The vestry is the elected governing body of the church. St. Mary’s vestry consists of 12 lay members of the congregation and the rector. Four members are elected to three-year terms each year at the annual meeting. The Vestry typically meets on the second Tuesday of most months. You will find regular updates from them here.
This spring has felt like a season of hybridity, or like a continual lesson in how to occupy the both-and situations that characterize much of our reality right now. Our reflection that began our May Vestry meeting focused on the dual nature of our existence as people of joy and resurrection enmeshed in a world of sorrow. In a passage from Sacred Earth Sacred Soul, John Phillip Newell encourages us to embrace tears not as a sign of emotional weakness but as a way of cleansing our inner sight. He writes that we should not hide or be ashamed of tears but should instead recognize their power to reveal the “glistening of heaven in earth” and to help us feel “more deeply within us the current of life’s sorrows.” Our meeting was the second Tuesday in May, and since then, we have had much to remind us of life’s sorrows. Even as we witness tragedy and do not hold back our tears, we also remember that spring is a time of rebirth and new beginnings. Just as the rain washes the natural world and leaves our beautiful Eugene so lush and green, tears prepare us to see glimmers of heaven and to move ever nearer to transformative wholeness.
After our reflection, Ron S. visited us to give an update about the St. Mary’s budget and the status of pledges received so far this year. We’re happy that everything looks good, and we’re continually grateful for Ron’s meticulous bookkeeping and clear explanations. Ryan B-F also visited us to speak about (the then upcoming) Giving Day. Ryan’s enthusiasm was palpable (as always), when he spoke about a trinitarian understanding of giving: as an expression of gratitude to God in general, to St. Mary’s more specifically, and to our ministries for the concrete ways they help our community. Looking back now, we are excited that St. Mary’s exceeded the goal for Giving Day. We want to thank everyone who gave and those who graciously offered to match what was given (up to $15,000). In total, St. Mary’s raised over $34,000 thanks to your combined outpouring of generosity and gratitude!
As is now our practice at each official monthly meeting, the Vestry reviewed St. Mary’s current COVID guidelines and discussed any changes and/or proposed updates. We concluded that the situation should stay the way it is for now. Of course, we will revisit this at our next meeting and will continue to make careful, informed decisions. We are glad that there are more small signs of progress though, like the courtyard coffee hour gatherings. It is always lovely to linger and chat after the services since St. Mary’s does fellowship so well.
Just as there are always things that remind us of life’s sorrows, so there are many things to be thankful for this season. Something truly wonderful to look forward to is that our curate, Ryan B-F, will be taking on responsibility for the Sunday School starting this summer, and we have decided to hire him as Assistant Priest for Children and Youth Ministries (when he is done with his curacy). Ryan is already a cherished member of our community, and we’re sure he will flourish in this new role. We send a thank you to Phyllis H. and Lynda C. for co-leading the mulching party. We also send a big thank you to everyone who donated and to those who continue to donate bottles and cans for Community Supported Shelters. Specifically, thanks to Loren C., Rosalie H., and Dorothy A. for delivering the bottles and cans. We’re so glad that through these efforts St. Mary’s was able to adopt a hut, and we look forward to the future ones we will sponsor. We send yet another thank you to the livestreaming team who facilitates the 11:00 Sunday morning service: Matthias V., Jesse W., and Louise F. We appreciate the care you put into integrating different camera angles and transitions that make the livestream dynamic, engaging, and inviting. Now as we transition from spring into summer, we hope that together we can embrace both sorrow and joy. May we have eyes that are clear and cleansed, able to see glimmers of heaven around us and within us.
-Submitted by Robin O.
