Dear Friends,
Last night on Compline I mentioned something about a conversation with a developer who is interested in our Gale House land (which we are not necessarily selling), and someone said, "Wait, what? I have been out of the loop for a couple weeks- what's happening?!" It can be easy to miss big things happening in our church community when our connections with one another remain distanced. I want to make sure you all are in the loop on (1) our in-person worship this Sunday, (2) the Annual Meeting next Sunday, and (3) the conversations that have been happening around our property and the property next door to us.
Regathering: We are so looking forward to worshiping with you on Sunday! There will be a family formation program in Sherrill Hall before our 10am service, and a High School/Confirmation program beginning in Sherrill Hall at 4pm. All of this feels right and good with a glimmer of "at last!"
A couple things about our coming back together in person this time around:
- You do not need to register to come to church, just arrive with enough time to be guided by our ushers and re-gatherers.
- Those who arrive for worship after the available pews are full will be brought down to Sherrill Hall to attend church zia Zoom on the big screen.
- If you have any symptoms or feel vulnerable to viruses or icy roads, do join us on-line at 10am rather than coming to E Central Street. Our on-line options remain in place.
- Masks are still mandated at all times, by all people while indoors. The only exception being that the readers and clergy may unmask when speaking at the lectern (but not at the altar).
- Our windows will be closed and the heat will be turned up to 64 degrees. We will be using air purifiers to help with our air quality and movement. You may still want layers.
Annual Meeting 2/13: Please watch your email on Sunday for more complete information about our Annual Meeting. For now, I just want to be sure you know it is coming in a little over a week. Our annual meeting happens every year as an important gathering of governance, connection, communication, and leadership transition. We will hear a few reports and reflections, thank those who have served as our Delegate, Co-senior Wardens, Clerk, Treasurer, and third year vestry members as they step down, and vote to approve a slate of new leaders for those positions. We will also adopt new parish bylaws, review the 2022 budget, and celebrate the continuity of love and service that is St. Paul's church 150 years in. We hope you can join us on Zoom at 11:30am on February 13th! Bring your lunch to the screen!
Property Opportunities and Considerations: As the house next to Gale House remains on the market, a handful of parishioners have been wisely exploring what that might mean for us. We have spoken with the diocesan Real Estate Advisory Committee Chair, who is assigning a consultant to help us discern our way forward. We have spoken with realtors, developers, and builders. All of these conversations have been incredibly educational. While the options to (1) buy and develop the house on the corner ourselves, (2) partner with a developer, (3) sell all or part of the Gale House property, or (4) begin to create a plan to move into the future with what we have are all on the table; the realities of property development, building code, approvals, finances, and a realistic look at our own time and energy resources are all being honestly taken into consideration. If you feel strongly about one of the options, are curious about the process, or have time or expertise to offer, I would love to hear from you. Our best chances at a high success rate in whatever we do are going to depend on two things: 1. Looking at each option through the important lenses of our mission, our resources, and our needs, and 2. having as many of us at the table as possible.
In closing, I ask you to pray on all three of the above updates. Please pray for us in our regathering, that we may be safe and that we may connect more deeply with the incarnate Christ as we ourselves become more physically available in community, that our annual meeting might reflect the love and connectivity of our church, and that our discernment around our property may lead us to be more focused and nimble in our work as agents of Christ's love in the world and good stewards of all we have been given.
Yours in Christ,
~Becky
Rector
