Wardens’ Report: September 2015
The Wardens’ Report: a brief summary of highlights from monthly Vestry meetings, designed to demystify our work and provide some information about our growth, finances, priorities and progress towards our strategic plan.
After a brief hiatus in August, we gathered last Tuesday at the church commencing our meeting as is our new custom — on our knees. We used the BCP’s early evening devotions (p139) and reflected on our call to “proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as [his] servant”. We also thanked God for the smooth transition of Nathan Dickerson to our staff team and for the small groups commencing this week. Indeed, we have a terrific group of small group leaders who so ably shepherd our congregation in community, Bible study and prayer.
Our Treasurer, Mac Wheatley, presented an encouraging preliminary financial report for the fiscal year ended August 31. Our budget aimed for revenues to equal expenses, and we barely missed the target. Expenses were less than 2 percent above revenues (roughly $22k). Missing by such a small margin is amazing given the uncertainty with which the fiscal year began as we moved back to 1815 North Quincy Street, and it is a non-event given the church’s healthy operating cash reserve. Thanks to you all for the unusually strong summer giving. Thanks to the staff for their continually reliable expense management. Thanks to God for his faithfulness. We also heard of the orderly amortization of our construction loan and paid our first monthly mortgage payment with no issue or surprises. Mac will present a fuller picture of our 2015 fiscal year results and financial position at the upcoming Parish Meeting which begins at 12:45 PM on Sunday, October 4.
Other topics of conversation included the process for electing a new class of Vestry members (more at the Parish Meeting), tweaks to the new member education / integration process, a review of our communications efforts and a robust Rector’s report including the ongoing shaping of David’s upcoming sabbatical and an outline of the preaching plan in his absence. The Sabbatical Team, chaired by Christine Jones and Chris Belen, will provide further information at the Parish Meeting.
We hope to see you on October 4. In the meantime, if you have questions, concerns or words of wisdom or encouragement, please know that we are open to your feedback and need your prayers.
You can read an archive of past Wardens’ Reports on our website or Vestry Meeting minutes on CCB, under the ‘Files’ tab in the ‘Entire Church Group’.
-Carolyn Weimer and Ramsey Wilson, Wardens