RISEAll OF THE RECTOR Saints ALL SAINTS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2019 ANNUAL REPORT Table of Contents Annual Meeting Agenda 3 Wardens’ Address 4 Associate Rector’s Report 6 Previous Year’s Annual Meeting Minutes 8 Ministry Reports 11 Candidates for Vestry 38 Candidates for Diocesan Representative 40 Financials 42 • 2 • Agenda All Saints’ Episcopal Church 2020 Annual Meeting Sunday, January 26, 2020 10:15 Call to Order 10:40 Voting for Warden, 11:25 4546 N. Hermitage, Rob Lentz Vestry, Diocesan Rep- LLC Report resentatives Matt Schuneman Opening Prayer & Matt Schuneman 2019 Financials & Vote Eating 2020 Proposed Budget Instructions and Can- Annual Report & Vote collected, designed & didate Bios & Vote produced by The Quest of the All 11:40 Vestry Thank Yous and Katharine Spencer, 10:55 Lifetime Achievement Margaret McCamant, Saints’ Alliance Part I Awards and Andrew Freeman Scottie Caldwell and Rob Lentz Appoint the Scribe 11:00 Financial Reports 10:25 Margaret Ferguson Josh Ferchau 11:55 Wardens’ Address 2019 Financials Rob Lentz Lenten Dinner Signups Insights, Discussion & Vote Fabulous Slide Show Annual “Most Sec- 12:05 2020 Proposed Budget Many thanks to Charlie onds” prize Simokaitis for his Proposed Changes & Approve 2019 Annual amazing photos Discussion & Vote Meeting Minutes Most Seconds Prizes Ravenswood Commu- 12:10 Announcement of the 11:15 10:30 nity Services Search Committee Election Results Lori Gee Rob Lentz Adjournment Search Committee Co- 11:20 The Quest of the All Chair Remarks Saints’ Alliance Anne Cadigan and Part II Andrea Garland • 3 • Wardens’ Address Delivered by Rob Lentz, Co-Warden Dear Friends: Star Wars’ modern update to the ancient arche- Thank you all for showing up. types he studied (though, had he lived to see it, I’m pretty sure he would have drawn the line at Jar-Jar And not just today, because really, who could Binks). resist Star Wars, chili and beer for breakfast? In fact, you’ve shown up all year: to greet our new In the weeks and months ahead, our newly ap- Associate, Andrew Rutledge, who started work on pointed Search Committee will be leading us on the day of Bonnie’s election! You welcomed Andrew a new adventure, our very own hero’s journey. into the priesthood on the day of his ordination. Eventually we will be choosing a new and perma- You were there! Of course you were, it was a party. nent leader, but right now the real quest before us More recently, you showed up to greet Stephen is inward. We will be taking the time and doing the Applegate, our newly appointed Interim Rector work to examine all the things that make this place (there was pizza). In both cases, you turned out to vital and welcoming—as well as things that are frus- show your support, and to size up the new clergy. trating or holding us back. We aren’t perfect. (That would be so boring.) But this place has never shied In between, you kept showing up, for all the bless- away from a challenge, so we will be having deep ings of this life: the baptisms; the confirmations; the conversations with each other, we will undergo the pageant (obviously); the fellowship of dinners and famous C.A.T., we will reflect and pray, and we will Co!ee Hours and gatherings at the Annex (for you come out on the other end refreshed and invigo- noobs that is O’Shaughnessy’s Pub). You showed rated. It sounds like a spa day. up in Lawndale with United Power to hold our new mayor to account on policies to address gun vio- Those of you who have been hanging around All lence, racial equity, and economic investment on Saints’ recently will know that there’s been an awful the south and west side. (Not to brag, but All Saints’ lot of “discernment” going on. With so many roles brought the largest contingent of faith groups to to fill in our lay leadership, we have been asking that assembly. It’s not a contest. But we won.) You you all to consider if and how you may be called also came to trainings on raising racially aware to serve. So many of you showed up, so many of children and doing the di!icult, uncomfortable you stepped forward, that we’re actually having a work of confronting your own biases. You showed vote, with ballots! (I can’t remember the last time up on Tuesday nights to feed our neighbors, like that happened). To those soon-to-be minted Vestry you always have. Like you always will. There’s a members and Diocesan Representatives, I would million things you showed up for, events big and like to say congratulations and welcome to the fold. small, seen and unseen. And there’s another thing You are joining a group of extraordinarily capable you showed up for: to say goodbye. To be with our and passionate stewards of this very special place. beloved rector, one last time. In the weeks to come, And Thank God, because I’m really going to need you will show up again in Detroit, on a Party Train, your help. to wish that former rector well as the 11th bishop of One of Bonnie Perry’s great gi"s has always been the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. her ability to detect the gi"s and talents of others This 137th Annual Meeting is an unusual one. It’s no (sometimes on relatively thin evidence), and to coincidence that our chosen theme is Star Wars— leverage those gi"s in service to our community. I not because baby Yoda and Kylo Ren are literally suspect many of you in this room know the feeling everywhere, but because we as a community are of being voluntold to join a committee or make a embarking upon a great adventure, a quest. George speech, to get on a bus or fix up an old building. It Lucas famously based the original Star Wars trilogy feels good to be needed. on the work of Joseph Campbell, who traced the When Bonnie recruited me for the Vestry, I thought Hero’s Journey throughout the world’s ancient it would be “nice.” I’d get to: myths and religions. Campbell himself applauded • 4 • • Plan some parties welcoming, a!irming spiritual home for all people. Colin’s music was a greatest hits of loving accep- • Get to know people better, maybe even learn tance: “All Are Welcome,” “Take, O Take Me As I Am.” some names a"er 15 years “Just As I Am.” 30 people were presented for con- • Go on a retreat firmation. Witnessing our bishop bless each and every one of our new members around our altar And if things ever got dicey, Bonnie would always was incredibly moving. And it was just as moving to be there to tell us what to do. look around at the sanctuary, filled on a weeknight But Vestry turned out to be a little more compli- with people who show up when it’s important. cated. I had to: Confirmation isn’t a pageant, or a bake auction (or • Pray (a lot, in front of other people) an annual meeting), but welcoming new members to the Church is holy stu!! And All Saints’ turned • Have one-on-one conversations (not easy for out that night to bear witness, to represent, to re- this introvert) new, to embrace. This is what a Church that is thriv- ing looks like. Yes, we get on the all-night buses; yes, • Look at spreadsheets (a lot, in front of other we march and we organize and we demand action; people) yes, we show up for the world out there, the one • Make hard decisions that that needs people of faith and action so badly. But as on that Confirmation night, the good stu! Like a lot of you, I didn’t know what I was getting starts at home, right here inside these walls. myself into, but I showed up. In the end the hardest part was having to say goodbye to Bonnie. So, keep showing up. Be here with us. I’m pretty sure you will witness something amazing. You will The mythical hero’s journey o"en begins with a also be challenged, believe me. But you have a loss, with grief. During our own season of farewell, voice in this church, and we need to hear it now with each milestone of Bonnie’s long goodbye we more than ever. seemed to invent new stages of grief: Bonnie’s last Pet Blessing, Bonnie’s last All Saints’ Day, Bonnie’s Keep showing up. Don’t stop believing. And may last Finance Meeting. But in the midst of our sorrow, the Force be with you. we pulled o! a good-bye pageant for the ages; a Rob Lentz veritable tsunami of joy swept over this place. And Co-warden yes, we’re so happy for Bonnie, the 11th Bishop All Saints’ Episcopal Church of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, who had dreamed (or willed) this role for so many years. It’s her time. And we’re so happy for the people of Michigan. So very happy. But many of us Le" Behind are in mourning, feeling a little lost, a little vulnerable. A few weeks ago, I came to All Saints’ on a Wednesday night for the Bishop’s visit and the service of Confirmation. It was an unremarkable evening at the outset: the sanctuary had been recently un-greened and returned to its customary stark beauty. But what I witnessed that night was a quintessential All Saints’ Moment (like those NPR driveway moments, when you can’t tear yourself away because something is so good, so true).