ANNUAL REPORT 2020
ST.THOMAS' CHURCH, WHITEMARSH
FORT WASHINGTON, PA
Dear friends in Christ, As most of you know already, my wife, Evie, and I are expecting our daughter to be born any day now. As the day approaches, I have been thinking about the early days of our marriage. Before Evie and I were married, we argued almost constantly. Our engagement was one of the most miserable times in both of our lives. I was in the middle of writing a dissertation, and I could not see the light at the end of that tunnel, and Evie had just graduated from nursing school, and she hadn’t yet found a job. And as if those factors were not enough, we were each living with our parents after years of living on our own as adults. By this time, our parents’ homes no longer really had room for us, and so we were like fighting nomads, driving around aimlessly in my car so that we could argue about…. I can’t even remember what we were arguing about. Finally, we found a nice park near my parents’ place, where we’d go sit in my car and argue, and then occasionally walk a few laps. “The fighting park,” we called it. “Let’s go to the fighting park.” Somehow, we decided to get married anyway. And when we finally did marry, I was under the mistaken impression that we had arrived and that the difficult season of adjustment to one another was behind us. Obviously, I was wrong. Thankfully, we seemed to have gotten most of the arguing out of our systems, but there was still work to be done. We each had to learn to identify our own and one another’s expectations, adapt emotionally to our mutual commitment, become accustomed to one another’s ways of doing things, discover how and when to have healthy conflict, and so on. It took me about three years to settle in emotionally. And obviously, Evie and I are still growing, but at least one season of transition is behind us. What I have learned—and the new uncertainties that were conceived along with our daughter have occasioned my thinking about this—is that one must trust the process. God is in control, and it is only when I attempt to seize control, or when I try to bypass the process of growth that God has led me into, that things go wrong. Marriage is a process by which God shapes couples into the kinds of people they’re meant to be—if they will cooperate with the process. That is one of the ways to explain why marriage is sacramental. God uses processes like marriage, or other processes for those who are single, to make us holy, to make us into the people that we truly want to be but that we are powerless to make of ourselves. I have no doubts that parenting also is sacramental in just this way. Similarly, since I joined you at the end of October 2020, you and I have entered a sacramental process akin to marriage, and we are being molded by God’s gracious hands. St. Thomas’ Church journeyed patiently (most of the time) through a lengthy interim period, in which the future was unclear and uncertain. Our temptation will be to think, as I did in the first few months of marriage, that the time of waiting and uncertainty is behind us. But our time of transition is ongoing. We are now on a new adventure of discovery, both of one another and of whom God will make of us together. In the coming months, my job as your new rector is to get to know you and to partner with you to discern where God is leading us, and whom God is growing us into. It is inevitable and natural that there will be times this coming year when you and I will feel impatient or frustrated, and even anxious. Those are just the realities of being in a time of transition, or liminality. What God calls us to, as he does in every sacramental process, is to trust him—to trust the process, and to trust that he is in control and that he will show us the way. In my short time with you, I have already learned a great deal about all the incredible work that this church has done in recent years. The Lord’s faithfulness and your responsive trust in him has brought us this far. I am filled with hope for our future, and confidence that what God has planned for us exceeds that which we have asked or imagined for ourselves. So as we look back over the last year, I invite you to take this as an opportunity to remember God’s faithfulness, and renew your trust in him as we walk together into a new season of uncertainty, confident that what is before us will be a revelation of God’s unfailing love. With my prayers, Matt +
WORSHIP & ARTS The Worship & Arts Commission provides support to the clergy, staff, and lay leadership for planning, implementing, and growing worship at St. Thomas’ Church. We strive to continually enhance our Sunday services at 8:00 am, 10:00 am and Family Table at 11:30 am. St Thomas’ is a large inter-generational community with many involved in leading worship as members of the Altar and Flower Guilds, kneeler needlepointers, choirs, readers, greeters, ushers, acolytes, chalice bearers, and vergers.
This year, the Worship & Arts Commission “umbrella” was expanded to include chairs from the Altar Guild and Flower Guild in our meetings with the goal of increasing communication, cohesiveness, and support of these Commissions, which in turn ensures that the services run smoothly and are reverent and meaningful. The arrival of COVID has resulted in significant changes to our church life and community. Most importantly, it has led to the intermittent and extended cancellation of in-person services in the Church and a restructuring of all programs and special services. Undeterred, we have relied on live-streaming the church services, Zoom meetings, socially-distanced Choir rehearsals and performances, virtual and in-person liturgical special services, videotaped and interactive events and productions. Live-stream worship has been well received; in fact, viewership averaged 220 views for the 10:00 am service and varied from 25 – 45 views for the Family Table service at 11:30 am. The Worship and Arts Commission will continue to work with Michael Smith and our new rector, Matt Burdette, to provide our St. Thomas’ community with live-stream and in-person worship services based on the Bishop’s directives and guidelines from the local, state, and federal authorities. We look forward to continuing to support our beloved clergy and honoring the wishes of our congregation family in worship. Respectfully submitted, Mikie Fernley and Nicole Riter Commission Members: Curtis Welsh, Beverly Johnson, Deb Phillips, Stephanie Farm, Jeff Korn, Bevan Moscovici, and Leslie Purple
Mikie Fernley Chair
Nicole Riter Chair
Elizabeth Bitterman Vestry Liaison
Michael Smith Staff Liaison
Matt Burdette Clergy Liaison
MUSIC MINISTRY The foundation of a music ministry that was laid over eighty years ago, beginning with Gene Roan and continuing through many successors, proved solid this year. Without being able to rehearse or sing for services through much of 2020, our choirs have not only stayed together, but have grown in musicality, spiritual depth, and size! When the lockdowns first went into effect, we pivoted quickly and maintained our community spirit over Zoom. Our staff singers helped us to maintain our choral tradition by singing for all Holy Week and Easter services, spread out safely in the church. Our volunteer singers also contributed greatly as we pivoted to pre-recorded services in Eastertide. They learned to make home recordings and send them in, where I mixed them together with the organ part and added hymn lyrics so those worshipping at home could sing along. Over the summer, I consulted with several colleagues about what the fall might look like, and worked with some Philadelphia colleagues to help the Bishop’s office draw up guidelines for safe singing in churches. For the fall, we ordered special “singers masks” that allowed our singers to participate safely. The choristers and adults begin tentatively to rehearse in person. This was tricky! We could only meet in any one room for 30 minutes at a time. I cut the chorister rehearsals down on time to accommodate this. For the adults, we would meet in the parish hall to begin (10 feet apart, masked), then split up and move to other spaces for smaller groups, and finally end in the church. It is a testament to the choristers, chorister parents, and choir members that our groups have not only “hung on” but have endured admirably. I believe we will see a recruitment boom in the fall, God willing. There have been some hard things for us. The lack of congregational singing has been the worst thing! I miss hearing you. I’m sad that our volunteers can’t sing on Sundays for the time being because of limitations on numbers and space. We all have grown weary of Zooming instead of singing and praying together in real life. With that in mind, here are some highlights of the strangest year in my 20+ years of Episcopal music ministry: • We rehearsed and recorded a spectacular Christmas Lessons and Carols that was presented virtually, and so far has received over 800 views on YouTube. • The choristers continued to grow in their musical and spiritual development, learning to pray for themselves and others. • We prepared especially festal music for Fr. Matt’s first service, including an excerpt from Handel’s Messiah with string quartet. • We learned how to sing the ancient service of Compline, and offered it virtually throughout the fall and winter. • The choir provided the soundtrack for a special virtual tour of the Woodlands Cemetery in West Philadelphia, focusing on the composer of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” • We added a new chorister and a new choir member in the middle of a pandemic! Thank you to all for your support of our music ministry through your pledges, gifts to Friends of Music, and other gifts. If you are interested in sponsoring a particular Sunday’s music as a memorial or anniversary, please reach out to me. Here’s hoping that soon we will all be able to lift our voices in song and sing, “I was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the house of the Lord.” In Christ, Michael
Advent Lessons and Carols youtu.be/Wv9DHH5XWTQ
Michael Smith Minister of Music
ADULT SPIRITUAL FORMATION The past year has largely been a year of waiting and discerning. At the points we thought would be deadlines for productivity, the guidance we received has largely been to wait, and to be generous with ourselves as we confront the impulse to live up to an old pattern of functioning. We continue to be in a pattern of waiting and of planning as we move into the new year. Even before the pandemic brought activity to a halt, ASF had begun the work of pausing to ponder our role within the parish. The very name of the commission raises issues such as the following: “Adult” – who counts as adults? Who is not counted, and why? How is our work connected to the overall arc of Christian formation at any age? How can we collaborate more effectively with those serving children, youth, and families? “Spiritual” – the nature of what we are doing is not primarily intellectual, even if that is the entry point. It is dependent on the Holy Spirit, and our studies must somehow bring us back to the presence of God. “Formation” – another word we could use is discipleship. Education is only one piece of how we develop as Christians; discipling also deals with our practice and identity and fellowship and worship; habit-forming and mentoring help to build the environment in which we are formed as Christians. Back in February/March, ASF took some time to cast a vision for the upcoming year and the years to follow. Part of this happened at Holy Cross Monastery, just a week or two before the pandemic shut everything down. A large aspect of reimagining ASF’s role has been to pay attention to where parishioners already are doing formational work. In addition to the already existing and thriving Bible study groups (most moved to Zoom during COVID times) and choir (Michael definitely treats it as formation!), we have seen several limited-run studies occur this year: a topical spiritual study on Zoom with John Kepner at the helm, a racial justice book study with Judy Neely, and a Sacred Ground pilot group. Virtual coffee with the rector was a great opportunity to highlight and explore different topics in an open format, as well as to see each other’s faces while we were all stuck at home. ASF enlisted the gifts of parishioners to create an Advent devotional, shared within the Parish Call newsletter. One of Fr. Paul’s gifts to ASF was to remind us again and again that the Book of Common Prayer is intended as a ready tool for spiritual formation. Melody Wilson Shobe’s book Walk in Love is essentially a user-friendly guide to the BCP’s wealth of formational resources, and it guided what forums we did host in the fall and winter prior to the pandemic shutdown. A couple of ongoing aids inspired by the BCP guidance are daily morning prayer with Jeff Korn, and a weekly reflection on the Sunday lectionary readings/collect/hymnody with Will Gillespie. This is not a comprehensive list; you may be able to identify other ministries that currently shape your Christian formation not listed here. As we continue to raise our awareness to how our identity in Christ is made, ASF hopes to become a support and a resource for a structured and integrated discipleship path that will help us each grow and mature into the full stature of Christ. Respectfully submitted, Will Gillespie
Will Gillespie Chair
Stacy Smith Vestry Liaison
Matt Burdette Clergy Liaison
Chapel at Holy Cross Monastery
CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILY CHILDREN / FAMILY TABLE The Family Table service continued to grow at the start of the year with more than 35 families in regular attendance. The COVID shut-down ended in September as services resumed on the Labyrinth and then moved to MacColl during October and November. With additional families participating in the Altar Guild, there are more opportunities to get involved in the church. The new 11:30 am time has allowed Father Matt to lead the service, with an updated liturgy and playful energy that engages the children, and invites them to take an active role in the service. The time change has also allowed Michael Smith to lead the music portion of the service, as Laura Muscelli said goodbye to families in December -- we are grateful for her years of leadership and service. Services moved to livestream in December with a notable increase in attendance! The Godly Play room, with its beautiful materials and carefully crafted Bible stories, continued to be used as a special place for the spiritual formation of children ages 5-11. Kelly Martin and Melissa Min hosted two Godly Play Zoom sessions in August. Morning nursery care was available to families, allowing parents to worship and/or participate in adult formation. A virtual Nativity pageant was beautifully presented by several children and youth for Christmas services. The Girls’ Friendly Society met over Zoom for two baking nights in November and December, providing cookies for Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia. YOUTH / CONFIRMATION The Confirmation class met every other week, participated in church events, and had several Sunday service blessings. Monthly Zoom check-in meetings with the candidates were held through the summer and fall. On December 20th, six of our confirmands were confirmed at Church of the Holy Redeemer in Bryn Mawr by the Bishop in a brief, limited attendance service. We plan to have a recognition ceremony in-person at St. Thomas' when appropriate. The remaining confirmands opted to wait until family could be present to be confirmed. Formation: Breakfast & Bible met weekly in the Upper Room to watch and discuss a Bible Project video. Sharon Werner started Youth Formation Sunday night Zoom meetings in October for 6th-12th graders. During Advent, older youth assisted with preparing and presenting a short Advent lesson. Youth Group had hangouts, Dinner Church and events monthly during the first quarter. In the Fall, CYF planned safe monthly events including an outdoor Star Wars movie in September; pumpkin carving on display at the church in October as a way to "Let Your Light Shine" and welcome Matthew and Evie Burdette on their first weekend; November brought together adults, youth and families to make holiday cards for those parishioners on the prayer, check-in, and bereavement lists; December, older youth and Evie Burdette took turns reading a weekly holiday storytime for the younger kids on Zoom. St. Thomas' recognized our graduating Seniors in our email communications with a picture and brief statement from each about their future plans and favorite memories of St. Thomas'. For Youth Sunday, youth recorded parts of the service and the compilation was played for the week after Easter as our first foray into the social distancing world of online church services! Respectfully submitted, Kelly Martin and Sharon Werner
Diocesan Confirmation Diocesan Confirmation
Kelly Martin Acting Chair
Sharon Werner Acting Chair
Wendy Bailey Vestry Liaison
Father Matt Burdette Clergy Liaison
ST. THOMAS' PRESCHOOL St. Thomas’ Preschool was founded in 1951 and celebrated its 69th year of operation in 2020. We are happy to report that during the pandemic we were able to open the school in September for 12 weeks with 70 students. We have 7 classrooms with all our pods in small safe classroom sizes. We have utilized 7 outdoor classroom spaces to keep all of our children and teachers safe and utilize all 48 acres of our property. We have 17 wonderful teachers that are teaching every day with amazing positive attitudes. They are here for the children. We have strict safety protocols and have kept all our children and staff safe this school year. We have increased cleaning protocols along with specific drop off and pick up procedures. In January we will bring on 10 more students with a total of 80 children starting our spring semester. We still have to remain in our small pods, so we are not able to open at our full capacity, which is 125 students. We will begin registration on March 1st for our 20212022 school year and hope to be able to open at full capacity.
Dana Toedtman Board Chair
We are so thankful for the support of all our families, our staff, the Board, and the Church. Respectfully submitted, Shari Petrakis Elizabeth Bitterman Vestry Liaison
Shari Petrakis Director
Community Easter Flower Delivery
PASTORAL CARE Pastoral Care Commission: Who are we? Pastoral Care Commission members respond to Jesus’ call to “love one another” (John 13:34) by ministering to the needs of St. Thomas’ parishioners. We offer loving presence and support in times of sorrow or joy, when church members face trials or transitions, and when they celebrate God’s blessings.
Pastoral Care Commission: Who are our members? Altar Flower Delivery: Anne Anspach; Marilyn Ward (retired) Card Ministry: Karen Fox-Schneider Confidential Prayer Chain: MaryBeth O’Neill Feeding Hands Meal Ministry: Deb Buck; Cynthia Eastlake (retired) Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs): Bev Johnson Prayer Shawl Ministry/Service of Comfort & Healing/Vestry Liaison: Jeff Korn Stephen Ministry: Sally Williams; Deb Buck (retired) Commission Chair: Jane Hamilton Clergy Representative: Tim Steeves
Pastoral Care Commission: What are some 2020 ministry highlights?
Christmas Card Making
In response to COVID challenges, we continued to care for St. Thomas’, but with resilience, adapted our approaches. Call Because We Care was a new initiative designed to relieve the pandemic-related isolation we all felt. In July, we invited parishioners to informally “check-in” with other church members. Though we couldn’t be physically present, many of us got a boost from making and receiving these phone calls. Altar Flower Delivery continued, albeit with some interruptions. A loyal team brought bouquets to parishioners who were grieving, recuperating, or celebrating. The pandemic inspired deliveries of flowers and plants to essential workers in our community: retirement community employees; US Postal Service workers; and Chestnut Hill Hospital Emergency Room nurses and doctors. Card Ministry sent birthday cards to all parishioners. Every month cards and personal notes were sent to acknowledge baptisms, confirmations, marriages, anniversaries, and deaths; to offer congratulations and words of solace, welcome or farewell. A shining moment was the intergenerational Christmas card making event sponsored by the Children and Youth Commission. From our list of names, 58 cards were made and sent to our seniors and homebound members. Silent Prayer Chain members had a growing list of requests for offering confidential prayers, praying for between 42-64 people or special intentions each day. In addition, they prayed for a peaceful Election Day, the President of the US, and special intentions related to COVID-19. Continued on next page.
Card Ministry
Pastoral Care continued. LEVs and Stephen Ministers replaced face-to-face meetings with Zoom and phone-based contact. Sharing the Body of Christ with those in their care became spiritual and virtual, rather than a physically-present experience. They’re looking forward to the time when visiting and praying in-person can resume. Feeding Hands Ministry was suspended early in the year because of COVID restrictions. The deep care communicated by gifts of food led to re-starting this important ministry in December. A simplified approach, with light lunches, sweet treats, and the Sunday leaflet was gratefully received by several ill or grieving parishioners. Service of Comfort and Healing was not held in-person but was live-streamed for the first time to nearly 80 people who were seeking God’s healing Presence in these painful and uncertain times. Respectfully submitted, Jane Hamilton
OUTREACH
Jane Hamilton Chair
Jeff Korn Vestry Liaison
Tim Steeves Clergy Liaison
St. Thomas’ Outreach Commission funds church activities and outside organizations that impact people in serious need locally, nationally and around the world. We fund organizations that meet one of our three areas of focus: Hunger/Housing Children/Families/Education Global Ministries Each year outreach funding comes primarily from Second Saturday Sales (SSS) proceeds, as well as from direct contributions of the preceding year. This enabled us to distribute funds to organizations in early 2020. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic restrictions, SSS at the Barn were not able to take place during 2020, impacting our budget for 2021 and the timeline for our barn renovation plan. However, looking to strategies to carry on through creative ways of raising funds for outreach and meeting ministry needs, some new initiatives came into being. The Online Barn Store (stthomasbarn.org) was launched this year with a very professional looking website for your shopping pleasure. The first annual Take-out BBQ Chicken dinner was a great success. A number of individuals stepped up with their own personal initiatives to further the cause. Donation drives for food and other needed items for organizations we support were met with overwhelming generosity by the St. Thomas’ community.
Kathleen Schneer Chair
Laura Thayer Vestry Liaison
The Outreach Commission is looking forward in 2021 with hope for the return of SSS while continuing to seek alternative fundraising efforts and moving ahead with barn maintenance plans. The Commission wishes to thank all parishioners, volunteers, and donors for their support of these vital ministries that help so many in need. Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Schneer Continued on the next page.
Matt Burdette Clergy Liaison
Outreach funds were distributed as follows in 2020: Aid for Friends - $2,000 Church of the Advocate Soup Kitchen - $2,000 Cristosal - $1,000 ECCP Scholarships - $3,000 ECS House of Prayer City Camp - $500 ECS (Unrestricted) - $5,000 Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) - $3,000 Honduras Water Mission - $8,000 Inter-faith Housing Alliance of Ambler - $2,700
Emergency Fund distributions: AchieveAbility - $500 Church of the Advocate Soup Kitchen - $700 Daily Bread Community Food Pantry - $500 ECS St. Barnabas Mission Emrgncy Shelter - $500 IFHA Roslyn Food Cupboard - $1,000 Inter-faith Transitional Housing Programs - $500 Rector’s Discretionary Fund - $1,000 St. James School - $500
Iraqi Christians - $6,000 Laurel House - $5,000
St. Thomas’ Outreach (Fernley) Trust Fund Start-Up Grants Awarded:
Mattie Dixon Food Cupboard - $1,500 Meals on Wheels - $4,000 Mitzva Circle - $3,000
Historic Fair Hill
Our Little Roses (Honduras Orphanage) - $4,750 Pac-A-Thon (International Famine Relief) – $5,141 Ready, Willing and Able - $500 St. James School (Unrestricted) - $4,500 St. James Post Graduate Scholarships - $5,000 Visiting Nurses Association - $5,000
The Barn
Food Collections
Honduras Water Mission
THE BARN Our 2020 freelance volunteers continue to find creative ways to sell items during the shutdown: Karen Lewis continues to find jewelry, photograph it, and send it to me for the Online Barn Store. Cheryl Brown has brought us a huge cache of clothing from one of the house she sold. Cheryl is brainstorming about a Barn Fashion Show, slated tentatively for next October. (All plans subject to radical change.) Dee Lohmann and Anne Anspach have, after herculean effort, sold donated items at flea markets. Phil Anspach is brainstorming about the next Chicken BBQ. Stay tuned. Brenda Sullivan continues to sell flowers and handbags. Betsy Searle and Margaret Davenport and the Top Shop team continue to price items and sell clothing on Poshmark. Ward Miller has sold a mountain of furniture. Lin Peasley and Bob Beck continue to meet with their book dealer, Dave Hewitt, who sells the better books for us and splits the profits.
Dear Friends, I miss you one and all. The Barn is very lonely these days. It misses you all. I hear it creaking, and I look up and say "Who's there?" It's just the wind blowing the door, creaking the hinges. The Online Barn Store (stthomasbarn.org) has now 531 items uploaded with more added nearly every day. We have a slow stream of donations and a Photography Team shooting them and sending them to me for uploading to the site (stthomasbarn.org). The photography team is: Kay Sheldon, Ian Campbell, Amy Roak, Margi & Taylor DeTemple, Marilyn Leposki, and me. In the Barn we have a photo area set up to shoot new donations. If you want to join the team, just let me know. It's gonna be colder as we move into winter, so I expect the sessions to be briefer. There will be slots available in the spring when it's warmer. HOURS: Sundays 1:00-3:00pm we receive donations, and hand out items purchased from Online Barn Store. Please wear a mask at the Barn. Thank you one and all who have donated. We have a new initiative--the brainchild of Pam McKernan--where she will identify sources of good donations. We have already been doing this a bit. Our realtors--Cheryl Brown, Pat Crane, and Margi DeTemple--are alerting us to houses that have sold and have donations for us. And word is starting to spread. I get calls from people who have heard from friends that St. Thomas' is a good place to donate their things when downsizing. Right now, I have a house in Chestnut Hill that has some 20 pieces of furniture for us once the house sells. And another apartment at The Hill which has about 10 pieces. I hope the MOB is ready for some three-truck pick-ups. John Rodgers, artist and carpenter, helped me to install 28 feet of bookshelves 6.5 feet tall in the storage room between Books and the Kitchen. Lin and Bob and Bill have been in there already organizing the paperbacks. The rest of that room will be for storage of books and Summer Camp supplies (and anything else that we need to store). We have had interesting items come in: For example, a tortoiseshell thimble case. I am taking that over to our resident expert, Betsy Ervin, for her opinion on dating and pricing. Betsy has been helping with polishing some sterling silver pieces that came in. I want to recognize Laura Bauder. She has been instrumental in setting up this site. Laura had experience with non-profit websites through her work at Meals on Wheels. We would not have this without her. Kudos to Laura. - Jim Jim Weiss Barn Coordinator
WELCOME As with other commissions, the Welcome Commission has been hampered by Covid-19 protocols and restrictions. However, these restrictions have offered many opportunities for creative thought and discussions! From March 2020 through December 2020, our meetings were held via Zoom. In 2020, we: Restarted our Coffee with the Clergy quarterly meetings for parishioners and newcomers to meet and greet each other and the clergy for conversation. Worked with staff in contact with newcomers by phone. With the arrival of our new rector, we planned and invited parishioners to small “meet and greets”, either in person or via a Zoom meeting. These meetings were offered twice a week through the month of November. Our goals for 2021 are to: Brainstorm and develop ways to welcome new members and returning members to church while adhering to the Bishop’s safety guidelines and those of the CDC. Develop a plan/outline for parishioners to identify their spiritual gifts through discernment and assessment. Ideally, the commission would seek the support of a facilitator as a way to further develop ways to encourage new member groups through a spiritual gifts assessment for ministry. We plan to work with other commissions in this discussion. The Welcome Commission kicked-off this year's Coffee with Clergy on Saturday, January 16th. After much discernment, the greeter and usher program are merging; not only to lessen the number of people in the narthex during the pandemic but by strengthening our usher teams. In the future, we look forward to rescheduling our long-postponed Evening at the Movies, Tapas on the Terrace, and hosting dinners for newcomers, clergy, and members of the commission. We also look forward to planning activities and events with other commissions. Respectfully submitted, Brenda Bott and Cheryl Brown
Brenda Bott Chair
Cheryl Brown Chair
Rick Ward Vestry Liaison
Emily Given Staff Liaison
HOSPITALITY The members of the Commission are anxiously awaiting the time when we can fill everyone’s plate and promote an atmosphere where we all can reconnect and enjoy wonderful fellowship. Respectfully submitted, Neal Pratt
Neal Pratt Chair
Michael Carr Vestry Liaison
BUILDINGS & HARDSCAPES 2020 Major Accomplishments Conducted (11) monthly meetings with 60% avg attendance. Supported Solar Task Force in the development and implementation of a new solar project. Ted Lloyd completed the upgrade of the carillon playing cabin. Team members completed the updated Campus Building Condition Assessment. Team members supported Vestry to develop a nine-year “wants & needs” summary. Jeff Bucher supported the design and costing of the new proposed Maintenance Building. Team members led upgrades to the smoke detection system in the church nave. Supported Landscape Commission with the installation of a new safety railing in the cemetery. Team members supported staff in the development and execution of various campus maintenance projects – water meter pit replacement, Carey Learning Center maintenance contracts, Church Hill Hall HVAC assessments and oil tank replacement, Whitemarsh Learning Center interior upgrades, environmental assessments in numerous buildings, potential Groton House renovation assessment and 2021 maintenance budget. 2021 Priorities Continued support of STW staff in assisting with ongoing maintenance requirements. Support the Vestry in the evaluation and potential renovation of Groton House as a Rectors’ residence. Invite Father Matt to BHC meetings to keep him abreast of issues and ask him for his thoughts and input. Update previous Capital Project Plan by Q4 2021. Engage two new commission members with appropriate experience. Respectfully submitted, Brookes Britcher
Solar Farm
New Railing
Brookes Britcher, Jr. Commission Chair
Joe O’Neill, Jr. Vestry Liaison
Tamika Gerhardt Staff Liaison
SOLAR October 2020 was a big month for St Thomas and its solar panel installation – the panels went live! Electricity generated by the panels will now power much of St. Thomas’ electrical needs while providing a means for significant savings to the Church in the years to come. But wait – let’s back up! This effort was years in the making. A bit of background: St. Thomas Church had been the beneficiary of a successful Capital Campaign that allowed the Church to invest and build on our campus. With this investment and expansion, however, came higher operating costs that “burdened” the Church. When considering how to manage these escalating costs, the Finance Committee asked, “What is St. Thomas doing to help itself?” An idea was proposed to investigate using a small portion (approximately 2 acres) of the “Back Ten” to install solar panels. The purpose of such an installation would be to reduce electrical costs. If the installation was either fully or partially funded by donation(s), St. Thomas would be the beneficiary of very material savings. St. Thomas currently has nine (9) PECO accounts that draw over 400,000kWh/year. PECO costs rate vary for each account but assuming an “aggregated” rate base of 12 cents / kWh, St. Thomas spends almost $50,000 per year on electricity. Figuring a 3% increase annually in energy costs; in 25 years St. Thomas can expect to spend almost $100,000 a year on electricity (same usage, no additional / fewer buildings) and over $1.8M on electricity for the entire 25 years. To lead this research, a Solar Panel Task force was formed and was led by Pam McKernan and included Tim Russel, Brookes Britcher, Roger Clark, leadership from the Finance and Vestry Committees (Steve Elliott, Tom Ells, Rob Hamilton, Jim Pasquarella, Kathleen Schneer, Nat Taylor, and David Thayer). After careful consideration, the Committee issued a Request for Proposal. As a result of the RFP, SR Energy was selected as best / most viable supplier. SR Energy is a local company, has a long history of success demonstrating a sustainable business model, and finally, was able to be a tax equity investor. The Task Force suggested funding the panels via an initial down payment, a Five (5) Power Service Agreement (PSA) and outright purchase in Year 6. This combination of upfront payment, PSA, and purchase maximized tax incentives while balancing payments. The savings over 25 years is likely to be in excess of $800,000. The combination of reduced PECO fees and income from the sale of SRECs will allow St. Thomas to “help itself.” These savings can be directed to much needed building maintenance and the general operating budget. This solar panel installation is a key step to making St. Thomas more sustainable for generations to come. Environmentally – the panels are a big win. A system of this size has the potential to eliminate the same amount of carbon emissions that would result from burning 305,033 pounds of coal…each year. Additionally, the solar panels fully support the Genesis Covenant which challenges faith institutions to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of each facility they maintain by 50% in ten years. However, our work is not done! Funds need to be raised for the Year 6 buyout. Soon the Vestry will be announcing a “Panel Naming” Fund Raiser that will allow individuals to contribute to this cause AND see their name (or loved one’s name) on a solar array display. It is will be an exciting program that encourages education on renewable energy and a means for everyone to be part of the solution. Very exciting indeed! Respectfully submitted, Pam McKernan
Pam McKernan Solar Taskforce
LANDSCAPE Even as many aspects of our lives were curtailed this past year, our landscape and gardens at St.Thomas continued to grow and flourish, requiring the same care and oversight responsibilities as if nothing were different. Therefore, gardens were weeded and watered, beds were mulched, shrubs were pruned and trees were trimmed, all in keeping with the mission of the Landscape Committee to create attractive and well-maintained grounds that contribute to the overall sense of welcome, comfort, and joy for parishioners, visitors and the surrounding community.
Highlights:
New Lighting - Church Road Entrance
Neal Pratt Chair
Kay Sheldon Chair
Chris Russell Vestry Liaison
Tamika Gerhardt Staff Liaison
The Camp Hill Road entrance was enhanced by removing trees and brush and installing two new beautiful lantern lights and uplighting on the stone walls. New signage was installed to better direct visitors around the campus and existing signs were either repaired or replaced. Lawnmowers were fitted with mulching blades for shredding the fall leaves back into the landscape to fertilize the lawns, trees, and shrubs. Circular mulched beds were created around the trees on campus to adopt an environmentally friendly and sustainable practice for maintaining the health of our tree canopy. Tree guards were installed on most young trees to protect against destructive rubbing from deer antlers. Walking paths and plans to incorporate more native plantings were developed as part of the Solar Farm installation in the Back 10 acreage.
Respectfully submitted, Neal Pratt Kay Sheldon
Spring Clean Up Day
PROPERTY- RELATED LIABILITY Our parish's corporate property includes our magnificent 42-acre campus that features eight buildings totaling 63,000 square feet that house administration, worship, preschool and other community-serving functions. Additionally, a newly constructed ground-mounted solar array provides renewable energy for responsible earth stewardship. The buildings are insured for replacement cost, which totals $30 million according to our insurer’s consultants. If we attribute a 75-year "useful life" to our buildings, the annual scheduled replacement need is estimated at $400,000 per annum. By comparison our annual operating budget funds approximately $65,000 per year. The Vestry produced and approved a Capital Needs inventory in August 2020 that identified $2.6 million of deferred maintenance and property-related needs. The largest deferred project is mortar replacement within the masonry exterior of the Church sanctuary, which is estimated to cost $1.5 million. The Church continues to accrue deferred maintenance at an annual rate of approximately $200,000 per annum, which is consistent with the underfunding of building maintenance estimated above. The Vestry is currently examining best practices in developing its policies and procedures for the responsible maintenance of all buildings and grounds, including ways its commissions will manage associated long-term liabilities. We note that of the Church's $7 million endowment, $5 million is designated or restricted to uses other than property; which means that endowment funds available to support our immense property is $2 million. There was transparent disclosure to rector candidate finalists during the rector search process that a capital campaign will be appropriate and necessary during approximately the fifth year of the rector’s new ministry in order to address deferred maintenance, which is expected to total $3.6 million at that time. The Rector, Vestry, and Stewardship Commission are actively discerning a path to sustainable stewardship of our parish and its resources, including our property. Respectfully submitted, Jim Pasquarella
CEMETERY The mission of the Cemetery Board is to oversee our historical cemetery for you, your families and others. Plaques were installed on the memorial benches at the Inurnment Garden. A member of the Board donated money for Weed and Feed and crabgrass preventative which was applied to the garden. Several large trees were removed, one of which was leaning on a large headstone. Others that were essentially dead and creating a hazard were also removed. The removal of the dead trees was generously paid for by a member of the Board. A tree uprooted during a wind storm was also removed.
Bill Potts Chair
Many headstones were repaired, many of which were done by a friend of the Board. The railing and plaque at the foot of the stairs on the South Hill were generously donated by Wilson L. Ross, III. The plaque was installed by a friend of the Board and then dedicated during a ceremony following a Sunday service. In August the Church of Our Savior, Jenkintown (which had been sold) approached the Cemetery Board regarding purchasing a plot to reinter the cremains from their memorial garden. They chose and purchased a plot in section 10 of our cemetery. The cremains were interred in December. A plaque previously at the Church of Our Savior is now at the gravesite awaiting a foundation. Once the plaque is installed the graves will be blessed.
Deb Buck Vestry Liaison
Christiansen Memorials have completed replacing and repairing the headstones in the area of the accident (November 2019). H.C. Wood has one head stone to replace and they hope to have it completed early 2021. Others damaged stones were repaired by a friend of the Board. In 2020 there were 12 full interments, 1 ashes in the Memorial Garden, 4 ashes in the Inurnment Garden and 10 ashes in the Cemetery. Contact the Parish Administrator if you would like information on the cemetery and available areas. Respectfully submitted, Bill Potts
Cemetery Repair
Tamika Gerhardt Staff Liaison
WHITEMARSH LEARNING & MEETING CENTER Mission Focused: Whitemarsh Learning and Meeting Center is an extension of our mission to help our neighbors and ourselves grow through the formation and nurturing of the whole human being: body, mind, and spirit. Whitemarsh Learning sustains itself by delivering quality, affordable workspace, programming and meeting space to our neighbors who help people in our local community, with an emphasis in serving those who coach and educate within the disciplines of health, wellness, and artistic expression. Wins: Rental demand for individual workspaces persisted throughout the year, and they stayed fully rented throughout the year. During 2020, Whitemarsh Learning contributed $13,000 of net income to the Church’s budget. The Church reinvested nearly half of that sum, $5,750, into building improvements like keycode door security and exterior signage. Response to Challenges: Nearly all public offering of meeting space during the pandemic was suspended due to the necessity for safe social distancing. Throughout the summer and fall, we encouraged use of select outdoor areas of the campus for Whitemarsh Learning members to safely conduct classes outdoors. The building was closed for one-quarter of the year in accordance with governmental guidance/orders, during which time no rents were charged. How You Can Help in 2021: If your friends are seeking affordable space, refer them to whitemarshlearning.org. As of January 2021, there is one 650 square foot space is available to rent for $550 per month. Please support our Whitemarsh Learning community by exploring members’ program offerings. Many of your favorite people you met during the 2019 Open House are still there hard at work to help people in the community. Their offerings include a wide array of health and wellness options such as yoga, mindfulness, counseling, massage therapy, art therapy, art instruction, and more! Community members include: Amy’s Yoga for Life, Amy Raphael, RYT 500 Alcoholics Anonymous (meets Monday through Saturday, 7:00 am) Anna O’Brien, MA, LPC, ATR-BC, Licensed Art Therapist & Counselor Inner Light Recovery, Maggie Brown, MSN Full Circle Aesthetics, Tiffany Fennell LMT, CPT, CCHT Kellie R. Burnette, LMT, CYT, Licensed Massage Therapist Light in the Window Wellness, Barbara Abramek, MSN, PMHCNS-BC Nightingale Studios Art Instruction, Jason Slowik Project Mindful, Jacquie O’Malley, M.Ed The Sheep and Llama Weaving Studio, Jeff Korn Respectfully submitted by Whitemarsh Learning Advisory Committee, Steve Bitterman, Mikie Fernley, Charles Horter, Lisa Pacheco, Jim Pasquarella, & Rick Ward
Cafe and Meeting Spaces
STEWARDSHIP Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16
Our theme this year is Let Your Light Shine, inspired by the fifth chapter of Matthew’s gospel. For me this means living a God-centered life, doing the next right thing, and being of service. Our Stewardship Commission welcomed two new members in 2020, Emily Hunsicker and Jason Martin. We continued to work with our California-based consultant Rick Felton, the former Executive Director for The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) on building a year-round culture of generosity at St. Thomas’. We held a successful weekend virtual stewardship workshop in September that had over 25 members participate. In October we had numerous first-person testimonials during worship, on recorded video, and in written form. The early response to our efforts to amplify the importance of our annual appeal has been very encouraging. Given that our annual meeting has been accelerated to January of 2021 we ask that if you have not prayerfully considered your 2021 pledge you do so at this time and let your light shine. Finally, I’d like to thank three members of our Stewardship Commission who stepped down this year, Pem Hutchinson, Bob Jones, and Don Schreiber. They have contributed a tremendous amount of their time, talent, and treasure to our Committee and St. Thomas' as a whole and we are forever grateful. We give thanks for the 247 pledges received (as of January 20, 2021) and we encourage others to "shine their light" by making a pledge. Thank you! Family Table Ushers
stthomaswhitemarsh.org./giving Respectfully submitted, Joe Culley
Joe Culley Chair
Ginger Goodrich Vestry Liaison
Emily Given Staff Liaison
ENDOWMENT The Endowment Committee oversees the investment portfolio of the St. Thomas’ church endowment in accordance with an Investment Policy Statement, reviews the acceptance of gifts and bequests, and recommends to the Vestry the annual percentage withdrawal to be taken from the funds. The Endowment Committee consists of up to five non-vestry members who serve three-year staggered terms, along with the Rector’s Warden, the Accounting Warden and the Rector. The nonvestry members for 2020 were Ben Archer, Bill Lutz, Joe Culley, George Riter, Will Woolbert, and Charlie Weeks. The other members of the Endowment Committee were Steve Elliot and Jim Pasquarella. The St. Thomas’ Endowment consists of the Church Endowment, the Cemetery Endowment, and nineteen designated and/or restricted funds. The 21 funds are comingled, managed by PNC and overseen by the committee. All 21 funds are tracked, accounted for and reported individually on a monthly basis by PNC. The investment strategy for the endowment is to generate current operating funds for the church and provide for growth in principal, above inflation, over the long term. As of December 31, 2020, the market value of the total endowment was $7,512,428. The asset allocation of the Endowment has varied over time. As of December 31, 2020, the endowment was allocated as follows: Cash 4.1%, Bonds 18.8%, Stocks 72.6%, and Alternatives 4.5%. A summary of the endowment performance is presented below.
2020
St. Thomas’ Total Fund US Treasury Bill – 3 MOs Barclays Agg Bond S&P 500 MSCI EAFE MSCI AC World Wilshire Liquid Alt Index
3 Yr
5 Yr
Annualized
Annualized
9.83%
7.76%
8.82%
0.54% 7.51% 18.40% 7.82% 16.25% 3.19%
1.51% 5.19% 13.16% 3.71% 9.43% 1.62%
1.13% 4.10% 16.87% 9.80% 14.43% 2.94%
The total payout from the endowment to the church in 2020 is estimated to be $224,208. Note that the committee hasn’t received final year-end numbers. The dollar payout was determined using the current withdrawal rate of 3.85% of the trailing three-year average endowment value. The committee reviews the endowment withdrawal rate annually in the context of St. Thomas' operating needs, expected investment rates of return, inflation, and growth of principal objectives. Given the prospect of muted investment returns and higher (albeit manageable) inflation, the committee recommended that the Vestry maintain the current annual withdrawal rate of 3.85% for 2021. The Vestry approved this recommendation. Respectfully submitted, Ben Archer Endowment Committe Chair
Steve Elliott Finance Warden
Flower Guild Members
Phil Anspach Finance Chair
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
“BUILDING FOR THE GENERATIONS”
A journey that began in 2012 has come to its conclusion in 2020. By any definition, this was an incredibly successful campaign. We envisioned, funded, built, improved, and restored to preserve our legacy and lay the groundwork for future generations to thrive at St. Thomas’ Church. The Capital Campaign received pledges totaling $8,361,179 in two phases. Phase I began in 2012 with pledges of $7,269,467. Phase II began in 2015 receiving pledges of $1,091,712. Additional funding from overpayments of $36,927, plus non-pledged receipts of $81,686, brought total campaign funding to $8,479,792. The collection rate on campaign pledges was an impressive 97.5% A line of credit was secured in 2016 for the construction phase of the Emily Norris Carey Learning Center and subsequently closed out in 2018. Campaign funds were spent, allocated to designated accounts or written off as follows:
Church sound system $31,722 Church lighting and painting $239,863 Church roof $1,111,063 Church Road entrance $202,421 Parish House/ENLCC $6,062,403 Barn maintenance $126,000 Outreach $80,000 Cemetery $100,000 Youth Ministry $ 45,000 Endowment $273,500 Uncollectable $207,820 Total $8,479,79
Respectfully submitted, Kathleen Schneer Capital Campaign Treasurer
Membership Increases: 42 Membership Decreases: 14 Active Baptized Members: 1,015 Average Sunday Attendance: 115 Sunday Eucharists: 98 Weekday Eucharists: 39 Weekday Daily Offices: 250 Marriages: 3 Burials: 29 Baptisms: 10 Confirmations: 6 Received by the Bishop: 0
S T T H O M A S W H I T E M A R S H . O R G