2008 Senior Warden Report 

St. Paul’s has continued to demonstrate its commitment to achieve the mission of proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ, through worship, outreach, and education.  Worship is extending beyond the doors of the church sanctuary and well into the homes of parishioners and into the committees we bring together to carry out the detailed tasks that achieve this mission.  The Episcopal Church Foundation recently published an article about the use of “discernment” to improve the effectiveness of decision bodies used in our church.  Although this article was focused on the Vestry, the use discernment in the operation of all our committees and study groups is a technique St. Paul’s is actively trying and it appears, with some success.  When you attend a Vestry meeting you will see evidence of this by the opening readings from the Bible. These readings provide the guidance and another opportunity for Christian education that sets the stage for dialogue that starts with the goal of consensus.  In practicing the session this way this body and others are moving forward by decision without conflict.  Disagreement is not always avoided but consensus is reached which means all are willing to try an idea or path knowing that is will be measured and reviewed, and finally changed or improved if need be. 

The accomplishments of St. Paul’s will be indicated in detail within the reports from committees and offices charged with specific elements of the mission from 2008 work.  Of note have been the overwhelming output of energy and resources through our outreach initiatives and the continuing fantastic contribution of the OP Shop.   Unaccountable and sometimes undocumented outreach is clearly evident when individuals, families, and organizations in immediate need are tended to with expediency, sacrifice and love.  The outreach element of our mission is quite clearly the strongest one we have. 

Education is an offering St. Paul’s is growing in with considerable strides.  The opening of our doors to the community through our Day School is the highlight of this year’s efforts to “reach out” locally with the proclamation of our mission.  Internally, our Sunday school is strong and the addition of up to three in-home Bible studies is proof that a thirst for spiritual knowledge is being met through education.  And, as mentioned before, embedded by the discernment process within the gatherings of two or three. 

Every member canvas was invigorated this year with a very heartwarming response from a community not untouched by the severity of the world economic situation.  

St. Paul’s struggles, though, as a full functioning church all inclusive of people and structure.  The buildings and grounds are sound, adequately endowed with resources that have weathered the economical storm rather well to date.  The grass is trimmed, the paint is on, and roofs remain un-breached.  Although some of the musical instruments are tired, they continue to sound and provide the accompaniment for joyous congregational and choral singing that has characterized this congregation for many years.  Most of this is bound by tradition, supported by perpetual finance, or just plain donated time and hard work.  Not so, with operations of the day-to-day functions not supported by endowment.  There remains with us differences between required resources and available resources that are growing wider, preventing balance, and holding all staff members at compensation levels below those needed to make St. Paul’s Parish representative of one that can adequately the support the pastoral, musical and administrative services we have documented as desired in our goals over the past five years and those in the future. 

Recently, the Diocesan treasurer assessed our resources in a detailed comparison with up to 13 churches that are similar to ours in size, location and economical profile.  His conclusion is that we are slipping and without an increase in membership or pledge this trend will continue. More on this will be presented later.  There are those who are going to ask why in these troubled times is St. Paul’s asking for more from us.  The standards of operations to meet our mission requirements are in the lines of the budget you will see later.  All of these are traceable to expressions of need by one or more of all of us as members, not just the Vestry.  If it is our desire to hold firmly to those standards then it simply becomes of matter of choosing which are the most important for now and placing others in deferral for better times.  But, I would caution that priority should be given to those that reach out and bring people to this church. 

Finally, St. Paul’s is not asking us for more, it is asking us for enough pledge, time or energy to sustain whatever standard of church life we want to maintain here. Without a sustainable church life, these structures will be cold dark historic sites, possibly opened for social and historic events, but not a parish. I ask you to make your feelings known to our leadership as they take on the challenge of sustainment.  All members are accountable to this challenge. 
 

S. A. Ashton, Jr.

Senior Warden