Minutes from 3rd Annual Congregation Meeting—
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Fr. Pishoy prefaced the meeting by explaining the goals and process:
-our goal is to reflect on what is going well and what needs improvement
-are we on track with our vision?
-no names are to be used; let’s respect each opinion equally
Community
-this comment kept on coming up repeatedly->several ppl expressed concern that intimacy and the community feeling are being lost as the church grows
-Ideas suggested: make sure to introduce yourself; invite people out to dinner or coffee; join a small group; make sure not to spend time with your friends only after the liturgy but to scan the church for new ppl and spend time with them
-Nadine told the story of being in Regina alone for a mass at a Russian Orthodox church and being cared for (dinner, coffee,etc.) until the early evening
-Fr. Pishoy said the goal is that a new person should be greeted 5-10x by the time they stand in the line to meet Abouna; many ppl need a sanctuary and come to church with burdens, this is their only safe spot for the week, let’s try to be a haven of joy and love for them
-several ppl also expressed the feeling of being so loved and welcomed instantly on their arrival to SMSV
-someone mentioned that when meeting ppl or interacting with them, an individual may come across as rude or troubled and then others begin excluding them out of community or social gatherings; we always need to remember that no one is perfect and that we all carry baggage with us; we were reminded not to react but to be available to help others and spread the spark of the Holy Spirit
Monthly Schedule
-someone asked about the monthly schedule of the church
-Fr. Pishoy reviewed the meetings (and expressed our limitations because we are renting)à CREW, Youth Group, Vespers, Bible Study, Confessions, spiritual guidance, midweek and weekend liturgies; there are also many prayer meetings that occur at home as well as Bible studies; there are also hospital visitations and family support
-the schedule of regular events is available online and at the welcome table; if anyone wants it to be mailed to their home, this can be arranged
How is our Pope and the situation in Egypt?
-the Pope was full of encouragement as Fr. Pishoy and Fr. Daniel visited him this week
-he said that God works in mysterious ways and these unfortunate events put Egypt on the worldwide map; it united Christians all over the world as well as Copts worldwide; money is coming in generously for those affected; the church is victorious and we should never feel like victims; the persecution has also drawn many to God
-we also have a fund at SMSV for the victims of Alexandria
-several ppl mentioned that Christians worldwide are persecuted and we must remember the persecution all over the world in our prayers this year; we also need to remember global wars such as Rwanda, Darfur, etc. and pray about how we can take action to support our brothers and sisters worldwide
New Ministry Ideas
a) Family Ministry
-someone expressed a desire for a consistent couples/parenting ministry and Fr. Pishoy indicated this was one of Fr. Daniel and Debbie’s strengths and they would build it up in the next few months as they get settled;
-marriage prep is happening during Lent and all are invited
-someone expressed the need for young adults (university and graduates) to receive some information about healthy dating (the person felt that the topic is not thoroughly addressed in high school as the emphasis is always on purity and abstaining from dating)
b)Community page on website
-someone expressed a desire for an announcemt system that lets ppl know promptly about graduations, births, deaths, etc.
-Fr. Pishoy suggested the development of a community page where such information could be posted along with information about jobs, housing rentals, etc.
-there was discussion about reviving the Facebook account of SMSV and also adding SMSV to twitter; there was also a reminder to be cautious about anything put up on FB, a reminder not to post anything inflammatory or that does not reflect the spirit of Christ
c) Discipleship
-in every ministry, we should always be mentoring ppl so that more ppl are equipped and that a ministry never relies on one person; we want to avoid burnout and want sustainable ministry
-God willing, this will be a year of discipleship and leadership
-there was some conversation over the word “leader,” some disliked the term saying it implied authority and inequality; others said that it was understood everyone was equal, but that the leader was really a facilitator and troubleshooter
- Multiculturalism
-we need to celebrate the cultural differences in our church; perhaps we can have ppl from different cultures present a little about their culture after liturgy or have a celebration honouring the different cultures (i.e. last year we celebrated Chinese New Yr)
-Fr. Pishoy was all in support but needed someone to coordinate
Mission
-on behalf of the entire Zambia mission team, there was a warm and heartfelt thank you for the generosity in love and donations; an investment in the missionaries and in our sister churches in Zambia and Congo
-we hope to see more ppl involved in local and international missions in the future
-Fr. Pishoy also thanked the mission team for their zeal, dedication and their fiery spirit that they brought to the church
Church Bldg
- Through God’s grace, and the commitment of our congregation, the church raised in 2011 almost $1.8 million which is a combination between donations and bonds.
-someone suggested we pay off the land loan first and then start raising money for the construction loan;
-Nader Saad said that we have an excellent relationship with all the major banks in Canada; we have excellent interest rates; the banks have said that we have proved we can take care of the land loan, they want to see evidence that we can take care of a construction loan
-we are hoping to get a permit to start construction by August of this year, God willing.
The meeting was concluded with prayer and benediction.
