Dear Friends,

Last Friday evening, our vestry gathered for prayer at Evensong, and then dinner hosted by Fay Donohue. The next day, we met again for a day-long retreat, seeking to articulate the mission and vision of this community. We paid attention to the words you wrote and spoke – in parish surveys, at past annual meetings, and also kept before us the vows of the Baptismal Covenant and our understanding of what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ in the Episcopal Church and the Anglican tradition.

We are excited by the work we did, and after the October vestry meeting we will be sharing more about what we envisage for our future together. Among other things, we hope to introduce a mission statement with accompanying vision, and at least two practical goals. One of the goals we set is already under way – a feasibility study for a capital campaign – and others focus on ways we can reach out beyond our walls to our neighbors.

Even as we were planning for our future, I was struck by the degree to which we were being the church we are called to be this weekend. While leaders were meeting in prayer and planning on Saturday, other parishioners were greeting guests from Charlestown and beyond, opening our doors to the larger community. Later that day, a number of you assisted and attended at the funeral service for the mother of one of our members, extending Christ’s love and care. And then of course, on Sunday we gathered for worship and formation, and welcomed newcomers to join us on our journey.

Please continue to pray for our vestry. And as we share the fruits of our work, I hope you will pray to see how God is calling you to be a part of this marvelous community, called together to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in many and profound ways.

Faithfully,

Tom