Vestry News & Review
April 2020
“Church in the time of Coronavirus.” This phrase, a variation on Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s 1988 novel titled Love in the Time of Cholera, comes into my mind as I review and summarize last week’s April Vestry meeting, our first ever conducted virtually, via Zoom. The agenda was lengthy, with numerous backup documents, and included a wide range of topics and proposals important to the work of leading the Church of St. Martin. We received updates and approved proposals that will enable future progress in several areas. These included:
+An update from parish treasurer and Vestry member Julie Knudsen about the March financial statement and the news that St. Martin’s has applied for and already received a federal CARES Act grant to help with current salaries and facilities expenses during this pandemic period;
+Approval of the Mutual Ministry Review design that will guide the upcoming review of what is going well at St. Martin’s, while at the same time identifying those aspects of our work and shared ministry that need more time, attention, and effort, all undertaken with the guidance of a consultant experienced in facilitating this process;
+Updates from the Budget and Finance Committee about their work to streamline and add transparency to the annual process of setting an annual budget and establishing protocols for responding to budget requests that come to the Vestry during other seasons; Vestry approval of a Budget Processes Document.
When we approached our main discussion of Vestry goals and priorities for the near future, affirming the value of all those raised during Vestry retreats both this February and last, Pamela asked us to pause rather than making final decisions now—taking some time to mull over the many ways the current pandemic may shape our parish life. “Church In the time of Coronavirus” again would provide the context—unsettling but unavoidable—for every project we would decide to pursue and the ways we would pursue it for the foreseeable future.
Bishop Megan is known for encouraging clergy and their parishes to “keep the main thing the main thing.” So how do we keep “being church” and “doing church” when our usual patterns are upended? St. Martin’s clergy, Vestry, and Ministry leaders have already begun, activating a phone tree of volunteers who have called every participating church household more than once, to ask how they are doing, to listen, and to let them know how to access our online worship services, weekly classes ,and daily Morning Prayer and Compline virtual gatherings. And we are asking them about the kinds of pastoral care and other assistance they may especially need during this time of physical isolation from their church community.
Our Ministries are meeting virtually to plan modified ways to serve those who need us. And, most encouraging, people who have never or rarely before participated in St. Martin’s worship and other offerings are finding us and tuning in. These different ways of being church and doing church may be resonating with people the church has not reached in the past. We, with many other congregations, are asking ourselves and each other how this pandemic experience may change us and broaden the ways we see ourselves and act as the church in the world long after this time has passed.
Janet Thompson
