Vestry Epistle

St. Anne’s Vestry Epistle

Reflections from the Vestry Retreat – May 31, 2025

Dear St. Anne’s family,

Over the weekend of May 31, your Vestry gathered for a time of service, prayer, and visioning. We began by serving dinner and sharing fellowship with our neighbors in need at the Lighthouse Shelter (continuing our decades-long close partnership), and we concluded by worshiping together on Sunday morning. In between, we spent a full and Spirit-filled day reflecting on where we are as a Parish and where God is calling us next.

Celebrating Strengths

We gave thanks for the many blessings in our shared life, including:

·         Deep spiritual leadership and inspiring worship

·         A thriving preschool and growing children and youth programs

·         Strong financial stewardship and administrative stability

·         Expanded adult formation and racial reconciliation efforts

·         A music program that continues to uplift and inspire

·         The Holy Spirit’s clear presence in our life together

Naming Our Challenges

We also engaged with honesty and humility:

·         Leadership and volunteer burnout is real – we must care for each other

·         We need better ways to engage newcomers and long-time parishioners alike

·         Pastoral care processes must grow as our congregation ages

·         Greater clarity and support are needed for lay leaders and ministry teams

·         Hospitality, especially for funerals and parish celebrations, needs renewal

Looking Ahead

We set focused goals for the year ahead:

·         Complete Phase 1 of Strategic Planning by November 2025

·         Deepen youth and community outreach, in partnership with St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, our neighboring congregation on Bestgate Rd, and other partner institutions

·         Revise pastoral care and funeral processes for greater compassion and consistency

·         Explore ALPHA, a faith formation and welcome program

·         Streamline ministries, combining our collective energy to serve more than the individual parts and focus our efforts on what matters most to our community

·         Engage St. John’s College, two blocks from St. Anne’s, and USNA, strengthening ties with local institutions

·         Clarify the criteria for available grants to recipients and track/report the impact of active grants

Grounded in Our Values

Throughout our retreat, core themes emerged again and again:
- Engagement, Hospitality, Community, Stewardship, and Love
- A desire to honor our past, meet the present, and prepare for the future

After reflection in the weeks following our retreat, we were collectively moved by the faith-filled and respectful discernment of Vestry and Clergy, who approached the topics and challenges with honesty, humility, and hope. We are blessed beyond words, and our future is spectacular!

Finally, we prayerfully ask you to commit to proclaiming the Good News, acting with justice and mercy, and loving as Christ loves us every day.

With deep gratitude and excitement,

The Wardens and Vestry of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church