Annual Meeting

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last Sunday about 40 members of Saint Anna’s gathered in the Church, then in small groups, and later in the Parish Hall, for the Vital + Thriving Congregational Discernment Event. Our work was to hear the results of the reports that expert researchers with experience in such data had prepared based on the various surveys the congregation participated in over the summer, and listen to the Word of God, and reflect on what God is calling us to do and be. While we are still assimilating and pondering the results of our communal discernment, a couple of things emerged. One is that people want Saint Anna’s to mean something, to make a difference in our community and be known for the difference we make. The other was that, in order to be around to make that difference, we needed to grow in our understanding of what it means to be church and transform to reflect and remain relevant to the world around us, while still holding on to the things that make us unique as Episcopalians.

This work is not over, and neither is your participation in it. In fact, it is just the beginning. In a little over a week, we will gather again as a community of faith to participate in the business of the church at our annual parish meeting, on Sunday, January 29th, immediately after worship. This is your opportunity to have your say in what happens at Saint Anna’s and help me and the Bishop’s Committee move us forward into whatever future God has planned for us. Jesus calls us into relationshuo0 with him and with God in community and has given each of us different gifts and strength to buld up the body of Christ in the world. As Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus:

“ He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

Please plan on attending this meeting and committing yourself to being part of whatever we do in the future.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Jane