From the Rector: Annual Meeting Report 2023
/22 JANUARY 2023
Dear Friends,
Now that 2022 has come to an end, it finally feels as if we are emerging into a new normal in which the former pandemic is not affecting all our decisions. This past Christmas our worship attendance at the Solemn Midnight Mass and Christmas Day Solemn Mass exceeded pre-pandemic numbers, and that seems to indicate that life is moving forward for the church. They say it takes five years to building something, but only one year to tear it down. As the pandemic forced us to disassemble so many things, now we are involved in the step-by-step process of rebuilding much of our community life. 2022 has been a year of rebuilding, and much of the rebuilding has not been glamorous or headline-catching, but it has been necessary for the church’s health.
I must thank the Vestry and the staff for their continued dedication to St. Mark’s. Our wardens, Michel Reavis and Derrick Shimabukuro, along with the entire vestry, have shown consistent and wise leadership. Our treasurers, Michael Ida and Jeanne DeCosta, continue to expertly manage the finances. Our choirmaster, Mike Dupre, has rebuilt the choir to a stronger place than ever before, and this fall we welcomed Tom Soplinksi as our organist, and he is proving to be an excellent addition to our worship. I also want to thank Uluhani Haith for her able help in the office every Sunday.
We must also give thanks for our countless volunteers. Every week people come to do the work of the worship guilds, ironing linens and filling candles, washing chalices and caring for vestments. Meanwhile others prepare meals for Family Promise, while acolytes and servers perfect their craft of serving at the altar. Special commendation is due to the Evangelism and Discipleship Ministry for their efforts regarding stewardship, parish growth, and newcomer welcome, and we must also give honor to our childcare attendants, Ronee Colby and Chelle Myers. Let us also remember the numerous volunteers who do quiet deeds in the background for the flourishing of St. Mark’s.
Reflecting upon 2022, it has been a year of becoming better at what we already do. The one major property improvement that stands out is the carpeting of the Parish Hall and the installation of the new television, and because of this, the hall has dramatically improved for teaching. Many of you have remarked how much easier it is for you to hear when in the hall, and the television has been a gift for our education classes, forums, and visitor presentations.
Perhaps the greatest work of 2022 has been the strengthening of the parish’s Anglo-Catholic identity. I have now been at St. Mark’s for fourteen years! During that time, we have worked steadily to enhance the liturgies according to the parish profile that was discerned by the congregation that called me to be your rector. We can now with confidence say the parish has all the marks of Anglo-Catholicism.
We have moved to east-facing celebration of the mass. This had always been the case for the weekday masses, but it was not the case for Sundays. As well, on most Sundays and feast days we now have three sacred ministers serving at the altar, and the choir typically sings portions of the Ordinary (Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei). Solemn and Sung Masses now begin consistently with a Rite of Sprinkling, and we end with the Last Gospel and Angelus as appropriate. Confessions are heard weekly. We have daily mass celebration (except Mondays, but hopefully this will change); and Sundays end with Vespers and Benediction. The Rosary has become a common part of our communal prayer life. At all our masses we include the Minor Propers, and this has begun to include the offertory and post-communion prayers for the first time. The Peace is now celebrated at the Fraction (Breaking of the Bread) according to Anglican Missal tradition. We have even enjoyed the historic Gregorian Canon on several feast days including All Souls and St. Mark’s Day.
We are not simply Prayer Book Catholic, but the church is truly Anglo-Catholic with all the richness that entails. It has taken many years to put many of these practices in place, as the education of the congregation has been necessary and key to their success, a sometimes slow and arduous process. Remarkably, everything is now in place liturgically. We are not Anglo-Catholic just because “there is incense every Sunday and some chanting.” We are living into the tradition much more deeply, and the congregation continues to understand what this means.
So what is next for St. Mark’s? As we look to the future, we might consider the following.
It is no surprise that at some point the church floor needs to be replaced, and the sacristies in the church need renovating.
The income of the parish needs diversifying beyond our pledge and rental incomes streams, including the growth of the church’s endowment.
We have many opportunities regarding outreach to the families of the preschool and the development of our parish children’s ministry.
Due to the rapid decline and closing of many churches, how might St. Mark’s grow our worship and formation offerings to help more people grow in Christ?
