From the Dean
Dear Friends in Christ,
I want to share just a few items with you that came out of our Annual Meeting. First, thanks to one and all who made that event possible through their labors and to everyone who took the time to attend and participate. Second, please know that Kris Hatch has been elected the People’s Warden. Kris has been a member of the cathedral congregation for many years and will be available to hear your ideas, dreams and concerns. Kris joins Bob Reed, our recently named Dean’s Warden, to help direct the affairs of the cathedral in the year ahead. That same work was done gracefully and effectively in the year now past by Jim Greer and Stephen Velez-Confer, our retiring wardens – big thanks to both of them.
Your Chapter will look at issues related to growth at their upcoming annual retreat. Two important questions loom: how do we continue to stimulate growth (spiritually and institutionally) and how do we manage growth as we experience it? During his tenure as our Director of Development, the Reverend David Norgard often spoke to us about the importance of “smart growth”. That concept has to do with expanding our ministry capacity at a rate equal to our numerical growth. It doesn’t do the people of God much good, for instance, if we see our average Sunday attendance rise but then fail to provide the necessary educational and pastoral resources required to help our newer members mature in faith and service. Our Growth Committee (Jane Vander Velde, Dru Campbell, Chris Harris, Christine Spalding, and Allisyn Thomas) has been charged with the task of shaping our retreat for the good of the whole.
Finally, I want to take this chance to again commend our new canons – Milt Collins, Dorothy Curry, Brooks Mason, and Christine Spalding – for the good work that led to this honor. They directly and positively impact our pastoral, liturgical, and administrative work and we deeply appreciate the faithful commitment they’ve made to the members of this congregation. We’re also delighted to welcome Allisyn Thomas into her new role as sub-dean – she does all things well and we are wonderfully blessed to be her colleague in ministry.
God’s peace,
Scott +
