| | BEHIND THE SCENES MAY 2006PARISH HALL UPDATE
AS WE ALL CAN SEE, THE PARISH HALL IS OURS ONCE MORE. IT IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE OUR PARISH HALL BACK. NO MORE TIP TOEING ON THE LANAI. NO MORE CROWDING IN THE HOSPITALITY LINES, WORRYING ABOUT THE RAIN, OR FINDING A PLACE TO GATHER. NO MORE ACHING BACKS FROM OPENING AND CLOSING THE TABLES AND CHAIRS. THE BEST, HOWEVER, IS YET TO COME! IN THE WEEKS TO COME, SMALL GROUPS WILL BE GATHERING IN HOMES TO HELP DISCERN GOD’S WILL FOR ST. PETER’S. THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEND A LITTLE MORE TIME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY. WE WANT YOUR INPUT. WE NEED YOUR INPUT. IF YOU EVER HAD A MINISTRY YOU WANTED TO SEE AT ST. PETER’S, NOW IS THE TIME TO IDENTIFY IT!
WE ARE WORKING TO CLEAN THE PARISH HALL UP SO THAT IT WILL BE MORE PRESENTABLE WHEN WE HAVE OUR RECLAMATION CELEBRATION IN JUNE. THERE’S LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE, SO IF YOU HAVE TIME, ENERGY AND “THE SPIRIT MOVES YOU”, PLEASE LEND A HAND. CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE, TELL FATHER BILL OR SPEAK TO ANY VESTRY MEMBER.
WORK ON THE ELEVATOR IS NOW SCHEDULED TO BEGIN THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST. OUR ESTIMATES ARE THAT THE GROUND BREAKING AND FOUNDATION WORK WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND THE ENTIRE CONSTRUCTION SHOULD TAKE ABOUT THREE WEEKS MORE. WE HOPE TO HAVE THE ELEVATOR TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY OCTOBER 1.
INCIDENTALLY, PART OF THE RENOVATION DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN TO REBUILD THE STAIRWAY TO REDUCE ITS STEEPNESS AND TO REBUILD THE RAMP ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. CALL TO MINISTRIES
SO MANY PEOPLE DO SO MANY THINGS FOR GOD AND ST. PETER’S. I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT ALL THE WORK THAT GETS DONE. WE HAVE TO THANK THE CHOIR, USHERS, ACOLYTES, LAY READERS, ALTAR GUILD AND ALL THOSE WHO PITCH IN FOR HOSPITALITY OR DO SHOPPING FOR THE CHURCH BECAUSE ALL HELP MAKE ST. PETER’S NOT ONLY WHAT IT IS TODAY, BUT WHAT IT WILL BE TOMORROW.
IN SPITE OF ALL THAT GOES ON, WE ARE STILL VERY MUCH IN NEED OF HELP. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO ESTABLISH MINISTRIES, HERE ARE A FEW:
COUNTERS
CARING FOR THE CHURCH’S ASSETS IS AN IMPORTANT MINISTRY FOR ST. PETER’S. PROPERLY COUNTING AND DEPOSITING CHURCH RECEIPTS EACH WEEK IS VITAL TO THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION OF THE CHURCH. IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT BELONGS WITHIN THE PARISH AND THE PARISH NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF ITS OWN FINANCES.
IT IS A COMMITMENT OF A LITTLE TIME AND ENERGY. COUNTING SHOULD NOT TAKE MORE THAN AN HOUR EACH WEEK AS A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR CHECKS AND BALANCES IS ALREADY IN PLACE. COUNTING IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF CHURCH WORK AND IT MUST BE DONE.
IN THE WEEKS TO COME, DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE COUNTERS WILL BE PUBLISHED AS WELL AS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES NOW IN PLACE. THESE INSURE THAT COUNTING IS DONE PROPERLY AND WITHIN GUIDELINES WITH TRANSPARENCY IN MIND.
GREETERS
ONE ONLY HAS TO LOOK AROUND THE CHURCH TO SEE THAT ST. PETER’S IS TRULY “OPENING DOORS AND GATHERING GOD’S PEOPLE FOR THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME WITH CHRIST”. WE HAVE WELCOMED MANY NEW MEMBERS TO OUR COMMUNITY DURING THE PAST YEAR AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING MANY, MANY MORE. FATHER BILL WILL BE TALKING ABOUT GOING “FROM THE FRONT DOOR TO THE KITCHEN” IN COMING MONTHS. OUR USHERS AND GREETERS ARE NORMALLY THE FIRST PEOPLE VISITORS MEET WHEN THEY ENTER THE CHURCH. TRAINING FOR GREETERS IS PLANNED FOR THIS SUMMER. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MINISTRY THAT CALLS TO YOU, PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE, SEE FATHER BILL OR ANY OF THE VESTRY MEMBERS. |
