St. Andrew’s Vestry Meeting

April 18, 2007, 7 PM

Peabody Room

 

Present:  Jeanne Cassin, Dick Dabrowski, Marilyn Guest, Dwight Harshbarger, Sue Hildreth, Linda Kaferle, Fr. Alan MacKillop, Yvette Nasworthy

Absent:  John Ferrillo, Russ Harris, Marianne Welton

 

I.                   Opening Devotions and Prayer

II.                Motion Approved to Accept 3/13/07 Meeting Minutes as Presented

III.             Priest-in-Residence Report

A.     Meaningful Holy Week

1.      Choir sang at Maundy Thursday service

2.      250 people attended Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday services

B.     Successful Lenten Series

1.      Three programs on Windsor Report took a more positive approach

2.      Two movies, The Apostle and An Inconvenient Truth brought about interesting discussions

C.     Continuation of movies series (due to gift of projector and screen)

1.      Tender Mercies on May 14th

2.      “The Hidden Life”, a video on the life of the Community of St. Mary (the oldest order of the Episcopal Church founded in the US) on June 12th followed by a question and answer period with the Mother Superior who will be visiting from Albany, NY

D.    Ascension Day Eucharist to be held at St. Andrews on May 17th sponsored by tri parish committee (St. Andrew’s, Trinity Chapel in Shirley and St. David’s in Pepperell)

1.      Will include a combined choir conducted by Michael Smith

2.      Will be first event we have done together

E.     Fr. Alan is teaching a confirmation class on Sunday mornings

IV.              Treasurer’s Report/Investment Report

A.     List of in-kind gifts given over last few months to be included in next X-Press

1.      Dwight suggested organizing parishioner pledges to offset church expenses

2.      Dick suggested that Commission chairs send a wish list of items needed to Sue for publication in the X-Press

a.      Fr. Alan has plans to purchase a new sanctuary light

B.     Sue distributed a Balance Sheet and Statement of Financial Activities which will be included in the Treasurer’s Report on a quarterly basis

C.     Motion approved to accept 4/18/07 Treasurer’s Report as presented

 

 

 

V.                 Old Business

A.     Directory

1.      Has been completed and distributed to some parishioners at Sunday services. 

2.      If necessary, those remaining will be mailed

3.      Vestry thanks Carolyn Smith for her donation of time and money and John Ferrillo for his photographic skill

B.     Access Ramp

1.      Manny e-mailed vestry members of his suggestion to hire Nick Potitis for the ramp contractor

a.      Nick provided the lowest written bid (as well as the first)

b.      Nick fully understands the job

c.       Nick’s wife and daughter are active members of the church

2.      Manny wrote that he is no longer able to be project manager due to job responsibilities

3.      It is unclear whether a handicap accessible door is part of the bid

a.      ACTION ITEM:  Linda to contact Manny regarding this question as well as asking for a copy of the building permit

b.      ACTION ITEM:  Fr. Alan to ask Nick whether his bid included the door

c.       ACTION ITEM:  Dick to ask Russ what he knows about the inclusion of the door

4.      Motion approved to authorize Manny to request a letter contract and a price list of materials (that will be deducted from the bottom line if the church can procure the materials for substantially less) from Nick and present it to the vestry for approval

C.     Vestry Retreat

1.      After much discussion, it was decided to plan a one-day retreat at a local venue (possibly Church of Good Shepherd in Acton or Clinton) for June 16th and to consider a weekend retreat (possibly at Emery House) for next February or March (after Annual Meeting)

D.    Commission Roster Update

1.      Dick has updated the website with the new members of each commission

2.      ACTION ITEM:  Fr. Alan to review the roster for any people who are no longer members and should be removed

VI.              Commission Reports

A.     Membership (Dick)

1.      Church sign designs have been received and will be reviewed at next commission meeting before being brought before the vestry for input

 

 

B.      Outreach

1.      Recommendation for appropriation of funds (totaling $11,150 of a $12,000 budget)

a.      Episcopal Relief and Development $2,000

b.      Young Life $2500

c.       South American Missionary Society $1500

d.      Habitat for Humanity $1500

e.      Loaves and Fishes $1500

f.        Our Prison Neighbors $250

g.      Diocese of Tanga in Tanzania $1000

h.      Bishop Shaw’s Charities $150

i.        Refugee Immigration $150

j.        Battered Women’s Rescue $250

k.      Episcopal City Mission $200

l.        Massachusetts Council of Churches $100 (Membership donation)

m.    Also considering a donation to the Esperanza Academy in Lawrence (decision pending visit to the school for underprivileged girls)

2.      Motion voted to accept recommendations of Outreach Commission

3.      Mission Outreach Sunday (June 10th)

a.      Fair to be held in Parish Hall for recipients to present the work done by their organizations

C.     Pastoral Care

1.      John related through an e-mail that another LEMBE is needed to handle Sunday communion visits to those parishioners unable to attend church

a.      Fr. Alan is happy to take communion to homebound parishioners

b.      ACTION ITEM:  Fr. Alan to speak to a person who may be interested in becoming a LEMBE

D.    Stewardship

1.      Made $380 at Palm Sunday mini-fair

2.      Insurance review had been a part of Stewardship when Al Colburn was chairperson but has not been handled by Stewardship for the last five years

a.      ACTION ITEM:  Sue to put a Help Wanted request in the X-Press for someone with insurance expertise willing to take over that review

E.     Worship Commission

1.      Fr. Alan and Michael Smith plan to provide training for new lectors and chalice bearers

2.      They will be encouraging the children to write the “Prayers of the People” read during youth services

3.       Fr. Alan would be happy to have children do readings during normal “adult” services

F.      Parish Historian

1.      Dick Dabrowski and Louise Rogers appointed to the executive board of the Parish Historian Society (includes 194 parishes)

a.      2008 annual meeting of the society to be held at St. Andrew’s in April or May 2008

VII.           New Business

1.      Motion approved to allow the inclusion of any amended reports of the 2007 Annual Meeting to be included as attachments to the Annual Meeting minutes

2.      Rectory rental

a.      Current tenant has given notice effective as of 5/15/07

b.      Sue suggested that the $3500 average annual heating cost be listed with the monthly rental (currently $1350) when advertising for a tenant

c.       Dwight suggested that we consider using the rectory as an opportunity for outreach

                                                                                                                          i.      Sub-committee formed (Fr. Alan, Dwight, Jeanne and Linda) to explore the possibilities

VIII.        Next Meeting – Wednesday, May 9th, 7 PM

IX.              Closing Prayer

X.                 Adjournment

 

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Kaferle