What happened at the vestry retreat?
John Knapp writes:
Your new Vestry is now hard at work. On Friday night the February 26th and all of the following day, the Vestry met to get say farewell to the outgoing members, get acquainted with the new members, and reflect on what we are being called to do. We began with a wonderful social event with the outgoing members at the Rector’s home. We all owe a debt of gratitude to Philip Goodpasture, Kate Parthemos, Larry Meier, and Allyson Petty for their tireless work on behalf of the parish.
The next day we convened at Roslyn, the wonderful retreat center of the diocese overlooking the James River. If you are not familiar with Roslyn, you should get acquainted. If you have not been there lately, I highly recommend you go back to see the newly constructed chapel built in honor of Bishop Lee. It is an inspiring compilation of glass and wood that captures and incorporates the magnificent property. We were fortunate to be able to worship together in that space during our day.
Through sharing, humor, and Bible study, the new Vestry was able to get to know one another and reflect on the gifts and challenges we have as a parish. We are blessed with four outstanding new members -- Maria Candler, Fiona Tower, Ted Smith, and Ron Rechenbach – who will complement and strengthen the returning members. Our day was spent using three bible passages as a way to frame and examine our opportunities and help us consider our priorities. This is, of course, an ongoing exercise, but the shared experience was immensely beneficial as we will be facing the difficult task of finalizing our budget as soon as the results of the additional pledge campaign are known. The secular and spiritual blending that becomes the church’s budget is most visible way that Vestry demonstrates its responsibilities, priorities, and vision.
In addition, the Vestry took time to organize ourselves for the year. Jack Austin and I were elected your Wardens and Fiona Tower graciously agreed to serve as Registrar. We are well on our way and all look forward to an outstanding year.