Committees
“I'm really impressed that church is a verb, and being a member of the congregation is a verb.”
There are many ways to get involved at St. Bart's, with opportunities to have fun and build relationships through our diverse and active groups. Our committees fall into two major areas:
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Taking Care of Our Parishioners
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Taking Care of Our Worship and Building
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Click here to view our "Opportunities for Engagement" brochure. Scroll below to find out more about each committee.
Membership/Newcomers
Our goals are to identify and welcome newcomers to St. Bart’s and to maintain and strengthen connections among our existing members. We hold “Newcomers Welcome” coffee hours throughout the year. During the summer, the Membership Committee assumes primary responsibility for putting on the annual Lobster-Bake-to-Go, a fundraising event, with many thanks to Jeff Diggins, who provides the lobsters.
Susie Soule and Anne Berg, Co-chairs
Fellowship
The St. Bart's Fellowship Committee focuses on building community and strengthening relationships throughout our parish family. Opportunities for fellowship beyond Sunday worship include game nights, potluck dinners, Day of Service volunteering, Spirit Walks, Portland Sea Dogs baseball games, and more. The committee members also help parishioners find paths for further engagement in parish life, whether that be finding a role on a committee, taking on one of the many worship duties, assisting with our youth, or joining a faith formation program. We strive to deepen parishioners' church experience through these events and programs.
Jay and Basil Souder, Co-Chairs
Membership/Newcomers
Our goals are to identify and welcome newcomers to St. Bart’s and to maintain and strengthen connections among our existing members. We hold “Newcomers Welcome” coffee hours throughout the year. During the summer, the Membership Committee assumes primary responsibility for putting on the annual Lobster-Bake-to-Go, a fundraising event, with many thanks to Jeff Diggins, who provides the lobsters.
Susie Soule and Anne Berg, Co-chairs
Fellowship
The St. Bart's Fellowship Committee focuses on building community and strengthening relationships throughout our parish family. Opportunities for fellowship beyond Sunday worship include game nights, potluck dinners, Day of Service volunteering, Spirit Walks, Portland Sea Dogs baseball games, and more. The committee members also help parishioners find paths for further engagement in parish life, whether that be finding a role on a committee, taking on one of the many worship duties, assisting with our youth, or joining a faith formation program. We strive to deepen parishioners' church experience through these events and programs.
Jay and Basil Souder, Co-Chairs
Coffee Hour
Coffee hour is an important way for St. Bart's folks to connect and learn about each other following worship services. Volunteers sign up to provide coffee and snacks, which in turn facilitates conversation and connections within our community. Coffee hour is also a way to make visitors and newcomers feel welcome.
We promise that you will leave coffee hour feeling loved and part of the St. Bart’s community. Additional volunteers are always welcomed to host coffee hour.
Jamie Michaud, Chairperson
Stewardship
Our charge is to help our congregation grow into a faithful community where stewardship is a way of life rather than a season of fundraising. Responsibilities include creating opportunities throughout the year to remind the congregation of what St. Bart’s means in their lives, coordination with both the Endowment and Finance Committees to help further their work, as well as conducting the annual pledge campaign. We make personal phone calls to all our parishioners during our pledge campaign. During our fall campaign, we ask a few members to speak to the congregation about what St. Bart’s means to them.
John Duncan, Chairperson
Coffee hour is an important way for St. Bart's folks to connect and learn about each other following worship services. Volunteers sign up to provide coffee and snacks, which in turn facilitates conversation and connections within our community. Coffee hour is also a way to make visitors and newcomers feel welcome.
We promise that you will leave coffee hour feeling loved and part of the St. Bart’s community. Additional volunteers are always welcomed to host coffee hour.
Jamie Michaud, Chairperson
Stewardship
Our charge is to help our congregation grow into a faithful community where stewardship is a way of life rather than a season of fundraising. Responsibilities include creating opportunities throughout the year to remind the congregation of what St. Bart’s means in their lives, coordination with both the Endowment and Finance Committees to help further their work, as well as conducting the annual pledge campaign. We make personal phone calls to all our parishioners during our pledge campaign. During our fall campaign, we ask a few members to speak to the congregation about what St. Bart’s means to them.
John Duncan, Chairperson
Pastoral Care
Our mission is to support our Rector and provide a connection with parishioners by being in frequent communication. A click on the Pastoral Care tab will give you information on receiving healing prayers, requesting a prayer shawl or access to the Pastoral Care Booklet: Words of Comfort.
Volunteer Opportunities: We provide meals, transportation & home visits. Please contact us if you would like to be on the list for these services.
Imelda Schaefer and Barbara Barhydt, Co-Chairs
Our mission is to support our Rector and provide a connection with parishioners by being in frequent communication. A click on the Pastoral Care tab will give you information on receiving healing prayers, requesting a prayer shawl or access to the Pastoral Care Booklet: Words of Comfort.
Volunteer Opportunities: We provide meals, transportation & home visits. Please contact us if you would like to be on the list for these services.
Imelda Schaefer and Barbara Barhydt, Co-Chairs
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The Memorial Garden was created to be a place of natural beauty for the respectful burial of the ashes of loved ones. The Committee takes care of the garden year round by spreading pine needles on the grounds in the Fall, weeding throughout the Spring and Summer and updating plantings. If you love working outdoors, this is a wonderful opportunity to help maintain our serene garden, which provides comfort to all who visit.
Joyce Cassidy and Pam Waite, Co-Chairs |
Handwork Group/Prayer Shawl Knitting
The St Bart's knitters group works year round to donate shawls and small blankets for the Pastoral Committee to provide those in need of comfort. If you are interested in learning to make a Prayer Shawl or Blanket, please email the Pastoral Care Committee.
Worship and Music Committee
The Worship and Music Committee members include Rev. Amanda Gerken-Nelson, Music Director Christina Edelen, Alter Guild Liaison Linda Perkins, Sarah Covie and Steve White. Under Rev. Amanda’s leadership, we have successfully planned more “out of the box” services, such as the Wednesday Advent and Lenten services and a Carols and Lessons service, all of which have been well attended.
The values that guide our Worship & Music Committee’s process for creating our liturgies are inclusive, grounded, challenging, and creative. At St. Bart’s, we strive to use language and imagery that is both inclusive and expansive for God and humanity.” As we are “St. Bart’s,” we continue to explore new prayers, hymns, and ways to celebrate Christ!
Audio-VisualTech Team
The AV Tech Team is responsible for all the technology for St. Bart's as a modern church: producing live-streamed services and the recorded version for later viewing, supporting technology in the church office; supporting the church audio system; supporting the website.
The team ensures that the congregation at St. Bart's can hear the service, and that those at home can see and hear the service. The service can be seen live on our website as well as on Facebook, and then is available as a recording in both places. The A/V team occasionally does special projects, such as the recorded message and music for Christmas Day, and Zoom online service for meetings. If any of these topics are of interest to you, let's talk!
Contact Joe Michaud.
The AV Tech Team is responsible for all the technology for St. Bart's as a modern church: producing live-streamed services and the recorded version for later viewing, supporting technology in the church office; supporting the church audio system; supporting the website.
The team ensures that the congregation at St. Bart's can hear the service, and that those at home can see and hear the service. The service can be seen live on our website as well as on Facebook, and then is available as a recording in both places. The A/V team occasionally does special projects, such as the recorded message and music for Christmas Day, and Zoom online service for meetings. If any of these topics are of interest to you, let's talk!
Contact Joe Michaud.
Altar Guild
The charge of the guild is to prepare the sanctuary for worship, to maintain and care for the altar, the communion vessels, the altar linens and vestments, and, in doing so, serve the clergy and parish. We co-ordinate with the Flower Committee, the Bread Bakers, and the clergy.
Linda Perkins, Chair
Altar Flowers
We provide floral arrangements for the altar every Sunday, closely following the church calendar, observing Lent, Palm Sunday, Easter, Advent and Christmas. Members provide the arrangements, whether they are from our own gardens, field flowers, houseplant or a local florist. Arrangements are at the members’ expense but reimbursements are possible for special arrangements at Christmas, Easter or flowers provided for funeral if requested by a parishioner.
Imelda Schaefer, Chair
For the Christmas Fair, members create holiday arrangements for the Greens Table. New members are most welcome. Contact Mary Calvin.
The charge of the guild is to prepare the sanctuary for worship, to maintain and care for the altar, the communion vessels, the altar linens and vestments, and, in doing so, serve the clergy and parish. We co-ordinate with the Flower Committee, the Bread Bakers, and the clergy.
Linda Perkins, Chair
Altar Flowers
We provide floral arrangements for the altar every Sunday, closely following the church calendar, observing Lent, Palm Sunday, Easter, Advent and Christmas. Members provide the arrangements, whether they are from our own gardens, field flowers, houseplant or a local florist. Arrangements are at the members’ expense but reimbursements are possible for special arrangements at Christmas, Easter or flowers provided for funeral if requested by a parishioner.
Imelda Schaefer, Chair
For the Christmas Fair, members create holiday arrangements for the Greens Table. New members are most welcome. Contact Mary Calvin.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee meets monthly and is charged with the following responsibilities:
· Monitoring the Church’s income and expenses against the annual budget
· Preparation and recommendation of the budget to the Vestry
· Overseeing the reserve accounts and investments
· Recommend spending and investment policy to the Vestry
· Provide financial guidance for the Treasurers and Vestry
· Monitor financial trends affecting the Church
· Participation in long range planning, as needed, and identification of long-term capital needs
· Financial governance oversight (audit, bookkeeping)
Ann Donaghy, Chair
Building and Grounds
The Building and Grounds Committee maintains the beautiful post-and-beam structure of St. Bart's and the sweeping grounds that surround the building. We have organized cleanups in spring and fall; a rotating group of volunteers for weekly mowing and snow-clearing (sidewalks and doorways); skilled gardeners who weed and tend gardens. If you enjoy working with your hands and making friends with others who do also, there's a role for you! Contact Liza Chandler or Joe Michaud.
The Finance Committee meets monthly and is charged with the following responsibilities:
· Monitoring the Church’s income and expenses against the annual budget
· Preparation and recommendation of the budget to the Vestry
· Overseeing the reserve accounts and investments
· Recommend spending and investment policy to the Vestry
· Provide financial guidance for the Treasurers and Vestry
· Monitor financial trends affecting the Church
· Participation in long range planning, as needed, and identification of long-term capital needs
· Financial governance oversight (audit, bookkeeping)
Ann Donaghy, Chair
Building and Grounds
The Building and Grounds Committee maintains the beautiful post-and-beam structure of St. Bart's and the sweeping grounds that surround the building. We have organized cleanups in spring and fall; a rotating group of volunteers for weekly mowing and snow-clearing (sidewalks and doorways); skilled gardeners who weed and tend gardens. If you enjoy working with your hands and making friends with others who do also, there's a role for you! Contact Liza Chandler or Joe Michaud.
Fall clean up crew and shed painting
