We are excited to plan our 2022 Garden Market! After a two year forced hiatus, we are eager to see our Garden Market blossom again on Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30.

In order to see it bloom, we need to “till the ground” and “plant the seeds” with a planning meeting. Both experienced and new leaders, and helpers, are needed to make our Market flourish again.

Please join us on Tuesday, November 2, at 7:00PM in the Vestry House for a planning meeting. Now is the time to “jump in” to share your ideas, and become part of a wonderful church/community event.

The Vestry met on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2021. Here is a summary of the meeting:

Fr. John reported that attendance at our Sunday services is growing, and that is encouraging. We are behind pre-pandemic numbers but we had new individuals and families join us in recent weeks. Fr. John officiated at three funerals this month and we look forward to two baptisms in November.

Our financials are solid and we are grateful to parishioners for their generosity. We accepted the Treasurer’s report and thanked Andrea Pugh for her work.

A sub-committee submitted a revised Parish Financial Policies and Procedures document outlining our process. We thanked the sub-committee and Parish Administrator, Valerie Manges, for their work. The Vestry will review, discuss changes if any, and vote on a completed document at the November meeting.

Our 2022 Stewardship time is rapidly approaching with Commitment Sunday scheduled for October 31.

We heard a report on Garden Market ’22 by Dawn Rodenbaugh who will co-chair with Karen Schaeffer. Dates are April 29 & 30, 2022. Volunteers will be needed to make this a successful event.

We agreed on the return of the VPOW (Vestry Person of the Week) who will stand with Fr. John after each service on Sunday. The VPOW will be available to speak with parishioners on church and property issues. In addition, the VPOW will welcome newcomers, visitors and all who attend.

Our welcome bags for visitors have a new look. They contain newly created brochures about church activities, membership, and outreach. A new pastoral care brochure is in process, too.

The Vestry is considering contracts with a pest control company and an annual service contract with one of our HVAC providers. We currently have 4 HVAC companies that service our property.

Our sign project that is proceeding according to schedule. We hope for completion this fall.

We are gathering estimates for 2022 projects that will include painting of the Bell Tower, cupola and cross. The paint is peeling and we need to continue to maintain a watertight and attractive structure. In addition, we are looking at gutter issues on the building to make sure the gutters can handle the amount of rain coming off the steep pitched roof. Also, there is the issue of continued moisture in the basement of the church that may require a sump pump for large downpours.

We were ready to order the new LED lights for the Parish Hall but discovered the ones researched are out of stock. We are researching an alternative.

The church wall will need ongoing maintenance which will be looked at in the spring of 2022.