Annual Parish Meeting – New Format L. Howard Maltby+

For as long as I have been rector, the Annual Parish Meeting has taken place in the context of a single service at 9:30 AM on a Sunday morning. The attendance for that one service not only wasn’t comparable to a combination of two worshiping groups, but was actually lower than the late service alone. This disparity caused me concern. To offer a positive remedy, I proposed a different format to the vestry and they agreed that we should try it.

 

 The primary business of the Annual Parish Meeting is to elect members to the Vestry. My proposed changes should improve the level of participation by our members in the vestry election. Voting must be done by the member in person at the time set for voting. Voting by proxy, absentee ballot or mail is not permitted.

 

The new format I propose is different from the past, but intentionally leaves the schedule of Sunday services unchanged. The Annual Parish Meeting will convene @ 9:30 AM on Sunday, October 25, (between the two services) for the sole purpose of receiving the report of the Nominating Committee, and opening the floor for additional nominations. Once the nominations are “closed” the meeting will recess and reconvene on Sunday, November 8, @ 9:30 AM.

 

Another change is that we will have an “Election Day.” From 8:00 AM until 12:00 Noon on Sunday, November 1, the “polls” will be open for voting by secret paper ballot. The ballot will contain the names put forth by the Nominating Committee and those proposed from the floor on October 25. Please follow the instructions on the ballot about how to vote. Only “communicant members in good standing” are eligible to vote. If you are unsure of your status as a “communicant member,” please speak to the Rector. The format we are trying has one day (Oct. 25) for all nominations to be made, then a recess. This may not take more than fifteen minutes or so. Once the initial important business is conducted, the members may go on to their respective Sunday School class or home. The day for balloting is a special day on our church calendar and attendance should be higher than average.

 

Sunday, November 1, is the first Sunday of the month, so there is our monthly Fellowship Potluck lunch following the 10:30 AM service. This is your chance to bring a special dish from another culture as it is also “International Mission Sunday,” as designated by the vestry in August. We will be raising up the ministries of our Quito Mission Team, the work they have accomplished and hopes for the next visit in 2010. Once the polls close the ballot box will be sealed until the next Sunday.

 

The Annual Parish Meeting will reconvene on Sunday, November 8, @ 9:30 AM so that the ballots may be counted. If a “run off” election is necessary, those gathered will be the ones to vote. That means it is very important to participate in all aspects of this revised structure. While the votes are being counted, a few reports and presentations will be made. This meeting will take more time, so Sunday School will be cancelled for the day. Once we have completed our necessary tasks, the meeting will adjourn.

 

One last word about being a “communicant member.” Article II of St. Alban’s By Laws defines “member” in two ways. One is those who have been baptized, attend worship regularly, and are regular contributors of record. The distinction for “voting member” is to be recorded by the parish as a “communicant,” that is someone confirmed in this church or transferred here from another church where they were recorded as a communicant. Voting members must be 16 years of age and have attended St. Alban’s for six (6) months. To serve on the Vestry, one must be 18 years of age and a voting member for a period of 12 months (Article III, Sec. 3 of St. Alban’s By Laws).

Blessing of the Animals Fr. Maltby

Our annual observance of St. Francis of Assisi Day will be on Saturday, October 3. At 11:00 AM, there will be a “Blessing of Animals” in the church parking lot. Please bring your beloved pet! Keeping all animals and human guests safe is a top priority, so keep that in mind when you come.

 

United Thank Offering Rose Braddock

Thanks so much to all who participated in the Fall Ingathering of the United Thank Offering. We raised $424.14. All of which will go to help others in need.

 

Fellowship Potluck Cleanup

Tracie Ifkovits

The cleanup crew for the October 4th potluck, will be the Episcopal Church Women (ECW.) The clean up crew for the November 1st potluck will be the Altar Guild.

 

ECW Evening Guild Tracie Ifkovits

The Evening Guild of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) meets on the first Tuesday of the month – October 6, @ 7:00 PM. Members: Please look for an email announcing the location.

 

Wednesday Morning Healing Service!

Fr. Maltby

On a trial basis during the month of October, beginning Wednesday, October 7, @ 10:00 AM, there will be a service of Holy Eucharist with healing. During this month the Wednesday evening Healing Service will continue. If present attendance trends continue for the Wednesday evening service, it will be discontinued. Hopefully, the morning service will be a viable replacement.

 

Karios

 Mark FitzMaurice

As many of you know, David Moseley, Bob Maloney and I will be serving on the team visiting the Broad River Correctional Institute (BRCI) Kairos #26 on the weekend of October 17. I have posted a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board at the Church for prayers for all the participants, inmates as well as “street people,” for the time period of the weekend “walk.” Please pray as often as you can that God will bless our weekend so that lives will be changed to come to Him.

Secondly, there is information posted on the bulletin board about cookies. We still need a lot of home-made cookies so please make as many as you can, package them and put them in the freezer at church. Lastly, if you would like to make a financial contribution to this ministry, please make your check out to the church and note "Kairos" on the memo line. Thank you for your support!