The Christian Formation Team met. We do that about once each quarter, as we do with most of the Teams, which report to the vestry. Anyway, as I was saying, the members of the Christian Formation Team met a week or so ago, and one of the members of the team, Pete Bergwall, asked a question. He asked, “What are the appropriate protocols for parishioners to offer suggestions?” And once we talked it over, he added, “It would be a real help if you (that would be me) could write a newsletter article about that some time, because I don’t think that everyone understands the process.”

So here goes. The vestry delegates its work to more than eight different teams. The teams include Christian Action, Church Relations, Christian Formation, Liturgy, Communications, Fellowship, Nursery School, and Stewardship. Each team is made up of representatives of several task forces, point people or staff members, who bring their projects, work, or programs to the team for review and coordination. Let’s take the Liturgy Team as an example. The Liturgy Team is composed of one representative from each of its various task forces including Acolytes, Altar Guild, Choir and Music, Ushers, Greeters, Chalice Bearers, Readers, and Healing Ministers. We meet quarterly to review the various services, coordinate, and to discuss possibilities. The minutes from those meetings are e-mailed to the vestry, and from time to time the vestry may be asked to discuss new ideas or requests for special funding.

In any organization, perhaps especially a church, it’s important for members to communicate their ideas and suggestions in an orderly fashion or else communication can fail or chaos can ensue. Just pass ideas on through the appropriate task force by one of the members of the team that has to do with the area it impacts. So, if anyone has any thoughts about services speak with a member of the Liturgy Team. Suggestions about the parish facilities, pledging, volunteer recruitment and training, finance and budget, Episcopal Charities, endowments and the like go to the Stewardship Team. Matters having to do with the Old Narragansett Church and ecumenical relations got to Church Relations. Suggestions for the Nursery School go to the Nursery School Team. Ideas for Sunday school, youth ministries, adult education, Wednesday Night Live, Retreats, etc. go to Christian Formation. Suggestions for outreach ministries – for financial support or hands-on opportunities- go to Christian Action. Ideas about fellowship activities or events and Wickford Art Festival go to Fellowship. Suggestions concerning communications – the Communicant, our website, bulletin inserts, the wider press, etc. go to Communications. The vestry representatives for those teams are as follows: Stewardship – John Leite; Communications – Ann Waring; Liturgy -- Elizabeth Grout; Nursery School – Casey Gartland; Fellowship – Don Hagist; Christian Formation -- Katherine Bellows; Church Relations – Scott Tillotson; and Christian Action – Richard Lewis. Contact Bill Healey or Elaine Lemieux about emergencies having to do with property. Feel free to contact them with ideas pertaining to those areas of our shared life.

From time to time we also provide opportunities to glean parishioners’ visions, dreams and ideas in other ways. That was the purpose of the Dream Team – to reach out for people’s constructive suggestions for our life together as a Christian community. Thanks to Tina Butler, Alicia Cranston, Jeff Manickas, and Bess Wilson for their good work in organizing all the efforts of the Dream team. We’ll be hearing more about the results of their work later.

It almost goes without saying that another and far easier way to let your thoughts be known is to contact any of the members of the staff. Fred, Debbie, Lori, Trish Bill, Mark, Linda and I meet every week, and we always consider everyone’s suggestions. So, by all means let us know what you think. We can’t promise that suggestions will be implemented, but we can promise that they be seriously and prayerfully considered.

Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” St. Paul wrote, “You are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” The point of both is that we are rooted in Christ and we all have positive roles to play according to our gifts – all to produce the fruit of God’s love and grace. Each part of the body plays its part so as to be well coordinated and functioning properly. Our hope is that the way we structure our teamwork and lines of communication and decision-making allows us to fully seek and serve God.

Affectionately in Christ,

Phil +