Piety Hill Musings

The ramblings of the Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church of Detroit. Piety Hill refers to the old name for our neighborhood. The neighborhood has changed a great deal in the over 160 years we have been on this corner (but not our traditional biblical theology) and it is now known for the neighboring theatres, the professional baseball and football stadiums and new hockey/basketball arena.

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Location: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Monday, January 18, 2021

Upcoming Annual Parish Meeting - Rector's Rambling for January 17, 2021

     We are at the midway point of our short Epiphanytide.  On January 31, we will transition into the gesima Sundays (Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima) which is the pre-Lenten season.  A year ago we were in the middle of the planning for the upcoming Lenten devotions and classes.  This year things continue in limbo!  Yes, we will have pre-Lent and Lent, but how we will “keep Lent” here at St. John’s is still to be determined, depending upon whether the ecclesiastical authorities allow for reopening and gatherings.  Stay tuned!

One thing that is now changed will be our Annual Parish Meeting.  Scheduled in accordance with the Canons of the diocese in the month of January, we will have to meet via ZOOM.  I will be emailing a link to the meeting to be held on January 31, 2021 at 1:30 PM.  It is at the later hour because we do not know whether we will still be having 10 Saturday/Sunday services because of the “nine-person plus the priest” restrictions, or restored to the 25% of occupancy level and therefore fewer services.  Either way, let’s set the time for now at 1:30 PM on January 31 via ZOOM.

The Annual Parish Meeting is where we will look at the financial report for 2020, and the budget passed by the Vestry for 2021.  New Vestry members will be elected, and financial reports received from organizations/ministries of the parish.  Since things have been on hold for most of our ministries and organizations, we will not have to have other reports from them for 2020.

I am so grateful that so many parishioners are signing up and attending worship at St. John’s.  We continue to be the only parish in the city that is open for public worship.  And as long as attendance is limited to 10, we will offer as many service opportunities as necessary!  Fill up all the spots on SignUpGenius.  Last week we had 75 people present at the nine services, and I would be willing to add more to get us back up to our Average Sunday Attendance of 150 from before the pandemic.