CALVARY EPISCOPAL CHURCH
821 South Fourth Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40203
502-587-6011
The Rev. J. Edward Morris,
Rector
Annual Congregational
Meeting
January 16, 2005
10:00 a.m.
Call to Order
Opening Prayer
Appointment of
Parliamentarian
Election of Secretary
Minutes of the 2004 Annual
Meeting
The Election of the Vestry
Class of 2007
Reports
Resolutions
For the Good of the Church
Adjournment
Index of Reports and
Materials
Statistics
Rectors Report
Ministries of Excellence Reports:
WORSHIP:
Music: Adult Choir and Orchestra, Childrens Choir and Orchestra
Flower Delivery
Ushers
Tape and Word
Acolytes
Altar Guild
Lay Readers
Greeters
Chalice Bearers and Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Pew Materials
CARE:
Senior Warden
Junior Warden
Search Committee
Book Aid
Hospitality
Calvary Book Club
Breakfasts
Parish Life Explanation
Softball
Foyer Groups
Burial Ground
Crisis Care
Refugees
Building, House, and Grounds
Intercessory Prayer Group
Housekeeping
Habitat for Humanity
EDUCATION:
Christian Formation: Children and Youth reports
Website
Calvary Connection
OUTREACH:
Clothes Shops
Food Chart
Food Closet
Outreach Gifts
Financial Reports
STATISTICS
- From the Register of
Services, January 1 December 31, 2004:
Eucharists: 121 Other services: 28
Total Attendance: All Services
9,625 (9,850 in 2003)
- From the Parish
Register:
Baptisms: 6 (6 in 2003)
Clare Virginia Martin, Lilian Marie Montilla, William Andrew Frazier,
Sean Michael Robinson, Carolina Clay Musselman, May Anderson Currens
Confirmations: 2 (5 in 2003)
Carolyn Hunt Crawford, Linda Griffith (received)
Marriages: 4 (7 in 2003)
Robert Hooe Caroline Carle
Matthew Guffey Dolly Nichols
Carolyn Crawford William Andrew Frazier
Brian Beam Denise Hornreich
Burials: 6 (11 in 2003)
Caroline Harvey, Susan Grizzle, Frank Cleaver, Patsy Clark,
Charles Gruenberger
Willis Meigs
- Transfers In: 4 ( 5 in
2003)
Winfrey Blackburn, Brian
Beam, Terry Williams, Gehrig Robinson
- Transfers Out: 9 (12 in 2003)
Stephanie Smith, Sarah Whitsett, Thomas Noland, Vivian Sawyer, Sidney
Noland,
Andrew Noland, Tim Black,
Laura Black, Kate Black
WORSHIP
MUSIC
AT CALVARY
This
is the 41st time I have reported on the state of music at Calvary!
Before I launch into the various statistics and activities of Music 2004, let
me just say how very grateful and pleased both Melvin and I were at the
wonderful reception held for us last summer, not only to commemorate my 40
years of service to Calvary, but also to honor Melvin for his 25 years at
Calvary. I also want to commend Melvin for his contributions as Calvary choir
director! Calvary may be the only church around to have a person of his
qualifications for free! Besides, its the only time in our
considerable professional and personal life together that I can actually tell
Melvin what to do only as far as anthem choice and rehearsal order, of
course! We both will enjoy the trip to
Germany that the Calvary parishioners so generously gave us. Although the time
line has to be shoved back a bit from May due to knee surgery (ugh), we will
make the trip as soon as Melvin can jump onto the European trains!
As an inner
city church, we have a special challenge to offer unique programs in order to
attract people who have to pass four or five other churches to come from all
over to get to Calvary, as well as those who live in the neighborhood. We have
assessed and met that challenge through ambitious programs in music, outreach,
communications, and education. While nothing can, will, or should remain
exactly the same, we have a firm foundation on which to build. We look forward
to the year ahead working with Father Morris as we continue to strive to offer
the best music possible. I also wish to thank Fr. Richard Humke for his
enthusiastic support of our music program during his time at Calvary.
This is
the sixth year that the Calvary Adult Choir has been joined on occasion by the
Adult Calvary Orchestra, consisting of members of Calvary who play flute (Julio
and James Racine), violin (Judy Wilson, Marie Montilla, Marsha Webb, Anne Marie
deZeeuw, Cassandra Brosvik, James Racine), viola (Beth Rudwell, Nina Racine),
cello (Judith Hamilton, Cynthia Racine Tran), clarinet (Jorge Montilla), and
harp (Julia Richardson). And do not forget our bagpipers, Anne Marie deZeeuw
and Larry Frederiksen. I would also like to thank Lynn Thompson for
volunteering to conduct the Calvary choir on Bach Society Sundays, and Jim
Barnes, for his Herculean efforts to keep the music library in order and to
provide CDs to keep tabs on it all. Thanks be to all!
We have
joyfully watched as our small ones have become good enough to form a childrens
orchestra and further develop a childrens chorus, thanks to the continued
efforts of Judy Wilson and Elyse Hensley. We appreciate the dedication and
expertise that the music brings to the services at Calvary; this is a true
application of time and talent! For the adult choir, it means a commitment for
the whole morning EVERY SUNDAY all year long - for we rehearse an hour and a
half before we ever get into church. That is a lot, and we are grateful to each
and every member for that kind of loyalty.
Special
events in 2004 for which the adult choir sang included Ash Wednesday, Maundy
Thursday, the Celebration of a New Ministry on December 10, and Christmas Eve.
We all have Christmas Eve tales to tell as to how we got to Calvary! I am
especially grateful for all those musicians who made special efforts to be
there (even for an 8:30 rehearsal!) despite 10 inches of snow that had forced
cancellation of the previous evenings rehearsal and choir dinner. We will have
the choir dinner when we are sure of no snow!
The 18th
Annual Lenten Listen and Lunch Series this spring was again a real
community effort, with excellent recitals and luncheons prepared by more than
40 Calvary volunteers. Over 340 people attended the five Wednesday concerts.
The recitals generated donations of $1,186 that were used to buy food for the
needy who come to Calvarys doors every day. Other concerts and recitals
included one by the Louisville Bach Society, violin recitals by students of
Judy Wilson, and various tour demonstrations. A special highlight was the
annual Bach Society Childrens Concert on May 3, when Calvary was filled with
children in a production narrated by John Hale.
We said a
reluctant farewell to Michele and Steve Wogaman, although Michele comes back
from time to time, and we welcomed Cassandra and Steve Brosvik and family.
As to what
I do . for six days a week , I continue to try to balance a vital music
program and all it entails with tons of other things: running
the food program; coordinating the volunteers; serving as board secretary for
the Help Ministries; composing and printing the weekly bulletins, the
newsletter, posters, and other mailings and chasing after people who dont
understand deadlines; coordinating weddings; coordinating the Lenten Series,
serving as cook, organ recitalist and troubleshooter; cooking lunches for
rector candidates; fighting with the computer and the copy machine especially;
cooking up jobs for others to do; and performing all sorts of janitorial tasks.
I even manage to practice now and then! The interim period has presented
special challenges of time, talent, and patience for me, and I thank all who
have made special efforts to be of help for the day to day operation of our
ministries. The involvement I have
every day with the people who have much less than we do is a never-ending
source of humbleness for me, and I am grateful that, through our many
ministries, we can make a difference for them. May we continue to be uniquely
supportive of each other and those to whom we minister. We live in challenging
times!
Margaret
Dickinson
The Childrens Choral Ensemble
This
group meets almost weekly at the end of the Church School hour. We sing four or
five times a year at the 11:00 service. We have contributed to the services on
such occasions as Palm Sunday, the Christmas Pageant, and the Institution of
the Rector. Our singers range in age from nursery to high school! We welcome
children of all ages to sing with us whenever they can.
Elyse Hensley
The Calvary Youth String Ensemble
Our group keeps growing and now includes at
least 11 young musicians. On some
occasions, we have participated in the service with our more advanced players,
and at other times, such as the Christmas Pageant and the 4:00 Christmas Eve
service, most or all eleven members of the ensemble have played.
I would be remiss if I did not recognize
Cassandra Brosvik as an additional leader for this ensemble. Cassandra is a wonderful musician and
teacher in her own right and she has been invaluable to me this past year. Having her here has enabled us to play some
more complex pieces with our advanced players.
I would also like to pay tribute to Elyse
Hensley, who has very often written out cello parts for us. All of the parents of these young musicians
should be thanked for getting them to lessons, making certain that they
practice, and getting them to rehearsals.
Our Calvary Youth orchestra has gotten better and
better! We have played a number of times, including the pageant and the 4:00
service on Christmas Eve, where everybody
showed up. Considering that the congregation only numbered 68 due to the
snow, these young string players and their parents made up a good percentage of
those attending. The Hensleys deserved the prize for effort, as they had 20
inches of snow and still made it! Musicians who have performed with us during
2004 include Mary Jane Booker, Alexandra Brosvik, Mary Gail Richardson, Anne
Richardson, Haley Hensley, Kelsey Hensley, Audrey Hensley, Rosemary Wilson,
McKenna Webb, Katherine Gruneisen, and Elizabeth Walton. We keep growing and
improving.
I like to think that we are contributing to
Calvary's mission to "make a joyful noise unto the Lord." Judy
Pease Wilson
FLOWER DELIVERY
There are currently 24 families involved in the flower delivery
ministry. We are very grateful to each of them and would love to have any
others who are interested. If you speak to any of the current deliverers,
you will hear them say it is mostly a very rewarding experience.
Currently these people are delivering flowers after the 11 o'clock
service: Nancy Anderson, Nick and Susan Baker, John Bugbee and Huyett
Hurley, Sandra Cherry, John Cunningham, Art and Jean Dietz, Beverly Dugan,
Larry Frederiksen and Anne Marie deZeeuw, Dean and Linda French, Marshall
and Whitney Hardy, Michael and Elyse Hensley, Barret Hill, Ralph Hirsbrunner,
Shirley Leach, Ted Mussler and Louisa Henson, Alex and Mary Redden, Ruth
Robins, Harold and Marion Six, Harvey Turner, Clyde Warner, Ken Wempe, Robert
and Norma Weaver, and Judy and Rosemary Wilson. If you would
be interested in joining this group, please speak to either Mike or Wilma
Wilson. You only deliver the flowers two times each year in
addition to helping with the Christmas poinsettias and the Easter lilies.
Mike and Wilma Wilson
USHERS
Thanks to all of you who served as ushers and as
alternates in 2004. Due to attrition,
most of our four-person teams were short handed this year. Fortunately, others from the Congregation
volunteered to fill in as needed. I was
pleased that several new members of Calvary served as ushers and that several
of our youth participated (Thanks Brennan, Sarah, and Britt). If any of you would like to try your hand at
ushering please contact me.
Jerry
Lyndrup
TAPE AND WORD MINISTRY
The year 2004 marked the 22nd year of the
Tape Ministry. We have distributed over 1,957 tapes to people who are not able
to attend Calvary for reasons of absence or illness. We also tape all weddings,
funerals, and baptisms and give them as gifts to the families involved. We also
have a duplicating machine, and are able to make copies of services. Just bring
us a tape, and we'll do the rest.
The sermons are a weekly offering on our web page and are also available
in printed form at the west end of the nave. The current Calvary Connection is on the web as well, and past editions are in
the library. Bookmarks describing our many Calvary programs are also available,
as well as bulletins (that seem to be mini newsletters each week!) from way
back up to the present.
As stated, we continue to tape each service. You are
invited to check out tapes of services back to 1981, if you wish! We are very
grateful to Joyce Tichenor, who has taken on the monumental task of cataloging
and rearranging service tapes clear back to 1981. In addition, she has cleaned
up and catalogued all of the bulletins, and continues to monitor those each
week. (They are now all in the library bathroom!) You can also check out books in our library. Do remember,
however, if you check out a book, to return it!
Margaret Dickinson
|
|
ANNUAL REPORT TO THE
CONGREGATION: ACOLYTES 
The acolyte program continues to prosper, despite the lack of
seniors in the current lineup. Bedrock
performers like Tori Long and Haley and Kelsey Hensley are anchoring nearly
every 11:00 service, with regular participation as well by Mary Jane Booker,
Griffin Brown, Audrey Hensley and Rosemary Wilson. This solid experience base has helped sustain the program, and
its contribution to the Calvary experience.
With the installation of Father Morris, acolytes are eagerly adapting to
new leadership and service routines, and looking forward to renewed recruiting
efforts and training opportunities.
The usual two-team structure is still in
place, following the rotation that suits most participants best: serving every
other week. The heroes who serve every
week simply belong to both teams.
Levels of participation and enthusiasm remain solid, and with these
factors at work, proficiency has advanced.
Acolytes can still plan their service with a
frequency and choice of specific dates that best meet their needs. Some serve
every week, some once a month, and anywhere in between. The schedule is composed every quarter to
take on the latest preferences, and avoid conflicts. It balances the number of people slated for each service, and
gives a basis both for bulletin listings, and for regular team reminders. We are now at the stage where all serving
acolytes have access to email, so Saturday reminder notices to the next days
team are an integral part of our routine.
Charts are posted in the vesting room each
Sunday morning that lay out individual acolyte positions in the procession and
roles during the service. Last-minute
decisions on who does what only need to be taken when changes are needed to
cover absences or unscheduled add-ins.
Acolytes have taken on the full range of
their traditional roles and responsibilities.
Processing with the full appropriate range of celebratory gear,
deploying to help people move in and out of the chancel and sanctuary during
communion, and participating in special services are some of the ways acolytes
have worked to enhance their contribution to the dignity and order of the
liturgy. As we are able to resume
regular practice sessions, we can expect to polish our performance.
Feedback from parents and other parishioners
is as critical as ever. Suggestions,
ideas, recollections, and reassurances that have come from so many sources have
been a welcome affirmation that people care what acolytes do, and see their
contribution as a meaningful one.
Most of all, acolytes continue to enjoy the
satisfaction of playing an important part in worship. In its essence, acolyting is a coming-of-age thing. These are people who are learning the
liturgy first-hand, committing themselves to helping smooth its practice, and
making themselves active participants.
This is a group, in short, from which the Calvary congregation can take
justifiable pride.
Thanks, everyone, for all the wonderful
support this past year. See you in
church.
Respectfully,
Dorn
Crawford
Altar
Guild
The
Altar Guild is responsible for preparing the Altar for Communion for each
Sunday service. This includes purchasing and arranging flowers, sweeping and
dusting the Altar area, and setting out the instruments of Communion for each
service. The flowers donated by the
congregation are selected and arranged by the some of the Altar Guild team
members while other members go about the business of preparing the Altar for
Communion.
Two
members of Calvarys 2004 Altar Guild could no longer serve on the committee,
Michele Wogaman and Ruth Robins, but we were blessed with two new members,
Roberta Dickson and Mary Fewell. The other team members are Lea Davis, Corky
Sachs, Hildegarde Temple, Nancy Anderson, Glenna Harris, Meg Scharre, Deborah
Stewart, Kathy Hendon, Larry Brown, and myself. With a new rector in place (praise be to God!), a few changes may
be in store for us in 2005, but they will all be good. One suggestion made by
Father Ned is to have more than three members to a team. Sounds good anyone
want to sign up? Call me.
I
want to thank all of my Altar Guild members for all that they do and assure them
that neither I, nor Calvary, could manage without them. Thank you and God bless.
Lynne Lyndrup, Chair, Altar Guild
LAY READERS MINISTRY
PURPOSE
At the core of the Protestant movement,
historically, was the belief that lay persons should have access to both the
liturgy and the scripture in their own language. This belief is reflected in the language of The Book of Common Prayer:
In all services, the entire Christian assembly participates in such a way
that the members of each order . . . fulfill the functions proper to their
respective orders, as set forth in the rubrical directions for each
service. For the service of Holy
Eucharist, lay readers are specified for the two lessons preceding the Gospel,
and for the Prayers of the People.
GENERAL GUIDELINES AND
PROCEDURES
Formal
organization and scheduling apply only to 11 oclock readers; selection of
readers for the earlier services is done by arrangement with regular attendees
of those services.
Draft
schedules covering roughly half of the church year are distributed near Advent
1 and Pentecost. Readers may request
changes before the final schedule is printed.
If a schedule conflict arises later, one of the co-chairs should be
alerted as early as possible, so that substitute readers may be found and
correct names may appear in the bulletin.
The
first name listed reads the lessons, and the second reads the Prayers of the
People.
No
special garb is required for lay reading.
Choir members who read usually just wear choir vestments. Members of the congregation are welcome to
simply walk forward from the nave for reading.
If the (non-choir) reader wishes to be part of the procession, however,
the appropriate dress is black cassock and white surplice, and a supply of
these is found in the acolyte vesting room on the second floor. It is helpful if readers planning to walk up
from the congregation make their presence known to one of the co-chairs before
the service.
Readings
should be prepared in advance. It helps
to own a Prayer Book and a copy of Eucharistic
Readings. For listeners to
understand the lesson, the reader must understand it, so if you do not, consult
with the rector, or someone else who is knowledgeable about the scripture.
Read
clearly and plainly, with appropriate emphasis. Do not rush; do not drag.
Try to tell a clear story or make a clear argument.
Scripture
readings are open on the lectern from the start of the service. It is a good idea to carry the bulletin
insert with you, to double-check where you start, and as a back-up in the event
(which has never happened!) that the lectern book is turned to the wrong page;
but you will find it easier to read from the book itself, as the print is
larger and it tells you what to say before and after the reading.
For Prayers of the People, the reader needs to pick up the card listing people to be prayed for, from the small bulletin board opposite the kitchen, and prepare the Prayers with names inserted in appropriate places. (A copy of the card is also on the lectern.) Items from the Anglican and Diocesan cycles of prayer are usually read at the beginning, and places to insert names of the sick and the departed are fairly apparent. In Rite II, the lay reader is given more latitude in arranging the insertions; however, it is best to avoid (in Forms III and V) inserting names at the end of a petition, when the congregation is expected to respond. The reader carries a Prayer Book to the lectern. The form and page numbers for the Prayers should be announced in Rite II, but NOT in Rite I, where the service is continuous.
First-time readers should familiarize themselves with the lectern a week or two before they read. There is a footstool you may choose to stand on or to push aside. The sound system is activated by pulling the switch toward you AND directing your first syllable straight into the microphone. The co-chairs are happy to walk you through any of these procedures.
GREETERS
A friendly group of parishioners are
part of the greeters ministry. They
arrive 20 minutes before the 11:00 Sunday service, don a greeters badge and a
smile, and welcome you to Calvary. They
can be found at the main entrance and the north entrance of the church. If you are new to Calvary they ask you to
sign the guest register so that you may be sent a card acknowledging your
presence and inviting you to worship with us again. If you are a regular member, you are also welcomed with a good
morning and a handshake. Greeters also
remain after the service to invite worshippers to coffee hour. It takes only a few minutes to be friendly
and welcoming, but may make a lifetime of difference to those who enter our red
doors. If you would like to be a part
of this vital and worthwhile ministry, please contact Sandra Cherry, chair.
CHALICE BEARERS AND LAY EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS
The Chalice Bearer cycle is from the Second
Sunday of Easter through Easter Day. During the 2004 cycle, the following
persons served as Lectors/Chalice Bearers at the 8:00 service:
Carla McCarty,
Willem Wiese, Terry Williams. At the 11:00 service, Chalice Bearers included:
Sarah Baker, John Cunningham, Art Dietz, Mary Fewell, Beverly Haverstock, Lynne
Lyndrup, Meg Scharre, Don Snow, Clyde Warner and Judy Pease Wilson. We were
delighted to have their services at the Altar Rail and in the Nave. The Chalice
Bearers also chaliced at special worship services, including the Celebration of
the New Ministry of Ned Morris.
During the same
period, Jim Barnes, Art Dietz, Carolyn Snow and Ned Reiter served as Lay
Eucharistic Ministers, taking Holy Communion to several confined or
hospitalized members of the congregation. Jim Barnes continued as
Lector/Chalice Bearer at burial services during the year. Carolyn Snow and Jim
Barnes served as substitutes when needed as well as schedulers and coordinators
of the program.
Jim Barnes and Carolyn Snow
PEW MATERIALS COMMITTEE
This committees duties
include making sure pencils, prayer cards, and Welcome to Calvary brochures are provided in the pews, and keeping
the rack at the rear of the church supplied with Calvary Connections, church history, booklets, information, and
tour brochures. We will be working closely with the vestry and Father Morris as
new materials are generated, rethought, and published.
If anyone has any suggestions that they feel might
fit in with this committee, please contact me. Thank you.
Larry Brown
CARE
SENIOR
WARDEN
In reviewing the events of this past year, I can
truthfully say that it has been a year of peaks and valleys. At the beginning of January, we were
anticipating the arrival of a new Rector only to find out that he would decline
the position in early January. This
dilemma led to re-convening the Search Committee to once again begin the Rector
search process. As we now know, the
Holy Spirit had someone else in mind for us.
My thanks to the Search Committee and to Chairperson Sally Reisz for a
job well done.
At the Vestry overnight in February, the
Vestry prioritized programs, activities, and events that would allow
parishioners to enjoy fellowship with other parishioners other than on Sunday
mornings. It was decided to form foyer
groups, a book club, continue with the softball team, and to have an art
fair. Except for the art fair that is
scheduled for sometime this spring, all other planned events and/or activities
have been implemented and are ongoing.
The spring of 2004 brought with it the sad
news that our Vestry Secretary, Ginger Grizzle, was terminally ill. The outpouring of love and concern for her
and her family during the last weeks of her life, once again, demonstrated the
character, strength, and resolve of this congregation. May
Ginger rest in peace and may light perpetual shine upon her.
Where would we be if it had not been for
the leadership and dedication of the Reverend Richard Humke? In April, the congregation of Calvary
Episcopal Church showed their esteem and love for Father Humke by presenting him
with a new car. We were truly blessed
by Father Humkes steadfast commitment to seeing us through the search for a
Rector.
In June, the Vestry called Jonathan Edward
Morris to be its 16th Rector.
Ned accepted and Calvary welcomed the Morris family on October 1st. As Senior Warden, it has certainly been a
pleasure getting to know Ned better and working with him over the past few
months. Under his leadership, I feel
certain that Calvary will grow spiritually and our congregation will grow too.
In July, the congregation honored Margaret
and Melvin Dickinson for Melvins 25 years of service as Calvary Volunteer
Choir Director and Margarets 40 years of service as Director of Music,
Outreach, and Communications. The
congregation, through a parish wide appeal, presented them with luggage for a
trip to Germany at an anniversary reception prepared by the Hospitality
Committee. Thanks to them and a stellar
choir, Calvary continues its outstanding music tradition.
During the past year the Investment
Advisory Committee and the Vestry have worked together to set up a repayment
schedule for renovation monies borrowed from the Endowment Fund in 1998. An amortization schedule for the loan
repayment was developed and payments back to the Endowment Fund began in June
2004. Upon the recommendation of the
Investment Advisory Committee, the Vestry voted to pay off the Parker Hall
construction loan with funds that were in the Parker Hall Endowment Fund #6. In July, the loan of $194,736.24 was retired
and the balance of $5,654.87 was deposited into the Endowment Fund #1 account.
During the past year, the Vestry discussed
the present condition of the Churchs physical plant, only to discover that
there were structural issues that needed to be addressed immediately. One such issue was that the stones on the
building needed to be re-mortared. This
project was started in late October at a cost of approximately $57,000.00 and
is still underway. Only after the water
leaks have been repaired can the much-needed plastering and painting projects
begin. Any financial support toward the
major maintenance of the Church would be greatly appreciated. If you are willing to financially help with
these projects, please contact Father Ned or the Vestry.
My report would be incomplete if I did not
take this opportunity to thank the dedicated staff and the many volunteers who
have helped to keep Calvary on course during the past year. They have assisted me in many ways this year
and for that I am most grateful. I
would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Vestry and the
congregation for putting their trust in me to serve as their Senior
Warden. It has truly been an honor for
me to serve you in this capacity and one that will not soon be forgotten. Thank You! Art Dietz, Senior Warden
JUNIOR WARDEN
What a busy year it has been at
Calvary Episcopal Church! We started out with the news that our search for a
new Rector would continue. How can we ever thank the Rev. Richard Humke for
remaining at Calvary for nine more months this year after he thought he was
finally going to be able to really retire?
His commitment was one of the many blessings we received this year.
Dick's spiritual guidance and practical leadership were invaluable. Through the efforts of our devoted,
dedicated staff, Music/Outreach/Communications Director Margaret Dickinson,
Director of Christian Formation Callie Hausman and Bookkeeper Susan Watts, the
day to day operations of Calvary and its programs continued uninterrupted.
Despite our continued state of flux, much was accomplished by the
Vestry this year under the able leadership of our Senior Warden Art Dietz. At
an excellent Vestry retreat at the All Saints Retreat & Conference Center
in February, the vestry and staff charted a course for Calvary which
demonstrated the dedication and vision of the lay leadership of our parish. We
reviewed the bylaws, redesigned the committee structure with liaisons to the
Vestry for each committee, and set a few attainable goals for the year, most of
which have been accomplished. Our parish life was enhanced by another season of
Calvary Chosen softball, a successful Foyer program of informal gatherings of
small groups of parishioners, and a book club was formed. New Marketing &
Public Relations, Newcomers and Diocesan Relations Committees were created.
Marshall Hardy & Clyde Warner were appointed as co-chairs of the Audit
Committee.
Calvary's Vestry and Investment Advisory Committee took a hard look at
the finances of the church this year and the Vestry adopted a plan to repay the
monies from the Endowment Fund which were used for major renovations of the
church plant in the 1990s. The Vestry
continues to look at ways to fund our operating budget through pledges and to
wean ourselves from a dependence on Endowment Fund income. With major
maintenance being a constant issue in a fine old church such as Calvary, the
Vestry authorized a long overdue tuckpointing, or remortaring, project which
will then make it practical to repair the damaged plaster in the interior of
the church. While the Endowment Fund, created by gifts from past parishioners
and others, is truly a blessing for Calvary, we need to use the fund wisely and
within strict guidelines so that this special place can continue to be
preserved and improved for future generations.
The major blessing of the year was the arrival of our new Rector, Ned
Morris, his delightful wife, Ellen, and two precious sons, Halstead and
William. Ned has demonstrated a warm
and caring approach to getting to know each and every member of Calvary and
learning what makes Calvary the unique community of faith that it is. He has confirmed, in his short time with us,
that we are in the hands of a superb spiritual leader who will challenge us all
to grow in faith and carry the message of Christ into the world. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Ned
during the final quarter of 2004 and look forward to a new year which will
bring more blessings to Calvary than we can even imagine.
The Holy Spirit was definitely at work at Calvary Episcopal Church in
2004, albeit sometimes in mysterious ways!
I appreciate the opportunity to have served as your Junior Warden this
year. As I have said before, it was definitely a faith strengthening experience
for me. I look forward to serving the
final year of my Vestry term and to many more years among the
"people" of Calvary Episcopal Church through whom the Holy Spirit is
obviously working on a daily basis.
Sally Reisz, 2004
Junior Warden
2004 CALVARY SEARCH COMMITTEE
The Calvary Search Committee resumed its work in January 2004 after
receiving news that a call issued the previous fall could not be accepted. This
wonderful group, having already spent almost a full year at the process, simply
took a collective deep breath, said many prayers and went back to work. That continuity was invaluable in making
this year's search as efficient as possible. Each member added his or her own
unique talents to the group but with a common desire to do what was best for
the future of Calvary Episcopal Church.
Jim Barnes, Anne Marie deZeeuw, Art Dietz, Downey Gray, Lynne Lyndrup,
Meg Scharre, Jeff Webb and Michele Wogaman are to be commended for agreeing to
extend their commitment until the search reached a
successful conclusion and a Rector was found for Calvary. John Bugbee, who had chaired the committee
most ably the previous year was unable to continue serving since his consulting
business had taken a back seat to his almost
full-time volunteer job and needed his undivided attention. He also had some family commitments to which
he needed to tend. We all owe him our deepest gratitude for the wonderful job
he did which laid the groundwork for a smooth search process this year.
After comprehensive interviews and visits to a number of candidates, the
Calvary Search Committee made its recommendation, as charged by the Vestry, at
a special Vestry Meeting held June 12.
The result was the issuance of a call by the Vestry to The Reverend Jonathan Edward "Ned" Morris, the then
Associate Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, Virginia. The call was accepted on June 15. It is with great pleasure that I can report
that Ned Morris assumed his duties as Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church on October 1 and was instituted as its 16th Rector in a beautiful service
held at Calvary on December 10, 2004.
Sally Reisz, Chair
BOOK AID
Calvary members, the Buechel Woman's Club, and friends have helped us with a total of 2,420 books in 2004. (Your special help obtaining 1,100 new children's books for the House of Ruth helped enormously. These 2,400 books were delivered to: St. John's Center, a homeless shelter; Wayside Christian Mission, a homeless shelter; Glade House, for male HIV patients; House of Ruth, for women and children with HIV or Aids-related problems; and to other men suffering with Aids. The Seamen's Church Institute has moved its receiving depot to Paducah, so we unfortunately have had to drop them from our giving. Since Book Aid of Calvary's inception in 1990, our grand total is 32,513 books. Thank you, Calvary, for your great support! These books mean a lot to our clients, and there is no doubt Book Aid is a vital part of Calvary's Outreach Program. I'm told our clients light up when they see our books out on a table. David Webb, Chair (wdavid178@aol.com)
CALVARY BOOK CLUB
The
Calvary Book Club (CBC) was organized in November, 2004. Its first chairperson
is Lavinia Swain. The club meets on the fourth Monday of each month in Parker
Hall at 7:00 p.m. There are currently ten members, and new members are welcome.
The CBC has met twice. The first book reviewed was The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, and
the second was The Rosewood Casket by
Sharon McCloud. The January selection is A
Taste of the Sweet Apple by Jo Anna Holt Watson of Louisville. The CBC has
very few rules and regulations it is extremely flexible, with no rules as to
the type of book to be reviewed. Each months reviewer (a voluntary position)
may choose the book to be reviewed, and may or may not provide refreshments.
There is a discussion period following the review that tends to be wide-ranging
and very interesting.
Corky Sachs, filling in for Lavinia Swain, who is out of town
BREAKFASTS AT CALVARY
As
of September 2004, the breakfast contribution to the Calvary Food Closet is
$1,184.27 from 17 breakfasts, or $69.66 per breakfast. Seventy dollars to the
food closet can make a lot of people happy through the gift of food and caring,
and that same happiness is given to our wonderful Calvary family, the
gifts of caring and sharing each Sunday morning as you greet each other and
enjoy our prepared breakfast. The cost of the food and our time is our gift to
Calvary.
The
breakfast really has a life of its own: Our family time spent preparing the
meal for our Calvary family, welcoming everyone each Sunday morning and seeing
your smiling faces, enjoying the family time with each other while eating
breakfast. We really look forward not only to the food but more importantly to
the warmth of the fellowship. And for everyone who enjoys the breakfast we
enable another family through your donations to the food closet to enjoy food
and the warmth of family and fellowship. Thank you!
Laina
Brown (with Griffin and John)
PARISH LIFE
At
the vestry retreat in February, 2004, the committees of the church were
restructured somewhat, and the former PPV (Personnel, Planning, and Volunteers)
no longer exists. The Parish Life
umbrella encompasses those programs of the church which broadly have a social
or fellowship component. Laina Brown
and Sandra Cherry are the co-chairs of the Parish Life Committees and report
directly to the vestry the activities of these committees.
SOFTBALL
This past year was Calvarys second in the Diocesan
Softball League. Lasy year, you may
recall, we came in last place in the Episcopal League, but we were proud of our
spirit, fellowship, and fun; not to mention our large trophy! This past year, the Episcopal League joined
other metro leagues and played all games at Tom Sawyer Park. They provided
umpires, line coaches, and scorekeepers for a hefty registration fee. We studied a 100-page rulebook for our coed
recreational team (which in a nutshell had the men bat off-handed and genders had
to alternate placement, and homeruns became anathema after the first one). We got rained out every Sunday the first
month, and had to double up and sometimes triple up the rest of the season. We actually won one game this season, but didnt get any trophy. We did have a lot of fun, and certainly
represented the church showing good sportsmanship. So that another Episcopal-Lutheran Church would not have to
forfeit a game due to lack of female participants, we lent two of our very best
players who donned their tee-shirts and helped them win! Speaking of tee-shirts, we sold over 50
Calvary shirts this year to help defray our registration costs. They were proudly worn by our ever-faithful
cheerleaders and friends. Thanks to
Alex Redden for coaching. Sandra Cherry
Foyer Groups
Foyer
Dinner groups at Calvary began for the first time last April and ran through
October with 40 people participating.
Historically, the concept of foyer groups began in England after World
War II when Anglican Churches needed to find a way to rebuild a sense of
community and fellowship following the ravages of war and the rebuilding
process. At Canterbury, fellow
clergymen met for dinner to discuss how to get their churches to gather for
dinner and fellowship, and hence a movement was born out of this ne
ed. In this
diocese several Episcopal Churches have formed foyer groups to respond to the
need of food, fun, and fellowship. We
had 40 parishioners gather in our Phase I groupings, and have 47 parishioners
and friends signed up for Phase II. We
began this past Friday, January 14th, with a kick-off dinner in
the Parish Hall. We were assigned our
color-coded groups (red, yellow, blue, green) and met and scheduled our
gatherings at our rotating hosts homes for the future months. All groups should be finished by June or
July of this year. Most groups had the
pot-luck format. Discussion at dinner
was usually lively and sometimes of a political nature. A great time was had by all!!
Sandra Cherry, chair
BURIAL GROUND
If
a parishioner is interested in learning about the Burial Ground, there are
brochures available in the church office and in the tract racks on the west
wall of the nave. This explains the policies and procedure for interment of
ashes.
Although
we have not had an interment since 2001, like any cemetery or burial ground,
this dedicated area must always be well maintained put of respect for those
interred.
The
money in the Burial Ground account, which comes from donations or money prepaid
by those arranging interment, is spent for maintenance. Fairleigh Brooks, whose
company is called Sundog, has been paid $370 from this account, and that
covers May through November of this year. The account is rather low ($224), and
needs contributions, especially since one of the holly bushes looks poorly
and may need replacement. I thank all those who have shown interest in and
served on this committee.
Whitney Hardy, Chairman
CRISIS CARE
During
the past year, Nancy Anderson and Jean Dietz have functioned with a very small
committee. Therefore, Crisis Care meals have been limited to people who are
truly in need. At Jeans suggestion, she contacts the church office every Wednesday
to find out who is in the hospital or otherwise in crisis. Jean then has sent
notes to people or called upon Nancy or others to deliver a meal, if that is
the appropriate response.
The
main goal is to keep in touch with members of the congregation who are
suffering or lonely. Wont you please join us as we endeavor to hold this
wonderful group of people called our church family together through this time
of crisis for all of us?
Nancy
Anderson and Jean Dietz
OUR REFUGEES
THE SHERIFI FAMILY: As you all know, Calvary adopted a
Family from Kosovo on September 3, 1999. The report booklet for 1999, as well
as various Calvary Connection articles, contain detailed descriptions of the arrival of Ridvan, Maki, Dita, and Teuti Sherifi and the
contributions of more than 65 Calvary parishioners as we settled them in their
new country.
The year 2004, therefore, marked their fifth complete year
in Louisville. We celebrated their fifth anniversary last September with a gala coffee hour hosted jointly by the
Sherifis and Lou Henson, who continues to have a close relationship with the
family.
LILAMANI PERERA: Lilamani cant exactly be classified as a refugee! (She
has always eluded classification!) As you know from
the summer of 2003, Calvary was responsible for procuring and furnishing an
apartment for Lil. Subsequently, however, it was deemed best for her to return
to Sri Lanka to be with her family. That was accomplished, and she was very
happy to be back, after some 30 years in America.
Recent events with the Tsunami have made drastic changes in the lives of the
Pereras, although they themselves survived, as did their homes. Our prayers are
with them all.
Margaret Dickinson
BUILDING,
HOUSE, and GROUNDS
Previous
annual reports for House & Grounds have highlighted major and not-so-major
active projects and other projects that were still in the planning stages. We are pleased to report that some of these
projects were completed in 2004. Thanks
to Will Carys guidance, the remaining roof leaks have been repaired. Over the past several years roof leaks and
deteriorated mortar have allowed water to enter the interior of our facility,
resulting in extensive plaster damage.
More about that later. Water
during heavy rain has also been a problem at the back entrance of our Third
Street property. That problem was
corrected in 2004. While we are on the
subject of water, several plumbing problems were addressed this past year,
including the kitchen rinse station and malfunctioning lavatories.
We
also created a pedestrian-friendly walkway for the north side entrance by
striping one parking space. Our Grounds
Guilds efforts to fill in the triangular garden on the North side with more
perennials had mixed results. For some
mysterious reason, one entire section died off late in the season. The spring cleanup effort by our volunteers
really helped spruce up the grounds. Our
church grounds also require regular maintenance such as mowing (done by Leroy
Malone, our loyal church custodian), weeding, trimming, leaf removal, etc. This maintenance is difficult for our
volunteers to manage, so we hired Fairleigh Brooks to provide this
service. He already performs these
tasks for our Burial Ground.
As
with your own homes, various areas of the building require minor repair or
replacement. It seems as soon as we fix
one or two items, two or three more come to our attention. The furnace, a broken window and some pews
were fixed this year. We hope to get
ahead of these smaller projects in 2005.
Thanks for your suggestions and patience.
We
have begun the final phase of tuck-pointing the church. We started later in the season than we would
prefer, so it may be spring before the work is completed. After that, we can work on the plaster
damage in the Nave, Chancel and Parish Hall.
Thanks
to all of you who pitched in to keep this beautiful facility and grounds in
pretty fair shape. We look forward to
working with you again in 2005.
Jerry
Lyndrup
INTERCESSORY PRAYER
The Calvary Prayer Committee, otherwise known as the Intercessory Prayer Group, has this year lost two members and gained three, ending the year with 19 members. The group has received seven new prayer lists throughout the year, with numerous updates to individuals' prayer lists between new editions of the prayer list and letter, Praise, Prayer, Thanksgiving. The contents of this letter are prepared by Carla, and include poetry, prayers and essays on prayer, meditation and related subjects.
The
group functions by praying daily for those people which are listed on each
members personal prayer list. As time permits, notes are written to prayer
recipients as well. Group members are anonymous, and the group does not meet in
terms of any outer meetings. The members meet every day in the House of Prayer
that exists wherever and whenever we take a moment to pray.
Requests
for Intercession may be passed through a Calvary staff member, or you may
contact Carla directly to ask for prayers. Her numbers: carla.l.rueckert@llresearch.org for
e-mail, or 502-2456-6495 for telephone or fax. This list is not the same as the
Parish List which is read in Services on Sunday. As Chairman, I would like to
express heartfelt thanks to all prayer group members for devoted service in
2004.
Carla McCarty
CALVARY
HOUSEKEEPING COMMITTEE
The duties of this committee revolve around spanning
the gap between Calvarys excellent cleaning service and the hopes of the
parishioners and staff to present a hospitable, neat and welcoming Calvary
Church to the world when we open our doors. The goal is to offer a clean
kitchen that is user-friendly and a tidy, neatened church with its resources
well stored and ready to use. To that end, we do a lot of dishes, scrub a lot
of cabinets, and hang a lot of clothes!
We
had a good work day mid-year and cleaned almost half of the kitchens many
cabinets and drawers. The remainder of these spaces was finished up by the
committee, and the cabinet under the sink was repainted. Clothes closet storage
has been updated and hanger storage revamped, so we believe the upstairs clothes
storage areas are functioning well at holding clothes until they are needed in
the North Entry. This committee also washes any kitchen linen that is not
picked up by Laina and John Brown as they work in service offering parish
breakfasts. I have prepared a full report for the Vestry, including
suggestions for re-organizing a few of the kitchen cabinets for more efficient
storage of often-used items.
I am resigning as of this report as Chair of this
committee, turning over the service to two able volunteers,
Martha Edling and Steve Shelton, with many thanks for taking over these duties.
I hope they will enjoy the work as much as I have these last ten years! Many
thanks to Joyce Tichenor, Melissa Thomas, and Gary Bean, who have faithfully
cleaned and neatened for Calvary in 2004!
Carla L. Rueckert McCarty
HABITAT
FOR HUMANITY
In
2001 and 2003, Calvary participated with several other Episcopal and Lutheran
churches to finance and build Habitat for Humanity homes. Ascension Lutheran has served as the primary
sponsor and will again for the Lutheran/Episcopal team in 2005. Ordinarily each participating church is
asked to raise $2000+ to finance the $25,000 required by HFH from participating
organizations. HFH also provides funds
for each project.
IN
2003, almost $900 in proceeds from the Lenten Lunch Series was donated for the
home Calvary parishioners helped build. This coming year, the entire
Lutheran/Episcopal contribution will be funded by a generous bequeath from
Ginger Grizzles estate. Ginger was a
very active team member and supporter of HFH.
We will miss her very much, but we know that she will be with us in
spirit when we begin this wonderful outreach project in early September.
Jerry Lyndrup and Jeff
Webb
EDUCATION
CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Calvarys Christian Formation program invites children and youth to
participate in the stories and lessons of the Christian Faith. Classes are offered for persons whose ages
range from infancy to adult. All
classes meet from 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. on Sundays, with music rehearsal for
children and youth during that time.
Throughout the year the Christian Formation teaching staff supports the
students in fulfilling their baptismal covenants through instruction and
guidance on the Scriptures, Sacraments, Liturgy, Church History, Prayer, and
Community Building. Lessons are taught
through story telling, Bible study, hands-on activities, discussion, individual
and group projects, intergenerational activities, celebrations, etc. Our mission is to create a lifelong desire
in the hearts of our young people to serve God by following the teachings of
His Son Jesus Christ. Students learn
about fellowship with their church friends and how to live Christ-centered
lives.
The teaching staff for the fall included: Darlene & Jake Clay in
the Nursery; Gail Richardson, Stephanie Walton, Tessa Long, and Kathy Booker in
the Preschool/Primary Godly Play Class;
Kate and Carrie Crawford in Intermediate; Franklin Starks, Suzie Egger
and Jim Hill in the Youth Class; and
Fr. Morris leading the Adult Forum. Elyse Hensley is the Childrens Music
Ensemble Director, accompanied by Will Cary and Margaret Dickinson, and Judy
Pease Wilson is the Childrens String Ensemble Director. Dr. Carl Hausman is the Family
Librarian. Many other people contribute
to the mission of Calvarys Educational programs and we appreciate everyones
participation!
Throughout the year we had approximately 60
children and youth who participated in classes and/or special events such as
the Christmas Pageant. During the summer we offered Godly Play classes for children, led by Gail Richardson. We also offered a special four-week series
on paper-making under the direction of David Webb and Martha Edling. Special events continued with the tradition
of the Advent Event, Lenten Event, Easter Celebration, and the Childrens
Ensembles singing or playing at various services, including Palm Sunday and the
Christmas Pageant. The String Ensemble
played Christmas carols at the Episcopal Church Home, too. Several new events
included a special Easter egg hunt/activities/luncheon for Calvarys children,
as well as for children from the Center for Women and Families. This fall, we had an intergenerational
activity related to Every Member Canvass called The History of Calvary.
The
annual Christmas Pageant included over 30 children and youth who participated
as cast members, musicians, and readers. We thank all those who took part
and/or assisted to make the Pageant such a success.
Callie Hausman,
DCF
YOUTH GROUP
Throughout the year the Calvary Youth Group participated in service and
entertainment events. Some of the
highlights included participating in and contributing to Kids Caf, and The
Episcopal Church Home Christmas celebration.
Thanks to Brenda and Steve Shelton, Will Cary, Jeff Webb, and Franklin
Starks, our youth leaders, for their devotion to Calvarys youth members! CH
HTTP://WWW.CALVARYEPISCOPAL.ORG
Since
March 2003, we have had well over 9000 visits to the website. The website is a
quick way for you to get up-to-the-minute news about Calvary Church and the
Calvary congregation. Links take the visitor to current Sunday service
bulletins, bulletins and programs for special services, current Christian
Formation schedules and study guides, vestry minutes and activities, special
events, information regarding our new rector, and news and events related to
the Episcopal Churchlocal and national. The sermons page has links to Fr.
Morris sermons by title/date and a link to archived sermons (parts of which
are still under construction). The website may also be used as an avenue for
e-mailing staff, program heads, vestry members, and Episcopal
congregations/rectors elsewhere in the Diocese and the nation. We hope the site
is helpful to our Calvary Family.
Jim Barnes
CALVARY
CONNECTION
The CALVARY CONNECTION operates by committee! The
Editorial Board determines what will go into the next issue, and who will do
it. To Margaret Dickinson falls the task of putting it all together and running
it all off. We are grateful to Jim Barnes and Ned Reiter for proofreading, and
to Walter Morris for dealing with the sometimes finicky post office! With the
help of a digital camera, we can now insert pictures directly into documents,
and try to meet the challenges of the computer world in facilitating our work.
Now if the present copy machine were even adequate, we could be more proud of
our finished product! ON MY WISH LIST: A NEW COPY MACHINE that reproduces
pictures so you can recognize the people, and an even wilder wish, a machine
that folds and staples, too! Can anyone help make these wishes come true?
2004 marked the seventh year that we printed the
issues according to the liturgical year. The newsletters, therefore, did not
come out monthly, but were produced seasonally. This system has worked well,
and we intend to keep that format. Observing deadlines has ranged from angels
like Downey Gray always being early all the way to those who habitually are
always late. (I will have mercy and not name them!) Putting the newsletter
together is really a very time-consuming deal, and I appreciate those who
respect the deadline as a necessity for sanity and efficiency.
We would like to thank the people who help put the
newsletter together for mailing - they are affectionately known as "The
Assembly Line." Bill Adams, John Cunningham, Jim Barnes, Joyce Tichenor,
Downey Gray, Barret Hill, Larry Brown, Suzanne Long, and others have assembled
the newsletter in 2004. I would especially like to recognize the members of the
Editorial Board, who meet before each deadline for brainstorming sessions to
formulate each issue. They are: Downey
Gray, Barret Hill, John Bugbee, Sally Meigs, MLD, Deborah Stewart, Jim Barnes,
and Fr. Morris. Other writers and program heads who have consistently
contributed articles in 2004 include Callie Hausman, Art Dietz, Sally Reisz,
and the Rev.Richard Humke.
For the CALVARY CONNECTION to function as a source
of church news, and as a sounding board for Calvary members, we must continue
to pursue comments and contributions from all parishioners. Our goal is to be a
network and conduit of information; a newsletter for, and by, every member of
Calvary. Many people have said that our newsletter is one of the best in the
Episcopal Church - and it is certainly unique. We are proud of that
designation, and will strive for even better excellence in 2005. Our newsletter
is also a chronicle of Calvary history. Issues dating back to 1993 are
carefully preserved in the library, thanks to Joyce Tichenor. They make for
good reading, and help to create a Calvary profile. Check them out! We also
have a CONNECTION link to our website.
Margaret Dickinson
OUTREACH
