- The Vestry met on July 10 with nine Vestry members present. The Reverend Donna-Mae Siderius presided.
- The checking account balance as of July 10 was $20,035.28.
- June income was $24,585.25 and expenses were $34,187.02. With 50% of the year complete, total pledge and plate offering is at 52.58%. Pledge income is at 41.76%. Expenditures are at 47.80%. Income and expenditures are on target.
- Dan Clark, Margaret McFarland and Donna-Mae Siderius accompanied seven teens to Belize on the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) Pilgrimage in June. The J2A did not use any of the seed money from last year for this year’s Pilgrimage. They raised all the money they needed. The remaining money will be used as seed money for the next Pilgrimage.
- Bettyrene Pope, and Whit McKinney attended the June 21 Convocation V meeting to elect one clergy and one lay person to be part of an election membership pool from which the Nomination Committee for a new Bishop and a New Ministry Committee will be formed. The Reverend Michael Delk, Rector, Hickory Neck, and Marjorie Emerson Lawrence of St. Augustine in Newport News were elected. By December 2007, the Nominating Committee will solicit nominations for Bishop. The nominations will close on January 31, 2008. The names will be announced in July 2008. The nominees will be introduced to the Diocese in September 2008. The election will be held on September 27, 2008. The Bishop will be on the payroll in December 2008. The consecration will take place at Annual Council on February 14, 2009.
- Special Council will meet in October 2007. The voluntary giving by parishes to the Diocese is not working. Because of inadequate funding for Diocesan programs, it has been necessary for the Diocese to make substantial cuts. The Diocese is looking at apportionment as a solution, with assessment based primarily on a parish’s budget.
- Donna-Mae conducted a review of the items in our history museum storage room with an individual from the College of William and Mary. The catalog work done by Beverly Gundry is very good. However, volunteers are needed to clear out the room and organize, and then decide what is valuable. A contact with the Hampton History Museum is needed to determine what they might take on for us for the 2010 celebration.
- A letter was sent to the congregation on July 10 regarding the Hampton City Schools Faith and School Partnership, an initiative in which St. John’s has agreed to participate. Greta Harrison, St. John’s parishioner, will serve as our coordinator.
- Bishop Light, Diocese of West Virginia, will be at St. John’s on December 9 for confirmation. Confirmation classes will begin in September during Christian Education on Sundays. This will be a good introduction to the Episcopal Church, so all are welcome, not just those seeing to be confirmed.
- The Christian Education Kick-Off will be Sunday, September 16.
- Betsy Clark volunteered to head up Stewardship again this year. Sandy Smith agreed to serve on the Committee as a representative of the Vestry.
- The Vestry discussed the challenges facing the Christian Education Program due to the recent resignation of Kathy Dansey, Director. The Vestry may have to help out until the position can be filled.
- The Vestry thanks Dan Clark and Margaret McFarland for their leadership on the Belize Pilgrimage.
- The Vestry thanks Harper Lewis, Kay Olson, Anoush Wiggins, Carol and Stan Winarski, and all who helped make Kathy Dansey’s going away reception a success.
- Chuck Zimmerman and Whit McKinney love their Vestry and Mission Tacky Lights so much they decided to keep them for one more month. Chuck will keep praying for the Vestry and Whit will keep praying for mission.
Sandy Smith, Registrar