Have You Heard?

Isn’t it exciting? All the things that are happening!

We have signed the contract with Eagle Windows to begin work on the replacement of the windows in the narthex. We have been given 200 stackable chairs to replace all the chairs in the fellowship hall, the Sunday School rooms, the choir room and the student room. These chairs have to be steam cleaned before we can use them, but Bob and I will be working on that. We are also getting an estimate on updating the sound system so we can hear well, adjust the mikes during the service as well as record to CDs. Council will be discussing that estimate at its next meeting. We have received a bequest from the estate of Eleanor Parker which could be used for the sound system. We are also putting out bids to get the exterior of the church and preschool painted, hopefully by fall.

Then there is the hope of a new pastor. If you haven’t heard, the call committee has chosen as a primary candidate a woman pastor from Pennsylvania. The plans are as follows. The council will interview her and she will preach on Sunday, May 18. We know this is UVa.’s graduation, but after looking at the choices we had for her to come and wanting the process to be finished before the middle of the summer, this was the only Sunday we could come up with. Please plan to get to church on the 18th so you can hear her, and then we will have an informal reception after church so she can meet everyone.

After she preaches, the congregation has 3-4 days to let the call committee know how they feel This will also be a period of negotiating the compensation package if we need to. The call committee will then meet and recommend to council that we call this candidate. Council then needs to meet and vote on calling her and on the compensation package. A date for a congregational meeting will then be set, and the congregation will receive a mailing with biographical data and the compensation package included 10 days before the meeting. The meeting must also be announced 2 weeks in church before the meeting. The congregation must vote for extending a call by a 2/3 vote and for the compensation package by a majority vote and then it will be up to the candidate to tell us when she can start.

We are hoping that this can be done so that we can have a congregational meeting on June 15 after church. Please mark your calendars now and plan your vacations so that you are not away from Charlottesville on June 15. We need a good turnout of the congregation so that we know you are in favor of calling this candidate and are willing to support her.

Laurene

Verse of the Month

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting.