The Place We Find Ourselves

Dear Friends in Valhalla Parish—

On Wednesday evening, a group of people from our parish gathered on Zoom for a Parish-wide Check-In. This is something that felt important to do in a time when we are being kept apart. It seemed important as a way of ensuring that members of the parish had the chance to know a little more about what's been happening since our AGM in February.

I have attached slides from that evening, with a highlight of our agenda, what we talked about, and our current financial picture. 

Together we reflected on the various things we have missed over the last fourteen months, and started to look ahead to what God might have in store for us in the future.

Our Place in this World

As a part of my introduction to the evening, I shared about a conversation with several street nurses in Castlegar a few weeks back. Over the course of this conversation I had the chance to learn about them and their work in the community. As we were talking, and I told them a bit about our parish, I asked what they thought about the role of faith communities in places like New Denver and Castlegar. 

These nurses did not disclose that they were people of any particular faith. In some ways throughout our conversation, they seemed suspicious of religious folk. But after some thought, one of them told me that they thought that places like ours could offer a real sense of community and care for people who had been pushed to the margins of society. Church could offer a place of meaning and belonging and care in a difficult world. It could offer a loving community across lines that would otherwise divide us. It could be a chosen family. 

That sounded like Gospel to me. It sounded like good news for communities like ours. For people who are lonely or hurting or struggling. For people who have questions and doubts. For people who are seeking to nurture or step into newfound faith. People like us. People different from us. All people. Church could offer an opportunity to find a 'chosen family.'

Christian community is often a place where we don't always agree. It's often a place where we learn to grow in faith, and to fight with grace. It's a place where we grow in our ability to love one another and the world God loves. In some cases, it's a community we choose, but more often than not, I think about it as a community into which God has called us.

Celebrations

On Wednesday night we marked celebrations in the life of our parish over the course of the past months. People brought up the completion of rectory renovations (and its rental!), the parish work party earlier this month, as well as our regular online services and outreach to the community. People celebrated the ongoing ministries of the Thrift Shop and Food Bank in which we are partners. Above all, folks talked about how much they missed being with one another. Bread and Wine, Coffee and Tea and Conversation were all anchors that folks have missed during this time. 

I'm happy to say that with this week's provincial health orders, we will be able to return to some form of in-person gathering in the months ahead as the rates of vaccination and COVID case counts allow. This will start on June 6th with an in-person Eucharist at St. David's. 

After reflecting on these things, we started to look at our present reality, including our Parish's financial picture. 

Our Current Financial Picture

As part of the update, it seemed important to take a look at our financial health as well as our relational health. One of the things that I shared is that considering the negative effects of the pandemic, we are in decent financial health.

We are in decent financial health, although we are facing a growing deficit when it comes to monthly receipted giving from members. At St. David's, this is approximately a $575 deficit in receipted giving each month versus what we had budgeted. This year's receipted giving is behind what we had budgeted by approximately $2350 as of the end of April.

You can find a summary of our position in this document.

We have been blessed with the regular income of a rented rectory, as well as income from the Thrift Shop. That said, we may find ourselves in a cash flow challenge in July when Property Taxes come due. 

On Wednesday night I mentioned a few things about the place we find ourselves:

First, my gratitude for a community so committed to one another and to the ministry of this church—in terms of the time, energy, and resources committed to support this work. This year, St. David's took on a significant ($23,000!) project in repairing the rectory. A lot of time went into this project from members of the community alongside the work of professional contractors. This is something to celebrate indeed! In the long run, it will provide a good source of income to support ministry in our parish. 

Secondly, I invited people, as they are able, to consider increasing their tithes and offerings to support the vital ministry of the church. Another option is to move to regular monthly donations, whether through cheque dropped off in the mailbox, pre-authorized debit, or by giving online through our website. 

In-Person Worship

As mentioned earlier, starting on June 6, 2021, monthly in-person worship services are returning to St. David's. Other dates are in the planning phase at St. Stephen's. We will also continue to gather on Zoom for the time being, recognizing that for many there is no return to normal. There are folks who, due to health and other reasons, are unable to return immediately to in-person worship. This also provides an opportunity to gather with folks from Castlegar, New Denver and Nakusp, as a whole parish. 

You can find details about our return to in-person worship and pre-register for the next gathering here. 

Mission Planning

Starting in Fall 2021, Valhalla Parish will embark on an intentional mission planning process. This is the process that the Wardens and the Archbishop asked me to facilitate when appointing me as Missioner last fall. Our goal in all of this is to help focus the mission of Valhalla Parish. It will help us to ask the questions: where do we find ourselves? what brings us joy as a congregation? what are the needs in the wider community? how is God present and calling us to serve? 

Mission Action Planning is a process that helps parishes vision, plan, decide and act for growth. For us that means helping us to find ways for our existing members to return, as well as growing our ministry in the community. It means deepening our relationship to God, and seeking the welfare of the communities in which we find ourselves. 

A part of that work will be to appoint a Mission Planning task force of 5-7 people who will take on this work together, reporting back regularly, and consulting with the congregation. If this is something to which you are feeling called, or that you are curious about, please do get in touch. 

As we look ahead to what God might be calling us into, may we do so prayerfully. May we do so with great love and care. May we do so seeking the wellbeing of each other and of our neighbours. And may we do so knowing that we are beloved of God, called into this community, to bear witness to the hope that is within us. 

Every Blessing, 

Andrew Stephens-Rennie
Parish Missioner