Grace Church Vestry Meeting
April 18, 2013, 5:30 p.m., Finnerty & Stevens
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Present: Francie Hills, Sally Brooke, Louise Robitaille, Geoff Perkins, John Cheek, Rick Gore, Susan Gore, Ian Booton, Dindy Anderson, Kathy Clausen
Away: Susan Gray
1. Francie called the meeting to order at 5:30.
2 The March minutes were accepted as read. Francie read an invitation from
the Congregational Church in Stockbridge to the installation of their new pastor.
3. Treasurer’s Report: Louise passed out the January-March financial report and gave an orientation to it. She mentioned that Church Windows (software) had been ordered, and that using it from the beginning makes sense. Francie mentioned that confidentiality could be an issue, depending on who has access to it. An orientation will occur when we begin to use it.
Kathy Clausen suggested that the Trustee accounts (restricted vs. unrestricted) for building purposes be updated regularly so that the congregation has access to current information.
4. Committee/Other Reports
Building/properties committee: Rick Gore said there would be a meeting at the Brewery on Monday the 15th to go over the Yellow House property. Dindy Anderson suggested that parking could be a real problem if we acquired property at Jenifer House Commons.
5. Rector’s Report: Francie reported that a grant had been submitted to the Diocese by Doreen Hutchinson, asking $1500 for equipment for Gideon’s Garden. This is the third and last year we will be eligible for a grant for the garden, unless it is for something significantly different.
In recent years Ed Pease has done the annual audit of St. James. St. George’s has done its own. It was agreed to engage Mr. Pease to do the 2012 audit for St. James. Next year, Grace will do its own.
The diocese is encouraging congregations to have conversations regarding same-sex blessings. It was agreed that that would be done, but no date was set.
There will be a regional confirmation service on Thursday May 9, 7:00 p.m. at St. Stephen’s in Pittsfield. Ian Booton and Rob Clausen will be confirmed and Mary Booton will be received into the church.
There had been a discussion on Wardens’ and Vestry Day about possibilities for an Hispanic ministry. On May 31 in South County, from 5-6:30 p.m., the Bishop and the Canon will meet with interested clergy and lay leaders on that subject. Francie and Pennie Curry will attend from Grace Church.
6. Old Business: Warden’s and Vestry Day:
Sue Gore attended a meeting on the Mampong Babies’ Home;
There is a new deacons’ program for the Diocese. The “Diaconate” is the servant ministry, taking the church to the world and vice versa. John Cheek mentioned a meeting on “campus ministry” in which the church goes out to the college students rather than expecting them to come to us.
Francie mentioned hearing Jill Williams speak about the trend not to have Sunday School but to have everyone at worship together so that families have a common language and experience with which to talk about God and Church. It was agreed to invite her to come and speak to the congregation.
Francie and John also attended a workshop by “Massachusetts Power and Light” about building and making church buildings “green”.
Kathy Clausen attended the “Workshop for Wardens” given by the Bishop. He urged congregations to use modern media and that 25% of vestry meetings be spent in brainstorming new initiatives. Rectors move from being chaplains to being missionaries by spending 25% of their time with non-congregants.
7. New Business:
There will be a link in Tuesday’s child to Vestry minutes on the Grace Church website
We will add some new money counters on Sunday and begin to list them, along with the coffee hour hosts, in the ROTA.
Vestry discussed the response to their Stewardship phone calls, in preparation for the May 4 “Missional Advance” meeting in Sheffield. Set-up and cleanup for the meeting was discussed. Food and drinks will be provided by Sally, Dindy and John.
After a prayer, the meeting concluded at 7:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted, Sally N. Brooke, Clerk of the Vestry