Rector's Report to the Annual Meeting
January 28, 2007
A year ago, I began this annual report by talking about whether we saw our life together as a glass that was half empty or half full. This year, I want to begin by saying that our glass is passed half full, and slowly, but surely, filling up.
Perhaps the best way to look at the year just past is by reviewing two important planning times and at some of the commitments, consequences, and visions that have grown from these.
First of all, last February, Angela Hock was with us for an all-parish long-range planning session. At that session the parish made a very important decision. Unlike virtually every congregation our size both in our Diocese and throughout in the larger Church, St. Mary’s choose to stay the course, to maintain the full scope and breadth of our ministry, and so to continue to support both a full-time Rector and our present program and outreach. This commitment contains both a conviction that our presence and ministry are a part of God’s desire for the life of this community and a challenge to each of us to support and live out this hopeful vision in the months and years ahead.
We have made some real beginnings toward this end. Our stewardship program expanded last year to include the Time and Talent’s pledges that were made during the Summer—a small beginning that has already raised the level of activity and involvement in the parish. Also, this year’s financial stewardship campaign showed very encouraging signs in many categories. Finally, our un-pledged giving was at an all-time high, showing continuing and deepening support by parishioners for the life and ministry of St. Mary’s.
We are still a long way from being out of the woods in this regard; and the continued, generous support of each and every one of us is essential to the future of St. Mary’s. However, if the present trends continue and grow, and if we do not pull back, we should be able to approach this aspect of our future with growing confidence.
Also, early last year, members of the Vestry met with The Rev. Dr. Keith Brown, from the Small Congregations Office of our national Church. Yes, the national Episcopal Church can be a very valuable asset to individual congregations; and Fr. Brown’s visit was certainly very helpful to us.
Out of his time with us came commitments for increased and improved parish communication, a new look at the appearance of our various meeting spaces, and a new respect for the program and outreach of our parish. It was refreshing and encouraging to hear Fr. Brown say that, based on his experience throughout the Episcopal Church, St. Mary’s vitality, life, and program easily put it in the top 5% of churches our size across the United States.
Many changes have grown from Fr. Brown’s recommendations. We have done considerable remodeling in the parish Library, the Sunday school rooms, and the area now used by the chimes choir. The Vestry has also begun a hard look at the outside appearance of the Church. A few landscaping changes have already been made, and more are in the works. At the same time, we are looking at ways to enliven our worship space without detracting from the natural beauty of this wonderful place.
Another of the changes suggested by Fr. Brown is the development of The Instant Messenger, our new parish E-Mail Newsletter. Currently, we have about 90 subscribers to this occasional word from the parish.
If you do not receive The Instant Messenger and would like to do so, please sign up on the parish website or by calling the parish offices. Also, as a part of our increased internet presence, The Messenger, our current monthly print newsletter, is also now available from our website. It is my hope that, in the year ahead, we will be able to offer the option of subscribing to The Messenger electronically and thereby save on our postage and mailing expenses.
Both Angela Hock and Fr. Brown stressed the importance of our various community service and outreach projects for the continued vitality of St. Mary’s. We remain committed to our St. Andrew’s Day festival, our semi-annual noon-day concert series, our joint Vacation Bible School, and the annual Blessing of the Animals. These are just a few of the regular events St. Mary’s sponsors which have become both an important part of our life as a parish and much-anticipated community events.
Looking at our shared life as a parish, our Music, Youth, ECW, Evangelism, Education and Pastoral Care ministries continue to be blessed with strong and creative leadership, growing participation, and increased visibility. The recent addition of space for a playground adjacent to the Nursery will further strengthen our ministry to an ever-growing number of children.
A renewal of our community-wide advertising campaign this Fall has helped to bring some welcome and delightful visitors and newcomers to St. Mary’s. We presented six adults for Confirmation last Spring, and there is an Inquirers’ Class in progress (that it isn’t too late to join) in preparation for Bishop Ohl’s visit this March.
As I do every year, and for very good reasons, I want to mention the special gifts that Shannon Nabors, the director of Canterbury Housing, Linda Hill, our Organist/Choirmaster, and Barbara Harris, our Nursery, Youth and Christian Education Director, bring to St. Mary’s and to Big Spring.
We are deeply grateful to you, and to your many volunteers, for the truly wonderful jobs that you do.
Also, special thanks go to Sophia Casey, Debbie Williams, Lyndel Moody and their many helpers for all of the good work in planning and preparing our new parish pictorial directory. The directory is still at the printer’s, but we expect it very soon. Thank you for your patience.
On a sadder note, I also need to report that, since my last Annual Report, we have had one funeral from the parish Register. While only one is a bit of a record, it truly hurt; and Barbara Morris will be deeply missed by St. Mary’s and all of Big Spring. May her soul, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
As most of you know, I was privileged to attend this Summer’s General Convention as a Deputy from our diocese. My report on that convention is still available through the parish website and I will not revisit it here, except to say that our Church made great efforts at reconciliation; and we listened both carefully and thoroughly to the requests of the Windsor Commission. While much is still uncertain, it remains my hope that both our diocese and the larger church will be able to move forward in compassion and understanding in spite of our differences.
There are a number of things about the year ahead I would like to mention. Next month, in response to a mandate from both our Diocesan and General Conventions, our Deacons will began a new parish group dedicated to finding ways in which we can all participate in the Millennium Development Goals. A good beginning with this has already been made with their recent adult class on the MDG’s.
Also, the proposed parish budget for next year includes a line item that is .07% of our parish’s pledged income. I expect this to be a major thrust for our ministry beyond the local community in 2007. Also next month, we will begin a program of sending packages of goodies to members, and close relatives of members, of St. Mary’s who are currently serving in the military. We will need everyone’s help with this little project. Please contact Charla Lewis or me if you would like to participate.
In addition to these, there are several new directions shaping up. First of all, our diocese has begun a new program entitled Safeguarding God’s Children, which intends to ensure that all of our congregations are safe places, especially for our children. As with a family, the first requirement of any church is that it be free from physical danger. Happily, St. Mary’s is blessed with a caring, professional and well trained staff—and I am aware of, and anticipate, absolutely no problems. Still, we will participate fully in this diocesan program. While some aspects of this may be a bit obnoxious, they are necessary in these too often untrustworthy times. Your Vestry is committed to ensuring that St. Mary’s remains a loving and a safe environment for all of our members, and that the safety of our children always comes first.
On a more upbeat note, we have a major celebration to plan. The year 2009 will mark the 125th anniversary of St. Mary’s Church. I plan to ask the Vestry to begin making preparations for a parish and community-wide celebration of this important milestone in our life as a congregation. Please let me know if you have ideas for ways to commemorate this important event, or if you would like to help in any way. We will all be hearing much more about this in the months ahead.
There are just a couple more things I want to mention. The first is that you are losing three extremely committed and dedicated members of St. Mary’s Vestry. Linda Hill, Bob Miller, and Ed Kerley have all served our Lord and his Church ably and well for the past several years, and have been a part of a very hardworking and highly motivated Vestry. You have been extremely well-served by your elected leadership; and the Nominating Committee has done a fine job of insuring that this high quality of leadership will continue through the years ahead.
I would like to note especially that Ed Kerley is leaving the Vestry after what I believe is, at least, his fourth three-year period of service as your Junior Warden. Ed’s service to St. Mary’s, his knowledge of and concern for our physical plant, and his faithful, thoughtful, and extraordinary dedication to ensuring that everything that needs to be done is done, have contributed more to our parish than I can possibly say. The Vestry will be much poorer without Ed’s wise and invaluable counsel.
In order to keep at least one of Ed’s feet in the door, I am today creating a new but absolutely essential position—that of Junior Warden Emeritus and, much to his surprise, appointing Ed Kerley to this position, for life. Thank you Ed.
I always close these remarks with a personal word or two, and this is an especially good year to do that. 2007 will mark a number of important landmarks for me. First, and most significantly, in about four months, Kathleen and I will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, and I want to share with you my joy, my gratitude, and my love for the wonderful gift to my life that Kathleen and our marriage are.
Second, this year will also mark for me both thirteen years as your Rector and thirty years of Ordained Ministry. Few have been as blessed as I in their service to our wonderful Episcopal Church, and I look forward to many years ahead.
I both ask for your continued prayers and support, and pledge mine to you, as we continue to discover together how God wills us to be drawn ever deeper into his life and love and service.
God bless you,
The Rev. James Liggett, Jr.
Rector
Fr. Jim Liggett
P.O. Box 2949; Big Spring, TX 79721
(432) 267-8201 (phone)The page background is courtesy of Windy's Page designs.
This page last updated on January 27, 2007