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Dear Friends,

You may know that our Sydney ‘Connect09’ initiative is being echoed in England in 2010 under the title “Passion for Life”. Churches dotted around have their banners flying and plans in place. A number of well known people from around the world will be in England helping the ‘mission’ weeks leading up to Easter. Some ‘lesser lights’ from Sydney have been invited and I have agreed to do two weeks in late March. (It’s not my ideal, to head back to England in the early months of the year, but I have 14–15 good opportunities to speak and will leave mid-March and come home via New Zealand for a conference (5 talks) and be home for Easter Day.)

This means I will miss our Vestry Meeting (AGM) on 22nd March but Peter Frith has kindly agreed to chair it. In years past the Vestry Meeting has been well attended — especially as people nominated and then voted to get lay leaders in place. But the urgency of the ‘right leaders’ has worn off and each year we find ourselves with very good leaders for Wardens and Parish Council, Nominators, Auditor, and Synod representatives. So the Vestry Meeting has lost its urgency — and I’m not sure we should be as concerned as grateful.

What I would ask you to do is to:

(a) Give thanks that our Wardens Martin Dudley, Peter Hicks and John Webster are willing to stand again in 2010.

(b) Be thankful for:
– the Parish Council where
   (from 8am) Russell Lyons and John Wenden are standing again;
   (from 10am) Adrian Cunningham and Andrew Eatough are standing again;
   (from 5pm) Nicola Warwick-Mayo [treasurer] is standing again; and
   (from 7pm) Tanya Goodfellow is standing again;
– three Nominators from last year, Ken Chapman, Stewart James and David Cain who will stand again;
– our Auditor, Alan Puttock, who will stand again;
– our Synod representatives, Simone Sietsma and John Wenden who in 2010 will complete their 3 years of representation.

(c) Please use the forms to nominate someone for these positions if you want to — ideally up to 19th March (at the latest).

Then on the night of 22nd March we will:

1. Confirm who has been willing to stand or been elected
2. Hear a brief report of 2009 from the (Acting) Rector, Wardens and Treasurer
3. Hear brief reports about
    (i) The wedding ministry; (ii) Youth progress; (iii) Property plans; (iv) St Thomas’ and plant options.

The meeting will be held in the Conference Room and will be good fellowship and good stewardship — for all who can come.

Yours ever,
Simon Manchester

P.S. This Friday night Phil North is being inducted as the new minister in Boggabri (Armidale Diocese).

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