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The Annual Parish Meeting by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy Each year, the congregation gathers for an Annual Meeting at which time the membership engages the work of the institution of the parish. In most respects, it is a business meeting. We'll hear a year end treasurer's report from our treasurer, John Amussen, and likely a projection for the coming year based on results of our fall pledge drive. We will thank and say goodbye to vestry members who have served faithfully and who have now completed their term of office: Brandy Beirne, Christa Buswell, Peter Haight and Judith Lyons. And we will elect four new leaders to the vestry for three year terms of office. Nominated are: Bill Amlotte, Richard Daum, Darrell Menthe and Pam Schmidt. (Nominations are welcome from the floor but nominators must have the permission of the person they are nominating). And we will welcome Ann Shepphird who had been appointed to fulfill the one year unexpired term of Laurie Hutzler who had resigned her position over the summer. So there's some business to do. But it is also a time for some fellowship and I thought this year, given the turmoil in all the churches of Christ, to reflect in this New Year on the challenges to the churches which are engaged in change. Change is always a challenge for the Church. As an institution with a very long memory, change is a value that we rarely embrace. I have a friend who pastors a congregation in southern Virginia. The parish is nearly 400 years old (they are preparing to celebrate this event and had hats printed: "St John's Church − Fightin' sin since 1610!") There are graves in their parish cemetery that are older than St. Augustine's Church. In her interview before she went to this parish as Rector, she recalls speaking with an older woman who kept referring to the "recent unpleasantness." She assumed it was a problem of sexual misconduct by a former clergymember or perhaps financial embezzlement. It took a while to realize that this dear woman was referring to the "war of northern aggression" (i.e. the Civil War). Churches have long institutional memories. When folks at St. John's say: "we've never done it that way before!" they really mean never before. And so changes in the gender or sexual identity of our clergy, for all denominations, are hard. Changes in worship and music are hard. Changes in physical appearance of our worship space are hard. But at the same time, change is a constant. And churches which are unable to manage change creatively − while at the same time holding onto their sense of self, their identity − are less likely to reach the next generation and to recreate itself to meet the opportunities that also brings. This challenge is eternal and true for all church bodies. To reflect on these things, I have asked Richard Peace to speak to us. Richard, a United Church of Christ minister, is a long time worshipper, along with his wife Judy, at St. A's. He has graciously accepted my invitation. His perceptive will be fascinating to hear and reflect on together as we enter this, our 132nd year. The Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 28th following the 10:30 a.m. service, the vestry providing the luncheon, with adjournment at about 1:30 p.m. Plan on attending. Copyright © 2007 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
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