Annual Meeting February 8, 2015 at St. Andrew’s, Glenwood

Senior Warden Report for 2014 As I was preparing for my first Sr. warden report and wondering where to begin, I think I did what most people would do these days, I sat down with my laptop and googled! I did get quite a number of hits on my search, which piqued my interest and I starting reading… But I quickly came to realize that they were really not going to help me out very much, I saw reports that really didn’t fit what I needed to say, I was running into phrases like no news is good news, status quo, calm and unchanged. This is definitely not us at St Andrews. We are so totally opposite that. I wanted to do a recap of this past year, more like a quick St Andrew’s year in review, and when I started thinking back over the year it was quite overwhelming. There was so much going on last year: mission trips, small group activities, youth activities, celebrations, workshops … and since a picture tells a thousand words, I thought I would do this with photos of just some of the highlights of this year. It was impossible to include all activities and all groups, but I did my best to provide well-rounded scenery for you to ponder. Some of these are tried and true activities that have been occurring for a long time here at St. Andrew’s, and my sincere thanks and respect goes out to all the people who make that happen. Some things you will see here are totally new ideas and activities, and I want to thank everyone for forging ahead and making these efforts happen. There are so many different pieces of action here at St. Andrew’s, I think of all the different pieces as material blocks, and when all of those pieces are put together, they do make a beautiful quilt.

Photos are after the rest of the Senior Warden’s Report Hope you now have a well- rounded picture in your mind of what St. Andrew’s has been up to this past year and I will let you conjure up your own descriptive adjectives, but I think you will agree with me that St. Andrew’s is anything but status quo, no news, and unchanged! I think all of this shows how wonderful all the little pieces of material come together to make the beautiful quilt of St. Andrew’s. There are so many opportunities here to grow and give back and to find your piece of material. Thanks to our clergy and staff with their never ending energy and creativity, and the vestry’s total commitment to bringing out the best in St Andrews, your vestry was able to accomplish many things this year. I just want to note a few important topics that the vestry has voted on, discerned over and provided direction in this past year. VESTRY We were able to start our year on a very high note, after much discernment we voted to end our financial aid from the Diocese. We had been receiving assistance in the past to help us through several lean years. This was a major decision and a really big shift for us, the first step in acknowledging our strength and commitment as a congregation and faith that we are moving in the right direction and slowly working our way to financial stability. Appointed Vestry liaisons to work with the different St Andrews committees and initiatives. We hosted Diocesan workshops and training/the vestry received training some here, some offsite. Met with several boy scouts from Troop 007 to listen to potential Eagle Scout projects that could benefit us here at St Andrews. Discerned and Supported:

• experimentation with a Ministry council • a communications committee which provided us with a new website • the initiative for the Sunday evening fall services • the Columbarium discovery program • the After school discovery program • We conducted vestry listening sessions in the spring to formulate a survey that went out

to the parish and community in the fall. This data has been collected and actually discussed a few weeks ago at an adult forum. The high level results are also printed out here for you to take a look at the end of the meeting if you would like. I hope this shows the commitment of the vestry to doing what is right by the grace of God and for what is right for St. Andrew’s.

PHOTOS

Sunday Quilters This is one of our new activities here, just started this year; our Sunday Quilters make quilts for women who are the survivors of domestic violence.

Knitting Group This group has been in existence for some time, they make beautiful items for different outreach initiatives and fundraising, to include prayer shawls, blankets for baptisms, hats to veterans and seafarers

Choir Beautiful voices that we get to hear on Sunday mornings

Honduras Mission trips to Honduras, sometimes more than one a year.

Appalachia Another mission trip By the way, emails were just sent out; if anyone who wants to be a part of any of these trips this year, please use the links in these emails to sign up.

Remington Many things go on at the Church of the Guardian Angel in the Baltimore neighborhood of Remington, Our youth just hosted Souper Bowl Saturday last week

Reading Camp Brand new this year; great success and will be running it again this summer A back to school program distribution of Backpacks and school supplies, much needed ministry in this area

Thanksgiving at Guardian Angel

India Participants in the India Pilgrimage

Retreats This was our first year of retreats-- two women’s retreats and two men’s retreats guys have to start taking pictures !!

Chili Cook Off To benefit Bridges to Housing, still searching for the golden ladle, raised a lot of money

Community dinners Amazing fellowship nights that we not only can get fed well, but the proceeds collected go to various outreach and fundraising such as House of Ruth, mission trips, J2A pilgrimages

Vacation Bible School Our first year of VBS, involving parishioners and community children, youth and adult volunteers Breakfast with St Nick Here is a fun Christmas event that started when Dina arrived

Traditional pancake supper for Shrove Tuesday Sundae Sunday Here is proof there is fun to be had on Sunday mornings

Bingo nights New and fun events this year for ALL ages

Diocesan events A number of diocesan events were held here at St Andrews: Safe guarding God’s children training, a retirement retreat, Come and See program, Seeing the Face of God in Each Other workshop

Boy Scout troop 007 Holds their weekly meetings here and some scouting community events Glorious Easter with a full parish house

Beautiful Christmas services at Union Chapel

Beautiful music

Fun Christmas pageant

We were able to claim Charles as our very own priest associate this year, and who gives us the famous Charles’ corner in our e-news

Baptisms Several baptisms here this past year

Ann Nicholson’s ordination This is something we can be proud of, she is our previous coordinator of Christian formation

Selfie Sundays I wonder how many other churches get to do selfie Sundays?

We are getting a New Photo Directory: I have heard rumors that our new photo directories may be here as early as next week??

Ministry Fair Ministry fair was conducted again this year

Picnic A church birthday celebration and fun traditional picnic to start summer off right

I love being able to end with this photo: we are all blessed to have this community.