tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67358748959467580202023-11-15T12:31:34.862-05:00Prof. Patrick KimballPatrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-2520072310623905272017-04-17T11:03:00.000-04:002017-04-17T11:03:04.374-04:00Health Care<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
only way to solve</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
health care dilemma<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">is
to remove all federal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">funding
of same.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
only exception shall be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Armed
Forces hospitals<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">treating
their wounded<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">or
injured members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">What,
you say!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Chaos
will reign;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">people
will die! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Not
gonna happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Health
care will improve,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">costs
will be reduced,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">when
states and communities<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">set
standards for providers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gone
are Medicare,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Medicaid,
CHIPS, and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
avatar of inefficiency:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Veterans
hospitals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
their place will be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">competition
at all levels,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from
doctors, clinics,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">hospitals,
and insurers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">No
one will be entitled<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to
health care, as a <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">benefit
to be paid <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from
federal taxes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Even
those who are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">disabled,
on welfare, or<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">social
security, must pay<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">an
appropriate amount.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most
important will be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">enhanced
recruitment <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of
doctors, nurses, and <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">other
medical personnel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Doors
will open again<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">for
philanthropy to be<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
principal financier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of
health care facilities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-87939091807746876992017-03-19T11:53:00.003-04:002017-03-25T08:41:24.752-04:00Silver Eagles<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">Silver
eagles once perched upon</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
shoulders of silver-haired<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">officers
in the Army and Air Force<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">from
the West Point class of 1949.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
of them, of course, are<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">now
retired or gone to another life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
are remembered now only by<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">families
and a few friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
everyone in the services knows,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
silver eagle is the insignia<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of
a full colonel in the Army,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Air
Force, and Marine Corps.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
title, “colonel," is a derivation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">of
what we would call a column,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">meaning
a person who leads a<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">column
of troops into battle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Today,
“colonel,” still designates<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
highest grade of field command,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">leading
combat forces and sharing<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">their
blood, mud, sweat, and danger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">These
opportunities are unfortunately<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">limited
to a small number of colonels,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">so
many pursued careers that enhanced <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
performance of their service.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
found roles that could be <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">characterized
as managerial, technical,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">pioneering,
of just doing what was <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">needed
wherever they were posted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Then
the axe fell on each.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">after
years of faithful service, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">they
were cast off when the calendar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">read
thirty years of active duty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Probably
their separation ceremonies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">were
brief, and seen by few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Still
in their fifties, they faced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">years
of so-called retirement.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Undaunted,
our colonels sought<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">opportunities
for service in fields,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">that
they had never seen before, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">and
brought their experience with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
found that the principles of <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">duty,
honor, and country that <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">West
Point taught were applicable<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">to
universal needs and problems.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Still
serving, and never really retired,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">let
us sing our reminiscences of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">the
backbone of our class, those who</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">ran
the full course of active duty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-77442823201419812922015-12-07T09:18:00.001-05:002015-12-07T09:18:59.311-05:00Slow Train Wreck<span style="font-size: x-small;">St. David's is headed for a slow train wreck. The pledge drive for</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2016 is stalled at 87 units for 164K. 50 units who pledged for </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2015 have not shown up. A few have departed to other churches,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and a few have departed to a better life. The rest are unknown and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">presumably will be followed up, at least by telephone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">That leaves the 2016 pledges 60K + short of the 225K considered</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">necessary to operate the organization and compensate a full-time</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">rector. The church could tap the unrestricted investments to meet</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the shortfall, thus spending dead peoples' money to stay alive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In accounting parlance, that means the church is no longer a "going</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">concern." The leadership of the church has been upfront about the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">situation, apparently to scare the present membership into coughing</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">up more dough. That is a fatal mistake, making them feel guilty</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">about the present level of their support.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The church has been without a rector for a year and a half. The </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">interim rector is a pleasant, cheerful, ineffective leader. Her </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">sermons are brief and forgettable. She has changed the service</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to omit confession, creed, and eucharistic prayers prescribed in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Book of Common Prayer. It is a combination of New Age</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and Unitarianism. She says the newer members like it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Meanwhile, the search committee soldiers on, contacting </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">candidates for full-time rector. Apparently, they do not share</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the dire financial situation with prospects. They had someone</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in agreement last summer, who bailed out at the last minute,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for reasons unknown or unstated.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">From the safety of the end pew, we watch this train wreck as</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it materializes. To add insult to injury, we were not issued </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">pledge envelopes for 2016. Maybe our pledge got lost or </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">they are trying to tell us something. I believe, as always,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">that the hand of God is at work, even though we do not yet</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">know the outcome.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-15592926342445079302015-11-10T11:50:00.001-05:002015-11-10T11:50:46.146-05:00Words at A Wedding<span style="font-size: x-small;">Three of my grandchildren</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">were married recently,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">but I was not asked</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to speak at the reception.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If I had been asked, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I would have passed on</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">words of wisdom to each</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of the happy couples.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">First, to the groom:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Two simple words </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">will keep the relationship</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">alive for the rest of your life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They are simply, "Yes, dear."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Even if you do not agree</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">or wish to acquiesce,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">let it play out her way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">To both the bride and groom,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">never say the words</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"You never" or "You always"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">even if they are true.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">You married someone </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">whose ways attracted you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">You cannot now say,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"You're perfect, now change!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Most of all, wherever you are,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">never let a night pass</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">without saying "I love you"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">before going to sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Then He will keep watch over you,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">give his angels charge of you,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">as He shields the joyous, and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">blesses your union forever.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-46107056775054650052015-09-08T16:02:00.000-04:002015-09-09T17:06:03.986-04:00St. David's Update<span style="font-size: x-small;">At each of the services conducted at St. David's </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the senior warden made a solemn announcement:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The candidate for rector withdrew her</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">agreement to serve at our church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There was something peculiar anyway </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in her not being able to join us until Advent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One would think that by now she had made</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">her intentions known in her present situation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One has to suspect that money is the consideration.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There has been no assurance from the vestry</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">that a full-time rector could be paid entirely</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">from ongoing sources of income.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Given the budget presented at the annual meeting,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a shortfall would have to be made up by raiding</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the Diocesan Investment Trust for this year</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and very possibly for years to come.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Then there is the very real problem of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the high cost of living on Cape Cod,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">particularly in the purchase or rental</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of housing in a very tight market.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">What happens next is up in the air.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There is talk of reconstituting the </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">search </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">committee with new members, </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">assuming </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the present members are dispirited.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The congregation reacted calmly to the news.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It is as if they were already suspicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We may see a gradual departure of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">members who want permanence in their church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The interim rector has served almost a year;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the former rector left in June of last year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The situation calls for a diocesan appointment </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">a priest in charge as soon as possible.</span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-49007516039981769522015-08-25T17:40:00.001-04:002015-08-26T06:57:55.281-04:00Return of the Little Red Bag<span style="font-size: x-small;">The little red bag has been on many trips.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Carry-on size, easy to stow overhead,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it can be pulled through airplane aisles</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and crowded airports without difficulty.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The little red bag made the tour </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to visit the National Parks last year,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and was the carry-on during the cruise</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">on the Rhine and Danube rivers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We had three bad days on that expedition, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the last being the trip home to Boston.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Woke up at 2:30 a.m. to be bussed to the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Budapest airport for a flight to Amsterdam.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Time for a leisurely lunch in Amsterdam,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">then off on the seven hour flight to Boston</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">First we had to stand in line for a grilling</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">by Delta reps before boarding.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The little red bag with us, we were treated</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to a nonstop conversation by two loud</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Eastern Europeans sitting in front of us,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">thus ruining any chance for sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Down in Logan Airport in Boston to be</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">herded in long lines through three </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">separate machinations by customs officials,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the little red bag trailing behind.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Finally we were able to get to the baggage area</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and retrieve our two large suitcases.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When we tried to exit, we were herded to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">another room for baggage inspection.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">With about two hundred passengers lined up,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it looked like we would be another hour.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Suddenly the customs crew decided to wave</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">everyone out the door without inspection.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now at this point, we were brain dead.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We had the two large suitcases in a cart.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Barbara was going to pull the little red bag.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I took off like a shot, pushing the cart.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We had been back and forth on the phone</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with Ray, our limo driver, who had already</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">been waiting an hour for us, then called </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">him again to say we were on our way out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">At this point, memory is clouded.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">All we can say is that when we arrived home,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">there was no little red bag in the car.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ray said he never loaded such an item.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Despair. Is it gone forever?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not so; nine days later, a latino voice</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">informed us that they (who?) had found</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the bag (where?) with no tag (somewhere?).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">He said he would send it on to Delta, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">then abruptly hung up, without further explanation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Meanwhile, we had filed a lost item report </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with Delta, and were awarded a case number. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A week later, Delta emailed to say they</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">could not find our little red bag.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A day or so after that, a lady called to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">say they had it in Delta lost and found.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">So we asked Ray to pick it up on one of his </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">runs to the airport, which he did, delivering </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">this precious item right to our front door.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inside a pocket was Barbara's card, written on.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is another reason why we have taken an </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">oath never to travel outside the country again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now we understand why we saw no other </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">old people on either of the transatlantic flights.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-59507876347381085142015-08-10T15:33:00.003-04:002015-08-10T15:35:34.872-04:00Viking River Cruise<span style="font-size: x-small;">On our stay in Amsterdam before the cruise</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we fulfilled a lifetime objective of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">visiting the restored Rijkes Museum, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a splendid all-day experience.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The works of the Dutch masters</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">were displayed in the great hall</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in separate enclaves for the most famous,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">leaving room for photos of their paintings.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But we have taken an oath</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">never to travel out of the country again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The outgoing day was difficult;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the return passage was nearly impossible.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In between were highlights and disappointments.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The promotional literature summoned up seeing</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">beautiful vistas while slowly gliding down the rivers</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with occasional stops at interesting venues.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The reality was an unbroke regimen of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">herding large groups of passengers into buses,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">then dropping them off for two hour walks</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">on cobblestone streets through medieval villages.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The guides spoke nonstop into walking radios</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">on the local history of governance and disasters</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">through the centuries, and on the lives and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">scandals of the royals and clergy therein.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Naturally, we ignored the lectures and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">took pictures constantly inside and out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fortunately, the dates of each shot will</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">help us to remember where we were.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We focussed on the churches,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">ranging from lofty cathedrals and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">brilliantly decorated rococo chapels</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to somber reconstructions of WWII ruins.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Highlights included climbing up to a genuine castle,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">walking through a walled town in a modern city,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and a slow tour through Buda and Pest, with</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">lights ablaze on the major buildings.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">At one point, we were so exhausted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">that we had to take a day off to remain</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">on the ship while the hardy tourists </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">walked around Bratislava in the rain.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A low point was our transfer from one ship</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to another, because the low water level</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">prevented our first boat from transiting</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the locks on the Main River canal.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Although the food was somewhat bizarre, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we enjoyed sitting with different people</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">who came from all over the U.S.A. and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">as far as Australia and New Zealand.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The ship itself was super clean, with</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">service provided by bright youngsters</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of many nationalities, who smiled constantly</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and were anxious to respond to our requests.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our conclusion is that the Viking River Cruise,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">as it is currently operated, is beyond the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">capabilities of most elderly people like us,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and should be marketed as such.</span><br />
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-60088713741784481512015-03-13T17:25:00.004-04:002015-03-14T09:18:05.777-04:00Eighty-seven<span style="font-size: x-small;">I am eighty-seven</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which by any measure</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">is an advanced age, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">reached only by a select number.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Despite the debilities of age, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I can stand upright,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">walk and talk too much,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and make sense sometimes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Two doctors in recent exams</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">said that I was good for ten more years, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which begs the question:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When do I stop driving?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When I retired after forty-four years </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of employment in five careers, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I still had not decided what I was</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">going to do when I grew up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">So in twenty years of retirement, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I mastered the computer,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">learned how to invest wisely,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">hiked and biked all over Cape Cod.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">My legacy is the website: "cctrails.org,"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">including my book: "Long Walks on Cape Cod."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now I enjoy the woods just as much</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in hour-long strolls on pleasant days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I changed my academic field to the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">study of Christianity and its doctrine,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">participating in small study groups, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">leading discussion and guiding leaders.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">My children are my pride; not exactly my joy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Independent of mind, they followed</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the advice of their parents, who encouraged</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">them to make their own way in the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The apple truly does not fall far from the tree.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They have met all the statutory requirements: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Get an education, get a job, get married,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">stay married, and live an upright life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They have raised their children to be upright </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">also, attending to their needs and problems</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(maybe with a little too much attention), and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">encouraging them to follow their stars.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Grandchildren have not figured much in my life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They are fun when young, going to the beach and such.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But they ignore you in their teens, and you</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">become simply a silent observer thereafter.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Seven years ago, God presented someone</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">athwart my path who made my life a joy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">by choosing to spend her life with me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We do indeed live happily ever after.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Still, I do not forget those who left me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Their pictures greet me every morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When I join them someday, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I will hear: "What took you so long?"</span><br />
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-39735478329616925952015-01-30T12:13:00.002-05:002015-03-06T17:36:44.496-05:00St. David's Update<span style="font-size: x-small;">Average Sunday Attendance at St. David's Church </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in South Yarmouth, MA, is 110 worshippers, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">including choir, clergy, ushers, children. That </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">compares to 150 in 2013, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The stewardship drive topped out at 208K in pledges.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The goal of 220K is planned to be reached by public</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">fundraisers, such as a silent auction and a summer </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">barbecue. Plate offerings in the past averaged 15K.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The thrift shop and rental of Nelson Hall could </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">bring in another 15K.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Thus an optimistic income of 250K would be 65K</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">short of a lean budget of 315K. And </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">the diocesan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">assessment of 25K must be </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">paid in full. The </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">amount needed to compensate a </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">full-time rector, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">according to diocesan requirements, cannot be met</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">without substantial gifts, and/or significant </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">withdrawal from the funds invested in the diocesan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">trust.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">St, David's suffers from a continuing decline in </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">members, with no plan to attract new people.</span><br />
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-84200868503612519462015-01-19T15:57:00.005-05:002015-01-19T15:57:39.611-05:00A Church Downsized<span style="font-size: x-small;">"No, our church didn't go bust,"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">said the churchwarden of St. XXXXXX.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"We were slaves to our buildings,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we couldn't afford the upkeep anymore.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"So we decided to sell the property,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and move to rented quarters.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The move worked out pretty well,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">but we're having problems with the sale."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The Episcopal diocese claims the proceeds,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">under a church law called the Dennis canon.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They say the diocese has an 'implied trust'</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">over the property of its member parishes."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"We don't know how that will work out, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">neither does the lawyer we hired.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">She does believe our liquid assets are safe,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">although the diocese is trying to seize them."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"St. XXXXX is a functioning corporation, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which has moved to another location.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Whether we own or rent is irrelevant;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we have not missed a Sunday of services."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Our focus is on our main objectives:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">bringing the saving grace to all who worship</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with us, and engaging in charitable outreach</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to the community around us."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"We employ a full-time pastor, paying her</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the prescribed salary and allowances.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We pay the diocesan assessment on time,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which will have to be reduced."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Our church has had to give up sponsoring</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">activities that used our former property/</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">AA groups and the thrift shop are gone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The daycare operation moved elsewhere."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"We have an active network of </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">church groups meeting in homes,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for education, moral support, and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">simple fellowship and hospitality."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"All in all, our church regulars</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">are pleased with the new arrangement,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">finding it much easier to invite</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">new people to meet with us."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Our expenses are modest, operating</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">on sort of a pay-as-you-go system.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We don't worry anymore about </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">what we can afford doing."</span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-12538130649448239272015-01-05T08:08:00.000-05:002015-01-21T08:13:03.236-05:00A Church For Sale<span style="font-size: x-small;">Church for Sale</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Both the land and the buildings </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">are for sale," said the agent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The property just came on the market,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">so they're all in pretty good shape."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The old building in front has some</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">kind of historical protection, so it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">can't be torn down. If you use it,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it may need some upgrading."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The church complex is from the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">seventies. They took real good </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">care of it. Put in two ACs to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">protect the organ and cool the crowd!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The big building in back is what</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">they called a parish hall. It has</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a commercial kitchen and storage.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Would be fine for parties and receptions."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"No, the day care outfit has no </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">lease on the space they use.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The church didn't charge them</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">anything; it was all on charity."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"I don't know why the church went bust.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I work for the seller, what they </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">call a diocese. The woman who hired</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">us is a lawyer for the seller."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"This is not a great location for business,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">so we told them to set a realistic price.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">You would have to advertise a lot </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to build a clientele here."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"On the other hand, this is a great</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">place for something that blends</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">into a historic neighborhood.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Just don't plan on much signage."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Yes, that is a landscaper next door.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">They are grandfathered into the site.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">You may have to initiate some legal </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">action to get them to remove the pile of dirt."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The parking lot needs regrading,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">better yet, paved with asphalt.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It is plenty big enough to host</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">capacity crowds for local events."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Yes, that is a memorial garden.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">No one is buried there, in a casket, that is. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">What you see are places where the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">ashes of people are stuck in the ground."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"The seller hasn't said what should</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">happen to the memorial garden.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Maybe they will just ask people to</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">remove the ashes, if they want."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"So let me know it you're interested.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I may be able to get someone who</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">used to go to this church to tell you</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a little more about its history."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-29106923261729864872014-12-25T11:50:00.000-05:002014-12-26T14:24:13.206-05:00A Quiet Christmas<span style="font-size: x-small;">This has been the quietest Christmas</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">that I have ever spent.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Memories of past celebrations</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">flood the memory banks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In an unheated stone church in Germany,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">built during Charlemagne's reign,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a children's choir in dirndls and lederhosen</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">sang a touching, "Stille Nacht!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Eleven o'clock evening services</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">or thereabouts in eight Episcopal churches;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">one in which I began a tradition</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of ushers in black tie and dinner jacket.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Then the return to the house for</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a midnight repast, mostly alcoholic,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with guests, usually oddball characters</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">whom we barely knew and promptly forgot.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Early on, Mr. and Mrs Santa Claus</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">labored into the wee hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In later years, a designated slave</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">assembled the do-it-yourself items.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ma and Pa staggered down </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the stairs as late as possible</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to see the stockings being emptied,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">get some stollen in their stomachs.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">After the Santa Claus days were over</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a strict order of opening presents was imposed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">One by one, each person in turn</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">selected a gift, and opened it for all to see.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I forget when the standing rib roast tradition began</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">but it was a welcome change from turkeys.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The only problem was that it took all day to cook</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">while Pa again failed to master Yorkshire pudding.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Dessert was often a flaming pudding</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">which was both hazardous and hard to eat.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By late afternoon, chaos had faded to stupor.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The progeny then scattered to various venues.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This year, Barbara and I were alone,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">attending a Christmas Eve service at seven.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In bed by ten as usual, we had</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a leisurely pancake breakfast next morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our major presents were already in use,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">so we took pictures holding the boxes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of a Canon Power Shoot camera for her</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and a 40 inch Panasonic Smart TV for me.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">God bless you all, have a Happy New Year,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and forgive my lengthy lucubration!</span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-80625012069504770972014-12-07T14:48:00.001-05:002014-12-07T14:48:36.514-05:002014 photosChristmas 2014<br />
<br />
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Cape Cod's famous hydrangeas, view from the deck of our house<br />
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USMA Class of 1949 65th reunion at West Point, alumni in dark blue blazers<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y0SOsw5j4PY/VISupXavRGI/AAAAAAAAHpY/wWpxYzt_Cwk/s1600/DSCN0183.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y0SOsw5j4PY/VISupXavRGI/AAAAAAAAHpY/wWpxYzt_Cwk/s1600/DSCN0183.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
North rim of the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park (it really blew!)<br />
<div>
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Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-66974973677267434222014-12-02T11:23:00.004-05:002014-12-06T09:21:38.469-05:00Christmas 2014<span style="font-size: x-small;">F. Scott Fitzgerald was wrong. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There are second acts in American lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Barbara and I are privileged to enjoy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a second act in very long lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I will be 87 in March, God willing;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">she just turned 85 in November.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We experience as much good health</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">as people our age can reasonably expect.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking at the picture attached,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">you see part of the enormous garden</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Barbara has created, in a bank of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Cape Cod's famous hydrangeas.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Every morning and throughout the day</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we see a view of marsh and tidal waters,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">an ever-changing sea sky to the east,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and the antics of native wildlife.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The reunion at West Point was a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">bittersweet occasion for the forty some</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">classmates who attended, showing the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">mental and physical ravages of age.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">From Phoenix to Rapid City, SD</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">we toured eight of the national parks, </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">took hundreds of pictures of the sights </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">survived long and hectic days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Barbara made two arduous hops to</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">attend family reunions, so we were glad</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to have two of her daughters here</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to celebrate a real family thanksgiving.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Christmas and New Year holidays </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">will find us alone again, but with </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">numerous cultural events beforehand</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to get in the spirit of the season.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Our attention is focussed on saving</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the two institutions we follow closely,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the art museum Barbara helped to found,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and our troubled local church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">May you have good health, good times,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and good friends this holiday season, and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the peace which passeth understanding</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">all throughout the new year </span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-65452464654545073312014-11-05T13:28:00.004-05:002014-11-05T13:28:44.067-05:00Conclusion<span style="font-size: x-small;">Conclusion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is the end of the analysis of the situation of St. David's Episcopal Church </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in South Yarmouth, MA. The objectives of the Diocese of Massachusetts and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of the current leadership of St. David's have become clear. As it has for the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">three little churches profiled under "Church Finances" below, the diocese </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">recommends that St. David's use as much of its endowment as necessary to </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">hire a new rector, probably paying only 3/4 of prescribed compensation. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There is apparently no limit to how much a parish can withdraw from its </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">endowment annually, although a limit of four percent has been the norm.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Thus the diocese finds positions for as many clergy as possible, and the little</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">churches, including St. David's, keep the doors open for declining congregations.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The diocesan assessment thereupon becomes a transfer of funds from parish </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">endowment to the diocese, which was 32K in 2013.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">St. David's is now a prisoner of the diocese, which controls the disposition of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">part time clergy as well as full time. If the parish sought to continue with only</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">part time clergy filling in occasionally, the diocese could stop them. A full </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">time "rector" would have to be fully vetted by the diocese, regardless of how</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">much that person is paid. The default to any action taken by the parish that</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">does not meet diocesan demands will be the seizure and forfeiture of assets</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and buildings.</span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-28705281099950853882014-10-23T10:31:00.002-04:002014-10-24T08:54:39.580-04:00Church Analysis<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Church Analysis<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Analysis of the spreadsheet, “Church
Statistics”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">The spreadsheet is a
compilation of bar graph charts available at <a href="http://pr.dfms.org/study">http://pr.dfms.org/study</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">The figures contained therein
were supplied by each church annually.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">All the ten Episcopal churches
on Cape Cod have a clergyperson listed as “rector.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">The minimum compensation
required for a full-time rector by the Episcopal Diocese of </span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Massachusetts is
100K per year, which is composed of salary, health insurance, and pension
contribution. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Therefore, it is doubtful that
the three churches at the bottom are paying, or could pay that <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">amount to their rectors. Some other arrangement must be in force.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Based on the operating costs of
St. David’s, about 180K per year is required for staff, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">utilities, and maintenance at
most churches. The bottom three are well below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Churches five through seven
have insufficient funds, also, and must rely on withdrawals from</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">endowed funds
to achieve a balanced budget of 280K per year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Churches one through four
should be operating in the black, so long as the annual collections<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">continue at the 2013 level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Levels of attendance have held
steady for the past five years, with some ups and downs <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">during periods of transition in
leadership. Trends vary for collections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">Reported levels of membership
are grossly inflated in the underlying documents. To be <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: x-small;">accurate, they must be pruned
of deceased, departed, and disaffected members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-82324568454670481352014-10-22T11:25:00.001-04:002014-10-22T11:36:29.139-04:00Church Statistics<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 800px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 9142; mso-width-source: userset; width: 188pt;" width="250"></col>
<col span="4" style="mso-width-alt: 4022; mso-width-source: userset; width: 83pt;" width="110"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 4022; mso-width-source: userset; width: 83pt;" width="110"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; width: 188pt;" width="250"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 83pt;" width="110"></td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 83pt;" width="110"></td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 83pt;" width="110"></td>
<td class="xl63" style="width: 83pt;" width="110"></td>
<td style="width: 83pt;" width="110"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl64" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">Attendance -- Collections</span></b></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2009</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2010</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2011</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2012</span></td>
<td align="right"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2013</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl64" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><br /></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Holy Spirit, Orleans</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">250 -- 430K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">240 -- 435K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">240 -- 485K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">230 -- 450K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">230 -- 430K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Mary's, Barnstable</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">170 -- 260K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">260 -- 240K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">160 -- 235K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">180 -- 240K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">200 -- 310K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Chrisopher's, Chatham</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">220 -- 410K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">240-- 440K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">230 -- 460K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">220 -- 500K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">200 -- 480K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Barnabas, Falmouth</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">200 -- 290K </span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">210 -- 275K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">210 -- 290K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">200 -- 275K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">190 -- 280K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. David's, S. Yarmouth</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">140 --200K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">120 --200K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> 140 --200K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">140 --235K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">150 -- 230K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl64"></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. John's, Sandwich</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">240 -- 260K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">230 -- 240K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">220 -- 230K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">180 -- 250K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">150 -- 210K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Peter's, Osterville</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">130 -- 240K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">160 -- 300K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">110 -- 290K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">100 -- 270K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">100 -- 230K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Christ, Harwich Port</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">90 -- 115K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">110 -- 150K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">100 -- 135K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">110 -- 140K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">100 -- 145K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Peter's, Buzzards Bay</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">75 -- 85K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">80 -- 85K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">85 -- 90K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">90 --100K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">100 -- 100K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Mary, Provincetown</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">80 -- 130K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">70 -- 135K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">75 -- 160K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">75 -- 190K</span></td>
<td class="xl63"><span style="font-size: x-small;">70 -- 170K</span></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl64" colspan="4" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt; mso-ignore: colspan;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">.</span></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;">
<td class="xl64" height="20" style="height: 15.0pt;"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td class="xl63"></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-17933156583366935482014-10-13T08:05:00.003-04:002014-10-13T08:06:27.759-04:00Four Little Churches<span style="font-size: x-small;">Four Little Churches</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Four little churches in a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">large Episcopal diocese</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">are in transition, searching</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for the next rector.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">None of them have</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">sufficient mesns to pay the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">compensation for clergy</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">required by the diocese.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The diocesan consultsants</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">remommend that each church</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">withdraw large sums from</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">endowed funds to cover.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Inasmuch as the attendance and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">collections at each church have</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">been declining for years, there</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">is little chance of replenishment.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The diocese pursues two aims:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keep clergy employed while</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">insuring that the assessments</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">continue to flow to the diocese.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The consultants have suggested</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">paying only 3/4 of the prescribed</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">compensation for clergypersons</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">but retaining full assessments.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Faced with little prospect</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">of expanding their congregations,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the little churches will eventually</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">run out of endowed funds.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">When this happens, and the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">church closes its doors, the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">remaining assets and buildings</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">revert to the diocese.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not only does the church vanish,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">but the buildings which the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">people paid for over the years</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">are sold on the open market.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-56717530985624068552014-10-08T16:48:00.004-04:002014-10-08T16:48:48.199-04:00Incentives to Decline<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Incentives to Decline: Why Some Churches Really Don't Want to Grow</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By John Flowers and Karen Vannoy Posted on February 1st, 2010</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article is featured in the New Places for New People (Feb/Mar/Apr 2010) issue of Circuit Rider</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Your congregation has been in significant decline for years. Members acknowledge that something must be done to reverse the decline. Plans are discussed and official votes are taken to make church growth a top priority, but with few results. Nothing seems to gain traction. When growth is a priority but nothing happens, low-grade depression and lethargy inevitably follow.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The slow death of certain denominations has been charted by polls, study groups, seminaries, and think tanks. Countless sermons are preached, classes are taught, books are written, and consultants are hired, in order to revitalize congregations. Denominational executives establish committees, task forces and study groups. Conferences are held and encouragement is given lip service, while privately, everyone knows the sad truth: few congregations will ever reverse decline once they are in its grip. The money, time, and effort are better spent on starting new congregations, because the old ones seem incapable of rebirth.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">How can this be true for a faith founded on new life? If the gospel can prevail against the gates of hell, why can't it prevail against the massive decline facing our congregations?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">No church members want to see their local congregation die. It would seem that their motivation to keep the church alive would be strong enough to overcome any obstacle, yet each year more churches close their doors while lamenting their fate. It is as if there are counterforces at work against the very changes that would bring new life.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We know along with Paul that there is perversity at work in the human heart and believe that same perversity can be at work on an organizational level as well. At an unconscious level, members of dying churches may be influenced by some hidden payoffs in the church's decline. Until we're willing to name and confront the incentives for decline that exist alongside the desire for new life, we may find our churches continuing to not do the thing they want but instead to do the very thing they hate.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Incentives for Decline</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The individual member becomes more powerful the smaller the church. Members often hold more than one office in dying churches, their individual financial contributions carry more weight, and their absence has a bigger impact.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The church feels more intimate and familiar as it declines. With fewer people, you can know more about each other. Programs, traditions and experiences are more easily shared. Communication is easier because someone will call you to fill you in on what happened. Also, not as much is happening, so it's easier to stay informed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The growing sense of familiarity and intimacy also make the church feel more caring. People notice when you aren't there. The pastor knows your name, and you are more likely to get personal pastoral attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">While youth and children's programs are the first to decline in numbers, fewer children and youth provide for less disruption in worship, less pressure for change, and ease the strain on budgets and volunteers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Fewer people make assimilation less work. Getting to know people is hard work. It requires an emotional investment in strangers, which gets more difficult as we age. As church growth ceases, the members can spend more time visiting with existing friends, which is more fun and enjoyable anyway. Six to ten new people a year is a manageable number to get to know.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The Church as a place of safety becomes primary over the risk of following Jesus. Just as some people live in a gated community to keep the world out, some church members feel safer with a symbolic gate around the church too. Laypersons with a high priority on safety and security issues are likely drawn to a church in decline. As churches decline, it becomes easier to exercise control and to minimize activities. Church growth brings increased vulnerability for a local congregation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Finally, members with limited gifts and graces for leadership now find themselves in leadership positions. As the church declines and gifted leaders die off or leave, the remaining members are called upon to fill vacancies even if they don't possess the necessary gifts. Sometimes they are asked to fill multiple offices, and feel indispensable. The ill-suited leaders can become resistant to losing this recognition and power.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We can't begin the process of change without a frank discussion of the behaviors that feed the decline. Some individuals, like some congregations, will never get there. But healthy processes can be built while incentives are phased out.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Addressing the Incentives</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Limit everyone to one office. This will meet with resistance and may need to be implemented over a 2-3 year period. In all likelihood, some offices will be left vacant. Begin by eliminating at large committee members and use the minimum number required. Name coordinators for broad ministry areas—witness, outreach and nurture—without naming committee members. Coordinators can recruit volunteers as needed. The Leadership Committee must train for a new kind of leadership that focuses on uncovering new ministries and allowing existing programs to “maintain” themselves.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">To counterbalance the disruption that comes from growth, lay a new groundwork to meet the members' need for intimacy. Develop a lay-led system for caring for the membership that doesn't place you at the center. (Some members will undoubtedly feel this is “your job.” Lead Bible studies, write articles, and preach on Acts 6:1-7 until the membership understands and values the practice of caring for one another.) As you develop the network, make sure that caring for newcomers takes place as well. They aren't as easily missed as longtime members are, so save your oversight to make sure they don't fall through the cracks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Change the focus of what it means to lead. Most dying churches are already organized into small groups for existing members through Sunday school, UMW, and informal friendship networks. It isn't the job of leadership to maintain these groups; celebrate that these groups are self-sufficient. The job of leadership is to develop new small groups for new people to connect. When you can identify twenty people who attend worship but aren't connected anywhere else, it's time for a new group to form. Solicit one or two longtime members to help you lead the new group, with the idea of taking over the leadership from you. If no one steps forward, start a new group anyway, knowing God will provide!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">New people will neither know nor value the church's history as much as longtime members do. Let the established members channel their energy into writing both a detailed history and a brief history of your congregation. (By brief, we mean no more than one page). Use the brief history with newcomers. When too much emphasis is placed on a church's history, we communicate that our best days are behind us, not ahead. Who wants to join a church whose best days are gone?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">With growth comes difficulties in communication. Develop the idea that members can't know everything that's happening by modeling it yourself. We hope for the day when our church is so active that we can't know everything going on at the church. Hallelujah when something happens without our knowing it! Instill new methods of communicating while constantly reinforcing the idea that no individual can know everything that's happening in the church. Make sure that websites, online newsletters, e-mail, prayer groups, telephone trees, and bulletin boards are up-to-date. If information is readily available, communication complaints tend to be about control issues.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nothing can change the enjoyment received from visiting with old friends, so it is important to intentionally recruit and train people whose sole job each Sunday is to connect with newcomers. Surf the websites of growing congregations to see how they welcome newcomers. (Letting visitors know what to expect is especially important.) Select the people who seem naturally outgoing and friendly with a heart for the gospel, and place them near the doors. Check in each week for their contacts, how their conversations went, and what they learned. Maintain a list of the information, and every 4-6 weeks contact the new people to see if they are becoming connected to your congregation (if they aren't, it's time to start a new group). When the numbers get too big for you to handle, you'll know it's time to turn this task over to your lay leadership!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If you have limited children or youth, accept that this will take a while to grow and begin to look for possible seeds. Who in your congregation has a passion for ministry with children or youth? Which schools and childcare facilities are closest to your location? What needs might your church meet for those families? After-school care? Drama, arts, or singing groups? What about the grandchildren of your members? Are there children in your neighborhood? Your assets are that you have a big, empty building! Host birthday parties, Saturday playtimes, “Friday Night Out” babysitting services. Whatever you do, make sure you are tying these families in with your congregation, not just with a service you are providing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some members will never be positive about the work of growing the local church. As leaders, we need to listen to their concerns, measure the effect of those concerns on others, and yet stay focused on the vision that God calls all churches to make new disciples. In his book Hope Within History, Walter Brueggemann points out the importance of naming our pain. Only when we do that can we begin to dream again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Karen Vannoy and John Flowers are co-pastors of First United Methodist Church in Phoenix, Arizona, and coauthors of Not Just a One-Night Stand: Ministry with the Homeless. </span><br />
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-72760585068381066982014-10-08T16:28:00.000-04:002014-11-03T07:35:24.346-05:00Church Finances<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Church
Finances </span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">October 7, 2014<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Excerpts from the Parish Profiles of three churches seeking new rectors, as</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">published on the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.)</span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Trinity
Episcopal Church, Marshfield, MA<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">OUR
FINANCES, like the finances of many churches today continue to present<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">challenges
to our community. Although our 2013 budgeted expenses exceeded our<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">actual
income, we ended the year better than expected. Our actual income in 2013<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">was
$215,335 with expenses of $226,717. The 2013 income included a $36,944<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">draw
from our endowment funds. This draw from our endowment fund is just $9,000<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">over
the recommended 4% draw. Our church is fortunate enough to have two<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">endowment
funds, worth a combined total of $669,161 at the end of 2013 that gives<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">us
the ability to present a balanced budget. In 2013, income from pledges<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">accounted
for 43% of our revenue with additional plate offerings accounting for an<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">additional
5%. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Our
budgeted expenses for 2014 presents essentially the same picture with<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">expected
expenditures of $223,377 and our income continues to reflect an expected<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">draw
from our endowments, now targeted to be $73,062. Our pledges for this year<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">represent
39% of our budget and other Sunday collections account for<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">approximately
4% of the budget. As of May 30, 2014, our endowment funds totaled<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">$691,863,
which included a withdrawal this year of $34,795. As a congregation we<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">know
that it is not prudent to continue to rely upon our endowments to balance our<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">operating
budget. It is our hope that our new ¾ time Rector is willing and able to<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">motivate
and energize our congregation in a new way which will lead to greater<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">visibly
and involvement in the community and create an environment in which<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">people
will want to join our Trinity family. We, as a congregation, are making every<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">effort
to balance our finances and minimize our draw from our endowment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Trinity Church attendance has declined from about 75 to
60 persons.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">St.
John's Church, Westwood, MA</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Through
the support of our congregation and partnership with our diocese, </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St. John’s
will thrive for the next 50 years and beyond. St. John’s Vestry has </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">managed its
budget, successfully raised additional funds through the Together </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Now Capital
Campaign and sustained its annual Stewardship Campaign to meet </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">capital and
operational commitments. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(St.
John’s has had a Priest-in-Charge for the past three years. Plate and pledge </span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">collection has declined from
$180K to $150K in that time. <b>Average Sunday </b></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>attendance is holding at
about 70.)<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The
annual Stewardship drive funds the operating needs of the church each fiscal </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">year. Over the last 3 years, parishioner contributions have been steady but the
total </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">contributions have been flat, year over year. Contributions from long
time families </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">and individuals represent the majority of the contributors, so
greater contributions </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">from newer parishioners and families will be needed. An
additional source of income </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">is rental of the nursery</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">school wing
to St. John’s Nursery School. The rectory is </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">currently being rented to a
parishioner but is an option</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">for the living quarters of our </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">new Rector. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">St.
James Church, Amesbury, MA</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">St.
James has consistently operated in the black, with the recent exception of
2011, a <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">year
in which St. James spent nearly $100,000 on building improvements, some of <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">which
was spent in advance of insurance reimbursements received in 2012. With an <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">annual
operating budget of ~$145,000, St. James is well capitalized with over <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">$100,000
of investment assets as a backstop to the current year’s working capital. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That
said, St. James has been the beneficiary of a single large annual gift for
several <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">years.
This generous gift has represented 30% to 40% of our annual income for nearly <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">a
decade, and replacing this income with the pledges of new members is the number
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">one
priority of our vestry and stewardship committee. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In
2006, when the new Priest-in-Charge was assigned to St. James, the finances of
the <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">church
were in disarray. Having had one rector in place for 20 years, standards and <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">procedures
had become lax. Our Priest-in-Charge put in place a series of best <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">practices
for bookkeeping, audit, and financial oversight that have been integrated into <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">the
daily operations of the parish, and significantly improved the transparency of
St. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">James’
finances. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The
decision of St. James to fund the increased cost of a new “3/4 time” rector is <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">calculated
to support the growth required to achieve a growth in membership and <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">thereby
achieve financial self-sufficiency by 2018. The vestry of St. James has <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">approved
the proposed deficit spending, to be financed in the near term with savings, <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">and
in the long term with increased pledge revenues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(St. James has declined in attendance from 100 to 70
persons.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-67691129263618303212014-10-04T10:46:00.002-04:002014-10-04T10:51:09.776-04:00Stand Firm Conversation<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stand Firm Conversation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I’m in the position of an anglican evangelical using my management consulting expertise to try to save a small TEC church from extinction at the hands of its diocese. Along with two other parishes, the diocesan minions are attempting to get us to take down our modest endowment in large chunks to fund a gilt-edged compensation package for interim and full-time rectors.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It isn’t going to work. We are about 50K short. Long-time members, those who are left, are not going to double their pledges. Some of us are already church-shopping in case the church collapses. The only reason I’m there is that it seemed a good idea to accompany my wife to her church when we married five years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">My suspicion is that the diocese would rather see us go out of business than bend to meet the needs of our situation. We are looking at alternative scenarios, which I will not detail. My understanding is that we will be forbidden to pursue them. If you have any helpful guidance, please email me through Stand Firm, where I am a member.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">All the gory details are in a personal blog, which I do not make public. I will give you the address (URL) if you ask. We are in our late eighties, so we do not enjoy the distraction that this turmoil requires.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[18] Posted by profpk on 10-2-2014 at 04:16 PM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Profpk—that’s happening increasingly around TEC. Remember—the bishops’ friends are the clergy—by and large bishops are going to use their power to help the clergy at the expense of helping the parish. They would rather the parish go under, if the priests are “taken care of.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">All you can do is 1) protect the vestry elections fervently, 2) continue to say “no” on using the endowment, and 3) prepare for the threats: “we will declare you a mission and appoint our own mission committee” and “oh looky—no supply priest for you, so no services.” </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Remember—in most dioceses, if a parish collapses, the endowment reverts to the diocese so that the bishop can fund all of his revisionist and useless staff appointments.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[20] Posted by Sarah on 10-2-2014 at 10:23 PM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Profpk and Sarah,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">3) prepare for the threats: “we will declare you a mission and appoint our own mission committee” and “oh looky—no supply priest for you, so no services.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sarah, USC must still be a more civilized diocese than many in TEC. One needs to be prepared to receive a letter from the bishop replacing the vestry and pulling the license of any priest who might be involved in parish resistance. There won’t be a “threat”- it will just happen. What you hear is “The vestry now consists of 5 members of the TEC Loyalty Group who have been reporting to me on your attempts to take the parish out of TEC (whether you were doing that or not), and the canon to the ordinary will preside at the Eucharist next Sunday.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Under the more recent canons of many dioceses, its not any harder to shut down a recalcitrant vestry than it is to accept an episcopal renunciation or faculty resignation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[21] Posted by tjmcmahon on 10-3-2014 at 06:34 AM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Profpk,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I very much sympathize with your situation. Other than my rather cynical response above, I cannot offer much of anything constructive- those parishes I was involved in prior to my own departure from TEC all failed to resist the diocese. Another where I knew several of the principals, and led by a conservative rector, was closed by the method I cited in #21- the rector and vestry thought they were going to a “reconciliation” session with the bishop and instead found themselves facing the chancellor demanding the keys to the building.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[22] Posted by tjmcmahon on 10-3-2014 at 06:47 AM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">RE: “Sarah, USC must still be a more civilized diocese than many in TEC.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Well I was referring to many dioceses, not necessarily USC. And keep in mind my comments are for parishes who have no interest in taking themselves out of TEC—doesn’t even cross their minds—they’re just trying to survive and hold onto an endowment and take appropriate steps to maintain.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But the truth is, many bishops don’t want these small parishes in mostly rural areas or tiny towns to “survive”—why waste that endowment on a tiny historic parish when one might help a priest feed off of it uselessly for 4-5 years more, or better yet, it might go to the diocesan coffers, since so many parishes are struggling, losing members, losing money, and thus can’t give enough money to My Diocesan Program & Staff.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[23] Posted by Sarah on 10-3-2014 at 07:22 AM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sarah,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Your last paragraph in #23 is certainly true. Diocesan policies in many places will likely lead to circumstances similar to what is going on now in N Michigan. Once the majority of parishes collapsed to the point of being unable to support a rector, the diocese raised their apportionment to astronomical levels to pay five “missioner” priests to oversee a hoard of untrained volunteer clergy (in local parish, 20% of the ASA have been ordained as priests or deacons- the senior warden is a deacon). As the endowments run out, the parishes are reduced to home churches, and then may vanish altogether. The diocese will sell the building or the Tiffany stained glass (the churches up here were built by lumber and mining barons in the late 1800s- they spared no expense), in the end, to continue the salaries of the diocesan “missioners” and “ministry developers.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[24] Posted by tjmcmahon on 10-3-2014 at 07:41 AM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">RE: “to continue the salaries of the diocesan “missioners” and “ministry developers.”</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Heh—yup. The “ministry developers” . . . what a nice name.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And don’t forget the bishop. Mustn’t forget the bishop’s salary.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[25] Posted by Sarah on 10-3-2014 at 08:15 AM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks, T.J. and Sarah for your replies. Unfortunately, you have confirmed my suspicion that we are likely to lose our assets and be reduced to a home church. Our wardens and vestry are TEC neophytes who have no apprehension of duplicity in the machinations of our diocese. I had hoped to be instrumental in turning our church into a traditional posture within a TEC diocese. One of our urban churches has done so, advertises its position vigorously, and is thriving. So far, they have gotten away with it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[26] Posted by profpk on 10-3-2014 at 02:24 PM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">My experience has been that churches in a diocese tend to be categorized into tiers. In the bottom tier (rural, poor and unimportant congregations), the diocese doesn’t much care what happens there, so long as there aren’t any problems. The top tier parishes are the very wealthy ones, are almost always liberal, tend to be very insular. and want to largely operate independently. Of most interest are the middle tier parishes. The diocese will pounce on these parishes during transitions or other times of weakness to bring them further under liberal and/or diocesan control. They would rather have a part-time liberal priest in charge of a declining congregation, than a full-time conservative who is growing the church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">My experience has also been that unless you have a pretty solidly united congregation that is engaged, informed and willing to hang tough, there isn’t much hope in holding out against the diocese when it turns its eyes on you.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[27] Posted by jamesw on 10-3-2014 at 03:03 PM · [top]</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">profpk,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Probably my cynicism showing through, but if you have a revisionist bishop tolerating a large, orthodox, urban parish, in all likelihood that means said parish is paying its full apportionment to the diocese to fund its revisionist programs and pay the bishop’s salary. So he allows them to continue paying his salary and supporting the diocesan policies and programs.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">However, that said, you might want to make contact with that large parish- as large, cardinal parishes do have a certain amount of influence in diocesan circles. If nothing else, they would likely invite you to come in on the weekends to participate in programs, and be able to provide you with some resources- such as educational materials- that won’t be available from the revisionist diocese.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[28] Posted by tjmcmahon on 10-3-2014 at 09:14 PM · [top]</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-20277174262187167822014-09-11T15:56:00.000-04:002014-10-19T15:57:51.666-04:00Tactical Plan for St. David's<span style="font-size: x-small;">Tactical Plan for St. David’s</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">September 11, 2014</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A tactical plan is what you will do when the enemy has you surrounded</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and demands that you surrender. Fortunately, the situation at St. David’s</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">is slow-moving. There is plenty of time to work out a plan for keeping</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the doors open. It is not necessary for St. David’s to hire an interim </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">priest at full compensation for an indefinite period. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In a previous post, I wrote: “I believe that St. David’s could survive if </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it were free to plan its future unhindered." The four hundred pound gorilla</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in the room is the diocese. Up to now, their representatives are managing,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">and are far-removed from reality. The exercise we participated in on </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">August 24th was worse that useless; especially the suggestions that we </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">hire two full-time clergy!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">According to the co-chair of the search committee, a financial forecast</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">will be forthcoming from a group appointed for this task, and presented</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to the congregation. If it resembles the 2014 budget circulated at the last </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">annual meeting, the total for the year is not too far off from an income </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">required for compensating a full-time rector.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">There are two fatal flaws in this picture. The first is in assuming that pledges</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">will continue at the 2013 level. At the last transition, they dropped 27 </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">percent, from 2008 to 2009. Then 2013 saw a further decline of 10 percent,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">made up from "special gifts" and "anonymous donation." Barring a miracle in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the form of a bequest, or supplementary donation, income alone will be far</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">short of that required.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The second problem is in the compensation of staff. I won't get into specifics,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">because that would compromise negotiations with present members. But I</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">would guess that the 2014 budget is about 25 percent short of what the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">minimum wage laws would require for the present positions. And if a plan</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for part-time clergy were adopted, a full-time parish administrator would be</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">needed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Which leads me to a brief outline for a tactical plan for St. David's:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Employ a retired or part-time minister to celebrate Holy Communion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> once a month on Sundays, and on Holy Days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Schedule Morning Prayer services on other Sundays, officiated by </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> volunteers from the congregation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">3. Encourage the present outreach of dedicated volunteers, adding the </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> visitations and other services often performed by clergy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">4. Enhance the adult education now taking place in discussion groups at</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> church, and small groups in homes.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Now if that seems impossible, we did all the above at The Anglican</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Church of the Resurrection for three years prior to the hiring of a vicar.</span><br />
<br />Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-27177534685298315332014-09-08T14:59:00.001-04:002014-10-10T15:34:27.875-04:00Survival Strategy for St. David's<span style="font-size: x-small;">Survival Strategy for St. David's</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Below is an outline of a survival strategy for St. David's that I wrote in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">December, after five years of attendance. With my management</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">consultant hat on, I found St. David's to be a marginal operation with</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">no worthwhile plan for growth. The parish directory for 2003 listed</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">354 units, single and families. The 2013 directory listed 207. That</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">is raw data, of course, but the numbers are telling. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I have belonged to eight Episcopal churches over 58 years and have</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">lived through upheavals and periods of transition. They always</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">result in loss of a few parishioners, who depart looking for stable</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">situations in their religious life. We hear talk about the success of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">St. Mary's in West Barnstable, and have seen their dynamic rector</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">in action. A similar encomium of Dennis Union Church prompts us</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">to pay it a visit during this transition period.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I forwarded this piece to the co-chairperson of the search committee</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">with strong words about the need for a realistic financial assessment.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">She assured me that the parish leadership was working on same with</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">advice from a diocesan consultant. At present, I don't see the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">possibility of St. David's meeting the compensation requirements for</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">a full-time rector that the diocese imposes. I believe that St. David's</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">could survive if it were free to plan its future unhindered. That would</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">mean the diocese would have to take a back seat role.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Strategy for St. David's</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Have the Yarmouth health department and/or the building inspector</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> declare the mission house uninhabitable. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Move the offices and the the thrift shop to the common building,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> replacing the March Room and the classrooms.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">3. Discontinue use of premises at St. David's by the day care operation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">4. Install movable partitions in Nelson Hall for use by the church</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> school and small meetings.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">5. Use Nelson Hall regularly for coffee hour and other social activities.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">6. Change the name of the church to St. David's Church, dropping the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> specific Episcopal identification.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">7. Post "We have answers" and similar evangelistic messages on</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> the signboard.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">8. Begin the work of a search committee immediately to:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Forecast the financial condition of the parish</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Determine what the parish can afford in paid leadership</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Shortcut the self-study process to avoid an interim rector</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use supply priests in the short term</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Advertise, examine, and call a new rector or part-time minister</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">9. Scrap the organization chart in the Shoreline, and replace it with a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> simple listing of primary functions, volunteer activities, and their</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> leaders.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">10. Take decisive action, resisting pressure from diocesan officials</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> to burden the parish with unnecessary requirements.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">11. Keep the congregants informed of progress and decisions made,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> but do not permit them to derail the process.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">12. Begin an active marketing campaign to attract new members.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">None of my conclusions and recommendations came from Armand.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">He did tell us that the mission house could not be torn down because</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">it is an historic structure on Old Main Street. That protection does</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">not mean that it has to be used. It is unsafe and a money pit.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Nelson Hall is another white elephant, in that is not used enough</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">by St. David's. Dividers in a parish hall are frequently seen in</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">other churches. St. Mark's in Venice, FL, uses theirs for small</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">meetings throughout the week.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Discharging the day care center will be a tough nut, but it has to</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">be done. They monopolize useful space and contribute nothing to</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the core mission of the church. Same for AA. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We can understand the diocesan insistence on full compensation</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">for interim and permanent rectors. They are trying to protect</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the interests of the clergy. If a church can't meet their requirements,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">maybe it should merge or go out of business, in their view.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In some Episcopal dioceses, two churches may share a full-time</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">minister. It is a bad solution, for a number of reasons. Also,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">attempting to go it alone is perilous. Citing the Dennis Canon,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">the diocese will send down a lawyer to seize all the assets and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">evict the congregation. Has happened already to others.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The failure of St. David's leadership to reach out to attract new</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">members is breathtakingly stupid. Much of church marketing</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">can be free or very low cost. Congratulations to those brave</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">souls who managed to find the church and join it.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-86469468578117599212014-09-08T14:50:00.001-04:002014-10-10T15:34:51.766-04:00Strategy for St. David's<span style="font-size: x-small;">Strategy for St. David's</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">December 19, 2013</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">1. Have the Yarmouth health department and/or the building inspector</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> declare the mission house uninhabitable. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">2. Move the offices and the the thrift shop to the common building,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> replacing the March Room and the classrooms.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">3. Discontinue use of premises at St. David's by the day care operation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">4. Install moveable partitions in Nelson Hall for use by the church</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> school and small meetings.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">5. Use Nelson Hall regularly for coffee hour and other social activities.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">6. Change the name of the church to St. David's Church, dropping the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> specific Episcopal identification.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">7. Post "We have answers" and similar evangelistic messages on</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> the signboard.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">8. Begin the work of a search committee immediately to:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Forecast the financial condition of the parish</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Determine what the parish can afford in paid leadership</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Shortcut the self-study process to avoid an interim rector</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use supply priests in the short term</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Advertise, examine, and call a new rector or part-time minister</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">9. Scrap the organization chart in the Shoreline, and replace it with a</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> simple listing of primary functions, volunteer activities, and their</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> leaders.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">10. Take decisive action, resisting pressure from diocesan officials</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> to burden the parish with unnecessary requirements.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">11. Keep the congregants informed of progress and decisions made,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"> but do not permit them to derail the process.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">12. Begin an active marketing campaign to attract new members.</span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6735874895946758020.post-90054909741119866412014-09-08T14:36:00.000-04:002014-10-09T14:54:13.082-04:00Incipient Collapse<span style="font-size: x-small;">Incipient Collapse</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">December 31, 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We predicted the collapse</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Of St. David's Church in 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">That prediction has been confirmed</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">By the present financial crisis.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The rector of the church,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">For whom we have great affection,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Has written a mournful letter in the</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Monthly publication of the church.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In it, he states that the shortfall for</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The coming year's budget will be</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Made up again from the reserve, and</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"cannot be relied on for more than another year."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">He proposes inviting a "planning" committee</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">To outline means to build up the reserve.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">That is not planning, it is fund raising, or</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Development" in the parlance of non-profits.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But a church cannot raise funds from donors;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It must rely on the contributions from members.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Therefore the solution lies solely in recruiting</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Many new members to the church family.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">As we have often stated, the objective of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">"Stewardship" as it is colloquially known is</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not to squeeze more money from the faithful,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">But to get more faithful to squeeze money from.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">The "perfect storm" discussed heretofore</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Militates against attracting new members</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">In substantial numbers, so long as the church</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Continues to follow its obsolete business model.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">As we have argued previously, continuing to do</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">What is failing is not a recipe for future success.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Adding new outreach programs simply stretches</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Church resources, while older programs suffer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">If we are to plan the future of St. David's,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">We must examine the total environment of our church,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">List all available options for growth, sift and discuss,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">And determine what we can reasonably pursue.</span>Patrick Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09880477052032384770noreply@blogger.com0