HI and Happy New Year to All,
Marilyn Fletcher, our Senior Warden, wants you to know your pledge envelopes will be in the narthex of our church for pickup. Since your number may have changed names and addresses are on each box for easy ID. She would also like you to pick up envelopes for family, friends or neighbors of our parish, if possible, to save mailing costs, which are up sharply. Thank you for your kind attention to this.
Shortly before Christmas, Marilyn and Walter Scott, financial liaison to the Diocese, met with Bishop Wolfe and Canon Fornal to provide our financial and structural reports for the last nine months without a Rector. Both Bishop and Canon were amazed at our progress in both areas, and were very happy to help set our course for the next two years.
Marilyn and Walter asked permission to call the Rev. Cecelia (Cece) Perry as long term supply priest, to serve until the end of 2012, and permission was thankfully granted. Cece has since signed the necessary papers, and will begin in this capacity this Sunday 
She has acted as our supply priest several times, including a re-dedication, and loves our church and the dedicated members she has met, and she has high hopes for our future. Cece will serve at both the 8 AM and 10 AM services, and will be available for weddings, funerals, home and hospital visits. At the request of Bishop Wolfe she will also attend Vestry meetings. Our church will be greatly blessed to have the continuity she will provide. The second phase of our two year plan will start at the end of 2012, when again the Bishop (a new one then) will be presented with the necessary paperwork for 2013. She or he will again be asked for permission to acquire the services of a long term supply priest until the end of 2013, when we believe we will be in a position to begin the search for a new Rector at the start of 2014. This is a very conservative plan which should reap benefits for us in the long term.
At this time we have approximately 112 pledging units. This number is down considerably since we voted to NOT merge with Emmanuel, as was suggested by former church leaders, causing some of our parishoners to change their membership. However, it was the general consensus that GOd wanted Christ Church to remain a vital and active ministry, just as it has been for the past 176 years, and with his continuous demonstrations of love, guidance and blessings in 2011, we will continue on the path HE has set for us all. We hope to see everyone at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, February 12 after the 10 AM service.
**Submitted with permission of Joan Reid and Leslie Willis**
Cindy & Tom Mulvey
Slater had weathered early ups and down times, the birth pains of the industry, in the depression years, 1816 to 1819, 1828, and even the year of his death, the Panic of 1835. He died a millionaire a hundred and seventy-five years ago.