A PARISH PROFILE
OF
GRACE EPISCOPAL
CHURCH
WINDSOR, CONNECTICUT
2004
“Grace Church will be a welcoming place which inspires the
love of God and is the spiritual center that improves the quality
of individual and community life.”
Photograph by Amy Weirs
Dear Brother or Sister in Christ,
Thank you for your interest in Grace Episcopal Church.
This “Parish Profile” is the Search Committee’s effort to provide the reader
with a comprehensive view of our current parish; who we are, what we are and
where we plan to go in the future under the leadership of a dynamic new priest.
While the Search Committee compiled the profile, many caring and
contributing members of the parish did much of the work after much prayer and
thought. The input of the congregation is reflected in these pages as a result of
numerous meetings, discussions and focus groups. We have included thoughtful
views of our strengths, weaknesses and expectations so that you may better
understand this community of faith as you consider this calling.
Faithfully,
The Grace Church Search Committee
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
I.
COMMUNITY PROFILE……………………………………………….…3
II.
HISTORY OF GRACE CHURCH…………………………………………5
III.
WORSHIP………………………………………………………………….6
IV.
SERVICE TO THE PARISH……………………………………………….7
V.
SERVICE OUTSIDE THE PARISH……………………………………….8
VI.
EDUCATION………………………………………………………………9
VII.
MEMBERSHIP……………………… …………………………………10
VIII.
EVANGELISM…………………………… ……………………………10
IX.
PARISH LIFE……………………………………………………………..11
X.
STEWARDSHIP………………………………………………………….13
XI.
PARISH MANAGEMENT...……………………………………………..14
XII.
FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION……………………………………....14
XIII.
PARISH SURVEY SUMMARY………………………………………....15
XIV. FOCUS GROUPS: Findings, Strengths, Concerns, Expectations…….......17
XV.
KEY GOALS………………………………………………………….….18
XVI. NEW RECTOR EXPECTATIONS………………………………..……..19
XVII. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………..….19
XVIII. APPENDIX……………………………………………………………….20
XIX. GRACE CHURCH DIRECTORY……………..…………….…...………24
I. PROFILE OF THE COMMUNITY
Windsor,
Connecticut
is
a
community rich in history, economically
vibrant and racially diverse. It is located
north of Hartford, the state capital, along the
Connecticut River. Windsor takes pride in the fact
that it is the first Connecticut settlement. It was
2
founded in 1633 when settlers sailed from
Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts to
establish themselves at the confluence of
the Farmington and Connecticut Rivers.
The Native Americans referred to this area
as Matianuck.
Windsor was the birthplace of
several prominent Americans including
Oliver Ellsworth, who was a member of
the Constitutional Convention, the U.S.
Senate and the U.S. Supreme Court. His
home in Windsor is currently a museum
run by the Daughters of the Revolution.
Historically, Windsor’s economy
was dominated by two pursuits: tobacco
farming and brick making. At its peak,
there were more than 40 brickyards in
Windsor. The last one closed in the
1960’s. The first tobacco crop was planted
in 1640 with seeds brought to Connecticut
from the Virginia tobacco plantations.
Today, Windsor is the center of the shade
tobacco industry, and there is a history of
tobacco farming amongst Grace Church’s
parishioners. The distinctive tobacco barns
and covered fields of shade tobacco create
a unique landscape around town.
Currently, Windsor’s industrial base
encompasses a wide range of products and
services, including insurance, computer
software development, medical office
space, energy research and development,
and nuclear engineering services. There
are also a number of hotels to serve the
business community.
Today, Windsor has a multi-ethnic
and racially diverse population of
approximately 28,000. The median age of
the town’s population is 39, and over 20%
of the population is under age 15. Sixty-
five percent of our residents are white, 27% black,
5% Hispanic and 3% other races (U.S. Census
Bureau, 2000 census). Many different Christian
congregations are located here, and there is also a
Jewish temple and Islamic mosque. Windsor’s
multi-ethnic population is also reflected in the
diversity of its businesses: East Indian grocery
stores, Jamaican restaurants, an Indian restaurant,
numerous pizzerias, a Greek deli and many other
unique places to eat and shop.
Grace Episcopal Church is located on
Windsor’s town green. Both the green and the
church are in the National Register of Historic
Places. Also located on the town green are the
town hall, the library, the post office, the
Huntington Museum, restaurants, small businesses
and shops, including a number of antique shops.
The library and the church share a parking lot.
The Loomis-Chaffee Preparatory School is located
just to the south, and has a long and rich
relationship with the church. There is a small
transportation hub located a block from the green
with bus and train service to Hartford, New
Haven, New York and Vermont.
Most notable is the Shad Derby, which is held
each year in May. The celebration includes a
shad fishing contest, a pageant to select the
Shad Derby Queen and a parade that ends on
the green where people can enjoy games, food
Throughout the year the town green is
the location of many community activities
such as summer concerts, winter ice-skating,
the fall Chili Fest and the spring craft fair.
3
and drink, and socializing with friends and
neighbors.
This year the Evangelism
Committee sponsored a “Kid’s Korner” at
this event, a popular booth where children
could make their own paintings.
Caring Connection) and teen services (PAL)
are located in another community facility
located in Wilson, a neighborhood in the
southern end of town.
Windsor’s school system consists of
one pre-school and kindergarten center, four
elementary schools (1st through 5th grade), one
middle school and one high school. There are
several private schools, including LoomisChaffee, a Catholic grade school, other
Christian grade schools and a Montessori preschool and kindergarten.
Windsor is predominantly comprised
of single-family homes. There are also town
houses, active adult communities, and some
rental property. Windsor’s historic district
contains a number of colonial and 18th and 19th
century houses. Historic homes are also
scattered around town.
Windsor has a town manager/town
council government. There are many boards
and commissions on which citizens may
volunteer to serve. Windsor’s government
continues to work successfully to bring jobs
and businesses to the town.
Windsor’s
location near Bradley International Airport and
Interstate 91, has also helped to make it home
to many national and international businesses.
New to Windsor is SummerWind, an outdoor
amphitheater that enjoyed a successful first
season of concerts and plays in 2002.
Windsor is a town that embraces its
past and builds towards its future. We have
included a map with points of interest at the
end
of
this
profile
The
community
also
has
opportunities for recreation. The Farmington
River flows into the Connecticut River at
Windsor and provides a venue for boating
and fishing. Neighborhood parks dot the
town with playgrounds, sports fields,
swimming pools and quiet green places.
Northwest Park, the crown jewel of
Windsor’s parks, comprises 450 acres and is
home to a tobacco museum and nature
center. The park’s miles of trails are used for
snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the
winter and walking, running, biking and
nature study throughout the rest of the year.
(www.townofwindsorct.com/pdf/map.htm).
Further information about our town can be
obtained online by visiting the town’s website
at www.townofwindsorct.com or by visiting
http://www.epodunk.com and entering our zip
code, 06095.
Windsor’s Senior Services provide
transportation,
meals,
education
and
recreation to the elderly population.
Windsor’s elderly day care program (the
II. HISTORY OF GRACE CHURCH
The history of Grace Church reflects a
rich and storied past. Although not established
as an Episcopal parish until 1842, Windsor had
English churchmen as early as 1660. In the
4
mid-1700’s, several early Windsor families
helped organize the Mother Church of the
Cathedral in Hartford, which ministered to
surrounding
neighborhoods,
including
Windsor. In 1842, the Reverend Arthur C.
Coxe, Rector of St. John’s Church, Hartford,
founded St. Gabriel’s Church as an Episcopal
mission in Windsor.
St. Gabriel’s grew very rapidly. The
cornerstone of the present building, which is
located on the historic town green, was laid in
August 1864 during the Rectorship of the
Reverend Reuel Tuttle, the first resident priest
of the parish. One year later the new church
was rededicated as “Grace Church.” The
parish house was added in 1890 and an
addition was constructed in 1958.
The
Rectory was constructed in 1870 and was
recently renovated to serve as classroom space
for the church school. Both buildings have
recently been designated historic landmarks by
the state of Connecticut.
In 1933 the frieze of saints, the
beautiful woodwork and the magnificent
Cherubim vault were added during repairs and
enlargement in the chancel. The cornerstone
of old St. Gabriel’s was embedded in the
reredos and the church was rededicated in
1934. More recently, there have been two
capital campaigns that have improved,
upgraded and maintained the physical beauty
and function of the church. For example, new
stained glass windows were installed above the
altar, the floor was replaced, a handicapped
ramp was added and a gas furnace was
installed.
There have been ten Rectors of Grace
Church. Most recent have been The Reverend
Elward D. Hollman, who served from 1959
until his retirement in 1986, and the Reverend
Donald J. Hannan III, who served from 1987
until 2001, when he resigned unexpectedly for
personal reasons. Since then David Parachini
has been our Priest-in-Charge.
III. WORSHIP
5
We are a Eucharist - centered parish
with Rite I celebrated every Sunday at 8 a.m.
and Rite II, with music, celebrated every
Sunday at 10 a.m. The sermon at both services
is delivered occasionally from the pulpit and
usually informally among the congregation.
Sunday school children join the congregation
after the announcements at the 10 a.m. service
and receive communion or a blessing with their
parents and families. The laity participates in
Sunday worship as ushers, greeters, chalice
bearer and lectors. Young members of the
church serve at the altar as acolytes. A
dedicated Altar Guild lovingly prepares the altar
itself.
Evening prayer is celebrated by the laity
during the week at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.
We also have an adult education and discussion
group on Wednesday mornings and a Christian
book club on Tuesday mornings. There has
been discussion about starting evening Bible
study, which a new rector could help us start.
During Lent, the Episcopal Church
Women (ECW) organize a quiet day of lessons
and reflection. Holy Week celebrations begin
on Palm Sunday when a procession of the whole
congregation carrying palms is led into the
church by a bagpiper. Services continue with
Tenebrae on Wednesday, stripping of the altar
on Maundy Thursday and a darkening of the
church on Good Friday. We bring the light of
Christ into the church on Saturday night with
the Easter Vigil and celebrate His resurrection
on Easter morning. In Advent we have a
Lessons and Carols service one Sunday evening,
which is followed by a potluck dinner.
Christmas Eve services include an early evening
family service at which the young people
perform a pageant, and a Midnight Mass, which
is preceded by instrumental and vocal Christmas
music. Other special services during the year
include Pentecost when the church is decorated
with balloons, a blessing of the animals on the
Sunday following St. Francis’ feast day, and All
Saints Day when the church school sings for the
congregation. We also have several Children’s
Sundays each year at which the children usher,
serve, sing and read the lessons and prayers at
the 10 a.m. service.
MUSIC
The Music Ministry at Grace Church is a
vital and much appreciated part of our worship.
The adult choir leads the congregation in
singing hymns at our 10 a.m. Sunday Eucharist
from September through June and at special
services during the Christmas and Easter
seasons. The choir also sings an anthem each
week. Our organist and music Director, Robert
Edward Smith, a renowned musician and
harpsichordist, has composed many of these
anthems especially for Grace Church.
The junior choir, which is under the
direction of a paid vocalist, sings for holidays
and other occasions about five times a year.
In addition, the whole church school sings and
student instrumentalists perform at several
special services each year.
Our music program is traditional, and is
based on our hymnal supplemented with the
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” book of Hymns.
We enjoy the classical music played by our
organist before and after the service. We also
believe that many music styles can enhance our
prayers and praise, and some members of the
parish are currently looking at ways to
incorporate more contemporary and youthful
music into our worship.
We care for the members of our parish
largely through our ECW, Pastoral Care
Committee, and Lay Eucharist Ministers.
IV. SERVICE TO THE PARISH
6
card from the committee. Members also send
notes for births, deaths, and at other times as
appropriate. In January, a member of the
Pastoral Care Committee organizes our annual
Newcomer’s Dinner, a joint venture of this
committee and the Vestry, to make sure our new
families feel welcomed into the Grace Church
community.
Our Episcopal Church Women
Our active ECW provides strong support
to the parish in a wide variety of ways. The
group hosts receptions on Palm Sunday and All
Saints Sunday, and organizes a Festive
Christmas Dinner with carol sing afterward.
Their Lenten quiet day is an annual feature in
February. The ECW organizes “Punch and
Cookies under the Trees” after July and August
services. For the last several years the ECW
has taken over the mammoth task of arranging
the Silent Auction room for our Holy Spirit
Auction, with outstanding results.
The ECW holds several successful
fundraisers throughout the year, which allows
them to fund their good work. The group hosts
semi-monthly dinners for the Windsor Club, a
Windsor based men’s social club. Fall and
spring rummage/bake sales are popular
moneymakers and bring many from the
community into our church, as does their annual
Strawberry Supper in June.
ECW fundraising efforts allow this
group to support the church budget and capital
campaigns. The group provides the wine, food
and supplies for the many receptions they host.
They also make significant purchases for the
church when necessary.
Recent purchases
included a new oven, a new Paschal candle for
the altar and an event sign to advertise special
events at the church. Each year the group offers
scholarships to deserving youth from the parish
to Camp Washington for their summer
programs.
Lay Eucharistic Ministers
We currently have several lay
Eucharistic ministers who serve our parishioners
who cannot physically make it to church.
Funding our Needs
We have offered a variety of activities to
bring extra funds into the church. We have an
ongoing gift certificate fundraising program that
many parishioners support. Several committees
have sponsored their own fundraisers to fund
the activities and programs that they provide.
For example, the Evangelism Committee sold
prayer beads and organized a community craft
fair at which they sold booth space. The
Acolyte Guild sold calendars. Most recently the
Altar Guild published a church cookbook,
“Cooking With Grace”, which also allows
parishioners access to those great recipes we’ve
been enjoying for years at our potlucks!
We hold a yearly golf outing that raises
some funds, but mainly gives our golfers the
chance to get together for fun and fellowship.
The Grace Church Holy Spirit Auction, the
church’s major fundraiser, has become an
important annual event since 1992. Our goal is
to use the funds raised by the auction for
mission and outreach in Windsor and Greater
Hartford.
Pastoral Care Committee
Our Pastoral Care Committee teams
make about six calls per month to the homes of
parishioners, complimenting the pastoral
activities of the Rector. (The Rector makes
about two to three calls per week on average
and some hospital visits.)
V. SERVICE OUTSIDE THE PARISH
Each week the Committee delivers altar
flowers to parishioners or area nursing homes.
Every member of the parish receives a birthday
Mission and Outreach Committee
Our Mission and Outreach Committee
has been a small but active group for the last
7
few years. The committee provides quarterly
dinners for about a hundred people at the South
Park Inn, a family homeless shelter in Hartford.
We sponsored a Ukrainian refugee family and
three Bosnian refugee families. We found
housing, furnishings, jobs and schooling for the
members of the families and provided assistance
as they established themselves in their new
country. The committee collects food for our
local food pantry on an ongoing basis. In the
summer we assemble a team for the Hartford
area Habitat for Humanity Build-a-thon, an
ambitious one-week start-to-finish housing
project. We briefly established a connection
with a DCF caseworker (Dept. of Children and
Families) through the Covenant to Care
organization; while this only briefly developed
into an ongoing project, it could be reestablished in the future. The committee has
organized craft workshops to produce hats,
mittens, scarves and sleeping bags using
donated fleece, which were given to the South
Park Inn and other area shelters.
from one of our parishioners. It usually consists
of two or three recitals featuring fine artists
from the Hartford area, Boston and New York
(and sometimes includes our organist, who is
also an accomplished harpsichordist). These
programs provide the Windsor community the
opportunity to hear fine live music at a
reasonable cost and introduce Grace Church to
newcomers.
Other Outreach Opportunities
At Christmas, our parishioners provide
gifts of essentials like underwear, toiletries and
hats and mittens to the South Park Inn. The
ECW also makes a donation to the Seamen’s
Institute.
Grace Church makes its buildings
available for use by the community. We
currently house weekly meetings for Alcoholics
Anonymous, a local Scottish Dancers group,
and biweekly meetings of three different Scout
troops. The Windsor Club holds its semimonthly meetings at Grace Church as well. We
fund a limited Rector’s discretionary fund, but
also contribute to the Windsor Clergy
Association Fund.
The Windsor Police
Department administers this emergency pool of
funds to anyone who has need. Our Rector is
always “on call” for emergencies as they arise.
Fun-In-Learning Tutorial
This mentoring program for area at-risk
rd
3 and 4th grade students was established
through the vision of a former parishioner and is
sponsored by Grace Church. It pairs selected
students with area high school students who
volunteer their time twice a week to tutor,
mentor and act as role models. The program ran
successfully for eight years and enjoyed the
respect of the Windsor educational community,
as well as of the students and families that
benefited from it. In 2000, the program earned
Windsor’s
prestigious
Bridge
Builders
community award. The program was on hiatus
for eighteen months while funding was secured
and resumed in January 2004.
Youth Groups Service Projects
Our newly revived Youth Group is
beginning to undertake community service
projects such as volunteering at the South Park
Inn homeless shelter, collecting for UNICEF,
and delivering Christmas cards to parishioners
in town. They are seeking to expand this
ministry as the group develops.
Spring Music Series
Our church organist, Robert Edward
Smith, organizes a spring music series with help
8
VI. EDUCATION
Adult Education
Currently, Grace Church has a Wednesday
morning film and discussion group facilitated
by the Rector. In the past, we have offered
Lenten study and adult inquirers classes. In
the future, we would like to add Bible study.
Our new youth group combines youth
fellowship, religious study and community
service projects for our teens. Our church
school teachers currently organize it, but it
is hoped that an adult volunteer will
assume leadership of the group. The teens
discuss and arrange their own projects and
activities with guidance from the 11th and
12th grade members. This group supports
the class projects of the younger church
school classes and undertakes community
service projects, examples of which are
mentioned in the Service section of this
profile.
Popcorn Sunday is a popular
bimonthly activity. A teen-centered movie
is shown which fosters discussion
afterward on relevant issues teens face as
Christians in today’s world. The Youth
Group Den at the Tuttle House is a
comfortable drop-in spot where teens can
hang out to talk, use the computer, play
board games and listen to music.
Education of Children
We have a thriving church school with a
new facility on the first floor of the Tuttle
house that has been equipped with new
teaching materials. Two teachers share the
duties of each class, under the supervision of
the co-Directors. Children are grouped into K2 and 3-5 classes, with those in 6th grade
through high school making up our youth
group. A paid adult and parent volunteers
staff the nursery for children under five.
Currently, the K to 2nd grade class is using the
Episcopal Children’s curriculum and the 3rd to
5th grade class is using God Prints. Thirty-two
children are currently registered in the church
school, and attendance has been very good.
Several of our teachers are professional
educators and have been teaching Sunday
school for a number of years. New teachers
can consult with experienced teachers at any
time, and the staff meets quarterly as a group.
The co-Directors and the priest meet monthly.
There is a small adult lending
library in the church office and a children’s
lending library at the Tuttle House.
9
VII. CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Grace Church has a warm, welcoming
atmosphere that fosters new growth. Our
membership is increasing once again, due
largely to the combined efforts of our Priest-inCharge and many hard working, dedicated
parishioners. The Vestry and other members of
the congregation make a concerted effort to
greet and welcome visitors before and after the
service and at the Peace. There are pew cards
that visitors can fill out to request more
information.
New visitors are invited to attend our
coffee hour following the 10 a.m.
service each week. This is an informal and
well-attended social gathering which gives
newcomers the opportunity to meet members of
the congregation.
Every year there is a
newcomers’ dinner hosted by the Vestry and
Pastoral Care Committee.
We are a racially diverse parish. Although
most of the congregation lives in Windsor, some
of our members come from surrounding towns.
We recently installed a handicap access ramp to
make the church more accessible.
STATISTICAL INFORMATION
Year
Average
Sunday
Attendance
2003
99
390
8
0
0
2
6
2002
100
383
11
5
0
5
12
2001
95
389
7
0
0
3
5
2000
112
415
10
0
0
3
5
1999
107
467
11
4
1
1
7
1993
n/a
n/a
8
4
0
5
6
Members
Baptisms
Confirmations
Received
Marriages
Burials
VIII. EVANGELISM
We have recently established an
Evangelism Committee to address the need to
be witnesses to the love of Christ. This
committee has started the work of evangelism
by enhancing the church’s presence in the
community through newspaper articles and by
participating in town events on the green. The
committee held a fundraiser at a local
restaurant and hosted a multicultural potluck
dinner for the congregation. This group
realizes the need to foster conversations about
our faith and how Christ acts in our life
through the power of the Spirit. We are
looking for leadership in creating more
opportunities for dialogue about spirituality
within the church. We are also interested in
exploring the Alpha program as something that
may work for Grace Church.
10
IX. PARISH LIFE
Grace Church is a warm and caring faith
community. Our warmth and concern is evident
in both our inreach and outreach commitments.
We enjoy each other’s company, we support one
another in times of need, and we celebrate our
accomplishments. In the last 2 ½ years, with the
guidance of our Priest-in-Charge, David
Parachini, we have become a much stronger
congregation devoted to one another and to our
church.
Every Sunday at our 8:00 a.m. and 10:00
a.m. services we join in the Prayers for the
People, praying for the sick, the deceased and
also for other parishes. We feel strongly about
prayer and its power. We provide Forward Dayby-Day meditation booklets to all parishioners
who request them, including large print editions.
We have a Lenten Quiet Day each year.
We welcome newcomers at each service and
invite them to join our coffee hour. We have a
Newcomers’ dinner each year to welcome new
parishioners to our parish family.
Our care and concern is also evident in
the many parish activities that so many of us
participate in during the year. Our Annual Holy
Spirit auction is not only a fundraiser for the
church, but builds a sense of camaraderie among
all members who participate. While collecting
and sorting items to be auctioned, we have
discovered that we possess a multitude of talents
and skills. Our Pastoral Care Committee
provides transportation and does chores for
church members in need. Our Altar Guild
lovingly cares for the church’s treasured silver,
gold and bronze vessels, fine cloths and
beautiful vestments and our ECW provides
many opportunities for fellowship and outreach.
Amy pic 4
We have created a connection between
the adults and children of our parish through our
prayer buddy system and new youth delivery of
Christmas cards to parish families. Our Rector
provides instruction for First Holy Communion
and Confirmation. We bring communion to
shut-ins.
We love to eat! We hold potluck dinners
several times during the year. We recently held
a multi-cultural dinner where parishioners
11
brought ethnic dishes to share. We hold an
annual picnic in June to celebrate the
completion of each successful church school
year. Coffee hour hostesses provide baked
goods to go along with our coffee each week.
The ECW always prepares a beautifully
presented reception after important Church
events, such as baptisms, concerts and the All
Saints Service. These receptions allow us to
commune together and enjoy each other’s
company while sharing the wonderful repast
prepared by this dedicated group. We are also
fun loving. At Pentecost the church is filled with
colorful red balloons, and we all share birthday
cake after the 10:00 a.m. service.
Our monthly newsletter and weekly
bulletins keep our members informed of all
church activities and upcoming events. We
have also developed an informative website,
www.gracechurchonthegreen.org, to reach
beyond our Church family.
Our care and concern extend beyond our
parish family. We cook and serve dinner at
South Park Inn four or five times a year. We
collect canned food for the local food bank and
deliver it monthly. We have dedicated
parishioners who have gotten together to make
hats, mittens and scarves for families at South
Park Inn. Our children collected pennies for the
Bishop’s Fund for Children and they have
recycled bottles for Heifer International to
sponsor a goat.
Our youth are involved in the life of the
church. They participate in the youth choir;
several times a year they are responsible for the
Sunday service and each year they perform a
Christmas pageant that is enjoyed by all
members of the Church. The younger children
love the annual Easter egg hunt.
We have Diocesan representatives who
regularly attend the Diocesan and Deanery
events. We meet our financial obligation to the
Diocese. We participate in the town’s
Ecumenical Thanksgiving service, and last year
our church was the host church. Our Priest-inCharge regularly attends the town interfaith
clergy association meetings and we have
recently participated in our town’s race relations
forum.
Picture of Christmas pageant
Or
Easter Egg Hunt
When our parishioners are asked
what they like best about Grace Church, they
consistently respond that they feel connected
and part of a committed and loving
community. We are looking forward to
welcoming a new Rector into our parish
family.
12
XI.
STEWARDSHIP
While stewardship is encouraged
throughout the year, our efforts become
more focused around Labor Day. In recent
years our stewardship efforts have relied on
mailings from the Rector and the
stewardship chairman, together with an
Every Member Canvas. This year, we used
a new approach centered on Consecration
Sunday. All parishioners received a letter
inviting them to a special service followed
by a potluck brunch.
The service
emphasized the spiritual aspects of giving,
and parishioners were asked to consider this
as they made their yearly pledge during the
service. We considered this approach a
success and will probably use it again in the
future.
The Stewardship Committee has a
chairperson and a small but effective
operating committee that works closely with
the Finance Committee, the Vestry and the
Wardens to meet the fiscal needs of the
church. Most recently, members of the
committee attended a workshop sponsored
by the diocese regarding stewardship.
One of the concerns this committee
is trying to address is that too few pledge
units are carrying too much of the pledging
total. Although total dollars pledged has
increased over the past two years, the
increase is still insufficient to balance the
budget. Another concern is that the number
of pledge units is not increasing.
Our challenge for the future is to
dramatically increase the number and dollar
amount of pledges over the next two years.
Capital Campaign Drive
We had a successful Capital Campaign
in 1990 that financed several capital
improvement projects. A decade later the
need for several building repairs and
renovations necessitated another campaign.
The 2000 Capital Campaign Drive was also
considered a success and raised funds to
finance a number of renovations, such as a
new sanctuary floor, a new furnace, roof
repairs and a handicap ramp. While the
original plan called for an addition to house
the church school, the plan became
impractical because of rising construction
costs and a shortfall in actual funds
collected.
Instead of building, we
remodeled the Rectory into classrooms and
office space for the church school.
Number of Pledges by Range
Average Weekly
Pledge
# Pledge
Units
35
30
Under $500
$500 - $999
1K - $1,999
2K - $2,999
3K-$4999
Over $5K
25
20
15
10
5
0
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
13
2000
$24.28
97
2001
$27.38
103
2002
$26.46
97
2003
$29.62
92
2004
$31.83
97
XI. PARISH MANAGEMENT
The Parish Administrator’s position is
full-time. The other paid positions are all parttime. As well as playing at the 10:00 a.m.
Sunday service, the Director of Music
Ministries holds a senior choir practice every
Thursday night. Supervision of the staff is the
responsibility of the Rector. The Personnel
Committee-- comprised of the junior Warden
(chairman), the senior Warden, and a Vestry
representative-- is responsible for evaluating
the Rector each year.
Our ministry to the Parish Family and
our community is performed by committees
that follow the A.P.O.S.T.L.E. Model (see
appendix for the organizational chart
describing this church model).
These
committees include our Altar Guild, Building
and
Grounds,
Christian
Education,
Evangelism, Finance, Historiography, Mission
and Outreach, Pastoral Care, Personnel,
Planned Giving and Stewardship.
The
Episcopal Church Women are vibrant and
active, providing for the special needs of our
Parish.
Many volunteers provide vital
leadership roles in the Acolyte Guild, as
Ushers and in fundraising activities.
At Grace Church the Rector, Wardens
and Vestry are responsible for the business of
the church. The Vestry meets monthly to
discuss current business. Additional Vestry
meetings may be held as necessary. The
Rector serves as chairperson and prepares the
agenda with input from the Wardens. The
Rector and Wardens are voting members of
the Vestry. The Parish Clerk and Treasurer
attend all Vestry meetings, but are non-voting
members. All Vestry meetings are open to the
Parish.
Our Vestry consists of twelve members
who each serve for three years. Four new
members are elected at the annual meeting
held each year in January. The officers of the
Vestry, including our two Wardens, Parish
Clerk, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer are
also elected at this time. Two Diocesan and
Deanery delegates and two alternate delegates
are elected as well. The Parish’s paid staff
includes a Parish Administrator, a Sexton, a
Director of Music Ministries and a Junior
Choir Director who also sings with the choir.
XII. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION
The annual budget is developed by the
Finance Committee through a process of
budget requests submitted by the various
committees of the Parish and requirements of
the Diocese, and is presented to the Vestry.
The Vestry approves the annual budget for
presentation at the annual meeting. Sources of
income for the church include pledges (74%),
fundraising activities (14%), plate offerings
(3%), special gifts (4%) and other income
(5%). Our endowment currently consists of
approximately $125,000 in mainly unrestricted
funds. We follow Diocesan policy with regard
to our accounting practices. Each year since
2001 Grace Church has been running at a
deficit and has had to draw on the Endowment
Fund to meet expenses, though the amount we
have had to draw has been less each year. The
2004 Annual Budget may be found in the
Appendix.
14
XIII. SUMMARY OF OUR PARISH SURVEY
In January 2003, a comprehensive
survey was distributed to approximately 150
parish families. Thirty-nine responses were
received, a response rate of over 25%. It is
worth noting that most of those who
responded described themselves as active,
long-time members of Grace Episcopal
Church; 32 of the 39 respondents were
women, and sixteen of the respondents have
school-age children. In reading this
summary, it is important to understand that
much has changed in our parish since the
beginning of 2003, and many of the
concerns raised in the survey answers are
already being addressed.
Background
The survey was primarily intended to
elicit what is important to parishioners in
their choice of a church, rather than to ask
for their evaluations of the parish. The first
page gave parishioners the opportunity to
assess the overall importance of 11
categories, from worship to parish
administration. The remaining sections of
the survey asked for responses to more
specific questions in each of the 11
categories and provided space for written
comments. With the help of our Priest-inCharge, our parish has moved through a
difficult transition period necessitated by the
resignation of our previous Rector in 2001.
Although we wanted some sense of how
parishioners view the parish, we recognize
that any evaluation is clouded by lack of
clarity as to what respondents are evaluating
-- the previous or transitional situation -- and
we believed it inappropriate to explicitly
assess an interim situation.
The
parishioners’
assessments
nevertheless
provide valuable information for future
planning, as do their indications of areas of
most importance.
General Observations
In terms of the overall importance of the
11 categories, it appears that more than 90% of
the respondents believe that Worship and The
Rector are the most critical aspects of the
Church, and their primary reasons for joining a
parish. Close to 80% of the respondents also
believe that Spiritual Life is highly important.
Evangelism was the lowest priority. Overall,
more than 75% of the respondents believe that
Grace Episcopal Church performs well in the
three most significant areas, but there is some
room for growth, particularly in the areas of
Spiritual Life and The Rector. Though there were
a few respondents who were clearly unhappy
with the parish, most gave the church solidly
positive ratings in the areas that seemed
important to them.
Worship; Music
Although most respondents attend the 10
a.m. Service (Rite II), there were a small number
of respondents for whom the 8:00 a.m. service
(Rite I) is extremely important. The Eucharist
and the sermon are the most important aspects of
the service. According to several of the
comments, the congregation enjoys stimulating
sermons that apply the day’s readings and
lessons to current life, rather than sermons that
focus on the Bible stories themselves. Comments
expressed a preference for shorter services and
sermons. Some parishioners would also like
more quiet time during the service, and some
believe that there are too many announcements
that detract from their worship. A majority of the
respondents also indicated that music (organ and
choir) is an important part of the 10 a.m. service,
and they are pleased with the quality of the
music. Comments contained praise for the choir
and a desire to see its membership increased.
Some respondents suggested more variety in the
type of music, such as folk music or more
contemporary American music. A more active
youth choir would also be welcome.
15
The Rector; Pastoral Care
Asked to evaluate a number of
qualities and characteristics of a rector,
parishioners viewed the following as the most
significant:





importance of bringing newcomers into the
Church and making them feel welcome, but
there seems to be a reluctance to talk about
faith – both within and outside the Church.
Even though it was not rated high in
importance, the responses seem to confirm that
we could be doing more with evangelism.
Outreach scored significantly higher, but not
as high as the first three categories. The
responses suggest that there may not be a
broad base of parishioners who believe that
Outreach is critically important, but it may
mean that many parishioners are simply not
aware of existing programs or that there is not
yet a consensus on the role of Outreach in our
parish. Some individual programs received
high marks, such as collecting food for the
Windsor food bank and preparing meals for
the South Park Inn kitchen, and there was a
desire to reinstate the Tutorial Program
(resumed in January 2004), but the results
suggest that efforts could be undertaken to
educate parishioners about existing programs
and the significance of Outreach.
Strong spiritual leadership (this was far
and away the most important)
A good preacher
Engaged in the life of the parish
A responsive, caring and effective
counselor
Someone who makes pastoral visits
Pastoral Care was regarded as important, but
not as important as Worship, The Rector and
Spiritual Life. For most respondents, visits by
the Rector were the most important aspect of
Pastoral Care, although visits by laity were
also welcomed.
Spiritual Life
Although close to 80% of the
respondents believe that Spiritual Life is most
significant, it was difficult to evaluate their
responses because it was not always clear what
they meant by the term. The survey did not
elicit that information. A small group of
parishioners would like more opportunities to
talk about their faith and to participate in Bible
study and prayer groups. (A Wednesday
evening prayer service was being initiated
when the survey was conducted. It has become
an established part of our church life.) There
was a sense from the comments that Grace
Episcopal Church could be doing more to
encourage and enhance the spiritual life of its
parishioners – possibly through more
opportunities for Christian education.
Youth Education; Church School
There were fewer responses to this
category in the Survey, possibly because many
of the respondents do not have school-age
children. Those parishioners who did complete
this section of the survey are very pleased with
the Sunday School program. They gave the
teachers very high marks and their comments
expressed their appreciation. The acolyte
program was also highly praised. Childcare
and the nursery received lower marks, and
some parishioners expressed unhappiness
about the absence of a youth group and
programs for older children (Youth group has
now been resumed). A number of respondents
explained in their comments that they did not
evaluate the educational programs because
they did not know enough about them. This
may be another area where more efforts should
be made to inform the entire congregation
about Church School programs.
Evangelism; Outreach
Although only fifty-five percent of the
respondents rated Evangelism as high in
importance, it should be noted that the survey
was conducted prior to the formation of an
active Evangelism Committee. In general, it
appears that parishioners recognize the
16
Social Life
Most respondents indicated that they
want to be part of a supportive parish
community, and it appears that the Church is
doing well in this regard. However, some
concerns were expressed that the Church’s
social activities may be overemphasized, to the
detriment of spiritual life. There were some
contradictory comments.
While
many
parishioners felt very welcome as newcomers
and have remained in the Church because of
its “friendliness,” some respondents felt that
parishioners could do more to integrate
newcomers into parish life and to remain
friendly with old-timers.
Stewardship; Service Opportunities;
Administration
Most
respondents
believe
that
Stewardship is an important component of
church life, and they view Stewardship as
more than pledging. For example, the Altar
Guild, Chalice Bearers, Vestry and Lectors
received high marks for their efforts. Some
concern was expressed that there is an overemphasis on fund-raising, and the possibility
of “burn-out” as more fundraising programs
are undertaken. Comments noted that too few
people do the bulk of the work. The parish
administration
received
good
marks.
Parishioners welcome communications and
want to have input into decision-making.
XIV. FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS
In addition to an extensive parish survey conducted in the spring, focus group sessions
were held in October 2003 to further develop the ideas and concerns raised in the survey. The
focus groups’ findings and key goals are summarized below.
A. Grace Church Strengths
B. Grace Church Concerns
1. We have an empowered
membership with an active,
committed and effective lay
leadership core.
2. Our church school is well
attended with strong programs
and staff. The Tuttle House, our
former Rectory, is well suited
and utilized for the school.
3. Our outreach and evangelism
programs are growing.
4. The church's social life is
strong.
5. Our beautiful and historic
buildings
are
strategically
located in Windsor Center, on
the town green.
6. We are diverse.
7. We are increasing our
visibility and outreach within
the community.
1. Our finances and stewardship
need improvement.
2. Our membership needs to
increase.
3. We need a permanent Rector.
4. Our pre-teen / teen program
needs strengthening.
5. We need a more personal
touch; noticing when families
have been absent, need support,
etc.
17
C. Our Expectations / Needs
From Our New Rector
We need our new Rector to….
1. Provide strong spiritual
leadership.
2. Provide good preaching
ability with lively sermons that
relate to our daily lives.
3. Actively engage in the life of
the parish and take an active
role in leading our youth.
4. Make pastoral visits, and
become more visible and active
in the community.
5. Be a responsive, caring and
effective counselor.
6. Be proactive in increasing
membership
and
laity
involvement
in
church
activities.
XV. KEY GOALS: Extrapolating from the parish survey, focus group sessions and the Search
Committee deliberations, we have developed key goals for our parish.
Spirituality
Stewardship/ Membership
We need to increase our understanding of
spirituality. We would like our new Rector
to work with the congregation to foster
opportunities to share our faith, perhaps by
initiating Bible study or prayer groups, and
develop and motivate pre-teen and teenage
programs.
We need to increase our membership
and
stewardship
growth
and
commitment. While membership has
decreased over the past few years, it is
slowly increasing and we need to
accelerate the increase. On the
stewardship side, we need to live within
our parish budget and not rely on the use
of our endowment funds to meet our
budgetary needs. In addition to the need
for new members, we need all existing
members to become more financially
aware of our situation and involved in
solving the problem.
Mission
We want to increase our commitment to
mission, outreach and evangelism. We have
made excellent strides in these areas and
need to expand upon the efforts to date.
Active Participation
We need to work to involve more of our
membership to actively participate in our
many activities.
18
XVI. WHAT THE NEXT RECTOR CAN EXPECT FROM US
Many members of the Grace Episcopal
Church family met in late 2001 to discuss who
we are, what we have and what we need.
Numerous thoughts, feelings and points of
view were expressed and several of these
comments are summarized below.
The
comments do not necessarily express a
consensus or even a majority view of
parishioners; rather, they reflect heartfelt
thoughts and concerns of committed
parishioners. They afford the reader some
sense of the personality of the congregation
and the views of our parishioners.
WHO WE ARE
Grace Church is a diverse, caring
community of real people with real problems
and concerns.
Our parishioners include
lifelong members, in some cases the second or
third generation, as well as newcomers to the
community and/or to the Episcopal Church.
Some of us were deeply devoted to our last
Rector, and some of us were less supportive.
We all share, however, a commitment to the
parish because of the warmth, friendliness and
caring of our members. Grace Church is a
welcoming place where many different people
feel comfortable.
We are, like most congregations,
financially challenged. We have struggled
through years of balanced budgets and years of
deficits, but we always have found a way to
make it work. We are proud of our recent
capital campaign and the work our Building
Committee has done in improving and
enhancing our facilities.
We are loyal and supportive. We are
conservative and sometimes look more to the
past than the future. We have passed through
a time of uncertainty, and we are now eager
and united to build on and share the warmth
and love that we know here.
WHAT WE HAVE
We have a common spiritual bond that
guides and unites a core of committed,
talented, wise men and women. We are good
people with continuing spiritual needs. We
have a long and important history as a spiritual
center in Windsor. We have a growing
commitment to our Lord and Savior. We have
a beautiful building that enchants all who visit
it. We have a great organ and a marvelous
Director of Music Ministries who fills our
church with beautiful sounds. We have the
resources and ability to do even more good
work with the right guidance from our spiritual
leader.
XVII. CONCLUSION
Grace Church offers a wonderful and challenging
position to the new Rector. Our membership base
is strong and our activity and commitment level
to God’s work is high. We need to build upon
these strengths. We need a permanent Rector
who will complement what we have and bring us
the right combination of assets to meet the Goals
of our congregation. This will be a mutually
rewarding experience for all concerned.
19
20
21
22
23
DIOCESE OF CONNECTICUT
BISHOP OF CONNECTICUT: THE RIGHT REVEREND ANDREW D. SMITH
SUFFRAGAN BISHOPS: THE RIGHT REVEREND JAMES E. CURRY & THE RIGHT REVEREND WILFREDO RAMOS
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
311 Broad Street
Windsor, Connecticut 06095-2905
STAFF
David C. Parachini (Priest-In-Charge)
Church Office Phone: 860 – 688-1232
Church Office Fax:
860 – 298-9010
HOME ADDRESS:
Hemlock Hollow Farm
42 Blue Jay Drive
Northford, Ct 06472-1236
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
[email protected]
PHONE: (203) 484-4439 (HOME)
MOBILE PHONE: (203) 640-9300
Web Page:
www.gracechurchonthegreen.org
Parish Administrator Jean Keating
Director of Music Robert Edward Smith
SEARCH COMMITTEE
Paul Woodhouse, Co-Chairperson
Liz Yetman, Co-Chairperson
Carol Flanagan, Secretary
Ken Roach, Senior Warden
Fred McLeod, Junior Warden
Roger Ali
Alice Hooker
Max Kuziak
Pat Loucks
Rose Phillips
Linda Rickard
Amy Rotchford
Jane Vaughan
Amy Weirs
The Reverend Joann R. Munro, Canon for
Deployment
Joan Bray, Diocesan Consultant
Sexton
Hollis Jones
Treasurer
Larry Young
Assistant Treasurer
Max Kuziak
VESTRY OFFICERS
Ken Roach, Senior Warden
Fred McLeod, Junior Warden
Larry Young, Treasurer
Joann McLeod, Secretary
VESTRY MEMBERS
Mary Kelling
Katherine Senk
Chuck Waldron
Vivienne Wallace
Jenny Hawran*
Ian Judd
Max Kuziak
24
Jane Matthews
Amy Weirs*
Susan Debevec
Herald DeLisser
Karen LaClair
Carol Flanagan
*shared position