January 26, 2024

The last few weeks have been a trip down memory lane, albeit one that didn't require too much memory power: I've been looking back at the last year at Saint Anne's, as I've been preparing for our Annual Meeting on Sunday, January 28th, at 9:30.

Some of the preparation for this meeting consists of gathering data about what our life together as Saint Annians looked like in 2023. Both the national church and the ECMN (Episcopal Church in Minnesota), require all churches to keep track of things like how may services we held over the year (107), what the average attendance was per Sunday (80), and how many baptisms, burials, and receptions into the Episcopal church we had. Our Treasurer Jeff Holland has been gathering data to be able to present to you the financial numbers, and our amazing staff, Wardens, Vestry, and other ministry chairs have generously offered their overview of what our various ministries have done this year.

On the technical side, these numbers directly correlate to things like the number of delegates Saint Anne's is able to send to the ECMN Convention, and offers both the ECMN and the national church a snapshot of what an average Episcopal church looks like right now.

On the spiritual side, these numbers represent so much more. They are our laughter and our tears. Our worries and our joys. Our efforts, our ideas, our dreams and visions. The prayers we've said, the candles we've lit, the songs we've sung. The babies we've welcomed and dear memories of those who have gone on to greater glory. Our life together. What an honor and a gift.

My prayer for you this week is to know how deeply I appreciate you in this community. Yes, you. Each one of you shines with the light of Christ, and oh my, do you shine brightly. Saint Anne's is very blessed, and so am I. My prayer is that you feel blessed in this community, too.