The fall fund-raising events were all successes: the Lawn Sale, Book Sale and Rummage Sale. We offer our thanks to the organizers (Pat Burton, Jim and Linda Ballard, Kathy Carter) and all who contributed items and time to these efforts. We also thank Carol Livingston for bringing back the Senior Luncheons this year. Although the numbers attending have dropped over the years, it is always a good time for all.
Jim Ballard continues to work with the Pastoral Care group, and has trained more people to be Lay Eucharistic Visitors. As part of this, Jim worked with the Diocese to offer a Safe-Church Training workshop at St. Luke’s last March, attended by nearly two dozen people. This training is required by the church insurance for people who will work with children, do house visits of parishioners, etc. We are fortunate to have Jim assigned to St. Luke’s and are thankful for the ministry which he and Linda do among us.
There are so many to thank for the works that have continued throughout the year: the Altar Guild, the Pastoral Care Committee, Hospitality Committee, the Finance Committee, George Murphy and his work with the youngsters in the Sunday School, Donna Costes, our Music Director and Organist, the Sexton and his family who have maintained our building and grounds (Bryan, Dale and Nathan Powers), Rick Hamilton for chairing the Buildings and Grounds Committee, lectors, ushers, counters, acolytes, chalice bearers, Verger Sean Chase, our Parish Treasurer, Herk Dunsmore, and, of course, our Parish Secretary, Jo-Anne Blouin. Thank you also to the members of the Vestry: Rick Lunderville, Carol Livingston, Joyce Chase, Herk Dunsmore, Ted Burton, and Russ Walters for their work throughout the past year. The Parish is the people, and these people who help with their various ministries are integral to the life of the Parish.
We look forward to welcoming a Priest-in-Partnership this year and the next step in the transition process. It has been a long process and we are all looking forward to a New Beginning.
Carolyn Fouts, Senior Warden
HELP NEEDED!
The Finance Committee has at least one opening for a member. We meet the 2nd Wednesday of the month to review financial issues regarding the Parish. The meetings are at in the Secretary’s office. You do not have to have a financial background!
If you are interested, please contact Herk Dunsmore at 524-9663, or leave your name with JoAnn, Parish Secretary, 524-6212.
Also, there are openings on the Counter’s Schedule. The offerings from the Sunday service as well as any income is counted, recorded and deposited at the bank. This occurs after the service on Sunday and takes about 1 hours, sometimes less. You will have someone work with you to count.
If you are interested, please call JoAnn Blouin, Parish Secretary, 524-6212 with dates you can count.
Parish Profiles – Jane Bower
What brought you to St. Luke’s? I first attended St. Luke’s after I retired from teaching school in Swanton. I had attended Holy Trinity, Swanton for fifteen plus years because I was invited by fellow teachers and I knew many students and parents there. What made staring over at a new parish easier for me was the art show and being invited to paint with parishioners in the parish hall.
Where did you grow up and what was it like? I was born in
How did you meet your spouse? I met my husband
Where do/did you work? At the beginning of my teaching career, I worked as a sixth grade language arts teacher in a small rural town in
Do you have any pets? We have three cats, all rescued barn cats from the farms
What is your favorite thing to do? Painting is my favorite thing to do. It doesn’t matter what kind, I just like paint brushes and colors. Even painting doors, woodwork, etc. is fun for me.
What goals are you still working toward? I would like to be a better artist. I feel I need to learn more about traditional art so that I can blend that with the free form, abstract paintings I do.
Tell me about a memorable moment in your life, a time you will never forget. I was at a church retreat when I was sixteen and had the unforgettable experience of getting lost in the woods outside the retreat buildings. We were sent outside to reflect on the sermon and were to go alone so that we would be in silence. Not having much of a sense of direction or time, I found myself with no idea of how to get back to the others. Of course I was afraid and asked for guidance. I believe it came in the words “follow me”. I heard moving water and began following a creek. I sensed that Jesus was with me every step of the way back.
What are you really bad at that you’d love to be good at? I am really bad at math and computers. I think the math is hopeless, but I’m improving on computers.
When people look back at your life, how do you want to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as a person who cared about other and showed it.
