5 Epiphany: Faith Formation & InReach Meetings; Rhythms of Grace; Annual Parish Meeting Report

February 9, 2019
 
Dear Hearts,
This will be a busy Sunday for Christ Church of Guilford!  In addition to our chief work on the Lord's Day -- worship of Almighty God (at 8a.m., 10a.m. and 4p.m.), our Sunday School will gather, and there will be meetings about two important dimensions of our life together:  Faith Formation & InReach.  Both meetings are scheduled to happen during/following Coffee Hour.:

• InReach -- this gathering, about the life we share within the parish, will happen in the Guild Room.  The Round-Table Conversations (& Breakfast?) scheduled for Sunday, February 17, will certainly be one item for discussion and action..
• FaithFormation -- the first item for this gathering is to brainstorm ideas regarding the damaged/stained-beyond-cleaning portions of the carpet on the Sunday School level.  So this meeting will gather down the stairs on this level.  If you would like to participate in just this portion of the meeting; you may take your leave at the conclusion of the brainstorming.  If you're unable to attend and have ideas to share, feel free to reply to this message, and I will pass your brainstorms along.

But wait there's more on Sunday:  our Rhythms-of-Grace monthly worship service will begin at 4p.m. in the Parish Hall..  If you would like an afternoon and/or a playful experience of worship, or know someone who does, please consider giving Rhythms-of-Grace a try. 

At the Annual Parish Meeting, we had an opportunity to do two Rhythms of Grace activities, -- writing "Gratitude Cards" and coloring, dressing, gluing on hair (er, yarn) to turn a plain doll figure into a person in church.   And we saw again, how these activities engage children of all ages and abilities.  Take a look at the big "church" poster, and notice how all the figures are welcome and included.  We strive to be just like that.

Thanks to everyone who helped serve and clean-up after our Annual Parish Meeting, and to everyone who participated in the meeting itself.  I think we accomplished our business with dispatch!  We elected Alicia Bacon Junior Warden, Ed SeibertTreasurer pro-tem, Mardee Moore and Gabriela Cabrejo to three-year terms on the Vestry, Sue Shackford to a two-year term on the Vestry, and Bill Cuddy to a three-year term as one of our Convention delegates.  Re-elected to an additional one-year term were Senior Warden Rose Robinson, and Parish Clerk Susan Leonard.  The Nominating Committee for the 2020 Annual Parish meeting will include Gabrielle Johnson, Diane Link, John Mayo, and Lisa Ste. Marie.  

In other business, we thanked retiring Treasurer Michael Crossley and Vestry Members. Peter Marks and David Oshana, heard from Finance Chair Ted Sands and Michael about our 2018 financial situation and our operating budget for 2019; and we set February 9 as the date for our 2020 Annual Parish Meeting.

Please welcome the Rev. Lynda Tyson as celebrant and preacher at the 8 and 10a.m. services on Sunday, and the Rev. Mary Anne Osborn as celebrant and one of the activity leaders for Rhythms of Grace at 4p.m.  I will be holding you all in prayer at St. Paul's in the Desert; I just hope the hymns and music will be as inspiring as what Mark and our Choir have planned for y'all in Guilford.
In faith, hope, and love,
Harrison+
YFNR