Senior Warden's Report for 2007
January and February we had Fr. Larry with us but said farewell the end of February. He went to St. James Episcopal Church, Monroeville, AL.
Then we were lucky enough to get two supply priests, Fr. Tipton from Crestview and Fr. Buck Belmore from Mobile. One Sunday Fr. Buck was sick and he sent his wife, The Rev. Connie Belmore, to be with us. Holy Week and Easter with Fr. Buck was a lifetime experience. I will not even try to explain the spirituality that we all experienced. During the early morning Easter service we baptized two.
Then the first of May Fr. Tom came as our part time vicar. When Fr. Tom came, my job and the vestry's job all became just a little easier. Fr. Tom took the reins of St. Michael's immediately, and he has guided us through getting organized and celebrating a wonderful 50 Year Anniversary.
Fr. Tom has taken over the Adult Sunday School, and I hear everyone just loves it. Fr. Tom had an inquirers Class in October, and when Bishop Reed came in November he confirmed 5 and reaffirmed 2.
We had some hardworking yard days, but the gardeners have put in rose bushes, put mulch down twice this year, trimmed bushes, weeded and weeded more. The yard looks nice in spite of a record drought this year. The brass got polished for the Anniversary Service, and the inside parish hall looked grand.
This year at St. Michael's has not been a year of growth in large numbers of people coming (we have grown some) or in constructing new buildings or remodeling the old. It has been a very momorable year in spirituality that I feel the whole congregation has felt.
From our Holy Week and Easter with Fr. Buck, to Vacation Bible School and covering the whole book of Exodus with all the children listening to every word, to celebrating 50 years of St. Michael's in Ozark, to our confirmation service with Bishop Reed, the Holy Spirit has been with us, guided us, and blessed us.
Following the confirmation service I was sitting next to Bishop Reed and across the table from his wife. Bishop Reed asked me what church was the largest in Ozark, and I said the Ozark Baptist, and Liz overheard him and said First Methodist. Well, he said they probably had 300 to 500 at church that Sunday morning, but he was sure they did not have the presence of God's love in their church like St. Michael's had that morning. His wife added that she knew he felt it because he always does the service differently when he does.
I look forward ro being on the vestry next year with all the exciting plans we hope will happen at St. Michael's. But no matter whether we build beautiful buildings, have wonderful dinners, raise lots of money we need to remember that we come together to worship our Lord, and we leave to do the works of the Lord in spreading the Gospel to all. I feel we have done this in 2007 at St. Michael's.
Lael Walding
Sr. Warden.