Follow-up to our Family Meeting

In both our Annual Parish meeting last January and our more recent Family Meeting on the 17^th of this month, we gathered together as a community and shared some wonderful food and fellowship. We also first began, and then continued, the process and looking closely and honestly at what’s working in our parish … and at some of the things that aren’t. We’ve named and appreciated the abundance of resources, gifts, and blessings that we enjoy as a worshipping community. 

We’ve also begun some important conversations about the significant challenges we yet face as we move forward into 2024 and beyond. And we’ve started to name out loud and share with each other the things we love, the things that frustrate us, the possibilities that excite us, and the treasured aspects of our church community that we fear to lose.

The meeting itself felt a bit uneven, at times; that’s to be expected when there are different perspectives to be shared and discussed, all the more so when we’re talking about something ~ our very parish family! ~ that we all love so deeply and want so passionately to see grow and thrive. A little tension, in that light, is a wonderful indicator of the fact that we all care so intensely about this parish, this precious thing that we all get to be part of and which has been entrusted into our faithful care.

Three huge takeaways from these meetings for me have been 1) the fact of deferred maintenance, 2) the need for deep healing, and 3) the energy and enthusiasm that spontaneously welled up at the March meeting during the small-group breakout conversations. I’ll have more to say about deferred maintenance and deep healing elsewhere. For now, I want to emphasize that, overall, there was a clear, vocal mandate from the assembly that we need to take action.  

In response to that mandate, I made a promise that, coming out of this latest meeting, I would, in consultation with the parish leadership, come back to y’all with a short-term action item, a middle-term action item, and a longer-term goal for the parish. The Vestry indeed has taken up that work as of our March meeting. In the short-term especially, however, we need to capitalize on the incredible energy that came up in the small-group discussions on the 17^th. I am therefore going ahead and sharing my proposals for two areas of action and a goal for the parish …

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Senior Warden’s report on the March vestry meeting 

Satisfying news! The finance committee confirmed that All Saints is solidly, consistently following best practices for spending, investments, and withdrawals on those investments, and we have reduced the size of our deficit budgets each year with incredible speed over the last four years. Using this “best practice” measure of success, All Saints is in excellent financial health! This is not the same as having plenty of cash on hand; our financial times are definitely tight but all the same, it is good to acknowledge the deep dive and the hard work that treasurers Tina Wilfer and Mike Krynock have done, along with Susan Allen and the finance committee. We are ready for our future and whatever it brings, with a confident understanding of our financial situation.

Our undercroft substantial water damage recently from a failed water valve. The space has been cleaned, but not repaired. We are now in the waiting period, waiting for negotiations between the insurance company and the amazing contractors who have done the work and proposed the estimates for repairs. When we understand how much money will be coming back to us, we’ll determine the scope of the repairs.

Good news - Pete installed a wireless mesh extender to improve wireless coverage in the parish hall. It’s working!

The rector has proposed some suggestions for weekday worship schedules that cluster different activities and themes together, and will consider the potential for spring, summer, and fall.

There’s a new monthly agenda item to report on pastoral care and congregational care at All Saints. I thank Julie Holly, our Stephen Minister, Paul Van Duser, and Fr. Christopher for collaborating on the details of how we meet the needs of our members. Moving forward, we’re going to try out the language of Congregational Care, because this team is taking a very wide view of parishioner needs. Some elements of congregational care include pastoral visits from the pastor, and other elements include arranging rides, sending cards, lay eucharistic visits, and social visits to check in on our friends. If anyone is aware of someone who needs care, please reach out to Emily in the church office or talk to Julie, Paul, or Fr. Christopher. 

We discussed again the asset we have in our physical location at the corner of College and Drew; we are so visible and accessible to the community. We’d like to take advantage of this visibility by returning to the Drew Street entrance activity of cool drinks and coloring during Farmer’s Markets on Saturdays. There is a possibility of adding a prayer request chalkboard as another visible way to show love and care. Watch for future invitations on how to be present in our building during the Farmer’s Market and other downtown Appleton community events, including Oktoberfest. We are looking for a food vendor partner, and may consider hosting our own food booth if there are parishioners willing to lead this.

We reflected on the March 17 meeting and conversation. First, the comments that came back on the four pages of flip chart paper (love, frustration, afraid, excited) have a lot in common with how the vestry answered those questions last fall. We heard a clear willingness to change and take action. That is reassuring - because it shows the vestry and the congregation are in sync. 

Second, we understand that no one human can move an organization to achievement. As Christians, we understand ourselves to be the body of Christ, with many members, working together. We will strive to be as self-sufficient as we can, working together to stay together. We will host a planning session on April 16th, 6:30 p.m. for all members involved in any property care, service in worship, service to the community, education, communication, etc. to join the vestry for a calendar building activity and ministry fair.

The February financial summary can also be viewed as a PDF here.

3/28 (Maundy Thursday): 6:30pm

3/29 (Good Friday): 12 noon

3/30 (Easter Vigil): 7:30pm

Reception to follow in the Palmer Room

3/31 (Easter Day): 8:30 & 10:30am

After the Maundy Thursday service, the Watch at the Altar of Repose will take place from 8pm-12am. If you'd like to spend a quiet, prayerful hour in Grace Chapel during the night, please sign up on the bulletin board or contact the office.

The parish office will be closed on Easter Monday (April 1). The Monday Bible study will also be canceled that day.

Sunday School and Circle Songs will not meet on March 31 or April 7.

Do you recognize either of these items?

The embroidered mitts were found in the Palmer Room kitchen a few weeks ago, and the tote bag was left behind after the Family Meeting potluck on Mar. 17. If they're yours, please claim them in the office!

On Tuesday, April 2 at 6:30 pm, join us in the Palmer Room for an evening of crafting and fellowship! Working on a scarf for the Seamen's Church Institute? Making a prayer shawl or a pocket prayer shawl? Interested in learning to knit or crochet? Come spend an evening with others doing the same. Tea and refreshments will be provided. Contact Sarah Gilbert for more info.

Dean and Janet Kaul will host a movie night at their home (4018 E Benvalley Dr, Appleton, Wisconsin 54913) on Friday, April 12. Arrival time is between 6 and 6:15 pm, and the movie begins at 6:30 pm. Snacks and seltzer/water will be provided.

The movie is Chocolat. Set in a rural French town, it includes fascinating characters and deals with issues of faith and society that we encounter today. There will be a short discussion period after the movie. The event will end at 9, depending on how many snacks are left.

RSVP to Dean Kaul at 858-442-2131 (text accepted) or dkaul1088@aol.com, or to the church office.

You are invited to a ministry fair and year-planning activity! 

This is an invitation to those who serve in any ministry at or on behalf of All Saints to join the vestry in a ministry fair and calendar planning activity for 2024 and 2025. I envision this will be a fun thing to do (just add punch and cookies!), to get everyone who is busy doing the work of the church to sit down in small groups all around Kemper Hall and take an hour to draft out your plans for the coming year and document what you do and what you need. Meet the vestry member who will be the point person to each ministry team in our community, helping to facilitate communication on scheduling and budgets. Ministry teams can sit together and fill out a planning worksheet about the people involved, the activities you do, and the money you need to do them - explaining the talent, time, and treasure for your ministry activity.

The goals for this exercise are to help us collectively understand and confirm who does what, and collaborate on our church calendar, adding things like spring and fall clean-up days outside the building, social events like potlucks and dinner groups, service opportunities, and Christian formation opportunities. Please mark your calendar for this April 16th, 6:30 p.m. ministry fair!

We have had some requests for a spring order from Equal Exchange. Send Sarah Gilbert your lists of fair trade, small farmer-owned coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil, and dried fruit and I will place our group order when they have their next sale. We who order will pay the full listed price for our items, and All Saints will receive the 10 or 15% we save with the sale. Shipping will be free. 

https://shop.equalexchange.coop/

Please have orders in by Wednesday, April 10th. You will be notified when the order goes in and when the shipment is ready for pickup.

REMINDER: If you'd like to have your birthday or anniversary recognized, please contact the office.

March Birthdays

3/2 - Meredith Gadzik

3/5 - Nancy Aronson

3/9 - Fr. Christopher Wilkerson

3/14 - Rich Moore

3/20 - Stephanie Gadzik

3/21 - Jan Watson

3/22 - Matthew Payne

3/27 - Karrie Moore

3/31 - Susan Arquette

April Birthdays

4/2 - Patrick Bates

4/3 - Steve Gilling

4/11 - Dennis Fischer

4/21 - Ginny Stephany-Lonzo

4/25 - Susannah Gilbert

4/25 - Ken Schoenike

4/26 - Pat Tilman

The proposed Constitution and Canons for the united Diocese of Wisconsin, along with other relevant documents, are available to read here on the Trialogue website.

There will be another series of Zoom Town Hall meetings in April, where you can discuss the documents and any other questions you might have. Dates and registration info can be found here.

As our dioceses discern reunion, Episcopalians across Wisconsin are invited to celebrate our shared commitment to outreach by creating handknitted or crocheted scarves for the Seaman’s Church Institute “Christmas at Sea” program. Our May 4 convention will include an ingathering and blessing of scarves, which will be sent to the Seaman’s Institute. The project is sponsored by the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Milwaukee in conjunction with the Trialogue Steering Committee.

You do not need to be a needlework expert to take part. The Institute’s favorite scarf only requires one skein [300 yards, 4 ply] of worsted yarn, and uses a simple pattern available on the Trialogue website. Other patterns, for both crochet and knitting, are on the Seamen’s Church Institute website.

Please drop off your completed scarves at the church office by Friday, May 3 to be delivered to the convention!

The history of the Good Friday Offering extends back to 1922. After World War I, The Episcopal Church sought to create new relationships with Christians of the Middle East. Episcopalians have generously shared their love, compassion, and financial gifts to fund the ministry of the Anglican Communion Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East for the past 102 years. These contributions have made an astounding difference in the lives of many people in the homeland of Jesus and beyond.

To support the Good Friday Offering, click here. If you'd prefer to make your donation by mail, please write a check payable to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, write “Good Friday Offering” in the memo line, and mail to:

DFMS – Protestant Episcopal Church US

P.O. Box 958983

St. Louis, MO 63195-8983

You can also watch the first-ever Good Friday Offering concert of sacred music, created at Christ and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk, in the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, and streaming on episcopalchurch.org and our social media channels on Good Friday, March 29. During the concert our invited guests will speak about the loving, liberating, and lifesaving work supported by the Good Friday Offering.

Parishioners who wish to join Susan and Malcolm Allen on Sunday, April 7 can look forward to a rare musical opportunity brought to northeast Wisconsin by an Episcopal priest. Canon O. Bruce, a priest of our diocese, founded the major organ series hosted by St. Norbert Abbey, where the church's marvelous acoustics magnify the sound of its fine Casavant Frères organ. Internationally renowned organist Amanda Mole will be offering this 3 p.m. recital. Admission to the concert is free.

Vespers, for those who may wish to attend, follows at 5 p.m. and offers the chance to worship with the Norbertine community as they chant their daily office. In between the concert and vespers, there will be time to stroll the abbey grounds, walk the labyrinth, or take a closer look at the glorious stained glass of the abbey. (Susan is currently serving as developmental editor on a forthcoming book about the abbey windows, and can tell you more about this project.)

Contact susan.allen@snc.edu to arrange rides or car-pool.

The Stephen Ministry column will return in a future newsletter.