St. Andrew’s Vestry Meeting

November 14, 2007, 7 PM

Peabody Room

 

Present:  Jeanne Cassin, Dick Dabrowski, John Ferrillo, Marilyn Guest, Sue Hildreth, Linda Kaferle, Fr. Alan MacKillop, Jim Western

Absent:  Dwight Harshbarger, Yvette Nasworthy, Marianne Welton

 

I.                   Opening Devotions and Prayer

II.                10/10/07 Meeting Minutes Stand As Written

III.             Priest-in-Residence Report (Fr. Alan)

A.     Visited Horace Glover in the hospital 

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Jeanne will find out his room number at MGH and send it to Vestry members

B.     Thanked Michael Smith and the entire choir for the wonderful All Saints’ Sunday service 

1.      The music can be heard on our website

C.     Reported on Diocesan Convention held on Nov. 3rd

IV.              Mission (Fr. Alan)

A.     Reported on a possible partnership with St. Mark’s Church in Westford based on a conversation with its Rector at Diocesan Convention

B.     Reported on a visit by a Korean pastor from the Waltham Korean Evangelical Free Church to St. Andrew’s

1.      Interested in using the church or Parish Hall for a Sunday service

a.      He will be asked to make a formal application (form to be designed over the next week – see below under New Business) which will then be brought before the Vestry

C.     Reported that a Vacation Bible School Feasibility Study Committee being formed to look into

1.      Possibility of working with the other two churches from Tri-Parish

2.      Possibility of working with other denominations from our community

V.                 Wardens’ Report (Dick Dabrowski and Linda Kaferle)

A.     Church Security

1.      Locking of the church door has not been a problem over the past month

a.      Will continue to monitor

B.     Energy Efficiency

1.      Alan Rogers has purchased and installed a programmable thermostat for the Parish Hall (our thanks to Alan)

C.     Vestry Visibility

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Dick will continue to look into ways to make the Vestry more visible during Sunday services

D.    Safe Church Policy/Training

1.      Dick has found the policy that was written by the Vestry in 2003 which does not address the subject fully

a.      ACTION ITEM:  Jeanne and Nancy Barringer to work on an updated draft to present to the Vestry

2.      ACTION ITEM:  Nicola Barlow and Jeanne to attend Safe Church Training

3.      ACTION ITEM:  Dick to check on the Diocesan training requirements and report back to the Vestry

 

VI.              Treasurer’s Report (Sue Hildreth)

A.     Sue distributed a balance sheet

1.      Shows investment accounts as of the last statement date

2.      Transferred $10,500 from Investments to checking to cover payments for the ramp and signs

3.      We have reduced the past due diocesan assessment by $6,333

B.     Comparison of last year’s income/expenses to this year’s

1.      Shows that pledges have increased enough to help with the loss of income from the Rectory

2.      Shows we have been more economical this year than last

3.      Biggest difference in expenses has been the increase due to the diocesan assessment

C.     Budget vs. Actuals shows us breaking even for the month and the year to date

D.    Marilyn asked about receiving a quarterly Investment Report

1.      Currently Al Colburn is handling the investments himself until John Ferrillo and, hopefully, a third person is able to join him in January at which time quarterly reports will be forthcoming

E.     Sue is working on a 2008 budget in concert with the Stewardship Drive

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Sue to bring a draft to the next Vestry meeting

2.      ACTION ITEM:  Linda to send an e-mail encouraging attendance at the next meeting in order to have input

F.      Motion passed to accept Treasurer’s Report as presented

 

VII.           Commission Reports (only those with reports were asked to speak in the interest of time)

A.     Parish Life (Marilyn Guest)

1.      Waiting to hear the final figure raised by the Holiday Fair

2.      Reported that Parish Life needs more help in setting up the fair in the future

a.      Dick suggested that personal phone calls or e-mails be made (this approach has worked in the past)

 

VIII.        Special Committee Reports

A.     Access Ramp (Jim Western)

1.      Vestry decided against iron handrail (which was recommended by building inspector for its durability) due to high price (approx. $3,000-$4,000) in favor of wooden ones

2.      Building inspector requires ballisters be added to portion of deck higher than 30 inches

3.      Molded rail caps recommended by contractor to cover rough surfaces

a.      Motion to authorize the expenditure of $705 for the ballisters and rail cap passed unanimously

4.      Purchased two brackets to shore up canopy for total of $667.50

5.      Vestry postponed a decision about the installation of latticework to enclose the area under the deck until we have used the deck for a while

6.      Total charge for the deck ($14,513 not including door or canopy brackets)

a.      Original quote of $12,000

b.      Plus $1,808 for slight relocation of the ramp

c.       Ballisters and molded rail cap - $705 voted above

7.      Our thanks to Jim Western for all his work as Project Manager

IX.              Unfinished Business (tabled due to time restrictions)

X.                 New Business

A.     Building Usage Agreement

1.      Draft penned by Wardens and Fr. Alan distributed to members

a.      Prompted by Young Life’s request to use Peabody Room on Thursday mornings

b.      Members asked to look over draft and e-mail Linda with any suggested changes

c.       Plan to have all groups currently using the church facilities  fill out the final version

2.      Vestry consensus that an Application Form be designed along the same lines as the Agreement

a.      ACTION ITEM:  Jeanne to work on that this week

B.     Vestry Candidate Names  

1.      Marilyn asked who to give prospective names for 2008 Vestry positions to and was told to give them to Nicola Barlow (Nominating Committee yet to be formally appointed)

C.     Vestry Member Shares Personal Concern

XI.               Next Meeting – Wednesday, Dec. 12th, 7 PM (changed to 7:15 PM)

 

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Kaferle