Announcements
2008 ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
Posted Wednesday January 23, 2008
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
Sunday, January 27, 2008
St. Thomas’ Church, Camden, Maine
by Senior Warden – Robert Furman
We had a very upbeat and enjoyable Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 27, 2008. Approximately 60-65 parishioners attended. I did not realize there were so many stand-up comics in our midst.
Fr Rafter thanked all of the departing Vestry members for their dedicated work, and we all welcomed a great slate of new Vestry members: Hank Eaton, Lucy Ebbert, Anne Edmonds, Jan Lyle and Bill Sharp. See below bio on each member.
Karen Laite thanked everyone for their support these past three years, as she carried out the duties of Junior Warden. Elizabeth Moran was unanimously voted in as the next Junior Warden. Fr Rafter announced that Bob Furman has agreed to stay on as Senior Warden for another year.
The new, and much needed, By-laws were approved. See below link to view in detail. The By-laws Committee, consisting of Terry Jewett and Anne Edmonds, were thanked for the great time and effort they put into this task.
Treasurer, Chris Glass, reported that we finish the year in the black, by some $815, and presented the proposed 2008 budget, which was accepted by vote of the parish.
Parker Laite gave justly earned praise to Chris Glass for his wonderful and dedicated work as the architect for our new building, and also for the renovation designs for the old rectory. These renovations include, new church office spaces, library, conference room, and upstairs rental apartment. Parker’s remarks were received with much applause.
Fr Rafter closed the meeting with prayer.
To view the Proposed Bylaws click here:
Revised Constitution ByLaws – Rev 14.pdf
To view the January 2007 Minutes click here:
01 28 07 Annual Meeting Minutes.pdf
Biographical Information for Newly Appointed Vestry Members
Elizabeth Moran
Junior Warden
Elizabeth, a native of Camden, and her husband Andrew have been members of St. Thomas’ Parish since they moved back to Maine in 1987. Prior to that, they were members of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia where Elizabeth was Altar Guild Directress. From 1967 to 1987, the Moran’s were summer parishioners of St. Thomas. At St. Thomas, Elizabeth and Andrew have been involved in the Youth Group and Elizabeth is a member of the Altar Guild. She is also Chair of the Memorials Committee and was a member of the Community Concert Committee. Presently, she is involved in organizing and preserving the historical records of St. Thomas’ and plans to produce a booklet about the needlepoint kneelers. She is also Chair of the Personnel Committee and has been a member of Vestry for two years. She is a member of the Building Committee and Chair of the Decorating Committee. Elizabeth is Interim Director of the Camden Public Library and was the Executive Director of the Camden Area History Center. Elizabeth and Andrew have two daughters, Heather and Melissa, and two grandsons, Tyler and Ethan.
Hank Eaton
Three-Year Term
Henry Eaton is a native of Bellingham, Massachusetts. He graduated from Dean Junior in 1990 with a degree in Computer Science. He is married and has three great children. After running his own business for five years, he decided, along with his family, to move to beautiful Midcoast Maine. He now resides in Lincolnville. Hank has been a member of the Episcopal Church since 2000. As a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Whitinsville, he was a Lay Reader and a Eucharistic Minister. He also maintains Trinity’s website. Once relocating to Maine, he had a very hard time finding a church that fit the needs of his family. After several visits to St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Camden, and various “other” churches in the area, the family agreed on St. Thomas’. In his leisure time, Hank coaches softball for his fourteen-year old daughter and is a very involved father. He is an avid writer, and hopes to have his book published sometime this year. He is also a huge sport fan, and loves watching both the Red Sox and Patriots!
Lucy Ebbert
One-Year Term
After moving to Maine in the fall of 1998, I began attending services at St. Thomas’ Church the following spring. I joined the church and soon became immersed in the many aspects of parish life, including chairing the Summer Fair, providing clerical office support, and eventually becoming a member of Vestry. Additional committee work included chairing Stewardship, scheduling Oblations and serving on the Finance, Personnel and Discernment Committees. With the completion of the building project and the leadership of John Rafter, our new rector, St. Thomas’ has the tools to reach out to our surrounding community. This is evidenced by the many new faces in the pews and in our Sunday school classrooms. At the same time, our parish community is pulling together like never before to worship in a friendly and gracious manner. Professionally, I am on the fulltime staff at Bay Chamber Concerts. I live in Rockland with my husband, Jim. We have one daughter, a newborn intensive care nurse practitioner, who lives in Philadelphia.
Anne C. Edmonds
Three-Year Term
Born in Malaya, grew up in England; confirmed by the Bishop of Bedford in 1940. Retired to Camden in 1995, after 30 years as Librarian at Mount Holyoke College. A Communicant at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in South Hadley, I served on its vestry and was a member of its building committee for a new church.
Joined St. Thomas’ in 1996, filled an unexpired term on the Vestry in 1999, and subsequently served a three-year term. I have completed the Education for Ministry (EFM) program, and have been a member of a deacon’s discernment committee. I currently serve as chair of the Library Committee, the Sarah Davenport Religious Education Fund Committee and, recently, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.
Over these past years, St. Thomas’ has been roiled by challenges, which have dismayed many of its members, but, by God’s grace, the core has held. We are now blessed with a new rector and an expanded building. I would feel privileged to be part of a vestry that works for the renewal of our community and its continuing spiritual and physical growth.
Jan Lyle
Three-Year Term
I am a life long Episcopalian, baptized at St. John’s in Ketchikan, Alaska, confirmed at Holy Trinity in Juneau, Alaska, and married to my husband Sandy at St. Luke’s in Tacoma, Washington almost 31 years ago. As a teenager, I helped with Sunday school and bible school and was involved in the Community Christian Youth group. I have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren, none of whom live locally.
I served on St. Thomas’ Vestry a few years ago, during a sabbatical leave and during the early part of the Dick Gilchrist’s interim. I have been an alternate and a delegate to Diocesan Convention. Being a member of the vestry is an honor and it is also hard work to do. As a vestry member, I worked hard to listen to parishioners and to direct their questions or concerns to the correct person. Besides serving on the Vestry I have been 1/2 of the Queen of Rummage for 5 years. You have seen my goods at the Summer Fair and the Christmas Fair. I have just recently been teaching Sunday school to the 4th grade and older children and am on the roster for Usher at the 7:30 service.
I feel that I am called to serve on the Vestry and to represent the entire parish on the matters that come before the Vestry.
Bill Sharpe
Three-Year Term
I was born in Buffalo, New York and was raised a Methodist Episcopalian. After college, I worked for General Motors and was transferred to New York in 1966. I retired and moved to Camden in 1990, and was confirmed and accepted into St. Thomas’ congregation in 1994. I served on the Vestry 200-2003, and was head usher for ten years. I have a strong commitment to our church and our community, and am anxious for us to continue to grow and reach out to all with Christian love and charity.