Annual Report 2020

Epiphany 3A 2020

Rev. Adam T. Trambley

Luke 16:1-13 (although we read the lectionary readings of the day)

January 26, 2020, St. John’s Sharon

Annual Report Sermon

Be who you are; see what you have; do what matters.

There is a parable in Luke’s gospel about a dishonest manager. The guy squanders his master’s property and is about to be fired for a combination of malfeasance and incompetence. Before his meeting with HR, however, he calls in his master’s debtors and reduces their debts.  He figures that way, when he is fired, they will owe him enough to at least keep him off the streets for a while. When the owner finds out what happens, he commends the dishonest manager for his pluck and initiative. The dishonest manager knew who he was, he saw what resources were at hand, and he did what mattered, at least what mattered for him.

Jesus tells this story to emphasize the importance of using what he has given us in ways that matter to the mission and ministry he has called us into. He says that if we aren’t trustworthy to make good decisions with what we have, why would he give us more? He wants us to be as creative and driven as the parable’s dishonest manager, only to work for God’s interests instead of our own.  

About eight years ago, Dave Daubert came to St. John’s and led us through a process to develop our Purpose Statement, Guiding Principles, and Strategic Directions. The tagline for his process was, “Be who you are; see what you have; do what matters.” These three instructions remain at the heart of how we have engaged in the work of God together in this place.

We know who we are. We are a group of Christians that have come together to worship and organize ourselves in the Episcopal Church in a small rustbelt city that has always been connected to the wider community. We are a hard-working, down-to-earth group that truly cares about each other and those in need; that welcomes people to our church and into our lives; and that wants to pass on what we have received to the next generation. We know that our purpose here is to Worship God, Care for People, and Grow as Christians. We do things with prayer, with love, with joy and laughter, with excellence, and with the involvement of the wider community. We know that the world is not what it once was, we know we aren’t as young as we once were, and we know that people don’t go to church like they once did. And we aren’t giving up. 

We also know that when we look around at what we have, we find that God has blessed us abundantly. We have this gorgeous sanctuary and a tradition of worship that helps us move into a deeper experience of God’s love and presence. We have handicapped-accessible facilities, including a great dining room with a small kitchen upstairs and a larger Allen Hall with a commercial kitchen downstairs. We have a wide variety of talents and skills. We have connections in, and the good will of, the wider community. We have endowments of about three million dollars, much of which has come from the generosity of working people who saved their money and made generous bequests to the church. Without those planned gifts, we would be hard pressed to fund all that we are doing. Most importantly, we have the good news of Jesus Christ and a heritage of faith that has been passed on to us.   

Knowing who we are, and seeing what we have, we consistently try to do what matters. This congregation has always had an amazing capacity to use its gifts to make a difference in our community and our world. That capacity has continued over the past year, as well.

The core gift we have is our faith, and we know that developing that faith matters. We continue to grow as Christians through worship and study and thinking intentionally about ways that we can deepen our relationship with God. We have two slightly different Sunday services that engage both long-standing members and newcomers to St. John’s. We also recognize a need for something else during the week both for those who can’t make Sunday morning or who are looking for another worship opportunity. Our 5:30 Wednesday service offers just that. We also have Sunday school for children and adults, as well as our musical scholars class and our Lent Madness group that learns about various saints while participating in an on-line, church-wide voting contest. Our youth group offers a monthly gathering that may be a fun outing or a spiritual experience, but which always seeks to build community and faith in our youth. In the coming months we will offer first communion and confirmation classes, and are interested in ways people might like to gather to grow in their faith. Many people make our worship and faith development possible, and I want to thank all of you, from the altar guild and choir, to readers, eucharistic ministers, ushers, greeters, Sunday school teachers, youth leaders, and our Natural Church Development team that is looking closely for ways to develop our parish’s spirituality.

We also know that our church offers a church home for those who may feel unwelcome or excluded from other churches or parts of the community. Providing an invitation and welcome to all is increasingly important, and I am grateful to all of you who reach out to newcomers, who invite your family and friends and others to join us at St. John’s, and who make this church a safe and loving place for everyone.     

About eighteen months ago, we realized that we had a music director who worked well with young people and some empty in the choir loft. We also have a tradition of choral music that youth still enjoy singing and a message of Jesus’ love that is as important students today as ever. So we piloted a musical scholars program. Now in its second year, we have seven high school choir students from Sharon and Sharpsville that not only sing with us, but have also added cello, flute and french horn to our services. Additionally, we have shared the program with First Presbyterian Church in Sharon, who has four scholars from Hickory High School joining their choir each week. I am very grateful for all our scholars for their work, and for their families who bring them and often join us on Sunday, as well as Ron, Jane who helps with their class, and to the choir as a whole. I think this program matters in a variety of ways.

Meeting people’s basic needs also matters. We have a variety of gifts, including funding, space, the ability to cook for large groups, and the ability to organize and get things done. Our food panty and our Saturday lunch both work with a variety of other churches and non-profit partners to ensure that people are fed, as well as having the opportunity to receive prayer, clothing, and information about programs or opportunities that they might need. Our Episcopal Church Women’s chapter bakes thousands of cookies while collecting various Christmas items for a Winterfest that supports a variety of outreach, while also offering prayer and support for one another as a Christian small group. Among these three ministries, well over one hundred people are involved, and we are all grateful for all your work.

Last August, we realized that we had were a variety of people with different skills in working with day-cares and preschools. We have begun to explore what it would take to begin a St. John’s school that could offer a Christian, faith-based, age-appropriate curriculum in line with our values. That exploration is continuing. There is a lot to learn and work out. But I am grateful to those who are on the core committee working on this project and all who have offered their support.  

We also know that we have amazing facilities, and our willingness to continually share them matters to us and to our wider community. Those meeting here on a regular basis include AA groups, a TOPS weight loss group, the Behavioral Health Commission, a group from Whole Life Services, a Girl Scout Troup, a model club, two church plants, and people celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and other events. The Sharon Robotics club is hoping to use our space this spring to prepare for some of their competitions. AARP’s tax preparers use the lounge in preparation for April 15, and a group called All of Us is ensuring that those in this area who are often underrepresented in medical research studies will be able to participate by obtaining their medical information. The number of people and activities occurring in our building is staggering, and we get frequent requests. The community knows we care.

Of course, all having facilities that get used requires upkeep. We have just finished a five-year capital campaign that raised well over $200,000 for building repairs including repointing the stone and brickwork, an awning for ECS, a variety of unexpected but necessary roof repairs, new storm windows in our offices, and air conditioning for the upstairs dining room. This spring we will be replacing the outer, discolored stained-glass window coverings and repairing some of the wooden frames. We also received anonymous gift for a new sound system, and have plans to paint the church and replace the carpet in the next year. Thank you to all who contributed so generously to the Believe and Prepare Campaign, and for Donna and Angelo Stamoolis who chaired it.

I want to thank our excellent staff. Erin for her work as our deacon, especially in working to welcome young families and to take our ministry to families that we don’t see in church. Woody for his cleaning and building upkeep. Ron for all his work with our choir and music, as well as for the variety of other things he does around the church, often behind the scenes. Special thanks go to Tina, who helps organize and keep things going in many ways.

I also want to thank the Vestry, who works very hard with wisdom, caring, respect and good humor to lead and guide our congregation. Special thanks go to Nick Baron, Robert Barletta, and Linda Houk who finish their vestry term at today’s annual meeting.

I would also like to thank each of you. I thought about going through and thanking every person here today by name for the gifts that you have shared with our church and community. But I also know that would take much more than the time I am generally allotted. However, I am very grateful for everyone in this congregation. Being the rector of this parish is a great blessing. It is a joy to be able to lead you in worship, and a deep honor to walk with you at important times in your lives.

I look forward to seeing what happens in 2020. I know God, working through us will to do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine, and we will continue to be who we are, see what we have, and do what matters.