From the Rector: Vestry Retreat

Dear friends,

Our vestry began our year of work together last weekend with our retreat in the beautiful redwoods at St. Dorothy’s Rest.

We had a full weekend, with orientation for our four new members, planning and dreaming for the year ahead, discussion of our financial picture, and of course plenty of time for building relationships. We also had a special Imagine Incarnation work session with our Generational Plan Task Force and our architectural team. I’ll be sending out some more updates on our Imagine Incarnation process soon. For now, though, please save the dates of Sunday, March 17, and Sunday, April 21 (both following the 10:15 service), for our last two congregational workshops for this year.

We also prayed for the Spirit’s guidance as we chose new leaders. I’m delighted to share the names of those who will be serving in different vestry leadership roles at Incarnation this year. Bill Glenn will be serving as our Senior Warden. (As many of you know, Bill is also in the process of discernment for possible ordination to the priesthood, but will remain on Vestry for the time being. Bishop Megan has given her approval for him to serve as Senior Warden this year in the meantime.) Inese Heinzel will be our Junior Warden. Joe Ferrucci will chair the Development Committee. Matt Bonacorso and Laura McLellan will serve as Chaplains to the Vestry. Rebecca Kendall felt a call to create a new ministry as our Music Chaplain (and fulfilled that role by leading us in song several times throughout the weekend). Meanwhile, David Jasper and Kathleen Kane will continue as Treasurer and Clerk, respectively, and Steve Layton will continue in his ministry as Buildings and Grounds Committee chair.

It was special to have a retreat that covered two nights, instead of our usual one. It gave us more time to enjoy each other’s company and build our vestry team (including a memorable game night on Saturday evening). We missed being at Incarnation on Sunday morning but we shared a very sweet, simple Eucharist together in the chapel at St. Dorothy’s before carefully driving home in the rain down the windy, narrow roads of Camp Meeker.

I’m eager to be back at church this Sunday after two Sundays away on vacation and one with the vestry. This is Shrove Sunday, the last Sunday in the season after Epiphany, a kind of last hurrah before the season of Lent, when we hear the story of Jesus’ Transfiguration and we sing our Alleluias for the last time before Easter. We’ll have our Pancake Lunch, bury the Alleluia banner for Lent, and burn last year’s palms to make ashes for Ash Wednesday. I’m looking forward to being together.

In Christ’s love,

Stephen