Warden’s Report: March 2020
The Wardens’ Report: a brief summary of highlights from monthly Vestry meetings, designed to provide information about our growth, finances, priorities and progress towards our strategic plan.
The vestry gathered via Zoom for our March 24th meeting given the importance of social distancing while concerns about COVID-19 remain high. It was a different meeting than our typical routine of gathering for dinner and prayer prior to starting our official business; however, it was good to be “together” even when we are physically apart.
Brad Jones, our treasurer, presented an update on our finances and attendance. We are grateful to report that as of the end February, attendance is trending upward, our giving is on track, and our overall financial health is good. The finance team, under Brad’s leadership, is monitoring our financial situation in light of the changes to our life together on Quincy Street. We expect some downturn in giving as 30-35% of our giving comes through the baskets on Sundays and because of the financial uncertainty of this time. These possibilities are not surprising and they make us particularly grateful for our strong financial standing and the generosity of our members. If you do not already do so, we encourage you to consider giving through CCB. Contact Kat Downs if you have questions about how to do so.
After a discussion about how best to provide care for our members and the community during the COVID-19 outbreak, the vestry decided to create a fund to care for potential financial needs of our congregation caused by COVID-19. Details about this fund will be forthcoming in the next few days. We are also extremely grateful for the opportunity to partner with Glebe Elementary School in serving our neighbors through food support each week and will continue to do so in the days and weeks to come. If you are interested in assisting in this endeavor, you can find more details about how to serve on our blog.
We discussed what Holy Week will look like this year as we maintain the social distancing recommendations of the CDC. Expect details to be forthcoming. In the meantime, we invite you to join us for Morning and Evening Prayer at 9am and 5pm for the remainder of Lent (and beyond). You can find the Zoom login in here.
We are currently planning to postpone starting Ven Oramos Alabemos, an occasional Spanish-worship opportunity we were hoping to pilot this Spring. We are still planning to add this opportunity in the future, but will wait until we can gather together on Quincy Street.
We closed our meeting with a time of prayer for our church, our community, and our world. Come Lord, Jesus.
As always, if you have questions, concerns, words of wisdom or encouragement, please know that we are open to your feedback. 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’
– Johanna Montague and Kevin Marshall, Wardens