2007 Annual Meeting

The St. Philip’s 2007 Annual General Meeting has been set for February 11. We will have one church service at 9 am, followed by brunch and the Annual Meeting in the parish hall.

Here are some changes we will make immediately, knowing we now have a Liturgy Planning Team to help us evaluate and evolve the details of our worship over time:

· Worship services will start on time (8 am and 10 am) with bell ringing.

· The first Sunday of each month beginning in Lent, March 4, will be a “Lively Family Liturgy” when all gather in church at 10 am, Acolytes robe, lead and remain in service, children and youth stay in service for children’s story and Holy Communion, then children recess for age appropriate discussion while others remain for full sermon.

· Other Sundays, Sunday School and youth mentoring will start in classrooms at 10 am, in support of the leaders’ need for time to complete meaningful lessons. Please arrive on time.

· Sunday School and youth mentoring groups will time lessons to bring children into service for communion as appropriate (young ones may wait until end, just to receive bread and wine).  Ushers go tell teachers sermon is over, so they have 5 minutes until the peace, but Sunday School leaders do not have to bring kids until they are ready; enter quietly during a time that does not disrupt prayers.

· No “Children’s Entrance Hymn”.

· Birthday and anniversary prayers at end of service.

· Children’s presentation at end of service.

· Announcements remain at end of service (KEEP THEM SHORT).

· The 8 am service has chosen to use the same liturgy and prayers as 10 am, but without music, using one common bulletin (service leaflet).

· The bulletin (service leaflet) will flow as a booklet, not a list, to make it easier for readers to follow along; prayers will be interactive and inserted in appropriate location with opportunity to add personal petitions (New Zealand Prayer Book and other Anglican Communion Prayer Book prayers will be rotated into service leaflet).

· Please use similar rules of etiquette as in live theatre performances, entering and exiting service only during times of music or movement that will not disrupt the worship of those in the service.  Plan accordingly; if you must leave the Sanctuary during a quiet time, leave by way of the closest door (use side door by piano if necessary).

· The monthly calendar will be inserted into first Sunday bulletin.

Also, the scheduling of service leaders (readers, servers, acolytes, ushers, greeters) will be done on a monthly basis.  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO FIND YOUR OWN SUBSTITUTE IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SERVE YOUR SUNDAY. It is very difficult for our very part-time office manager to spend time seeking substitutes.  We need to turn our attention to administrative work that reaches out to visitors and newcomers, keeping our data base clear, and creating a bulletin / service leaflet that is “user friendly”.  We will not list weekly service leaders in bulletin.

Our corporate worship / Sunday morning Christian education and fellowship has a life of its own, and will grow into new paths of possibility as we grow in faith and population.  I look forward to this New Year with joyful anticipation as we “grow together for God”, reaching out to the Scotts Valley community to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Peace to you in Christ,

             Pastor Mary (and Jim) Blessing