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| Parish Forum this Sunday |
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The members of this Covenant Community can hear each other on our future together on June 8. A Parish Forum this Sunday at 12 noon, after the 10:45 service, will provide the best opportunity to comment on the Vestry’s plan for the future of this parish. The Rector will consider those and other comments from parishioners before delivering his response on June 15. So far, he has received about 10 comments. The report comes against a background of heavy debt associated with the construction of the Sanctuary in 1999, an investment of parish resources in growing the community, and an intensive educational process to inform the congregation of this Parish’s financial challenge. Parishioners Participate Since the Vestry released its plan on May 28, parishioners have been discussing it, at church, in their shepherd groups, and online at SDLife, this covenant community’s online network. The Vestry Plan has two steps: a campaign to ask parishioners to help balance the Parish Budget for this year and 2009, and a series of parishioner-led initiatives to grow the community in both quality and quantity. "The Community Growth Initiatives we know how to do," said Maureen Carey-Back. "That will be the easy part, the fun part. We do community well. "There is nothing fun about money, about debt," Maureen added. "With that said, I am happy to see that #1 is to conduct a Balance the Budget Campaign. This seems very realistic. I'm in, you can count on me." "My biggest concern is how the Mortgage Elimination Fund/Capital Campaign is on the back burner for ‘further consideration’. What does that mean? Next month? Next year? Isn't that how we ended up where we are?" Bruce Johnson said that "no matter how you define your mission or vision that you will never have enough money. There is a time when you need to be cognizant of who you are and what you are realistically capable of doing." "This is not to say that we cannot do more at Saint David's but it needs to be put in a realistic context where our first priority is the spiritual nurturing of our community." "If Saint David's is facing a financial crisis because we are mortgage poor, I think that this parish and the Vestry should be investigating every avenue that would permit us to live within our means." What do you think? Let the Vestry, the Rector, and your fellow members know this Sunday. |
