At our retreat in January, your vestry set goals for 2018. One of the priorities we identified we call “listening to the body;” by which we mean listening to the body of the church, listening to the congregation, listening to you. We are focusing on this priority by devoting specific time during each vestry meeting to discuss comments or questions that have come to us as vestry members. We have also set up a “vestry table” in Sydnor Hall after the Sunday morning services. While we always welcome your comments and questions on any subject, we have selected specific topics that we hope you will explore with us.
During the month of February our selected topic was accessibility and barriers at St. George’s. Thanks to all of you who responded, both at the table and by engaging in conversation about the topic with vestry members where ever you encountered them. You provided us with a wealth of information! The list of responses was posted behind the vestry table during February and they are now being shared with the staff.
Some concrete issues, such as improving signage, can be addressed almost immediately. Other barriers, such as architectural changes, will take outside expertise, time, and money. This is an excellent time to identify those barriers, because we will be considering how to mitigate them as we move forward with plans for our capital campaign in 2019.
Some of the intangibles listed, especially in the area of worship and the area of leadership, provide us with topics for deep thought and discussion. The first step was bringing these topics to the table. The next step will be to provide a forum for listening to each other and discerning how to address these stumbling blocks. I look forward to our taking this next step together.
In March the topic of conversation at the Vestry Table will be buildings and grounds. What solutions do you imagine to some of those physical barriers you identified in February? What would you like to see us doing with our buildings and grounds? What dreams do you have for our physical space? The sky’s the limit. Talk with us about buildings and grounds.
—Ethel Hellman, Senior Warden
I would love for us to work on renewing the prayer garden outside the library and at the end of the side courtyard. There are still a few old herb plants and small bushes but it is in need cleaning up / trimming, adding herbs and shade loving plants and mulch and perhaps labels. It has become a place for smokers and others who leave trash and cups and butts. We might want to add a sculpture or two small and clean our benches periodically. We also need to repair the back steps to the library.
I would also like to see us have smoke free grounds at all times so that no one has to enter our building through smoke or see butts lying about. It will not hurt the smokers to have to do without for a few hours while using our building.
Thank you for the feedback, Sandy! We will pass this on to our vestry.
I am an 80plus year old parishioner with COPD. I can manage the steps from Princess Ann with the help of the bannister. Parking is the problem for me. I try to come to 7:45 because I am certain of a parking space in front of the church. But I miss our wonderful music and would so like to return to 11am service. Seems the folks who attend 10am enjoy coffee hour and are still using the handicap spaces when I have arrived for the 11am service. Maybe we could get more handicap spaces – even marked handicapped parking only after 10:30.
Thank you.
Thank you, Georgine. Parking is definitely a concern for many. Thank you for sharing your perspective. We will pass it on to our vestry.