Greetings All:
I write this on Fastnacht – my donut awaits our Zoom celebration.
This week is a busy one for our congregation. Sunday we celebrated eight children receiving their first communion, then Monday was the Council meeting. Today, Tuesday, is Fastnacht and the Anti-Racism discussion group. Wednesday, we begin Lent.
Our Annual Meeting on Feb. 7 was well attended, with 65 people representing about 50 families. Tom Cassel, Brian Slaugh and Pastor Trozzo presented their reports about 2020 and took questions.
We learned about:
- The operating financial statements.
- The Reserve and Capital financial accounts.
- The Memorial Fund Report, showing the projects supported in 2020
- The Parish Statistical Report.
- Budget plans for 2021, which were approved.
For the past several Council meetings, Pastor Eric has led Council in considering our Mission Focus.
- Who are we as a congregation?
- How do we build the sense of our common mission, and tell the story of what St Matthew is and represents?
- When we say that all are welcome here, do marginalized souls hear the word ‘all’ as including them?
The Mission Focus is helping Council to better consider how to lead all of the many components of St. Matthew in living our mission.
At last night’s Council meeting, one major item was planning (begun by Peggy Marks and Karen Widin) on how to celebrate Deacon Bill’s two decades plus of service to St. Matthew as a member of the staff, which will be coming to a close at the end of June. All ideas are welcome. Council also considered voting members for the Synod Assembly in May (one additional voting member is sought), the nominating committee, and discussed methods for better informing the congregation about the progress – both planned and made – towards accessibility improvements.
Looking forward to Easter and the Resurrection.
Yours,
John O’Meara, President
Next Council Meeting: Monday, March 15
For those who want a copy of the Council Minutes, please contact Kim Bohley.