TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTSAnnual Meeting Agenda2Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting, January 26, 20203St. Augustine’s Bishop’s Committee and Delegates to Convention5Organizational Chart6Senior Warden’s Report7Junior Warden’s Report8Chaplaincy Report 9Vicar’s Report11Treasurer’s Report15WorshipAltar Guild16Pastoral Care16Music17Office AdministrationOffice17Stewardship17Fundraising Treasurer’s Report on Fundraising………………………………………………..18Craft Fair 19Garden Tour19Hospitality GroupWelcome House Meal Team19Gardens /Landscaping20Annual Meeting Agenda Via ZoomJanuary 31, 2021Opening Prayer The Rev. Beth ShermanCall to OrderCarolyn Davis* Approval of the Minutes of the 2020 meeting* Bishop’s Committee Nominations and Elections* Treasurer’s 2020 Report and 2021 Budget-Vicki Escalera* Photo Review of 2020 Closing Prayer – The Rev. Beth ShermanSt Augustine’s Episcopal ChurchMinutes of the Annual Parish MeetingJanuary 26, 2020Forty-four parishioners signed the attendance sheet.Opening Prayer The Rev. Elizabeth Sherman offered the opening prayer at 10:48AMCall to Order Carolyn Davis, Senior Warden then called the meeting to order. She thanked our clergy team of Vicar Beth, Associate Priest Susan Stiles, Deacon Rob Izzi, and Retired Deacon Gail Wheelock for their many hours of service to our parish. She also commended our office administrator, Cheryl Petrosinelli for all the work she does.Minutes from the 2019 annual meeting were presented for approval. Marianna Richardson made a motion to accept the minutes, Dwight Giles seconded the motion, andit was unanimously approved.Nominations. Carolyn introduced the current Bishop Committee and thanked them for serving. Mary Walsh has completed her term. Annette LaRosa and Patricia Steere-Fox were presented as nominees for Bishop Committee Members, Carolyn Davis was presented as a nominee for Senior Warden, and Margaret Rostrup was presented as a nominee for Clerk. Carol Miro and Bonnie Sardinha, were presented as nominees for Convention Delegates, and Susan Brown and Kathie Gibson were presented as Alternate Delegates.Richard Youngken made a motion to accept all the nominees, David Masse seconded the motion, and it was unanimously approved.Treasurer Vicki Escalera presented a slide show that provided a synopsis of the Treasurer’s Report and Financial Section of the Annual Report. Operating revenues exceeded expenses by $17,390 and exceeded the budget due to higher than expected pledge income, very good results from fundraisers, and lower-than-budgeted expenses. The balance sheet total assets decreased by $15,635, primarily due to unexpected capital expenditures. We expected to spend $30,248, but actual expenditures totaled $52,662. We were able to make several major unplanned repairs without incurring loans. Consequently, the Bishop’s Committee plans to rebuild capital funds in 2020 by postponing some capital projects that are not immediately necessary.Fund-Raising Ideas Carolyn asked parishioners to list fund-raising ideas on the postedsheet. Carol Miro said she will be taking orders for Valentine’s fudge. She will make and distribute the fudge and will donate all proceeds to St. A’s. Peg Rostrup mentioned that the RI Guitar Guild would like to continue to rent our church for future concerts and are also willing to do a benefit concert for Rhody Outpost. Judi Betty stated that the annual yard sale is scheduled for May 2, 2020.AnnouncementsJudi Betty mentioned that we will need homemade cookies brought to church on February 10. The cookies will be wrapped and given to the Grad Village and possibly Welcome House as a Valentine gift.Carol Miro asked for a moderator for the Lenten Friend Program.Beth Sherman will be taking beekeeping classes. She also mentioned that on the first evening of Lent we will have a speaker come to talk about bats.Kathie Gibson reminded people that the paper plates have a plastic coating on them and cannot be recycled. After the existing stock of paper plates has been used, we will only be using washable/recyclable plates.On March 21st, Ms. Spears of the Narraganset Tribe will give a talk on The Great Swamp and the waterways, including our backyard White Horn Brook, which flows into The Great Swamp.2019 in Pictures. - Beth presented a slide show of the events that took place at St. A’s during 2019. The slide show will be uploaded to our website.Closing Prayer – The Rev. Elizabeth ShermanRespectfully submitted,Margaret Rostrup, Clerk of the Bishop’s CommitteeSt. Augustine’s Bishop’s Committee and Delegates to Convention(Terms expire at the Annual Meeting of the Year Indicated)2020 OfficersRector: The Rt. Rev. Nicholas Knisely Vicar: The Rev. Elizabeth ShermanSenior Warden: Carolyn Davis (2023) Junior Warden: Roy Heaton (2022) Clerk: Margaret Rostrup (2023) Treasurer: Victoria Escalera (2021) Assistant Treasurer: Jane Grenier (2022)(non-voting, B.C. Appointee)2020 Nominations for OfficersTreasurer: Victoria Escalera (2024)2020 Bishop’s Committee MembersJane Bates (2021)Annie Kammerer (2021) Annette LaRosa (2023)Patricia Steere Fox (2023) Dwight Giles (2022)Richard Youngken (2022)2021 Nominations for Bishop’s Committee MembersAnnie Kammerer (2024)Jacqui Kelley (2024)2021 Nominations for Delegate to ConventionBonnie Sardinha (2021)2021 Nominations for Alternate Delegate to ConventionZeke Olsen (2021)2020 St. Augustine’s Bishop’s CommitteeSenior Warden ReportCarolyn DavisDear Friends,Wow, what a year. I think back to the March Bishop Committee meeting that was full of campus ministry activities, community and URI groups using our building, all kinds of fun fund-raising events (example, music concerts), plans for Lent and Easter week – all with just a little uncertainty about this new coronavirus 19 that was in the news. Even after the shutdown, we had a small hope for Easter but certainly planned on being back in church by Christmas. Time proved us wrong. But time also proved the resiliency, the creativity, and the closeness and caring of our St. A’s community – starting with our Vicar Beth, Rev. Susan and Deacon Rob, our staff Cheryl and Rod, the Pastoral Care Team, the Bishop Committee including our Assistant Treasurer, the office volunteers, the altar guild, the gardeners, and the highly creative “crafts-y” ladies and men who put together all kinds of sales and auctions. As the news of the horrible disease and racial injustice swirled around us, we learned to use this thing called Zoom, livestream on Facebook and YouTube, make and wear masks, use a lot of hand sanitizer, and find ways to connect and “see” one another. Words like “virtual,” “COVID processes,” “bubble,” and “social distancing” crept into our everyday conversations. I added new folders to my BC stack labeled “digital ministry” and “COVID rules.” We even learned not to hug each other when gathering in person – that is really tough for our group! We suffered some heartbreaking losses – Mimi, Deb and Bob – and could not give our usual support to their families. When our friends and family incurred illnesses, we were unable to visit hospitals or give comfort and aid in our normal ways. We miss terribly our family and friends, especially those living out of state. But as I look back on this year, I feel so grateful for this community. Your generosity and hard work is amazing. We also had a late surprise from the diocese that our Treasurer described as manna from Heaven! See Vicki’s report. Our Jr. Warden had his usual busy year taking care of our buildings and grounds, and then became our digital expert. He and another parishioner spent hours of research and “rehearsals” to determine the best equipment and apps to do our livestreaming. Rev. Beth came up with all kinds of ways, including various forms of social media, to give us comfort and keep us connected. I’m sure outside summer services will continue to be in our future. The outdoors Christmas Eve “Living Nativity” under our new pergola, with the organ music floating out to us through the open windows, was so much fun and so special. We have seen our country go through terrible divisiveness, economic turmoil and heartbreak. We are facing one of the most difficult and dangerous times in our history. So, we are starting 2021 with caution but with hope. We are uncertain what our daily and church lives will be like but hope that we will be able to do some “normal” things soon. We have much work ahead of us to remake our church life and to provide aid to our communities. But I have found that I have weathered the news and my fears, by reaching for the emails, livestreams and zoom meetings with the St. A’s community. Thank you, all, for being there. Wishing you blessings, good health, love, and virtual hugs,Carolyn DavisJunior Warden ReportRoy HeatonAnother busy year! Vicarage roof We started off with the vicarage roof being completely replaced on new year’s eve, 2019. A job that we were fortunate to get done when we did. We still had the problem of the chimney bricks and mortar being porous, such that in heavy rain and wind, water leaked down along the edge of the chimney, into the ceiling over the stairway, and then down inside the ceiling to where it dripped through from the low point in the ceiling, onto the floor of the entryway. The contractor came back and applied some caulking, but said that the final fix would have to wait for a warm spell, which didn’t arrive until May. So, Beth lived with a leaky ceiling, and in late April, she noticed mushrooms growing out of the edge of the ceiling boards next to the chimney. After some debate, we hired ServPro to come and rip out the ceiling boards with water damage and signs of moisture, which they did in early May, and cleaned up the area well. We left that area open for air to circulate and the moisture to dissipate for the next few months. The roofing contractor came back and sealed up the chimney bricks in late May, and we haven’t seen any leaks since then. In October, Patty Steere and I spent some hours putting in new insulation and replacing the ceiling boards. Some cosmetic caulking and painting remain to be done, but otherwise that job is done. Drainage! There were lots of outdoor issues, and Annie Kammerer can comment more on them. I’ll just note some of the things I dealt with. Drainage, in particular. In rainy weather, and continuously from December through about May or June, the wetland area off to the side of the vicarage and up-grade from the garage fills up with water. The soil gets saturated with water, and then drains through the stream continuously for months. And the stream isn’t the only drainage path; little springs open up in the area between the beehive and the garage shed when there’s a lot of water in the wetland, and these drain into the stream, but may spill onto, or pass through the floor of the shed on the way. So, I spent a lot of time and effort digging drainage channels to allow this water to reach the stream without reaching the shed or garage first. It was in September that I completed the work, greatly helped by the fact that we had an awful drought this year. There is now a French drain along the side of the shed facing the beehive. So far, so good, but, I’ll be paying a lot of attention to this area for a long time to come. More drainageAt least twice this year, we had such heavy rainfall that a torrent of water came down from the parking area on Bayberry, ran down the brick walkway, then into the parking area stones, where it cut a deep erosion channel, and moved a lot of stone down to the edge of Lower College Rd. It was a lot of work moving the stones back and filling in the channel. In the next few years, I’m hoping to find a more stable surface to replace the stones. Stream Area This past year, Hiroko spent a great amount of time and effort cleaning out the brush in the soft/damp areas near the stream, where she planted a number of shrubs – azaleas and other things, I’m not sure what. She can tell us about it. She also spent time and effort digging out the stream bed and stabilizing its banks, to encourage the water to move on through. Hiroko and I both battled a knotweed insurgency; there was a large amount of knotweed coming in from the adjacent property which had been overrun. We will be dealing with that for the foreseeable future, unless the neighbor takes drastic action. We also attacked bull briars and poison ivy in certain areas. Falling Botanical Debris It seems that we’ve had an inordinate number of strong wind/rainstorms over the last couple of years, and I’ve cut up a lot of fallen limbs and dragged them away. And I’ve had help; Diana and Leland recently cut up some trees and limbs that come down earlier in the Fall. Those fell during a particularly strong storm that brought down (finally) the leaning dead tree on the edge of our lot that has been worrisome for me for at least a couple of years. Hiroko has also been cutting up and hauling away smaller trees and limbs for months, too. This year I started a new brush pile at the very bottom corner of our lot, where it is not visible unless you are looking for it. A much larger brush pile had accumulated over the years, right on the edge of the lawn, and was not the least bit attractive. This past summer, Vicki and Dwight kindly hauled it away. The area looks a lot nicer now. Pergola I should also mention that the pergola was constructed in December, but I had little to do with that project. Rich Youngken had the inspiration, and he did the legwork to make it happen. Thank you to Rich. Technology for virtual services We made some progress in doing virtual church services via zoom and youtube. The narration of this story could go on for a long time. I’ll spare you all the details and just mention that Janice Arrigan has been instrumental in finding the method we are using now, which seems to be OK. To this end we purchased a videography kit with a good quality microphone designed for use with iphones or android devices, plus an iphone8+. We have been using these for the past few youtube livestream services. Janice personally donated several of these items. We also purchased an amplifier/loudspeaker system that will have plenty of volume for indoor or outdoor services, and will work with a variety of microphones as well as any Bluetooth device. We’re not using it at the moment, since we have no gatherings of living people, but will probably use it in the future, when we need amplification of a reader or speaker. Finally, we need new windows in the vicarage. I’ve been going back and forth on this issue for years. This past Fall, Beth reminded me that many of her casement windows are hard to open, and impossible to fully close, so I tried to get them back in service by planing down the sticking edges as I have in the past. No such luck. And the sliders on the sides of the building have been troublesome all along, so, I concluded that it really is time to replace them. I let the Bishop’s Committee know, got general agreement, and started meeting with windows contractors. I met with four contractors, and have gotten three price quotes, and am waiting for the fourth. I suspect that we will choose the 3rd contractor, based on price. All were good. The total price looks to be in the vicinity of $20,000; we will have to discuss the options and details within the bishop’s committee in the coming months and I hope to see the work done later this winter or in the Spring. Roy HeatonChaplaincy ReportThe Rev. Beth ShermanNeedless to say, 2020 was a tumultuous year, and it started with a bang! In January, we hosted over forty of the Women’s Track Team for a hearty meal. The next week, I attended URI’s 3rd annual Food Summit. The invitation came from Sharon Pavigano, who works at the URI Foundation, but whose heart is with the issue of food insecurity on campus. Sharon has been a great partner, connecting St. A’s, the URI food pantry site, to our URI farms, and Hope’s Harvest. Those connections enable us to add fresh produce to what is provided to our weekly Rhody Outpost clients. Sharon made sure that we were on the list to receive USDA food boxes that were split up and shared with the students connected to the food pantry. A couple of us nominated Sharon for the MLK Jr. award that the chaplain’s present at the annual MLK Jr. luncheon. Sharon won it, hands down. And she deserved it. Later in January, parishioners helped feed lunch and dinner to the Sunrise group and their guests. They were providing a training for high school and college aged environmentalists. Sunrise became a fixture at St. A’s beginning in the fall of 2019. We are so glad. As January indicated, the theme of food and feeding lived on at St. A’s!The Coffee Lounge, held at the same time as Rhody Outpost, resumed after winter break. Free coffee and fresh baked cookies by parishioners provided an enticing stop for students who were heading in or out of the food pantry, and for anyone else that saw our sign out on the street. The Coffee Lounge enabled me/us to build relationships with students, particularly the residents at Grad Village, many of whom are international students far from home. Parishioners joined me to help host the Lounge on Friday afternoons. Through the years, St. A’s has worked hard to build relationships with students living at Grad Village, knowing that many are adjusting to a new life here, and most are living on limited stipends. At Valentine’s Day, we baked cookies for Grad Village residents, and right before Christmas, holiday sweet breads were made and delivered. Thank you, Judi Betty, for helping sustain these two Grad Village activities. Occasionally requests for particular items come from GV students, which we seek to be responsive to. I have forged a relationship with the Grad Village “house mom” who lives in an apartment on the premises. She has been a great contact, and a helpful conduit for sending around information about upcoming events, as well as circulating word of my availability as a sounding board or support to Grad Village residents, particularly as COVID dread set in.Our Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper became our February Feed a Friend for students. A couple of our Episcopal students accompanied me to the Avi Schaeffer Multi-Cultural Multi-Faith Dinner at Hillel. One of them helped lead the prayers that night. Later in the month, students and parishioners visited the Frosty Drew Observatory in Charlestown. I’m a member of URI’s Mindfulness Meditation planning group. The larger meditation group meets weekly and consists of faculty and staff. We met steadily throughout the pandemic. We have an ongoing presence at campus wellness events, in the hopes that students might be enticed to try meditation as a tool for dealing with the stresses and strains of student life. For Ash Wednesday, our St. A’s team was on campus with Ashes-to-Go from morning through noon. Our Relax and Refresh programs, aimed at students and parishioners alike, met in January and February: drumming and yoga offerings. Our student Bible Study resumed in February, and also included parishioners. Always a high point to my week! Then, the pandemic hit. We went to virtual worship only starting March 15th. Our student Bible Study went to zoom and has met faithfully, even through the summer. This group has become such a source of support and encouragement for one another as we mine the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel lesson. Safie Sagna, the site director of Rhody Outpost, kept the food pantry running solo, throughout the ups and downs of COVID, and moved it outdoors. She let her volunteers go, and the Coffee Lounge went on hiatus. During the spring and into early summer, URI was a ghost town. Most staff were allowed in their offices only one day a week. Some departments were closed down completely, maintaining their work virtually only. Others ran with a skeleton crew. Graduation was virtual, although I was pleased to see-beginning in June-students with caps and gowns posing for photographs on campus. That made my heart sing!In September, classes resumed in person, at least partially, but fewer students were living on campus, and there was still a “ghost town” feel to the place. As I walked around masked, with my two dogs and my parrot in tow, students were adhering to the rules, and not congregating. A good thing, but such an oddity on a usually thriving campus. Once again, I was aware of how we were all trying to reinvent the work we do. My improvisation? I found two yoga teachers to offer classes outdoors on our beautiful acre of land. These classes were free to students. The student orientation crew came through with new students and did a socially distanced walk on our labyrinth. The Mindfulness group was a part of the zoom fall wellness gathering, as usual. Relax and Refresh started up again in September with an outdoor Native American flute concert, attended by parishioners, students, and faculty. Having been deeply disturbed by the serious opioid crisis here in Rhode Island, I took the Narcan training offered by one of the pharmacy faculty. In October we offered an outdoor Sound Healing. Twice in the fall, our outdoor adventurer’s group went kayaking. Kayaking trips almost always include students and other young adults. In September, after church, a handful of us made a Grab-n-Go lunch for students. We did this again November 1st, but this time offered a hot meal, and targeted Grad Village, and handed out the meals at the Grad Village complex.The Coffee Lounge rose up in September like a phoenix from the ashes. Safie asked the students what they would like from us, and we learned this: more baked goods and more fresh produce. So, since the beginning of school this fall, parishioners have baked, I have procured produce, and I have been present on Friday afternoon to share those items and to offer hospitality, with COVID restrictions in place. Safie and I are the only staff present. Volunteers have not yet been welcomed back, due to the pandemic.In December, we collected money and bought toiletries, bagged them, had bountiful bakers make holiday cookies and bagged those, thus offering both practical items and a stash of goodies as holiday treats for the Rhody Outpost students. The multiple bags brought great delight!Although COVID precautions and restrictions dictated much of what we were able to do in 2020, we refused to let it zap the chaplaincy of its mission. The people of St. A’s continue to embrace this ministry-their ministry and mine…OUR ministry-with gusto, enthusiasm, and abundant grace. God’s name be praised!Vicar’s ReportA Year in the Life…from Vicar Beth ShermanIn January, we burst forth as if shot out of a cannon! The year began with a sizable crowd of 35 present for a Kundalini Yoga workshop on January 4th, held in our worship space. Mughi Smith was baptized on the first Sunday of Epiphany season. The 8am service was reconstituted, taking on a once-a-month configuration. Annie Kammerer provided a beautiful Folk Dance workshop, mid-way through the month. January’s Relax and Refresh, a part of the chaplaincy efforts, was a powerful Drumming Circle, led by Pat and Bonnie Sardinha. The congregation helped feed over 40 of URI’s women’s track team members during Jan term break. Rhody Outpost was in full tilt in January, during Jan term, as was our Friday afternoon Coffee Lounge. Bonnie came in on Wednesdays to help with the Sunday bulletin. Annette was in the library reorganizing books. The Sunrise environmental group continued to find a home at St. A’s. For their large January training, we provided both lunch and dinner for participants. In February, we baptized Jaxon Nardolillo. Our choir sang us into Epiphany season. Our Relax and Refresh program for February was an hour of Gentle Yoga. Valentine’s cookies were made for Grad Village residents, and bagged after church. February’s Feed a Friend doubled as our annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, as we prepared to enter the Lenten season. On the last Sunday in Epiphany, after church, we decorated devotional candles. That day, the Sunday School kids, who are led by Roy, Sue, Eric and Nancy Lee, enjoyed seeing the palms burned into ashes in preparation for Ash Wednesday. Our campus Ashes to Go went well, thanks to Abbey, Nancy Brown, Carol Miro, and Deacon Rob Izzi, as did our “in church” Ash Wednesday services. On a very cold Friday night in late February, three carloads of us went to the Frosty Drew Observatory in Charlestown. What extraordinary sites we saw in the night sky. Little did we know what awaited us a few weeks hence.Bishop Knisely made his visitation on Sunday March 1st. During his Q and A after the service, he began to talk about a new virus. That day, Rhode Island’s first COVID case was diagnosed. Not to be slowed down by that looming threat, we kicked off our Wednesday evening Lenten programs with a delightful presentation by retired URI professor Peter August, who gave a lecture and slide show on the life and habits of bats. The following Wednesday, a team from the Chariho Youth Task Force presented. They movingly spoke about the opioid crisis amongst young people in Rhode Island. By mid-March, the lockdown was beginning. We were facing a different kind of crisis. March 15th was our final “in person” worship as we settled into the new COVID reality.Life carried on, even in the face of the lockdown. Our administrator Cheryl Petrosinelli and I kept the parish office open throughout. Jane Grenier continued to be present on Mondays, keeping the books and paying bills. When it became safer, Amy and Michaela returned to count. And Roy Heaton, our Junior Warden, was around as buildings and grounds issues popped up, which they invariably do. Our Sunday morning study group, which mostly explores theological books, moved to Friday mornings at 11 on Google hangouts. Our Bible Study, for students and parishioners, moved to zoom. In response to the COVID crisis, Carol Miro let go of the usual newsletter format and began sending daily Soothings and Funnies, which helped lift our spirits. I began offering Compline on Wednesday nights at 9pm on our Facebook page. Likewise, I began doing daily poetry readings to help feed our souls. For fun, we had a COVID Haiku project. Our monthly Pastoral Care team meetings transferred to zoom. Zoom became St. A’s new best friend, as new paradigms for our life together took shape.Our church bells were rung two times in 2020. The first, on the sad day that we reached 100,000 deaths from COVID 19, the other, when Representative John Lewis of Georgia died.In March, I crafted a new labyrinth sign, in hopes that some of the pandemic walkers out on Lower College Road might be enticed to come in. Many did avail themselves of our stunning labyrinth, which in spite of the pandemic’s onslaught, was lovingly tended by our gardening team. Roy and I installed the student constructed bat houses. Dennis McLeavey was the force behind our beautiful acre of land being designated as a nature habitat. Judy and Diane Landry joined me in training to become bee keepers, and St. Augustine’s acquired its first bee hive in April. Our little garden of Eden, already a blessing to many of us, became even more important in our life and in the life of the larger community.Sadly, thanks to COVID precautions and the lock down, our worship team needed to shrink from Susan Stiles, Gail Wheelock, Rob Izzi and me to Rob, Rod, Mary B (for a time) and me. A special thanks to Susan, who in those times when I was away, covered both liturgically and “on call”, humorously threatening her famous bat should something dire happen! Many thanks to the entire clergy team of Susan, Rob, and Gail for all that they do for us, and to Rod, whose jazzy renditions of hymns always lifted our spirits through these hard times. From mid-March through the end of May, we streamed our Sunday service at 10am on Facebook live. Holy Week was a challenge, the Easter Vigil in particular was a comedy of errors! Nonetheless, through all of this and into Easter season, we just kept plugging along. At the end of May, we changed from Facebook to Zoom worship. Dwight Giles was a key player in this endeavor. And starting July 1st, we regathered in person for a weekly Eucharist outdoors, which was live-streamed on our own YouTube channel. Many thanks to Patty Steere, Roy, and Carolyn who worked with me to make sure that we created a safe environment for us to worship together. Patty continued to check that the spray-painted x’s for socially distancing were readable throughout our time outdoors. Thank you to Rod, who hauled his keyboard from Lincoln every week to enable our worship to be lively and uplifting. Thank you to Amy, who “womaned” the card table, signing attendees in so that we had an accurate contact tracing list. Fortunately, that list was never needed. Many thanks to Roy and to Janice Arrigan, who took over the role of filming the services for YouTube. We averaged around 25 at these outdoor services. Kudos also to the Altar Guild members, who had to traverse stairs with handfuls of liturgical items so that we could worship outdoors with all of our needed accoutrements. Worshipping outside further ignited our love for our wonderful property.In July, Jessica and Doug Wilson opened up their gorgeous back yard for a COVID sensitive Garden Party. The Christmas Fair leaders dreamed up the idea of a COVID style Christmas Fair, offering themed tables of wonderful items to purchase after church on Sundays. Much gratitude to all who made this work. They arrived early and left late every Sunday. The Christmas wreath makers prevailed, in spite of COVID! Online auctions abounded. We held a Virtual Rock-a-thon fundraiser, as well. What ingenuity in the face of this crisis! Well done, everyone. In the spring, we lost Mimi Barnes and Deb Savasta, beloved members of our community. We will celebrate their lives when we are on the other side of this pandemic. This is COVID at its most painful-not being able to grieve with each other. Determined in the face of these challenges, we marked the 2019 death of Sean Tully with an outdoor memorial service in late July, which was beautifully orchestrated by Amy, and reflected who Sean was with such grace and beauty. The styrofoam collection project happened later in August, thanks to Kathie Gibson’s faithful initiative and her indomitable helpers. Our outdoor lover’s group took a moonlight kayaking paddle at Barber Pond, on an evening late in August, although the moon was only a dream! In September, we lost Bob Richardson, after his many years of courageously battling Parkinson’s. Gathering once more outdoors, we feted Bob. Symbols of his life were shared. The butterfly garden was in full bloom that day. We reveled in the beauty of our acre of land as we celebrated his life. Throughout the summer, Hiroko dug and planted, dug and planted, dug and planted. And Roy just dug-deepening trenches for better drainage. If you look at Roy’s long list of challenges that cropped up in 2020, you will be amazed.Later in September, under the guise of our Relax and Refresh program, George Penedo gave a haunting Native American flute concert outdoors. September also marked the beginning of our Lawn Yoga classes, offered on Fridays in the early evening and late Sunday mornings. Both classes were free to students. In response to the wave of violence against Black people in our country, sparked by the death of George Floyd, we started a Thursday night Anti-Racism study group. Our first book was How To Be An Anti-Racist, by Ibram Kendi. This group continues to meet and focus on other justice related books. In mid-September, we offered a Grab-n-Go lunch which a handful of us pulled together after church. Meanwhile, the Coffee Lounge emerged with a new face. Parishioners baked cookies every week, I procured fresh produce from our URI farms and through our alliance with Hope’s Harvest, and provided a welcoming presence at Rhody Outpost on Friday afternoons to share the bounty. I look forward to the Coffee Lounge reconvening once more indoors, just as I look forward to you co-hosting with me again.That first Sunday in October was the feast day of St. Francis, typically a day to have an animal blessing. Our COVID solution was to invite folks to send photos of their animals, which were grafted into an altar “frontal”. Names of our animals were shared during the prayers, and Maverick, my new rescue dog, served as a proxy for the blessing of all of our animals. It worked well! Our October Relax and Refresh was a Sound Healing. In mid-October, the outdoor lover’s group took another paddle, this time on the Wood River. Bonnie Sardinha and I attended the virtual form of our Diocesan Convention in early November. On November 1st, we put together another Grab-n-Go lunch for Grad Village residents. November 1st was our first Sunday to leave outdoor worship and reconvene in the church. All Saints Day. That lasted only two Sundays and then our state’s COVID numbers sky rocketed. By November 15th, we were back to virtual worship only. Virtual worship took us through Advent, Christmas, and continues. It is yet unclear when we will be able to regather, in person.The diocesan clergy met regularly in a town hall format with Bishop Knisely and his staff. Our deanery clericus continued to meet, and a new South County Clergy Association has recently formed. The clergy have drawn closer over these many months, supporting each other and sharing ideas as we struggled to overcome the obstacles that social distancing and lock downs created for our communities, and for our worship.As the weather grew colder yet not too cold, children and teachers from the CDC across the street came over and walked our labyrinth. During November, we became more focused on the pergola project, hiring a company in Narragansett to assemble and build it. Thank you to Rich Youngken who spearheaded that effort. The work unfolded in increments. In December, our bakers made sweet breads as a holiday offering for Grad Village residents. Right before Christmas, as a part of our work with Rhody Outpost, parishioners donated money so that toiletry items could be purchased and made into holiday “goodie” bags. Our bakers made holiday cookies, too, which meant that students received both practical items and tasty treats to mark their holiday season. Many of the students are far from home. Those bags helped them tangibly, but also lifted their spirits.Later in Advent, we shared photos and stories about our home creches. Work on the pergola continued in December. The project was completed two days before Christmas Eve, thus providing the perfect backdrop for our Living Nativity, which took place at 5pm on Christmas Eve. Starved for humor and togetherness, starved to see some of our parish children, and starved to sing carols together, this gathering was just what we needed. Masked and distanced, we welcomed Christmas 2020 with laughter and glee! Many thanks to Diana Norton-Jackson, for playing the organ with church windows flung wide open. Our late evening service was beautiful, a more elegant celebration than the earlier one!This has been a year that we shall never forget. However, as I read through all that we did together this past year, I am struck by how we refused to let the pandemic stop us in our tracks. We were determined to keep doing ministry, with modifications as needed. And we did it! It took the strong leadership of Carolyn Davis, Senior Warden, and Roy Heaton, Junior Warden, and the members of the Bishop’s Committee to help lead us through all of the changes and chances of this past year. You gave financially, you gave through your prayers, and in your willingness to creatively and flexibly respond to one of the biggest challenges we have every faced. Thank you to Vicki, Jane, and Dick for helping us stay on course with our finances. To Jane Bates, who after two terms and completing someone else’s term, deserves to take a break from Bishop’s Committee! Thank you, Jane. And to Cheryl Petrosinelli, our admin, whose good humor and skill were and are invaluable. ALL of you contributed in ways that never cease to amaze me: Warm Shelter, Jonnycake, baking and donating to Rhody Outpost, making meals happen for students, and just how much you care and pray for one another. You did not let a global pandemic cow you in your endeavors to BE the generous people God has called you to be. As I hear stories about congregations dealing with abundant frustrations and pernicious backbiting around pandemic restrictions, I am so proud of our community, which in spite of the copious challenges has remained as strong and caring as ever. While COVID has been a looming force, we have refused to let it be the defining element in our life together. Well done, and THANK YOU, good and faithful servants. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!PARISH WORSHIP STATISTICS PLEASE NOTE that the numbers-except for deaths and marriages-are based on calculations for January, February, through mid-MarchTotal average attendance: 55Confirmations:/Receptions0Total in person Eucharists 31Deaths:3Total private Eucharists: 9Marriages:1Total weekday Eucharists: 1Total online Sunday services 24Total online weekday services 36Baptisms: 2Treasurer’s ReportVicki EscaleraSt. Augustine’s Church is blessed. Our financial health was good at the start of 2020 and, amazingly, we ended the year in even better shape with assets and fund balances of $298,113. Financial statements that show our 2020 numbers and the 2021 operating and capital budgets approved by the Bishop’s Committee appear in the attached supplement. A balanced operating budget was planned for 2020 with $155,500 in revenues and expenditures. COVID-19 disrupted our operations by the end of March, and we began to worry about the pandemic’s potential impact on the well-being of individuals in our St. A’s family as well as on several categories of St. A’s budgeted revenue. By May, the Finance Committee had developed a pandemic budget that envisioned ending the year with a deficit of $11,349 if we could shave some expenses and still hold our big Christmas Fair fundraiser in early December. This deficit would wipe out only two-thirds of 2019’s surplus and still leave us with $166,000 in unrestricted funds. The limited capital funds budget planned for 2020 stayed on track, growing to $26,765 by year’s end. Expenditures were limited to $5,960 for the balance due on the vicarage roof’s replacement in late 2019, and $4,710 in December to start the construction of a memorial pergola from new funds restricted for that purpose.When the federal government offered payroll protection loans to small businesses and not-for-profits, the principal of which would be forgiven if employees were kept on the payroll, we didn’t believe we could honestly assert that the church would be in financial straits without the loan. The Diocese and many churches in the Diocese did apply for and receive these loans. When the Diocese did not subsequently experience a major shortfall of income, it was determined to grant the loan funds it had received to the churches that had not received the federal “loans.” In November 2020, St. Augustine’s received a $20,500 check from the Diocese with no strings attached. This relieved any concern that we might end the year with a deficit. (See separate sections in this annual report on the fundraising results that were achieved even without our traditional Christmas Fair.)As it turned out, we would have ended the year with an operating surplus of $6,195 even without the check from the Diocese. This is a remarkable outcome that I credit to many others who did so much. The Vicar and staff worked to deliver services in new ways. Most parishioners were able to honor their pledges. No cuts occurred in the Diocesan grant to support the Vicar’s campus ministry or in the Diocesan Investment Trust’s payout on endowment funds. New kinds of fundraising efforts were supported by parishioners’ generous participation, and significant cost savings were realized from reduced building use, relatively mild winter weather, “doing without,” and the efforts of volunteers like Junior Warden Roy Heaton who performed myriad jobs that St. A’s would otherwise have to pay for. I am especially grateful to Assistant Treasurer Jane Grenier who does most of the hard work of bookkeeping, bill-paying, financial statement and audit preparation, and money management that make my job easy. My thanks go also to Amy Tully and Michaela Jacobs who prepare the weekly deposits; to former Treasurer Dick Hathaway who helps Jane and me with various financial responsibilities; to members of the Finance Committee who deliberate and propose budgets for Bishop’s Committee approval (Doug Wilson, Carolyn Davis, Roy Heaton, and Beth Sherman in addition to Jane and Dick); and to this year’s members of the Audit Committee who rallied quickly in late summer to meet the Diocesan reporting deadline despite the pandemic (Jessica Wilson, Roy Heaton, and Mary Walsh). WORSHIP Altar Guild Nancy GavittThe regular duties and activities of the Altar Guild were drastically reduced with church services being mostly virtual. We did continue with keeping the sanctuary candle lit, linens cleaned and pressed and floral arrangements placed in front of the altar. The Christmas decorations along the beam in back of the altar were arranged by Beth and Jane Bates. Deb Tanner decorated the Advent wreath that Margaret Moone prepared.Pastoral CarePatty Handley PierannunziThe pandemic has certainly put its stamp on the Pastoral Care Team this year. But we have met each month with our insightful guidance professional, Clare Sartori, who has provided suggestions on how to reach out in ways other than physical contact. We have discussed how to better listen to each other during times of stress and how to validate feelings of isolation, loneliness and uncertainty through remote communication, whether it be by masked and distanced conversations, telephone calls, text messages, notes, cards or even through the windows of our homes or front doors. Missing always has been the touch of a hand or an outright St. A’s hug of peace and love. Indeed, we have talked much about “hug hunger”. Also due to the pandemic we were not able to have the workshop on preparing for Death and Dying. We had arranged to have professionals available to talk about financial, emotional and legal preparation as well as wishes for celebrations of life. We have still yet to complete the final goodbyes for Deb Savasta and Mimi Barnes. And we hope to have this workshop available in the coming year, all depending on the arc of COVID. Pastoral care is ever present within our own small flock. When calls come in for food contributions, rides to appointments, prayers, help in fundraising, or whatever the needs are within our membership or from those we serve, the St A’s Congregational Relief and Rescue Team shows up. May God continue to bless us as we seek to uphold the spirit, soul and body in each of us. Members of the Pastoral Care Team:Mary B Hall, Roy Heaton, Nancy Lee Hampton Beeley, Ann Dunham, Bonnie Sardinha, Carol Miro, Patty Handley Pierannunzi, Susan Stiles and Beth ShermanMusicRod LutherTo say the least, 2020 was a very difficult year for St. A’s and for all of us. We miss our church choirand their harmonious voices as they have contributed much to our Sunday Services. Since Marchwe have tried to carry on with just piano and sometimes organ music to enhance the liturgy on Zoom and other platforms. Beth has been picking the hymns, and I have been attempting to find interesting and uplifting hymns and spirituals for prelude and postlude. At least we had some moments together during our outdoor services from May through October when I was able to provide some music for the Peace as well as during Communion. We hope and pray that things will improve sooner rather than later so the choir and congregation can return to the sanctuary. In the meantime stay safe and healthy.OFFICE ADMINISTRATIONCheryl PetrosinelliAmong the integral pieces of the website is the sermon page. Currently, the services are streamed live on You Tube and can be accessed by clicking on the link at the bottom of the home page. A pdf copy of the service bulletin continues to be posted on the “sermons” link. Beth’s colorful pictures are helpful in updating the site and providing a glimpse of the many activities that have taken place at St. A’s in spite of COVID. StewardshipVicki EscaleraWe kicked off the 2021 stewardship campaign/pledge drive in October, with the Vicar’s stewardship letter going out mid-month. Four parishioners gave stewardship reflections: Marianna Richardson, Jessica Wilson, Vicki Escalera and Kathie Gibson. All four reflections were moving, with each speaker interweaving personal stories with their reasons for giving time, talent, and treasure to St. Augustine’s. Actual for 2020 Submitted for 2021Operating PledgesCount: 48 47 Amount: $105,627 $105,360Average: $2,201 $2,242 Capital PledgesCount: 28 29 Amount: $14,122 $18,137Average: $504 $625 TOTAL AMOUNTS $119,749 $123,497TREASURER’S REPORT ON FUNDRAISING RESULTSVicki EscaleraThe pandemic required a shift in fundraising strategies, expectations, and sources of support. The initial budget goal of $13,000 relied primarily on St. A’s traditional big public events at the church that bring in dollars from the wider community (Yard Sale and Christmas Crafts Fair) and repeating some events for parishioners that were new in 2019 (Rock-a-thon, Garden Parties, and Silent Auction). The pandemic budget’s revised goal of $6,450 was built on the hopes we could hold some small virtual fundraisers during lockdown and COVID-19 would be tamed sufficiently by fall that the Christmas Fair could take place. The following report by Judi Betty and Carol Miro describes what happened instead. Thanks are due them and the dozens of parishioners who were donors, rocking chair enthusiasts, crafters, cooks, gardeners, organizers, sellers, cashiers, bidders, and purchasers. A net of $7,250 was raised (12.4% over the pandemic budget’s goal) despite no big events. Here’s the breakdown:Fudge sales in February (pre-pandemic) $85Rock-a-thon led by Beth via Zoom in July – net$835Wilsons’ Garden Party/Tour in August$400On-line Auction in September - net $1,906Perennial plant sales (9/6 table)$606Bulb sales - net (10/18 table)$271In lieu of Christmas Fair: $3,147 Handmade crafts table (8/30) $343 Baked goods & condiments (summer sales & 9/13 table) $433 Good-for-the-environment table (10/4) $191 Handmade crafts tables (9/20, 9/27, 10/25) $1,186 Wreath sales by pre-order $630 On-line auction in December - net $304 November & December mask sales $60Craft FairJudi Betty and Carol MiroThis was a strange year, but with a little ingenuity, we actually managed to pull it off. We started pre-COVID with a small Valentine’s Day Fudge sale (The Treasurer’s report will give the amounts we raised on each fundraiser) The annual yard sale that was scheduled for May was cancelled and it was pretty apparent that we would not be able to hold our usual Christmas fair in December. But in July a group of us met and came up with the idea of selling bazaar items each Sunday after the outdoor church service, each week having a different theme. Cloth masks were also available for sale every Sunday. Two online auctions were organized by Carolyn Davis and Patty Steere, one at the end of August and a Christmas-themed one at the beginning of December. In November we took online and phone orders for wreaths, and COVID again threw us a curve. Because of the “pause” our team of 6-8 wreath makers had to drop to 3 hardy souls who split the orders and got them made. Heartfelt thanks to Patty Pierannunzi, Jane Bates, and Deb Tanner who took the reins! Judi Betty and Carol Miro would like to thank Janice Arrigan, Jane Bates, Carol Berggren, Vicki Escalera, Nancy Gavitt, Margaret Moone, Diana Norton-Jackson, Patty Pierannunzi, Patty Steere, Deb Tanner, Beth Sherman, Mary Walsh, Kathie Gibson, Carolyn Davis for all their assistance and support. I think we can speak for all us in saying we are looking forward to a real Christmas sale next year!GARDEN TOURJessica WilsonJessica and Doug Wilson hosted a Garden Tour Fundraiser at their home on Sunday, July 19, 2020. To follow all the protocols, people could sign up to attend at 1 PM, 2:15, or 3 PM. Chairs were spaced and sanitized after each session; masks were required; and attendees enjoyed drinks from a cooler and homemade cookie kindly baked by some of the attendees. We were fortunate to have beautiful weather, and the occasion proved a lovely opportunity for visiting as well as enjoying the garden.?HOSPITALITY GROUPWelcome House Meal TeamJessica WilsonIn 2020 we had 11 members of St. A’s on this team.?For the first 2 or 3 months of 2020, we continued to provide actual food to Welcome House once a month. Two people per month would do this on the first Sunday.?After the pandemic hit, Welcome House requested financial donations instead of food. So for most of the year, members sent contributions. This was done individually and without any direct involvement from St. A’s. Members chose the amounts and we did not keep any centralized accounting. The donations I do know about were generous and I believe as a group we did fulfill our mission of support.?For 2021, we would again contribute by monetary donation, but using a different approach and coordinating more with the Bishop’s Committee and clergy. Some proposals from the Team include:?*One or more special collections per year for Welcome House, possibly in conjunction with a speaker from the agency at a Sunday service?*Discussing whether St. A’s would consider budgeting funds as part of this outreach mission—one idea being to match the amount raised in a special collection*Spacing any special collections out, so as not to engender “fundraiser fatigue”*Funneling any other contributions through St. A’sWhatever methods we work out for 2021, I remain honored and thankful to work with a team committed to helping the community in this way.??GARDENS/LANDSCAPINGAnnie KammererIn this COVID year, we did not have formal meetings; instead members (and others!) pitched in as they were able on maintenance (weeding, watering) with a special focus on preparing the grounds for memorial services. A few highlights:~ Hiroko continued her fearless efforts to clear the area of the brook that bisects St. A’s property and create a wetland garden, and planted several small shrubs in area near the stone fireplace, along with weeding ,transplanting, and pruning— sometimes with help of her granddaughter Emily. The area around the Memorial Garden was also tidied up considerably—and there is surely more! ~ Amy T. kept weeds at bay on gravel areas, as well as weeding to keep chaos at bay.~ The woodland garden was beautified: Roy did lots of cleanup, Vicki and Dwight removed the brush pile, and Diana and Leland cleared out fallen branches. ~ Several of us tended to the labyrinth which had a number of community visitors this spring and summer (encouraged by Beth’s welcome sign), and Gregor and Anniemulched there, as well as the Rose and Lantern gardens. ~ The butterfly garden flourished with very little fussing, and it was a joy when we worshipped outdoors to see butterflies enjoying the blooms; Kathy planted some more milkweed nearby; we will be on the lookout for monarch eggs on their leaves. The beehives add another dimension to the ecosystem of our beautiful acre. ~ Amy graciously adopted the idea of a pergola in front of the garage as a memorial to her son Sean and others who are dearly missed; thanks to the careful research and planning of Rich, it was fully constructed just before Christmas. ................
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