A GREAT YEAR: I have been rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd for one year. My wife, Nicole, our sons, Liam and Nicholas, and I moved to Granite Springs at the start of September one year ago. We have had a wonderful year, we love Granite Springs and Good Shepherd, and I would like to offer my sincerest thanks to every member and friend of Good Shepherd for making our first year a great one: thank you very, very much!
In particular, I would like to thank all of the members of the vestry, those who currently serve, and those who served in 2009. The lay leadership of the parish gives so much time and hard work to Good Shepherd. We are blessed with great lay leadership, and it is an honor to be the rector of a church with such a devoted and hard working vestry. Thanks so much!
The Wardens, Jim Corning, Bruce Barber, and last year’s Property Warden, Phil Levy, have been absolutely fabulous. We are blessed to have the wardens that we have. They have worked for the church constantly, and the fruit of their work is everywhere. Thanks so much!
The other parish officers, Sally Stevens, Jan Corning, and Bob Bubeck, have put in countless hours during the day, at night, and after church as our treasurer, clerk, and financial officer, respectively. They are, to a great degree, the three people who make sure all of the details and numbers add up. Thanks so much!
I would also like to thank the staff of the parish who ensure that Good Shepherd remains open and operational. We have a small staff, but that does not diminish the wonderful work they do. I would like to thank Ann Siemerling, our sexton, who has worked tirelessly keeping the church open and clean every day of the year. I would like to thank Cecilia Sparacio, our organist and choir director, who has ensured that we have a great variety of lovely music at church services on Sunday, during the week, and at special events. I would like to thank Sharen McKenna, our child care provider, who has made sure that our Nursery is open and full of children every Sunday of the year. Finally, I would like to thank our parish secretary, Cindy Sotter, who died this past June after many hard months of illness, and her husband Bernie, for his behind the scene secretarial assistance. Cindy did all of the little things that needed to be done during the week at a church, and her loss in the office and parish community has been great, but I am thankful for the time that she worked here, and that I was able to work with here. God bless you Cindy, and rest in peace. Thanks so much to all of you!
I would be remiss if I did not also offer thanks and congratulations to you all for a year of amazing growth at Good Shepherd. Good Shepherd averaged 58 people each Sunday from September 2008 to September 2009, and that number grew to 86 people from September 2009 to last September 2010 – so far our average attendance for 2010 is even higher at 88. That is an increase of 31%! A church does not grow unless everyone is involved in some part of welcoming visitors and newcomers. I am so happy that we have such a friendly welcome at the door before and after church, that we always have hearty and fun coffee hours and events, that we have so many people who are involved in supporting and organizing out thriving Sunday School (especially Glenn Hintze and the Sunday School Committee), and that joy is one of the defining features of the worship and everyday life at Good Shepherd. The honest and warm welcome that Good Shepherd parishioners always offer to newcomers, children, friends, and members has been a primary source of growth over the past year. It’s a thrill being a part of that!
The 2010 Stewardship Campaign saw nearly identical growth in pledging this past year. Our pledge total for 2010 was $104,539, nearly $25,000 higher than in any previous year: that also is an increase of 31%! Thanks to Maria Kaprielian and Leslie Fulton for their organization and work on the Stewardship Committee. Growth like that is commendable, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support of Good Shepherd this past year. I also think every single friend and member of Good Shepherd deserves hearty congratulations for growing the church: Congratulations and well done!
I would also like to offer thanks for all of the time and effort put into beautifying the parish grounds in the last year. A great source of parish pride is our attractive property. Before my family arrived at Good Shepherd a great amount of work was done renovating and repairing the rectory and the grounds. Over the past year a number of work days have continued and built on that work. The woods have mostly been cleaned out and cut back between Granite Springs Road (the front) and Richard Somers Road (in back). Flowers and plants have been carefully planted and maintained all summer long. All of the exterior doors have been painted. Several enormous dumpsters have been filled with garbage. The rectory has a cleared back yard (grass is growing in right now!). The list of those who have worked on various work days is far too long to name everyone, but in particular, I would like to thank Bruce Barber, Phil Levy, Lorne Robbins, and Pat Mulholland, who have taken time this past year to organize work days and work on large and small projects. Thanks so much to you and to all who have done so much to make our grounds so eye pleasing.
I am overjoyed to be a part of a happy and growing church. Thank you so much for making our first year at Good Shepherd fabulous. I look forward to many more years to come, and I pray that Almighty God fills us with the Holy Spirit so that the Good News of the Risen Lord Jesus continues to be spread with such joy and enthusiasm by the people of Good Shepherd!
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