Vestry Meeting Minutes
1/6/2019
6 Jan 2019 Vestry Meeting Minutes
A Good Shepherd Episcopal Church vestry meeting this past Sunday, 6 Jan 2019, after church. We had planned this meeting as a follow-up to our 18 Nov 2018 meeting to touch base, primarily, on actions accomplished regarding search committee tasking and grant research.
Meeting attendees and email addresses (omitted from this online version):
- Andrea Brown:
- Father Ralph:
- Richard Purnell:
- Charlene Fu:
- Lois Tapscott:
- Josette Keelor:
- Judy Hall:
- Martha Hayes:
- Melanie Edmunds:
- John Edmunds:
- Tim Hall:
Prior to discussing search and grant actions, we spoke about a new issue we’ve been faced with since our last meeting, that being that we are in need of a new musical director / pianist as Nancy Prestipino, having moved to Strasburg last Fall, has submitted her resignation and will be leaving us after January 13th to work at another church much closer to her new home. This leaves us in need of a new music director, or at least a pianist, that can lead our music during Sunday services. Josette has submitted her resume to be considered for the position. She has a very impressive musical background but, at her own admittance, does not play the piano well enough to lead services, although she is willing to take lessons and improve her piano skills.
It was suggested that to fill our immediate need for a keyboardist, that we 1.) check with local high school music programs, 2.) post a flyer in the Pine Grove Restaurant and the Store, and 3.) contact various musicians that our members know to learn their availability. Nancy has invited one such piano instructor to attend church on 1/13, Tim has a contact at Shenandoah U., and Ralph will talk to the Westminster Canterbury choral director.
We then discussed our church calendar with the following events and dates noted:
- 10 Feb 2019: Congregational Meeting after church
- Discuss facility needs, grants, future events, music program, mission & outreach, etc. (not search)
- 17 Feb 2019: Search Committee Meeting after church
- Richard to chair… just a search discussion
- 3 Mar 2019: Bishop Visitation for 11am service (probably Rt. Rev. Ted Gulick)
- Under new Diocesan formula ours is the only church Bp. Ted will visit this day
- Need to come up with discussion items and/or education for before church
- Looking for baptisms, confirmations, reaffirmations for church service
- Bishop’s reception after church
Next we discussed our facility condition and possible funding sources for repair/renovation. Andrea is leading this effort. After our last meeting Tim had provided an email introduction to The Rev. David Keill and Andrea’s research into the grant information he provided led her to two primary potential funding sources: an “emergency” fund and the Patterson Charitable Foundation Trust. She requested that Tim resend her the Peter J. Lee Grant application that we had been awarded in 2017 in an editable format to begin the application process.
As we would also need to provide some matching funding for these grants, Andrea suggested we undertake, this year, a fundraiser of some sort. All agreed that a community picnic held on the church grounds, as in days of yore, would be a good possibility. We decided to hold it on Saturday afternoon, June 22nd, with rain date of June 23rd. A picnic committee was formed including Lois, Josette, Melanie, Charlene, and Andrea. It was suggested that we approach Horseshoe Curve, Village Market, and Pine Grove Restaurant to help with donations, publicity, and whatever else we can imagine.
We talked about what needed to be done to the church facility, with the roof being the primary concern. John has talked to two painters so far, Junior Burrow and Steve Mullins, neither of which have provided a quote as of yet. Other needs include demolition of the chimney in the sanctuary and subsequent repairs, complete exterior painting, replacement of the two sacristy windows, front door repairs, new drop ceiling and carpeting in parish hall, kitchen R&R, and parking lot repaving.
Our final discussion point concerned search for a regular vicar, either full or part time. Richard, our Search Committee chair, led this discussion. First he shared a search timeline diagram that Andrea had found. We have completed step 1 of a 10 to 12 step process, that being formation of a search committee. The next step is to develop a Parish Profile. Judy volunteered that we had completed one in the not too distant past and that she would search for it and provide it to the committee electronically.
Cindy, while unable to attend, had done research into the potential cost of a full/part-time hire, that being anywhere from $60K to $75K for a full-time priest with 1 to 12 years of experience. This includes salary, housing allowance (at 30%), and SECA. Detailed information is available on the Diocese of Virginia website here. She will report on issues of bringing the Rev. Michael Sie here from Liberia at our next Search Committee meeting.
Andrea had found a chart on the National Episcopal Church site showing Good Shepherd’s average Sunday attendance, membership, and budget for the last 10 years (also available for every other Episcopal church). You can find this information here.
Lois’ research of Committee on Congregational Mission (CCM) churches found that Good Shepherd is the only mission church in the Winchester Region. Linda Bailey, who attends Our Redeemer, Aldie, is our CCM Liaison. We welcome her to attend all our vestry and search meetings.
Richard told us that Brother John Ogle has moved to Loudoun County and has a regular position now at St. Peter’s, Purcellville, with possible availability to us. It was also suggested to him that we check with the former rector of Grace, Berryville, who might be available to help or serve. Tim provided her full name: Fran Gardner-Smith, and will provide an email introduction.
Thank you to Melanie and John for providing a delicious meal for the meeting, and to all those who contributed to the wonderful repast.
All the best blessings for a Happy New Year to you and yours,
Tim Hall
Good Shepherd Register
