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Financial Report from the Vestry
January
The month of January was a very busy and
meaningful time at Christ Church. Bishop
Ely was with us on the Baptism of Jesus,
January 12, when Brian Bushey was baptized
and Barbara Belaserio and John Meninger
were confirmed. The bishop stayed for the
Vestry meeting which lasted a very long
time and where we thanked Jay Bailey, Dirk
Romeyn and Doreen Waite for their years
of service on the Vestry.
The 2003 Annual
Meeting was convened January 19, 2003 following
the 10am service. A big thank you to those
who supported the office staff getting the
Annual Report ready fore the meeting. The
Vestry and I want to thank all of you for
the trust and support you gave us around
the 2003 budget. We have worked very hard
to present a vision of ministry that continues
to move the parish forward in difficult
times. If you haven’t read through
the “Ministry Report” yet, I
really encourage you to read them. There
are a lot of people here doing a lot of
ministry.
I especially
want to call your attention to the Stewardship
program on Planned Giving scheduled for
February 23, following the 10 AM service.
More information can be found in this Chronicle.
It will be a worthwhile Stewardship presentation
on how we can support Christ Church and
our ministry in the future.
The Social
Concerns report has some rather amazing
information that you might want to know.
Our soup kitchen is a place of love and
caring. Because of the support of many local
businesses, and of those who attend, we
can serve a hot meal for 62 cents a person.
What a valuable ministry this is in our
community and thanks to all who support
our outreach ministries.
And thanks
to your generosity, we have been able to
maintain funding for the Parish Discretionary
Fund. Other churches in Montpelier have
been cutting way back in this important
outreach ministry due to budget restrictions
or changes in outreach priorities. This
money, mostly distributed by Dorothy Albert,
helps people in our community with utilities,
medicine, childcare, rent and, on occasion,
housing deposits. A special thank you to
Dot who treats people with kindness, respect
and love.
After the Annual
Meeting, on the birthday of The Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Christ Church hosted
the Names Project. Thirty people from the
community and the parish participated in
reading the names of the 5,000 people lynched
in this country from 1865 through 1958.
These victims, lynched because they were
black, were never given proper burials and
so we commended them to God’s loving
and eternal care. They victims were brought
out of the darkness in to the light by the
reading of their names. Those who read and
those who listened were greatly affected
by the event. I want to thank Cheryl Dick
for her tireless work in putting this project
together (and for her art work in the Parish
Hall). This project was the first step in
helping us understand our racism and how
we can begin to dismantle racism in our
personal lives, our culture and our institutions.
All
and all it was a busy month. I look forward
to sharing in our ministry together this
month and in the months ahead.
Peace,
David+
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The
Full Ladle Soup Kitchen
In 2002, the soup kitchen served an average
of 46 people a week, (2,276 total in 2002),
at a cost of 62 cents a meal, for a total
spent of $1405.47. Nutrition and fellowship
were shared in equal amounts. The soup kitchen
is supported by money given to the church
specifically designated for the soup kitchen,
this year totaling $1632.26. Forty-eight
percent of that total was donated by people
attending the meal. The reason we are able
to serve a meal at such a small cost is
due to the unbelievable generosity of area
food businesses in their support of the
Full Ladle. Manghi’s Bread, Dunkin’
Donuts (Barre-Montpelier Rd.), Sammy’s
Bagel, and La Brioche all contribute their
wares on a weekly basis. Julio’s,
Sarducci’s, The Wayside, NECI, and
The Thrush Tavern have all faithfully donated
soup over the years. They were joined this
year by Capital Plaza, Sambel’s, Susan’s
Kitchen and the Coffee Corner who have become
regular soup contributors. In addition,
several church members regularly make soup.
We give special thanks to Bill Murray who
has made soup every month for several years.
The
Full Ladle Soup Kitchen applauds the able
leadership of Barbara Greene who has kept
this ministry going for the last six years.
Barbara stepped down at the end of 2002.
We are very grateful for all the time, inspiration
and fellowship she has shared with us. The
soup kitchen relies on volunteers who show
up and work anytime between 8:30 to 1:30
on Wednesdays. Their numbers are getting
thin. We would welcome any help you can
give. Call Elaine McIntyre 223-4015 or Beth
Ann Maier 244-7472.
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Gatorade Needed
Gavin Wageman, a United States Marine, and
son of Carole and Ed Wageman has been sent
overseas, probably to the Middle East. He
has asked for Powdered Gatorade so
he and his companions can stay hydrated
in the desert. Next time you go shopping
pick up a container of Powdered Gatorade
and bring it to Church. We will ship it
to Gavin monthly.
UPDATE: We have
discovered that shipping costs are quite
high. If you want to contribute cash to
this ministry, it will be used for shipping.
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From Paul Carling
To the Christ Church Family,
I write with a full heart to thank you for
your love and generosity as I was ordained
priest—the many cards and letters,
the delegation of choir members and other
parishioners who attended, and the overwhelming
gift of the beautiful painting by Diane
Lindblade. It hangs over my desk to remind
me, on a daily basis, of the love and support
that flow so freely in the Christ Church
community. As your banner proceeded down
the isle in the service, I remembered again
how wonderfully formative my time with you
was, and what an extraordinary community
you are.
So thank you
David, Claude and every member of Christ
Church. You are in my heart and in my prayers.
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Glimpses
Recent
contributors to Central Vermont Home Health
and Hospice have received thank-you messages
featuring the small photo at left. [Sorry, the photo has been lost--Ed.] I was
so struck by the beauty of the relationship
shown between a caregiver and her patient—compassion
and gratitude in both faces—that the
despair I had started to feel for the world
lightened almost immediately. In its place
came faith again in the slow but steady
evolution God’s Kingdom on earth,
whatever history may have in store for us
in The New Year and beyond.
Charlotte Gibson
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Liturgy Tidbits: + The Sign of the Cross
+
Originally, the Sign of the Cross + was
used partly as a sanctifying of every action
of daily life from the rising in the morning
to retiring at night. It was used as an
encouragement in temptation and partly as
a means of mutual recognition in times of
persecution. From early times the sign was
also used in Baptism and Confirmation, and
it use was then extended to the liturgical
blessing of persons and things
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Annual
Meeting Elections
Vestry: Grace Greene, Richard Herrmann
and Laurie Labarthe—They join Vestry
Members: Senior Warden, Beth Ann Maier;
Junior Warden, Richard Bushey; Shirley Bate,
Allen Gilbert, Charles Merriman, Ron Thompson
and Robert Uerz.
Vestry Clerk: Carole Wageman
Parish Treasurer: John Jaworski
Recording Treasurers: Elaine Boyce,
Dawn Fairbanks
Diocesan Convention Delegates: Beth
Ann Maier, Stephanie Keitel and Peter Olsen
Alternate Delegate: Claude Stone
Deanery Representatives: Amy Davenport,
Claude Stone
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