This Sunday at noon on Zoom, our parish will exercise one the most fundamental practices in the Episcopal Church, the Annual Parish Meeting at which the Vestry is elected and held accountable. As the baptized ministers in this congregation, our governance structure requires that elected leaders and clergy give an accounting to you of our mission, vision and finances. You elect others to represent you on the Vestry, the Board of the parish, which sets policy, creates budgets, calls rectors, assumes debt, and builds buildings on behalf of the whole.
I am excited that the Vestry will be reporting out to you about the health of our parish. You will be hearing about the findings of our Congregational Assessment, the fruits of the Project Oversight Committee’s work with our architects and the next steps ahead. You will have an initial opportunity to respond to what you hear. The finances for 2021 will be presented, along with the budget of 2022. You will also elect four new Vestry members and a delegate to Diocesan Council. Many, many churches keep one or all of these functions under wraps so that they are only known to a select few. In the Episcopal Church, you are partners with Christ in caring for his Body, the Church.
If you are unable to attend by Zoom and need a paper ballot, please contact the church office at 713-528-6664. Whitney Corson, our substitute administrator, will advise you of the process. You must be a confirmed communicant in good standing (giving of time and treasure and in attendance at least 3 times this past year in person or online) and at least 16 years of age to vote.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday.