Hello St. Paul’s,
Elsewhere in this weekly bulletin you will find a notice about our upcoming Annual Meeting on January 26. I want to encourage you to attend the luncheon and meeting as we celebrate “Cathedral Day”, the Sunday closest to the feast day of our patron, St. Paul, on the 25th, enjoy fellowship over lunch, and take the opportunity to thank those who have served as the congregation’s leaders and staff over the last year.
Serving on Chapter is not the same as serving on the board of directors of a secular non-profit: there is a strong spiritual component to our decisions – how will this decision serve our mission to Love Christ, Serve, Others, and Welcome All? – and unlike most non-profits, the board is made up of individuals who are both part of our donor base and part of the body of people whom we serve. I am very grateful to those who give of their time and talent to serve in this way, and I am grateful for the spirit of grace that prevails in our meetings. Thank you Ross Okihara, Tonya Chavis, Stacey Klaman and Bob Reed. We continue to grieve the loss of Jill Sanford, who had just begun her service on Chapter.
We also owe gratitude to those who served as lay delegates to last year’s Diocesan Convention, as we prepare to elect this year’s delegates. Thank you Stacey Klaman, Lisa Churchill, Tom Merrick, and Allen Mutchler.
There will be two elections on the 26th: one for Chapter and the other for our lay delegates to Diocesan Convention in November. Qualified persons (see below) who attend the meeting will be the electing body.
We have a strong slate of seven candidates for the five open positions on Chapter: Similarly, we have six candidates for the four lay delegate spots this year, and we need at least two alternates, given the passage of time between election and service, so I am grateful that we have enough people willing to step forward. You can find details of all candidates on the Annual Meeting page of our web site, stpaulcathedral.org/general-meeting.
If you can answer “Yes” to all of the following, you are eligible to vote in this election.
- Age 16 or older; and
- Has been baptized with water and in the name of the Trinity; and
- has made a pledge to St. Paul’s general fund on or before June 25, 2024 (ie 210 days before the annual meeting); and
- has made a good faith effort to make regular payments on the pledge; and
- has made a pledge for 2025; and
- has received Communion at St. Paul’s at least 3 times since January 2024.
As for the cathedral staff, working for St. Paul’s is not just a job for any of us: it is a deeply meaningful ministry. We have a talented, devoted, collaborative staff team, and it is a pleasure to work with them. Please be sure to thank them when you see them at the meeting.
I hope you will come and celebrate with us!
Your sister in Christ,
Penny
