A Message from Michael Walker, Senior Warden
Fellow Parishioners of Manakin,
November is a very important and busy month for the family of Manakin. It may not appear that much is being done on the surface, but I assure you your Vestry has been involved in a lot of planning and preparation. As in past years, the annual meeting is coming up, and on that day, the congregation will choose 3 new members to replace Priscilla, Ginger and me as we complete our three year terms. I encourage you to attend the meeting and participate in the election process.
Also this month, the current Vestry will begin the process of selecting members and the chairperson for the committee that will search for our new rector. As I announced in my recent letter to the congregation, the Vestry has selected Cindy Barnes to be our search consultant. Cindy’s role will be to advise our Search committee on the process and keep the committee on track. In the letter, I called for nominations from the congregation for the Search Committee. Your Vestry does not take the responsibility of forming this committee lightly, and we will be thorough and deliberate with our selections. I want us to have the best possible Search Committee seated and for it to have strong leadership. I also want the committee to be dedicated to the task at hand for as long as it takes for us to find our next spiritual leader. Like you, I hope we find that perfect rector in a timely manner, but we must be prepared to be patient. We cannot rush into a decision that is so important to our family and its future.
In my letter about the Search Committee, I also expressed my gratefulness for the support of our ministries and the volunteerism of our congregation. Every week, I see people stepping up to help someone who needs assistance. Every time a need arises, it is met with enthusiasm. We have so many diverse ministries that define who we are as People of God. Every one of these ministries is equally important to the mission of our parish family. There is no way I could adequately thank all the committees and their members for their work and dedication to our ministries. Your Vestry supports each and every ministry and will continue to do so.
Part of the support the wardens and the Vestry give our ministries is the management of the usage of our facility. Manakin’s buildings may be small by some standards, but they are very versatile. Our buildings are not only used by our ministries but by outside groups too. There are areas that are dedicated to specific use such as the Rector’s office and the Parish administrator’s office, but outside that, most of the rooms are considered shared rooms. Our challenge is to determine what types of room setups are needed, and then ensure that we meet the space needs of each and every ministry. I have asked various ministries to help us define what they need, and how we can meet those needs. This may require many of us to think outside the box in order to accommodate everybody.
I also understand that like any family, it is possible that not everybody will be happy. I ask that we communicate with each other and find solutions that will allow everybody to grow their respective ministries. I do believe it can and will happen. We are a community full of generous hearts who kindly support one another as we strive to perform God’s work.
Thank you for being part of the Manakin family.
Michael Walker, Senior Warden
Note: As Manakin moves through this transition period, members of our congregation will be contributing to the Rector’s Message section of our web site.