The Annual Meeting was called to order at 10:15 a.m. by Fr. Tom Thoeni January 28, 2024 in the church at the end of the 9:00 a.m. service. The service combined the 8:00 and 10:00 congregations. Bishop Doug Scharf joined us this Sunday to confirm four teenage boys from the Holy Name worshiping congregation and received four St. Paul’s adults into the Episcopal Church.

Members Present: Fr. Tom Thoeni, Steve Carnell, Sr. Warden; Rich Shea, Jr. Warden, Nora Broszeit, Clerk; Lee Barron, Tom Connolly, Mary Lou Dogoloff, Judy Martin, and Carol O’Connell. Peter Lund was absent, Rose Porembo treasurer was present. A quorum of over 25 parishioners was present.

Financial Report: Rose Porembo was called to the lectern by Fr. Tom Thoeni to give the financial and budget reports for the past year. She began by sharing her professional background and thanking the congregation for welcoming her and her husband Gary since they began attending St Paul’s in their retirement. Rose gave a concise report of the 2023 operating expenses compared to the 2023 budget. 

Nominees to the vestry were presented: Paul Nelson, Jeannie Smith and (unrelated) Murray Smith were asked to stand from the congregation. Fr. Tom thanked them for volunteering as vestry members. Fr. Tom asked for a motion to elect these nominees to the vestry. Tom Connolly made the motion, Betty Lentz seconded it and the vote was made unanimous by acclamation.

Fr. Tom recognized and thanked retiring vestry members:  Fr. Tom thanked Rich Shea, Carol O’Connell and Nora Broszeit for their service. At the reception following the annual meeting Fr. Tom gave each retiring vestry member a gift. At a brief meeting of the vestry that day Fr. Tom announced that Steve Carnell agreed to continue as senior warden. The vestry will select a junior warden at its next meeting. 

The Annual Meeting was adjourned at 10:22 a.m.

Bishop’s visit on January 28, 2024: Welcome to Bishop Doug Scharf, 6th Bishop of our diocese. One service at 9 a.m. brought the congregation together to celebrate the Eucharist, to confirm four teenage boys from HNJ worshiping community and four adults were received into the Episcopal faith. Following the service was our Annual Meeting where treasurer Rose Porembo gave a financial and budget report for 2023. Three new vestry members were voted into service by acclamation. In Trinity Hall there was a delicious brunch. Speaker Gary Porembo introduced a Stewardship and Planned Giving program, speaker Fr. Tom Thoeni covered St. Paul’s in 2024 and land use, and Bishop Scharf spoke about the Southwest FL Diocese of the Episcopal Church in 2024. Bishop took questions when he completed his talk.

Respectfully submitted,

Charlene Connolly

 Recording Secretary