Hello –
These three things are….
1. Sunday, December 5th, which is the day Bishop Marc visits St. Paul’s. In preparation for his visit, I’m asking the Vestry, and now I’m asking you, to consider how you would complete three sentences, imagining that you have the opportunity to say them to Bishop Marc:
• Thank you for the assessment relief of $40,000 for 2022! Here’s what we’re doing to recover our financial strength after the loss of the income from the private Preschool…
• As we wrote in the application for assessment relief, we’d like the relief to extend our “runway for growth.” Here’s what we’re doing to create a runway for growth…
• We are also devoted to growing in depth through both inner spiritual work and outer spiritual work. Here are the things we’re doing and why they mean so much to us…
The congregation is always welcome at Vestry meetings. The next one is tomorrow at 9am. Email me at c.h.mrtn@gmail.com for the Zoom link if you’d like to take part.
2. Friday, December 17th and Monday, December 20th are two events where we are encouraged to invite people.
Friday from about 4pm to 7pm is the De Colores End of Year Party where we will be handing out presents from our Angel Tree project. There are so many children associated with the center that we are all encouraged to invite our friends and neighbors to also participate and even come to the party.
On Monday, from 7pm to 8pm, we will have Christmas Sing-a-long for Sinners and Saints. It will be great fun and we all be given 5 postcards about the event to hand out to anyone we encounter.
3. February 6th is the Annual Meeting. Two things will happen on that day. One is that the Vestry will reveal a Mission Plan for Growth, which is what we’re working on in our open Vestry meetings. We will continue enlisting your help. The other is that the RenewalWorks group reaches the end of its commission and so will offer a report, including how the work that has been done can lead to growth.
Those are the big three things towards which I and other leaders are aiming. We are trying to do fewer things, but to do each of those things well. Please pray for the growth of St. Paul’s, remembering that churches that intend to grow, tend to grow.