This Week from Mitch
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Church life tends to operate, at least loosely, on an academic calendar. In many ways it makes sense. When children are in school, parents and grandparents stay in town. When children are on break, they travel. This year, after a year in COVID lockdown, I feel like the urge and need to travel has been magnified. I know the feeling my family had when we were able to see each other after nearly a year and a half of being apart was one of pure joy. I know that others in our community have recently experienced this blessing. My prayer for parents and grandparents as they enter into this last month of summer break is that they are able to make the most of their time. Please know your church supports you in your travels and cannot wait to welcome you home.
This summer at St. Martin's has been one of preparation and work. Looking back, three projects have taken a large amount of focus. Our Capital Improvement Committee, Preschool Advisory Board, and Youth Minister interviews have been our priorities. In each, we have made tremendous progress.
In our capital improvement work, we have explored ways to make the building more accessible to people of all ages and mobility levels. We have also worked to make the service more accessible to those with hearing issues. Thanks to the continued giving to our Capital Campaign, Alice McCrory, our treasurer, and I expect us to have our mortgage note paid off in the next year. On top of that, proposals have been accepted to automate key doors around our campus. We have also interviewed several architects and engineers who have been tasked with fixing our sidewalks, entrance spaces, and handicap parking areas which are uneven and dangerous to navigate. Our instructions have been clear: We want to have both safe and beautiful entrances on our campus.
The Preschool Advisory Board, which has included Allison Askins, Robert Dozier, Pam Hair, Michelle McDonnell, Anita Nelam and Becky Lumpkin, has been hard at work. They, along with our new director, Bobbie Lindley, our treasurer, Alice McCrory, and our parish administrator, Clayton King, have worked extremely hard at getting our St. Martin's Preschool close to opening. Bobbie reported to me this week that we have only four spots left, and that waiting lists have started in a couple of the classrooms. Lead teachers have been hired, our staff is filling up, licensing is happening. I am pleased to report that we are on track for an August opening. I wish to thank each of them for their effort.
Finally, while I cannot say much yet, I am pleased to report that an offer has been extended and accepted in the hiring of a new youth minister! If you add these things to ministries like a Habitat for Humanity home build for a family in need, the re-opening of our campus to ministries and gatherings, the re-opening of our worship, St. Martin's feels like it is on track for an amazing year. Your prayers, your participation, your presence, and your giving have all made and continue to make this possible. It is an exciting time to be a part of this wonderful community. Thank you.
In Christ,
Mitch+
