June 2, 2003
Annual Meeting 2003 was convened by Win Quayle, Moderator, in the Parish House Auditorium at 7:50 p.m.
Invocation
The Reverend Roger Paine opened the meeting with a prayer for grace and tolerance, in grateful acknowledgement of the manifold ways in which we ourselves have been blessed.
Annual Report 2002–2003
“Annual Report 2002–2003" was distributed to all present. A motion was made to receive the Report, with a correction from the Peace & Justice Group as follows: on page 44, in the last sentence, the figure of $150 should be $400. The motion to accept Annual Report 2002–2003 as corrected was passed unanimously.
Minutes of Annual Meeting 2002
A motion to accept the Minutes of the June 3, 2002, Annual Meeting was passed unanimously.
Minister’s Report
The Reverend Roger Paine reported on his seventh year with First Parish, acknowledging the extraordinary services of Student Minister Rosemary Lloyd and Director of Religious Education Barbara O’Neil this year. Roger paid tribute to the independent spiritual richness of our church’s 689 members, friends, and children, and gratefully acknowledged their many and various contributions to the life of the parish.
Stewardship Committee Report
Sarah Andrysiak reported for the Stewardship Committee that the campaign has met with good responses from old and new friends; pledges received have totaled $325,000, toward a goal of $360,000.
Nominating Committee Report
Sue Seeley proposed a slate of officers for The First Parish in Lincoln, as well as nominations to the Parish Committee, Deacons, and Nominating Committee. [See Annual Report 2002–2003, page 18.] A motion to approve the officers and committee appointments was passed unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report and Proposed Budget
Treasurer Chris Andrysiak presented an extensive report and slide presentation on the budget. Chris reviewed a healthy fiscal year in 2002–2003, but predicted straitened times in 2003–2004. A substantial portion of budgeted expenses next year will be committed to facing large and long-deferred repair and maintenance projects at our facilities, some of them urgent. These “hard” costs, along with other nondiscretionary expenditures (compensation, insurance, utilities), will be sufficiently high as to leave us with a budgeted shortfall of $19,000. With the Parish Committee’s endorsement, Chris proposes to fill this gap in a “share the pain” manner, with cuts across all discretionary operating expenses, outreach giving, and capital repair set-asides. Chris urged parishioners to recognize the inexorably upward trend in hard operating costs each year, and to plan accordingly.
Chris received questions from parishioners, and then formally proposed the 2003–2004 budget [see Annual Report 2002–2003, pages 27–34], balanced at $420,872, a one percent increase over last year. A motion to accept the 2003–2004 Budget was approved unanimously, with grateful applause from parishioners for Chris’s effort.
Other Business
Ellie Donaldson announced the publication of History of the Church: The First Parish in Lincoln, 1747–1942, by the late Charles M. Styron, minister at First Parish from 1935 to 1970. The book was prepared by Church Historians Ellie Donaldson and Margaret Flint, Sr., and others, and adds significantly to the scant historical documentation of our church. Ellie presented a signed first copy to Roger Paine.
Awards
Peter Pease, Tucker Smith, Nancy Donaldson, and Roger Paine, for the Awards Committee, bestowed the following awards:
· To Bisty Donaldson, the Lifetime Achievement Award, for her unfailing generosity of spirit, and for hands that never stop working for the good of our church.
· To Sarah Andrysiak, the MVP Award, for her astonishing industry and indefatigable good cheer on the Parish Committee, Stewardship Committee, and Personnel Committee.
· To Chris Andrysiak, the Rookie of the Year Award, for his fast start out of the blocks as Treasurer this year, for crisp analysis and wise management of our budget, and for patient explanations of where our money comes from, where it goes, and why.
· To Mary Helen Lorenz, the Energizer Bunny Award, for her tireless commitment to the hard work of First Parish as she headed up the Master Plan and Facilities Management Committees as well as a Sunday School class.
· To the Human Rights Faith in Action Group, chaired by Lorraine Fiore Browne, the Faith in Action Award, for the group’s exemplary efforts in organizing the “Lobby Day” at the State House on behalf of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless.
· To Emery Cormier, the King of Clean Award, for his tender loving care of our Sanctuary and Parish House, our parsonage, and our grounds, often under tight schedules and in the worst of New England weather.
· To Dwight Gertz, the God’s Ear Award, for the heart and grace of his pastoral prayers, and for his important “dialogue” sermon.
· Finally, the Deacons presented a (virtual) ministerial robe to Student Minister Rosemary Lloyd, whose fully formed presence in the pulpit and in our church community this year has been an asset of incalculable measure.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Mimsy Beckwith, Clerk