Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Glory Be To Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!
I want to thank all of you who attended the Annual Meeting today and for all of you who reviewed the reports posted online.
Today’s meeting was very productive, positive and sets a new standard for how we meet as a parish. The presentations by Michael Smith, Matthew Redard, and Maureen Jury as Council members were outstanding. The new parish council organization and ministry structure presented at the meeting will help us work more effectively, being more accountable to each other while involving more people who wish to participate in the five ministry areas set forth by Metropolitan Jonah: Finance, Charity, Education, Youth, Seniors and Mens and Women's Ministries. Many thanks also to all those who presented reports at the meeting
We welcome our new parish council members: Josh Trant, Hugh Cole, Clay Gaspard and Vladimir Grigorenko. We say thank you to Deacon Gregory Conley who, with his ordination, will step down from his council duties and assume his new role as a deacon.
The 2010 Cathedral budget was passed. No pay raises were given and generally the budget is conservative but with increased giving we will be able to look closely at projects such as the exo-narthex expansion, dome cleaning and resurfacing, expansion of current hall fellowship space.
In speaking this evening to His Beatitude, who called me to find out how the meeting went, I was pleased to share with him my positive reaction to the deliberations. He is looking forward to being back in Dallas in January and to work with the new parish council as we implement the Master’s Plan in 2010 and continue the good work started in 2009.
God bless all of you and may we finish 2009 gathered as community in worship in celebration of the Birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Archpriest Joseph Fester
|
August 22
The SSOC Youth Group hosted coffee hour on Sunday to raise funds for youth projects. The Coffee Hour raised $248 which will be MATCHED by a parishioner. So the Coffee Hour raised $498!!!! Because the kids were busy getting pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon ready they missed the prayer for the start of the school year. So, while they were cooking, Father Joseph and Deacon Gregory brought the prayers to them!!!
|
