Annual Meeting, December 15, 2024
We held our Annual Parish Meeting on the third Sunday of Advent, with an upbeat and appreciative community of parishioners. We thanked four retiring members of the vestry: Senior Warden Anna Richardson Smith, Junior Warden Mark Matheny, and faithful vestry members Dan Knight and Margaret Larson.
We also elected, with gratitude, an extraordinary new class of vestry members to serve a four-year term: Scott Dodd, Skip Henson, Amy Lease, and Wendy Littlefield.
Continue reading for the collection of reports.
St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound Episcopal Church
Annual Meeting, December 15, 2024, 900 AM
Call to Order Gary Jones
Opening Prayer Gary Jones
Recognition of Outgoing Vestry Members Gary Jones
Dan Knight Mark Matheny
Margaret Larson Anna Richardson Smith
Vestry Election Gary Jones
Scott Dodd Amy Lease
Skip Henson Wendy Littlefield
Senior Warden’s Report Anna Richardson Smith
Junior Warden’s Report Mark Matheny
Treasurer’s Report Frances Goodman
Preschool Director’s Report Tracy Hanson
Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) Stephanie Rieman
Altar Guild Donna Passmore
Daughters of the King Donna Grice
Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Linda Wyatt
Interim Rector’s Report Gary Jones
A Special Presentation
Closing Blessing Gary Jones
Adjournment Gary Jones
Additional written reports are included from:
The Rev. Catherine Powell and Caroline Johnson
Justin Smith
The Rev. Susan E. Cushinotto
Senior Warden’s Report: Anna Richardson Smith
This has been a year of both significant change and meaningful stability here at St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound. We began the year by rounding out our Centennial Celebration with a spring picnic and the publication of the Centennial book. The hard work of a dedicated committee made every component of the Centennial possible; I thank each of you who contributed to that effort, and I encourage all of us to purchase the Centennial book!
We then said a fond farewell to Richard Elliott, who served our parish devotedly for more than two decades. The Vestry worked with the Bishop and the Bishop’s Canon, Stephanie Allen, to both manage logistics from the time of Richard’s retirement and recruit our Interim Rector. In that “interim before the interim,” the Vestry also hosted regular thought sessions in the Parish Hall to consider our identity and how we can serve this parish through a period of reflection and eventually a search process for a regular Rector. Dedicated ministries, such as our Altar Guild, Daughters of the King, ushers, and others, have carried on with their regular work to keep our worship together vibrant.
During our interim, we’ve been privileged to have Gary Jones’ and Catherine Powell’s perspectives from “outside” of our parish, coupled with Sue Cushinotto’s “insider” views and pastoral support. This collaboration has led to steady analysis and reshaping of our administration, our parish schedule, and delivery of pastoral support through the Deacon and lay people. A signal component of this work has been planning toward a standardized ministry structure that promotes inclusion, welcome, and sustainability. We are optimistic that a few dedicated, emerging committees will increase the sharing and reach of our ministries. During this Annual Meeting, you will hear invitations to support music, finance, children and youth, our building and grounds, and our hospitality ministries. On this last one – hospitality – we are looking for folks who are interested in supporting our breakfasts and receptions and engaging more robustly on how we can live into the “welcome” that we strive to provide to all who come through our doors. More to come on this, but please contact me for more information.
As we enter 2025, know that your Vestry is dedicated to reflecting on our family-like culture and bringing our hundred years of history to the search process for a regular rector. The search system in this Diocese is for the Canon, Stephanie Allen, to work closely with the Vestry to call a search committee. That committee then works to organize an understanding of the parish that reflects our culture and articulates expectations for candidates. The committee reports periodically to the Vestry, thereby giving the Vestry the bandwidth to work with the clergy on the day-to-day running of the parish. You will hear more from your Vestry regarding this search process in time.
In the meantime, the work of preparing to search is significant, and we all continue to engage emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually in assessing who we are before we launch a search. My hope for all of us is that we look for opportunities to connect more deeply with one another, in whatever ways suit each of us. This connection is what makes our time together in worship and ministry magical, and this connection will lead us forward into 2025 with energy and hope.
Junior Warden’s Report: Mark Matheny
To begin, I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to serve St. Andrews On-the-Sound as your Junior Warden over the past three years. As we have not submitted formal reports on an annual basis, I would like to provide a brief summary of the work that has been undertaken during my term as Junior Warden and outline potential future developments for the role of Junior Warden.
Over the past three years, we have implemented several major improvements to enhance the infrastructure and expand the functionality of our grounds. These renovations primarily focused on replacing and expanding our parking facilities. This work had the additional benefit of increasing the prominence of the church and grounds when viewed from various directions. Beyond these improvements, we undertook additional major repairs that have been previously reported in some of my monthly reports.
Another area that required significant attention was grounds keeping and landscaping. This was critical not only to present our grounds properly for our centennial celebrations but to preserve some of our newly acquired beauty from the landscaping associated with the new parking lot. There is certainly more work to be done in this area, but we now have a solid foundation on which to improve.
Some of the more routine but vital aspects of maintaining our 100-year-old property have occupied a significant portion of my time as Junior Warden. In many cases, time is often of the essence when it comes to repairing facilities that are aging. If problems are caught quickly enough, it can help prevent more expensive repairs. Even our newer facilities, now ten years old, require attention to ensure their continued service and beauty. The types of repairs and maintenance fall into many categories, but to name a few, kitchen equipment repairs, electrical work, plumbing, roof repairs, and replacement of some of the windows and glass in the new parish hall.
Over the past year of serving as Junior Warden, in collaboration with the vision provided by our interim rector, the necessity for a buildings and grounds committee has become increasingly apparent. While individuals can make substantial contributions, particularly in the area of maintenance and repair, a committee will facilitate more ambitious plans for improvements and potential renovations that will enable St. Andrews On-the-Sound to thrive for the next century.
To undertake larger projects that exceed the capabilities of a single individual, a building and grounds committee will be established. This committee will support our future Wardens, Rector, and the long-term mission of the church. If you are interested in joining this vital committee, please let Frances Goodman or me know.
I look forward to the next century and the potential possibilities of future development and strategic planning for the church. In this regard, and in accordance with the traditions of all previous Wardens, I will wholeheartedly support the new leadership and committees in any manner feasible. I express my gratitude for the privilege of serving as your Junior Warden. Furthermore, I extend a sincere appreciation to all who have assisted me during my tenure over the past three years.
Treasurer’s Report: Frances Goodman
2024 Financials as of 11/30/2024:
Income: $616,146
Expenses: ($584,047)
Net: $ 32,098
Total 2024 Budget:
Income: $660,100
Expense: ($627,624)
Net: $ 32,476
Current Reserves:
Operating $141,512
Buildings and Grounds $ 62,972
Budget planning for 2025: in process but preliminary Income and Expense of $720,100
Reflects increase in pledged income and in programs and staffing expense.
ENDOWMENT: St. Andrew’s has an endowment account at Vanguard. The value as of 11/30/24 was $691,642. Each year the Vestry is allowed to take an Endowment distribution of between 4% and 6% of the average value over the last 12 quarters, with historical withdrawals at the 4% level. The funds can be used for any purpose OTHER than general operating expenses. In past years, funds have been used for capital improvements, outreach events like RISE, and in 2024, to cover the cost of the Centennial book.
Gifts are made to the Endowment in various ways: Planned Giving (including SAOTS in your will or as an IRA beneficiary); current gifts of cash or appreciated stock; and through memorial contributions. All funds given to the church in memory of someone are added to the endowment, with the exception of Easter and Christmas flower dedications.
Planned giving is a wonderful way to support the church in perpetuity.
PLEASE NOTE: Contribution envelope boxes will not automatically be pre-made for parishioners.
If you would like to get a box of envelopes for 2025, please email Joan Denney at [email protected] and she will label a box for you with your donor number on it and you can pick it up during the week from the church office or from The Table in the old Parish Hall on Sundays.
Preschool Director’s Report: Tracy Hanson
St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound Preschool is a large, self-supported ministry of the church and a great avenue for introducing new families to our congregation. We support our local community with a strong, loving, nurturing, and safe preschool program for families.
The preschool gains its students through word of mouth and currently has a robust waitlist.
Afterschool opportunities include dance, soccer, and lunch bunch.
The preschool often participates in outreach including collecting donations for Good Shepherd’s Ashley House. It is one of our favorite things to do during the school year, giving us the opportunity to teach our little ones about gratitude and loving our neighbors.
We currently have 41 students enrolled in 4 age groups ranging from 1year olds – PreK. Three of these students are children or grandchildren of church members.
Eight teachers are employed by the preschool including me, filling the roles of both teacher and director: Laura Craft (Pre-K), Susan Dixon (Pre-K), Manuela DuPisanie (3 year olds), Amy Cox (3 year olds), Tracy Hanson (2 year olds), Kathleen Jackson (2 year olds), Catalina Monahan (1 year olds) and Carol Lee (1 year olds). Once again, these are all returning teachers.
This year we will have vision, speech, and occupational therapy screenings. Anything we can do to help these children feel confident and to succeed in elementary school and beyond is so important.
The director is a member of a local preschool directors’ group of ten church preschools which includes the two other Episcopal preschools (St. James and St. John’s).
Registration has begun for the 2025-2026 school year. If there are any church families with young children/grandchildren, or if you know of any families in the area that would like more information about our preschool, please give them my contact information below. It is never too early to get on the preschool’s waitlist.
If you have not linked your Harris Teeter rewards card to our preschool, it is not too late and every little bit raised helps. Our link number is 3136. It is simple and costs you nothing, just let your cashier know at checkout or go to https://www.harristeeter.com/together-in-education to link online.
In closing, we are truly thankful for Gary, Catherine, Caroline, Judith, Joan, the vestry, and for this church community, for your continued support of, and prayers for St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound’s Preschool.
Tracy Hanson, director, 910-256-8321, [email protected]
Episcopal Youth Community: Stephanie Rieman
EYC Attendance:
*Currently 27 total youths are signed up for this year.
* Average attendance to EYC nights and events is about 15.
EYC Schedule:
*Our schedule is made up of:
Sunday morning EYC which includes a themed bible based discussion with a follow up activity.
EYC nights which include dinner, games, and themed bible based discussions on Sunday evenings.
Outreach projects such as college care packages, Be the Light event downtown, Toys for Tots warehouse, homeless blessing bags, and more.
Youth Conferences at Trinity Center They have middle and high school conferences available in our Diocese in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. We are planning to have a group to attend the New Beginnings Youth Conference in April.
Hosting and Co hosting events at church such as Fall Festival, RISE-stop the hunger now, and Pancake Supper.
Fundraising Our main fundraiser yearly is our wreath and garland sale.
Youth Sunday iswhen our youth have a chance to step into roles to help lead the church service in May. This is also our Senior Sunday where we recognize the high school youth in the church who are graduating.
EYC outings and trips: Bowling, Ice Skating, Ski Trip every few years (our last one was January 2024), and mission trips
EYC Centennial Project we buried a time capsule in the EYC garden which is located at the back entrance of the new parish hall. We have instructions to open it in 25 years.
Acolyte Ministry:
We currently have 28 youth trained and on our acolyte team from grades 3rd to 12th grade. I am working with our Deacon Sue who has done an amazing job with training our acolytes. We will have additional training sessions for our crucifer and gospel bearers in January with two different option dates for attendance.
Youth Confirmation:
This is scheduled every other year with the Bishop visit to our church. We are waiting to hear what our date will be for next year which would be between Fall 2025-Spring 2026. We will announce the class dates and confirmation date when we are given this information. Our last youth confirmation was during our centennial church service last Fall.
I will be stepping down from my EYC director position at the end of this month. Britton Woodall will be stepping into the interim EYC director position for the Spring. I will be working closely with Britton through this transition.
I will be continuing in my role as acolyte coordinator.
I want to thank everyone for all their support for our youth programs and ministries here at SAOTS.
Children’s Ministry Report: The Rev. Catherine Powell and Caroline Johnson
This year has brought new energy to the Children’s Ministry at St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound, with new leadership, growth, and the introduction of a reflective faith formation program called Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. I am deeply grateful for the dedication of those who have helped this ministry thrive. This support is a testament to the love and care of our church community.
So far this year, we have celebrated several events and introduced a new program that enriches the spiritual lives of the children and families in our church. Some highlights include:
Farm to Table Vacation Bible School was a big hit!
This year’s VBS at St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound, themed “Farm to Table,” connected children with God’s creation through Bible lessons, volunteer work, and cooking experiences. We were inspired by our care for creation, the Parable of the Sower, and the Episcopal Farmworkers Ministry. Each Saturday in the month of July, we helped tend and harvest in the garden at Willowdale Urban Farms, a non-profit teaching garden that provides fresh vegetables to the food insecure in Wilmington. Each Sunday, our Parish Hall was transformed into the Farm to Table Café. Thanks to our incredible volunteers and participation from families at St. Andrew’s, along with visitors vacationing in Wilmington, the children had a great time growing in community and our faith. We cooked each meal together and created a beautiful space where we worked as a team and sat together at our “big table, where everyone is welcome.”
We are trying out a new approach to Sunday School.
Originally called the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, many churches now call it the Good Shepherd Program or the Atrium. (It is called the atrium because its classroom space is like a retreat center for children, reminiscent of the atriums of the earliest churches where newcomers in the faith came to know Christ.)
It offers children a calm, safe place where they can interact with key scripture passages and images of our faith. Adults are their companions, offering simple lessons and an opportunity for the children to build their own inner life with the Good Shepherd. In a world full of busyness where we find increasing anxiety and cynicism, this approach gives children a way to rest in the love of God, along with a lifelong foundation of knowledge and the ability to reflect.
Along with the Good Shepherd Program, we have begun Children’s Church. This takes place during the first part of the 10:15 worship service. It allows adults some quiet moments to hear the scripture and sermon while the children are experiencing their own worship time. It allows children the chance to create a lovely, peaceful time when they can offer their own concerns, prayers, and songs before they join the adults to share in the Holy Eucharist.
Every ministry year brings its own challenges, and this year was no exception. One of our goals continues to be building a core team of committed volunteers to support the growing needs of our program. We are encouraged by the progress we’ve seen so far and remain hopeful that, with continued effort, we will see even more growth in the months ahead.
We are excited about the upcoming opportunities for this vital ministry at St. Andrew’s! Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our Children’s Ministry, from our incredible volunteers, staff, and clergy to the families who make this work so rewarding. Working together, we are nurturing children that know God’s love deeply and share it with the world.
Joyfully,
The Rev. Catherine Powell, Associate Rector
Caroline Johnson, Dir. of Christian Formation
Music Minister’s Report: Justin Smith
Thank you to everyone for being here at this Annual Meeting. I apologize for not being present to speak to you today.
The choir rehearses each Sunday morning at 9:00 AM, and with many important services coming up, I have increased my time working with them during this time of preparation for the remaining Sundays of Advent as well as Christmas.
2024 brought extensive changes to our parish with the retirement of our long-time Rector and the arrival of our Interim Rector, Priest Associate, and new parishioners. While we adjust to these changes, I hope that our regular services on Sunday mornings have been a way for the parish to remain grounded in our ministry and worship of God. While the services feel a bit different, I believe that the inspiring sermons, increasing attendance, and stronger congregational singing have helped everyone feel at home during the liturgies. I feel that a major reason for the stronger congregational singing this fall has been the combined second service at 10:15 AM. Thank you for coming each week and singing together on the hymns and service music. It is encouraging to everyone to hear each other singing the hymns. I continue to strive each week for the hymn playing to be accomplished in a way that supports the congregational singing and encourages more people to sing out.
In addition to congregational singing, a major emphasis this year has been on increasing the size and skill of our choir. Thanks to the long-term and continuing support of a very generous anonymous donor and the additional resources provided by the Vestry, I have been given the opportunity to hire additional paid singers to supplement our volunteers. We have had several additional volunteers from the parish step into the choir this fall, and I hope to welcome some more in January once their schedules are more conducive to singing with us. We have plenty of room to grow in the paid and volunteer ranks, and I continue to look for more individuals to join us. If you have any interest in singing, I would love to welcome you any Sunday at 9:00 AM in the choir room. If you know of any experienced singers from the community that are looking for a church choir to join, I would love to speak to them about joining as a staff singer. Besides increasing our numbers, we have worked hard this year to increase our choral musicianship. We have been having additional rehearsals after services on many Sundays, and I have been able to bring in a nationally known choral trainer to lead a workshop for our choir members. This was very successful in helping our choir feel more confident and expanding our knowledge and repertoire. I expect to have further workshops in the new year with this trainer and perhaps additional choral experts as well.
This year, I attended the national convention of the American Guild of Organists in San Fransico for professional development. This conference provided numerous educational workshops with ideas that I have used here at St. Andrew’s, inspiring organ and choir concerts, and the chance to share ideas and plans while catching up with colleagues from around the country. In 2025, I am traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland in July with the Schola Cantorum of the Diocese of East Carolina. We plan to represent the diocese as the choir-in-residence at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral for a week of daily services. I look forward to this musical journey.
Thank you to everyone for your support of the church’s music program this year. I always enjoy speaking with you after church on Sundays at coffee hour or anytime you are available, so please do say hello. I hope to see you in church soon!
Altar Guild’s Report: Donna Passmore
Your Altar guild consists of a wonderful group of “worker bees” who diligently work to set up communion for both services, straighten the pews, replenish the prayer votives at the back of the church, launder the fair linens, and do the set-ups for funerals, baptisms, weddings, and confirmations. Since combining the 9 and 11:15 services, our 17 members and 4 Junior Altar guild members are now divided into 4 teams, each of which is “on duty” once every 4 weeks. This is not a huge time commitment. We have 2 meetings a year, one before Christmas and one before Easter, where we polish the silver, check the candles for the candlelight service, and schedule members for each service. Anyone interested in joining our merry band of workers may contact me, Donna Passmore; Billie Royce; Donna Grice; Fran Shore; or Suzette Patterson.
The Deacon’s Report: The Rev. Susan E. Cushinotto
Along with performing the normal deacon’s function in the liturgies at St, Andrew’s in 2024; I have also worked with Stephanie Rieman training the acolytes and with the Eucharistic Ministers in learning the changes to their roles in our liturgy.
The primary focus of my ministry is pastoral care. In this capacity, I have worked with our clergy and staff to reinstitute the birthday card ministry. Beginning in September we began sending birthday cards to all members of the church.
Additionally, I worked with staff and members of the congregation to identify and visit our shut-ins and those in the hospital or rehab centers.
Currently, I am working with Susan Herrmann to start a Grief Support Group for members who have experienced the loss of a loved one. We are hoping to have it available in the early part of next year.
Going forward, after having spent time in conversation with fellow clergy, staff and parishioners, it is my hope to expand pastoral care to more fully involve the larger community here at St. Andrew’s to include many forms of pastoral touches such as lay visits, hand written notes on various occasions other than just birthdays, delivery of meals to parishioners who have experienced a birth or death, phone calls to check in with parishioners. It is, also my hope to bring back the training and licensing of Lay Eucharistic Visitors.
Finally, as part of my required continuing education, in November I began an eight-month course of contemplative studies through Shalem Institute called Heart Longings.
Respectfully submitted,
The Rev. Susan E. Cushinotto
The Interim Rector’s Report: The Rev. Gary D. Jones
There is much to celebrate at St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound Episcopal Church, where there is little doubt that God in Christ is noticeably present and active in remarkable ways. In a time of general church decline in our country, this church has grown in attendance, membership, and financial pledges in just a few months, with particularly robust participation in worship, hospitality, outreach, adult education, and children’s ministries. This is the kind of growth that most Episcopal churches seek over a period of years, not months, and it is a testament to the reality of God at work within you and among you. God seems to have plans for you, and your spiritual vitality attests to your openness.
Now it is time for this pattern of growth to mature, expand, and settle in deeply. When the earliest church expanded too quickly, the apostles noted that essential ministries were being neglected, so they expanded the church’s leadership with the ministry of deacons (Acts 6). Something similar happened with our Hebrew ancestors, as Jethro warned his son-in-law, Moses, that although wonderful things were happening, Moses was in danger of doing more harm than good, “What you are doing is not good.You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you.” (Exodus 18:17-18) As a result, they changed the organization of Moses’ ministry and instituted a larger system of judges.
Sometimes, the best way forward begins with the fresh assessment of a community’s spiritual leadership and its overall “infrastructure,” and I believe that such is the case with St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound today. You are living into something beautiful and important. Seeds that were sown years ago have germinated and are now growing in exciting ways. But the establishment of deep and strong roots, as well as the work of judicious pruning, requires patience and attention.
As the brilliant and faithful priest Teilhard de Chardin exhorts us, “Trust in the slow work of God. … We are often impatient to be on the way to something unknown and new, and yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability – and that it may take a very long time.”
Interestingly, the last interim period for St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound lasted two years, with two different interims. More recently, St. James Church in Wilmington went through an interim period of over two-and-a-half years, with three interims – now, they are thriving.
By first of all staying attuned to the real Presence and activity of God among you at St. Andrew’s, with steady attention to concerns of “infrastructure,” this church is poised to be a model of vibrant and inclusive Christian community that is built on the sure foundation of Christ. A brief sample of “infrastructure concerns” that are now underway and that will need careful attention going forward:
Defining and developing a lean church staff whose work will be essential to equipping parishioners for their ministry,
Establishing parish committees or “ministry teams” that oversee essential ministries, with each committee including a vestry and staff liaison,
Increasing communication and collaboration among staff, vestry, and parishioners, to broaden participation and nurture a vibrant spirit, without “wearing out” (as Jethro said) parishioners and staff, and
Reassessing the overall “masterplan” for the church buildings and campus, so that the building and grounds will better facilitate, rather than impede, collaboration and ministry. This includes, for example:
Attention to staff offices that allow for confidential meetings and promote regular, creative collaboration;
Spaces for children’s ministries, including renewed attention to the thriving parish preschool;
Video streaming and recording services, so that homebound parishioners and others can participate; and
Overall cleaning, maintenance, and “opening up” of spaces for reception, worship, hospitality, education, prayer groups, community gatherings, music ministry, and the vital work of pastoral care and spiritual nurture for a stressed, burdened, and hurting world.
The brilliant and faithful Jesuit priest, theologian, and paleontologist, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, who died in 1955, offers prophetic encouragement and a pastoral prayer for St. Andrew’s On-the-Sound today in his famous exhortation:
“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything
to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something
unknown, something new.
And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through
some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.
“And so I think it is with you.
“Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.”
—Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ (excerpted from Hearts on Fire)