Report June 2022
This month has been full of tying up loose ends. I have been gathering and printing council minutes for the last 13 years at St. Nicholas. Once again, our printer has proven unhelpful. I am now planning to do the final printing at staples so that I can have the hard copy of the records organized and preserved according to the diocesan requirements. I am also creating a thumb drive which holds the council minutes, calling and mailing list, PowerPoints we have used over the years and any other rental and church related documents. This thumb drive will be given to the council executive to pass along as needed to the future leadership of the parish. I will also be leaving codes, passwords, and instructions as necessary for a smooth transition.
We have three new rentals at the church which will need to be supported: a Saturday morning music therapy group which Sarah Tarves in participating in, a Thursday afternoon kitchen rental, and a Thursday evening dance group which is still in the exploration stage. These are not huge income makers, but it is nice to see some rental interest after such a long quiet period. I hope that St. Nicholas continues to use its space creatively to be a community hub of activity.
I have been moving a lot of stuff around this month! I have done my best to reorganize the side church – consolidating the dinner theater equipment and re-establishing the Lady’s Chapel. I have also been cleaning out my office which was a significant job after nearly 13 years of accumulation, in a space that at times has acted as a dropping station. I am still fine tuning the space, but I intend to leave it as a clean, organized, and welcoming space for future leadership.
The one program we successfully got up and running this Spring has been the parents and Tots program. It has been a delight to work with Tanya, Cindy on this meaningful and growing ministry. I sure hope you can support them when they restart this program in the Fall. We have seen real growth in the number of participants and made some meaningful connections amongst the group.
Leaving St. Nicholas still feels very surreal, and I know it is going to take a while to settle in with the notion of no longer being with my St. Nicholas Family. Diocesan guidelines require that I disengage from the parish for a year and at least the first six months of your next rector’s term. I know this is going to be difficult for me, and that members of the church may struggle with this. I ask that the council support me in fulfilling this guideline and remind the parish that I am required to cut ties even though I will still be living in the community. I will try to articulate this to the congregation at my final Sunday.
I am doing my best to get one final visit with those who are in care facilities, but inevitably I will miss some. I will leave a list for the Rev. Canon Trudy, so she knows who needs to be followed in home care.
Thank you for affording me the gift of being your leader over these many years, and for your willingness to try new things. I feel as though I am leaving you in a low space, but I do so believing in the immense potential for this parish to grow meaningful, relevant and transformational connections with the wider community. I just believe this growth can only happen with a fresh heart and a new set of eyes leading you, as you discern where the Spirit is calling you.
Blessings and farewell my friends
Tammy+