Grace Episcopal Church Annual Meeting

1. Grace Episcopal Church Annual Meeting January 27, 2019

2. Agenda Opening Hymn (Amazing Grace) Opening Prayer (Reverend Deb) Appointment of Clerk and Establishment of a Quorum –  Jennifer Sabroe Approval of the Minutes - January 28, 2018 Annual Meeting Senior Warden’s Comments – Stan Applegate Junior Warden’s Comments – Les Marks Ministry Reports Election of new Vestry members for Class of 2021 (Explanations, statements, and voting procedure) Election of 2018 Deanery/Convention Delegates Rector’s Report – The Rev. Dr. Deborah White Second Ballot, as needed Treasurer’s Report – Paul Menconi and Marj Leeds Recognition of Ministry Announcement of 2019 Senior Warden Dismissal (Reverend Walter)

3. Amazing Grace Amazing grace! How sweet the soundthat saved a wretch like me!I once was lost, but now am found,was blind, but now I see. 'Twasgrace first taught my heart to fearand grace my fears relieved;how precious did that grace appearthe hour I first believed! The Lord has promised good to me,his word my hope secures;he will my shield and portion beas long as life endures. Through many dangers, toils and snaresI have already come;'tis grace that brought me safe thus far,and grace will lead me home. When we've been there ten thousand yearsbright shining as the sun,we've no less days to sing God's praisethan when we first begun. 

4. 2018 Annual Meeting minutes Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Grace Episcopal Church, Martinez, California January 28, 2018 Vestry Members Present:  Stan Applegate (Sr. Warden), Les Marks (Jr. Warden), Sally Hanson, Ron Luttringer, Marj Leeds (Clerk), Lynda Dyer, John Heyse, Barbara Brooks Vestry Members Absent:  Pat Hambly Parishioners Present:  Approximately 52 total members of the Parish were present The meeting was called to order by Stan Applegate at 11:30. Opening Hymn (Amazing Grace) The meeting opened with the singing of “Amazing Grace.” Opening Prayer (Reverend Deb) Rev. Deb led the meeting in prayer. Appointment of Clerk –  Marj Leeds Marj Leeds (M/S/C) was appointed Clerk for the meeting. Approval of the Minutes - January 29, 2017 Annual Meeting The minutes of the January 29, 2017 were M/S/C for approval. (John Lee/Don Dyer)

5. 2018 Annual Meeting minutes, continued Senior Warden’s Comments – Stan Applegate Copies of the report were in the meeting packet.  Questions were invited but none were raised. Junior Warden’s Comments – Les Marks Copies of the report were in the meeting packet.  Questions were invited but none were raised. Election of new Vestry members for Class of 2020 Stan Applegate introduced the slate of Vestry members proposed for the class of 2020.  They are Connie Towey, Paula Menconi, and Josh Senn.  Dick Evans moved that the nominations be closed and the clerk be directed to elect the slate unanimously.  Jack Case seconded the motion.  The motion was approved.  Election of 2018 Deanery/Convention Delegates Stan Applegate introduced the slate of candidates for Deanery/Convention delegates.  They are Pat Hambly, Les Marks, Barbara Brooks and Mary Canale (Alternate).   Dick Evans moved that the nominations be closed and the clerk be directed to elect the slate unanimously.  Don Dyer seconded the motion.  The motion was approved. Treasurer’s Report – Paula Menconi and Marj Leeds Marj Leeds began by thanking John Heyse for his many years serving as our Treasurer.  She then presented the 2018 budget that was approved by the Vestry in the early January meeting.  There was a question from one of the Parishioners as to how the Diocesan pledge is calculated.  It was answered that it is a set per cent of the operating income from 2 years prior.  There was also a question as to why we have a deficit budget when our Stewardship campaign netted more pledge money this year. Marj indicated that this is the result of moving from a part-time Interim Rector to a full time Rector.  Marj closed her presentation by urging Parishioners to contact her if they have questions about our spending.  She also committed to developing a transparent way to routinely share our financial situation with the Parish.   Rector’s Report – The Rev. Dr. Deborah White Rev. Deb shared some of the information in her Rector’s annual report.  In particular she brought forward information on Parish size, the SWEEPS model, and evangelism.  

6. 2018 Annual Meeting minutes, continued Recognition of Ministry Dick Evans presented an Honorarium to Dave Eary on behalf of the congregation in gratitude for all his work for the Parish.  Jessie Senn presented an Honorarium to John Heyse on behalf of the congregation for all of his work.  Great celebration ensued.   Announcement of 2018 Senior Warden Rev. Deb announced that Stan Applegate will serve as Senior Warden in 2018. Dismissal (Reverend Walter) The group was dismissed at 12:10. Note: New and Continuing Vestry to gather at Podium following the meeting Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020 Stan Applegate Lynda Dyer Paula Menconi Les Marks Pat HamblyConnie Towey Sally Hanson Ron Luttringer Josh Senn

7. 2018 Annual Meeting minutes, continued Attachments Minutes (unadopted), 1/29/17 Annual Meeting (pgs. 1-4 ) Senior Warden’s Annual Report (pg. 5) Junior Warden’s Annual Report (pg. 6- 7) Bios of Nominees for Vestry (Class of 2020) and 2018 Deanery Reps (Delegates) 2018 Proposed Budget (pg. 11-12) Rector’s Annual Report (pg. 13-14) SWEEPS Annual Reports (pg. 15-26) Service / Outreach Worship and Liturgy (includes Altar Guild) Education Evangelism Parish Life Pastoral Care Stewardship St. Christopher’s Guild Annual Report (pg. 28) Music Program Annual Report (pg. 27)

8. Rector’s Annual Report, 2018 “[Jesus said], ‘I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” John 13:34-35 Some of our longer-term parishioners recall that Father George Ross always ended his sermons by telling the congregation that God loved them. Upon hearing this for the fifth or sixth time, I asked someone if folks feel that I don’t say this enough. “No,” I was told, “it’s just that you don’t stop there.” That is completely true -because I believe that while it is important and comforting to remind one another that there is nothing more certain in our lives than God’s love, it is also our joy and responsibility as Christians to enact that love in the world. Yes, we have been given the priceless, free gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, but we cannot simply bask in it. Jesus left us the promise of eternal life and love, but he also provided us with marching orders. Our first job, as George knew, is to accept the gift of God’s love. Our second responsibility is to share that gift.

9. Rector’s Annual Report, 2018, continued Here at Grace Episcopal Church in Martinez we share that gift in a variety of ways. We offer service to those within and beyond our parish boundaries. We pray, read, sing, and come to God’s table together. We spread the Word of God in thought, word, and deed. It is my privilege to serve as your spiritual leader as we attempt to follow the way of Jesus by loving God and our neighbors as ourselves. I am ably and enthusiastically supported in this work by our faithful parish leadership. I have been particularly blessed with a thoughtful, prayerful Vestry and two wonderful wardens, both of whom have served beyond their original terms (at my request). I will miss serving at Grace without Stan and Les beside me, but I know that God will send us new faithful leadership for 2019 and beyond. In 2018, your Vestry tackled some complex decisions with grit and grace, including increasing our financial resources by 65 thousand dollars through negotiation of an easement on our property. You can read about the specifics of our activities in the individual Ministry reports that are included in the Annual Meeting package. They are organized by “SWEEPS” categories. SWEEPS is an acronym that the Vestry has been using to think about ministry at Grace. The letters stand for Service, Worship, Education, Evangelism, Parish Life/Pastoral Care and Stewardship. These seven headings identify the major areas of ministry at Grace.  Use of the SWEEPS acronym has allowed the Vestry to see more clearly how ministry happens at Grace, and how that fits in with our mission to support and serve all God’s people.

10. Rector’s Annual Report, 2018, continued Grace is growing. Our Average Sunday Attendance (ASA) is the highest it has been in more than 15 years. Our Youth Group and Godly Play programs have also grown. We have been fortunate to welcome the Reverend Molly Haws as our Assisting Priest this year. She is a great teacher and preacher and has been serving the people of Grace enthusiastically along with Deacon Walter and me. We have developed new ministries that support individuals within our parish family and in the greater community. This wonderful growth means that a fair amount of my time as your Rector is occupied with administration. In order to support this blessing, we have had to transition from a “family-sized” to a “pastoral” parish mode. This means that, while we are still a family in spirit, we cannot function in the informal way that families do. This year your leadership has continued to clarify governance roles and institute optimal Episcopal Church Business practices. I am incredibly grateful to our phenomenal (and expanding) Office Staff (Dru Grissom, Marj Leeds, Paula Menconi, and, most especially, Jennifer Sabroe) for their dedicated efforts to help Grace run smoothly and according to Episcopal canons. I am a strong proponent of transparent leadership and open communication. To that end, we post our monthly Vestry meeting minutes on the website (www.gracechurchmtz.org) and on the bulletin board in our Parish Hall. Our announcements can be found in our e-newsletter, Grace Notes, as well as in written form in our Sunday bulletins. Special events are noted on our Facebook page. Most importantly, my door is always open when I am here during the week. During this last year we have overcome some growing pains (and classic Episcopalian resistance to change) by meeting together, sharing our concerns, and working through issues as a community.

11. Rector’s Annual Report, 2018, continued The greatest blessing of my calling to Grace is the opportunity to be with you, the Grace Parish family, in your times of joy and sorrow. I am tremendously grateful for your willingness to share your lives, your faith, and your love with me. God is truly in this place. I look forward with anticipation to the continued growth of our parish and the new ways in which this Christian community will attempt to live as true disciples of Christ. In God’s love, Rev. Deb+

12. Senior Warden’s Report 2018 Dear Friends of Grace Church, It has been my pleasure and great honor to serve as Senior Warden these past two years. I have grown and learned tremendously from this experience. I have gained a greater appreciation for the loving, dedicated volunteers who keep church operations running. Rev. Deb’s vision and leadership have been inspirational and effective. We have grown and changed with the times. Change is not always easy but we handled it by staying transparent, keeping the conversation open and working together to find common ground. I pray for the continued growth and success of this church and all who are blessed to enter its halls. As I leave my service on Vestry I plan to relax and avoid ladders and emergency rooms. Thank all of you for all you do to make this such a special congregation. God bless, Stan Applegate

13. Junior Warden’s Annual Report 2018 (and Building & Grounds) As the year 2018 has come to a close, I now look back at what was accomplished with caring for the buildings and grounds at Grace Church. Again this year we made due with a “Skinny” budget, we managed to accomplish a lot of significant projects to keep our buildings and grounds “Ship Shape.” However, all required maintenance items were done, such as the never ending job of adjusting the door mechanisms so they open and close properly. There were weekly small jobs that as homeowners we can all relate to, such as repairing leaky faucets, etc. We of course had a visit from several hundred goats to clean up the dry vegetation on the hillside that is always a fire hazard. Two new toilets were installed in the women’s restroom in the Parish Hall; there have been no more complaints about improper flushing or strange noises coming from the toilets. An electrical circuit was put in the shed, and three outlets and two light fixtures installed. This makes the shed much more usable. Fourteen stations-of-the-cross were installed in the Sanctuary.

14. Jr. Warden’s Report, continued A new electrical circuit was put in the Admin office, and the old outlets were removed, this effectively put the Rector’s office and the Admin office on different circuits, eliminating the constant tripping of a circuit breaker, because of overload. A new patio door was installed in the Parish Hall. The landing and steps will be done in 2019, as we are trying to line up some young men to do the work for their Eagle Scout project. New gutters were installed on the west side of the Parish Hall, and the north side of the Sunday School wing. Piping was put in the ground to take the water from the downspouts away from the building foundation. The cost for this was covered by an insurance claim for the copper gutters that had been stolen. A new electrical outlet was installed in the Narthex, and a light installed in the broom closet off the Narthex. It made a place to plug in the Christmas tree, with no long extension cords, and the broom closet in now more user friendly with the light. It still needs some finishing touches, but a light was installed on the Grace Church entry sign at the driveway entrance. This work was completed in time for the Christmas evening services.

15. Jr. Warden’s Report, continued The Vestry approved an easement on our property for a water line to Discovery Builders, the company developing the property above our upper lot. This easement is ten (10) feet wide and approximately 200 feet long and will run along the edge of the upper lot and the gate at the foot of our driveway. We were paid $65, 000 for the easement. We do not currently have a date for the beginning of construction, but we will be advised in advance and, at that time, the company will provide us with an additional $10,000 deposit in case of damages. When construction is complete, the easement will pass to the City of Martinez. Many thanks to the Easement Committee, and particularly to Dick Evans, for their work on this. It was discovered that some major foundation work needs to be done on the Parish Hall behind the kitchen. An obvious visual indication of this is the ever increasing floor separation between the Parish Hall dining room and the kitchen. The work will be done in February. A generous parishioner has stepped forward to cover most of the cost and an insurance claim has been filed.

16. Jr. Warden’s Report, continued A lot of the work that we accomplished this year was personally funded by many of our congregants. Without your generous contributions, only the absolute necessary work would have been done. Thank you all for the love you show in wanting Grace Parish to be that beautiful Church on Holy Hill in Martinez. Without our generous Grace Parish family, who give of their time, labor and funds, all of this would not be possible. You are truly good Stewards of this place God has entrusted to us. A special thank you to the Buildings and Grounds committee: Les Marks, Don Dyer, Dick Evans, Jim Maniatis, Dave Menconi, Josh Senn, and Gary Spenik. Again this year, I would like to remind you all that security is everyone’s business. Whenever you leave the Church or Parish Hall, please make sure windows and doors are securely closed and locked. In an effort to control our energy costs, please make sure lights and furnaces are turned off. My past six and a half years on the Vestry, four of those as your Junior Warden, have many times been a challenge, but they have also given me a chance to serve our God and our Parish. I thank you all for putting your trust in me and giving me the opportunity to serve. Best Regards, Peace and Blessings, Les Marks, Jr. Warden (with contributions from Rev. Deb)

17. Ministry Reports Service, Worship, Education, Evangelism, Parish Life, Pastoral Care, Stewardship

18. Service

19. Outreach Annual Report 2018 Collaboratively submitted by: Denise Hansen, Beth Ilog, Jennifer Sabroe, and Rev. Deb Traditionally called “Outreach,” or “Service” ministries, the people of Grace seek simply to help others by attending to their needs and sharing our time, treasure and talent. We follow Jesus’ mandate to fully love God and our neighbors. We believe that our actions in the world are also a form of worship. For this reason, we seek opportunities to provide for those in need of assistance and advocate for peace and social justice. The Outreach Committee meets the first Sunday of the month between the 8am and 10am services. All are welcome at the Outreach meetings. Denise Hansen serves as chair, Nate Brooks as secretary, and committee participants this year include: Mary Canale, Dru Grissom, Chandra Damele, Connie Towey (Vestry Liaison), Pat Hambly (Vestry Liaison), Beth Ilog, Leslie Kolesa, Jo-Ann Lee, Jennifer Sabroe, Marj Leeds, Phyllis Weston, Tina Reich, Deacon Walter Ramsey, and Rev. Deb. Among our active ministries are:

20. Outreach, continued Backpack Drive Backpacks, at least 60, with school supplies, were collected during the months of July-early September. A group of volunteers gathered the second Sunday of September to fill each backpack with pens, pencils, erasers, spiral notebooks, rulers, hand sanitizer, tissue, etc. The backpacks were delivered to Martinez Junior High after the second week of school, and left with school counselors who distribute the backpacks to students who need them.  There is no cost to the church. The backpacks are purchased by a donor. School supplies/cash to purchase supplies are donated by parishioners. Loaves and Fishes Since 1992, Grace Episcopal Church has provided a volunteer service team once a month to Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa County, at the Martinez dining room. The team prepares, cooks and serves a nutritious meal to homeless individuals in Martinez. Our schedule is the third Wednesday of the month.  In 2018, the Grace Team served 150-180 meals ten times. We welcome anyone to join us. Beth Ilog coordinates this ministry.

21. Outreach, continued Spirit of Giving The mission of Contra Costa Interfaith Housing is to provide permanent, affordable housing and vital support services to homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. For the second year, we participated in their Spirit of Giving program. Spirit of Giving is an annual drive of CCIH to provide Christmas gifts to families who reside in its supportive housing communities: Garden Park Apartments in Pleasant Hill; Lakeside Apartments in Concord; Bella Monte Apartments in Bay Point; Los Medanos Village in Pittsburg. The Spirit of Giving project at Grace kicked off on October 21, 2018, with enthusiastic response. By October 31, all gift tags were “adopted” for the 12 families (35 individuals). The deadline for bringing wrapped and labeled gifts to church was Sunday, November 25. Three people volunteered to help with the sorting and batching: Sally Applegate, Michael Applegate, and Leslie Kolesa. On Monday, November 26, our team of five got to work inventorying, sorting and batching the gifts and finished in 2 hours! Of the 12 families, there were three that were “incomplete” due to a delay in the gifts getting to church. On Monday, the nine bags that were delivered to CCIH, and received with much appreciation and thanks.

22. Outreach, continued C.O.R.E. Homeless Outreach. C.O.R.E stands for Coordinated Outreach Referral and Engagement. It is a program of the Housing and Homeless Services Division of Contra Costa County Health Services. This year we began an ongoing project of collecting donations to provide the C.O.R.E. team with needed items to distribute to individuals suffering from homelessness. Items donated have been: sleeping bags, moving blankets, backpacks, non-perishable food, bottles of water, hygiene items (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shower wipes, shaving supplies, feminine hygiene items), socks, sunscreen, pet food. Items are collected in the Narthex, and every couple of months the C.O.R.E team comes by to pick up the supplies.

23. Outreach, continued The Episcopal Impact Fund EIF supports organizations that address the root causes of poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area, both financially and through mentorship and guidance. Inspired by the teachings of the gospel, we share a vision of a world without poverty. This year, parishioners at Grace sponsored two tables at the EIF Night of Light. Rev. Deb just completed a three-year term on the EIF Board. In addition to these active ministries, Grace has provided financial support for Episcopal Community Services, Boys and Girls Club of Contra Costa County and other Episcopal and local organizations. We supported relief for fire victims in the Diocese of Northern California and social justice work through the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County and the Diocese of California. Many thanks to everyone who supported these endeavors with their time, talent, and treasure!

24. Worship Submitted by: John Lee, Rev. Deb, Elaine Quigley (Altar Guild), Don Dyer (Acolytes), Arthur Omura (Music Program)

25. Worship and Liturgy Annual Report 2018 We are a "sacramental" church, honoring the importance of scripture but emphasizing the primacy of community through the Holy Eucharist. For this reason, worship is the primary activity of Grace Episcopal Church. This year we were delighted to welcome the Rev. Molly Haws to Grace as an Assisting Priest. Rev. Molly preaches regularly and presides in Rev. Deb’s absence. She joins Deacon Rev. Walter as an important part of our clergy team! At Grace, both of our Sunday services follow Rite II of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). Our 8 a.m. service is more meditative and does not include music. Our 10 a.m. service includes a full choir. On one Sunday per month at our 10 a.m. service we have a Family Service, which includes simpler and more familiar music, more participation by families and children, a Children's Homily, and the participation of the children at the altar blessing the bread and wine. Reverend Deb has initiated several new worship practices at Grace and embraced some new traditions, including Ashes to Go on Ash Wednesday and Blessing of the Animals in the Sanctuary. There are variety of ministries in which people are welcomed to serve at Grace. Among these are Eucharistic minister, choir member, acolyte (open to anyone 9 years old and above), lector, intercessor, altar guild, greeters and hosts for the Fellowship Hours after the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service. At the end of 2018, we established an annual schedule for Commissioning of Ministries at Grace Episcopal Church. The first was to commission our Godly Play leaders, Doorkeepers and Nursery Helpers. We recently commissioned our new Music Director, along with the members of the Choir.

26. Worship and Liturgy, continued Eucharistic Ministers (EMs) assist at the altar and distribute the wine during the Holy Communion. Rev. Deb conducted a consistency and refresher training for all Eucharistic Ministers and Acolytes at the end of June. Two Eucharistic Ministers were temporarily out of rotation at the end of the year, but we were able to schedule around them without too much stress to the schedule. We always welcome new volunteers! Acolytes This past year finds the acolyte corps in transition. Our older acolytes are one by one moving on to the next phase of their lives. Michael Applegate has joined the choir and will start at DVC this spring. Madison Taylor and Jose Dyer graduate high school this year and will be moving on, with Madison going off to college and Jose most likely heading off to serve our country in one of the branches of the military. We were fortunate to have Amanda and Faith Burt join our ranks this past year. Sarah Shephard, Dakota Austria, Steven Lowe and Shelby Taylor remain as solid and dependable members of the acolytes. We hope to add some younger members in the coming year. I would like to personally than each and every member of our acolytes for their dedication throughout the years. 

27. Worship and Liturgy, continued Altar Guild Altar Guild members provide an essential service of setting up and cleaning up, most noticeable during weekly Eucharist and other services in the Sanctuary, Chapel, as well as home visitations. These responsibilities include polishing the brass, filling the (oil) candles, arranging the flowers, ensuring linens are clean and ironed, and setting out the wine, bread and wafers for Eucharist services. Throughout the year there are other types of services such as baptisms, weddings and memorials that require special set-ups. Altar Guild members work in teams, each team on duty once every four weeks. The dedicated team members are Mary Canale, Melissa Rodrigue-Kennedy, Dena and Jim Maniatis, Barbara Brooks, Sandy Taylor, Katie Reich, Sally Applegate, Les Marks, Elaine Quigley, and Leslie Kolesa who takes care of the set-up and clean-up for the weekly Wednesday morning Eucharist. Lectors and Litanists Lectors read the lessons at the Sunday services. This year we added leading the Prayers of the People from the congregation as a responsibility of many of the Lectors. At Grace we have 23 people involved in this ministry. We are happy to help individuals who are intimidated by public speaking become more comfortable with it.

28. Worship and Liturgy, continued Healing Ministers This year we set up a healing prayer station at the rear of the Sanctuary so that individuals can share individual petitionary prayer during the Eucharist. Many thanks to our Healing Ministers Leslie Kolesa, Marj Leeds, Elizabeth Richards, Christina Reich, and The Rev. Walter Ramsey. Scheduling Ministries John Lee continues to schedule the various service ministries. At the beginning of 2019 we are adding those who are hosting the Fellowship. Hopefully our Parishioners are not scheduled to do two things at the same time

29. Music Program Our previous Music Director, Gary Evans, resigned from his position in February of 2018. Barbara Brooks, Bob Burman, Marj Leeds, and Rev. Deb served as our Music Director Search Committee. After a year-long search and several Interim musicians, we found Arthur Omura, who started at Grace in October. The choir has improved markedly in both size and musicality since that time. We have been able to lure back former singers so that the average Sunday Choir attendance is hovering at around 12. Tone quality, musical intuition, and sight-reading, are all noticeably better. The choir seems pleased with the progress they have made thus far, and Arthur believes they have room for even more improvement. We performed two major services over the Christmas interval: a concert on Christmas Eve, and a lessons and carols service on the Sunday after Christmas. The Choir performed very challenging music (Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and a barrage of traditional carols) and they rose to the challenge, with admirable results. We hired two soloists for the Christmas Eve concert, Maddie and Darla Tuning; they integrated well, and, if the budget permits, we hope to have more soloists for special occasions, and perhaps on a permanent basis. Parishioners may have noticed a shift toward more complex and liturgically-themed music since Arthur began his tenure. His hymn choices have been motivated by the beauty and quality of the writing, and the appropriateness to the week’s readings, rather than familiarity to the congregation. This switch has sometimes been difficult, and we are all learning new things together. Arthur is open to suggestions, which can be placed in his mailbox outside the Parish offices. He hopes, in the new year, to introduce the choir and the congregation to more good music, both new and old.

30. Worship and Liturgy, continued Worship & Liturgy Committee At Grace, we try to maintain a balance between continuing and treasuring our liturgical traditions and growing and maturing as Christians by experiencing new worship patterns. Reverend Deb, with the counsel of the Worship and Liturgy Committee, changes the liturgy seasonally, usually including a different form of the Prayers of the People, a different Eucharistic Prayer, and changes in the Service Music. The purpose of the Worship and Liturgy Committee is to provide counsel to Rev. Deb related to worship at Grace. We attempt to represent the opinions of parishioners to Rev. Deb, offer our own perspectives, provide representation for our ministries, share potential impacts for proposed changes, and present her with some of our liturgical history. We have also served as a sounding board for her approaches to a variety of liturgical issues. The members are Arthur Omura (Music), John Lee (EMs, Lectors), Marj Leeds (Music, EMs), The Rev. Walter Ramsey (Deacon), Elaine Quigley (Altar Guild) and Sally Hanson (2018 Vestry Liaison). We meet monthly on the Second Thursday. Rev. Deb and the Worship and Liturgy Committee are delighted to receive feedback about our liturgical planning.

31. Worship and Liturgy, continued End of Life Planning The Worship and Liturgy Committee (and in particular John Lee) took on the task of providing guidance and aids to Parishioners in the area of End of Life Planning. The primary impetus was to make it easy to plan out your own funeral service so that your family has that as guidance as they sit down with the Rector at the time that comes to all of us. To date, many people have completed their funeral wishes so that it is on file in the Rector’s files. While developing this form, it was decided to also offer guidance in Advance Care Directives, Legacy Planning and a Family Records Organizer. A presentation was made to the attendees at both services in March and a special Faithful Form on Advanced Care Directives was presented in August.

32. Education Submitted by: Marj Leeds (Education for Children), Barbara Brooks (Nursery), Jennifer Sabroe (Book Club), and Rev. Deb

33. Education Annual Report 2018 At Grace, we believe that Christian Education begins with catechesis (study for Baptism) and continues throughout the lifespan. We offer learning opportunities for people of all ages and church experience! Education for Children – Godly Play When preparing to write this report I asked myself the question - “What news do our Parishioners need to know about our programs for children?” Godly Play, our Montessori-based “Sunday School” curriculum continues as a fun program and a great way to educate our children about the stories of our faith. The change this year is the number of children who are being educated. When I began story telling a little over 2 years ago there were times when only one eager young face was there to greet me. One Sunday this year, I found 13 eager faces listening to my story! The increasing numbers are most certainly a joyous and wonderful thing. But it comes with new challenges. We are all working on our skills in crowd control – keeping the group focused so that the story can unfold in their bright, young minds without distraction or interference. And the crowd control continues as we move the children towards the Sanctuary to join their families for the peace. We are striving for them to understand that they are entering a sacred space that we treat with respect. And we are successful at times.

34. Education, Godly Play, continued There were new stories to tell this year. The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel made their first ever appearance as the central figures for two of our stories as their prophecies unfolded. Of course, the most popular was the story of the “dry bones”. And, we added the story of the Temple and the Ark, which describes how sacred space evolved over time. The favorite old stories made an appearance too – the Circle of the Church Year, Jonah and the really big fish, Daniel in the Lion’s Den and the list goes on. Thank you to everyone who made this possible – Barbara Brooks and Chandra Damele, our storytellers, and our doorkeepers – Mary Canale, Elizabeth Richards, Connie Towey, and Sandy Taylor. What is next? We will continue with the Godly Play program and have plans to expand our lessons in the upcoming year with a couple of new stories. We also have been invited to tell one of our stories during the worship service so that all the Parishioners can see the program. What can you do to help? We are always happy to welcome new Story Tellers or Door Keepers. But if you want to help but are not quite ready for that commitment, volunteer to spend a Sunday with the kids during the summer. They are more than happy to keep themselves entertained. You are just supplying an adult presence to keep an eye on the situation. Sign-up sheets will go up in May. Thank you for your support of our programs for Youth and Children in the Parish.

35. Education, continued Nursery We are in our second year of nursery care, run on a schedule of rotating volunteers, serving between two and five children each Sunday.  At the moment, our regular Rota is not fully covered, so if you want to spend 45 minutes one Sunday a month being entertained by our delightful toddlers, contact Barbara Brooks.  Many thanks to our faithful volunteers: Katie Reich, Lynda Dyer, Stan Applegate, Nathan Brooks, Amelia Brooks, and our pinch hitters, Michael Applegate, José Dyer and Nick White-Spenik.   Education for Youth Our Youth Group is alive and growing. Youth Leaders Jes and Josh Senn, along with faithful parent helpers, facilitate both fun activities like Game Night and Alternative Shaving Cream T-ball, and service events like serving dinner for Contra Costa Interfaith Housing residents. Our youth also participated in Diocesan events at Grace Cathedral. They are active in Grace liturgy, with many of them acolyting and/or singing in the Choir. Madi Taylor wrote, directed and produced this year’s Christmas play. We celebrated several milestones with our Youth, as José Dyer became an Eagle Scout, Michael Applegate, and Greg Lowe graduated from high school, and Katie White-Spenik left for college. We anticipate several high school graduations in 2019 as well. Baptism and Confirmation Rev. Deb and Rev. Walter conducted catechesis (preparation for Baptism) classes and Rev Deb led a group of six individuals in preparation for Confirmation.

36. Education, continued Education for Adults Our Wednesday Bible study, which follows the 10 a.m. Eucharist service, continued to evolve this year. We began the year with "Welcome to the Bible," which "describes the Bible and its literature, offers a perspective on its theological and religious meanings over time, and makes some suggestions about how to read and study it. During Lent, Easter, and into Pentecost, we participated in “The Good Book Club,” an Episcopal churchwide initiative in which we read through the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts, along with thousands of other Episcopalians all over the world. We then took on the Letter of Paul to the Galatians, using N.T. Wright’s text, “Paul for Everyone.” During Advent, we studied “Advent Women” and we are currently working our way through Paul’s letter to the Romans as part of the most recent installment of the Good Book Club. Attendance at our Bible study has increased this year and all are welcome to join us. 2018 marked our second year of Faithful Forums. These are monthly sessions on a variety of subjects that are open to both parishioners and members of the community. This year we were visited by The Rev. Dr. Ruth Meyers, who spoke to us about Episcopal liturgy, The Rev. Dr. Donn Morgan, discussing his book “Fighting with the Bible,” The Rev. Dr. Paula Nesbitt, sharing her perspective on feminine aspects of God, and representatives from the Episcopal Impact Fund, Contra Costa Interfaith Housing. We also watched the films “Extremis,” and “Paul.” We hope to add more Adult Education offerings in 2019, including on-line learning opportunities

37. Education, continued Grace Book Club. The Grace Book Club meets on the third Wednesday of the month and is open to everyone in the church family. Books are selected by the group each month. Discussions seldom delve into deep literary analysis -- they are more of a sharing of likes and dislikes of the book, a springboard into points of personal interest, current events, spirituality, etc. The group enjoys this fellowship time together. The books read in 2018: Hillbilly Elegy, by J.D. Vance; Our Souls at Night, by Kent Haruf; Fighting with the Bible: Why the Bible Divides Us and How It Can Bring Us Together, Donn Morgan; Origin, Dan Brown; Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller; Black Hills, by Nora Roberts; Rooster Bar, by John Grisham; 1000 White Women, by Jim Fergus; Educated: A Memoir, by Tara Westover; Lipstick Brigade, by Cindy Gueli. Book Club participants in 2018: Pat Hambly, Pamella Nave, Fran Trant, Jennifer Sabroe, Phyllis Weston, Ellie Wynn, Beth Ilog, Jim and Dena Maniatis, Amelia Lytton Meetings and book selections are publicized in Grace Notes weekly e-newsletter, as well as Sunday bulletin announcements, with an open invitation to all who are interested.

38. Evangelism Submitted by: Barbara Brooks, Susan Bremmer (Greeters’ Chair), Jennifer Sabroe, Rev. Deb

39. Evangelism Annual Report 2018 Episcopalians have long been confused about and wary of the word, “evangelism,” often confusing it with “evangelical,” a term which some Christians use to identify themselves based on their beliefs about scripture. Both words come from the root, “evangel,” the Greek term for “Good News,” which is what we call the story Jesus Christ. Evangelism, then, is simply spreading the Good News of Christ - something we at Grace do by seeking to serve Christ in all persons and sharing our experience of this beloved community of Christ.  A focus on evangelism has helped us to share the special bonds we have at Grace Episcopal Church with people outside the church, a desire expressed in the discernment process of the last few years. This year we have made our presence known in the local community and beyond in a variety of ways.  Our website (www.gracechurchmtz.org) is active and visited regularly; our Facebook page has 224 fans; and we use Twitter for up-to-the-minute communication, as well as traditional mailings where needed. We send out a weekly e-mail newsletter, Grace Notes, which previews our Sunday announcements and describes our church activities in more detail. If you’d like to subscribe, please contact the Parish Office. We have stepped up our presence on the Martinez Gazette Faith page with longer articles. Many thanks to Jane Ramsey, who now shares reporting and writing duties with Rev. Deb.

40. Evangelism, continued Greeter duties expanded in 2018.  Greeters not only greet individuals and hand out church bulletins when people step into the Narthex each Sunday for church services but also are responsible for the offertory collection and ushering people up for communion.   We have also revised it so we have a pair of greeters at the church door, instead of just one person. Our group of 10 AM greeters include, Sally Applegate, Dru Grissom, Jim Maniatis, Jo-Ann Lee, Elizabeth Richards, Gary Spenik, Connie Towey and Susan Bremmer.   The 8 AM greeters are Mary Canale, Chandra Damele, Sally Hanson and Ron Luttringer. It is the goal of the greeters to make everyone who comes to Grace Church feel welcome and to help them navigate the Episcopal service, if needed, and to invite newcomers to coffee hour.  First impressions are lasting impressions and we thank all of our greeters for their volunteerism and enthusiasm. Please contact Susan Bremmer or Reverend Deb if you would like to volunteer for this important ministry. On her first day in 2017, Rev. Deb initiated “Ashes to Go,” an all-Episcopal Church effort to share our Ash Wednesday liturgy, meaning the reflection provided in the receiving of ashes took to the streets of Martinez.  This year, we served even more people at two different locations in Martinez.

41. Evangelism, continued Our youth took part in the Contra Costa Pride Festival and we had representatives at John Muir Birthday/Earth Day Celebration in Martinez in April. Deacon Walter and Mary Canale volunteered to help at the Interfaith “Green Spirit Contra Costa” booth at the event, and a number of parishioners attended. Thanks to Dick Evans, we are well represented at the current “Amen!” exhibit at the Martinez Museum. Locally, we are part of the Contra Costa Interfaith Network. We have developed a good working relationship with several local agencies, including the local police, the museum, and the Contra Costa Council on Homelessness. Rev. Deb has cultivated relationships with other Martinez and Contra Costa County clergy.   Many people first come into contact with Grace through our Parish Office. Many thanks to Jennifer Sabroe, Parish Administrator, Paula Menconi, Treasurer, and Marj Leeds, Assistant Treasurer, for always making a good impression. Renting our facilities also offers us the opportunity to come into contact with wonderful local nonprofit organizations like the Rotary Club and Alcoholics Anonymous. We were delighted to welcome Dru Grissom to the Grace staff as our new Facilities Manager this year. We are grateful for our on-call office helpers who eagerly answer the call for assistance with clerical tasks -- Sally Applegate, Michael Applegate, Dru Grissom, Phyllis Weston, Leslie Kolesa, and Mary Canale, And we are especially thankful and grateful for Sandy and Tom Taylor, for stapling and folding the bulletins every week.  

42. Evangelism, continued On the diocesan level, the Contra Costa Deanery met here and enjoyed our hospitality in September. We were well represented at our Diocesan Convention in October by Mary Canale, Barbara Brooks, and Pat Hambly. During Convention, Rev. Deb was elected to the Standing Committee of the Diocese and serves as its liaison to the Commission on Ministry. In 2018, we also started hosting “Yoga at Grace,” on Tuesday evenings with our certified yoga instructor Noah Yuzna. We are pleased to be able to offer this as a “pay what you can” class so that anyone can attend. If you believe in Jesus Christ and the power of this Christian community and you are willing to talk about it, you are an evangelist. Keep up the good work!

43. Parish Life Submitted by: Amy Eudy, Rev. Deb, Don Dyer

44. Parish Life Annual Report 2018 Parish life has long been a crucial part of life at Grace. When I interviewed for my position as Rector, I repeatedly heard the words, “We have fun together” (mostly from Stan). 2018 has proven these words true over and over again, with events like the St. Patrick’s Day Dinner (also a fundraising event), Parish Picnic/BBQ/Bocce Tournament, Men’s Group Breakfasts, Lenten Breakfasts, and Opening Day festivities (also an Education event). Each of these events were successful and fun. Most exciting, we hosted 40 people for our First Annual Thanksgiving Dinner, where there was food and fellowship for all. In the past, it had been traditional for Vestry members to take responsibility for each of our Parish Life activities, but with the growth in the parish, I felt it was time to have a specific committee to coordinate our Parish Life activities, and I immediately thought of Amy Eudy for the job of chairperson. I was delighted when she accepted. Her report of the activities that she has spearheaded is below. In peace, Rev. Deb

45. When my father began his service as Deacon to the parish of Grace Episcopal Church in December of 2017, he came home and told me that my family and I should begin attending church there. He told me all about the Godly Play program, and all the wonderful people in the parish. At the time, I was going through some difficult things, and put off attending church for some time. On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, my husband and I brought our 4-year-old son with us to the Easter service. We were immediately welcomed, and greeted by many of the members, but the thing that sticks in my mind the most is the smile on my father’s face, seeing me and my family in his church. In the next few weeks, we brought my other three children – ages 15, 13, and 12 - with us, and they began to get involved in the parish as well – my daughters, as acolytes, and my son, as a helper in Godly Play. In the months following, my family and I attended many of the events put on by Grace, including the Bocce Tournament and the Luau. These events were very fun and were a wonderful way to fellowship with everyone. As time progressed, I began to think of Grace as a second home, and the members, my extended family. When Reverend Deb approached me about chairing the recently begun Parish Life Committee in mid-September, I was a little hesitant to accept. Being such a new attendee of Grace, I worried that someone who had been there longer might feel overlooked. I was also concerned about being a college student again, and the time commitment involved in committee work. But Rev. Deb assured me that wouldn’t be the case, and that she truly felt I was the right person for the job. With her reassurance, I accepted the position.

46. The first event I was involved in was Oktoberfest, held October 13th. Most of the work for this event had already been done by Stan and his amazing team, so all I had to do was make sure people turned up the day of and paid for their tickets. I then set about planning the annual pasta dinner to wrap up the Stewardship campaign. The dinner was held November 17th, and as part of the evening I organized a dessert auction to help seed the accounts for the next Parish Life event or two. As Parish Life Coordinator, I plan to keep most of the traditionally free events held at Grace going, such as Movie Night and the Bocce tournament, but I won’t oversee running any fundraisers. Those will remain an important part of the St. Christopher’s Guild ministry. However, I won’t be able to put on these events without help from you, the members of my church family. If you feel this is a ministry you can commit to, please be sure to volunteer for it. Even if you can only help with events occasionally, you will be welcomed and appreciated on this committee. With a thankful heart, Amy Eudy

47. Parish Life, continued Men's Club Our Men's Club is an opportunity for all of the men who attend Grace Episcopal Church to meet on a monthly basis to enjoy fellowship and good conversation among members. We just had our first meeting of 2019 last Saturday and decided that for now our meetings will consist of a monthly breakfast. We generally meet on the third Saturday of the month in the church hall. This past meeting we enjoyed scrambled eggs, breakfast sausage, home fried potatoes, fried spam, apple pancake with caramel sauce, danishes, donuts, fresh fruit, fruit juice and coffee. We hope to add new members this year, so if you are a man and attend mass we would love to have you join us, since you are technically already a member. You are welcome to add to the menu, but it is not required.

48. Pastoral Care Submitted by: Rev. Deb, Leslie Kolesa

49. Pastoral Care Annual Report 2018 Pastoral Care is one of the primary duties of a parish priest and Rev. Deb sees it as a crucial aspect of her ministry at Grace. She tries to make herself available to anyone in need of counseling or comfort and to be fully present to them and to the Holy Spirit in each unique situation. She has been privileged to be with Grace Parishioners at life’s beginnings, endings, and many points in between. Pastoral Care needs increased in 2018 and the people of Grace came together to help Rev. Deb. Primary among these was Leslie Kolesa, who stepped up and became the Chair of Grace’s new Pastoral Care committee. Leslie energetically helped to coordinate assistance to families in need. Many parishioners, including our youth, volunteered to share their gifts with others. Among the specific pastoral care ministries of our lay people are Eucharistic Visitors, led by John Lee.These parishioners are trained to visit and bring Eucharist to the homebound. This small but faithful group serves several members of the congregation who cannot join us for Eucharist.

50. Pastoral Care, continued Members of the Casserole Patrol, ably led byConnie Towey,prepared and delivered meals to parishioners who experienced significant life events such as birth, illness, or death. Members of Grace, coordinated by Marj Leeds, also actively assisted Reverend Deb with the planning of receptions for funerals. If you are in need of pastoral care, please call Rev. Deb at 925-228-6574. If it is an emergency, you will receive instructions for contacting her during off-hours at the end of the telephone message. We anticipate many more pastoral care lay volunteer opportunities in 2019. Please let Rev. Deb or Leslie know if you would like to help.