|
Associate's Search on hold (for now) by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy The Rector has decided to put on hold the search for the new associate priest. And for good reason. Over the last several years, our associates have commuted from as far away as Fullerton, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Hermosa Beach. We were lucky in that Joyce Stickney's family found an affordable (if somewhat ramshackle) house in Mar Vista which made her commute bearable. The result of such exhaustive commutes is that new clergy begin work here with enthusiasm and excitement but after a few months, find their joy waning in direct proportion to miles driven. There is a certain irony here in that, in the 1970's, St. A's owned three houses here in Santa Monica. Over the years, these homes were sold and the money invested in programs of outreach and charity as well as in maintenance. The thought at the time was that the church could always buy houses if they were needed but money invested in growth would pay off in a larger congregation with more financial resources - and the ability to reinvest in real estate down the road if needed. One of those houses - the rectory - was sold during the time when churches universally were being discouraged from owning a "manse" and clergy were being urged to own their own homes in order to build equity for eventual retirement. (At this time, the present Rector and the church are entered into such an equity sharing arrangement beneficial to both.) But as real estate in Southern California has exploded, burst and exploded again; with hindsight it could be agreed that the church should have rented out property rather than have sold it. As one colleague in another state said to me as I told him this story:"You've sold your seed corn." But as we anticipate extending a Call to another associate priest, we need to be mindful and honest about our limitations. The average salary for priest associates in parishes our size is about $54,000/year. But the average cost of renting even a modest 2 bedroom apartment here on the Westside is some $2,000/month - which means that we are asking our associate to live on some $30,000 a year after housing. A person with two children - as was the case with Joyce - would be hard pressed to make ends meet. Given all of this, our Vestry has agreed to spend some time, to quote our treasurer: "fixing a problem for the next generation, rather than creating new ones, for a change." We need to make some progress on clergy housing even if it's only to decide on a direction for the future. First Presbyterian, our neighbor two blocks to the west, has benefitted from the gift of a modest but quite suitable home, some years ago. To quote Dr. Wood, their pastor: "We'd never be able to afford to live in Santa Monica otherwise." There are extensive tax advantages to donating real estate to the Church. And because you never know until you ask, it's important to let our membership know what's going on and invite them to be prayerful about this along with our leaders. In your long-term estate planning, perhaps you are someone who is in a position to consider such a gift to St. A's - a lasting and generous legacy - in which you would receive the tax benefit now, continue living in your home or condo, with security and dignity, until death, leaving behind an invaluable gift for the future If you are interested in considering such a capital gift, I invite you to speak confidentially, and without obligation, to the Rector and also to consult with your tax and estate planning consultant. The church community needs to be aware of where the leadership is in the search (or lack thereof) for a new associate. For us, now is a time for discernment and prayer and we invite you into this as well. Copyright © 2008 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
|
