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All Saints Episcopal ChurchAnnual Report – 2015

Rector’s Report Richard Carroll Lindsey

Senior Warden’s ReportMarjorie Milbrandt

Life at All Saints in 2015 was a whirlwind of activity!

We began to see fruits of the More Than We Can Imagine campaign. An upgraded sound system was installed in the sanctuary, greatly enhancing the worship experience for all. Gordon Mann Hall was off-limits from June to November but when the doors opened, what a magnificent sight! We now have an inviting, functional space in which to conduct our work of mission and ministry. Our kitchen was upgraded and reorganized to support the many functions held in Gordon Mann Hall. But even the absence of a Parish Hall for six months did not slow down us down. Groups met, coffee hours were held, food was grilled, newcomers were honored, Saturday@5 met, and somehow we held a wonderful, but chilly, Ministry Fair on the Quad. We are a resourceful parish!

As well as being resourceful, we continue daily, in every way, to strive to live into the Five Marks of Mission as representatives of Christ in our community and the world.

The Five Marks of MissionThe Mission of the Church Is the Mission of Christ

To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom

To teach, baptize and nurture new believers

To respond to human need by loving service

To seek to transform unjust structures of society, to challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation

To striveto safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth

A few examples would include:

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another successful Garden Tour, providing greatly needed resources to six local charities; progress toward the fulfillment of our goal to build the Saints’ House in the new Habitat

community on Hilton Head Island; a visit from students of Voorhees College, who shared their beautiful voices with us as we

shared our love and hospitality with them; continuing work in the Dominican Republic, including a medical mission trip, a construction trip,

a summer teen camp and assistance with Vacation Bible School; four week-long stays by guests from Family Promise, with our newly-developed partnership

with several other local congregations to better serve the visiting families; 49 new parishioners; the largest confirmation class in many years; continued activity in the diocese, with Father Rick being named Dean of the Southern Deanery,

our dear friends from Saint Marks, Port Royal, achieving parish status, and the mission church at Okatie continuing to grow;

Associate Rector Mark Brinkmann taking a well-earned sabbatical, focusing on new and interesting trends in worship; we look forward to welcoming Mark back and to share in what he discovered.

The Five Marks of Mission are highly visible at All Saints Episcopal Church.

The Vestry met early in 2015 to define the goals we hoped to attain in 2015 and beyond. These goals included:

add a staff position to coordinate communication; attract and sustain young families, possibly by the addition of a staff position for the Children,

Youth, and Family ministry; develop a policy for identifying and sustaining leadership; and develop a culture of giving within All Saints.

Progress was made toward each of these goals. We welcomed Jessica McIlwee as our first Communication Coordinator and Lindsay Ernst as our Children, Youth and Family Coordinator. An active Stewardship committee hosted a Ministry Fair highlighting the 90-plus ministries active at All Saints. They also organized a series of neighborhood parties to enable parishioners to learn more about the parish and to share their thoughts about All Saints. An Annual Every Member Canvas was held and we introduced and enhanced opportunities for electronic giving through the web site and kiosks in the church. That same system also enables parishioners to sign up for activities and parish events on line or through the kiosks. Looking forward, the new Vestry will be charged with the task of projecting staff, administrative, and diocesan needs for the next several years: are we optimally organized to handle the opportunities and challenges awaiting us in the future?

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It has been an honor and a great blessing to serve as Senior Warden at All Saints Episcopal Church. I feel confident we will continue our work as the heart, hands, and feet of Christ in our community and the wider world in 2016 and well beyond.

Respectfully,Marjorie Milbrandt

Treasurer’s ReportMark SzenData and Charts presented at 2016 Annual Meeting

Building & Grounds CommissionVestry liaison: Tony Rizza

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Refurbishment of Gordon Mann Hall, Classrooms, and Kitchen

New shingles on roofs over GMH, kitchen, and preschool with eight skylights and two solar lights.

New light-colored flooring n GMH and Kitchen. New insulated sheetrock ceiling with new LED lighting system. New sound system in GMH and classrooms. Two meeting rooms with glass walls and sliding separator including TV and new

furniture. Two kiosks for posting messages. New stainless steel work surfaces and granite-like counters in kitchen along with tile

backsplashes. New larger glass exit door in kitchen. New drinking fountain in hallway outside bathrooms.

Worship Area

Installed new enhanced sound system, including personal microphones and FM register with individual receivers for those with hearing loss.

Replaced worn oriental rug and pad at altar. Installed new ceiling fans in choir loft.

Preschool

All rooms, corridors, and the entrance way were given a fresh coat of paint.

Grounds

Removed brick stones and applied asphalt on walkway to outer parking lot.

Elevator

Had sump pump installed to automatically remove accumulated water.

Porch Railings

All Railings on porches were spray painted with white paint.

HVAC

The HVAC system covering part of the nave and choir loft broke down, costing $12,000 to repair.

Respectfully,Jerry Shirley

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Children, Youth & Family MinistryVestry liaison: Peggy Miller

Nursery

Our nursery is an ever-growing ministry. Currently we have one paid worker and one volunteer each Sunday. Our child population ranges anywhere from 2 to 5. At this point our volunteer group is healthy, with fourteen women very willing to serve one Sunday a month. The physical make-up of the nursery is very good; all the toys are well keep and in great condition. The room is vacuumed each Sunday by the worker and cleaned once a week by the custodian.

Church School

We started the year with a planned church school program each Sunday, but this was curtailed in September due to the lack of child participation. Fifteen parishioners taught in this program.

Recognition Sunday

At the 10:15 service on June 7, we acknowledged the good work of our fifteen adult leaders, our one teen leader, and seven church school participant. We presented certificates of recognition to the adults and age-appropriate books to the students.

Youth

In September a confirmation class was formed with five students, who subsequently decided to form the core of a Youth Group, which has grown as they have invited their friends. They wish to be involved in community projects. Their first activity was a Christmas Carol Songfest at the Life Care Center; the Youth Group made cookies to give to the patients and sang Christmas carols to them, and then they came back to Gordon Mann hall for dinner and fellowship.

CYF Coordinator

The most exciting news occurred most recently. We have hired Lindsay Ernst, a parishioner, as a part-time Coordinator for our Children, Youth and Family Ministry. In addition to handling the regular church school scheduling, curriculum, and teacher recruitment, she will plan special events for the youth and oversee Vacation Bible Study this coming summer.

Respectfully,Peggy Miller

Communications CommissionVestry liaison: Kerry Grant

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The Commission began the year with direction from the Vestry to proceed looking for a part-time staff member to fill the role of Communications Coordinator. The Vestry appointed a task force composed of George Pinkerton, Chair; Father Rick Lindsey, advisor; Kerry Grant, Brad Pickel, Tony Rizza, Lauren Koslow, and Fred Gebler.

A final draft for the position was prepared and approved which included responsibilities of:

The person hired for this position will serve as the primary voice for our church’s external branding and will be an integral contributor to our overall Evangelism effort.

The main role of this position is to oversee and implement the parish’s day-to-day external communication activities, which support and promote the All Saints Episcopal Church goals and program areas.

During the month of April, the position was advertised internally with the congregation, the local community and within the diocese. Twelve candidates applied for the position, of which four had outstanding qualifications and were personally interviewed by the task force.

On May 7, Jessica McIlwee emerged as the successful candidate. Jessica is a graduate of Virginia Tech with a B.A. Degree in Communications Studies. She brings eleven years of successful experience in various aspects of communications. She resides in Bluffton with her husband and daughter.

The Commission commends the Vestry for having the foresight that an essential component for achieving the established All Saints communication goals was having a staff member tasked with communications responsibilities – at least half-time, and at least with the task of coordinating, then expanding, existing communications at All Saints.

One of Jessica’s first assignments was to implement a blog for Father Rick to communicate his thoughts via the web, especially with his travels to the 78th General Convention. She also established an E-newsletter to be published periodically as a resource to enjoy longer articles and more detailed information about events to come.

All Saints lost one of its longest-serving and best communicators when Fred Gebler and his wife moved mid-year to be nearer their children. For many years, Fred served as the primary connection with local print media, reliably keeping All Saints activities in the news. He was also a talented photographer, always to be found at major and lesser church events with camera in hand.

The Website has introduced a program titled 'Preparing for Sunday!' It provides access to three weekly Sunday lectionary readings: previous, current and the following weeks. It also offers an overview, scripture backgrounds, a reflection and prayer starter to enhance one’s worship experience. Just click on the 'Preparing for Sunday' icon on our www.allsaints-hhi.org home page.

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With the assistance of Jessica, the Commission is focusing on updating the All Saints website to a fresh new format that will be mobile friendly, with a new refreshing look, ease of accessing information and the ability of Ministries to maintain their own pages.

The Commission is appreciative of the time and talents offered by its members Father Mark Brinkmann, Kerry Grant, Lauren Koslow and Jessica McIlwee.

Respectfully,George Pinkerton, Chair

Finance CommissionVestry liaison: Lesley Gilbert

The Finance Commission pursued areas in 2015 to support many of the strategic objectives of the church. The following demonstrate projects that go beyond reporting the numbers.

Staffing

The Commission supported the decisions of the Rector and Vestry in expanding the Music Director’s position to full-time, and in adding a part-time Communications Coordinator position and a part-time Children, Family, and Youth Coordinator position.

e-Giving

In order to add flexibility of methods of contributing financially for members and visitors, Finance pursued the use of technology, with a system fully compatible with our Shelby system. We now have a Giving Station that accepts all credit cards for payments to pledges, for special events, and other specific contributions, such as flowers. It is user friendly and can accommodate all recurring activities and can easily add new or temporary activities. A prime example was the use of the system for the Soup and Salad Habitat fund raiser. Individuals could purchase their tickets through the station, and then successful bidders in the silent auction used it to check out. We can also now accommodate contributions through text messaging and through the web-site.

In supporting other ministries, this is used for DR scholarships, sign up for coffee hour, and making one’s annual pledge.

Counting Teams

This was a year of transition for the counting teams. There are now trained teams who alternate months to accomplish the Monday morning counting process. The processes have been documented and the introduction of automation has made the weekly count more efficient.

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Internal Review of 2013

The internal team completed and reported on the financial review of 2013. This report covered the Operating Fund, the associated Balance Sheets, and the Pre-School. Since the Pre-School is on a school calendar, not the annual calendar of the church, it had not been reviewed separately in recent years. All was found to be in order, with no major findings or exceptions. There were some recommendations that are being implemented.

Communications

Communication of financial information began to take form in 2015. Working with our Stewardship colleagues, we posted pledge statistics and progress several times during the year. This included both the Operating Pledges and the More Than We Can Imagine Campaign. The new kiosks in Gordon Mann Hall will facilitate this and other information going forward. Working with the new Communications Coordinator, we have goals to increase the finance information in user friendly ways, through the web and any other vehicles.

Capital Campaign

The More Than We Can Imagine campaign efforts have already had an impact on the ministries of All Saints. The collection of the pledges has facilitated the improved sound systems in both the church and Gordon Mann Hall, technology enhancements, and the Gordon Mann Hall renovation. To bring these efforts forward ahead of collecting the three years of pledges, the Finance Commission, with approval from the Vestry, secured a Line of Credit. Though this has not yet been accessed, as of December, it will be used to pay for a significant portion of the GMH renovation.

Disaster/Emergency Planning

Representatives from All Saints are participating with the Town of Hilton Head Island Fire & Rescue in their faith-based outreach to increase awareness and education throughout the community. This initiative is especially timely since the Diocese, in coordination with the National Church, is focusing on this type of planning. Along with other representatives at the Convention, I participated in a workshop put on by Episcopal Relief & Development which included approaches to these topics. A core team of representatives from Finance, Ushers, Outreach, Altar Guild, Building & Grounds, and Clergy will meet after the first of the year to prioritize the risk areas and to outline the best approach for All Saints.

Respectfully submitted,Lesley C. Gilbert

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Outreach CommissionVestry liaison: Barbara Pearson

Local Outreach

28th Annual Garden Tour

The Garden Tour Board began meeting in September 2014 to plan for the 2015 tour on May 16. Schedules of events and assignments were given. All applications for grants were received by October 15, 2014. Of 15 applications received, the application review subcommittee forwarded ten to the full GT Board for consideration. Of those, six charities were selected to be awarded grants:

Hunger : Bluffton Backpack Buddies; Hilton Head Backpack Buddies; St. Stephens UMC Outreach Foodbank;

Aging : Hilton Head Safe Harbour Literacy : Thumbs Up; Homelessness : Family Promise of Beaufort County.

Fred Gebler was able to generate considerable publicity throughout the year. The Premier Party and Artist’s Reception were quite successful. A new booklet style ticket was developed by Jo Anne Rizza which supported a dramatic increase in corporate sponsorships through ads placed in the booklet.

The day of the tour once again brought excellent weather. We sold 681 tickets for the 2015 tour, similar to last year. Ticket prices remained the same at $35. With higher costs this year, proceeds fell slightly short of 2014. For 2015, we presented $4,400 to each charity, a total of $26,400 distributed.

The following key dates have been established for the 2016 Garden Tour: Notify Grant Recipients: January 11, 2016 Art Display: February 1, 2016 to March 12, 2016 Artist Reception: February 20, 2016 Sell Premier Party Tickets at ASEC: April 10, 17, and 24 Premier Party: April 23, 2016 Sell Garden Tour Tickets at ASEC: April 24, May 1 and 8 Garden Tour: May 21, 2016

Respectfully submitted,Jim Osberg, 2015 Garden Tour Board Chair

Family Promise

Family Promise in Beaufort County shelters homeless families with children while equipping them with the skills and resources needed for lasting independence. Family Promise partners with local

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congregations, individuals, foundations, and businesses to provide temporary shelter and viable solutions for these families who are facing a housing crisis. The Family Promise staff provides comprehensive case management, including life skills training and budgeting, assistance in securing employment, childcare, medical care, school placement, and affordable housing.

While the program is non-denominational, families sleep in a network of local host churches, where volunteers provide meals, essential needs, and companionship. Family Promise’s approach in Beaufort County is successful, unique, and cost effective.

93% success rate moving families from homelessness to housing The average length of stay is 70 days 92% of families graduating the program are still in permanent housing after one year Family Promise operates at 1/3 the cost of traditional shelters.

All Saints Episcopal Church plays a key role in the success of Family Promise in Beaufort County. We host families and their children for 4 weeks each year. In 2015, All Saints provided temporary shelter, meals, and companionship to 14 families and 42 individuals. The families sleep on inflatable beds at All Saints in the upstairs rooms and congregate for meals and fellowship in the upstairs congregation room.

We partnered with over 250 volunteers from All Saints Episcopal, Congregation Beth Yam, Christ Lutheran, and St. Francis by the Sea to provide evening meals and hosting, overnight hosting, set-up and take down of the rooms, and laundering of linens and towels at the end of each host week. Congregation Beth Yam, All Saints Episcopal, and St. Francis by the Sea share the cost of providing breakfast and lunch supplies for the families. The dinner and evening volunteers provide the hot and delicious evening meal. All Saints has a budget of $500 each year for this ministry.

In 2016, All Saints will host the following weeks: January 10-17, March 6-13, June 5-12, and September 11-18. We are so blessed and appreciate the support of the All Saints congregation and for all the assistance of our volunteers. We continually pray for the continued success of our guests, as we know they are praying for all of us as well.

Respectfully,Marsha Murphy, for the All Saints Coordinating Team:All Saints Episcopal, Congregation Beth Yam, Christ Lutheran and St. Francis by the Sea

Friends with Wheels

Friends with Wheels, an outreach ministry of All Saints is comprised of volunteers from All Saints, other

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area churches and the Low Country community. It takes calls weekday mornings on a dedicated phone line in concert with the volunteer desk at All Saints.

Friends with Wheels began its 23rd year with a 95% immersion of electronic communication. This is a major accomplishment, welcomed by all and in compliance with All Saint’s efforts to become as computer driven as possible.

Over the summer months a critical shortage of call receivers and drivers resulted in Chairpersons Pat Updegraff and Susan Ferry having to do a major recruiting endeavor. In true All Saints fashion, 7 new call receivers were trained and 2 drivers (1 additional coming on-board January 2016) were trained; all were immediately put into service. More important, however, was the willingness of our drivers to take multiple assignments each week to keep the program going during July and August.

341 rides were provided in 2015, mostly for medical reasons. We realized that the scope of territory covered had grown considerably with more physician offices opening in Bluffton and the Sun City area. The drivers graciously accepted the longer trip time.

Monthly Trip Totals

January 34 July 13February 30 August 24March 43 September 32April 30 October 33May 26 November 25June 22 December (est.) 24

Unfortunately for FWW several long-time call receivers and drivers retired; many have been the backbone of this ministry since its inception. They will be sorely missed. At the group’s 2nd annual Thank You luncheon, held in November, new team members were introduced and those who had retired were recognized.

Respectfully, Pat Updegraff & Susan Ferry, co-chairs

Habitat for Humanity

Prior to the official kick off of the SAINTS' HOUSE fundraising campaign, $4,000 had been entered into the account from an event which Carole Galli had organized in October 2012 and from a birthday party she had given for her husband in October, 2014.

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On March 8, 2015 The Habitat committee kicked off their fund raising campaign with an event at The Jazz Corner. Billed as HARMONIES FOR HABITAT, the event quickly sold out and was very well received. Proceeds from that event were close to $10,000.

At the same time the committee introduced FROM THE GROUND UP, a program which encourages people to purchase building materials for a typical Habitat house. That program is ongoing and continues to bring in revenue.

In May, Mark Szen participated in a triathlon. Pledges he received from family, friends, and parishioners totaled over $2,000 and were added to the SAINTS' HOUSE account.

On October 5 (World Habitat Day) the committee held a silent auction. This event, which was titled SOUP, SALAD AND SILENT AUCTION was also a sellout. In addition to netting nearly $10,000 this event provided our parishioners with a wide variety of ways to offer their support; e.g., donating their time, special talents and auction items. Another side benefit was the opportunity to work with our neighbors at Congregation Beth Yam.

Going forward, a second HARMONIES FOR HABITAT is scheduled for February 21, 2016 at The Jazz Corner and the committee has applied to the Vestry for permission to schedule a second silent auction for September 26. 2016.

The committee continues to explore opportunities for garnering revenues. At the same time, they are sensitive to the needs of other missions in our church. The committee is committed to creating projects that will involve the entire island community and lift some of the burden from ASEC congregants.

Currently the Habitat fund sits at a little over $30,000 and the Vestry has committed $15,000 to the project. Knowing that and being aware of our plans for an event in February, the Hilton Regional Habitat office has expressed their confidence that ASEC will be able to be assigned a family and break ground on a house shortly after Easter.

Respectfully, Carole Galli, ASEC Habitat Committee Chair

Staying Connected

As we age, an unexpected illness, accident or other life changing event may cause a need for assistance. In-home care, transportation, companionship, respite for a faithful caregiver, and minor home maintenance are but a few of the needs we may suddenly require and not know where to turn.

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Staying Connected has been formed by a group of caring, involved volunteers to provide this assistance for Sun City residents, with its mission to enhance their ability to remain in their homes, engaged within the community and have a lifestyle consistent with the vision of an active adult community.

Staying Connected began providing services in November 2014 when it opened the Resource Hub. In February of 2015 it began offering Direct Services to their Members. These services include:

Resource Hub: Opened November 3, 2014, the Staying Connected Resource Hub is the gateway to the direct services offered to Sun City residents. It is the initial contact point for resident to arrange direct services with our volunteers. It also provides access to a wide range of information and referrals for local agencies/organizations and websites. Information and referrals include, but are not limited to: local medical facilities, home health care services, home care assistance, transportation, companionship/respite care, day care programs, support groups, care management, pet walking and boarding, and more. The Resource Hub is available to all Sun City residents and their family.

Direct Services are one-on-one services that provide help for our members, such as home visits and wellness calls. Staying Connected began providing Direct Services in February 2015. Our Direct Services are described below:

Home Companionship Visits: Home visits are arranged to provide companionship for those that are alone or lonely. Home visits can also be arranged to provide relief or respite for the spouse or partner that is the caregiver for an ill resident. Companionship visits can also be arranged for those residing in National Healthcare (NHC).

Basic Home Maintenance: Basic Home Maintenance is provided for those who had been previously able and now have limited capabilities and for those who were dependent upon a deceased spouse for this activity. Activities such as changing the battery in a smoke alarm or ceiling light bulbs are examples of what is provided as part of our Basic Home Maintenance service. Home safety checks are also provided.

Reassuring Calls: If requested by the resident or their family, a daily telephone “reassuring call” will be provided for home bound residents. This is followed up with appropriate actions when needed.

Transportation: Staying connected provides transportation to medical appointments or grocery shopping for those without appropriate arrangements. Transportation is also provided for those receiving physical therapy and other medical services.

Although Staying Connected has only been offering Direct Services for 10 months the following chart illustrates the need for these services and our successful growth.

2015 Accomplishments

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Service – YTD November Requests Volunteer Volunteer VolunteersFilled Hours Mileage Performing

Home Maintenance 84 88 473 11Home Visits 233 421 1,079 52Transportation for Medical 731 1,481 1,787 73 and GroceryIntake Interviews 667 2,060 29Resource Hub (shifts) 1,392 3,428 1,787 73 Reassuring Calls 979 Visitors (est.) 1,020 Phone Calls Handled (est.) 1,750Administration / Training 3,686 2,655 79

Total 9.771 21,446 188

For 214 Households, 309 Members

Another measure of Staying Connected’s success are the comments we receive from Members and their families. The following is a sample of these comments:

From a family upon their mother moving to be near them: “We are very grateful for the rides and information you provided in Sun City. You helped us at a very difficult time. Mom is happy to be near us and is enjoying her new home at … assisted living … Thank you again for the wonderful service you provide to Sun City residents.”

With a renewed membership: “Thanks – You are the best” Following a trip to the doctor: “We are all so fortunate to have people, like you, to volunteer

your time and effort to Staying Connected. I am much appreciative.” Upon a member making a $100 donation: “So appreciative for the wonderful transportation

services being provided …. Hope to make future donations.” About to become a new volunteer: “I do not need to renew my membership at this time as I

have fully recuperated from my surgery. I will be stopping by the Hub as I plan to volunteer. The services that were provided me were unbelievably helpful to me during my recuperation.”

Some of the ongoing expenses of Staying Connected have been paid for by All Saints and The Very Reverend Rick Lindsey through his use of the Clergy Discretionary Fund in both 2014 and 2015. These generous donations are very appreciated.

Respectfully,Bob Hooper,Board of Directors, Staying Connected

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Foreign Mission and Outreach – Dominican Republic Mission GroupKathy Jones, Steve & Loretta Tabor, co-chairs

The Dominican Republic is a missionary diocese, and we have a great passion for mission. That passion has allowed us to grow and expand in such a way that we have tripled the number of congregations in the country in the past 20 years.

All baptized persons are commissioned to “proclaim by means of word and example the good news of God in Christ.” Those of us who have been ordained in the church have been assigned particular tasks…. But lay people also have the mission of “representing Christ and His Church; bearing witness to Him wherever they are.” Therefore, the Church, you and I, clergy and lay people, his disciples of the twenty-first century, cannot invent any mission other than that announced by Jesus: to proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. God bless you, and keep alive the passion for mission.

--The Rt. Rev. Julio Cesar Holguin, Bishop of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Mission Group is active in many sectors of the All Saints global outreach mission in the DR. The goal is to support the needs of the Diocese of the Dominican Republic as requested by Bishop Julio C. Holguin.

The activities the group sustains are:

Conduct Construction trips to the DR to perform maintenance, and next year, build a new kitchen for La Redención School.

Conduct Medical Mission trips to the DR annually serving 300 to 400 patients. Conduct Vacation Bible School annually for two Episcopal Churches in Barahona for 300 to 350

children each day. Provide Episcopal School Scholarships for children. Last year we supported 50 children. Collect and send shoes, especially black school shoes, that are distributed by parish priests to

those in need in the DR. Collect school supplies to be used by students in the two schools that All Saints supports: La

Redención and Jesús Peregrino. Provide financial support to send teenagers to the Episcopal Camp in the central DR. Teens are

selected based on their service to the church. Prepare and disseminate information to the parish and diocese via the church website,

Facebook page, and our Diocesan e-newsletter.

Each of the activities are explained in detail below.

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Construction Mission Trip to Barahona, DR, March, 2015 Submitted by: Steve Tabor, Team Leader

The 2015 Construction Mission Trip was conducted March 3 through March 11. Participants were: Father Rick Lindsey, Augie Ghessie, Gini and Mike Logan, Brian and Esther Doran, and Steve and Loretta Tabor. We also worked alongside about 20 Jesùs Peregrino parishioners. We had a great team and we accomplished all the work that Father Carlos had planned for us.

Below is a list of the Construction Team Accomplishments:

Built, painted, and installed eight bookcases for Jesùs Peregrino Church and School Painted six classrooms in the school Painted stairway and outside walls Painted all classroom doors Installed hardware and new locks on classroom doors Provided materials to repair the roof and ceilings for the church and classrooms Provided materials to build kitchen structure in a parishioner’s house Reviewed the plans for the upcoming school kitchen project with the local engineer Collected, transported, and distributed 350 pairs of shoes, 75 pairs of reading glasses, and

toiletries to parishioners Planned and supplied materials and worked with teen and adult parishioners to create crafts to

be sold at the AS Garden Tour for the Dominican Teen Project Delivered books donated by All Saints Preschool to the students at La Redención Visited and interacted with children at both our partner schools – Jesùs Peregrino and La

Redenciòn Planned the June Vacation Bible School program with the church leaders

Prior to our arrival, the local parishioners replaced the roof above the church and classrooms and repaired the ceilings in the classrooms, which accounted for a substantial portion of the $5000 we had allocated for the trip.

Due to a government mandate, all schools in the DR are being required to have kitchen facilities as schools move to all day classes. Although we did not do any kitchen work, we reviewed the plans for both schools. The local engineer estimated that the cost for the work at Jesùs Peregrino would be in the range of $3000 to expand and renovate an existing kitchen. During summer 2015, the kitchen and cafeteria were completed. The Clearwater Deanery and St. Marks funded the project. Clearwater sent a team in July to assist local parishioners with the work.

In September, we received the construction details and costs for the proposed kitchen complex at La Redención, which has been approved by the executive director of the Dominican Development Group.

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The cost is estimated at $21,100. The Clearwater Deanery plans to contribute at least one-half of the cost and All Saints will need to support the remainder. Clearwater plans to send a construction team next July to assist with the work and we plan to supplement their workforce with volunteers from the Southern Deanery.

Medical Mission to the Dominican Republic, April, 2015 Submitted by: Dale Finn, Team Leader

An Episcopal medical team of ten missionaries traveled to a very poor barrio outside of Santo Domingo. Seven of the team members came from our diocese: Judy Cote, Pam Cooper, Dale Finn and Joan Hardman from All Saints, Hilton Head Island; Charles Geer from Holy Communion, Charleston; Sharon Mock from St Stephen’s, St Stephens; Pamela Stogner from St Stephens, Charleston; and Sue Tanner from Holy Cross Faith Memorial, Pawleys Island. Other members were from Episcopal churches in Massachusetts and Florida.

We set up a medical clinic in San Pedro y San Pablo Episcopal Church for a week. We reconnected with our Dominican friends who were so excited to see us again. The priest at the church, Father Emilio, and his wife Maria had most everything organized for us when we arrived. Many members of the parish helped in various roles in the clinic each day. Each year the parishioners are taking on more of the running of the clinic. We truly all came together as one united team. We saw 300 patients and treated over 615 medical conditions. Patients received “goody-bags” (washcloths, toothbrushes, and soap), education, antibiotics, anti-parasite meds, and other medicines prescribed by the doctors. They were instructed where to go in the Dominican Republic to receive follow-up treatment. Doctor Charles and a nurse made a home-visit to a twelve-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who was unable to move out of her small home. Her grandmother was caring for her. We brought medicines to treat her sore throat, and also a “goody-bag” for the family. Throughout the week team members saw the Christ in each of the Dominicans we came in contact with; as I am sure they saw the Christ in us.

Vacation Bible School Trip to Barahona, DR, June, 2015 Submitted by: Loretta Tabor, Team Leader

A short history: For the past 12 years All Saints Church has sent volunteers to the Dominican Republic to conduct VBS. For the past 9 years the VBS has been in Barahona, first at our sister parish, La Redención, and then four years ago at both Episcopal Churches in Barahona, La Redención and Jesús Peregrino. We serve about 350 children each day for five days – it is a noisy, enthusiastic, and joyful ministry!

Three years ago, in an effort to encourage self-sufficiency among the local volunteers, we set a goal of having the local adults conduct the VBS with South Carolina volunteers as support – In other words, to reverse our roles, in all but the financial portion.

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We reached our goal in June of 2015! This year the six volunteers from All Saints and St. Mark’s Churches (The Rev. Patricia Turk, Pam Cooper, Betty Lightfoot, Barbara Anderson, Steve and Loretta Tabor) watched with delight as the local church members very capably conducted their own VBS! They used the curriculum developed by the Episcopal Diocese of the D.R. that included a bible story each day, exultant religious music, a craft that tied-in with the lesson, and outdoor games. We acted as support in all areas. In addition, the local adults enlisted the help of nearly 20 teenage members of the parishes; these young people worked tirelessly to do everything from playing instruments, to distributing materials, to comforting younger children, to assisting with translation. They were simply amazing!

All Saints vestry generously provided financial support to furnish craft supplies, breakfast at the poorer church, and a healthy lunch at both churches. All Saints parishioners donated several trunks full of school supplies to be used during the VBS, and to equip the children during the current school year.

With God’s help, and the assistance of All Saints and St. Mark’s Churches, we’ve encouraged the two parishes to become self-sufficient in leading their own Escula Biblica de Vacaciones.

Student Scholarships – 2015-16 School Year Submitted by: Susan Ferry, Project Coordinator

Many pass through the doors of education. [You] have gained a knowledge and foundation to pursue a dream of worldly success, but remember life is not just in what you know, but in the truth you know and walk in.

-Ritu Ghatourney

This quote is essential to believing in why it is so important for the children in our sister parishes, Jesús Peregrino and La Redención, Dominican Republic, to have the opportunity for a Christian-based education. The Student Scholarship Program, in place for nine years, has enabled over 250 children to attend Episcopal schools, giving them a head start in their educational process. In the Dominican Republic students regularly attend school through Eighth Grade. For those who have had the caring smaller classroom attention, their success in moving forward in life is a real “plus.”

In the school year 2014-15, All Saints and St. Mark’s, Port Royal, parishioners generously provided scholarship funding for 51 children. As we reported last year, funding for children’s scholarships is built on faith: that a child is not turned away from attending school because they cannot pay. When a child is accepted as a scholarship student, the diocese prays that support will be forthcoming from friends in the United States. Support does come, but the timeliness needs to be better! To achieve the goal of improving the alignment of the scholarship program with the school year, for the 2015-16 school year, we began the Scholarship campaign in September, several months earlier than in previous years. Although off to a good start, as of the first of December, the goal to fund thirty students has not

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yet been met; we are inching our way up the “giving thermometer.” Profiles of the children are posted on the DR Mission Outreach bulletin board outside Gordon Mann Hall.

DR Teen Camp Project: Mission Possible Submitted by: Loretta Tabor, Project Coordinator

In June 2014, Father Carlos, the vicar at La Redenciòn and Jesùs Peregrino, expressed the need to get and keep teenagers interested in the church. He said that, like teens everywhere, they tend to stray away from church. He felt strongly that the possibility of a week at the Episcopal camp in Jarabacoa in the mountains of the central Dominican Republic would open new horizons for the teens, and be highly motivational to the current teen church members. Many of these children, especially the ones living in the very poor neighborhoods, had never been anywhere outside their barrio. He added that another benefit would be to attract other teens and their families to the Episcopal Church. In addition, he proposed that the opportunity to attend camp should be tied to service - as acolytes, choir members, helping with younger children (including the week of Vacation Bible School), assisting the elderly, etc.

The cost to send one teen to a week of the Episcopal camp is $115, including transportation. We agreed that the project had the potential for far-reaching benefits, and would try to raise the money to send ten teens to camp in the summer of 2015.

In order to raise money, a wine tasting event was suggested by the owners of ta-ca-ròn in Okatie. Participants, who each made a donation to the project, tasted 6 wines, and were able to make purchases of wine, coffee, cigars, and other items in the store. In addition to the donations from parishioners and friends, the Jimenezes contributed a portion of each purchase to the fund. A number of parishioners, who were unable to attend the wine tasting, made generous donations, and the crafts that the teens created, plus Santo Domingo coffee were offered at the AS Garden Tour. In total, $1,725 was raised -- enough to send nineteen teens – nine more scholarships than our goal – from very poor areas throughout the DR to the Episcopal camp.

Please watch the DR bulletin board in January for thank you notes and translations, written by the very grateful adolescents. Thanks to the generosity of AS members, it was a life-changing experience for the Dominican teens.

Happy Feet Shoe Ministry Submitted by: Steve and Loretta Tabor, Coordinators

In June 2012, Karen Carroll, DR mission team coordinator, described the desperate and continuing need for shoes for the Dominican people. Because black closed-toe shoes are required

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for children to attend school, children’s school shoes are a particular need. In some families, children alternate days of attending school because they must share a pair of shoes. After being advised of the need, All Saints’ rector and vestry readily supported the concept of a DR shoe ministry.

Since August 2012, nearly 2000 pairs of new and gently used shoes have been shipped to the Diocesan Office in Santo Domingo from All Saints, or carried by mission teams. St. Mark’s, Port Royal also sends children’s school shoes in the early fall. The shoes are distributed to the church vicars who then distribute them to the neediest people in their neighborhoods. All Saints parishioners have generously contributed to this effort as well as some local businesses and organizations. This year, our construction team hand delivered over 300 pairs of shoes to the churches in Barahona. The team experienced the joy of the people who were presented with shoes from Father Carlos, the vicar for Jesús Peregrino and LaRedención.

Dominican Mission Group Communications Submitted by: Bonnie Gruetzmacher

Thanks to Fred Gebler for his preparation and dissemination of DR mission team press releases to the local news media this spring. He gave special emphasis on sending these materials to the coordinators for the church website and Facebook page, and to the coordinator for our Diocesan e-newsletter. Of particular importance was the need to recruit persons with selected medical specialties throughout the diocese for the Medical Mission Trip. Input was given to the Dominican Mission Group Strategic Plan, with recommendations on establishing a Diocesan-wide DR communication plan. A communications notebook was assembled when Fred moved this summer, after which Bonnie Gruetzmacher agreed to assume these responsibilities. With the hiring of Communications Coordinator Jessie McIwee, the process for all PR related needs have been changed, as she is the contact person for All Saints and in that role she disseminates press releases, etc. for the church. The VBS 2015 Reflections were compiled and submitted to Jessie for finalizing, to post to the website, and a link for inclusion in the diocesan newsletter.

DR Kitchen Fundraiser – April 23, 2016

A fundraiser is needed to provide money to build a kitchen at La Redención School. As a result of a national government mandate, all students will attend full-day school, thus necessitating kitchen facilities to prepare meals for them.

A group has worked hard since June exploring ideas and meeting deadlines for Vestry approval. John Gruetzmacher skillfully led the beginning efforts of organizing the fundraiser, and securing Vestry support. The initial ideas have taken on added momentum with Marjorie Milbrandt taking on the

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leadership role. The event will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 during and after the Sat@5 service. Father Hipolito Fernandez Reina a Dominican priest working as assistant rector at St. Monica’s Episcopal Church, Naples, FL, will preach at the Saturday Communion service. After the Saturday service, Father Hipolito and his family will present a lively concert of Dominican music as only Dominicans can do. Following the concert, the evening’s festivities will include wine, food, music, and a raffle. There will be advanced sales of raffle tickets, as well as opportunities for parishioners to contribute funding to purchase necessary kitchen equipment, beginning March 6, 2016. There is much work to be done, but the structure of the event is in place. Fr Hipolito will complete his visit to All Saints by preaching at the two Sunday services.

The members of the Dominican Mission Group thank God for the opportunity of sharing His love with our sisters and brothers in the Dominican Republic. We are grateful to the Vestry, the Clergy, and the Parishioners of All Saints Church for their continuing support for the international outreach mission, and for allowing us the opportunity to represent Christ and His Church in the Dominican Republic.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10

Parish Life CommissionVestry liaison: John Castellano

Care Committee

The Care Committee provides funeral receptions in Gordon Mann Hall to honor deceased members of our parish family if the family desires such a tribute. It is a supportive ministry for grieving families and an opportunity for parishioners to pay their respects to the family. Parishioners generously supply finger foods, and beverages. This year with the renovation of Gordon Mann Hall and the kitchen we were unable to offer receptions for several months, but we did provide 5 funeral receptions during 2015. If you are interested in being a part of this worthwhile ministry, contact Pat Collett or Jenifer Gajdalo. There is also a sign-up sheet on the GMH kiosk.

Respectfully,Jenifer Gajdalo

Seasonal Saints

Seasonal Saints creates a “cocktail event” at the beginning of every month from November through April. This past year is approximately the sixth or seventh year that these events have been held. Originally called “Part Timers” to reflect its goal to gather together those individuals who come to

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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Peter+4%3A10&version=ESV

Hilton Head during the winter, its name was changed several years ago to better match our All Saints affiliation.

We communicate with our Seasonal Saints via email. As I write this report we have 66 names on our Seasonal Saints mailing list plus all members of the clergy, many of whom come regularly to our monthly event. The Seasonal Saints appreciates their participation. Those of us who either organize this group or attend the gatherings while in the Hilton Head area consider this group a welcoming opportunity to augment our attendance at All Saints Episcopal Church.

Many of our Seasonal Saints are also members of our Church choir or of the many other ministries that are part of All Saints.

Respectfully,Bob O’Flaherty

Stewardship CommissionVestry liaison: Michael Binford

This year has marked a number of substantial changes in the way we approach stewardship at All Saints. After several people attended The Episcopal Network for Stewardship conference in 2014, we started to shift the focus to a Year-round Stewardship effort. This new approach focuses on the mission and the ministries of the church, stressing our gifts of time and talent. We believe that Stewardship is not just the annual pledge campaign. The hallmarks of this new approach include the following:

We want to acknowledge and thank those in the parish currently giving to the many, many ministry opportunities we have. The October Ministry Fair and Celebration was one avenue, and we will be thanking individual ministries throughout the coming year, in the bulletin, in e-blasts, and in special events.

We want to promote and inform the parish of the many opportunities we have to give of our time and talent. We have two new Ministry Kiosks in the renovated Gordon Mann Hall to publicize ministry opportunities and to encourage ideas for new ministries. A brochure listing all ministries at All Saints was sent with the pledge card letter, asking parishioners to indicate which ministries they would like more information about.

We want to discern and develop our own spiritual gifts. In order to be the most effective ministry participants, we want to help people discern what their strongest gifts are and how to find a good fit between their personal gifts and the needs of different ministries. We have developed a workshop on discerning our gifts and personality characteristics. The first workshop will be conducted with the vestry in January, with additional workshops for the parish in the spring and summer.

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We want to develop and support both current and new ministries. The Stewardship committee developed procedures to approve new ministry opportunities and to help schedule their activities, especially all fund-raising activities. The goal is to give guidance and support to any new ministry that attracts a core of support from the parish and to prevent fundraising conflicts and overload.

The Stewardship committee undertook several specific activities to support these goals. We developed the Ministry brochure and planned and coordinated the October Ministry Fair; we helped develop the spiritual gifts workshop, and we planned 34 neighborhood Wine and Cheese parties to discuss ministry and stewardship at All Saints. We also prepared the annual pledge letters which included the ministry brochure and feedback cards.

This new approach to Stewardship encourages additional ways to support financially our ministries through special events. For example, both the Habitat for Humanity house and the Dominican Republic missions are planning fundraising events this year. Of course, we are all familiar with the example of the Garden Tour ministry and its success at generating financial support for deserving outreach organizations.

The annual pledge campaign is still important to support the infrastructure of the church: the salaries, utilities, and on-going needs of the parish. We believe that money will follow ministry, that where our hearts are, so will our treasure be. The combination of a pledge and opportunity to support designated ministries is a new process for this parish and we want the congregation to understand that their support should be guided by their hearts and prayers.

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things and at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8).

Respectfully,Michael Binford, liaison, andCarol Grish, Chair

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