|
|
|
|
Home |
RECTOR'S REPORT - 2012 Annual Meeting I am sitting in a windswept motel in Estes Park, Colorado as I write to you. The Bard said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and I know that it is true. If there is one thing that I have learned in making these visitations for the Bishop, it is the fact that we have a wonderful parish. We worship the true and living God, we love each other and we are sharing that love with the world. We should all rejoice in what God has given to us. We should rejoice and realize that with great gifts comes great responsibility. Our greatest responsibility is doing all that we can to preserve what we enjoy and to make sure that we have prepared for the future. There are several practical ways this may be done. First, I noted again that this year we have old friends that have begun again to worship with us and we have new members to our community of faith. However, the total number of Active Communicants has not changed significantly in the last two years. What I saying is that we have by death to this world, lost several active members. Our efforts to invite others to join us and share our faith have been blessed by God and several new members have begun to worship with us. However, this situation presents an obvious challenge. We need to consider the average age of our parish and realize that we need to make an even greater effort to evangelize others. We are currently learning about Alpha and being renewed in the knowledge of our faith through that program. Alpha along with other efforts need to be in place in 2012 and beyond. I remember as a young boy losing my bedroom. It was the only place I had slept in my memory and it had the most wonderful window seat. The bottom was glass blocks and the top had a window that opened and though which I could observe the world. My brother had been born and lived with Mom and Dad, but now we had to leave this house for new one. We moved into a renovated farm house. While it was not my old room I was delighted to find that the new house had many exciting features. There was a small room on the third floor that was made out of the attic. There were curved walls and to my delight a window that was much higher than my bedroom window and afforded a great view of what was going on outside. I was much too young to be aware of the cost of the move to the new house. I did know that my mother went to work that year and so looking back there must have been financial issues. I didn’t care because I was going to school and only my brother had to go to Mike and Mary’s house during the day. We need as a church to consider the future and the needs of a growing parish. We have not only one child to make us consider if we have enough room, but several. We need Sunday School Rooms, it would be nice to have an office, a parish hall that was easily accessible for everyone and of course we need a larger nave so that we and those who will join us will have room to worship together. This is another responsibility we have and the Vestry is already taking steps to meet this challenge. The 2020 Committee has been dormant in the last year, because of the economic situation and frankly, because everything has been going so well. We need to jump start our efforts to again plan for the future. And each of us need to begin to consider how we help. There is the financial need, we have building fund and if you cannot make contributions now, consider making provisions in your Will to remember St. Dunstan’s. There is the question also of our attitudes towards leaving this building. We like the window seat with the glass blocks, but the attic room with the much better view awaits us. This building has served us well, but like clothes that we change as our size or needs change, we must now consider what we are to do. Finally, there is the greatest challenge for us. For the last year, I have spoken to many of you and the Vestry about the need we have to share our faith and provide for others the opportunity to worship in the Anglican Tradition. When we look at the map and where we live it is evident that we are primarily a church of the northwest portion of the Cities. While there are members that live further away, statistical information tells us that a young families will only drive 20-30 minutes to a church. There are at least four sites around the cities where we can draw a circle that represents a 30 minute drive time. Not only do we not have any members in those circles, but there is no Anglican Church available. While we are comfortable and enjoy worshiping together in the warmth of our parish family, how many others would enjoy the same joy and peace, but do not have a church available to them. The time to start planting parishes around the cities is today. We have the resources to do so and we know that God has promised to be with us when do this work. Matthew 28:19-20. The only question is do we have the faith and the will to do so. I want to thank you for another wonderful year of being able to serve you as your priest. I was humbled by your outpouring of love, prayers and concern during my surgery and recovery last year. It was to me yet another demonstration of what we share and what we have to share with the world. God Bless you all, Bart + |
Worship - Sunday |
4241 Brookside Ave St. Louis Park MN 55416 |
(952) 920-9122 |