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Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Colorado Springs
Parish Annual Meeting – Sunday, January 27, 2019
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson, Rector, Presiding
Meeting is Called to Order
Opening Prayer
Appoint Clerk – Define “Qualified voting member” – Call for quorum
January 2018 Annual Meeting Minutes
Opening Remarks and Parish Statistics
Necrology and Prayer for the Departed
Prayer for the Clergy and People
Explanation of the Ballot by the Nominating Committee
Introduction of Officer and Vestry Candidates
Prayer for Guidance
Vote
Rector’s Report
Senior Warden’s Report
Recognition of Retiring Vestry Members and Senior Warden
Recognition of Ministry Chairs
Prayer for the Mission of the Church
Treasurer’s Report
Prayer for the Right Use of God’s Gifts
Presentation of 2019 Budget
Parishioner Comments, Questions and Reflections
Ballot Results and Presentation of the new Vestry Members
Commissioning of New Vestry Members
Commissioning of the Centennial Visioning Committee
Prayer for the Parish
Adjournment
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Rector's Report
At a recent vestry meeting, our Clerk, Chuck Theobald, said something during our check-
ins that stuck with me. He said, “I don’t know how anyone gets through the death of a
parent without a Church community.” To which someone else replied, quite seriously, “I
don’t know how anyone gets through life without a Church community.”
As I stand before you to address my third Parish
Annual Meeting, on the verge of the beginning of
my fourth year as your Rector, I hold that
statement in my heart and in my mind. Even as
the Church, especially the institutional Church,
finds itself drifting increasingly towards the
margins of our national life, Grace and St.
Stephen’s, this Episcopal community in
downtown Colorado Springs, remains a vital
anchor for many of us – an anchor that grounds
us in human and divine community. What we do
is important; it matters. Who we are is important.
It is a humbling experience to be a leader in a
parish in which so many lives are being
transformed by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. I am honestly amazed by the
testimonies I hear in this place on a regular basis. God is really doing something here –
with us and for us and through us. And we get to be a part of that. We get to be
participants in the life-changing work of the Holy Spirit in this place, in this parish, in
this community.
I see so many ways in which the Spirit is moving. I can see it in the waters of the baptismal
font, where this year twelve more people were added to the mystical body of Christ. I
can see it in the tear-stained faces of those who bear witness to the power and grace of
that moment when that newly baptized member is marked as Christ’s own forever.
I can see it as each candidate kneels before the Bishop to be Confirmed or Received –
and there were fourteen this year alone who participated in that holy act of devotion
from our parish. And in that moment a great community that came together at this
church – in Faith-Seeking Journey or in the Regional Confirmation class – surrounds each
candidate in prayer and love. That deeper commitment to Christ and his Church that
happens in the sacramental act of Confirmation begins in the bonds that are formed
here – between Christians willing to share their stories and open their hearts to each
other.
I see the Spirit at work in the newly-formed Grace Café. Under the leadership of Susan
Bassett and Marti Lindberg, and their great team of aproned ambassadors, we are
opening our doors and our arms more intentionally to those who come into this place
hoping to find a spiritual home, hoping to be welcomed by a caring community in which
they can find the unconditional, embracing love of Jesus. It is a joy to see their smiling
faces as those who are new to our community are given a space to share their names
and their stories.
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The Spirit is working through the women of our parish in powerful ways. The Women’s
Fellowship and Book Group continues to go deep. As they share and learn together, the
women are creating a place of true spiritual companionship. And they are doing so as
they boldly explore some of life’s most challenging and vulnerable topics: sorrow and
loneliness, life and true joy. Our chapter of The Daughters of the King, a vowed religious
order of women that is active in our parish, are renewing their commitment to deep
prayer, relationship, and study. Also this year a new group formed amongst our female
members: a spiritual direction group. In this confidential space, the group of women lay
bare the raw places in their souls and are supported and challenged by a community of
compassionate companions.
These offerings join others such as the
Wednesday Parish Bible Study, the
Saturday morning Men’s Bible Study, the
Contemplative Life Group, the Faith-
Seeking Journey, the Sunday Forum,
Community of Hope International,
Education for Ministry, our mid-week
liturgies, Youth Group, Vacation Bible
School, Sunday School as places where
true spiritual growth and formation are
happening consistently. Members of
this community, members of all ages, are engaging deep spiritual questions, are
wrestling with the challenges of this world in honest ways, are entering into open,
vulnerable, and respectful conversation with other members of the parish. In a world
that often is so divided and superficial, things are happening in this place which we
should never take for granted, which can, I hope, serve as an example of what is possible
in this world. We are witnesses to the on-going work of the Holy Spirit.
For me, this is what defines our community. Yes, we have a beautiful building. Yes, we
organize and host some top-notch concerts – Taylor concerts and Jazz in the Garden.
Yes, those are two of the primary ways in which many people in the city know us – that
and the legal issues from last decade. But to me Grace and St. Stephen’s in a place in
which Christ is at the center of who we are and what we do, in which folks long to have
a deeper, more profound spiritual experience, in which lives are being changed, in which
friendships are being formed, in which union overcomes discord, in which hope beats
back despair, in which folks soak in the beauty of holiness, in which God is truly glorified
in word and deed. That is what Grace and St. Stephen’s is to me. That is why it matters
that we are here being about the ministry of Jesus.
We have been joined by many new partners as we continue in this vital work to which
God is calling us. Most of those ministers are not on the parish staff – they are filling our
pews and choir stalls and Sunday School classrooms – but a couple are. This year, after
an epic search process, we welcomed Simon Jacobs to the parish as our new
Organist/Choirmaster. He has become so quickly invested in our common life, it seems
impossible that he has yet to celebrate Easter with us. Simon has brought a renewed
passion and intensity to our music program. His deep love for Anglican worship and
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liturgy is easily evident, as is his extraordinary talent. His gifts and spiritual devotion
will, I hope, bless us for many years to come.
We also welcomed the Rev. Jennifer Williamson to the staff as the Youth Pastor. She just
started her work with the teens a few months ago, but already her tremendous gifts and
loving heart have created a space for our middle school and high school members to
grow spiritually and as a community. She values and respects them, invites them to
explore their gifts and callings, allows them to share openly and honestly. Already the
youth ministry has grown – both spiritually and in participation. I fully expect that to
continue into the future – a future I believe, for our youth ministry, is very bright.
Even as we celebrate the talented people who have joined us, we also know that that
means others have left. In 2018 Bonnie Price and her growing family left us for a tropical
paradise. We appreciate all of the love and care she showed the teens during her ministry
with us. Her impact will live on in those lives she touched.
Even as we anticipate those who will join us in 2019, and as we look forward to the new
ways in which God will continue to lead us this year, we also prepare to say some more
difficult good-byes. At the end of this month we will say good-bye to our Finance
Administrator, Karen Reinking. Though she has been with us only two years, her
outstanding attention to detail and sharp financial mind will undoubtedly benefit this
church long beyond her tenure. Karen has been a delight to work with; she is incredibly
competent. I know I speak for the entire staff when I say that we will very much miss her
sense of humor, her toughness, her skill, and her professionalism. Thank you Karen for
all that you have done with and for us.
We will also have to say good-bye to Fr. Brendan this year. When he started his ministry
with us in July of 2016, we knew that he would be leaving us at the end of May 2019,
almost three years later. But then we got to know him and experienced first-hand his
many charisms, and that makes it much more difficult to say good-bye. It feels like there
could be so much more ministry and spiritual growth in a shared future. And so, we tried
to find ways to continue the relationship, ways for Fr. Brendan, if even in a part-time
capacity, to continue to develop such ministries as the Contemplative Life Group or the
Friday Monastic Noonday Prayer or the Iconography and Celtic Spirituality workshops.
But unfortunately, our mortgage, which devours one-tenth of our annual budget,
continues to make it difficult to staff the parish in the ways that I, and we, would like.
I will miss Fr. Brendan, as a colleague, partner in ministry, and friend. I know God will
continue to work through him in powerful ways. I hope this time with us will provide the
strong foundation on which your future ministries will be built, Brendan. We will miss
you. But, by the grace of God, the ministries that you have planted here will continue to
grow and thrive. Thank you for sharing this leg of the journey with us. And for impacting
this parish in ways that will bear fruit for years to come – in individual lives and in our
collective life.
Today we will present a balanced budget – again. Many churches, in the Episcopal Church
and in the nation, are not able to say that. There are churches today, in our tradition, in
our city, that will be presenting this year deficits in the tens of thousands of dollars. I
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know this to be true because some of my friends pastor those churches. We are
financially stable. That is a gift. We should be thankful.
But once again a balanced budget also means
that we are trading some ministry
opportunities for a clean spreadsheet. Our
income has flattened out of the last few years;
expenses, such as health insurance, utilities,
continue to increase. What that means is that
we are simply doing more with less. And
simply doing more with less does not position
us for the amazing future that I believe awaits
us. I believe God has more in mind for us than
a stability achieved through penny-pinching. I
mean, stability is fine. But I believe God is
calling us to grow and thrive.
And it seems to me and the vestry that the way to do the things we feel God is calling us
to do is to retire the mortgage debt and invest in the present and future ministries of
this church. And so today, at the end of this meeting, we will commission a Centennial
Visioning Committee. This group will be about the work of helping us envision our best
future – one aspect of that work is dreaming with the parish what it might look like to
spend the ninety-thousand dollars a year that currently goes towards debt service on
mission and ministries that further the kingdom of God. Wouldn’t that be something?
God is doing some truly special things in this place. I can feel it. I think you can too. The
wind of the Holy Spirit continues to breathe new life into us and is blowing us towards
an even better future. As we continue to open ourselves to the calling that God is placing
on our lives and on our life together, we will continue to see that future unfold before
us.
This is an exciting time in the long history of Grace and St. Stephen’s. The dark clouds
of the recent past are clearing. We are walking, praying, worshiping into the future God
dreams for us – a future in which more lives will be changed by the power of the Holy
Spirit, more lives will be transformed by the love of Jesus. Beyond the doors there is a
world of people who are looking for a Church community that will accept them, that will
support them, in which they can experience the love of Christ and feel the presence of
the Holy Spirit, that will journey with them on the winding road of life, that will give them
hope.
We have found that Church community: Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. And
by the grace of God we will not be the last to experience what the Holy Spirit is doing
here. And so we must get ready for what God has in store for us, for the future God
wants for us. Because I can feel the Spirit moving in this place and I am confident that
that future is more amazing than we can even imagine. And you know what else is
amazing: we get to be a part of it. Thank you.
The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson, Rector
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Curate’s Report
“[Christ] must increase, but I must decrease.” This saying from John’s Gospel, spoken by
John the Baptist, feels like an appropriate saying to mark the incredible spiritual work
we’ve done together this year at Grace and St. Stephen’s: work that in a variety of ways
has brought us—both individually and together, as one Body—nearer to the ‘hidden
wholeness’ of God’s abiding and mysterious Presence. I’ve had many occasions over the
past twelve months to reflect in wonder on all the new ministerial and formational efforts
that have blossomed in our midst. What a joy and a blessing it continues to be to walk
this journey with all of you.
Much of what I wished to highlight in terms of ministries—and the awe I continuously
feel in seeing the work God is doing amongst us—has already been well articulated by
Fr. Jeremiah, so rather than re-enumerate those things unnecessarily, I’ll simply affirm
all that he has named with a resounding amen.
As the close of my three-year
contract here at Grace draws
nearer, it feels increasingly that I
am entering a kind of liminal space.
Such transitions, and the goodbyes
they necessitate, are always
difficult. And I must confess that
this particular transition is already
an emotional one for me. My heart
would love to stay with you all in
perpetuity. But God inevitably calls
us toward new pathways, new
vistas of experience. Our task, our
discipline—and God’s unceasing
invitation—is to follow with faith and hope and love, with courage and vision and
determination, knowing that, as St. Julian once observed, regardless of the
circumstances of the moment, “All shall be well…and all manner of thing shall be well.”
There will be time for difficult goodbyes, for the offering of farewell prayers, good
wishes, and blessings—whenever God’s wisdom suggests the hour. But we still have
much work to do together in the coming months, and I am excited to see what all the
Spirit has in store.
Of course, our work in the spiritual life never ends—and, in this world, that work will
never be easy. It requires the loving support of likeminded souls. All of you continue to
strengthen and challenge and inspire me for that most needful of pursuits, which is truly
‘The Great Work’: the unending pursuit of Wisdom. I pray that I might do the same for
you—and that, long after our season together has passed, you would continue to lovingly
support each other in your spiritual lives, inspiring and encouraging one another ever
onward in the Way.
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I am immensely grateful to Fr. Jeremiah,
to our incredible staff, and to each and
every one of you. My love and prayers are
with you always. To quote a beloved poet
recently departed from this mortal plane:
“May [you] stay forever in the stream.”
I leave you for now with a tale:
Once in the deep dark of winter, when the
snow was very deep, a poor young boy
had to go out and fetch some wood. After
he’d gathered the wood together and tied
it up in a bundle, he felt so frozen through
that he thought he ought to make a fire and warm himself a little before striking out
once more on the road.
So he began to scrape the snow away from the Earth where he stood, and while he was
thusly clearing the ground, he uncovered a small golden key. Now, he imagined that
wherever a key is found, there must also be a lock, so he dug in the ground for quite
some time, and eventually he found a little iron chest. ‘If only the key fits!’ he thought.
‘Certainly there are valuable things in this chest!’ He searched the box over and over,
but there appeared to be no keyhole.
Finally, he did see what looked to be a keyhole, but it was so small that it could hardly
be seen. He tried the key anyway, and, miraculously, it was a perfect fit. He turned it
once to the right, and heard the lock inside begin to unlatch…
And now we must wait until he has finished unlocking it, and has opened the lid. For
only then will we learn what manner of wondrous things are there inside the chest.
Síochain agus gach beannacht—Peace and every blessing,
The Rev. Brendan E. Williams CSJC, Curate
Junior Warden
In 2018, our parish kept our heads above water with
our old but well-built facility. One problem with such
a beautiful church is the assumption if we have such
a nice building, we must have more than enough
money – and we don’t! To paraphrase Gandhi, it
takes a lot of money to make a facility look like it
doesn’t need any work. In 2018, we needed nearly
$40,000 just to maintain and repair the facility. We
needed our wonderful volunteers, contractors who
love working in our facility, external financial
support from the State Historical Society, and above
all else the sacrifices made by those who contribute
financial support – like YOU.
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This year, in keeping with the theme of “keeping our heads above water,” our roofers
found and repaired three roof leaks, while our plumbers and staff members helped take
care of two major leaks in the basement (one of the drainage plugs was so badly rusted
we needed an electric saw to remove it). Our grant administrator also oversaw mandatory
soils and percolation testing in preparation for the planned installation of drainage tanks
to help prevent damage from heavy storms and standing water.
This year, generous and dedicated donors financed repair of the fragile Resurrection and
Annunciation Windows. In addition to heavy rains, we also experienced heavy hailstorms.
Protecting our irreplaceable stained glass is a high priority, so replacing old plexiglass
with tempered glass remains on our wish list. We also plan masonry repairs on the main
church, and hope to examine and repair the tower and roof (inspections may make use
of a modern drone, which will combine 21st Century technology with timeless Gothic
architecture). We will also need help from the City to repair their sidewalks and adjacent
streets. Of course, we desperately need your continued support for this beautiful house
of worship, with volunteer work, management help, and financial considerations. And as
always, we will need plenty of help from Above, and we can be grateful that we have the
opportunity to worship in our grand old lady.
Vic Bradford, Junior Warden
Treasurer
For the second consecutive year, Grace and St. Stephen’s had an operating surplus. The
2018 surplus was $8,913 after expenses of $901,003. This result is largely a reflection
of spending discipline by our clergy, staff and vestry, with expenses finishing the year
at 96% of budget. This offsets parish giving finishing the year 3% behind budget.
While operating surpluses two years in a row are always
welcome news, the stagnation in pledge and plate growth
needs to be addressed as the church aspires to grow.
How can our congregation – growing in members – serve
all of our parishioners as well as have more impact in our
community? New ministries and more outreach,
supported by additional clergy and staff, are our
aspirations at this time. We have a leanly-staffed parish
office that needs our support. We worship in a beautiful,
historic space that needs our love, attention and of course, resources. Our growth and
aspirations will require additional pledge and plate support in 2019 and beyond.
Our church mortgage remains our largest liability, but also continues to see a steady
reduction in balance. Starting 2018 at $903,271, the mortgage balance ended 2018 at
$827,208, $50,063 by scheduled principal and interest payments and $26,000 by
special parishioner gifts, all of which are applied directly to principal. This is a lot of
payment progress on a loan that was $1.4 million when we took responsibility for the
church building in 2009.
The Grace Endowment grew significantly during 2018, from $39,776 at the beginning
of the year to $109,265 at year end, due to generous parishioner bequests. While the
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vestry and the endowment committee have currently elected to invest the funds of the
Endowment and not use its income and earnings for church operations, the Endowment
will someday be a meaningful source of funding for church staffing and ministry. Please
consider the Grace Endowment and other areas of need at Grace and St. Stephen’s for
your legacy. Others before us gave generously through trusts and foundations that
provide funds for our church ministries today. What can we provide to the future
generations of worshipers at Grace and St. Stephen’s?
Thanks to those who volunteer their time and talents on the Stewardship, Finance, and
Investment Committees, as well as those who serve as counters after the Sunday
services. A great many thanks to all of the generous members of our congregation who
support our church with heart-felt, abundant gifts.
David Brockway, Treasurer
Centennial Visioning Committee
In anticipation of the church’s Centennial Celebration in 2023, the vestry established the
Centennial Visioning Committee in October, 2018, based on a proposal presented by
Clelia deMoraes and Bruce Fogarty, who the rector named as committee co-chairs. The
purpose of the committee is to draw up a vision of the facilities, operations, staffing and
ministries needed to provide the church with a solid foundation to carry out its mission
for the next 100 years. Committee members will be announced and commissioned at
the 2019 annual meeting.
With the guidance of the diocesan Missioner for Development and Financial Stewardship,
the committee will conduct listening sessions with parishioners; interview clergy, staff
and lay leaders; and survey other faith communities to create the vision.
This vision will be delivered in the form of a report to the vestry for its approval and
shared with the congregation. The committee will recommend to the vestry a firm to
lead a fund-raising campaign to achieve the vision. The expectation is that the campaign
will launch in 2020 and conclude with funds in hand in time for the Centennial
Celebration in 2023.
Clelia deMoraes and Bruce Fogarty, Co-Chairs
Outreach
In 2018 our parish has embraced
outreach mission in many and various
ways. More than 100 parishioners
helped host homeless families through
Family Promise’s Interfaith Hospitality
Network. Others helped serve at the
Lord’s Dinner at Sacred Heart Church,
reached out to neighbors at Antler’s
Park, provided food and fellowship to
young people at TwoCor, staffed a booth
at PrideFest, collected food, stuffed toys
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and coats for people in need, prayed with prisoners, grew and sold fresh vegetables to
benefit Ecumenical Social Ministries, and supported Westside CARES as a sponsor of the
Feast of St. Arnold at Chapel of Our Saviour.
From our annual parish budget, we contributed more than $16,000 to the above
organizations. Proceeds from the Thrift House of the Episcopal Church Women,
supported by 46 volunteers from our church, granted an additional $13,450 to projects
in and outside the parish including Vacation Bible School, Care and Share, Franciscan
Community Counseling and Homeward Pikes Peak. The parish contributed just over
$1,000 to the Colorado Haiti Project at the December Soup Joumou luncheon.
During the year we created a ministries flyer and quarterly activity calendar, and held a
lay ministry fair. At a retreat the morning of February 2 we will reflect on where God
might be calling us to serve our neighbors at this time. All are welcome to join us, both
for our retreat day and at our regular second Monday meetings. For details about all
these activities, see the bulletin board outside the kitchen.
Lisa Noll and the Outreach Committee
Children’s Education
We welcomed many new young families
to our children’s programs, including
Vacation Bible School, Grace-Full
Wednesdays and Wee Worship, doubling
our participation from the beginning of
last year! Led by Jennifer Williamson, the
theme at VBS was Hero Central, where
children learned how to be God’s Heroes
in the world. It was a fun week where one
could see children in yellow capes
saying, “Do good, seek peace and go after it!” as they sailed through the halls to their
next activity. This year we advertised to the community through social media and the
Colorado Springs Parent Magazine and were pleased to have many new friends join us.
Our Sunday School theme this year followed the churches focus of living a 24/7/365
faith in the world. Our rotations sought to answer some of the challenges that children
might face in living out their faith in today’s world, looking at what the Bible and Jesus
tell us. We studied the stories of the Good Shepherd, Jesus eating with the tax collector,
His conversation with the Samaritan woman and the courage of Esther to help with
questions like: “Is God there when I’m afraid?,” “What does God say about loving people
that are different or hard to love?” or “How do I stand up for my faith?” We are continually
blessed to have an incredible, devoted group of teachers who make Sunday School fun
and engaging! This fall we welcomed a new nursery manager, Sophia Stewart, who, with
the help of parents, grandparents and mentor moms, nurtures our littlest ones and
welcomes children and families each week. God has filled our church and made us all a
part of His big family. We look forward to what the coming year brings.
Helen Hazelton, Director of Children’s Education
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Music Programs
I am now in my eighth month as Organist and Choirmaster, and it is a privilege to serve
Grace and St. Stephen’s in this capacity. Our choirs continue to thrive, and our musical
offerings put Grace and St. Stephen’s firmly at the center of the musical and cultural life
of the city.
There are choral opportunities for all ages at Grace and St. Stephen’s. The Taylor Choir
sings at the 10:30 am Choral Eucharist each week, offering fine music from the Anglican
choral tradition, while also exploring other styles. The ensemble sings a number of
services of Choral Evensong each year, and features regularly on the Taylor Memorial
Concert Series, made possible since 1928 thanks to the generous gift by Alice Bemis
Taylor of the historic Welte pipe organ. The St. Nicholas Children’s Choir and the St.
Cecilia Youth Choir, thirty-strong, rehearse weekly, and sing on the first and third
Sundays of the month at 10:30 am, as well as for occasional special services. Musical
theory training, following the curriculum of the Royal School of Church Music, is offered
for St. Nicholas choristers. The youngest choristers make up the Cherub Choir, directed
by Amalia Dobbins. A highlight of the year for many children and youth is the annual
Choir Camp at Cathedral Ridge, where much music is learnt, and fun activities abound.
The historic service of Compline is offered once a month, featuring plainchant and music
from the Renaissance period, sung by the professional Compline Choir.
2018 was a busy musical year, and special thanks are due to Scott Christiansen, Assistant
Organist and Choirmaster, for leading the January to May transition period. There were
many highlights from the Taylor Concert Series in 2018, including a concert of
Masterworks for Lent sung by the Taylor Choir, with music of Bach, Mozart and Brahms;
an a cappella concert of Renaissance music by the Compline Choir, directed by guest
conductor, Deborah Teske; and a very moving concert featuring music of World War I to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice. The ninth season of Jazz in the
Garden was a roaring success, with record attendance and fortuitous summer weather.
In July, the Taylor Choir embarked on a
choral pilgrimage to the UK, as choir-in-
residence at Norwich Cathedral, singing
daily services for a week. A very well-
attended and received concert was also
offered at St. Nicholas Church in Dereham,
a few miles from Norwich. The pilgrimage
was a wonderful immersion in the
Anglican choral tradition, which forms the
bedrock of our worship at Grace and St.
Stephen’s, and excellent international
exposure for the choir. Thanks to all who
took the lead in organizing this wonderful
expedition to the ecclesiastical motherland.
As a result of a very generous gift by Conni Eggers in memorial of her late husband,
Arthur, we eagerly anticipate the installation of an antiphonal division to be added to the
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Welte organ in 2020. This will be completed by world-renowned organ builders,
Schoenstein and Co. of San Francisco, and the pipes and casework will fully compliment
the architecture and fabric of the church. The addition of this division was initially
conceived many decades ago, and it will help support congregational singing, as well as
adding tonal depth and spatial variety to the instrument.
The future is bright for music at Grace and St. Stephen’s. Participation in all of our choral
ensembles is healthy, and both musical outcomes and variety of repertoire continue to
increase. I am particularly interested in providing musical opportunities for all abilities
at Grace and St. Stephen’s, and also in expanding intergenerational choral possibilities.
For the 2018-19 season, Choral Evensong is now being offered almost once a month,
and the Youth Choirs will lead this service on their own in March.
I look forward to many fruitful years as Organist and Choirmaster at Grace and St.
Stephen’s, and intend to be a faithful steward of the church’s rich musical history, as
well as leading it into the future. Thank you to everyone for so warmly welcoming me
and Mira into this wonderful community. Soli Deo gloria!
Simon Jacobs, Organist and Choirmaster
Women’s Fellowship and Study
Over the past year, Women’s Fellowship and Study has continued to bring both
parishioners and members of the local community together for stimulating conversation
and formation of authentic relationships. Our most recent selections have included
works by Annie Dillard, Krista Tippett, and Barbara Brown Taylor. These books
challenged us to explore everything from the problem of evil, to thinking and talking
about one’s own faith in a polarized cultural climate, to rethinking our concept of
“darkness” as it pertains to the spiritual life. While I have primarily selected works by
contemporary Christian woman authors up to this point, selections for 2019 will reflect
a broader range of topics and perspectives. Throughout the winter and spring we will be
discussing the works of cultural critic and historian Rebecca Solnit, followed by the
writings of Christian mystic St. Teresa of Avila. In the summer, I plan to lead a four-
session Enneagram workshop/discussion. I have considered it a tremendous honor to
provide a space where women of different ages and backgrounds can come together to
share and learn from one another, and I feel that our group has upheld its primary
ministry purpose as something that fosters sincere inquiry and spiritual growth.
Nicole Hensel, Facilitator
Youth Groups
In August I began my role as the
Youth Pastor of Grace and St.
Stephen’s. I organize, lead and
pastor youth in grades 6-12. We
began the year with a kick-off at
our house, we have assisted
with IHN setup, packed meals
with Cougars Care, held a craft
Annual Report 2019 Page 14
table at the Advent Family Festival, played gaga ball at Trunk or Treat, had a lock-in with
other Episcopal churches and partied at the Horner’s house for Christmas. We also
elected youth group officers: Co-Presidents- Coleman Horner and Patty Ekholm, Vice-
President- Nell Horner, Secretary- Michael Kirkpatrick, Treasurer- Abby Sena, Outreach
Coordinator- Sophie Urban, and Middle School Reps.- Lavender Roberts and Laura
Ekholm. The officers worked hard to put together a 2019 calendar that reflects a desire
to grow together in fellowship and discussion, reach out to new youth and serve the
community and church. In 2018, together with Helen Hazelton, we started the Children
and Youth Council which meets quarterly to review and plan these important ministries.
Pastor Jennifer Williamson, Youth Minister
Lay Pastoral Care Ministry: Community of Hope International (COHI)
The first class of ten lay pastoral caregivers (LPCs) finished their fourteen-week training
in December 2017 and were commissioned on February 11, 2018. Along with the
original three – Nel Benton-Hough, Leigh MacHaffie, and myself – and recent additions,
we currently have a total of nineteen LPC’s.
After the initial training, the COHI Circle
of Care supports LPC’s with monthly
meetings where we debrief, worship,
study the Rule of Benedict (our daily
discipline), and enjoy food and
fellowship. As of October, our group
had provided 1,131 hours of pastoral
care for 1,075 people – that’s an
average of eleven LPC’s meeting with
108 people spending 113 hours on
pastoral care every month. We meet with parishioners and non-parishioners. COHI
defines pastoral care as “… being ‘present’ in a listening, compassionate, non-controlling
manner to an individual or group for the purpose of… representing God to them and
seeking to respond to their spiritual needs.”
Today we have over twenty-five parishioners on our ever-evolving “Pastoral Care List,”
people who are isolated and alone, unable to come to church, struggling with illness and
infirmity, and the ups and downs of life. Our prayer is that COHI will continue to “equip
the saints in the pews” for lay ministry in pastoral care, thereby fulfilling the baptismal
vow to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself.”
Although not officially part of COHI, the eight Eucharistic Visitors (EV’s) work
complements our lay pastoral care ministry. Their names are listed in the Sunday insert,
and four of the eight are also COHI Lay Pastoral Caregivers. EV’s bring communion to
sixteen to twenty homebound parishioners monthly; between 2014 and 2018 EV’s made
867 visits. We meet as a group with the Rector on a quarterly basis, and are trained and
licensed by the diocese every four years. This year COHI plans to consolidate our
nineteen-member group and will offer a second training starting in September 2019.
Cindy Page, COHI Training Facilitator
Annual Report 2019 Page 15
Newcomer Committee
Our parish family is growing and that’s a good thing. No, it’s a great thing! But Sunday
mornings can be daunting the first time visitor…or even someone who comes more than
once. The church is busy, the building is gorgeous – and cavernous – and many people
who already know each other are enthusiastically catching up. While visitors consistently
share that they find everyone friendly, it can be hard to know where to get started.
Recognizing this, we relaunched the Newcomer Committee late in 2018 with a mission
to help shepherd these folks along. Right now, we have a two-part model: The Grace
Ambassadors who greet people after the services and Grace Café, a monthly informal
coffee hour especially for folks new or newer to the parish.
Each Sunday, you’ll find an ambassador stationed in the narthex and on the way
to Parish Hall. They are easy to spot: look for a red apron and a warm smile. They
have gift bag to share and are willing to answer any questions. This way, visitors
are greeted after a visit by clergy and a member of the parish.
Grace Café started in December in Taft Hall. With coffee and a treat in hand, it is
a way to informally meet visitors and anyone else who would like to stop by.
In 2019 we’re working on ways to get folks connected based on their interests – whether
it’s serving at worship or volunteering in any of the 30+ ministries that we currently
have… or maybe starting something new.
To date, the response has been very positive. We have 15 ambassadors and more are
most welcome. The commitment is small – serve one time a month, for 10-15 minutes
after one of the services. If you’d like to join us, have ideas about welcoming or
questions, please get in touch (contact information below).
Most importantly, please keep being the wonderful, welcoming people you are. Everyone
is an ambassador – even if you aren’t wearing a red apron!
Marti Lindberg and Susan Bassett, Co-chairs
Senior Warden
In 2009, the proverbial three-legged stool (time, treasure and talent) was a little shaky.
Time and talent matured quickly, but
needed treasure was a little more
elusive. Over time, with much prayer and
dedication by all, this challenge is
steadily being met. We joyfully
celebrated with income exceeding
expenses in 2017 and 2018, with a
similar scenario expected this year. That
said, the “elephant in the room”
continues to be the mortgage. David
Annual Report 2019 Page 16
Brockway has provided details on where we are now and what is needed to eliminate this
burden.
On the brighter side is the number of our outreach programs and the vital and impressive
impact they have in meeting the needs of our challenged citizens. Two such ministries
are the Thrift House of Episcopal Church Women, and the Interfaith Hospitality Network
(IHN). IHN provides basic, preventative, and supporting services to families with children
who are in homeless situations or at risk of becoming so. In our case, we host our visitors
three times a year for one week. We house, provide meals and companionship for four
families with over 100 church volunteers in this ministry. Many other ministries will be
highlighted during the annual meeting.
Grace has been involved with the Thrift House of Episcopal Church Women (Thrift House)
for over 65 years. Chapel of Our Saviour, St. Michael's and Grace are the owners and
make up the current board. We also have four other Episcopal parishes that have
members that volunteer there. Last year, we had 46 people from our church volunteer
over 1,500 hours. Please visit and consider volunteering for this wonderful ministry.
On a personal note, my role as the senior warden ends with this annual meeting. Serving
for and with Fr Jeremiah has been the highlight of my last 10 years, and I would do it
again in a heartbeat.
David Buckley, Senior Warden