v Review and Approval of Minutes of 2010 Meeting– Rector
v Treasurer’s Report & Budget– Harold Stowe, Treasurer
v Vestry Elections–
l Nominating Committee Report
l Appointment of Senior Warden
l Appointment of Treasurer
l Four positions to be filled
v Convention Delegates 2012-2013
l Two positions to be filled and two alternates
v Written Reports– Rector, Associate Rector, Deacon, Rector’s Warden, People’s Warden, Hispanic Ministry, Communications, Acolytes, Christian Faith Formation, Ushers, Layreaders, Choir & Music Ministry, Flower Guild, Altar Guild, Pastoral Care, Stephen Ministry, Baskervill Food Pantry, Social Night Out/Foyers, Newcomers, Outreach, Prayer Quilt Ministry, St. Elizabeth Place, Smith Medical Clinic
No Report Submitted – Hospitality Committee, Episcopal Church Women (ECW), Men’s Bible Study
v Closing Remarks – Rector
Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church
2010 Annual Parish Meeting
February 7, 2010
Father Tipton opened the meeting by welcoming and thanking everyone for their attendance. It was noted that his first Annual Parish Meeting was in 2000 – ten years ago.
A message was passed on to the congregation from parishioner Bernard Sherman, who called from Indiana as he is en route to Afghanistan to send his love to his Holy Cross Faith Memorial family and to let them know he is thinking of them today even though he could not be here.
A booklet has been compiled with written reports from all of the Holy Cross Faith Memorial ministries. It is a great snap shot to help everyone know what is happening on our campus.
A draft of the Minutes of the 2009 Annual Parish Meeting were included in the booklet. Oscar Weinmeister motioned that they be accepted as written and John Sands seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Holy Cross Faith Memorial Treasurer gave the financial report. Financial conditions have improved some this past year. The budget deficit in 2008 depleted our reserves. Shaving the 2009 budget by 15% and refinancing the lot to save interest (and getting a 30% discount from the Diocese on the money loaned to us for the purchase of the lot to our north) helped the budget.
In reviewing the Budget vs. Actual report, pledge payment deficits were a bit troubling but were wonderfully offset by unrestricted gifts that were received in response to Father Tipton’s letter to the parish explaining the budget deficit.
The staff does a great job managing expenses. We saved on interest and, even with the unexpected repairs to the HVAC systems, managed to end the year with a small surplus.
The deficit in pledge payments and the reduction in plate offering all reflects the current state of the economy and makes planning for the coming year difficult. For 2010 a bare bones budget has been approved. It includes a 2% cut out of expenses with no salary raises for the staff.
As we wrap up this year’s Stewardship campaign, we have 160 pledges out of about 205 households. At this point we are about $10,000 shy of meeting budgeted pledges.
In June a permanent mortgage was secured with BB&T in the amount of $1,650,000 with an interest rate of 5.23%. The money was utilized to pay off the existing construction loan and the lot that was being held by the Diocese. This loan will generate $130,000 in debt service annually. In 2010, 1/2 will come from the previous Capital Campaign funds.
There are not immediate plans to hold another Capital Campaign, but we may look at this again in 3 or 4 years.
An arrangement is currently being negotiated to sell a wetlands conservation easement that will generate income of $100,000 which will be held in the restricted capital funds.
Father Tipton thanked the outgoing members of the Vestry, Nancy Hopkinson, Oscar Weinmeister and Kathy Besse, for all of their hard work. Due to 2 resignations, there were 5 vacancies to be filled. The Nominating Committee expressed their gratitude to those new nominees who are willing to serve. They presented a slate including Judy Ingle and Dreema Clarke to fill the 2 vacant 1 year terms and Renee Herrell-Ford, Doug Billings and Kathy Besse for the 3 vacant 3 year terms. The floor was then opened for nominations.
As no further nominations were made, Jim Mallow motioned that the nominations be closed. E’Lane Rutherford seconded. Sue Tanner motioned that the slate be accepted as presented and to elect by acclamation. Stephanie Arnold seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
Father Tipton appointed John Sands as the Senior Warden for another year. John Hart, who was elected as Junior Warden last year, has been doing a superior job.
The floor was opened for nominations for Two Delegates to attend the 2011 & 2012 Diocesan Conventions. E’Lane Rutherford nominated Michael Cureton. John Sands nominated Brian Monroe. No further nominations were made. Doug Billings made a motion to accept Michael Cureton and Brian Monroe as the 2011/2012 Convention Delegates and to elect by acclamation. Motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Nominations for alternates was opened. Judy Ingle nominated Pixie Kubeck and E’Lane Rutherford nominated Suzi Bateman. No further nominations were made. Harold Stowe motioned to close the nominations and elect by acclamation. Motion passed unanimously.
Father Tipton again called the congregations attention to the Annual Parish Meeting booklet. It contains a written Rector’s report as well as one from both the Junior and Senior Warden. Anyone who wants to know what is going on at Holy Cross Faith Memorial should read this booklet.
Father Tipton wanted everyone in the congregation to know that they have a voice. He invited comments from the gathering.
Oscar Weinmeister asked for an update on the Diocese of SC in relation to the National Church. Father Tipton responded that the Bishop visited Holy Cross Faith Memorial last Sunday and was welcomed graciously. The reaffirmation service was great. At the Special Convention of the Diocese last October, Father Tipton made a statement that was in direct opposition with the direction the Bishop is taking the diocese. The Bishop responded with a handwritten note saying that he respected Father Tipton’s position. At this point things are going as well as we can hope for.
He is not sure what will happen at the Annual Convention in March, but it would not be surprising if there was another vote to distance the diocese even more from the National Church. Father Tipton speculated that probably 80 % of the parishes and missions in the diocese would be willing to leave TEC altogether. Holy Cross Faith Memorial is in the minority. We are members of The Episcopal Church in the USA, will remain so, and are prepared to make some difficult decisions if we need to.
Geales Sands spoke to the congregation about the Brunch to follow the meeting and let everyone know that the flower arrangements on the tables were available for purchase with the proceeds going to aid the victims of the Haiti earthquake.
E’Lane Rutherford reminded everyone that collections were being taken for Souper Bowl.
On a final note Father Tipton addressed the rumblings about the closure of the Adult Day Care program and introduced the new administrator at the Smith Medical Clinic, our own Nancy Bracken. The Rector’s Report addresses both of these issues, and, if after reading the report there are still questions, please call him.
Charlie Brodhead commented on how gracious and warm Holy Cross Faith Memorial has been since he and his wife Sally had started coming here. Being from the Washington, DC area he commented that we are not alone in struggles of the church and a lot of people have been attracted to HCFM because of what we stand for.
The meeting ended with a blessing by Father Tipton and Dismissal by The Rev. Melissa Timmerman.
Respectfully Submitted,
Martha Propps
Treasurer’s Report
Following this brief report is a financial statement which both reports our financial results for 2010 compared to the 2010 budget, and presents our budget for 2011. Please refer to that statement as you consider the following comments.
2010 Results
The year proved to be difficult from a financial perspective. Income for the year was $14,000 below budget as we experienced significant shortfalls in both pledge payments and plate offering. We were fortunate in that we received unrestricted gifts well in excess of expectations, and these gifts almost brought us to budgeted income levels. The plate offering shortfall was expected to some degree, as we have reported unrestricted gifts as plate offering in past years. In contrast, the $40,000 in unpaid pledges is an unwelcome surprise. While $12,000 in 2010 pledge payments have been made since the beginning of 2011, this experience makes 2010 the third consecutive year of difficulty with collecting pledges. Depending on special, unplanned gifts to cover pledge shortfalls, as you can imagine, makes planning quite a challenge.
On the expense side, our staff, as usual, did an outstanding job of managing controllable expenses. However, we suffered in a couple of uncontrollable categories. HVAC troubles and the hot summer followed by the cold winter resulted in utility bills and repair expenses exceeding budget by $20,000.
The bottom line, when the revenue shortfalls and the expense overages are taken into account, shows a $41,000 deficit. Interestingly, this number is approximately equal to unpaid pledges, reinforcing the point on planning difficulty. Clearly, we cannot sustain deficits of such a magnitude. This one puts us in the position of needing to borrow money, as we have no reserves to cushion operating losses.
Stewardship Campaign
The fall of 2010 saw our first rollout of a stewardship campaign plan called the “Alabama Plan”. The Alabama Plan has been used in our denomination for many years with excellent success, and we saw the beginning of success at Holy Cross. The essence of the Plan is to engage well trained “stewards” in visiting with parishioners to share stories about the real meaning of the steward’s relationship with our church in an effort to strengthen connections among parishioners and to emphasize the meaning of the year round stewardship of sharing time, talents and treasure. Despite not providing enough training time, most of our stewards had very positive and meaningful experiences in visits with our members.
The experience that most other churches using the Alabama Plan have had indicates that it takes two or three years to become really effective. In this perspective, we had a very good first year. We needed more stewards and a little more training, but in spite of those shortcomings, we received 141 pledges totaling roughly $382,000. This number is ten fewer pledges than last year, but a larger pledged amount. The Vestry is still working to increase the number of pledges.
Looking ahead, our Finance Ministry will be working to identify and train stewards on a year round basis. We can have real lasting success with the Alabama Plan if we develop an enthusiastic, deep and well-trained team of stewards.
2011 Budget
For 2011, we have adopted a budget that incorporates another deficit. We project that expenses of $537,000 will exceed income of $510,000 by $27,000. We expect expenses to be almost equal to actual spending in 2010, in spite of a 4% raise for all staff members, except the Rector. On the income side, we are expecting a few more pledges, and we are counting on pledges being paid this year. This assumption is recognized as a potential weakness in our budget.
After a great deal of discussion, disagreement, and prayer, your Vestry agreed to approve another deficit budget. The alternative is a severe cut to staff and programs, and our thinking is that we need to focus on strengthening programs as a way to encourage new membership and increased giving. If this strategy is not successful in 2011, we could face difficult choices in 2012.
Mortgage and Building Fund Status
At year’s end, we owed $1,572,000 to BB&T on our building mortgage. The loan carries a 5.23% interest rate, and is payable on a 20 year amortization schedule with maturity falling in 2014. Annual payments are roughly $126,000 per year. One-half of this payment is budgeted and paid out of operating funds, with the other half paid from the building fund. At 12/31/2010, our building fund contained a balance of $87,000.
We have approximately $100,000 in building fund pledges outstanding from our two earlier capital campaigns. If these pledges were to be paid within the pledge period, we would have our mortgage covered for another three years. However, here again, we are not having good payment experience with these capital campaign pledges. Less than 50% of the outstanding pledges have seen a payment within the last two years. Your Vestry will be taking action to encourage payment, and to evaluate what realistic collection expectations might be. If the conclusion of that evaluation is not positive, we will probably be talking to you within twelve months about a new capital campaign. As we have a number of new members who have not had an opportunity to participate in past campaigns, the appropriate time for such action is probably close by in any event.
Harold Stowe
HOLY CROSS FAITH MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
OPERATING FUND BUDGET 2009-2010
Acct
Name
2010 Budget
2010 Actual
2011 Budget
41000
Pledges
377175
336877.78
393000
41050
Prior Year Pledges
16270
15000
41100
Plate Offering
71100
47868.71
50000
41400
Interest Income
660
583.28
670
41450
Office Support Reimbursement
12000
12000
12000
41500
Unrestricted Gifts
50000
83486.2
40000
Total Income
510935
497085.97
510670
51100
Clergy / Cash Stipend
29000
28999.93
29000
51110
Clergy / Housing Utility
36000
36000
36000
51120
Clergy / Social Security/Taxes
12000
12000
12000
51121
Clergy / 403B/IRA
15000
15000
15000
51122
Clergy / Health Savings
2000
2000
2000
51130
Assistant Rector
18000
18375
18720
51150
Sexton
12960
13993.08
12980
51160
Organist
16052
17580.21
16694
51161
Music Assistant
5679
6184.78
5906
51165
Christian Faith Formation
41966
42944.85
43644
51166
Christian Faith Formation/403B
3000
3000
3000
51170
Office Manager
31200
31918.13
32448
51195
Special Service Wages
0
0
3000
51125
Health Insurance
28900
31118.4
37450
51200
Clergy Pension Premiums
17000
17123.4
17000
51250
Lay Pension Premiums
6585
6283.64
7118
51275
Sexton Savings
1166
1123
1168
51210
Payroll Taxes
8950
9151.65
8995
51220
Workers Comp. Insurance
1600
1673
1700
TOTALS
287058
294469.07
303823
51000
Diocesan Pledge
20000
20000
20000
53000
Outreach
10000
10040
10000
TOTALS
30000
30040
30000
Acct
Name
2010 Budget
2010 Actual
2011 Budget
61000
Adult Education
1500
1362.84
1000
61200
Altar Supplies
1200
598.65
600
61300
Christian Education
2000
899.83
800
61400
Convention / Seminars
2500
3522
2500
61500
Fellowship
1500
2017.87
1500
61700
Music / Choir
8000
8501.11
8000
61900
EYC / Youth
1200
1828.02
1000
61950
Visiting Clergy
500
698.96
500
62000
Vacation Bible School
1000
303.5
500
TOTALS
19400
19732.78
16400
51139
Deacon Travel/Phone Allowance
4500
4600
4680
51140
Auto / Travel
2000
2532.5
2000
71000
Advertising
3126
3094.11
3000
71200
Legal & Professional
4000
2400
2500
71300
Bank Charges
97.24
100
71350
Continuing Education
500
479
500
71400
Dues & Subscriptions
750
225
200
71450
Interest on Mortgage
63000
63000
63000
71600
Bulletins & Printing
6500
6200.34
6000
71700
Postage
3900
3485.8
3500
71750
Meeting Expense
1800
2167.06
1800
71900
Operating Supplies
7000
7008.43
7000
71950
Equipment Rental
7350
7676.39
8000
71975
Telephone
4325
4318.95
4300
71800
Miscellaneous Expense
26
714.15
0
TOTALS
108777
107998.97
106580
81000
Property & Liability Insurance
27000
27445
27500
81200
Utilities
20000
30302.2
30000
81300
Contracted Maintenance
2500
3159.39
3000
81400
General Repairs
2500
11282.04
6000
81600
Grounds Maint.
12000
12480
12480
81700
Waste Disposal
1700
1872.6
1800
TOTALS
65700
86541.23
80780
Total Expense
510935
538782.05
537583
Net Income/(Loss)
0
-41696.08
-26913
2011 Vestry Nominees
JUDY INGLE: Judy is married to Ron Ingle with two sons, David and Stephen, and three grandchildren. Judy is an educator and has been both an English and reading teacher and an administrator. In the community she serves as the chair of the Board of Miss Ruby’s Kids and on the Board of the Georgetown Hospital System. Judy previously served on the Vestry of her church in Ohio and at HCFM she currently serves as a layreader and Vestry member in charge of Pastoral Care.
DREEMA CLARKE: Dreema Clarke-originally from Marion, NC, graduated from Appalachian
State University with BS in Communications. She spent several years in Radio/Television News before joining an insurance agency in Charlotte, NC. She and her husband John married in 1990 and moved to Pawleys Island in 1993. She is currently a Vice President with BB&T/Puckett, Scheetz &
Hogan Insurance Agency in Pawleys Island. She is a member of the Friends of Brookgreen Gardens. She and John live in Pawleys Plantation with their spaniels, Chelsea and Winston. At HCFM Dreema sings in the choir, serves as a layreader and is the Vestry member in charge of Outreach.
ALLEN SAUM: After earning his B.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina, Allen went on to the University of Central Florida to complete his master’s degree in computer architecture. Long Bay Associates, Inc. was established in 2000, and, due to Allen's expertise and commitment to quality, stands out today as one of the premier search firms. Prior to entering the search industry he perused a career in the technology industry where he represents Fortune 500 accounts. Working with the federal government led to representing additional contract furniture companies and eventually piloting a worldwide hospitality division for a major GSA contractor. This resulted in the hiring, training and management of sales representatives at various military bases around the world.
SARAH WILSON:
Sarah has been a member of Holy Cross Faith Memorial since 2000. She is the director and a teacher at the Montessori School of Pawleys Island. She has two fabulous kids - Neil, a Jr. at Clemson and Erin a senior at Waccamaw High School. Sarah has been married to her husband, Jeff, for half her life. She is looking forward to helping with the youth programs at HCFM.
SHERYN WATERMAN:
Sheryn Spencer Waterman, who was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but lived most of her adult life in Charlotte, North Carolina, is the author of seven books for teachers and is currently completing a doctorate in Teacher Education and Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her accomplishments as an educator include “Teacher of the Year” in two schools and many other honors. She came to the field of education after a 20-year career as a psychotherapist and has recently been licensed by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Professional Counselors. As a therapist she specialized in marriage and family counseling and geriatrics. She was the founding chairman of several organizations in Charlotte, including the Council on Aging. She has always been an active member of her church homes in Columbia, Charlotte, and Durham, NC where she last lived and is a strong supporter of the arts. She is married to Diedrich (Rick) Waterman, MD and has two children in college: Sarah (26)- University of Maryland and David (23)- University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She also has a granddaughter, Ava Pearl Bellamy (19 months), who lives with her mother in Seabrook Island, SC.
Nominations for Convention Delegates will be taken from the floor.
Voting at the Annual Parish Meeting
In order to be able to vote, according to Canons of the Diocese, you must be 17 years old and a member of the church. Being a member means that you have:
1. Been baptized or confirmed in this church, or
2. Transferred in from another parish by letter and have been recorded in the Parish Register, or
3. Had your baptism dates recorded into the Parish Register and you work, pray and give for the spread of the Kingdom of God.
The Election of a Vestry:
The election of a vestry is an important event within the life of a congregation. The vestry is one group within the church that will have more influence on the ongoing ministry of a parish than any other. These are the leaders who, along with the clergy, are responsible for setting the vision for HCFM. Before you cast your vote at the Annual Parish Meeting, please take a moment to consider the following suggested guidelines and include them in your decision making process.
1. As required by Canons, is he/she a confirmed communicant in good standing? Note: Confirmed communicants in good standing are, by definition, those “who have been faithful in corporate worship, and have been faithful in working, praying and giving for the spread of the kingdom of God.”
2. Is he/she committed insofar as possible as God enables them, to worship with the parish family in church talents?
3. Is he/she involved in or actively seeking some form of Christian ministry to which they will give their time and talents?
4. Is he/she committed to trusting God with a pledge of a tithe of their anticipated income, or to working toward the tithe (10%) as their standard of giving?
5. Is he/she willing to serve as a leader of the congregation, giving as much attention to the spiritual life of the congregation as to the financial and administrative decisions?
6. Is he/she willing to support parish functions-social and spiritual-with their work and attendance, and to place the parish activities high on their list of priorities?
7. Is he/she committed insofar as possible to attend every meeting of the vestry, participate in vestry retreats, and other vestry activities?
8. Is he/she willing to work to establish a wholesome and holy vision for the future of the parish? Are they willing to do more than simply maintain the status quo?
Rector’s Report:
By now I’m sure everyone is aware that I have been called to be the Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. So, what is the Canon to the Ordinary? Basically I will assist the Bishop (the Ordinary) in whatever role he sees fit. My job description will include serving as chief of staff of the diocese and I will assist the bishop with management, oversight, and operations of the diocese, as well as congregational and leadership development. It is definitely a challenging position and something brand new as I embark upon what God is calling me to next.
As I said in my sermon today, it has been wonderful 12 years here and there are so many grace-filled moments we’ve shared together I wouldn’t know where to start if I wanted to talk about them. But please know this --- that I will cherish each and every one of those moments when I think back on the time I spent serving with you as your Rector.
And for these past 12 years I have given thanks to God for the group of hard working, competent, capable people who play a big part in the miracles that take place on this campus on a daily basis and 2010 is no exception.
St. Elizabeth’s Place has taken on a new face. Edie Duffy is the Director of St. E’s and is doing a great job with maintaining the physical plant and tending to all matters, administratively and financially. We have a waiting list of people wanting to retire here because St. E’s is an attractive, well-run, safe place. We have a long term contract in place with HUD and a very positive outlook for the future. The Rev. Liz Nelson has now been on the staff for five years. Liz was hired as a social worker for the residents of St. E’s and does a great job advocating for, and assisting with, the needs of the residents.
The Smith Medical Clinic continues to be the central hub on the Waccamaw Neck when it comes to quality health care for the underserved in our community. The clinic is seeing more people than ever. The need for medical care is great. But “thanks be to God” we have good funding to continue to operate the clinic even with the added patient load. As I have said many times, one great achievement of the SMC is community awareness. Our community supports this clinic and without the entire community’s support it would not be as successful as it is. It is a testimony of ecumenism at its finest. Dr. Katy Close, who has been a mainstay for the last ten years and who has been a wonderful Medical Director, is responding to another “call.” Dr. Carl Fisher has taken over as Medical Director and is doing a tremendous job. Charlotte Moore, PA has taken over as the Clinical Director of the clinic. A new addition this year, Anne Faul, was hired as the new Executive Director of the clinic. Under Anne’s capable leadership the clinic has advanced to a new level of management. Anne retired from Glaxo Pharmaceuticals, moved to Pawleys Island and has taken on a new career in managing the clinic. Judy Silver, Tinker Rybolt, Ann Knight, Pat Watters, Carol Ann Almond, Sloan Derrick along with Angie Welchel, our pharmacists, all do a remarkable job. We have over 30 doctors and 20 nurses and probably close to 50 lay persons who volunteer in the clinic. I especially want to thank all the members of HCFM who volunteer and who serve on these boards.
I also want to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make sure that people in this community don’t go to bed hungry. John and Virginia Hart, who are in charge of our Food Pantry do an excellent job of making sure the shelves are stocked and the pantry runs smoothly. Everyone serving as a volunteer in the pantry has done a superb job at keeping everything operational and meeting the needs of the underserved in our community. Again with the state of the economy in South Carolina there are more families than ever coming to the pantry. Anyone interested in volunteering in any of these programs are invited to contact the leadership. Volunteers are always needed.
I honestly do not know what I would do without Suzy Jayroe in our office. She is our Office Manager at the church and does a great job with our book-keeping and the day-to-day workings of the office. Suzy is bright, efficient, capable and competent. Everything Suzy does is done with great professionalism as well as a deep sense of caring about every person who calls or walks through the door.
E’lane Rutherford our Director of Faith Formation responds to her calling with great enthusiasm and energy. E’lane’s charge at HCFM is faith formation (education) --- including Confirmation --- from the cradle to the grave. She lives into her vocation by teaching, which is evident in the way she leads our young ones, our middle ones and our older ones in their respective journeys of faith. Nothing warms my heart more than when the young people participate in worship --- reading the lessons and the prayers --- chalice bearing --- ushering --- and acolyting --- serving --- carrying the cross, the torches and the gospel book --- serving --- and they love it --- and I love it --- and they do a great job.
Manuel Obregon, our sexton, continues to do a great job. His time is split between the church and St. E’s, where he does maintenance on the apartments. When you see Manuel working during the week cleaning or setting up the nave for some event make a point of speaking and saying “thank you”. Muchas gracias, Manuel!
Carolyn Bourne continues to be our organist. She is as dedicated as any organist I have ever seen and does a great job at HCFM. Through not only Sunday worship, but funerals and weddings, I can count on Carolyn to be ready. Thank you for all that you do, Carolyn.
It’s hard to believe Elsie Pollock is now in her fourth year with us. Elsie has been in this area for a long time and is much loved among the music community. The choir has grown and blossomed and I think our music has never and I mean never, sounded better. The addition of new choir members has a rewarding blessing under her leadership. We have seen and heard some of what Elsie is capable of achieving this past year, especially with the performance of the “Messiah” in December which I thought was “as good as it gets” anywhere. There is much planned in regard to our music this coming year, and for all of which I am very, very thankful.
The YMCA has done a great job of managing the operation of the pool. The relationship has been a good one. The summer programs continue to operate at capacity.
I continually thank God for what takes place here on a daily basis and for the miracle that we are able to provide this community with such a gifted group of people doing ministry --- running these programs --- not like social agencies --- but as Christ-centered social ministries.
I know there are lots of people I will leave out in this report because there are lots of people who, behind the scenes, get things done around here --- “un-sung saints” as I call them.
For instance --- do you know who is in charge of our altar guild? The person responsible for seeing that the colors of the hangings are correct? Or the altar is cleaned and set up for the next service? That the bread and wine are out? Peggy Stallings is that person and she has a very dedicated group of altar guild members.
We have a flower guild who buys and arranges the flowers. They give up their Saturday mornings to make sure everything looks nice for Sunday mornings. Margie Barron heads up this group and they do a phenomenal job. Sunday after Sunday the flowers continue to be stunning!
Brian Brennan is in charge of scheduling the ushers and takes this job very seriously. If the clergy need anything on Sunday mornings Brian is the person who can get it done.
A special thanks to Sue Osborne who heads up our ECW. The ECW now has probably 30+ women actively participating. The ECW Bazaar this past year was biggest and best ever. Thanks to all the women who serve.
The “Quilt Ministry” led by Jan Jones, meets in the parish house and puts quilts together in order to be presented to members of our church family and our community who are sick or suffering. The quilts are assembled with much love and prayer and are a great source of comfort to all who receive them. Our quilt ministry has become a very vital part of the pastoral care of persons inside and outside our congregation.
One ministry at HCFM that has really come into its own is our Hospitality Committee. Honestly, no group does it better. Whether the Bishop is visiting, or it’s the Shrove Tuesday Mardis Gras, or the Ecumenical Lenten luncheons, our Hospitality Committee excels. Thank you to Geales Sands and all those who make it happen.
A couple of years ago Jan Jones walked into my office to have a conversation about Stephen Ministry. Nancy Hopkinson and Beth Chaplin went through the 50-hour program in order for them to train Stephen Ministers. HCFM now has 10 trained Stephen Ministers. Virginia Hart has now gone through the Supervisor Training and will be assisting Beth and Nancy as a new class of 5 new Stephen Ministers, begin training. We are very thankful.
And lastly our Lay Eucharistic Ministry. A committed group takes communion to “shut-ins” or those who for any reason could not attend church, from the altar on Sunday mornings. Being a LEM is fulfilling, not only for those receiving, but for those giving as well.
To all the “un-sung saints” --- the volunteers --- the literally hundreds who make it all happen --- thank you. This parish --- the ministries that operate on this campus --- could not operate without you.
I’ve saved our vestry for last. It has truly been a blessing to watch the leadership at HCFM evolve. We’ve gone from being a pastoral model church to a program model church is just a few short years. We’re still experiencing growing pains --- which is a good thing. Every corner we turn is a milestone --- lots of un-charted territory. Our vestry has done, and continues to do, a superb job.
Thank you for all you have done --- John Sands, our Senior Warden, John Hart, our Junior Warden, and Harold Stowe, our Treasurer. To Kathy Besse, Beth Chaplin, Dreema Clarke, Jack Egan, Judy Ingle, Ben Klopp, Jim Mallow and Martha Propps, --- thank you all for being such good and faithful servants.
Our Junior Warden John Hart excels at his job. He is a “natural.” With all the additions of our new facility comes the added responsibility of the Junior Warden and John has stepped up to the plate with great enthusiasm and commitment. Thank you John Hart for taking over as “the people’s warden” and for all you have done and continue to do.
The Rector’s Warden --- our Senior Warden --- John Sands has been here since the first minute I was called as Rector of HCFM. He has served the church well --- and continues to serve.
He chaired the committee to build the new church. He sat at my home with me and fixed lunch for me while I was “laid up” in bed with a broken leg. Every time he has been needed he has eagerly
stepped up. John has led us through some of our more severe “growing pains” and I thank God for his presence and support. I urge you to read his report in this booklet. If I could, I would have what he has to say put into a banner to remind each and every soul what it means to be a part of this special community. John concludes his time as Senior Warden this year and will be sorely missed by me. There has been --- and continues to be --- no better “good and faithful servant” than John Sands. He is the epitome of what it means to be called a “churchman” and also what it means to be called my friend.
The Rev. Melissa Timmerman, our Deacon has settled in and is teaching us all about “servant ministry.” Melissa and Bob came to us from the Diocese of Maryland where she served at Grace Episcopal Church in Elk Ridge. With strong South Carolina ties they moved to Georgetown and was immediately, at my request from our prior bishop, assigned to HCFM. Melissa has truly integrated into the life of this parish and has established a wonderfully loving relationship with the residents of St. E’s.
The Rev. Alex Barron, our Associate Rector, continues to serve part time during the week for pastoral calls and teaching, preaching one Sunday a month, and then full time while I am away on vacation or away for continuing education. Alex is a superb preacher and pastor. Thank you Alex for being here and for all that you do for this congregation and the Rector.
It is an exciting time to be a member of HCFM. From my heart it has been an honor to serve this congregation as your Rector.
Associate Rector’s Report:
Dear Friends,
It has been both my pleasure and honor to serve both you and our Rector for the past year. It is truly a joy to be mostly retired but able to serve part time in a truly wonderful and loving congregation of Episcopalians. Thank you for granting me the opportunity. I have been on duty about 39 Sundays during the year and on those Sundays I preached about 15 times. When Tommy is in town, I normally try to be available to the parish on two weekdays, normally Tuesday and Wednesday. When he is out of town, I try to be available around the clock. You are blessed with a wonderful staff. Tommy and Melissa are a joy to minister with. The congregation has been most supportive. God bless you all and again many thanks for all that you do.
Faithfully,
Alex
Deacon’s Report:
~ The Quilting Ministry ~ The Quilting Ministry is doing well and I look forward to hearing about the lives that are touched in this ministry, asking for blessings on the beautiful quilts and supporting the ministry as needed. The women of the group are now sharing the responsibility of the prayer and meditation portion with me and together we enjoy this time of reflection.
~ St. Elizabeth Place ~ The weekly services in the St. Elizabeth Place community center have continued to go well. Not only do the residents from St. Elizabeth’s attend but a few from HCFM. We have held a few ‘Remembrance Services’ for the residents who have passed away this last year. These services have been very comforting to those residents who may not be able to attend the services arranged by the families. We have also begun a much needed prayer board for the residents who have prayer concerns.
~ Mary and Martha Retreat ~ The Women’s Retreat was received well and enjoyed by all who participated in this day of prayer and reflection. So many of us are continually caught up in the ‘doing’ of our daily lives that we forget to take time for the ‘being’. This was an opportunity to look at how we might better gain the balance of both ‘doing’ and ‘being’ so that we may truly serve and hear the voice of Christ in our lives.
I am also blessed to work with a great team of colleagues. Tommy, Alex, E’Lane, Suzy, Elsie, Carolyn, Manuel, Edie and Liz, thank you for all you do here at HCFM. As always, I look forward to all the new ways God will be revealed in our steps ahead and our continued journey together.
Blessings and Peace,
Melissa+
Rectors Warden Report
We the Vestry, Clergy and Staff of Holy Cross Faith Memorial Episcopal Church, in the spirit of Jesus Christ, acknowledge our shared ownership of and responsibility for our community.
Therefore, we commit to God and to one another to support and strengthen the relationships in our church family. We honor the connections among ourselves, value our passions and gifts, and pledge to nurture our ministries on our journey of faith.
At its retreat held a year ago, your vestry worked diligently to develop the covenant reproduced above. On the one hand it may seem a simple statement that elicits the response “Well of course, what’s the big deal?” On the other hand, in fact, it is the result of hours of discussion about the meaning of community, about the meaning of being part of a larger community, and about the meaning of both belonging to and owning that community. Each of us comes to any community as an isolated individual; to the extent that we maintain that isolation we are unable to build relationships, to join the community we encounter. And to that extent we may walk away in frustration, thinking that “it or they” just weren’t right for me. But to the extent that we can own our relationship to the community and its people, can take responsibility for the health and well being of both the individuals who compose it and the community as a whole, we belong and benefit ourselves. It is just such mutual commitment that defines any healthy relationship. To what community were we referring—to Pawleys Island; to the Waccamaw Neck; to our county; to our church family? Yes to all of the above.
For us at Holy Cross this has meant honoring and respecting our differences as well as our agreements. It has meant working to lift up those around us as we also care for ourselves. It has meant giving, and through giving, receiving. Ask a Stephen Minister who gets more out of their caring relationship with those to whom they minister? Ask a Lay Eucharistic Minister why they spend their Sunday afternoon visiting shut-ins? Ask anyone working in the kitchen of the church to prepare or clean up after one of our shared meals how they feel about wasting their valuable time on such menial labor? To the extent that any of us joins in the life of the church and gives ourselves in some measure to the larger community, we are rewarded many times over by the experience.
This year has seen commitment, generosity of spirit and joy, all during a period that anyone would rightly describe as trying. As we look to the future we must constantly remind ourselves in our conversations and in our actions that this is not your church, or their church, it is our church and that together we are the people who are Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church. Let’s join even more closely together in the spirit reflected in the covenant above to continue to make that a reality in the coming year.
John O. Sands
Peoples Warden Report
Completed projects:
1. Removed the old house at the NE corner of our property.
2. Refurbished the church front doors.
3. Installed two speed bumps on the campus.
4. Changed out the church high ceiling light bulbs and secured loose bezels.
5. Completed roof repairs on the Smith Medical Center including new shingles.
6. Installed tiered seating for the choir including a front railing.
7. Repaired ceiling water damage in the Parish House and caulked areas of the building siding.
8. Converted the choir room closet from sliding doors to curtains.
9. Parish House closets modified to optimize Quilt Ministry storage.
Planned projects:
1. Kitchen enhancements.
2. Church front deck refurbishment.
3. Healing Garden at the Smith Medical Center entrance.
4. Meditation pathway.
John Hart
Committee Reports
Hispanic Ministry Submitted by Martha Propps
The Hispanic Outreach Ministry, which began under the guidance of the Rev. Callie Perkins, continues to grow and evolve with the changing conditions in our community and our world. Locally members of this group teach and assist with English instruction, help translate for medical and legal needs, and advocate for individuals and groups. Spanish instruction is also available through laptop computers and Rosetta Stone software. This software is open to all HCFM members as well as eligible individuals in our community. Please contact the church office for more information. If you are aware of a specific need in our local Hispanic community, please let us know.
Globally, HCFM continues to honor the Diocesan partnership with the Dominican Republic. In 2007 we began to explore mission possibilities and identified a community with which to partner. Yearly mission trips have strengthened and enriched our relationship with the people of La Barquita.
In 2009 mission travelers worked on the construction of the new church building for La Iglesia de San Pedro y San Pablo. In 2010 our ministry held a BBQ fundraiser and thanks to the tremendous support of HCFM members it was a huge success. We were able to raise over $3500. Part of these funds were used to help 5 mission team members travel back to La Barquita. Team members conducted a Vacation Bible School for the children of the community. It was a challenging, rewarding, and spirit filled trip! We have truly formed a special bond with the people of La Barquita and are looking forward to more trips.
We are always seeking people interested in helping with our outreach programs. For more information contact Sue Tanner at 843-325-5325 or suescamp@aol.com.
Communications Submitted by Martha Propps
The Communication Ministry started 2010 strong. Unfortunately there were some key members who had personal changes in their lives so the Communication Ministry has floundered a bit. But, we are ready to look ahead to a successful 2011! The online directory is ready, but before it goes “live” we are going to add the new vestry members and make a few other alterations to reflect the recent changes at HCFM. This is a vital ministry and it needs people. Internally, the main goals for Communication Ministry are to take over the weekly online newsletter, the monthly hardcopy newsletter, and the website. Externally, we would like a person in charge of press releases and other media communications. Please contact the church office (holycross@sc.rr.com or 843-237-3459) if you are interested in becoming a big or small part of this critical ministry.
Acolytes Submitted by Melissa Timmerman
This year on a couple of occasions I have had the privilege and challenge of preaching to the children, a ministry that I have always found to be quite energizing and rewarding. I love the wonder, perspective and the spontaneity that the children bring to the Good News! I love preaching regular sermons also, but I just don’t think I’d have many volunteers to stand on there heads! Some of our acolytes have been trying new skills and are really doing a fantastic job! Those who are more experienced in this ministry have been very helpful in guiding their friends along the way. I thank all of you for your time and talent in this very important ministry of serving at the altar.
Christian Faith FormationSubmitted by E’Lane Rutherford
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:32
What do we value most highly in our lives, not just in fine principlebut in daily practice? We all need an occasional audit and overhaul of our hearts’ treasures.
Forward Day By Day, 8/8/10
The above was used in our Stewardship training materials but it applies to formation – how we develop and nuture a dynamic and intimate relationship with God – as well. We talk a lot about relationships in the church – but too often it is about someone else’s relationship and not our own relationships with one another or God. Formation opportunities are all around us. By learning the language and stories of our faith, we can then begin to think theologically about the world around us – even when we aren’t in church on Sunday. Thinking theologically is something that is formed, learned and practiced and SHARED.
The question, What is Christian Faith Formation can be answered very well by asking, What is Godly Play? I cannot say it any clearer or any better.
Peace, E’Lane Rutherford
Note: bolding and italics are mine and used for emphasis. er
From Godly Play:
Godly Play teaches children the art of using Christian language - parable, sacred story, silence and liturgical action - helping them become more fully aware of the mystery of God’s presence in their lives.
When Christian language is learned by the Godly Play approach, it is learned as a means to know God and to make meaning of our lives. This approach is quite different from the traditional model in which the teacher tells the children what they need to know. Godly Play is not about things that are that simple. It is not just about learning lessons or keeping children entertained. It is about locating each lesson in the whole system of Christian language and involving the creative process to discover the depths of meaning in them. It’s about understanding how each of the stories of God’s people connects with the child’s own experience and relationship with God. Godly Play respects the innate spirituality of children and encourages curiosity and imagination in experiencing the mystery and joy of God.
The goal of Godly Play is to show how to be open to the Holy Spirit, The Creator, and the Redeemer all at once and all the time in every place. To achieve this goal is to help children become deeply rooted as Christiansand yet at the same time use this powerful language and community to be open and creative.
Godly Play:
v is a creative and imaginative approach to Christian nurture.
v is based on long established, tried and tested approaches.
v encourages participants to make meaning for themselves by inviting them into stories and providing the opportunity for them to connect the stories with their personal experience.
v is a non-coercive way to encourage people to move into larger dimensions of belief and faith through wondering questions and open-ended response time.
v values process, openness and discovery.
v is a way of preparing children to join in the worship and life of their congregations as they develop a deeper understanding of stories, symbols and rites.
Although it was originally developed as a resource for children, Godly Play is now being used with a wide range of age groups in a diversity of settings.
Ushers Ministry Submitted by Brian Brennan
The Usher Guild is doing well - we currently have almost twenty members actively performing usher duties at the 8:00 and/or the 10:30 services. Our ushers are called upon to serve often, so we always welcome new volunteers for either service. In fact, if you are at all interested in serving as an usher, please let Brian Brennan know - we can use your help. The Usher Guild consistently does a superb job - next time you're in church, please thank an usher for all of their hard work to help make church run smoothly. Once again, I would like to thank the ushers for all of their hard work and support.
Layreader Ministry Submitted by Amy Webb
For 2010, there were 24 HCFM parishioners who served in the Layreader ministry. On Youth Sundays and for some special liturgies, our youth also shared in the reading. Tommy conducted a meeting in September, to discuss this ministry and align us on procedures. Anyone wishing to serve our parish community as a layreader, please contact Amy Webb.
Choir & Music MinistrySubmitted by Carolyn Bourne
& Elsie Pollock
The choir is thankful for a comfortable and beautiful space which was provided by John Hart and his team. It is now possible for us to seat all of our members on Sunday mornings. The addition of new members has added much to our choir, but we always have room for more singers!
This year we had an Evensong, a Fundraising Gala, Family Sunday featuring our talented teens, the community Christmas program, and, of course, Messiah, which was presented to a receptive audience of members, friends and the community. Elsie Pollock was sorry to have missed this year’s presentation of Messiah due to health reasons. However, with the help of everyone involved, this annual concert was extremely successful.
Carolyn Bourne continues to play the organ for our services on Sunday mornings and Brian Monroe is a wonderful “back-up” for both playing and directing the choir.
Our thanks to all members who have made this another wonderful year, musically speaking. And the congregation is sounding really good on hymns and responses! Keep it up!
Flower Guild Submitted by Margie Barron
In 2010 the Flower Guild continued to provide floral arrangements for Sunday worship services at HCFM. We also arranged flowers for three weddings and table arrangements for some events at the Church.
We have a dedicated group who enjoy floral work. In October we were able to attend a flower arranging seminar at Grace Church in Charleston, where we learned more techniques from a talented British designer. It was both informative and enjoyable.
We look forward to continuing our tradition of serving the parish by providing floral designs to enhance our beautiful worship space.
Altar GuildSubmitted by Peggy Stallings
In 2010 the Altar Guild concentrated on improvment in our work patterns and on continuing to maintain a high standard of care for all of the linens, vestments and communion vessels entrusted to us. During the past year we have acquired items needed in the sacristy for use during the Eucharist and have put into place the acquisition of new items that are needed in our inventory. We look forward in 2011 to bringing these plans to fruition.
We are grateful for the continued opportunity as sacristans to serve our Lord and our parish. If any of the congregation is interested in becoming a sacristan please let any one of us know. We will be happy to welcome you to our group.
Pastoral Care Submitted by Judy Ingle
Pastoral Care is defined as a means of demonstrating to all members of Holy Cross Faith Memorial that they are “valued, cared for, loved, and affirmed as unique persons.” (Strategic Plan) This goal is accomplished through services provided by our clergy and parish community to meet the pastoral needs within our parish family. We are also committed to collaborating with other ministries at HCFM. Simply put, pastoral care means family members caring for other family members, and we, the family of Holy Cross Faith Memorial, show our care for each other in a variety of ways.
At the current time, this ministry is focused on three areas: Stephen Ministry, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, and Shepherding.
A Pastoral Care Ministry Committee is actively working to insure that the needs of our congregation are met. At the current time, the members of this committee are Nancy Bride, Beth Chaplin, Lang Donkle, Loren Forshaw, Virginia Hart, Nancy Hopkinson, Judy Ingle, Jan Jones, Denise Patrick, and Peggy Wilson.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
Parishioners who cannot attend church services because of illness or infirmity have the opportunity to participate in a modified liturgy thanks to a visit from a Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM), who brings that Sunday’s readings, sermon highlights, prayers, and communion. These visits typically take place after the Sunday service, while our priests usually make the pastoral visits with communion during the week.
At the present time, the following parishioners are LEMs: Joan Crompton, Beth Chaplin, Lang Donkle, Susan Geiger, Virginia Hart, Nancy Hopkinson, Jan Jones, Denise Patrick, Amy Webb, and Peggy Wilson. They have participated in training and been certified by the Bishop.
Each week the congregation participates in the blessing of the basket of bread and wine that will be taken to a parishioner that afternoon. Each of us makes a commitment to be with the LEM and sick parishioner spiritually during the visit.
One of our LEMs says, “It is a special privilege to take communion to those at home who can’t come to church. Sharing with them the blessed bread and wine that we at church have received is very meaningful, and I feel a special bond occurs during this time.”
Shepherding: “Many hands make light work.”
Active since 2007, the expansion of the Shepherding Ministry reflects the growth of our parish. In order to meet the increasing needs effectively and efficiently, we ask parish members to serve parishioners in various ways: a phone call; a visit at home or the hospital; transportation to a medical appointment, the pharmacy, or the grocery store; or a meal.
The goal of Shepherding is to be there during a time when members of our congregation need concrete, short-term support. The more of us who volunteer to serve, the more likely we will be able to meet parishioners’ needs without a huge time commitment for any one group. Let’s spread the wealth of giving our time to those of our congregation in need.
Information about these needs comes from the Clergy, the church office, and the laity. We encourage you to make Father Tommy Tipton, Father Alex Barron, Deacon Melissa Timmerman, or Suzy Jayroe in the church office aware if you know of someone who needs to contacted by a Shepherd.
One of our parishioners who serves as a Shepherd shares that “being able to spend some quiet time visiting an ailing member of our congregation was rewarding for me because I got to know someone I hadn’t known very well before. We’ve kept in touch since then and knowing her has enriched my life.”
Stephen Ministry Submitted By Beth Chaplin
In 2007, Stephen Ministry at Holy Cross was the vision of a couple of parishioners. Just a few years later, Stephen Ministry is a vibrant and flourishing part of the pastoral care outreach at HCFM.
We have an active leadership team and 10 Stephen Ministers. Our ministers have and/or currently serve over 16 members of our parish in a personal, individual, confidential caring relationship. Stephen Ministers meet with their care receivers on a weekly basis to help deal with a short-term emergency or a long-term situation where extra support and love is needed.
Stephen Ministers are lay people who receive 50 hours of Christian caregiving training and then have peer supervision and continuing education twice a month. They have one care receiver at a time and provide Christian care to individuals facing a wide variety of crisis or life challenges, including people who are grieving, divorced or separated, terminally ill, unemployed, hospitalized, homebound, lonely or discouraged, experiencing spiritual struggles and much more.
Right now, we are training five new Stephen Ministers to continue to meet the growing needs of our congregation. For more information about this ministry, please contact Beth Chaplin at 359-2486 / Virginia Hart at 235-1287 / Nancy Hopkinson at 237-5112.
Baskervill Food Pantry Submitted by John Hart
In 2010 the Baskervill Food Pantry
Ø Served over 1300 Georgetown County households representing over 3200 individuals during 2010 which is a 33% increase
Ø Initiated outreach actions to support Habitat for Humanity new home owners and the Dominican Republic food pantry.
Ø Conducted 5 local food drives, collected and distributed over 600 boxes of Bi-Lo Hunger Relief boxes
Ø Completed a successful Feed-A-Family fund raising campaign.
Social Night Out/Foyers Submitted by Doug Billings
Social Night Out is held every other month during the year. An individual couple, several couples or singles can share hosting duties. The hosts provide their home, a community room if in a condominium, or the church may also be used as the meeting place. The beverages are provided by the hosts (soda, beer, wine) and each attendee brings a favorite hors d' oeuvre to share with the group. Usually held on a Friday or Saturday night beginning at 6:00 p.m. the event is intended to conclude by 8:30 p.m.
Foyersusually consists of eight persons, couples or singles, that meet once a month for four months in each others homes for dinner. The host provides the entree and participants bring the other items to complete the menu. There is no set agenda and the idea is to interact and have fun together. Foyers has been completed for the winter and will begin again during the fall with sign-up to start in August.
Scheduling for both events is facilitated by Annette and Doug Billings (843.215.3808). If you desire more information about these social opportunities please call or see them. These are great ways to get to know your fellow parish members.
Newcomers Submitted by Jim Mallow
During the year 17 family units became new members of Holy Cross Faith Memorial Church. All of these family units were either mailed or presented in person a new member packet that contained information regarding the church, its ministries including a welcome letter from Tommy.
The annual new member luncheon recognition event took place this year at the lovely home of Peggy and Bill Wilson and was hosted by the hospitality committee.
Martha Propps and Mary Ginny DuBose, as members of the newcomers committee were active in delivering new member packets and taking photographs of the new members for inclusion in various church publications.
Outreach Submitted by Dreema Clarke
The Outreach Ministry encompasses the church designated ministries: Smith Medical, St. Elizabeth's Place, The Baskervill Food Pantry, the Quilt Ministry and the Hispanic Ministry. If you ask me the best, and most succint way to describe outreach, it's simply "Who We Are/What We Do." This is our face, and our gift, to our friends, church family and our community.
We celebrated the gifts and missions of those Outreach Ministries on Outreach Sunday, held Sunday, September 19, 2010. Each ministry designed and decorated their own table at the back of the sanctuary, except the Smith Medical Clinic which held an open house. The Outreach Committee made the decision to expand the event to invite other ministries, the Music Ministry, ECW, The Christmas Tree sale and Habitat for Humanity as all have deep connections to Holy Cross Faith Memorial and make extraordinary contributions to our church family and our greater community. Many, many thanks to the tremedous hard work of all who made Outreach Sunday a terrific success. We hope the HCFM family truly enjoyed the event and leftt with an even great appreciation of the terrific hard work and gifts all the volunteers and staff bring to each ministry.
We're planning another Outreach Sunday in September 2011, expanded and better than ever!
Prayer Quilt Ministry Submitted by Jan Jones
Again, this year, the Prayer Quilt Ministry has been busy, busy, busy. Our ecumenical group of 15 (from HCFM, St. Paul’s, All Saints, Precious Blood, and others), meeting on Tuesday mornings, has provided 45 quilts, 6 prayer squares, 102 Military Squares and 10 Baptism Quilts. Our total to date of Prayer Quilts: 185. These have gone to recipients in our Parish, others in the community and some out-of-town, several out-of-state, some even out of the country.
In August, Jo and Wally Fortuna hand delivered to Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany 95 Military Squares for the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center.
In September, due to an increased need for Prayer Quilts, it was decided by the group to no longer make Baptism Quilts and return to our initial goal – providing Prayer Quilts for comfort, encouragement, and Christian love to those in crisis situations.
Donations from the community and dedication on the part of our quilters make this ministry a success. The many thank you notes we receive humble us and make us proud. Our quilts are received as blessings by the recipients. Their appreciation is a blessing on our efforts.
We ask your continued support and invite any and all who would like to join us to come on Tuesday mornings to the Parish House at 9:15.
St. Elizabeth Place Submitted by Edie Duffy
Significant cuts in funding for the Adult Day Care Program resulted in its being closed in the first quarter. Half of the participants are attending the Senior Services program operated by Georgetown County Bureau of Aging in Georgetown. Community Long Term Care Services were arranged for several people. Initial negative reactions from the community dissipated with staff being able to arrange other services for participants to enable them to remain in the community.
St. Elizabeth Place has maintained a good occupancy rate. The residents have organized activities including a craft group, Friday matinees and Bingo twice weekly.
A summer partnership with Sea Palms Summer Outreach was very well received by the residents as well as the youth groups that participated. The youth washed windows, weeded gardens, washed cars, and taught the residents to play Wii games. Groups are from the southeast. We plan to continue this partnership this summer.
A relationship with Service Over Self has resulted in a group from Waccamaw High School visiting once monthly. This provides a multigenerational experience. Their project for the year is gardening.
The Service Coordinator has been working to assist residents to find resources to enable them to remain in the community and make adjustments based on changes in the health care programs and benefits. The Service Coordinator has been very active in the formation of a group of volunteers, Neighbor to Neighbor, to provide transportation for grocery shopping, medical appointments and other errands. This service fills a void since BOI no longer has a van to provide transportation. The van reverted to SCDOT when the Adult Day Care program closed.
The 2010 HUD Management and Occupancy Review was completed on December 14, 2010. The response to the review will be submitted to the State Housing and Finance agency.
Smith Medical Clinic Submitted by Anne Faul
2010 At A Glance:
The Smith Medical Clinic provided health care to more than 2,000 patients, including 649 new patients, for less than $250 per patient This was made possible through the generosity of volunteers, the community, the support of the Georgetown Hospital System, and the hard working, committed staff.
