February25,2022
DearParishioner, YournewVestryhasbeenworkingtoreorganizecommitteestructureandtoresolveandimprovechurchoperationsandministriesbasedoninputfromtheparishinaseriesofcottagemeetingsinthemonthsof AugustandSeptember2021. Toimprovecommunications,belowisaVestryrosterwithcontactinformation,andalistofcommitteesandco-chairs. Followingthisisadetailedresponsetothecottagemeeting concerns.
VESTRY
TheRev.Dr.BillAllport,Rector revballport@stpaulsenglewood.org
201-515-7769
PatrickO’Neil,SeniorWarden poneil@att.net
201-569-4584
MelissaKelley,JuniorWarden Kelley74ny@icloud.com
201-421-6704
BeverleyLannaman,Treasurer bloomlann26@gmail.com
201-567-6123
DawnBaxter-Woodhouse Baxter.dawn@gmail.com
917-848-2444
AndreaBills-Evering andreabills@hotmail.com
201-697-4315
SoribelHolguin soribelholguin@gmail.com
917-291-5410
MargaretKing margareteking87@gmail.com
201-394-0121
CoraliusNoble corlissn@yahoo.com
201-888-7812
KarenPestaina khpestaina@aol.com
201-429-2302
TheVestryintheirSeptember2021workingmeetingputinplaceare-organizationwherebythereisatleastonevestrymemberoneachcommitteetoallowforbettercommunicationandtoensurethateach committeeisaccountabletotheVestry
WorkingTowardstheFuture:
1 TheVestryhasre-organizedthecommitteestructuretofocusonthefollowingareas: Thenewcommitteestructureisasfollows:
NextGenerationMinistry(Families,Children,Youth)
■Co-Chair:MargaretKing
■AdditionalVestry:SoriHolguin
○SocialJustice
■Co-Chair:CoraliusNoble
■AdditionalVestry:MelissaKelley
○ParishLifeandMembership
■Co-Chair:SoriHolguin
■AdditionalVestry:KarenPestaina
○Worship
■Co-Chair:MelissaKelley
■AdditionalVestry:MargaretKing,KarenPestaina
○FinancialStewardship
■Co-Chair:CoraliusNobleandMelissaKelley
■AdditionalVestry:
○Outreach
■Co-Chair:CoraliusNoble
■AdditionalVestry:SoriHolguin,BeverlyLannaman
○Administration
■FinanceCommittee
■Co-Chair:TBA
■AdditionalVestry:VictorOsunfisan
■BuildingsandGrounds
■Co-Chair:TBA
■AdditionalVestry:SoriHolguin
2 Volunteersareneededtoserveonallcommittees. PleaserespondtotheVestrychairpersonsastheyissueinvitationstotheirrespectivecommittees.
Toaddresstheconcernsputforwardinthecottagemeetings,theVestrymetinaspecialmeetingon9/27/21,andcontinueswiththenewlyconstitutedvestrytoworktoaddresstheissuesthat arose,outlinedgenerallyasfollows:
1.Transparencyintheorganization
2.Staffing/employmentissues
3.Financialsituation
4.Lackoffacilitymaintenance
5.Lackofpastoralcare
6.Non-functioningcommittees
7.Workingtowardsthefuture
TheVestryhasmadeprovisionstoameliorateasmanyconcernsaspossible,though difficultissuesarestillbeingaddressed,suchastheongoingfinancialsituation.
Transparency:
1 TheVestryhasresolvedtomakevestrymeetingsopentoParishionersonthefollowingguidelines:
a Attendancewillonlybeduringthegeneralsessionofthemeetings,notduringanyexecutivesessionswhenpersonalconfidentialinformationisdiscussed.
b Parishionersattendedwillbealloweda10-minutesessionatthebeginningofthemeetinginwhichtobringupissues,tobedividedamonghowevermanyparishionerswishtospeak. c ParishionersshouldgivetheVestryadvancenoticeofattendance,andofanyissuetheywishtobringbeforetheVestryinthemeeting.Calloremailtheparishadministratorifyou wishtoattend.
d Attendees,includinganywhodonotwishtointroduceissues,willnottakepartinanydiscussionduringthegeneralsessionofthevestrymeeting.
2 VestrywillcontinuetocommunicatewithParishionersbymail,phone,emailandsocialmedia,andwillendeavortoensurethatcommunicationsreachallparishioners.
3 Parishionerswillbeprovidedwithanelectroniclinktoanabridgedversionofcurrentvestrymeetingminutes.
Staffing/EmploymentIssues:
TheVestryexpectemployeestoresolvegrievanceswiththeRector;however,anyemployeenotsatisfiedwiththeRectorresolutionmustescalatethegrievancetotheWardens,andtotheVestry ifnotsatisfiedwiththeWardensresolution. Recentstaffing/employmentissuesarestillunderdiscussion.
FinancialSituation:
1 TheParishhasbeenrunningadeficitbudgetforseveralyearsandtheendowmenthas beenusedtofundministryandoperatingexpenses.
2 TheprimarysourceofincomeisParishioners’financialstewardship;pledgeshaveremainedstaticforseveralyears,andhavedecreasedthelastfewyears,thoughcostshavebeen steeplyincreasing.
3 Parishionersneedtocarefullyconsidertheirstewardshipcalling. Thosewhohavehithertonotbeenpledgingshouldconsiderdoingso.Aviablebudgetdependsonhavinganideaof theincome.
4 Vestrydecidedsincelastyeartolimittheuseoftheendowmenttorunministries.However basicthingssuchasstaffsalariesandstatutoryobligationsmustbefulfilled.
5 Ataskforcehasbeenformedtomakeastrategicplancoveringyears2023through2025withaviewtoimprovingthefinancialsituationandtakeusoutofdeficitbudgeting.
FacilityMaintenance:
1 Maintenanceistriagedbecausewearestrugglingforfunds.Weareonlyabletodowhatwe haveresourcestodo;hencesomethingshavetowaitinthequeue.
2 Wearedowntoahalf-timesextonfromtwosextonsandthereisalimittothemaintenancethatthehalf-timesextoncancarryout.
3 Thissituationwouldbegraduallyalleviatedasresourcesimprove.
LackofPastoralCare:
1 Clergyhasbeenmadeawareofproblems.
2 TheVestrywillinstitutionalizeregularcallingofParishionerstoseehowtheyaredoing.ClergywillbenotifiedofParishionersrequiringin-homeorhospitalpastoralcare.
3 TheVestryproposestheestablishmentofNeighborhoodGroupstoaidincommunicationandfellowship.
4 Manyparishionersparticipateinpastoralcareontheirown,bycallingandvisitingothers. TheVestryencourageseveryonetoconsidertheirministryandcareofotherparishioners.
Pleaseknowthatyoucancontactanyvestrymemberorwardenifyouhaveanyconcernsorfurtherquestions. Alsopleaseknowthatweappreciateyourconcernandsupport.
TheRev.Dr.BillAllport,Rector
PatrickO’Neil,SeniorWarden
MelissaKelley,JuniorWarden