While the minutes on this page are copied directly from the PDF file, the PDF file is the official version.
January 23, 2022
The meeting opened with prayer at 11:35 AM
Fr. Jed began the meeting by reviewing the voting process for this meeting.
Vestry nominations
Fr Jed stated that Sam Millbank and Ann Walton are appointees to vestry by the nominations committee and he then nominated Richard McAlister for 3 yr vestry term which he accepted.
Fr. Jed also nominated Tom Byrd for the 1 yr vestry term, which he accepted.
No additional nominations were put forth and Fr Jed moved that the new vestry nominations be elected by acclimation. There being no objections, the motion passed, and the new vestry members were elected.
Music Director’s Report
Sheila said that this has been a particularly challenging year due to COVID. She mentioned that she has enjoyed her time here since she began in 2005, and has very much enjoyed working with staph and parishioners. She recalled all the events she has experienced at Redeemer from changes in clergy, to the remodel of the sanctuary, to the office break-in which caused the storing all the choir music for a long period of time. She mentioned how grateful she was for the addition of a new grand piano, and new handbells, and that she was able to provide the support of several lead singers from outside the parish to help with the music program.
Sheila said that the most important reason she stayed for so long at Redeemer was due to the warmth of the congregation in receiving her and for their strong support of the music program. She is also very grateful to the parish for the help she received from them in supporting the music recitals by attending, by providing food and beverages at these events, and for their support of the music program in general. She said how appreciative she is of the choir, who is like a small family, and she is grateful to receive so much clergy support in allowing her to be creative in providing a strong music program to the parish.
Fr. Jed mentioned that when he came to Redeemer, he quickly noted how wonderful it was to have Sheila as the organist. He valued that he and Sheila immediately got along and noted that she recognized the experience of worship and how music supports that experience. He wishes her all the best in her new endeavors. Fr. Jed hopes to give her a send-off this summer when we can give her going away celebration in person.
Election of delegates to convention
(two, 2-year Delegate positions; one, 1-year Delegate position; one 2-year Alternate)
Fr. Jed mentioned that the Delegates attend the annual convention that runs over a Friday afternoon and Saturday in November. His hope this year is to help the delegates engage with the parish and share their learnings and ideas from convention, and to help adapt these ideas/learnings within our parish.
Fr. Jed stated that Richard McAllister agreed to be nominated to one of the 2 year positions and asked for nominations from the floor to fill the remaining positions.
Sharon Villa volunteered to be the alternate. Bill McGlinn volunteered to be delegate for the remaining 2-yr term. Bob Chapman volunteered for the 1-yr term. There being no further nominations, Fr. Jed called to accept the slate by acclimation. There being no objections to these nominations, the slate was elected by acclimation.
Budget Presentation
Fr. Jed presented the budget in the form of bar charts that separate parish spending into five basic categories: Worship, Fellowship, Pastoral Care, Faith Formation and Outreach and describe what is included in each of these categories:
Fr. Jed pointed that the variance in spending is related mostly to where Fr. Jed’s time is divided in pursuing all these endeavors
Fr. Jed also presented a graphic showing where the income for mission comes from.
He noted that 90 percent of our income is from pledges, with the remainder much smaller portions coming from plate, grants other income (gifts or grants from individuals and families) rent, and other funding.
Fr, Jed noted that we have a deficit of $36K for 2022, which is the difference between what we feel we are called to do in our mission and what our current in projected income will be. He demonstrated this difference using the following 2 spread sheets:
The above spread sheet shows the $36K deficit if we cannot raise enough money to completely fund 2022 operations.
The second spread sheet below shows a balanced budget using funding from our Endowment to support operations.
The vestry is committed to balance the budget either by additional fund raising or via supplementing it with money from our Endowment Fund. We have over $400,000 in the fund thanks to a gift from Shirly Woods, and the money would come from this fund. The vestry is committed to explore every means possible to make up this $36,000 deficit, but as an absolutely last resort, we will pull from the endowment fund to cover the cost of mission and ministry at Redeemer for 2022.
Fr. Jed called for questions about the budget as presented:
Mark Phillips asked which organizations currently rent space. Fr. Jed said AA wants to return as soon as we open.
Sarah Phillips: do we know who in the parish has left and who are members? Fr. Jed answered that we don’t have a set list of members, though we do know specific parishioners have left, like Deb Randall who has moved. An updated parishioner list is one of the main projects to be addressed as soon as we are back in the building. Fr. Jed mentioned that the parish directory update was on the 2020 plan, but COVID interrupted this process.
Mavis Karalius: does membership mean people who have committed to pledge or to anyone who attends. Fr. Jed stated that a member is a baptized person who has attended church 3 times in past year or who has given financially (undefined – could be pledge or plate or one time gift)
Earl Beede: did vestry use a percentage or a set of commitments on which to spend money? Fr. Jed said that this is a set of commitments on which to spend money.
Bill McGlinn: What is included in outreach? Fr. Jed said that this includes all administrative costs of outreach in all areas. Bill felt that the spread sheet is not too clear in showing the details of outreach spending and suggested that in future we might have more detail relating outreach spending categories. Fr. Jed will look at this for the 2023 budget. Bill applauded Fr. Jed for his work on representing this information.
Mark Phillips: agrees that use of the endowment fund is appropriate use, especially in these challenging times. He feels grateful for the people in the past who have given these gifts and it has given him pause to do the same. Fr. Jed recalled that the endowment was first established from a gift by Earnie Moore in memory of his mother. It has since grown through people who have given these gifts as a faith offering to the church during their lives.
Fr. Jed called for a vote via polling to approve the 2022 budget. The poll shows 40 yes, 1 no, and 1 abstention. The budget passes.
Children and Family Ministry Report
Mary Nilsen began her report by saying that since the last annual meeting, church school met every Sunday. Mary felt strongly that the kids needed this time to meet together. Mary mentioned that church school covers a 100-mile geographic spread of children and herself. Seven children participate, and Mary gave a shout out to parents who have encouraged their kids to meet online and who support their spiritual development. She said that the light of Christ is in each of us to share throughout the world.
Mary strongly felt that the kids need a voice in the church. Zoom has been a gift, allowing a great learning/teaching tool and she can see at a glance who is engaged and actively involved. Mary Includes an active art project each week as a means of fostering this engagement. She sets a focus on prayer where every child shares a prayer, including prayers for vaccine for grandparents, lost pets, new pets etc. She mentioned that children have joined from many places, such as tents, hiking trails, etc and it is always a pleasant surprise to see where they will show up.
The past four years (Mary came on staff 4 yrs ago January) have been amazing. Mary said that this was a new program and she helped build the program, give it structure, and tailor it to each learning development level. This includes making children’s program costumes, props, puzzles, and physical classroom tools. Mary created 6 volumes of Godly Play curriculum programs to save the cost it would have taken to buy the materials pre-made.
She wanted to build an awareness of the entire parish around the importance of children’s part in our parish, to help them grow into faith filled adults. Mary made a plea to us all to give the program more help. She asks us to think of how we can share our gifts with our children. They need, and deserve, a program to teach them about the Kingdom of God and Jesus’ saving grace. They wonder what will happen when Mary leaves and Mary replied to this question by saying that she has no answer but has faith that one will become apparent.
She mentioned that all the material is there, just waiting for someone new to pick it up and move forward with it as is, or even change and grow the program. She thanked Sheila and Fr. Jed and enjoyed working with them, and she said she will miss us all. Mary thanks the families, the children, and their grandparents who have helped, and to all the classroom volunteers.
Mary also recalled the very first class in Easter of 2020. She promised that when we were all together again that there would be an easter egg hunt on the first Sunday back in church and she strongly encouraged someone to step forward and make that happen when we gather in the main building again.
Fr. Jed said that Mary knew him from 8th grade and yet she still agreed to be the program leader. The children she spends Sundays with know that she teaches them to advocate for themselves and for God, helping them to grow in their faith. Mary helped them have a relationship with God that will be different with them for the whole of their lives and is a result of Mary’s help. His offers Mary his sincere thanks for everything she has done for our children.
Mary remembered that she is also grateful to have taught the children to be in church and to be active participants in the church liturgy.
Recognition of outgoing Vestry members
Fr. Jed recognized the outgoing vestry members: Eivind Nilsen as vestry and Sr. Warden and all his incredibly hard work during his one year term. He thanked Lee Darrow for her time as Clerk of the vestry and for serving as delegate to Diocesan Convention. He mentioned that she has served in many capacities at Redeemer and is taking time now to step back. Fr. Jed thanked Peter Donley who stepped into the 2 year vestry term, and Heather Phillips who had clear and decisive insights at vestry meetings. He thanked Elizabeth Russell and will miss her logical, clear ideas and prayerful demeanor. Fr. Jed said that Vestry met via zoom monthly and sometimes more often, and all the members have worked extremely hard during this COVID-tide.
JP thanked Lee Darrow and Liz Mills for their interim bookkeeper work.
Rector’s address
Fr. Je said it is two years since COVID started and it has been a time of upheaval. In addition to COVID, we dealt with the furnace outage, worshiping online, wind storms, roof repairs and other issues.
He recognized Lee Darrow and Liz Mills for stepping up to help with bookkeeping while we find a new bookkeeper. Lee spent much time downloading from Deb Randall’s brain and creating a manual for the bookkeeper, and Liz Mills is now taking Lee’s download and putting it into action and working with JP on finishing year end processes.
Fr. Jed recognized the Donley family (Peter, Chris and Iris). Chris was instrumental in taking worship online, monitoring and technically supporting the online worship every Sunday. Peter and Iris supported the worship liturgy through offering the readings each Sunday. Fr. Jed also thanked Phillip Lineau, our Parish Intern, who assisted in virtual worship and the parking lot/memorial garden outdoor worship. The Donely’s and Phillp have made our worship as close to normal as possible during these times of separation.
He thanked Mary for connecting us by making and delivering “Apostle bean soup” during lent to parishioners and he thanked the Hopelink Kenmore place volunteers for helping make the familys’ journey to better housing more bearable during the holidays and at other times.
Fr. Jed hopes that 2022 will bring an end to the pandemic, and that the furnace will be up and running in the next two weeks. He hopes that we will be back in the church by the time of our 75th anniversary. In any event, we will not be the same as we were prior to covid. We are changed and we now must determine how God’s mission for us will drive us forward. If we are to be faithful to God’s promise, we must stand up and go out into the world. This is the core of who we are in the church, and we must encourage each other in this mission. We are not alone. The Church is the Body which helps us to work together to carry out Christ’s mission in the world. This will be the focus of our year – to go out into the world carrying out Christ’s mission.
He asks us through prayer to discern, pray over, and step out into that part of ministry to which we are called.
Fr Jed closed by saying thank you to Sheila and Mary for everything you have given us. We are better for having you with us and our prayers go with you.
The meeting closed with prayer and blessing at 1:00
Respectfully Submitted,
Lee Darrow, Vestry Clerk
The Reverend Jedediah Fox, Rector
Eivind Nilsen, Sr. Warden
