Time goes by in fits and starts. One of my favorite podcasters likes to say “the days are long, but the years are short,” and I feel that is particularly true at the moment. I had a lovely time on vacation, and then jumped back in right before the Annual Meeting.
Just in case you didn’t know – Sunday is the Annual Meeting. We will have one service at 9 a.m., followed by a potluck at 10 a.m., followed by the Annual Meeting itself. Our plan is to celebrate all that we have experienced this year, and look forward to what is to come. At the Annual Meeting itself we will ask for your feedback on the following topics:
- What’s working well
- What needs to change/be introduced/let lapse
- What goals do you have for St. Mary’s for 2025
- What is your favorite song? What song would you like us to sing in church?
Of course, we would like your feedback on anything else as well, but I will have posters up to capture your feedback from these four.
We will then move into Stewardship. The budget we are presenting on Sunday is a draft budget. We did our best to estimate costs, and then figured out what we need from Stewardship to balance the budget. This change was suggested at the Annual Meeting in January of this year, and we are hoping it will help St. Mary’s to continue in efforts to be transparent with the congregation. Should you be interested in helping with Stewardship, we have three open roles available. Please contact Father Ryan or myself if you are interested.
Now that fall is here, Outreach is collecting winter clothing for the Hope Center. We will be collecting coats, hats, gloves, mittens in all sizes (new or gently used) to help keep the Hope Center guests warm throughout the winter. Please bring your donations to the church and put them in the container in the Narthex.
Finally, I want to say a huge thank you to Father Ryan, the roofing team and the Vestry for all your hard work. The new roofs look amazing and will keep us dry for decades to come.
Prayers and Blessings,
Mother Pippa