Dear Friends,

I should preface this month’s reflections by saying that my wife thinks that I am being too upbeat.  But I am indeed heartened, as I was last month, by the effective work and ministry that is being done by the vestry officers, committees and individual parishioners.  I would especially like to note the contributions of Patrick Dexter, the new Treasurer, John Martin, and Jeff and Faustine Stasi who volunteer at the Monday Night Coffeehouse.

Patrick has provided helpful and accurate analysis of our finances. His thorough reporting of line item projections of revenues and expenses has enabled the Vestry to make clear and thoughtful decisions.  Though we still face challenges, restrained optimism best reflects our current financial situation. The mid-year stewardship campaign brought in $8700 in additional pledges, and we are expectant that the scrip and gift cards that have recently been ordered will provide additional revenues.   Richard Enriquez was commissioned by the Vestry to make an order for scrip of $4000.  The congregation has already placed advanced orders for $3,000. The 5% return on this one order is far better than what we are currently earning on our CDs and restricted assets.

It was a great joy to celebrate the baptism of Faustine Stasi on August 14^th.  Faustine has been attending Calvary with her husband Jeff for several months and have been active kitchen volunteers at the Monday Night Coffeehouse. In fact they were married at Calvary on June 15.  The music that Jeff and John Martin provide at Coffeehouse is often received with ovation and applause.  A Kitchen Committee with Win Guthrie, Sonja Reetz, Melinda Martin, Spook and Faustine has recently been formed.  This committee will ensure that our well run kitchen is producing an even healthier and more cost efficient fare.

CoG, the Committee on Growth in a Changing World, continues with planning for our fall “house meetings.”  We will be exploring two central questions:  Who are we, and what God is calling us to do as a parish.  The Reverend John Buenz will be preaching and leading a “kick-off” Sunday on September 25^th to inaugurate October “house meetings.”  A DVD is being produced that will  include  short reflections from Bishop Mary,  Father  Donald Schell and Father John Buenz to guide us in our parish wide discussions about practice, tradition  and wisdom.

Murray Walker and the choir are back after their summer break.  During the summer months Kate Alm, Leah Parker and Kylan de Ghetaldi kept us singing and moving celebrating.  Holy Communion was well attended this summer and “First Sunday” services were especially appreciated under the musical leadership of Kate Alm.

On August 14^th I participated in a the TV program: “Voices from the Village,” “Voices from the Village” is a Community Television program produced  by our own Charlie Phillips. The TV forum included Peter Connery, Vice  President of  Applied Survey Research of the Santa  Cruz Census, Steve Pleich, candidate for City Council, and Monica Martinez, director of  the Homeless Services Center in Santa Cruz .  The discussion topic for the TV forum was homelessness.  All expressed appreciation for the newly formed Association of Faith Communities (AFC) that was organized principally by the efforts of Scott Galloway, Herb Schmidt and Paul Lee. In an environment of economic austerity and cutbacks to social services in Santa Cruz, it is hoped that AFC will do much to shore up the budget of lagging, social programs and specifically reinstitute the Interfaith Satellite Shelter Program (ISSP).  AFC is made up of more than 20 churches and faith-based organizations in Santa Cruz County

Thankful to God and to you for a robust and active summer.

Father Joel+