It happens every January at the annual meeting: there is an election to fill the seats of outgoing Vestry members. This year, we will elect four people for three-year terms, and one person to complete two remaining years of an existing term.
The four Vestry members who will leave after serving their terms are Ken Cook, Joanne Heaton, Martin Heggestad, and Knut Hill. Lizbee Collins-Wildman will be leaving at her request after one year of her term due to a scheduling conflict that affects her ability to serve.
The Vestry is the thumping heartbeat of the church, the place where the business life and the spiritual life of the place meet. The oversight of the health of our beloved place happens there.
Our five departing members have each contributed something special to the body as a whole, each bringing gifts to the table. How, then, do we find people to replace them?
Once, when tasked with finding the readers for the Passion the week before Palm Sunday, I had found all but the person to read the part of Jesus. During church, I looked around the sanctuary, into each face, and my gaze lingered on each one. An older man–yes, he would be good. A mom with kids in tow–yes, she would be good, too. How about the teen slouching in the back? Yes, I saw Jesus there, too, and one by one, I saw Jesus in each person in the sanctuary that day.
And now, we are looking at you and asking, “Would this be a good person to run for Vestry? Is this a person who loves this place, loves our mission, loves God?”
Like finding Jesus in each St. Clarian, there is a Vestry member in each of you, too. Please pray about this, and see if you can see the Vestry servant in yourself. And if you see the servant in a fellow St. Clarian, ask if they, too, would consider serving by standing for election.
When you discern the call, when you can see yourself as a Vestry candidate, please talk to Senior Warden Knut Hill, or to Junior Wardens Linda Klimach or myself.
Like the hymn, we can say,
Here I am, Lord
Isaiah 6, Dan Schutte, b. 1947; (c) 1981, Daniel L. Schutte and New Dawn Music
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord,
If You lead me
I will hold Your people in my heart.
In God’s love,
Kathy Daly, Junior Warden