The Annual general meeting

St. John’s Annual General Meeting (Vestry) was held after the 10am service on Sunday February 27. This was an in-person event with 33 people in attendance. Highlights from the meeting included:

1. A thorough review of finances by our Treasurer Bob Wrye, who walked us through the pleasant results of 2021 and presented the budget for 2022.
2. Creation of a committee to consider St John’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.  This committee will look at ways we can more closely work with our indigenous neighbours to create a community of understanding and sharing, more than simply fundraising for projects. There was a rapid and enthusiastic response to the challenge put forward by Pat Moore, with many people eager to join this new committee.
3. Welcomes and Farewells:
   1. Camille Herbin is stepping down as Warden.  Ron Stuart and Rev. Nicole Uzans, among others, spoke to the leadership Camille has brought to St John’s, and the appreciation all of us feel for her years of dedicated service.
   2. Linda Ellis is stepping down from her role as Secretary to Parish Council and Vestry.  Linda has done a remarkable job for the last four years, producing concise, accurate and detailed reports, typically in less than 24 hours after the meeting. She will be missed.
   3. Cameron Finlay has agreed to become a Warden, to work alongside Jim Nelson and Rev Nicole Uzans.
4. Reflections on the past two years were offered by Camille Herbin, outgoing Warden, on the challenges faced and the achievements made by St John’s. The biggest challenges were the change in church leadership, and restrictions as a result of COVID-19. 
   1. When our then current Rector, Rev Sandra Fyfe, became the Right Rev Sandra Fyfe, Bishop of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, an interim priest-in-charge, Rev Nicole Uzans, who was no stranger to St John’s, stepped in to seamlessly guide us through the time of searching for a new Rector. The Parochial Council worked diligently, and ultimately recommended to the Bishop that Rev Nicole Uzans assume the role of Rector, to the great delight of parishioners.
   2. When COVID-19 first closed our doors in 2020, we switched to an online approach. Even when we could return to limited in-person worship, the video recordings continued to ensure that all people could comfortably share in the St John’s experience. So when we again were forced to close our doors just days before Christmas 2021, we knew just what to do: home recordings were made, music was recorded in COVID-safe conditions in the church with minimal numbers of musicians and we had a service ready in time for Christmas Eve. Thanks were offered to the many people involved in making these recordings a reality.

The meeting ended with an air of positivity and hope, and an excitement for the role of St John’s in the years to come.