The weekly parish email and my rector’s message are being published a day earlier than usual this week so that you can take time to thoroughly review the 2025 Annual Report. On Sunday, we will hold our annual parish meeting immediately following Sung Mass in Kemper Great Hall, which is on the second floor of the Parish House. After Mass, simply move through the cloister hallway and up the steps into the Parish House, and take the elevator or stairs at the end of the hallway to the second floor. Whether you are a newcomer to the parish or have been here a while, whether you are officially a member and eligible to vote in the parish elections or not, please attend this important meeting. Your voice and gifts are crucial to the continued flourishing of ministry at Good Shepherd. Lunch will be provided.
In lieu of my usual weekly message, I invite you to read my report on the state of the parish in the annual report, as well as the extensive reports from parish leadership. I hope that you will be encouraged by the vibrancy of parish life at Good Shepherd, as well as the bold decisions made to support the growth of ministry and the Gospel here. Our time together on Sunday in the annual meeting (our “family meeting”) will be most productive if you’ve taken time to read the Annual Report and study the year-end financials from 2024 and review the vestry-approved 2025 annual budget, both of which may be found in the Annual Report. The parish vestry and I value transparency, so it’s important that you know how money is spent in the parish and what the expanding vision of our life in community looks like. For those of you eligible to vote in the parish elections, please review the ballot before the meeting and read the minutes from last year’s annual meeting. I’m grateful to the Parish Nominating Committee (Donald McCown, Sarah Austen, Timothy Austen, Bonnie Hoffman-Adams, and Elly Mulcahy) for the selection of a slate of candidates for all positions.
If you’ve not yet done so, please register online to attend the annual meeting. If you can’t attend in person, please email me for the Zoom link. Sunday will be a time for celebration: to give thanks to God for his many blessings to us and to dream about the future God has in store for us. I’ll look forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Yours in Christ
Father Kyle