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Sunday, August 24, 2008 A visioning process for St Mary's Episcopal Church; a time to reflect on what God is "calling us to do, here and now." We have wrapped up the first round of Ripe for the Harvest, the "card writing." Your 1000+ responses are posted on the wall in the nave. The Vestry and Ministry Council will meet with our consultant, The Rev. Steve Rofflers, on Sat., Aug. 16th to make plans for implementing the vision for St. Mary's and to write new mission, vision, and core values statements-all based on your input. These will be unveiled on St. Mary's Day, August 24, and the Ministry Leaders will have an opportunity to discuss how to implement this new vision through their ministries on September 6, 2008. June 18, 2008 After last Sunday's launch of Ripe for the Harvest, a few of you had questions that we thought others might have as well. Is Ripe for the Harvest really just a referendum about whether or not St. Mary's is leaving the Episcopal Church? No, absolutely not! Ripe for the Harvest is exactly what we've said it is: an opportunity for the whole parish to share ideas for mission and ministry for St. Mary's and to discern what God is calling us to do here and now in worship, education, and service. Is God calling us to continue to do things we are already doing? Is God calling us to start new mission and ministries? I felt hurried to finish filling out my cards last Sunday and didn't have enough time to think before filling out my cards. Please take all the time you need! A few people stayed after worship to finish filling out their cards. Others turned back empty cards so they could spend some time praying and thinking before finishing their cards on another Sunday. Others turned back only one or two of the cards and will finish the other(s) another Sunday. All of these ways of filling out cards are great. That's one of the reasons we're doing this over four Sundays-so you can have plenty of time to reflect. I've thought of something else I wished I'd written down. Am I too late? Absolutely not! When the cards are passed out on Sunday for those who didn't complete their cards the prior week, take the blue (for hopes), pink (for concerns), or green (for celebrations) that matches your addition (s) and add them on. Even if that gives you more than five thoughts. We want to hear from you! It's too hard for me to be brief or write "bullet" points. Feel free to make your answers longer if you need to do so--whatever it taks for you to communicate with us. That's what's most important. Why do I have to fill the cards out at St. Mary's? It's the experience of our consultant that if people take cards home to fill out, most people forget to complete them and/or bring them back. The other reason is that filling them out in the sacred space where you are part of a community of prayer and worship has value in itself. I've only been attending St. Mary's a short time. I'm not sure I have anything important to add. We do think you have something very important to say. Each of us brings our own unique experience of St. Mary's and every perspective is significant and essential to hearing what God is saying to St. Mary's. It's definitely a group process and effort. Is my response really all that important? Won't changes be made no matter what I say? Truth be told (which we are), only God knows if any changes will come about because of Ripe for the Harvest. But any changes that may occur will only happen because the community discerns that is what God is calling us to do. The changes will not be isolated Vestry decisions but in response to where the parish fells the Spirit is leading us to go. All this change talk is scary. Yes, there may be some anxiety in not knowing how this visioning process will turn out. We can trust that God will prepare us for any changes God has in mind for us. If there are changes, there will be lots of opportunities for all of us to prepare for the changes. Please trust God and trust us! When will these changes begin? In July, the Vestry, clergy, and our consultant will read every comment on every card and record them. We will group them according to common ideas or themes. Every comment written will be posted on the walls of St. Mary's so that each of us can see every thought of every member of the parish. There may be some easy changes that come up from that first posting. You'll be told first, of course, before any change. For example, in one church where this process was used, many people complained about the lack of seat cushions in the pews. The parish almost immediately purchased cushions for a very welcomed change. Who do I talk to for more information about the Ripe for the Harvest process? Since this visioning mission is a ministry of our Vestry, please feel free to talk or email any member of the Vestry. If you need contact information, the Vestry contact information is at the end of this Q&A. Finally, please be in daily prayer for Ripe for the Harvest. Please take time to fill out your three cards. If you know parishioners who you think may not be here on one of the four Sundays in June, please urge them to come to church! If it will be impossible for them to attend, please have them contact Beth+ who will find a way for them to communicate their thoughts. The Vestry is always available to assist and answer questions also:
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