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2008 Parish Profile
St. Thomas'
Episcopal Church
Sanford, NC |
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Our Mission
To grow in the knowledge and love of God
through our worship of Him, and our study of His Word; and bring
others to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior within the
fellowship of the Church.
INTRODUCTION
Shortly after the arrival of our interim
rector, the Rev. Barbara Cooke, a Self-Study Team was selected
and charged with the responsibility of planning and conducting
parish activities that would open up dialogue within the church
about our congregational identity, our strengths as well as our
challenges, and what we most wanted in our next rector. The
information gathered in these parish activities would be used to
write this parish profile.
We began by inviting everyone to
participate in a small group conversation which would be
facilitated and recorded by members of the self-study team: To
help these conversations be as productive as possible, we
published a set of questions in the newsletter, provided extra
copies throughout the process, and encouraged members to write
down their responses prior to the conversation group. We held
five different conversations and had approximately 75 people
participated. We submitted a summary of what we heard to the
vestry for their information.
Each self-study team member took an area
of information for the profile and collected additional
information that might be helpful. We shared our initial drafts
with team members and then wrote a composite draft profile to
share with the congregation at a luncheon after church. Their
comments have been incorporated into this final edition.
This has been a journey of self-discovery,
a time of serious and silly discussion about the pains and joys
of being a congregation who can be well intentioned but human in
its efforts. We learned what is really important to us, and what
we want to help bring about in the future.
In Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, " ... with
God all things are possible." The new millennium has ushered in
a time of renewed hope, excitement, and anticipation for St.
Thomas' Church. The parish opens its arms to all, in a warm and
welcoming spirit. Existing programs have broadened in scope.
Participation has increased and support is characterized by
active help and encouragement. The focal point of the church is
the desire to know, love, and follow Jesus Christ. St. Thomas'
parishioners look forward to the future, endeavoring to learn
more about Him through study of the Word and seeking to know and
follow His will for the parish. We believe, like Paul, "l can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me."
WHO WE ARE
Our History
We began as a mission of St.
Bartholomew's of Pittsboro in 1879, meeting in homes until the
first service at the original St. Thomas' was held on October
11, 1896. The name chosen for the new church was that of the
doubting apostle, St. Thomas, because the builders were so beset
with difficulty they really doubted that the structure could be
completed.
Due to the faithfulness of
its small but hardworking, generous membership, St. Thomas'
survived the Depression and grew in numbers and facilities to
the point that, after seventy years as a mission, St. Thomas'
became a parish in February 1966.
Since that time, we have had just four
rectors: the Rev. Hampton Price, the Rev. Donald W. Frazier, the
Rev. Craig Lister, and the Rev. Douglas Hodsdon, who was our
priest for the past seventeen years. In 2000, we hired the Rev.
Mary Page Curtis to fill in for our rector's sabbatical and then
asked her to stay as our first part-time associate rector.
Rev. Price oversaw the building of the new
parish hall. Don Frazier was outstanding with the youth. He also
moved us from the 1928 BCP to the "new" prayer book and headed
the project to add stained glass windows to the sanctuary.
Craig Lister instituted Holy Week services,
Rite II liturgy, lay eucharistic ministers, women as chalice
bearers, three services on Sundays, and the columbarium. Craig
was well known in the community and provided pastoral care to
everyone.
Doug Hodsdon established WATS (We Are The
Sermon), Godly Play, Lenten programs, Advent and Easter choir
programs. He was a man of prayer who preached the Gospel and his
support
for many parishioners in their times of need was invaluable.
Mary Curtis introduced Alpha,
Disciple Bible Study, Stephen
Ministry third Wednesday healing services, and Seder dinners. Mary was a true believer, a spiritual leader, and a wonderful human
being. Under Doug and Mary's leadership, we have experienced
profound spiritual growth within the parish as individuals
opened their hearts to God.
The history of St. Thomas' is one which includes adversity and
prosperity, but the parish has remained a consistent and visible
witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the community of
Sanford.
Our Membership
St. Thomas' has 240 active members, 12 being under 16. Our
average attendance is as follows.
|
Sunday
Services |
Average
Attendance |
| 8:00 AM Holy
Eucharist Service (Rite I) |
30 |
| 10:00 AM Holy
Eucharist Service (Rite II) |
100 |
| LEM (private
admin.) |
5 |
| Adult Sunday
School |
18 |
| Godly Play |
8 |
| Youth Sunday
School Nursery |
(temporarily suspended) |
| Nursery |
4 |
| |
|
|
Weekly Study |
Participants |
| Disciple Bible
Study (2, 3, & 4) |
23 |
| Alpha
(4th) |
76 |
| Lenten Program |
40 |
Our diverse congregation
consists largely of energetic mature adults and young
families. Since we are a small church, our youth population
fluctuates, with most now having gone on to college.
Many of us have moved into the area for
retirement, employment, or military assignment, giving us a
good mix of spiritual experiences to blend with our longtime
members. We are committed, traditional Episcopalians, and
many serve in one or more of the 20 plus ministries that St.
Thomas' offers - from St. Teresa's Prayer Guild to Stephen
Ministry.
Many parishioners are also active
volunteers in the community.
We live in the city of Sanford, or in Lee
County, or one of the surrounding counties.
In the Future:
-
Reactivate our youth programs
-
Bring
newcomers to our membership, especially young
families
-
Get inactive members back
Our Facilities
We are located in a residential area just
north of downtown Sanford and within two blocks of the large
Presbyterian and Baptist churches. In 1987 we began
acquiring adjacent properties so that the church could
expand. These small homes have since been removed. Our
current buildings include the church, the Parish Hall, a
house which once housed our Youth Minister, and a building
used and maintained by AA for their meetings.
The first service at the current St.
Thomas' was held on Sept. 14, 1930, but building was
begun in 1928 and continued through the Depression. We
were given a large stained glass window from St. Paul's
in Winston-Salem, and many years later various church
members donated the surrounding stained glass windows.
The church is carpenter gothic and seats 100 in the nave
and 25 in the choir. In 2000 we were given a new Schantz
Pipe Organ and its installation included renovation of
the sanctuary with a new reredos and free-standing
altar. In 2004 we installed chair lifts on most of our
interior stairways in an effort to be more handicapped-accessible.
In 1957 we added a Parish Hall and in
1987 we added a columbarium and memorial garden. Four
years ago there was much excitement about a new
sanctuary and a feasibility study looked into the
financing. The plans were tabled because of issues with
giving to operations. Recently,
discussions
on expansion have resurfaced.
In the Future:
Engage the congregation in
conversation about funding an addition to our facility.
Our Finances
Finances of the Church
In recent years the
budget process has taken on a less mechanical
process in favor of one where our mission in
discipleship is more the focus. Most
organizations look toward revenues to drive
expenditures; we have chosen to let expenditures
drive revenues. Accordingly, we begin our
process with what God has planned for us and end
with our response to God's plan. Such
information is important lest someone think this
page is presented in reverse. All budgets are
balanced, that is to say, revenues and fund
balance equals expenditures and additions to
fund balance.
2008 Expenditures (God's
Plan for Us)
Budgeted expenditures for the
year ending 2008 will approximate $279,000.
While we maintain an accounting system of
greater detail, major categories are salaries
and related costs, administration, programs,
diocesan support and other as presented in the
following graph.
Current staff
includes an interim rector, church secretary, director
of children's ministries, nursery sitter, choir
director, and organist. Our associate rector retired in
January 2008, and we do not foresee filling her
position. Other includes amounts for relocation, the
search process, and an addition to fund balance.
Expenditures for
God's plan have grown from $255,000 in 2002 to $273,000
in 2007.
2008 Revenues (Our
Response to God's Plan)
Revenues are expected to be
approximately $279,000, with 94% coming from giving
units. Giving units are used in this regard because
the number of returned pledge cards historically
fall significantly below actual giving. One of our
goals is to encourage our members to make the pledge
card more meaningful in their faith walk as a part
of their stewardship commitment.
Revenues have
kept pace with expenditures over the same 2002 to
2007 period.
Other Funds Reserved
The church
maintains 10 other funds reserved for specific
purposes totaling $89,700. Recent improvements to
the facilities have depleted the maintenance and
repairs fund and we are now working to improve its
balance. The Women of the Church have historically
been very involved in maintenance and betterment of
the facilities through their fundraising.
Our
Ministries
We have a very active,
involved congregation. There are many opportunities
for ministry for all ages, including:
Worship
Christian Formation
Outreach
Fellowship
-
Foyer Groups
-
Coffee Hour Hosts
-
Ladies' Luncheon
-
Lenten Booklets
-
Men's Group
-
Women of the Church
Caring
Office Support
-
Church Directory
-
Newsletter
-
Webmaster
Administration
St.
Thomas' is currently working towards
rebuilding its infrastructure in order
to organize ministries within the church
and develop lay leadership. At this
time, a committee or mission team
approach is being planned. We hope, that
by organizing our many ministries, we
will be able to communicate what is
being done in the parish and encourage
others to participate.
The
day-to-day operations require, dedicated
and capable individuals to handle the
affairs of this busy church. The rector
is the only full-time position.
Part-time employees include:
- Secretary
- Director of Children's Ministries
- Nursery Care Provider
- Choir Director
- Organist
In
the future:
St.
Thomas' is committed to developing an
organizational plan to coordinate its
ministries and increase our lay
ministry. We are also committed to
expanding our parish staff as needed in
order to achieve our ministry goals.
WHAT
WE DO
Worship
Worship is
central to the life of St. Thomas'. Our service is
characterized by a balance of Word and Sacrament.
Holy Eucharist Rite
1
is held at
8:00
and Holy Eucharist Rite
2
is held at
10:00
on Sunday mornings. The
10:00
service is accompanied by
outstanding music. Sunday services are spoken and
traditional, yet warm and personal. Laypeople
participate as acolytes, ushers, lectors and chalice
bearers.
In addition to
regular Sunday morning worship, St. Thomas' offers a
service of Holy Eucharist and healing on the third
Wednesday of each month as well as special services
during Holy Week and other times.
In the
future:
St.
Thomas' hopes to increase
attendance at worship services necessitating
either a larger facility or the addition of
services.
Music
St. Thomas' adult choir practices
weekly and sings during the
10:00
worship service. Special music services are held during
Advent and Holy Week, accompanied by a chamber
orchestra. Under our talented choir director's
leadership, choir members produce beautiful music to
the glory of God in a variety of styles. Our special
music services always draw visitors from the
community necessitating overflow seating in our
lower parish hall.
In
2000
St. Thomas' was blessed with the
generous gift of a custom built Schantz Pipe Organ
for our sanctuary. This gift has been a wonderful
enhancement to our worship experience.
In the future:
St.
Thomas' hopes to peak
interest in organizing a children's choir for
our congregation.
Ministry
for Adult Education
Alpha - Over the last
six years, we have run Alpha each fall.
Alpha is a ten-week program designed for anyone
who is interested in finding out more about the
Christian faith and is a community-wide offering.
Disciple Bible Studies -
Started at St. Thomas' five years ago with the first
course, Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study
and now holding 4 classes per year: the one
already mentioned; Into the Word, Into the World;
Remember Who you Are; and Under the Tree of
Life. These courses require a 32 to 34 week
commitment and average 8 persons per class. Next
year we are planning on moving into the Disciple,
Second Generation series.
Adult Discussion Class - This
group meets on Sundays at 11 :30 a.m. and focuses on
the day's gospel lesson with an emphasis on
practical life application. The conversation is
always interesting as we share the unique
perspectives God places on each of us through the
study of His Word.
Wednesday Night Lenten
Programs - During Lent we meet on Wednesday evenings
for Evening Prayer, a light dinner, and a program.
This year's program is a study from In the Name
of Jesus by Henri J.M. Nouwen. Some past
programs include: Spiritual Gifts; Outreach
opportunities; Prayer; the Saints.
Occasional Short Courses - How
to Pray; The Episcopal Church; The Holy Spirit
In the Future:
Offer programs that
give people the opportunity to go deeper in
their spiritual development.
Ministry
for Youth
For the last several years,
St. Thomas' has had a vital youth ministry program
staffed first by church members and later by a paid
youth minister. As these youth went off to college,
our program has dwindled and is presently inactive.
With a half-dozen youth serving as acolytes, we hope
to rebuild a youth ministry program here.
In the future:
Revitalize our youth
ministry and hire another youth minister.
Ministry for Children
St. Thomas' Children's
Ministry and Worship Center is currently under the
direction of Pam Kerley and is supported by a
dedicated team of church volunteers.
The "St. Thomas Children's
Worship Center" began in the Fall of 1996 to offer
children, beginning at age 3, a special place to
experience and dwell in the presence of God. The
"Godly Play" approach was chosen for its ability to
minister to the spiritual development of both young
and old alike. "Godly Play" plants the seeds that
will allow the children to expand their thought
process beyond the obvious to a deeper level. This
approach allows the children to "enter the story" to
experience God as they learn about God. The stories
are followed up by "wondering questions" that invite
the children to think about the story they have just
experienced. They are then invited to express
themselves during an art response time. One of the
highlights of our 10:00 worship service is when the
children come into the sanctuary to share Holy
Communion with us.
Other programs offered to help
the children as they grow in their Christian faith
are: Children's Wednesday Night Lenten Program,
Vacation Bible School, The Heifer Project, Animal
Crackers, and Project School Supplies.
A nursery is provided each
Sunday from 9:45 until 12:30 and is also made
available as needed for various activities and
functions throughout the church year.
In the future:
- attract more young
families with children,
- provide more
classrooms in order to separate age groups
more appropriately,
- recruit more
volunteers to teach these classes (the
materials and curriculum are already
available),
- offer a summer
Sunday School program, and
- provide a safe
outdoor recreation area for the children of
St. Thomas'.
Parish Life
St. Thomas'
believes that fellowship among members offers
strength and support as well as enjoyment in the
Christian life.
The large attendance at our
Wednesday evening supper programs attests to the
degree to which we want to spend time with each
other. In addition to Alpha, Disciple classes, and
Lenten programs, we enjoy the Shrove Tuesday Pancake
Supper, Parish Picnic, 5th Sunday covered
dish luncheons, and occasional special receptions.
St. Thomas' is truly a church family.
In the future:
We intend to
increase the number and variety of opportunities for
fellowship.
Pastoral Care
St. Thomas' has been a Stephen Ministry
congregation since August, 2004. We now have six trained
Stephen Leaders and ten Stephen Ministers who extend the
caring ministry of our pastor to the congregation and the
community by providing a whole team of skilled caregivers
who are equipped to bring Christ's healing love to people
who are grieving, in crisis, or experiencing other stresses
in life.
Our Stephen Ministers already have
ministered to thirteen care receivers and are currently
ministering to eight more.
We also have a Good Samaritan
ministry that's designed to help others with a
broader range of services in caring for their needs,
services such as taking folks to doctor's
appointment, grocery shopping, helping with moves,
etc.
The church has a tradition of
providing a ham for families at a time of loss.
Members are generous in bringing meals to those who
are experiencing illness or loss.
In the Future:
We would like to provide phone teams to check
on the homebound daily. We also would like to help church members become
more receptive to accepting care from our Stephen Ministers.
Outreach
St. Thomas' has a long history of being the catalyst
for outreach projects that are now mainstays in the community. Our members
were instrumental in the beginnings of The Bread Basket (free lunch
program), Helping Hand Clinic (free medical care), The Children's Center
(now a public school for handicapped children), and a Montessori school. Our
youth groups have participated in annual mission trips. Our last trip was
open to the whole congregation culminating with a large group going to
Gulfport, MS)to help with rebuilding projects.
Currently, we host a quarterly WATS Sunday. WATS
stands for "We Are the Sermon" and all members of the parish are welcome to
participate in a community service project that is done after the 10:00
service. We are developing a long-term caring relationship with the
residents of Loving Care Home, a group home for mentally retarded adults.
During the summer months, our children participated in
a Sunday School program from Heifer International. They decided which
animals they wanted to purchase and collected money from the congregation.
They were overjoyed when they were able to purchase 3 animals to improve the
lives of those less fortunate. We plan to continue this project on a yearly
basis.
We have also committed to The Augustine Literacy
Project, a one to one reading, spelling, and writing tutoring program. It is
free to low income families. Two parishioners have been trained in this
program and are currently mentoring students from our local school system.
Our plans are to become a training site in order to expand this important
ministry and help more struggling readers.
St. Thomas' is dedicated to expanding its outreach
ministry by offering our time, talent and treasure as we go into the world
and live out our faith.
In the future:
St. Thomas' wants
to encourage and empower its members to greater participation in a wider
variety of outreach projects.
WHERE WE ARE
Sanford is located in the
heart of North Carolina less than an hour's drive via excellent four-lane
(65 mph) highways from Research Triangle Park, Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill,
Fayetteville, Ft. Bragg, Greensboro, and Pinehurst. Beaches and mountains
are only three hours away.
Population estimate as of
12/31/07:
| Sanford
|
28,793 |
| Broadway |
13,018 |
| Unincorporated |
34,857 |
|
Lee County |
60,968 |
The average age of Lee County residents
is 38 (2006) and the average household income is $54,718 (2006). The
unemployment rate is 5.5% (12/2007).
Quality of Life
Local entertainment includes year-round golf (both at excellent local
courses and renowned golf resorts just a few miles south in Pinehurst),
professional theater, community orchestra, community chorus, annual Sanford
Pottery Festival, and historical sites, among others.
Sanford is a great location for sports
enthusiasts. Because we're an easy drive from world class men's and women's
college basketball, many a conversation at coffee hour on Sunday mornings
concerns the most recent exploits of famed "Tobacco Road" teams, UNC-Chapel
Hill, Duke, and NC State. The Carolina Hurricanes, NHL's Stanley Cup
champions, play home matches in Raleigh. There are four professional
baseball teams within an hour's drive of Sanford including the Durham Bulls.
Sanford offers affordable new and existing
housing in a variety of neighborhoods as well as rural settings within five
miles of St. Thomas'. Sanford is growing as commuters to Raleigh, Durham,
Chapel Hill, Fort Bragg, and Fayetteville find it well worth the drive of
less than an hour to escape the traffic of our big city neighbors and enjoy
Sanford's hometown feel.
Restaurants reflect the ethnicity of the
population, offering choices from health-conscious chic to ethnic dining.
Out-of-town dining is just a few minutes drive.
Medical Assets
We are fortunate to be served by Central Carolina Hospital, a local 137 bed
hospital. One hundred physicians are associated with the facility.
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital, a 385bed, acute care, not-for-profit
hospital is just thirty minutes south in Pinehurst. World class teaching and
research hospitals, UNC Hospital and Duke Hospital, are forty-five minutes
and one hour away respectively.
Schools
Lee County has seven elementary, three middle and two high schools. There
are two K-12 private Christian schools and an elementary Montessori school.
Lee County Schools also provides a special needs school.
North Carolina has an
excellent system of affordable public colleges and universities as well as a
great variety of private colleges. Nationally recognized colleges are less
than an hour away. Their offerings include medical school, law school,
business administration, and engineering, to name just a few.
Central Carolina Community
College here in Sanford offers many technical trades as well as a two year
college transfer program. Industries in the area have benefited from the
specialized workforce training the community college offers.
Communications
Sanford has a local newspaper, unlike many smaller cities today. The
Sanford Herald is published six days a week, and provides local news
for residents in four counties There is also a local low-power TV station
featuring locally produced shows and high school sports coverage. We also
have several local radio stations.
Local Shopping
Lee County historically has bee a working class area. The variety of
shopping reflects the income and discretionary spending of the community.
Sanford hosts a shopping center on its west side anchored by Belk and
JCPenney department stores. Across town are Wal-Mart Super Center and Lowe's
Home Improvement stores. There are three Food Lion and one Lowe's grocery
stores. Upscale shopping of all sorts is as close as thirty minutes away.
Other Thoughts
Sanford and Lee County have large numbers of
churches and volunteers willing to help those in need. We also have large
numbers of un-churched citizens along with some drug and gang activity. We
are racially diverse: 52% of our citizens are Caucasian; 27%, African
American; 20%, Hispanic; and 1 % each, Native American and Asian. Though we
are predominantly working class, we have strong middle and upper classes as
well. We are a small town, yet we have benefitted from the presence of a
large retirement community, Carolina Trace, that has drawn retirees from
across the nation, bringing with them a wide variety of interests and
activities. Thus, regardless of your interests, you will probably find
others here to share them.
Useful websites:
WHERE WE ARE
GOING
We are seeking a rector who ...
-
Personal Qualities
-
is God's choice for St. Thomas'
-
takes care to attend to his/her
own spiritual life
-
is mature and emotionally secure
-
has a good sense of humor
-
loves God and seeks to do God's
will in all areas of his/her life
-
if married, has a spouse who
provides loving support for his/her ministry
-
Worship
-
Pastoral Care
-
will be equally gifted at helping
our aging population face issues of death and dying with peace and
"blessed assurance," and at drawing in young families while
revitalizing our children's and youth ministries
-
calls on people in hospitals,
nursing homes, or those confined to home
-
Program Development
-
believes in children's ministry
-
is skilled in planning and
leading adult Christian formation programs
-
will re-establish a vital youth
ministry program
-
Spiritual Development
-
will lead us inward to a deeper
relationship with God and outward into the community to share God's
love, particularly with the un-churched
-
helps people develop their
spiritual lives
At our luncheon when the congregation looked at a
draft profile, they completed this acrostic for St. Thomas' Episcopal
Church in Sanford. We think they're "right on"!
Stewardship/service
Aspiring
Inviting
Nice sermons
Teaching
Trust in God
Helping those in need
Open to newcomers and new ideas
Maintains a relationship with God
Active and assimilative Holy Week
Sing to the Lord
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Self-Study
Team:
Tammy Bennetts
Edith Boys
Oliver Crawley
Debbie Noel
Mary Quinn
Gordy Reese
John Schrull |
St. Thomas'
Vestry:
Katie Hyer, Sr. Warden
Wally Jones, Jr. Warden
Bob Nelson, Treasurer
JJ Cuff, Vestry Clerk
Seth Cox
Mike Griffin
Charlotte Hohenstein
James Jessup
Steve Yuskevich |
Search
Committee:
Tammy Bennetts, Chair
Oliver Crawley
Charlene Jeffries
Pam Kerley
Debbie Noel
David Puckett
Alice Rainey
Wendy Seymore
Jeff Ward |
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