July 14, 2023
Your Vestry and I are gathering next week for a mid-Summer retreat. We will check in on the tangible goals we set at our first retreat of the year last winter, and on our "Dreams and Visions*", as we refer to the bigger picture wondering and planning and what-if-ing we do at every Vestry meeting. Planning this retreat with the wardens was joyful. As we tried to recap the last 6 months, we kept thinking of more and more things Saint Anne's has done, experienced, repaired, accomplished, and celebrated as a community in that time. We have:
signed a Letter of Intent with our solar company
set up plans to fill the cracks in our parking lot
installed new windows in the Narthex area
held a Spring Clean Up Day
with grief, we honored the lives of two dear Saint Annians who have gone on to greater glory
celebrated 1 confirmation (darn COVID keeping the other confirmand-to-be at home)
celebrated 5 baptisms
brought back Summer Stretch
brought back the Saint Anne's Campout
installed a bike rack
created Saint Anne's t-shirts
installed new wiring for sound in the sanctuary
became a Community Sponsor of WSP Pride
supported Garlough Elementary school's needs
held a clothing drive for From Me to We
held multiple food drives
held Snack Pack events for Open Door Pantry
donated money to local organizations
set a date for our 4th Annual Blood Drive
celebrated Luis's ordination to the diaconate
And in the midst of all of that, there were Sunday services and Tuesday morning Bible Studies and Lenten Wednesdays and Adult Ed. It has been a full, and largely joyful, 6 months. With more to come. As the Vestry prepares to gather next week to set new short term goals and continue our big picture dreaming, we'd love to hear from you. What are your Dreams and Visions for our community? You can email any ideas to me and they will be passed along.
My prayer for you is that you find nothing too big or too small or too wild or too simple or too out of reach to dream about. My prayer is for you to allow the vision of all we can be together as a community of Jesus-followers to fill your heart so full that you can't help but let it spill out in joy.
Blessings