St. Andrew’s Vestry Meeting

September 29, 2009, 7:30 PM

Peabody Room

 

Present:  Nancy Barringer, Al Colburn, Dick Dabrowski, Linda Kaferle, Fr. Alan MacKillop, Mary Medeiros, George Miller, Louise Rogers, Erica Scattergood, Carolyn Smith, Don Ulsch, Bill Veno, Andrew Welton, Marianne Welton, Phil Welton

Absent:  Sue Hildreth

 

I.                   Opening Devotion & Prayer

 

II.                Priest-in-Charge Report (Fr. Alan)

A.     Former parishioner Dwight Harshbarger sent his latest book called Witness at Hawkes Nest – congratulations to Dwight!

B.     Fr. Alan & Erica will be going to Italy and Austria on vacation from October 12th till the end of the month

1.      This auction item purchased by Fr. Alan goes to support the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem

2.      This was the only time that he and Erica could take advantage of it this year

C.     Parish Hall cross

1.      The broken cross was taken down recently from the Parish Hall by Lindsey Mullan, the original contractor who made the cross

2.      ACTION ITEM:  Fr. Alan to talk to Lindsey about replacing it with a sturdier metal cross at no additional cost

D.    Andrews’ Memorial Gift

1.      Kyle has been unable to get in touch with Andover Organ to get a quote on the organ work

a.      ACTION ITEM:  Fr. Alan will call Andover Organ

E.     Has been visiting the sick and shut-ins

F.      Cudos to Faith Salter for her Climate Change presentation last week

 

III.             8/11/09 Meeting Minutes Accepted as Presented

 

IV.              Wardens’ Report (Dick & Linda)

A.     Diocesan Resource Day

1.      Held Saturday, September 26th at Bentley College, attended by Dick, Claudette Hunt, Linda, and Carolyn

a.      Workshops on part-time clergy, pastoral care, facilities, small church audit, and stewardship were very worthwhile

B.     Bishop Gail Harris will be visiting on December 6th

C.     The MacKillop Music Fund

1.      To be established in Fr. Alan’s name for all his has done for the music program at St. Andrew’s

a.      Dick and Carolyn will be making the lead gift

i.                    They have asked that the donated money be used to enhance the music program (not to replace the budgeted amount)

 

V.                 Treasurer’s Report (prepared by Lorraine Leonard)

A.     Currently showing a $4700 deficit

B.     Still owe $1000 to Loaves & Fishes from 2nd quarter request from Outreach 

 

VI.              Search Committee (Bill Veno)

A.     Bill as co-chair thanked the Vestry for attending the potlucks given for the rector candidates and the wardens for their work behind the scenes and Mary for her amazing hospitality which included holding most of the meetings at her house and providing food and drink for all

B.     Bill also mentioned the great support the committee got from the diocese, especially Cynthia Hubbard, and from Carol Kingston as facilitator

C.     Bill gave “thumbs-up” on the parish profile which was used to guide the committee throughout the whole process

D.    Bill reported that one of the three finalists dropped out and the committee was left with two very qualified applicants which the members felt would serve equally well as rector

E.     The committee recommended one candidate with the understanding that the second candidate be called if the first decided not to accept the call

1.      Erica made the motion to accept the above Search Committee recommendation, Louise seconded, and the motion passed by a vote of  8 yes votes and one abstention (Don Ulsch due to his inability to attend any of the dinners and meet the candidates wanted to do further research)

F.      The Vestry thanked the Search Committee for all its hard work over the last year

 

VII.           Commission Reports

A.     Outreach (written report submitted by Nicola Barlow and Fr. Alan)

1.      Held a basement sale on September 13th (noted as June 13th on report)

a.      Asked for donations to Loaves & Fishes rather than charging per item

i.                    Very successful; raised $550

ii.                  Assistant Treasurer was asked to send a check for $550 to Loaves and Fishes

 

 

2.      Recommendations for 3rd & 4th quarter disbursements as follows:

a.      $1,000 for Habitat for Humanity

b.      $500 for ERD

c.       $250 for Our Prison Neighbors

d.      $150 Refugee Immigration Ministry (RIM)

e.      $1,000 for Esperanza School

f.        $500 for Battered Women’s Resouce

g.      $500 for St. Stephen’s

h.      $100 for Mass Council of Churches

i.        A motion was unanimously passed to withdraw $3500 from investments to pay the $1000 past due from the 2nd quarter to Loaves & Fishes that has not been paid as yet.  The additional $2500 will be paid against b, c, d, ˝ of e, f, g, and h; the remainder of $1500 to be paid against “a” and ˝ of e by the end of the year

3.      Nicola Barlow has resigned from the commission

a.      The Vestry thanks Nicola for her hard work

4.      A discussion about sending money up and above the budgeted amounts took place

a.      It was the feeling of the Vestry that just the budgeted amount be sent at this point and then looked at again at the end of the year

i.                    ACTION ITEM:  Dick to talk to Sue to get some clarity as to where we are regarding pledge status so we know what we can afford to give up and above the Outreach budget, if anything

B.     Facilities (report submitted by Alan Rogers)

1.      Clean-up Day – October 18th after 10 o’clock service

2.      Rectory furnace has been cleaned and tested for efficiency by Lorden Home Climate (formerly Lorden Oil)

C.     Christian Formation (report submitted by Yvette Nasworthy)

1.      Over the summer the Sunday School attempted to have a car wash to raise money for Loaves and Fishes but was rained out on several tries

2.      Sunday School began on September 27th

a.      Godly Play will be taught by Yvette Nasworthy and Jeanne Cassin with door keepers, Linda Kaferle, Kim Lindo and John Knowles

b.      Upper Elementary will be taught by Jason Salter; looking for an additional teacher/helper for this class

c.       MS/HS will be taught by Phil Welton and will be held at 6 PM on Sunday evenings

3.      Nursery Care

a.      Additional helper is needed

b.      Currently have one helper – Caelen Taylor

c.       ACTION ITEM:  George Miller to ask his daughter if she is interested in the position

d.      Nursery will be moved over to the Parish Hall – date TBD

 

 

 

VIII.        Old Business

A.     Fidelity two-signature policy

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Al Colburn to have Lorraine Leonard and John Ferrillo added as signers along with himself

B.     Checking account two-signature policy

1.      Marianne checked with Middlesex and North Middlesex banks and found them unwilling to monitor whether checks over a certain amount have two signatures

a.      Dick suggested we look at our invoice approval process which he feels is more an issue than having two signatures on the checks

C.     Stewardship

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Dick to talk to people about being co-chairs of Stewardship

D.    Commercial dishwasher

1.      ACTION ITEM:  Wardens to come to next meeting with info on dishwasher

 

IX.              New Business

A.     The next newsletter will have an earlier deadline due to Sue Ulsch’s  travel schedule at the end of the month

B.     Thank-you dinner for Search Committee

1.      Erica offered her house for the Vestry to give the Search Committee a thank-you dinner in November (has subsequently been postponed to January)

 

X.                 Next Meeting – Tuesday, Oct. 20th, 7:30 PM, Peabody Room

 

XI.              Closing Prayer

 

XII.           Adjournment – 9:15 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Kaferle