Christmas season is over, winter seems to have finally arrived, and now we are preparing for the Annual Meeting. If you head a ministry, please submit your report to myself or Lynn. If you have any questions about how to write the report, I’d be happy to talk with you. Mostly it is meant to be a short recap of what happened in 2023 to help us keep track of St. Mary’s work and ministry.
The Annual Meeting will be on January 28 at 10:30 a.m. If we are snowed out we will move the meeting to the following week, February 4. We will have a single service on January 28 at 9 a.m. followed by a potluck at 10 a.m. and the Annual Meeting will start at 10:30 a.m. If you are not able to join us in person, please ask the office and we will send you a ballot and Annual Report.
On the agenda for the Annual Meeting is some proposed bylaw changes. Your Vestry went through the entire document and suggested edits to bring us more in line with current practice. Additionally, the Finance Team worked very hard on their policies and procedures this year, which also require some bylaw changes. If you would like to see the Investment Policy for St. Mary’s, please reach out to myself, Lynn or Mary-Beth. I sent out the proposed changes this week, and I hope you will take the time to read them and ask any questions you may have.
Our annual Game Night is approaching quickly – it’s Saturday, January 20 at 4 p.m. Please bring a board game to play or a favorite card game. We’ll have fun learning games, and if anyone feels up to teaching Sheepshead, I’d be thrilled. I looked at the rules and they were … comprehensive.
Finally, I want to tell you about an upcoming event. I have been asked to co-lead an upcoming retreat (February 15-17) at the DeKoven Center in Racine. The title of the retreat is: The Word in the Wilderness. I will be working with Father Chris Arnold (Diocese of Fond du Lac). This brief retreat is an opportunity for you to step away and reflect on what you’re looking for this Lent, and what you’re hoping to find. Arriving on Thursday evening and departing on Saturday morning, you will have all day Friday to rest. There will be opportunities for reflections, worship, one-on-one meetings with spiritual director, and times of silence and rest.
The deadline to register is February 1, and the price is $220 if you want to stay overnight or $120 if you plan to commute. You can register at: https://www.dekovencenter.org/lenten-retreat-2024
Prayers and Blessings,
Mother Pippa