2007 Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting was held on January 21, at 12 noon in the Parish Hall, after a wonderful potluck lunch at 11:00 a.m. Richard Banton, Gina Malone, and Aaron Welborn were elected to three year terms on the vestry. Bryan Cather was elected to a three year term as a delegate to convocation and diocesan convention. Allyce Bullock and John Perry were elected to three year terms as alternate delegates.

Dale Cannon and Henry Taber were congratulated for completing six consecutive years on the vestry; they are beginning a sabbath year from the vestry. Henry Taber has another year on his term as delegate. G.W. Kelly was nominated by the rector as Junior Warden, pending election by the vestry on January 27 at the vestry retreat. Julian Long will continue to serve as Senior Warden.

Rector's Report

Given as a sermon on January 21, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. by the Rev. Teresa K. Mithen

Text - 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a

We are the Church!

Who can forget Henry [Taber] leading us in shouting, "We are the Church!" from the rafters a few weeks ago. Let's do it again - "We are the Church!" [The congregation shouted, "We are the Church!]

Paul reminds us again and again in his letter to the Corinthians - We are the Church! Just like the very first church in Corinth, we may not always get it right, but we are still the Church, the Body of Christ.

Sometimes, we may struggle, act selfishly, feel helpless, and think short-sightedly. But we, like the Corinthians are still the Church, the Body of Christ. Often creative, imaginative, glorious, growing - yep, we are the Body of Christ. For better or worse, we the Church are the Body of Christ, the gathering of God's people. We can do nothing to deserve it or to avoid it - we are the Church, the Body of Christ.

So how have we, the Body of Christ here at St. John's, spent our time, talent, and treasure in 2006? Well, we can look at some statistics from the Service Register and the Parish Register for some clues. Our average Sunday attendance increased from 43 in 2005 to 61 in 2006. There were 5 weddings, 4 renewals of wedding vows, 3 baptisms, 3 funerals, 3 house blessings, 2 pet blessings. 234 weekday services and 163 weekend services. 109 Celebrations of the Eucharist on the weekend, 39 Celebrations on weekdays, 45 readings of the Daily Office on Sundays, and 188 readings of the Daily Office on weekdays.

We the Church also discussed every book of the Bible in Bible Study 101, cooked and ate lots of St. Louis pork steaks at bar-be-ques and picnics, started the Peace Meal Project, learned about Anglican Rosaries and the Via Media in adult education, completed numerous projects around the buildings and grounds and hosted all kinds of neighborhood events - from the Tower Grove Winter Farmer's Market to a children's Halloween party. Of course, we also worked with our tenant organizations - especially the African Mutual Assistance Association of Missouri and Kingdom House Family Center.

What strikes me most, over and over again, as I think about, pray about, and give thanks for all that has happened here at St. John's in the past year is how we the Church, the Body of Christ, are so blessed to be made up of so many different Body parts - so many people who collectively form this gathering of God's people - the Church, the Body of Christ.

The statistics cited above are just dry and boring numbers, without specific people attached. But, our Body would not function without all of our different parts - without Dale and Christine, Sylvia and Norma, Gracie and Wren, Henry and Mary Kay, Ann and Paul and all of the faithful from the time that Henry calls it "BT" - Before Teresa.

We would not be the same Body, we would be able to do the same things without everybody - tenured and neophyte - who has become so integral to the life of St. John's, the Body of Christ. Mary, Kim, Cathy and Brandon, Mike, Brooke, DeRosset, Timothy, Daniel, Wayne and Elaine other regulars at the 5:00 p.m. service. Julian, Elliot, Anna, Phyllis, Cassie, Bryan, Rodney and Gina joining with Mary Kay, Henry, Carolee, and Norma to form a choir at the 10:00 a.m. service.

Patrick, Chris, Allyce, Machelle, & Phyllis and others preparing Peace Meals. G.W., Dale, Scott, Aaron and other volunteers repairing and improving the buildings and grounds. Catherine, Amber, Christine, DeLyle, Michelle, Katelynn, Claire, Wren, Gracie, Sandy, Rilhey, Riahna, and Patrick starting a new Sunday School and Children's Services. All of these people and all of these ministries - as well as many more people and many more ministries - are all part of the Body of Christ here at St. John's - part of the Church, the gathering of God's people.

Just as a Body cannot stand up on its own without legs or hear without ears, we cannot fully function as the Body of Christ without each and every person at St. John's - past, present, and yet to come.

Who will we meet next? Who will join us next week? Next month? Next year? What parts are we still missing? Who are we still missing? What ministries will emerge? What gifts and talents will be discovered?

We have much to celebrate and much to hope for. St. John's is a historic, storied Church - our nave will be one hundred years old this year and our story as a congregation goes back to 1841.

St. John's is a dynamic, growing Church - as witnessed by our children, new couples, families, and individuals, and new ministries.

St. John's is a risk-taking, visionary Church - willing to call a green rector fresh from seminary [me] and then welcome a curate even younger that her [the Rev. Andrew Benko]! Willing to undergo self-study and reflection and undertake an architectural Master plan.

In the next year, we will go through an intensive strategic planning process, led by the vestry and including participation from the entire congregation. In the next year, we will go through a capital campaign assessment to determine how to begin making these beloved buildings more accessible, flexible, and efficient. In the next year, we will continue to move toward financial self-sufficiency as our diocesan grant continues to be reduced (as scheduled) and pledges continue to increase.

In the next year, we will welcome new visitors, friends, and members. We will celebrate more baptisms, weddings, and other festivals together. We will cook and eat together. We will build and grow together. We will reach out and serve together. We are the Church!

We are St. John's Episcopal Church in Tower Grove Heights in the City of St. Louis. We are a historic, storied, dynamic, growing, risk-taking, visionary Church! We are the Church - the Body of Christ, moving and active, striving to love one another here in this place and striving to share Christ's love with all whom we meet our geographic parish, the city, and God's wider world.

We at St. John's have a story to tell and a song to sing. We have a long past to learn from and a long future to hope for. We here at St. John's are the Church - yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This is our story and I'm stickin' to it. Amen.