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Sunday 26 March 2017 – The Fourth Sunday in Lent
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Dear Parish Family,
At this month’s Vestry meeting, the topic about the time of the
Sunday Mass was introduced by certain lay members of Vestry for
consideration. It would appear that at
least amongst a portion of the Vestry and amongst a portion of the membership
of the parish that there is a desire to push the time of the Sunday Mass back a
half-hour in order that it would begin at 9:30 AM. This appears to be of concern mostly for some
of our younger families who are getting kids and youth ready in the morning to
come to Church.
In the initial discussion on this matter at Vestry, the chief
concern that was raised as a possible impediment to this was concern over the
impact of this decision on our organist.
I have, with the knowledge of Vestry, discussed this with Darice. My thought initially was that if we were to
do so we might be in a position where we would need to raise the salary of our
organist as this would likely mean that she would need to give up playing at St.
Luke’s United Church of Christ, one of our neighbor parishes in the North End
of the City. Darice also plays the organ
for them. Their Sunday service is
currently at 10:00 AM.
In my discussion with Darice she reminded me that St. Luke’s
never starts on time. Their service
tends to start closer to 10:30 as this tends to be when people actually arrive
at that Church. She spoke with the lay
leaders of the parish today and reported back to me after their service that
they are willing to change their time to 10:30, which is more accurate to when
their service actually begins presently.
Therefore I, on behalf of Vestry, am now requesting feedback
from you, the members of the parish, on the Sunday Mass. I am aware, and wish to share with you, that
some of the younger families with children ideally would like to see Mass held
at 10:00 AM. These members of the parish
are aware that there are some who might be inclined to wish to remain at 9:00
AM. Thus the suggestion of 9:30 AM is a
compromise that meets in the middle between these two times.
The next meeting of the Vestry is scheduled for after the 9:00
AM Sunday Mass on Sunday 23 April, the Second Sunday of Easter. At that meeting we will place discussion of
the time of the Sunday Mass at the beginning of the Vestry meeting. I encourage you to give your feedback to the
members of the Vestry or to me in between now and that day. One possibility also is that at the
conclusion of the Mass on that Vestry Sunday we could begin the Vestry meeting
in the Nave at the conclusion of the Mass and thus have a parish family
discussion before those present for the Mass depart and the Vestry resumes the
remainder of business for the month.
This is possible, for remember that the meetings of the Vestry are all
public meetings at which any and all members of the parish are welcome to be
present to witness the work of the Vestry.
By keeping this upstairs and prior to the departure of our family
present already, there would be a greater ease to include as many voices as
possible in this decision.
Please know that if we do go to a 9:30 start time for the Mass,
I will be reviewing the general order of the Mass and making some adjustments
in our normal pattern to ensure that we are done in a timely fashion that would
enable Darice to be at St. Luke’s at 10:30 for the start of their service. I have a few thoughts in mind already at this
point that I think will allow for this.
I also want to be clear that I do not want this to become a
divisive issue in the life of our parish.
At the very least I believe a matter such as this requires a
super-majority (67%; 2 of 3 persons in agreement). I think it wiser to say that I would like to
see closer to a 75% agreement in the parish and ideally a complete consensus in
the Vestry if we are to make this change.
Finally I am including in this letter the membership of your
Vestry so that you know to whom you may direct your feedback on this matter.
Father Tim, Rector of the Parish &
Chair of the Vestry
Bill Falzone, Senior Warden
[Rector’s Warden] & Member of Vestry
Lucy Salvo, Junior Warden &
Member of Vestry
Debbie Hocko, Clerk & Member
of Vestry
Linda Abner, Treasurer &
Member of Vestry
Sue Stella, Interim Bookkeeper
& Member of Vestry
Juli Oja, Member of Vestry
Pauline Hylton, Member of Vestry
I look forward to your feedback.
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Fr. Tim+
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The Rev’d Timothy Alleman, M.Div.
Rector – The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross
Cell: 570-540-3535
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