Date: June 18th 2010

June 18, 2010

Dear Friends,

Early this spring the vestry met in retreat to build in ourselves a spirit of servant leadership. Just about every member recalled the trepidation we all felt when asked to serve on the vestry. We all recognized that no one of us individually, or even collectively, knows what is best for St. James. We can only serve when we seek the grace of God and the efforts and input of every other member of the Body of Christ at St. James.

The joining of our community with those at St. Francis will challenge us in many ways. The vestry, and the whole congregation, will deal with space utilization, budget, and social integration issues. While we have anticipated many of the potential problems in our planning meetings, we will certainly face more that we have not considered.

The vestry is ready to face the challenges ahead. We ask the whole congregation to please share with your clergy or vestry the concerns and ideas you have. We cannot serve each other if we do not share and hear our mutual hopes and fears.

When St. James and St. Francis come together as one body, and we overcome the challenges we are to face, we will all truly speak to the world about how God can reconcile all to Himself and to each other.

George E. Lafaye, IV
Senior Warden