Vestry Report

Sam Hartwell and Dave Banyard

Some of you may not know that a Vestry is the legal representative in an Episcopal parish responsible for matters pertaining to its corporate property — analogous to the Board of Trustees of a nonprofit.

Your St. Paul’s Vestry meets monthly for fellowship over a supper and a business meeting. We start each meeting with a personal meditation by a member, after which the clergy may lead a short spiritual reflection. We then consider reports from the rector, treasurer, business manager, and assigned Vestry liaisons to the various ministries, committees, and operational functions of the parish, as well as any other business that requires consideration. We approve the budget each year (and review progress against it regularly) and all expenditures over $10,000.

Your Vestry is a diverse group representing the many constituencies we serve. This year we welcomed several new Vestry members: Bob Fox, Brian Murphy, Joan Sancho, Andrea Turner, and Amia Wheatley. Vestry also includes ex officio the Treasurer (Lloyd Bell), the Chancellor (our legal advocate, Michele Smolin), and the Clerk (equivalent to the Secretary, Susan Vodrey), as well as a youth representative (Avery Bandy-Zalatoris). Lloyd and Michele are new to their roles.

At our last meeting, among other business, we reviewed and approved (after much discussion) a motion to use “agreed-upon-procedures” (AUP) in place of an annual audit to be supplemented by a full audit every five years, saving the parish about $10,000 annually. We believe the AUP and our current oversight policies are adequate to ensure financial reporting accuracy and loss prevention.

As your representatives, we always welcome input and feedback from the parish and hope to see all of you at Sunday services or other church events.

Sam Hartwell Dave Banyard Senior Warden Junior Warden