St. James welcomes all.

The Annual Meeting began with the opening of the polls after the Saturday 5:15pm service; they were also announced open at 9:30am Sunday, before the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

Rector Tim Reger called the business meeting to order at 11:05am and offered a prayer. Tim introduced the current and proposed vestry members. Skip Beardsell provided a brief belated bio. Kathy Collett was appointed secretary (Tim nominated; Jim White seconded; all approved); Mike Baldwin and Alistair Ring Campbell were appointed tellers (Tim nominated; Susan Havlovic seconded; all approved). The parish approved the minutes from the 2010 Annual Meeting (Brian Collett moved; Chris Fox seconded).

Craig Heuss led us through the budget and the background for it, and fielded questions from Skip Beardsell and Randy Wilson.

Patricia Jue spoke briefly about the situation with Lewis House: the vestry has received one offer; the village has granted permission for a variance so that the property can be subdivided, which lets the day school keep its playground; the sale is contingent on an easement for the church's parking lot; any sale will also need approval from the diocese.

People spoke about various ministries.

Richard Lloyd: music

Jenny Fuller: children and Sunday School

Randy Wilson: Parish Life

Sue Pinto: the youth of the parish, and the new program Journey to Adulthood, which begins with Rite 13 (emphasizes individuality, creative potential, wanting them to be good people)

Karen Anderson and John Pick: Outreach- divided between local ($5,164) and international ($4,970)-some last January to Episcopal Relief and Development for Haiti; some in November to the Brackett Foundation and Mexico). Local outreach includes the donation of 40 coats and 80 hats and gloves to refugees coming into Syracuse airport, 2 suppers at Hope House (where Pat Evans and JoElyn Wakefield Wright regularly volunteer), 40 gifts to the House of the Good Shepherd and Country Pantry (Heidi Philley works regularly at Country Pantry). The Outreach Committee wants input on where Outreach should go.
Tim Reger: Worship and Formation, which is now splitting into two separate committees which take turns meeting. New Formation initiatives include the current First Light program; possible future options include an ecumenical Lenten program and the God in America PBS series.

Tim Reger announced that he will be giving a presentation on contemplative prayer at Hamilton College on February 1 (in the Chapel loft at 4:00pm); he will also lead a program on centering prayer at St. James in the future. He said that a program called I Speak Episcopalian would also be coming up.

A request to move up the election results and commissioning of new vestry members was approved by all, in order to accommodate people who needed to leave early.

Alistair Campbell announced that 54 ballots had been cast, electing the slate of vestry members: Karen Anderson for Junior Warden; Skip Beardsell for a three-year vestry term; Cynthia Crossley for a three-year vestry term; Patty Fox for a three-year vestry term; and Wendy Weber for a one-year vestry term. They join the current vestry: Bruce Evans, Susan Havlovic, Gordon Jones, Patricia Jue, John Pick, and Kathy White.

Patricia Jue gave the Junior Warden pin to Karen Anderson.

Tim praised and thanked outgoing senior Warden Jim White; outgoing vestry members Mike Baldwin, Don Neil, and Sharon Williams; Skip Beardsell for getting the rectory and Tim's office ready and painted; Randy Wilson and Blair Jones as chairs of the Search Committee, and all members of the Search Committee ("good judgment!"); Wendy Weber for all her work in organizing worship while the parish had no rector; Matt Weber, Alistair Campbell, Sandra Love, and Karen Anderson for leading worship services; Blair Jones for leading the stewardship program.

Tim awarded St. James pins to Richard Lloyd and Chris Evans.

Tim closed the meeting with a blessing at 12:18.