House Call February 2008

 

Because we do not have a Treasurer, a summary is not provided here.  However, the December Financial Statement is available in the office.

Our Vestry met on January 20, 2008 at the church.  In attendance with the Rector were Jay Munnikhuysen, Dawn Moorehead, Peter Gavian, Dianne Crews, Sue Riley, Bill Jabine, David Dent, Charles Wilkerson, Deacon, and Helen Leitch, Registrar.

 

The Financial Statement was reviewed and is covered elsewhere in House Call.  Assistance with our finances is being outsourced to Ginger Belsinger.  Payroll and bill paying is now being handled online and has streamlined duties for a Treasurer.  Discussion ensued on the ongoing and critical need for a Treasurer.  The Vestry members and Rector will bid the prayers of our church members for St. Luke's to be provided with someone who is called to this ministry.

 

Deacon Charles informed the Vestry of some 2007 statistics and resulting changes in the Food Pantry.  The committee is chaired by Shannon Talbott with Ed Stofko serving as volunteer.  This ministry is supported by Deacon Charles.

 

Our Food Pantry was open 33% of 2007, ministering to 506 clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Additional food contributions were made on emergency bases by the Rector and Deacon.  Our client base grew by 47.5% each month.  As a result, we have made application to the County Food Bank and to Food Link.  There is still an urgent need for regular food contributions.  To enable this, suggests for appropriate food items will be made available to members of the parish.  Those who prefer to make a monetary donation for the food to be purchased will be provided with envelopes.  The Food Pantry has been relocated to the Undercroft.

 

The Budget Committee for 2008 will meet on January 29th.  Jay and Yvette Munnikhuysen, Peter Gavian, and Fr. John will prepare the budget for presentation to the Vestry at the February meeting.

 

The new Episcopal Church sign is on the premises awaiting installation of a pole to display the sign on the Bay Ridge side of our property.  The goal is to have the sign in place before the end of the month.

 

An updated brochure describing our mission and ministries for visitors is in the final stages of preparation.  We will ask for a completion date at the February meeting if the brochure has not been published by that time.

 

The Photograph Directory is also in the final stages.  Many interested parishioners have volunteered their talents on this project with the goal of having it completed prior to the annual meeting in April.

 

Jay Munnikhuysen has agreed to serve as the alternate lay delegate to the 2008 Diocesan Convention.  The delegate is Bill Jabine.

 

The Vestry meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 pm.  Our meetings are in the Undercroft, and all are welcome.

 

As most know, our former treasurer, David Forslind, moved in the Fall.  Since that time, your Rector has been working with the Diocese and an outside accountant keeping the financial records in order and paying the bills.

 

In order to reduce a new treasurer's workload, we have outsourced payroll and taxes to Episcopal Services, beginning in January.  And, rather than paying for an accountant to visit our premises, we are arranging for bills to be faxed to the accountant.  We have also arranged for on-line banking to handle regular bills, such as BGE.  However, there are still bills that need to be paid by check, and we have not turned our authority to sign checks to anyone except the Rector and Senior Warden.  Therefore, at this time, the accountant prepares and mails checks to be signed and mailed by the Rector.

 

The new treasurer's job will be far less time consuming than our former treasurer.  The new treasurer's main duties will be to monitor the financial condition monthly and pay bills as needed (except payroll and taxes).  The work preferably would be done at the church but can be done at home.

 

If you feel a calling, or know anyone who might have a calling to become treasurer, please call the Senior Warden, Jay Munnikhuysen, or the Rev. John Smith for further discussion.

The Very Rev. Peter Eaton

Dean of St. John's Cathedral, Denver, CO. Dean Eaton was born in Washington, DC, and raised in the United States, the West Indies, and the United Kingdom. He is a graduate of the Universities of London and Cambridge, and Westcott House Theological College.

The Rev. Jane Soyster Gould

As Rector of St. Stephen's, Lynn, MA, Jane Gould leads a vibrant urban congregation that offers weekly worship in English and Kiswahili, responds to community needs, and gathers people across lines of color, class, culture, and generation.

The Rev. Dr. John C. N. Hall

The Rev. Dr. John C. N. Hall is a native of New York, the youngest of five children, and a cradle Episcopalian. Since 1998, he has served as Rector of Saint Matthew's, a diverse parish in suburban Phoenix, Arizona, after serving other congregations in Arizona, Kansas, and Florida.

The Rev. Canon Eugene Taylor Sutton

The Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, is Canon Pastor of Washington National Cathedral, and Director of the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage. A frequent leader of retreats and conferences on prayer, preaching, spirituality and mission, he directs the cathedral's national and local programs in building spiritual community through pilgrimages, gatherings and courses.

Walk-Abouts

In an effort to allow people throughout the diocese to meet the nominees for bishop, four sites have been selected for meet-and-greet sessions commonly known as Walk-Abouts. The specifics have yet to be finalized; however, the anticipated format is small group question-and-answer sessions. The amount of time with each nominee is estimated at 20 minutes, but could change depending on the final number of nominees.

 

March 4   6:30-9 p.m., All Saints' Parish, Frederick

March 5   6:30-9 p.m., Emmanuel Church, Cumberland

March 7   6:30-9 p.m., St. James' Parish, Lothian

March 8   10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-5:30 p.m., Trinity Church, Towson

 

 

 

On Tuesday, February 5th, we will hold our traditional Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 4:30-7 pm.  The cost for adults if $7.00 and $3.00 for children under the age of 10.  The menu includes sausage, applesauce, coffee and tea plus all the pancakes you can eat.  There will be the usual baked goods table of delicious homemade desserts.

 

As an added feature to this year's Pancake Supper, we will conduct a silent auction of gift certificates donated from most of the local merchants in Eastport.  The proceeds of this auction will go directly to our Food Pantry.  The following business establishments have donated gift certificates and/or baskets to be auctioned off at the Pancake Supper:  Ahh Coffee; Eastport Barber Shop; Eastport Liquors; the Athletic Club; the Dollar Store; Adam's Ribs; Wild Orchid Café; Chart House; Squisito's; O'Leary's Seafood Restaurant; Carroll's Creek Café; Rockfish Restaurant; Double Tree Ports-of-Call; Palate Pleasers; and Boatyard Bar and Grill.

 

Peter Crews has agreed to be our Master of Ceremonies.  The auction will be held between 5:30 and 6 pm.  Remember that all of the proceeds raised from this auction will go directly into the Food Pantry account as a cushion fund in times of emergency.  Come out with big appetites and don't forget to bring your checkbook or some extra cash for this event.

 

Deacon Charles

 

 

There is a constant need for contributions to the Food Pantry.  Working with the County Food Bank as well as Food Link still does not cover our weekly needs of our Food Pantry.  Please consider picking up additional food items during your next shopping trip.  Keep in mind that each of our clients receives a "bag" that contains food for two people for two meals.  Food items include:

* A can of fruit

* Any type of canned vegetable

* A can of tuna fish

* A can of soup

* Pasta and spaghetti sauce

* Box of macaroni and cheese.

 

Clients with children are provided peanut butter, jelly, cereal and bread when these items are available in our Pantry.

 

Those who plan to donate a bag of food are asked to drop if off on Sundays or during office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays in order for the Food Panty staff to determine if we need to make any additional purchases before the distributions days (Tuesdays and Thursdays).

 

We recommend the Dollar Store as an inexpensive place to purchase the above items.  Thanks for considering such a donation.  Thanks to many of you who consistently donate to the outreach mission of St. Luke's.  Whenever you give to those in need, you will be surely blessed.

 

Deacon Charles