By Doug Sessions, Senior Warden and Lynn Solomon, Junior Warden
Your Vestry gathered week before last and had a very engaging and successful meeting. Following a moving and impactful devotion on the communion of saints by Mary Byrd Sims, we began with the consent agenda and finance reports (see Kate Kile’s financial update for more information).
The Vestry heard a report from Father Wallace and members of a planning team on progress toward the The Abbey at St. Johns, a community of St. John’s Episcopal Church that exists to promote Christian Spirituality and faithful living. The Abbey will offer courses, events and programs for those interested in finding meaning and cultivating a deeper spiritual awareness. Many of its weekly programs, such as Centering Prayer and Spiritual Direction, are intended to nurture spiritual growth. We hope the Abbey will serve as a “front porch” for St. John’s, as it nurtures parishioners desiring spiritual companionship, while offering a place of hospitality (in person and virtual) for the pilgrim and seeker. The Vestry approved the Abbey concept and asked Father Wallace and the committee to report back next in the coming months with progress and follow-up.
The COVID-19 Task Force brought its recommendations to reopen St. John’s at Level Three of its Regathering Plan. That means opening the church to limited-attendance Sunday services and Compline; offering the church to members for limited-attendance baptisms, weddings and funerals; allowing Lively Café to have on-site as well as on-line takeout ordering; and allows Church committees and groups access to limited meeting space and time throughout the campus. After discussion, and comfortable with the learned leadership under the direction of Skip Foster and ably supported by Drs. Don Zorn and Laura Brock, the Vestry agreed with the committee’s recommendations to begin Phase Three Regathering, effective November 1, 2020.
The Vestry also approved a recommended list of ministries to be forwarded to the St. John’s Foundation for consideration for funding. The Foundation graciously provides this funding through specified interest income from its corpus.
Speaking for the Vestry, we are thankful for each and every one of you. We wish you good health, answered prayers and God’s peace and loving grace. Stay safe.
