Can you believe it’s already February? Since January flew by somehow, the Vestry wanted to send a quick update about where we are as we start this new year and what we are planning to do in 2021. We hope that 2021 will bring the eventual end to our pandemic way of life, but we also know that the year will have its own unexpected challenges. It might even be more difficult in certain ways as we experience the ripple-effect of last year’s financial strain, and we come to understand more fully the toll the pandemic has taken on our social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. While we move forward with a mixture of faith and caution, there truly is much to be thankful for. In that spirit, we want to acknowledge both how much we accomplished in 2020 and how well-equipped we are to confront 2021.
We need to first remember and celebrate the monumental effort that went into making Advent and Christmas beautiful and meaningful even though they were different. The Lessons and Carols service and the Christmas Eve offerings were incredible labors of love—we know there was a huge amount of work involved behind the scenes but that it was all an outpouring of your dedication to one another and to our traditions. We want to specifically thank Bingham, the music team, the staff, and everyone who contributed videos, music, readings, and prayers. The combined effort proved that whether virtual or not, Christmas Eve at St. Mary’s is always a highlight of the entire year.
We want to thank Jesse Williams, Ron Scharfer, Lana Johnson, and the budget committee for their competent financial leadership that goes into planning and accounting for our annual budget. We are happy to report that we have a balanced budget for 2021, and this is in large part due to all of you who pledged generously! Your generosity last year combined with the wise financial stewardship by the staff has also left us with a surplus from 2020. Although we are currently in a strong position financially, there are extra expenses coming up as we transition back and there is still much uncertainty about the economic outlook, so the Vestry designated this surplus to create a reserve fund to help with any matters related to transitioning back to in person ministry.
In related money matters, the Vestry has authorized the Outreach Committee to distribute the Bottle Drop fundraiser funds to local organizations that work with the un-housed. This aligns with the original intention behind the Bottle Drop fundraiser, which was to raise funds to help fight homelessness. The Vestry has also decided that St. Mary’s will make a financial contribution to the Diocesan gift for the incoming Bishop, Rev. Dr. Diana Akiyama. It is a traditional practice to give a new Bishop custom-made vestments at the beginning of their tenure. The Vestry agreed that this is an important symbolic show of our support, and it is also a financial gesture since—thanks be to God—our parish is in a stable place right now from which we can make a modest donation. We are grateful that this momentous event starts the year off on a positive and promising note, and we are excited for Bishop Diana’s presence in the Diocese!
In terms of our goals for the year, the Vestry has decided not to break into small goal committees (as is the usual practice) because we are still not entirely certain what will arise over the course of the year. We will however continue our work sessions in-between our regular monthly meetings in order to address the lingering challenges of the pandemic, the complicated situation of in-person worship, the ongoing upgrades to our building, and the ways to maintain prudent financial stewardship. As for our building’s needs, we are still working on updating the ventilation system. We believe this is necessary before we can resume full in-person worship inside the church, and we will keep you updated as the project progresses.
During the past year, COVID demanded more from each of us than we thought we would have to give (and maybe more than we even knew we had), not only through our willingness to try new things, learn new skills, and develop creative solutions, but also in terms of technological upgrades. Thankfully, we have been able to meet these needs. A crucial one that arose near the end of fall was the need to upgrade the phone and internet capability in our building. We now have a new, larger, and faster system that not only helps the staff (since so much is done virtually) but also makes it easier to navigate the intricacies of recording, uploading, and sharing content for our video services while in the church.
Our January Vestry meeting was bittersweet as it always is around this time of year because it marks the culmination of service for four of our members and the start for four new members. The new member nominees attended the January meeting to familiarize themselves with our current discussions and priorities (though they won’t officially start until February after the Annual Meeting). We also thanked our departing members: Phil Barnhart, Senior Warden; Peter Ganter; Rosalie Hammond; and Megan Lintner. Even though the future in 2021 is hazy, we will continue this strange balancing act between our normal procedures and all that has become our “new normal.” As we near the grim milestone where this way of life will no longer be “unprecedented,” we realize that 2021 needs our resilience more than ever. We might still be weary from 2020, but we have to find the strength to continue fighting these ongoing crises. We must—and we will—keep doing the work God has given us to do with gladness and singleness of heart.
