Notes of the
Vestry of
St. Timothy’s
Episcopal Church
In Retreat
March 16, 2008
Present: Senior warden
Chris Large; Sheryl Otter; Steve Polston; John Kurek; Jane Bostwick; Keira
Sparrow; Elaine Braverman; Kitty Herndon. Guests: Deacon The
Reverend Donna Olsen; The Reverend Kirtseen Wilkinson.
The
Vestry of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church met at the home of Vestry member
Elaine Braverman, in its annual retreat. The purpose of the meeting was to
review the temporal and spiritual status of the parish and to review the
Vestry’s goals and plans for the parish. No votes were undertaken,
no binding action was taken, as the Vestry may conduct business only at the
Church.
The
following are detailed notes about several topics, not in chronological order.
Property
1. Sanctuary roof — leaks have been detected in the roof of the
Sanctuary this winter. Immediate repair of leaks will be undertaken, with an
estimate of about $1,000. The larger project — removal
of old roofing layers, structural repair as needed, and new roof material
installed — may cost more than $31,000. The vestry will pursue loans and grants
from the Diocesan household, as well as undertake funding from the parish’s own
funds.
2. Exterior lighting and signage enhancement — Property
commissioners are exploring the enhancement of exterior lighting of the front
of the Church building, as well as the potential for back-lighting of the cross
symbol in the roof window to provide illumination at night. Additionally,
vestry members are studying the potential for signage on the front of the
building to increase curb appeal. The Diocesan evangelism and communications
budget will supply $200 annually to parishes wishing to enhance or provide
signage.
3. Hallway carpeting replacement — $1,000 has been pledged for
replacement of the carpet in the connecting hallway.
4. Hole in front sign — a volunteer is
sought to explore repair of the hole in the illuminated sign.
5. Painting of the outside trim, fascia and windows — this last
was done in 1996 – 1998, according to recollection. This project needs a
volunteer leader and laborers.
6. Replace and paint siding of garage — damage by varmints and
graffiti vandals needs to be repaired.
7. Garage clean-up — a volunteer leader needs to take charge of
the garage contents and determine what can be pitched or saved.
8. Furnace room clean-up — the furnace room has been in violation
of fire code and alternative storage needs to be sought for its non-mechanical
contents.
9. Exterior storage shed — vestry members will help determine
what materials in the furnace room should be saved and stored in an exterior
shed, to be purchased.
10. Clean-up Saturday — A parish clean-up
day is scheduled for April 12.
11. Removal of old playground equipment — this project needs a
volunteer coordinator, with the objective of taking out and disposing of the
old playground equipment in the west lot.
12. Directional signage in the interior — this project needs a team
to examine the placement of signs directing visitors to activity centers in the
building.
13. Nursery remodel — the renovation of the nursery is complete.
Some needed items are a diaper pail and changing station.
14. Bridge to west lot — the equipment bridge to the west lot needs
repair.
Vestry contacts
Steve Polston
881-8059 (h)
966-1080 (cell)
Chris Large — Senior warden
888-8719 (h)
531-3674 (cell)
Judy Champa
889-0948 (h)
506-5573 (cell)
Keira Sparrow
828-8231 (cell)
Sheryl Otter — Junior warden
888-7472 (h)
371-1337 (cell)
Elaine Braverman
889-8619 (h)
987-8155 (cell)
Liz Manning
887-6904
Jane Bostwick
783-2856
John Kurek
882-7412 (h)
694-8885 (cell)
Kitty Herndon
881-0787
Spiritual
New assistant priest
The Rev. Kirsteen Wilkinson will join St. Timothy’s clergy
staff in April as assistant priest.
Schedule: 15 hours a week at St. Timothy’s. Second and fourth Sundays at St. Timothy’s. Pastoral care on-call during the second and fourth weeks.
(Fr. Robin Myers will be pastoral care on-call during first and third weeks.)
Fr. Robin will continue to be Sacramental
Presider each
Sunday, and will be assisted at the Celebration of Holy Eucharist by Kirsteen
when she is on-site.
Kirsteen will keep office hours.
Some duties for Kirsteen:
-- Office hours for pastoral care.
-- Oversight of weekly liturgical bulletins.
-- Education planning for adults and children.
Salary and budget: Kirsteen currently is paid from the
Diocesan budget to serve at St. Alban’s as curate. She will continue to be a
Diocesan employee, which provides salary, pension, payroll taxes, health
insurance and other benefits. St. Timothy’s will pay one-third of her salary in
a monthly check to the Diocese. The precise payment from St. Timothy’s is
unknown at this time; the Parish receives about $1,400 per month from the
Diocese and it is expected that this will continue as the proposal for Kirsteen’s
employment at St. Timothy’s was made by the Bishop’s staff.
Travel reimbursement: clergy employees of St. Timothy’s are
not paid for commuting mileage to the parish from home (mileage to go to work). But mileage is reimbursable when they travel for pastoral care or meetings that
send them away from the Church facility.
Full-text service bulletin
Steve proposed that a full-text service bulletin to be
printed to eliminate some of the book balancing aerobics.
Deanery
Confirmations
South Central Deanery confirmations will take place on
Ascension Day, Thursday, May 1. Location will probably be Christ Church
Cathedral. St. Timothy will have 2 candidates.
Deacon’s ministry
Steve proposed that the Vestry fund Deacon Donna Olsen’s
ministry at Plainfield Correctional facility for $500 on a replenishing basis.
Deacon Donna coordinates Episcopal clergy at the facility to preside at
Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, conducts regular spiritual/education
programming, visits sick prisoners in hospital wards and gives a small stake
($25) to prisoners leaving prison.
Steve proposed a Deacon’s collection box be placed in the
Sanctuary for poor relief, to be opened on Dec. 26th each year to commemorate
the day of St. Stephen, first deacon and Christian martyr, to be used for the
Deacon’s work among the poor.
Millennium Development Goals
Chris asked Steve to advise about MDGs and parish financial
goals for this year, to include $500 for the Sudan water project to help this
Diocese drill wells and provide water at Zion Episcopal Church in the Diocese
of Bor in Southern Sudan; $125 for health crises and health support in Bor
(such as the support we gave during a meningitis outbreak in the Zion parish);
$125 for support of the after-school tutoring program in the Diocese of
Brasilia; and travel support for Steve’s attendance at the Global Missions
conference in Baltimore this summer (the Diocese is paying for his conference
fee); and $125 for support of the Mark Nikkel primary school building repair in
Bor. For comparison purposes, the Cathedral regularly has given at least
$50,000 for support to Bor and $30,000 for Brasilia. Parishes and supporting
organizations are asked to give .7 percent of their wealth (seven-tenths of one
percent) for MDGs.
Elaine said that up to $500 from the Altar of Roses
fund-raising this year could be donated for the MDGs, for mother and child
health, disease and poverty and education.
United Thank Offering
Sheryl said the parish has not made a UTO collection since
it received its $10,000 grant from the national UTO organization three years
ago for the food pantry. Sheryl said that she would coordinate a UTO
ingathering this year.
Anniversary
Chris said that planning for a reception to welcome the
Right Rev’d Clyde Wood is underway for his May 4 visit to the parish.
In memoriam
Chris said that $500 to honor Johnathon Goffred was
received from the Sparrow Family and that the Vestry would continue to pursue a memorial item,
perhaps artwork. The Simon family has indicated that they will also be giving a
donation in memory of Rev. Rufus Simon, a former rector here.
Christian Education
The Vestry discussed Sunday School
and Christian education. Families with children will be asked to support a
weekly education program for children in the nursery and The Rev. Kirsteen
Wilkinson will help plan education activities for the parish.
Prayer chain
Elaine Braverman is the coordinator for the prayer chain
and hopes to involve Kirsteen in spiritual direction for the group.
Respectfully submitted,
Steve Polston