| 2002
Annual Report |
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Updated:
July 21, 2008
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Created: 02/03/02 |
2002 Annual Report
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- Minutes of 2001 Annual Meeting
- Rector's Report
- Wardens' Reports
- Service
- Worship
- Evangelism & Communication
- Education
- Pastoral Care
- Stewardship
- Administration
1. Meeting called to order-Father Edwards opened the meeting with the Lords Prayer.
2. Treasurers Report - Ellen Nerbak gave a short speech on the changes to the Parish family and thanked members of the Finance Committee and others who contributed their time to financial matters. Ellen Nerbak gave a financial summary of the year 2000 and presented the 2001 proposed budget. There was a question period. Lester Gurney made a motion to accept the budget and Martha Travostino seconded the motion.
3. Report from Diocesan Convention - Carol McKinney gave a report of the Diocesan Convention held in Paterson. It was attended by herself, Lorraine Dughi and Pauline Volkert. She reported that we are restructuring into 10 districts. This will enable the smaller churches in western New Jersey to have more of a voice in Diocesan Council. She said there was a thick packet of canon changes to be made by council. She also reported on resolutions and support for different issues within the Diocese. She said that the budget passed and there will be a Deaconate program. There were no questions.
4. Election of Members of the District Council - Father Edwards explained about the structural change of the convention/council. Historically, in Saint James, convention members were council members. He explained that each district will have 1 Priest and 3 lay people in the district council. Fr Edwards proposed a change to the by-laws regarding election to district council. He suggested that 1 lay member must be part of leadership, is a Vestry Warden or treasurer. He asked that the Vestry choose that person. In addition, 2 lay people would need to be elected. 5 people have agreed to serve. He also suggested to make it a priority next year to elect a youth to the council. The 1st by-law change is 3 people and 1 priest to Diocesan council, the 2nd change is 2 delegates chosen at the parish meeting, with a preference of 1 youth next year. Richard Hawkins made a motion to change the by-laws and Candy Brewster seconded the motion. Fr Edwards proposed that the congregation hand back the agenda at the end of the Parish meeting with their votes for district Council. This will be a two-year term, voting a lay person each year. The majority agreed to the preferential ballot. Feb 13th is the first meeting of the district council here in the Saint James sanctuary.
5. Presentation by the Search Committee - Carol McKinney presented the search committee report. She asked every member of the search committee to stand and be recognized. She said the search generally takes about 18 months and information regarding the search may be found on the Saint James web-site. She commended the search committee for keeping on track and said that there is the possibility that a new rector could be in place by this fall. There was a question period. Carol said the congregation will be informed generally about the process, although details cannot be revealed.
6. Presentation by the Building Committee - Joe Wnuck reported that Saint Mary's' Roman Catholic Church went before the planning board 8-9 times and was turned down on their request for site changes. Their lawyer will be taking it to the New Jersey Supreme Court. Joe Wnuck gave the building committee report. There was one item on the plans that had to be changed and it was corrected. Joe went before the board in September with our architect and lawyer. The town engineer raised these questions:
1. How will the construction be fenced in?
2. What about the noise and dust?
3. Where will the materials be disposed?
4. What about water runoff from the roof?
5. What will be the environment impact? (A statement needs to be submitted)The architect requested a postponement until February to be able to answer all the questions. The architect wanted to know that if all questions were answered, could a permit be granted the same night. The board said that it was possible. The committee will go before the board again and hopefully be awarded a permit. Joe will notify the congregation when it is approved. A question period followed.
7. Address by Sr Warden - Wil Reyes thanked the Vestry for staying on the extra year during the search process. There are two vacancies. Will said these vacancies will be appointed by the Vestry at the next meeting. Wil thanked the congregation for their support during our past year of transition. Wil said reports will be published in the newsletter and on the web.
8. Address by Jr Warden - Janice Cipriani made comments and thanked everyone on the stewardship committee.
9. Address by Father Edwards - Fr Edwards commended the work of the Vestry and Search Committee and those working in all Ministry Programs. He said there were many people asking at the convention about Saint James. Fr Edwards asked if there were any questions. David Olesen thanked Fr Edwards for his work in being our interim rector. Jerry Sheard thanked everyone for donations of food throughout the year. Fr Edwards concluded with the Lords Prayer.
10. Dismissal
As we gather at our annual meeting, we are to look back over the previous year of our life as the community of St. James', take care of the business of today, such as elections and budget review, and look ahead to the future and who and what we want to be as well as what God wants us to be.
As your rector of less than two months' time, I cannot look all the way back to last year at this time. But from speaking with you and reading your reports, I can sense that the mood may have matched the season. In the cold and snowy winter of 2001, it may have seemed that spring would never come, that looking out over the once again snowy landscape created confusion about the direction we were going. St. James' had been without a permanent rector for not quite a year, and the eighteen months' average the diocese had mentioned may have seemed more than six months' away.
Most assuredly, ministry had not ceased or even slowed. The children were taught in Sunday School, bags of food blessed by the hands of those who packed them were given to hungry people, the wardens and vestry continued the administrative work of the parish and the Holy Eucharist was celebrated.
In my own life, I was wondering too about the direction God wanted me to go. When in my search to lead a parish as rector I thought I had found the place that was right for me, that place did not share my view. And when a parish thought I was right for them, I did not share their view. But from May 2001 on, I grew to know and love this place. Each small introduction to you in search committee, correspondence, website, visit, and finally vestry, convinced me that this was the place God had prepared me for and perhaps, which God had prepared for me. These past two months have only deepened that conviction.
After my call and arrival here, I wondered at the long time of darkness and confusion in my vocational life. I began to think of what it might have been like for you, and certainly have learned more about that as I listen to your stories. It never ceases to amaze me that God is always and eternally faithful. Our faith, in our ministry and vocation, may seem small compared to our disappointment or confusion or simply tiredness. But God takes our faith, however small, and however we may feel, and multiplies it in order to accomplish God's purpose.
At another time of questioning and discouragement in my life, a very wise priest told me a story about the cycles of growth on a farm. He told me that in the winter, when it looked as if everything was dead in the fields, the land was resting and preparing for the next growing season. I remember thinking, "I have been struggling and agonizing here, and he is telling me about a farm?" I wasn't sure at the time what he was trying to tell me, but later I thought that he was trying to communicate the cycles of life and death, joy and sorrow, but always rebirth.
Last winter was the first winter for my husband and I in our new home here. We had moved in at the end of the summer, and had no time for gardening except to plant bulbs. I knelt on the ground and planted about 150 daffodil bulbs along the front walk. The thing about planting bulbs is that when you are finished, and look back at what you have done, you see…nothing! I couldn't tell if the bulbs were really planted properly, at the right depth and right side up, or even if they would bloom at all. But this April, I saw tiny shoots of green in the garden, along the entire length of the walk. Then, the next weekend, six inches of snow fell. I saw the green shoots being covered with snow and wanted to shout to them, "Go back! Go back!" I was assured by someone with more gardening skill than I that daffodils were hardy and would survive. And survive they did. Not only did they survive, they flourished into the most magnificent flowers I had ever seen.
Let it be so with us. May God grant us the faithfulness to wait for God's promise of rebirth; may God grant us the generosity to share our gifts with one another; and may God grant us joy as we see God's hand at work in the world around us and in us.
Faithfully yours,
Cathy L. Deats
We had three major accomplishments for the year 2001:
- After numerous Search Committee meetings and a lengthy Vestry meeting, we elected the Rev. Cathy Deats to be our rector.
- We also selected Linda Murray to be our Parish Administrator.
- The New Building Committee was successful in having the Historical Commission approve the plans for our new Parish Hall.
Many thanks to all the people who participated in all Church activities during the course of the year, and especially to the congregation for their support during the past year.
Submitted by,
Wil Reyes
Sr. Warden
This past year has presented many changes and challenges for St. James, which I think, were met with optimism and have strengthened us as a parish.
We hired a new Parish Administrator at the end of 2000, at a time when St. James was without a permanent rector. I have worked closely with her and am pleased with her obvious dedication to her job and to St. James. She has proven to be invaluable during the past year.
We encountered several stumbling blocks in our quest to get approval from the Hackettstown Historic Commission to move ahead with plans to renovate the Parish Hall. We worked through those obstacles and persevered and have finally gotten to the point where we can go before the Planning Board for final approval.
Of course, the biggest accomplishment as a Vestry and a Parish, represented by our search committee, was to call a new rector. The process involved the whole parish in one way or another so I think we can all take credit for the excellent result.
As a Warden and Vestry member, I look forward to the coming year with enthusiasm and hope.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice Cipriani, Jr. Warden
The first year of the new millennium found the Mission Strategy Committee involved in established projects and new ones brought about by the September 11th tragedy. Our guiding principle has been to support local or Episcopal outreach services and projects without duplicating services that are already locally available.
We began the year by collecting money for the Super Bowl of Caring project. This is a national project to fight hunger. Each participating faith community is asked to collect one dollar from each member on Super Bowl Sunday. The community decides the local recipient of the donation and contacts the national organization to log in their results. Last year 3.6 million dollars was collected by 12,500 organizations. We collected $100 and distributed the donations to the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown.
This year we made donations to three selected projects within our diocese. The "Widows on the Move" project was organized by the Church of the Epiphany in Orange, NJ and was supported by our diocese. This church sought to purchase a van to provide transportation not only for their parishioners but also for others within the community. The committee was awarded an ACTS/VIM grant of $8,000 last year which provided seed money for the project. They had raised $25,000 of the $28,000 needed. We contributed $200 that helped realize their goal in the fall. We also gave $500 in support of the Cross Roads Outdoor Ministries, a camp run jointly by the Episcopal Diocese of Newark and the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, located in Port Murray. Finally, we donated $100 to the NORWESCAP Food Bank. This organization provides many social services in Warren County and Northwest New Jersey. The food bank distributes food to local area food pantries, soup kitchen and other centers that address the hunger needs for at-risk families. Our committee felt that these projects met our guiding principle.
Our congregation's response to the 9-11 tragedy at the World Trade Center involved three parts. Within the first week, Mary Pratt purchased needed clothing and gloves that were sent to the rescue workers via local fire fighters. This was done to help meet the immediate need on site, as announced through the media. Next, our congregation was asked to contribute to a more long-term effort. We chose the Seamen's Church Institute because they were responding to the physical and spiritual needs at Ground Zero and because of their Episcopal affiliation. Almost nine hundred dollars was collected that first week. Roberta Brandt then volunteered to hold a Longaberger Basket fundraiser, which provided an additional $381. The committee augmented this to a total donation of $1,400.
The holiday season provided our congregation with opportunities for giving to local families in need. We collected nonperishable food, such as canned and packaged goods, through our Harvest Home In-Gathering and Christmas request. The children from our Sunday School decorated baskets, which Gerry Sheard filled and distributed to local families. We were also able to reach two local families in need this Christmas through our Giving Tree project. Over sixty presents were collected and distributed, as well as two additional food baskets. Gerry has reported that the SHARE program has been discontinued. This was a co-op program in which people bought SHARE units of fresh produce and food for a reasonable cost in exchange for contributing time to the program. For next year we will be exploring alternative means of meeting this need.
Our fund raising effort for this year centered on selling Shop-Rite coupons. Congregation members are asked to purchase coupons in the amounts of 5, 10, 20 or 50 dollars that they redeem at face value when checking-out at Shop-Rite grocery stores. We purchase the coupons at a five-percent discount and thus net $5 for every $100 that we sell. This year our congregation purchased $3,000 worth of coupons and the church raised $150 through those sales. For next year we are exploring ways to standardize and simplify the way in which we distribute the coupons. We have considered using a system of advanced orders that would be picked-up on the first Sunday of each month during the Family Breakfast. Anyone interested in purchasing coupons should contact Mary Pratt.
As we look to next year the committee will re-establish its links with local food pantries to which we have donated personal care items. We will also explore additional ways of expanding our outreach into our local community, as well as continuing to support local programs. If anyone wishes to suggest an outreach project for next year, please speak to a member of the Mission Strategy Committee. The members include Candy Brewster, Jack Reade, Angela Matuella and Gerry Sheard at 10:00 service and Paul Bartkus, Lorraine Dughi, and Mary Pratt at 8:00.
Submitted by:
Paul Bartkus
Committee Chair
Share at St. James was started in 1990 as a Branch of the New Jersey SHARE Program. Since our inception over 8,000 units of SHARE have been provided for Seniors, Handicap, single parent families and others in need. A unit consisting of meat(s), vegetables(s) and fruit(s) is equivalent to $35.00 at a cost of $15.
During the eleven years of the program, members of St. James Parish contributed approximately $13,000 towards the SHARE Units for those in need with monthly assistance, and Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter Baskets. In addition, an estimated 4,000 man hours were contributed by members of the parish with an additional 16,000 man hours of various forms of community service provided by members of the SHARE Community.
The success of our mission to those in need through the SHARE Program could not have been accomplished without the assistance of the members of St. James' community, especially Jim Brandt, David Hall Brooks and the Nolan Family. A big thanks to all that helped make the program a success.
On the down side, however, SHARE of New Jersey ceased operation on December 30, 2001 resulting in the elimination of our St. James SHARE Mission Program. Discussions are currently underway to join with the New York SHARE Program. I will keep the congregation advised.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Sheard
The Hospitality committee at St. James is basically involved in every social function that takes place at the church. The committee plans several events during the year and is responsible for carrying out any special events such as the Bishop's visit, clergy receptions, etc. The committee oversees the weekly coffee hour sign-ups and fills in on vacant Sundays or supplements for special occasions. The "Breakfast Gang" is a sub-committee of hospitality, headed up by Jerry Sheard. This dedicated group prepares a terrific breakfast on the first Sunday of each month.
In the year 2001, the Hospitality Committee was responsible for hosting a Mardi Gras evening complete with Cajun food, music, accessories and décor. The event was very well attended and a great start to the season of Lent. The Committee organized both the farewell luncheon for our Interim priest and the welcome luncheon for the Rev. Dr. Cathy Deats. We look forward to the Installation of our new rector in 2002 and to new and interesting ways for parishioners to have the opportunity to socialize together.
The committee is always open to ideas and to new members--even for single events.
Respectfully Submitted,
Candy Norris-BrewsterFellowship Breakfast
Fellowship Breakfast was started during the tenure of Duncan Clark and seems to be enjoyed by all who partake and join in the fellowship. Held on the first Sunday of the month from 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. with a few changes to correspond with our calendar the breakfast is open to everyone. Cost is a donation to the church.
Thanks to Jim Brandt (Dishwasher) and Pete Hubert (Potatoe Man) and all others who have helped provide the one and only on-going fellowship program.
Come join with us for food and fellowship.
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour is held immediately after the 10 a.m. service and provides an excellent chance to get to know your fellow parishioners. Hosted by various members of the church who provided the labor and goodies. Coffee, juice and dishes provided by the church. Coffee Hour has been an excellent way of showing off your baking skills for others to enjoy.
We are always looking for new Host or Hostesses with or without baking skills - Harpers Bakery and ShopRite can assist if necessary. See Candy Brewster or Jerry Sheard if you have any questions.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Sheard
The altar guild has had another busy year - especially in the last few weeks of 2001. Since the arrival of Rev. Deats, the altar guild needed to have some vestments altered to accommodate our petite new rector! Since Rev. Deats prefers to use a veiled chalice, the altar guild is in the process of purchasing veils and burses to go with our various sets of altar hangings and vestments. The blue burse and veil arrived in time for the third and fourth weeks of Advent. Our own talented Lind Phillips made the white veil with the gold trim used for Christmas.
Have you noticed that the hymn board numbers look a little brighter and whiter, and the "sliders" up top are nice and new? The altar guild received an anonymous donation to replace the old, frayed, yellowed set.
You may have seen a "thank you" in the bulletin to Greg Owings for his donation of time and talent - Greg made the beautiful advent wreath from greens donated by Well Sweep Herb Farm. Greg also loaned us the beautiful candleholders that lined the center aisle of the church for the Christmas services. Greg has only been attending St. James' for a few months - and has been quite generous with his talent! For this we are very thankful.
The altar guild was saddened at the death of Joyce Sullivan, our retired laundress. Joyce passed away in June after a long illness. Parishioners as well as friends and family members were very generous with their donations in memory of Joyce. Joyce's daughter, Cheryl Fox, has selected a set of Nativity linens, and will soon be deciding on some additional item(s) to be dedicated in memory of her mother.
The altar guild will be losing some members (due to retirement and re-locating) in the near future. As always, we are looking for new members. We currently have four teams, one for each week of the month. In months with five weeks, the fifth week duty is rotated. Usually all teams assist at Easter and Christmas. We've also set up an informal "Wednesday night chapel service" team - and would like to welcome Andrea Sarnowski and Karen Ahman to altar guild. Karen will also be helping the first week team.
The altar guild is very thankful for the continued support of the St. James' parishioners. Without your generous contributions, we would be unable to have beautiful flowers for Christmas and Easter. And the donations from lighting the sanctuary lamp (usually in memory of a deceased loved one) are also appreciated. The altar guild is responsible for the purchase of communion bread and wine, linens, liquid candle wax and candles when necessary, altar hangings, vestments and various other "odds and ends" used behind the scenes.
Respectfully Submitted,
Pat Hawkins
In 2001 St. James had 16 acolytes, comprised of both adults and teenagers, the number that were active varied throughout the year. Acolytes served at 52 Sunday Services and 7 Special Liturgies. Individual training sessions were held throughout the year as were requested. .
It was a very busy and sometimes confusing year and I would like to thank all the Acolytes who helped out and kept our services running so smoothly, especially during our time of searching. I would also like to thank the Lay Readers who filled in as Acolytes when emergencies arose. As we enter 2002, we are happy to welcome back some who have been on leave - Beth Jones, Kyle & Kaitlyn Uckert, and look forward to seeing some new faces.
The silent servers at our Altar do a wonderful job and I am privileged to be the Adult Advisor for the Acolytes.
Respectfully submitted,
Lind Phillips
Lay Eucharistic Ministers are licensed to do one or both of the following: (1) administer the chalice at the Holy Eucharist; (2) directly following the celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Sunday, taking the sacrament consecrated at the celebration to members of the congregation who, by reason of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the celebration.
Lectors are persons trained in reading of the Word and appointed without license by the Rector to read lessons or lead prayers of the people.
St. James' has 10 LEMs and 17 Lectors. They serve on a rotating basis at the 8:00 AM and/or 10:00 AM Sunday services.
Ushers serve at the 8:00 AM and 10:00 AM Sunday services by preparing the church for worship (assuring doors are unlocked and lights on), distributing bulletins and assisting in seating when necessary. They are usually those who greet visitors first and are also available to answer questions and/or assist persons with special needs.
ORGANIST
The organist/choir director has enriched our worship with music selections and performance at Sunday 10:00 a.m. services and special liturgies. The organist is also available for weddings and funerals at St. James.
Choir Director
The adult choir rehearses Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings before the 10:00 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dawn Dunn
The 2000-2001 year has been another good year for our Junior Choir and Handbell Choir. The choir has maintained an average size of 10 members for three years now with new members joining as other members leave due to sports or other conflicts. We have members in grades 2 through 6 this year. Most of the Handbell choir is made up of members who ring and sing, but we do have 2 members currently who are Handbell ringers only. We offer this opportunity to do one or the other in order to provide the chance to participate in music here at St. James' to as many young people as possible.
This past Spring we were able to get new choir robes through a donation from a parishioner. These robes replaced the fitted robes the members wore previously and were rapidly outgrowing! In addition, we were able to purchase hoods similar to those worn by the Senior Choir. These hoods are given to all Jr. Choir members who have participated for 2 or more years. The members really look forward to getting their hoods! First year participants are awarded a cross at the end of their first year.
In December of 2001, the Handbell choir performed outside St. James for the first time. They traveled to St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Montclair, NJ to ring as part of that church's annual Advent Lessons & Carols service. It was very exciting for the group to perform away from "home" as part of such a big event! Our thanks to Charles Hunter, Director of Music at St. Luke's, for providing us with this opportunity!
Looking forward to this coming year, we hope to grow our singing group a bit and continue to look for performing opportunities for both the singers and the ringers within St James as well as around the Diocese. Perhaps an appearance at our Diocesan convention in 2003?!
As always, my thanks go to all the parents and young people for their dedication in making rehearsals and services. Without that effort, the Choir wouldn't be able to exist!
Faithfully submitted,
Pam Laura
The committee held one Newcomers social early in the spring 2001 to introduce the new members to the Vestry , committee heads and a few long time members. Approximately twenty people attended this event which was held In the Mitcham house.
The scheduled fall newcomers social was postponed to the spring of 2002 to accommodate other events of the fall.
The committee members are: Patricia and Richard Hawkins, Frances and David Hall Brooks, Barbara and David Olesen and Dale and Wil Reyes.
Please speak with any committee member if you are interested in becoming a member of this committee, or are interested in attending our spring social.
Submitted by,
Wil Reyes
The website was created at the end of September, 2000. Since then 1,700 people have visited the website.
It became very useful during our Search Process, as it provided interested Clergy a chance to see what St. James' is all about. The Current Events, the History, our Parish Profile are all there for the clergy to see.
The website is another way to keep the parish family informed about the activities going on within the parish. Links are provided to activities within the Diocese.
We are now publishing some of the Policies of the St. James on the website as they are developed.
The webmaster and the parish administrator attempt to keep our information coordinated, for events, the Sunday bulletin, the Calendar, Vestry information, and the Journal.
As has been requested in the past, the webmaster would like to expand the information that is on the website. However, the information has to come from the various Committee and their chairpersons. There are many ways to communicate with the webmaster. In person, Email [ rworthington@goes.com ] or by phone [ 908-850-8395 ]. To be clear, the Internet is not THE way to communicate with the congregation, but Another way. So, if you have an activity that is in the future, just let us know and we will help get that activity published. If there is something that you would like to see added to the website, please let me know.
Respectfully submitted,
Russ Worthington
The members of the Search Committee were pleased to welcome the Rev. Dr. Cathy Deats to her first St. James' service in late November.
After nearly 18 months of preparation, which included:
- surveying the entire congregation,
- holding focus groups,
- describing our church and community in a brochure and on our web-site,
- meeting bi-weekly to review dozens of clergy bios,
- traveling from Rochester to the Jersey shore to interview numerous candidates,
- checking references and reviewing faith statements, and
- much prayerful deliberation,
Our search for a new rector for St. James was very successfully concluded, and the vestry called Rev. Deats to become our pastor.
Carol McKinney & Frank Johnson - co-chairs
Paul Bartkus, Janice Cipriani, Lorraine Dughi, Peg Faust, Anthony Grasso, Jessica Johnston, Candy Norris, David Olesen, Jack Reade, Wil Reyes, Martha Travostino, Linda Uckert, Joe Wnuck, Russ Worthington
At St. James we are currently using an Episcopal Curriculum from "Cook", which is very easy to use. It features hands-on learning without a lot of prep work for teachers. We offer four separate grade levels. Most Sundays we have three classes either due to smaller amounts of children or short staffing of Sunday School teachers. We have approximately 25 students enrolled in our Sunday School, with attendance averaging 15.
We are finding children are staying in church instead of attending Sunday School.
We believe most families would be satisfied with the new the new curriculum, if they gave it a chance. Sunday School scheduling is listed in the bulletin each week.
Parents are given the option to have their children go into church for communion. We are signaled with a bell.
Projects coming up!
- Making valentine cards to deliver to the residents of The House Of Good Shepherd.
- Making Easter baskets for Easter.
Respectfully submitted,
Dawn Modugno
The youth group at St. James' began its fourth year this September. The group meets on the second and fourth Sunday of the month during 10 o'clock service. During the past year discussion topics have included, personal character, aids, steroids, eating disorders, dating, sexual abstinence, trust, friendship and competition. These topics are relevant to teens, and the curriculum used gives biblical insights on the subjects.
In addition to class, the group has three yearly social gatherings, one in the fall, one for Christmas and one at the end of the school year. Last March the group held a Bible Murder Mystery that was enjoyed by all.
The group also hosts coffee hour at the 10:00 a.m. service at least once a year. This Halloween, youth group organized and ran the party for the 20 Sunday School kids.
The class is led by Dawn Modugno with the assistance of Jennifer Travostino. All 7th through 12th grades are welcome. Attendance usually includes 10-13 teens.
Submitted by,
Dawn Modugno
The St. James Nursery is located in an upstairs classroom in the Parish Hall. Nursery care is available on Sundays during the 10:00 a.m. service from September to June. Infants through preschoolers are welcome. The room is equipped with toys, coloring books and crayons. The individual parents provide other supplies, such as snacks, diapers, etc.
Currently, there are three nursery attendants who work on a rotating schedule. Procedure for the nursery attendant is to wait 15-20 minutes for children to arrive. If no on at that point has come, the attendant joins the church service.
Attendance since September 2001 has ranged from zero to five children. However, on Family Sundays there are often no children in the Nursery. We are in the process of deciding whether to cancel nursery care on Family Sundays.
The Nursery is looking for more attendants! If anyone is interested, please contact Elizabeth DiMarzo at (908)-637-8889 or Linda Murray in the church office.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth DiMarzo
Coordinator
There are currently 12 members of the Lay Visitors Committee. Lay visitors remove the flowers from the altar after the 10:00 a.m. service each week. The flowers are distributed to sick and shut-ins of the parish. Cards are posted in the sacristy each week with instructions on who the lay visitor should bring the flowers to. The card is signed by the lay visitor and returned to the sacristy.
During Lent when there are no flowers on the altar, the lay visitors bring a Forward Day by Day to the sick and shut-in in lieu of flowers.
These visits are much appreciated by the receiver and offer an opportunity to someone who may be alone, or sick, to confide their needs or problems.
If you know of anyone who is sick or shut-in in the congregation who would appreciate some flowers and a visit, please call the office. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Lay Visitors Committee, please speak with a member of the committee.
Submitted by,
Frances Hall-Brooks
- CARES has provided meals to several parishioners this past year.
- Our services have been made available when brought to our attention, or when requested.
- CARES will continue to offer meals, and transportation, if possible, to those in immediate need.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara Olesen
Chairperson:
Janice Cipriani
Committee:
Lester Gurney
Judy Poetsch
Ellen NerbakIn October 2001, a letter was sent to all parishioners with regard to our stewardship program. A form was included for them to indicate their interest in participating in the various ministries at St. James and their commitment for the year 2002 in the form of time, talent and treasure.
To date, we have received 119 total pledges, 79 to the General Fund and 40 to the Capital Fund. There were 79 pledges to the General Fund totaling $83,507, and 40 pledges to the Capital Improvement Fund totaling $14,738.
Comparing these figures to last year, we received 8 fewer pledges to the General Fund this year and $636 less in the actual dollar amount. We received 9 fewer pledges to the Capital Improvement Fund with a decrease of $1612 in the dollar amount.
A follow-up letter was sent in early January with the hope that we could generate additional commitments from those who hadn't initially responded.
Respectfully submitted,
Janice D. Cipriani,
Chair & Junior Warden
In our Building Program we have received approval through the Historical Commission. On January 15th we will go before the Planning Board. The outlook seems to be promising.
We are in the process of getting quotes on painting the interior of the church, and also new carpeting.
As the events progress, we will keep everyone informed.
Submitted by:
Joe Wnuck
The Church, Mitcham House and Parish Hall are available to the congregation and to outreach organizations throughout the year. Requests for use of the buildings are made through the church office and are approved by the Vestry.
The buildings are used regularly and on request. AA uses the Parish Hall on a weekly basis (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday). In addition, Angela Matuella, Karen Ann Quinlan and Choir use the Mitcham House weekly, Vestry meets monthly in the Mitcham House and SHARE distributed food monthly from the Parish Hall. St. James and other organizations hold various social events in both buildings during the course of the year.
St. Fiacre's Guild is a group of volunteer gardeners who are responsible for maintaining and enhancing the beds surrounding St. James. The Guild prepares the beds in the spring, plants annuals and perennials, fills the window boxes and planters and mulches the gardens. The Guild has a rotating summer schedule to handle watering and weeding duties. Funds for the Guild's activities come from the Nancy Riley Memorial Fund and from private donations.
In 2001, we had a special St. Fiacre's volunteer in Ed Modugno, Jr. Ed designed, excavated and landscaped the Moore St. side of the church in partial fulfillment of requirements to become an Eagle Scout. We are very grateful to Ed and his family for such a wonderful contribution to St. James.
Respectfully submitted,
Candy Norris Brewster
The year end report for the counters of St. James, consists of few if any problems. The group consists of about 12 people who count the offerings and donations received on a weekly basis at St. James. There are times when monies received were put on the wrong line of the weekly sheet, but other than that, they do a great job, give of their time to help with the everyday needs of St. James.The counters work on a rotating basis, about once every 6 weeks. We are always looking for people who would like to volunteer their time to help in a very important aspect of the running of a wonderful church.
Respectfully submitted
Eileen Heydecke
Created: 02/03/02