APPROVED

St. Paul's Church in Brookline

Minutes of the Vestry Meeting

April 21th, 2009

Present: Rev. Terry McCall, Andrea Brue, Steve Kelley, Liz DeSelm, Elizabeth Laurencot, Nancy Sampson, Georgia Smith, Madeleine Taylor, Ginny Willcox, and Ben Norton, clerk

Not present: Beverly Estes-Smargiassi, Jim Margolis, Steve Morrissey, Arlene Swan-Mahony,

The meeting was opened with a prayer.

Minutes

The March minutes were approved as amended.

Warden’s Report

Search committee Update

      The current phase of the search for our new rector is moving along well. The Search Committee is holding final interviews, and hosting social gathering for the vestry to meet the finalists. A special meeting of the vestry is scheduled for the Search Committees recommendation. A Transition Team will be formed (with some members of the Search Committee) at the May vestry meeting. Terry will be available until January 2010, but her exact end date will be determined when the search is completed. Due to the renovation schedule, it is possible that the family will temporarily live outside of Brookline. Enrolling the new rector’s children in Brookline schools may be difficult. Residency at the time of enrollment is required for Brookline schools. Registration options will be looked into by our clerk. 

Auction Update

      The vestry is preparing a basket for the Auction taking place on May 9^th at 6:30 in the Rectory.

Building Committee Update

      The first pre-construction meeting was held with Lambrian Construction. They provided a schedule. Work on the Parish Hall will finish  in mid-June, and the Rectory October 1^st. Construction is being scheduled to permit a smooth move back to the original space for Clinton Path Nursery School. The Building Committee will be asked to give Clinton Path as much advanced notice as possible regarding the construction completion/move date. Construction is beginning with abatement in the Parish Hall. Construction crews will need more parking spaces during the staging phase of construction.

Clinton Path

      An email notice regarding a 5% space use increase, abatement, space use fees in arrears, and pest control was sent to Clinton Path.

Bible Study

     Georgia presented two short passages from The End of Mr. Y by Scarlett Thomas. Georgia suggested that we hold a parish wide reading event in the fall (along the lines of the programs in local communities:  Brookline Reads, Cambridge Reads) in which the parish would read the book The First Paul:  Reclaiming the Radical Visionary Behind the Church's Conservative Icon by Marcus Borg and John Crossan.

Clergy Report

      The Parish Hall will be closed during construction.

Adult Education Series

      Every Sunday morning  (except May 24th), there will be presentations at 9:00 during the church school classes. The topics will include “Church Architecture” by Brett Donham and “Meditation” by Angela Margolis.

Parish Picnic

      The parish picnic will be held at Larz Anderson Park on June 14^th.

Treasurer’s Report

The set-up of on-line banking for our account at Brookline Bank was voted and approved by the vestry. The figures on the trust accounts and flower donations are being updated. As an above average percentage of our operating budget comes from the endowment, review of our financial statement is prudent.

Pledge Update

Pledging is close to 100%, following normal peaks and valleys. The Capital Campaign and Honduras fundraising have not had an adverse impact on pledging.

Easter Review

Attendance was up at all the services, despite the stormy weather. The coffee hour between services was a return to previous tradition.

Book of Remembrance

Marion Blanchard’s list is being entered electronically. When the updating is completed, the list will be posted on the Saint Paul’s website.

Respectfully submitted by

Benjamin Norton, clerk