From the January, 2009 newsletter. By Fetcher Wells
As many of you know over the last year-and-a-half I have been working with the outreach commission on empowering St. Georgians for hands on outreach ministry. There have been several people who have helped to shape that vision who are now feeling called to rotate off the outreach commission and I would like to take this time to thank them for their good works.
Jannan Holmes has been on outreach for nearly as long as she has been a member here at St. George’s Church. She was the vestry liaison to the outreach commission during her time on the vestry from 2004-2007. When she came off the vestry she again accepted a call to leadership in outreach and has served as our chair for the last half-year. With her becoming the chair she accepted the challenge from the new vestry to begin the process of helping to empower people for hands on outreach ministry. I am thankful for Jannan’s presence and her council over the last year-and-a-half.
Tracey Hormuth has also been on outreach for as long as she has been at St. George’s. In my time here Tracey has been a voice for justice and accountability on the outreach commission. Her expertise in professional process has helped to make the outreach commission one of the most well run commissions at St. George’s, but it is her care that seems to be that which defines her. Tracey has cared for all of the people we help and support. This care and relationship will be sorely missed as we continue the good works that Tracey and the outreach commission have helped to cultivate.
Eleonore Spears has also been a stalwart member of the outreach commission. Eleonore’s quiet presence has helped to center the commission as we went through a time of transition and change. As the outreach commission interim chair Eleonore kept our commission moving in a direction that would soon become our vision. I am especially grateful for her prayerful discernment about different initiatives which the outreach commission puts forth.
Lolli Fensterer’s strong voice for justice and outreach has been heard on our commission since my arrival. She has also served on the commission for many years. Lolli’s can-do-attitude was just what we needed when Hope for Humanity came to our church and we needed someone to coordinate food for the event. Her passion for people has been present to me since I arrived here and I am lucky to have her touch my life in such a profound manner.
Donna Creasy has had perhaps the longest tenure of any person on any commission in the history of St. George’s (but let’s not have Ben do the research). Her 17 years of service is as encouraging to me as her passion for helping people does not wane. Donna has dutifully kept minutes in our meetings for nearly as long as she has been on the commission and I can honestly say that I would be lost without those minutes. Finally, what will be most missed about Donna is her soft touch and her loving, caring voice. Donna has served as the voice of compassion on this outreach commission and we will surely miss her leadership.
All of these people have made an impact on my life, but more importantly, they have made an impact on the life of St. George’s. Their legacy of love is palpably felt in the walls of our church and beyond those walls to the community and certainly the world. It is with a thankful, if not a little sad, heart that St. George’s wishes them God’s speed as they go out into the world to do the work God has given them to do. But, do not assume that this will be the last we see of any of them when it comes to outreach.