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Annual Report

2020

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church aspires to be a loving community

of worship, education, and outreach bearing witness to

Christ’s redeeming grace.

Connect with Us:

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Clergy and Staff

The Rev. Dr. James M. Pevehouse

Locum Tenens

The Rev. Brandon McGinnis

Curate

The Rev. Deacon Alberto Melis

Deacon

The Rev. Keith Pozzuto

College Missioner

The Rev. John Wells

Retired Associate Priest

The Rev. Frank Mangum

Retired Associate Priest

Lisa St. Romain

Director of Children and Family Ministry

Sara Allison

Director of Youth Ministry

Dorothy Fisher

Chief of Staff and Parish Administrator

Brandi Goddard

Missioner for Office Management

Sarah Martin

Missioner for Communications and Membership

Paul Hicks

Sexton

Charles Watson

Assisting Sexton

Willie Sergent

Retired Sexton Emeritus

Staff Continued

Lauren Weber

9:00 AM Principal Conductor/Joyful Noise

Choir

Jenna Hernandez

11:00 AM Principal Conductor/Chancel Choir

Dr. Jeffrey Peterson

Principal Organist

Liz Dover

Nursery Attendant

M’Lissa Howen

Head of School

2020 Vestry

Curtis Cleveland, Senior Warden/Executive

Committee

Robert Braswell, Junior Warden/Executive

Committee

Chet Scheel, Treasurer/Executive Committee

Lance Harris, Clerk/Executive Committee

David Clinton

Megan Henderson

Justin Sage

Larry Lehr

Amy Grigsby

Catherine Adams

Amanda Kuehl

Bryce Adams

Lisa Clevenger

Debbie Haddad

John Moon

Michael Sullivan

515 Columbus Avenue

(Church Offices: 601 Columbus Avenue)

Waco, Texas 76701

Phone: (254) 753-4501 Fax: (254) 752–5511

Website: www.stpaulswaco.org

The Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle, Diocesan Bishop

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Table of Contents Clergy/Vestry/Staff Page…….………………………………………………………………..….2

Table of Contents ……...……………………………………………………………….…………3

2021 Annual Meeting Agenda ………………………………………………..……….………4-5

2020 Annual Meeting Minutes……………………………………………..…………..……….. 6

2020/2021 Budget………………………………………………………………………………..7

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s Annual Meeting Vestry Elections…………………..…………... 8

Current Vestry Members………………………………………….……………….8

Vestry Nominees……………………………………………….….…………...9-14

Voting Procedures………………………………………….……………………..…….…..…..15

Reports ………………………………………………………………………….……………... 16

Locum Tenens Report……………………………………….….…………….17-19

Curate’s Report……………………………………………………………….20-22

Sr. Warden’s Report…………………………………………………………..22-23

Jr. Warden’s Report………………………………………………..…………23-24

Program Staff Reports………………………………………….……….……......25

General Reports…………………………………………………………...….26-27

2020 Statistics………………………………………………………………………..………….28

Comparisons…………………………………………………………………………...………..29

Easter and Christmas Attendance…………………………………...……………29

2020 Marriages/Burials/Baptisms………………………………………………….…………...29

2020 Confirmations/Receptions/Renewals/Transfers……...………………..…….……………30

St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School…………………………………………………………….31-32

Notes………………………………………………..…………………………….…………33-35

2021 Office Holiday Closure Schedule…………………………………………………………36

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Waco, TX

2021 Parish Annual Meeting Agenda

Sunday, January 24, 2021, 1:00 PM

Virtual Meeting on ZOOM

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church aspires to be a loving community of worship, education, and outreach bearing

witness to Christ’s redeeming grace.

Only members in Good Standing have voice and vote, unless recognized by the Chair.

1:00 PM OPEN WITH PRAYER The Rev. James M. Pevehouse, Locum Tenens and Chair

"O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on us as we begin another year. Grant

that we may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen our trust in your goodness all the days of our

life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

I. Chair Appoints Secretary of the Annual Meeting Mr. Lance Harris, Clerk

“Move to Accept”

II. Chair Appoints Parliamentarian Mr. Andy McSwain, Parish Chancellor “Move to Accept”

III. Certification of the Quorum Mr. Lance Harris, Clerk

IV. Motion to Accept the Consent Calendar (meaning no more action is needed)

“Move to Accept the Consent Calendar”

CONSENT CALENDAR

A. Acceptance that the 2021 Annual Meeting for St. Paul’s Episcopal Church is an online

meeting through Zoom and all votes will be taken electronically. B. Acceptance of the agenda. C. Acceptance of all written reports to be entered into the permanent record. D. Enter into the written record the financial statements of 2020.

V. Motion to approve 2020 Minutes “Move to Accept the Minutes.”

I. Election Process Vote for the one fulfilling the unexpired vestry term.

Vote for the five and only five new vestry candidates. First Ballot must receive 50% + 1 for election. Second Ballot must receive 50% + 1 for election. The Chair will entertain motions for subsequent ballots. Introduction of Candidates by Mr. Curtis Cleveland.

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BALLOTS ARE CAST.

Motion to suspend voting and elect by acclamation.

VI. Locum Tenens’s Address- The Rev. James M. Pevehouse VII. Curate’s Address--The Rev. Brandon S. McGinnis VIII. Senior Warden’s Address- Mr. Curtis Cleveland

Recognition of outgoing Vestry members

VIII. Junior Warden’s Address- Mr. Robert Braswell IX. Financial Report

General Remarks- Mr. Chet Scheel, Treasurer

Endowments and Income- Mr. Tod Swann X. St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School Address

Mrs. Kathleen Guy, Board of Trustee President

Motion to accept the new Board of Trustees 2021 members as presented.

Mrs. M’Lissa Howen, Head of School Address

Mrs. Dorothy Marstaller, - School Finances

· All other reports from committees or guilds are filed in the journal.

OLD BUSINESS- NONE

XI. Introduction of Deputies to Diocesan Council and final remarks- Dr. David Clinton

XII. Parish Meeting – Sunday, January 23, 2022 XIII. Closing Prayer – The Rev. Brandon S. McGinnis

Adjournment

New Vestry meets for a Zoom meeting at 2:30 PM

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2020 Annual Parish Meeting Minutes

St. Paul’s Annual Parish Meeting Minutes

January 19, 2020

Opening Prayer The Rev. Brandon McGinnis, Curate

I. Chair Appoints Secretary of the Annual Meeting Mr. Lance Harris (Vestry Clerk Pam Compton was unable to be at the Annual Meeting). unanimously approved.

II. Chair Appoints Parliamentarian James Rainey, Member of the Vestry; unanimously approved. III. Certification of the Quorum: Mr. Lance Harris

IV. Action item: Acceptance of the Consent Calendar, unanimously approved. V. Action item: Acceptance of the 2019 minutes, unanimously approved.

VI. Vestry Elections: Candidates: Amanda Kuehl (filling an unexpired term), Bryce Adams, Lisa Clevenger, Debbie Haddad, John Moon, and Michael Sullivan

a. Motion to suspend voting and elect by acclimation. Unanimously approved. b. Vestry slate unanimously approved.

VII. Rector’s Address- The Rev. Raymond Joe Waldon a. Fr. Ray spoke about his health situation. Before leaving the meeting, he announced Sr.

Warden, Curtis Cleveland, agreed to serve an extra year as Sr. Warden. Fr. James was

appointed to be responsible for the Pastoral Care of the Parish. Curtis Cleveland then

was appointed chair for the rest of the meeting.

VIII. Senior Warden’s Report – Curtis Cleveland

IX. Junior Warden’s Report – Robert Braswell

X. Financial Report

a. General Remarks, Megan Henderson, Treasurer b. Endowments and Income, Tod Swann

XI. St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School Address a. Laura Indergard, Board of Trustee President

Presented the slate for 2020 Board of Trustees candidates: Michael Alexander, Alison

Harkins, Devin Mejia, Dorothy Marstaller, Newman Richards. Unanimously approved

by acclimation

XII. Old Business - None

XIII. Diocesan Council Representatives a. Introduction of Delegates – Curtis Cleveland b. St. Paul’s Delegates – Curtis Cleveland, Robert Braswell, Heyward Green, Mary

Wentworth, and Lance Harris – Alternate.

XIV. Final words and closing prayer – The Rev. James M. Pevehouse

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2020/2021 Budget

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church’s Annual

Meeting Vestry Election January 24, 2021

Current Vestry Members

Term Ends 2021

Curtis Cleveland, Sr. Warden

Robert Braswell, Jr. Warden

Lance Harris

Megan Henderson

Justin Sage

David Clinton

Term Ends 2022

Amanda Kuehl

Larry Lehr

Amy Grigsby

Chet Scheel, Treasurer

Catherine Adams

Term Ends 2023

Bryce Adams

Lisa Clevenger

Debbie Haddad

John Moon

Michael Sullivan

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Vestry Nominees

Suzanne Alexander

Gina Ford

K. Paul Holt

Suzy Nettles

Erika Perzan

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Suzanne Alexander

Has been a member of St. Paul’s for 15 years.

Ministry Statement: Both individually and as St. Paul’s parish, we

have experienced tremendous change in the course of the last year.

From the departure of Fr. Ray to a need to move to an online worship

format, the family that is St. Paul’s has continued to love and support

one another. I would be honored to serve on the Vestry as we call a new

Rector and think about how to continue to build our community in

Christ now and into the future when we can safely gather in greater

numbers.

Activities at St. Paul’s:

• Has served on the Vestry twice serving as Recording Secretary, Clerk, and as Treasurer.

• Has previously taught Godly Play.

• Chaired a Search Committee.

Other Activities:

• Currently serves on the Diocesan Commission on Ministry

• Served on a Search Committee and on the Vestry at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston

• Taught Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at Trinity

• Sang in the choir at Trinity

• Currently Treasurer of the Waco Symphony Council

• Member of the Executive Board of the Waco Symphony Association

Bio:

My husband, Michael, and I moved to Waco in 2006 and shortly thereafter joined St. Paul’s with our son, John.

We experienced a warm welcome here and have been worshipping with this wonderful community ever since.

With John, we have two other adult sons (Reed and Will) and are looking forward to the time later this year when

we can travel to see each of them!

I have spent the majority of my professional career working in the field of Human Resources. For the last 17 years

I have been at FTI Consulting, a global consulting company based in Washington, DC, where I am the Vice

President of HR Operations. Before the virus, I was traveling to DC a few times each month but don’t foresee that

we will return to that level of travel post vaccine. The opportunity to work closely with our teams around the world

has truly increased my understanding of many different cultures.

When John left for college in 2016, I spent a fair amount of time reflecting on where to focus my interests in the

coming years. Being a mom was and is a central part of who I have been for the last 35 years. While that will

always be the case, it doesn’t require the time it did when the boys were at home with us. What I discovered is that

I feel called to use the skills I’ve learned in the professional world to help others in our church and community.

In 2019, I accepted a request to serve on the Diocesan Commission on Ministry. This has been a fantastic

opportunity to see how the diocese works with those who have discerned a call to the priesthood. The deep faith

and commitment of many in our diocese is wonderfully evident in the workings of this group.

As I read the recent requests for Vestry nominations in the bulletins, I began to wonder if it was time for me to

consider serving in this capacity again. I filled an unexpired term on the St. Paul’s Vestry in 2011 when I served as

Treasurer and then served again from 2013-2015. I also chaired the Search Committee that called Fr. Ray. The

sense that now is the time to again offer to participate in church leadership has grown stronger as the days have

passed. If those at St. Paul’s agree, I would be honored to join the Vestry once again.

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Gina Ford Has been a member of St. Paul’s for 15 years.

Ministry Statement: I’ve never gone out for a run or race and

regretted it. Granted, some runs have been tough, or the road

conditions poor, but putting in the work and completing the miles is

wonderful, and I enjoy the sense of accomplishment. The same will

be true for serving on the Vestry if the members of St. Paul’s choose

me. I will be honored to participate whatever the future holds for our

church, and I will commit to serving with all of our parishioners in

mind. And just like running, I’ve never walked into our lovely

church and ever regretted my time spent here, and I hope to help St.

Paul’s accomplish the goals Jesus has set before us.

Activities at St. Paul’s:

• Previous Vestry service

• Altar Guild

• Benedictine Study Group

• Outreach Committee

• Stewardship Committee

Bio:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times (Charles Dickens). Or how I spent my 2020 would be an

appropriate way to introduce myself to St. Paul’s.

The virus caused me to cancel all of the vacations my family and I had planned, and I love to travel,

especially scuba diving in the Caribbean. It also canceled or postponed many 5k and ½ marathons that I

always look forward to running. Granted, I have the speed of a tortoise, but running is a sport that usually

has tacos at the finish line (Yum).

On a positive note, the down time allowed me to read more of the 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime that I

have challenged myself to do, explore more of the Cameron Park Trails, work on my short game on the

golf course, and spoil my dogs Leia and Lucky rotten.

My husband Brian, and children Ryan, Lauren, and Alec are the joys of my life, and we look forward to a

wonderful 2021 with all the ups and downs it will inevitably have.

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K. Paul Holt

Has been a member of St. Paul’s for 40+ years.

Ministry Statement: St. Paul’s Parish has been my spiritual home for

well over forty years, and it’s a place I cherish. With over forty years in

non-profit management and fiscal responsibility, it seemed appropriate

to offer my time and talent to the parish during this exceedingly lean

time.

Activities at St. Paul’s:

• Lay Reader/Lay Eucharistic Minister since 1984

• Attendee and later registrar for Laity Lodge Retreats 1990-2007 or so

• Beginnings Sunday School co-teacher 1990’s -2000’s

• Diocese of Texas Commission on Alcohol & Drug ~1992-94

• St. Paul’s Vestry 1995-1997

• St. Paul’s Vestry 2010-2012, Treasurer 2012

• Mission Waco Thanksgiving Luncheon, since inception, missed one.

• Farewell Roaster for Rayford B. High, Jr. and Chuck Treadwell

Bio:

St. Paul’s has been my church home since the latter 1970’s. Started attending 8 am service when Bill Littleton was

Rector, and was in the first confirmation class when Rayford B. High, Jr. became Rector. We have been active in the

life of the Parish since that time, participating in Annual Parish Meetings, and providing baked goods upon request.

It has been my privilege to become a Lay Reader in 1984 and later a Lay Eucharistic Minister. My favourite services

are the Great Vigil, early Easter Sunday, and late Christmas Eve Mass. The beauty of the Prayers of Rite I are why I

wanted to become a Lay Reader. For many years, served at the 8 am service 2-3 times per month. We have continued

lay reading as a joy and offering to each Rector and take pride in helping “visiting” clergy feel at home behind the

rail.

Donna G. Miller and I were married at St. Paul’s 14 October 1989, and that began a much deeper involvement and

commitment to the Parish. Under the leadership of Mother Merry I. Rideout and Andy McSwain, I joined as a co-

teacher for the Beginnings Sunday School Class. This class started about 1990 or so, and that fulfilled a promise to

Donna to help get a couple’s Bible Study going so we could attend the 9 am service instead of 11 am.

It has been a joy to participate in the annual Mission Waco Thanksgiving Luncheon and have baked rolls for all but

one of them. Have served for all but one of them. It was terrible unfortunate that we could not hold that luncheon this

year.

My first tour of duty on the Vestry was 1995-97, and we made the Parish facilities smoke free. Chet Scheel and I

replaced the “ropes” on the bell in the belfry and discovered that there was but ONE bell, cast in 1875. Belief was that

there were two, but our single bell had two methods of being rung. Second tour was 2010-12 where we paid off a

construction note and paid down on the office building that was “interest only” for way too many years.

That was followed by conscription as treasurer of the School Board where we adopted much more reasonable

budgeting and disbursement standards to bring the income and expenses back into line.

St. Paul’s Parish is a place that I love and love to serve. It is a place where I love to worship, find renewal and

spiritual direction, and serve the Parish.

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Suzy Nettles Has been a member of St. Paul’s for 21 years.

Ministry Statement: I believe that St. Paul’s is positioned

at the dawn of a new reawakening for our parish. With an

active search for a new rector, and the deep connections many

have made during this time of pandemic, where we have had to

stretch ourselves to stay in communion with one another, I believe

we are a newly energized flock ready to take flight for Christ.

Activities at St. Paul’s:

• Lay Eucharistic Minister

• Lay Eucharistic Visitor

• Past Vestry Member

• Altar Guild

• Past Rector Search Committee

Member

• Youth Christian Formation

• EYC volunteer and chaperone on

three mission trips

• VBS volunteer and coordinator

Other Activities

• Meals on Wheels volunteer (Driver Coordinator for eight years)

• Former St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School teacher

Bio:

I have been a member at St. Paul’s for the past 21 years, having “defected” from the Baptist church. I

have been a resident of Waco since I arrived at Baylor in 1982. I am blessed to be married to Richard for

the past 34 years, and have three grown children who all grew up at St. Paul’s and still call it home.

(One of those kiddos is making me a grandmother Easter weekend 2021!)

I was a teacher for Waco ISD (Parkdale Elementary) for ten years before starting an odyssey of work

experiences: Stay-at-home mom, shop owner at Spice, started a catering company, invented a hair clip

(I have a patent!), started a cooking school for kids and franchised over 150 locations worldwide, and

finally back to teacher at our own St. Paul’s Day School. I am newly retired from teaching there, but

have been thrilled with some unique opportunities to work with students online who have needed to stay

out of the classroom due to health issues. I am eagerly anticipating adding on to my group for the spring

semester, yet hopeful all students will be able to safely get back to the classroom as soon as possible.

St. Paul’s has been an engaging, inspiring, challenging, and enduring force in my life through the years.

God has blessed me deeply with experiences and people who have walked with me in my own spiritual

path. It is my hope that I can be helpful to the leadership of our church if it is God’s desire for me to do

so.

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Erika Perzan

Has been a member of St. Paul’s for 7 years.

Ministry Statement: I feel called to serve on the Vestry at

St. Paul’s as a compliment to my participation in worship, spiritual

formation activities, Lay Committee, and our Rector Search Committee

efforts. Joining the Vestry is an opportunity to be part of the new

Rector’s journey in a deeper way. I am also excited to engage in the

conversation regarding what church might look like post-COVID.

Activities at St. Paul’s:

• Family Life Group

• Lay Committee 2019 – 2020

• Episcobasics Teacher 2020

• Friendsgiving Coordinators 2018, 2019

• Stewardship Committee 2019

• Rector Search Committee 2020 - 2021

Bio:

Erika Perzan was confirmed into the Episcopal Church in 2013 at St. Paul’s Waco. She moved here from Boston,

Massachusetts where she was an active attendee at Trinity Church in Copley Square. Her sister and family live in

Hewitt and were the main reason for her and her spouse to move to Central Texas.

Dr. Perzan is a Board-Certified Medical Optometrist and serves our local Veterans as the Supervisory Optometrist

at the Doris Miller VAMC Eye Clinic in Waco, Texas. Erika was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and was raised in

the WELS (Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod) Church. Erika has enjoyed raising her five-year-old son, Enzo,

as an Episcopalian at St. Paul’s and introducing him to the Way of Love and the mysteries of faith.

Erika is an active participant in our Family Life Group and has helped coordinate the semi-annual Friendsgiving

event at St. Paul’s (2018, 2019). She has served our church family as a participant on the Lay Committee (2019-

2020), the Stewardship Committee (2020), and the Rector Search Committee (2020-2021). She was also a guest

Episcobasics Teacher and participant (2020).

Erika is excited about St. Paul’s and the way we anchor our church, our parishioners, and our visitors with Texas

hospitality and an open door. She sees St. Paul’s as a steadfast community that has lots of opportunities for its

members and visitors to engage in personal and meaningful ways. One strength of St. Paul’s she really admires is

our understanding of the inevitability of change while honoring our faith practice through ritual and tradition.

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Voting Procedures

Eligible Voters

Sixteen years of age or older

Confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church at St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church

Confirmed or received members who transferred to St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church from another parish

In good standing — having attended the Eucharist three times in

the past year

Number of votes needed to elect

One half the number of ballots, plus one.

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Reports

Locum Tenens Reports…………………………….17-19

Curate’s Report………………………………………..20-22

Sr. Warden’s Report………………………….………22-23

Jr. Warden’s Report………………………..…………23-24

Program Staff Reports…………………………..……….25

General Reports……………………………………..….26-27

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Locum Tenens Report

As I write my report this year, it seems way too simple and far too trite to

say this past year has been a challenging one. St. Paul’s challenges began at

last year’s annual meeting when Fr. Ray shared about his health condition

and the next steps that he and Lisa needed to take. As we grieved together,

we began imagining what this would mean for the rest of the year. Fr. Ray

and Lisa’s sudden departure was traumatic to our parish system. With parish

and diocesan support, the leadership’s plan was to help stabilize and bring

comfort to a shocked and grieving parish.

We could not have imagined that March 15th was going to be our last in-

person worship service for several months. COVID-19 spread across the world causing a pandemic, the likes

of which had not been seen for over a century. With only a couple days’ notice, clergy and lay staff

immediately began reimagining what worship would

have to look like for the coming days. A gift of grace

was seeing how adaptable this parish was as worship

continued in different ways. That was the first of many

reminders I have received this year of the resiliency of

St. Paul’s.

Our time apart stretched beyond a few weeks and we

all saw that the yearly celebration of Jesus’

resurrection on Easter was going to still take place, but

we would not be together in our beloved nave. We

began livestreaming our worship services with a

simple iPhone. The vestry began imagining what could be possible with livestreaming worship services and

chose to invest resources in enhancing our capabilities. This kind of courageous leadership showed we

believed we could still thrive during this time.

We continued to worship together as we remained flexible and adapted throughout the late spring and

summer. We returned to in-person worship at the end of August. Our beautiful courtyard provided a space

where those who wanted to gather in-person could do so

in a safe way. After six weeks of outside worship, we

transitioned back into our nave. Health restrictions

meant our gathering was still not in a “normal” way.

However, throughout the weeks of the Fall, St. Paul’s

made witness to its resiliency and adaptability.

Beginning in December, and continuing even now in

Waco/McLennan County, we have seen a massive

increase in positive cases of COVID-19.

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The very freighting thing about this dramatic rise is the impact it

has had on our hospitals and health care workers. Because of this,

worship at St. Paul’s returned to a solely virtual format. This has

not been easy for any involved. Heartache has been felt and tears

have been shed. Yet, even through this, you all continue to be

resilient.

The resiliency of St. Paul’s, I believe, could only be possible

because of the deep and abiding faith of this parish. Being resilient

does not mean we court hardship or relish difficult moments. Even

as we struggle, we are still standing. In the midst of darkness, we

have remained faithful because God continues to enable us to be so.

I want to share now, examples of how your faithfulness continues to inspire me.

St. Paul’s has been blessed this past year with an incredible vestry. Our meetings had to be adapted, but we

worked together to stay faithful to the ministry here at St. Paul’s. I am so thankful for our Sr. Warden and Jr.

Warden, Curtis Cleveland and Robert Braswell. Their love for St. Paul’s and their faithfulness to God has

been a gift this year.

Praying together has been a significant aspect of St. Paul’s

response to this past year. Praying together the daily office has

become a regular part of worship. Program staff and lay members

have led daily prayer using the technology that is available. This

is another example of the adaptability and resiliency at St. Paul’s.

Beginning August 2 and for the next six weeks, St. Paul’s

continued the ministry of baptism. It was certainly different. Each

Sunday, one family joined the clergy in the courtyard as this

sacrament was celebrated. Many participated through livestream,

but all of us witnessed how we continued to find ways to live into

the ongoing life and ministry God has called us to.

I am so grateful for our musicians at St. Paul’s. Lauren

Weber, Jenna Hernandez, and Dr. Jeffrey Peterson continue

to offer their talents up to God. This fall we witnessed two

services of Evensong, a virtual parish hymn sing, and a

service of Advent Lessons and Carols. They adapted to how

life had to look through a pandemic. Looking at the numbers

of online participants and comments made, I know the

musical worship offered was a balm to many.

Formation opportunities continued this Fall. Adult, family,

youth, and children formation still took place. All had to lean into the frustrations of learning how to use

technology and what happens when things don’t work as they should. Our faithfulness was evident in

continuing to show up and try.

Ongoing pastoral care needs in COVID-19 meant we had to think creatively how to still minister. The vestry

led by regularly calling parishioners. Fr. Brandon and I wrote many cards and made numerable phone calls.

Some of our beloved parishioners died this past year, and we could not gather in a way that we would so

wish. Though certainly different, we did work together to join in prayer, be present in time of need, and mark

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when life in this age ended. These moments were hard, yet I believe God’s grace was given to us in these

moments of desperate need.

The office staff at St. Paul’s has been a source of encouragement to me this year. We have tried to remain

responsive to the needs of an active parish. Hours had to be adjusted, and how we worked together had to be

rethought, yet our staff was flexible and continued to serve our parish community.

Much gratitude is offered for our St. Paul’s School. Our school board of trustees, head of school, M’Lissa

Howen, faculty, and staff could not have imagined what was going to happen when all headed into spring

break last spring. Another example of resilient faith is found in our school. Faculty and staff continue to love

and serve all who come through our school. Untold hours have been spent rearranging classrooms and

planning for innumerable contingencies. St. Paul’s School, a

core ministry of St. Paul’s, has remained such an example of

faithful ministry. If you have not, please reach out to our

wonderful school board, faculty, and staff to share and show

your gratefulness for their ministry.

I cannot begin to tell you all how proud I am of St. Paul’s when

I think of how you served in our Mission Waco Thanksgiving

offering and our Angel Tree ministry. I must say I was blown

away by how you all resiliently showed up to minister to those

in need. What a joy it was to watch you live out your faith!

Thank you for continuing to say yes to God.

2020 was a year full of challenges that staggered us. We are still living with pain and heartache. As I have

shared before, I hurt because I know this parish, for whom I deeply care, is hurting. I have made decisions,

though I believe were necessary and faithful in responding to COVID-19, that have not pleased everyone.

Some of you have shared your disagreement and some your affirmation. Through it all, St. Paul’s remains

because God is with us. I could not have imagined what 2020 would look like as it began, but I will always

be grateful to God for this year of ministry and life we have shared together. I hope you always remember

how special St. Paul’s is.

I personally want to share how thankful I am for this parish as you have loved on Brandy, William, Samuel,

James, and me this year, especially as we grieved and continue to grieve the sudden death of my brother,

Dylan. You all did what you always do—share the love and grace of God because it is such a part of who

you are.

I cannot end my report without sharing how incredibly grateful I am for

Brandy and our boys. On the days that were dark and difficult, she has

been my constant companion. On the days in which my spirits soared, she

was the first to celebrate with me. Serving in ministry at St. Paul’s has

been another opportunity to live into the calling God has placed on my

life. I could not imagine following God’s call without Brandy’s love and

support. I give thanks to God for the gift of grace you have been and

continue to be in my life, Brandy, my love.

Faithfully,

The Rev. Dr. James M. Pevehouse

Locum Tenens, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Waco, TX

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Curate’s Report

It has been almost a year since I was ordained a priest in God’s one holy,

catholic, and apostolic Church. As the reader well knows, much has

happened in that time. Between Fr. Ray’s sudden departure in January and

the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic shortly thereafter, my first year of

priesthood has looked radically different than I had ever expected. I’ve said

it before, and I’ll say it again: They didn’t put this stuff in the brochure for

seminary.

For me, the year 2020 at St. Paul’s is best described as an

interregnum: a time between rulers or rules. Let me explain

what I mean by that. The title “rector” comes from the Latin

word for ruler (i.e. the rector is the one who “rules” the parish

on behalf of the bishop, giving it order). So, in a very literal

sense, with the loss of its rector, St. Paul’s entered an

interregnum at the parish level. But, when COVID-19 rapidly

spread around the globe, the whole world suddenly lost its

familiar sense of order and the rule of normalcy came to an

abrupt and bitter end. So, in a more figurative sense, under the

affliction of the pandemic, St. Paul’s also entered an

interregnum at the global level. And, yet, by the glorious grace

of God, the ministry of St. Paul’s continued in the double interregnum of 2020.

I think what I’ll remember most about how the COVID-19

pandemic affected St. Paul’s is how it disrupted and

transformed corporate worship. As a new priest, I could

count on my hands the number of times I had presided at

the altar for Holy Eucharist before the virus made such

sacramental gatherings impossibly unsafe. But even though

COVID-19 forced the church campus to close, worship was

never canceled.

St. Paul’s began livestreaming worship services less than a

week after campus closures were announced throughout the

diocese. From a humble beginning with Fr. James and I leading a spoken service of Morning Prayer using

only an iPhone and tripod in the chancel, to full Liturgies of the Word with organ and choir music captured

by five cameras discretely installed throughout the church, the digital worship life of St. Paul’s transformed

over the course of 2020. And this transformation brought St. Paul’s into the twenty-first century, seeing the

church outfitted with state-of-the-art livestreaming equipment meant to enable our digital outreach far

beyond the pandemic.

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In addition to campus-wide livestreaming and Zoom technologies

meant to empower virtual worship and online connection, St. Paul’s

also employed new technology as we began regathering in-person.

Using RSVPify to register parishioners for limited-capacity services

and contact trace if necessary, St. Paul’s resumed socially distanced

services of Holy Eucharist, first outside in the courtyard and then

inside in the nave as the infection and hospitalization rates allowed.

What is more, St. Paul’s also revived the noble Anglican practice of

praying the Daily Office each day of the week. The people of St.

Paul’s now have at least two services of prayer every day, morning

and evening. The reunion of weekly Holy Eucharist and the Daily

Office in the life of this parish is perhaps one of the best unforeseen

consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two of my “firsts” as a new priest occurred in the midst of the pandemic. I had the supreme joy of

performing my first baptisms in the church courtyard, and I officiated my first burial and committal services

at the columbarium. While these “firsts” looked very different

than I had imagined in seminary, the Holy Spirit showed up

and each liturgy was full of grace.

Like worship, pastoral care continued in a different way in the

interregnum. Despite restricted access to homes, hospitals, and

assisted living facilities, the St. Paul’s family stayed

connected: countless phone calls exchanged between

parishioners and clergy, hand-written cards and notes sent by

mail, and prayers said with the sick, the dying, and their

families via Zoom. At a time when the world was more

disconnected than ever, St. Paul’s held together in the bonds of

Christian love.

Formation also continued despite our inability to gather in

classrooms. Shortly after the pandemic forced the St. Paul’s

campus to close, I taught a class via Zoom titled “The

Threefold Rule,” which explored the relationship between

the Holy Eucharist, the Daily Office, and personal devotion.

Teaching this class revolutionized my own understanding of

the sacraments, of prayer, and of the importance of the

gathered community in the life of the Church. This class and

the Eucharistic famine during which it occurred will leave

an indelible mark on priesthood.

In the fall, I organized Episcobasics 2020, which enlisted the

knowledge and skill of a team of lay teachers and

culminated in the laying on of hands of nine people by

Bishop Ryan at her visitation in Advent. The Episcobasics 2020 class did something no other Christians have

done in the history of the Church: completing thirteen weeks of Christian instruction completely online

during a global pandemic. That is something to celebrate!

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In short, 2020 was an extraordinary year for ministry here at St. Paul’s. While I grieved the loss of Fr. Ray as

my mentor and while I have been perpetually challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been

indescribably thankful to serve as a priest in this parish. I am

immensely grateful for the leadership and counsel of Fr.

James, whose patient and steady presence as Locum Tenens

has been invaluable in guiding this parish through its double

interregnum, as well as in my formation as a priest. I am

encouraged by the faithfulness of this parish’s wardens and

vestry, its staff, and its lay leaders in the midst of great

adversity and disruptions. And I am hopeful for what Jesus

has in store for St. Paul’s in 2021 and beyond.

Grace + Peace,

The Rev. Brandon S. McGinnis

Curate

Sr. Warden’s Report

This reflection provides the Senior Warden with the opportunity to thank you

for the honor of serving as a member of great Vestry teams who have shown

their love for St. Paul’s. Completing my fourth year on the Vestry, the

memories that will always stay with me are the opportunity to work alongside

21 Vestry members, interim priest Father Bill Fowler, Rector Father Ray

Waldon, Father James Pevehouse serving as Locum Tenens, and Father

Brandon McGinnis, our Curate.

The most fulfilling blessing to me has been getting to know the Vestry

members these past four years. My charge to every member of the parish as

we move forward out of 2020 health restrictions is to consider serving on a

future Vestry. Bring your talents, whatever they may be, as a leader of St.

Paul’s Church to serve on the Vestry.

We have remained steady as a strong parish in 2020 because of the leadership shown the last three years by

Robert Braswell, David Clinton, Megan Henderson, Lance Harris, and Justin Sage. What a joy it has been

getting to work alongside these five parishioners as three-year Vestry members, and I would like to be one of

the first to say job well done. More important to me is that I will always value and enjoy a deepened friendship

with Robert, David, Megan, Lance, and Justin.

Everyone needs to say a word of thanks to our clergy – Father James, Father Brandon, Father Keith and Father

John; the church administrative staff – Dorothy, Brandi, and Sarah; fabulous youth/family ministers Lisa and

Sara; talented musicians - Lauren, Jenna, and Jeffrey; and Head of School M’Lissa Howen for keeping our

church and school operational and safe in 2020, even though we all are missing fellowship with each other.

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Your Vestry made a forward-thinking decision back in March to make a substantial investment in the

livestreaming capabilities of our church. We can all be proud of the progress made in ten months that allows

our parish to reach out to homebound members and outreach to the community. All of the special Christmas

services presented in December displayed the beauty of our nave with excellent audio presentations of prayer,

music, teaching, and worship.

For the second time in my tenure on the Vestry, we are in the middle of a new Rector search. You can be

assured that the Holy Spirit has empowered a wonderful search committee, who represent all age groups and

worship preferences within the parish. Please pray for your search committee, led by Boyce Brown as chair,

to move forward in 2021 with a spirit filled quest for our new rector, who has already been chosen by our Lord

to come to St. Paul’s.

Respectfully,

Curtis Cleveland

2020 Senior Warden

Jr. Warden’s Report

Out with the old and in with the new. What can I say other than I am

SOOO glad 2020 is behind us! We still have the COVID-19 issue to

deal with, but, like winter, this too will also pass. Reflecting on the

past year, I recall its ups and down, its trials and challenges, and how

it stretched and tested our parish. Despite it all, we have survived.

Church life will go on, and one day—hopefully sooner than later—

we will be back attending church in person, attending choir practice,

going to Sunday School, resuming activities in the Youth space, and

scheduling Parish workdays and Parish Picnics. All our campus spaces will be back in use, and a new rector will

be leading us into the next chapter of life at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Waco. This will be a good feeling, and

our campus is ready.

We began last January with an upgrade to the HVAC software that was years overdue. This new software saves

money and allows us to better control the heated and cooled space. However, as soon as this project upgrade was

completed, we had an unexpected compressor failure on the rooftop chiller unit. A $13,000 repair. Ouch.

The Vestry and the Junior Warden were put to task last year as our rector was forced into a Medical Leave of

Absence. Then along came the COVID-19 pandemic, and life on Campus changed. Your Vestry and Facilities

Committee stepped up to the task of managing a church in transition and of supporting the need for unexpected

repairs and new challenges. I thank them for their support as we faced the challenges to our budget by unexpected

equipment failures and as we fixed what was needed while we also launched a whole new level of technology on

campus.

In response to the shutdown on campus, we began Live Streaming our services online through Facebook. This

was a new, unplanned experience St. Paul’s was unprepared for. Immediately we discovered the infrastructure

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was not in place to support the Live Stream requirements. Our vestry reacted quickly and approved a proposal to

upgrade our campus with Wi-Fi all over and cables for ethernet all over the church. The obstacles were numerous,

yet we have been successful in creating the Live Streaming experience we now have today. This may not seem

like a big deal, but the pre-live stream checklist is like an airplane pre-flight checklist. Fortunately, the downtown

renovation of 4th Street and 5th Street found a contactor in need of our lot on Jefferson for material storage and

staging. The contractor has leased the property, which helps us to cover the above costs.

As the shutdown progressed, the Sextons went into a deep clean of the church. The industrial carpet machine

came out, and all the church carpets were cleaned. The pew cushions were cleaned, and all the pews had a good

oiling and cleaning. After this cleaning, all the rest of the church was cleaned; closets, basements, and classrooms

were dusted top to bottom. Every nook and cranny we could find was cleaned, straightened, and put in order.

While all this cleaning was going on, we lost another compressor on the rooftop chiller mid-year: another $13,000

unexpected repair. Another big ouch. In addition to the above work, other repairs were completed. An Eagle

Scout project was performed on campus, and it entailed cleaning up the rest of the office parking lot, placing new

parking signs, renovating the school’s storage shed, and planting two trees in the front parking lot. We also had a

Parish workday in the spring. All outside lighting fixtures were repaired or replaced, and the parking lot in the

rear was striped for fire lanes. In addition, the bridge across the creek to the playground was made safer for the

young children who cross it.

Meanwhile on the roof, we had a leak in the Narthex

and found evidence of critter damage inflicted on

the EPDM rubber roof. Apparently, critters have

been up on the roof, sharpening their claws on our

rubber roof. Not good for a rubber roof. These

culprits were verified by game cameras, and a catch-

and-release program began in the fall. So far, we

have caught four raccoons, one opossum, and five

squirrels on the roof along with one raccoon, three

foxes, and two opossums in the courtyard. Also

captured by camera on the roof was a gray fox on

December 9. Who would have thought we had a

nimble fox on campus! It has been quite a year!

Mark your calendars for a Parish workday on March 20 with an alternate date of March 27 in the event of bad

weather.

We have an excellent vestry whom I support and trust to lead us through the 2021 year. I pray for our church and

our members as we forge ahead and work together to restore our life in Christ and extend our outreach in 2021.

God’s Peace.

Respectfully,

Robert S. Braswell IV

Junior Warden

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Program Staff Reports

Children and Family Ministries Report

Lisa St. Romain In the midst of the challenges of 2020, including the sudden

departure of our rector and ministry in a pandemic, the light and

love of Christ continued to shine. Young Christians and families at

St. Paul’s adapted to a new way of experiencing formation and

programs.

As we began 2020, we celebrated Epiphany in grand style with king

cake complete with “symbolic pulls” called discoveries and crown

making in the Fellowship Room followed by burning of the greens

and a piñata in the courtyard. We could not anticipate the loss of our

ability to gather together for worship, formation, and fellowship.

As COVID 19 spread around the world, our church and local

leadership sent people home at the beginning of Spring break to

keep us safe, and my office moved home to my dining room table. I

am grateful to several generous publishing companies (Spark, Godly

Play Resources, Illustrated Ministries, and FORMA) who quickly

provided a wealth of free resources that I shared with the St. Paul’s

Community.

In Lent and Easter, ministry changed and parents were

emailed weekly lessons that included activities and crafts.

These lessons supported the weekly Godly Play stories

that I streamed through the St. Paul’s Facebook page live

each Sunday.

The successes of 2020 were many! The virtual “flowering

of the cross,” the Pentecost dove leaving the St. Paul’s

campus to visit youngsters and the video I made of each

flying it, Disciple Camp to Mars and Beyond, Trunk or

Treat, the super successful Angel Tree outreach ministry,

the in-person Las Posadas, and the lovely Christmas

Pageant video that captured the voices and images of our

children as narrators, musicians, and the wonderful

characters of the Nativity of our Lord.

Sharing God’s stories and His light in this unusual and

socially distant calendar year brought me peace and kept

me grounded. My ministry was blessed from the support

of our amazing office and program staff that shared their

skills and encouragement. I learned to work through my

unfamiliarity of technology and to find peace in giving it my best effort with God’s grace.

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Director of Youth Ministries Report

Sara Allison Like most other ministries, the St. Paul’s Youth have had

an unusual year. We started off the year with many

meetings, service projects, and a week of Spring Break

adventures, but were never able to

carry that energy over into the

summer or fall. Instead of gathering

together in the youth room each week,

we’ve been doing a mix of meeting

online and on the playground. The kids have been so adaptable and willing to try

new things, and I’m so proud of their strength and flexibility.

A few of the fun activities we were able to do outside this year include a

sweatshirt crafting day, pumpkin painting, and a hide and seek Christmas gift

exchange, among other gatherings. We studied the Beatitudes and prayed through

Compline many, many times. We are hopeful to be able to meet again as usual in

2021, carrying the things we’ve learned in this hard period with us.

General Reports

Altar Guild Report Altar Guild is made up of a group of dedicated

individuals who labor behind the scenes doing one

of the most important jobs in our church,

preparing and caring for our Altar. On Friday,

workers prepare the elements for all the Sunday

Services. The devoted group members set up and

take down the Altar for all Sunday and other

Special Services. After the 11:00 AM Service, the

Altar flowers are delivered to the ill and infirmed

by the members. The Altar Guild also prepares the

Altar for all weddings and funerals at the church.

Contact Golda Brown for further information.

Daily Office Prayer The Daily Office Prayer Ministry formed in the

midst of the 2020 pandemic as a means for our

community to gather virtually for Morning,

Evening and Noonday Prayer and Compline. The

St. Paul’s clergy, program staff, and a team of lay

officiants have collaborated to lead the parish in the

Anglican prayer tradition twice a day. The Daily

Office is streamed on Facebook Live weekdays at

9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, Saturdays at 12:00 PM and

8:00 PM, and Sundays at 8:00 PM. If you would

like to join us in leading these daily prayer services,

please contact Sara Allison, for more details.

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Jenna Hernandez

11:00 AM Principal Conductor Music at St. Paul’s continues to navigate these

unprecedented times, and is managing to stay

afloat through various channels of performance.

Beginning late last spring, the Chancel Choir put a

pause on meeting due to the rapid spread of

COVID-19 across our country. This resulted in the

set up that we currently have for Sunday

mornings: two singers and an organist. Without a

weekly choral offering the decision was made to

add an extra service each month filled with music.

This began with the Choral Evensong in

September and continued with a Hymn Sing in

October. Most recently the music staff at St.

Paul’s, in collaboration with our clergy, was able

to release our 2020 presentation of Lessons and

Carols.

Going forward we will continue to find new and

exciting ways to bring musical gifts to our

congregation presently spread abroad. It is my

hope that our Chancel Choir will meet again and

make music in the coming year.

Lauren Weber

9:00 AM Principal Conductor Music in 2020 continued despite necessary

changes in format. Through March, the children

sang monthly at the 9:00 AM service with quick

rehearsal during children’s chapel. The joyful

noise singers sang twice a month. We are thankful

to have many members of the congregation

providing offertories throughout the year.

Throughout 2020 we had piano, organ, guitar,

horns, and strings present at the 9:00 AM service.

In COVID times the children offered virtual choir

offerings and many congregation members

participated in our virtual Hymn Sing and Lessons

and Carols. Looking forward to signing together

again in 2021. We can always use more people

singing and playing. If you are interested, please e-

mail lauren_weber@baylor.edu.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast No one needs to hear it again, “It goes without

saying!” 2020 was a year we will remember:

Fondly? Not so? Let’s just forget? At last, it’s

over? With profound sadness? Might as well

smile?

The Men’s Prayer Breakfast at St. Paul’s faithfully

met, in person, until late March 2020 and then

COVID shut us down. Bah – Hum Bug! In

September, due to the efforts of Robert Braswell

and others, we started to meet via Zoom

technology. Late September, 2020, we tried to

socially distance and meet face-to-face and

Zoomed but didn’t cook our own breakfast – so

had to skip Mercer’s watery eggs. Since the end of

November, and until further notice into 2021, we

are restricted to meeting via Zoom only. Bah-Hum

Bug times all 25 of us.

Fear not, the Lord is still in charge. We continue

to stay in touch, prayerfully and via the Zoom

meetings and with occasional e-note discussions.

PLEASE – join us! Contact Robert

[rbraswell@wahoocomm.com] and he will help

you get connected. He will also help with the

Zoom meetings on Wednesday mornings. We will

resume face-to-face as soon as it is safe.

May the Lord Bless us and help us to get back to

some realization of normal. Not our will but His

be done.

Outreach 2019 Report The Outreach Funding in 2020 was severely

limited due to limited funds but we were still able

to help Compassion Ministries, The Family Health

Center, The Cove, The Salvation Army

Waco/McLennan County and Meals and Wheels.

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2020 Statistics

62 Communion services held on Sundays

10 Communion services held on weekdays

171 Day School services held on weekdays

122 Daily Offices held on Sunday/Saturday

410 Daily Offices held on weekdays

10 Children received Christian baptism

0 Adults received Christian baptism

0 Youth confirmed

10 Adults confirmed, received or reaffirmed

9 Communicants received by transfer

2 Communicants transferred out

8 Communicants lost by death

2 Couples united in Holy Matrimony

11 Funerals conducted by St. Paul’s Clergy

1,174 Active, baptized members on the rolls at year’s end

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Comparisons

St. Paul’s Membership St. Paul’s Attendance St. Paul’s Baptisms

Active Baptized Members Average Sunday Attendance Total Baptisms

2014 1,130 2014 285 2014 19

2015 1,111 2015 291 2015 11

2016 1,127 2016 259 2016 19

2017 1,136 2017 249 2017 7

2018 1,126 2018 243 2018 5

2019 1,161 2019 247 2019 10

2020 1,174 2020 234 2020 10

Easter Attendance 455 Christmas Attendance 365

2020 Marriages 2020 Burials 2020 Baptisms

“Those whom God hath joined “Precious in the sight of the “Wherein I was made a

together, let no man put asunder.” Lord is the death of his saints.” Member of Christ, the child

of God, and an inheritor of

the Kingdom of God.”

Joe A. Hunter & Roberta Grace Murphey George Charles Barton Logan Alexander

February 20, 2020 James Reese Killion Lily Ruth Miller

Judith Ann Neville Eleanor Joy Allison Glenn Schaller & Katherine Goodnight Leta Patton Badgett Wiley James Newman

August 15, 2020 Diana Callan Braswell Thomas Whaley Adams

Sharron Leggett Karsten Nash Mooney

B.L. Barnes Indy Rowe Hartman

Charles (Charlie) Moore, Jr. Calvin Harris Glade

Vincent Ray Anderson Cooper Layne Peel

Joan Wilson Dell Harper Elle Peel

Fred Khoury

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Confirmations & Receptions

Total Confirmed,

Received, and Reaffirmed

2020

Confirmations 2020

2014 20

2015 21

2016 12

2017 12

2018 12

2019 13

2020 10

Transfers In “Whosoever will, let him come.”

Catherin McLaughlin

George McLaughlin

Cristian Bratu

Rosalie Barrera

Cody Newton

Corinne (Cosie) Newton

Keith Bilbrey

Martha Griffith

Dr. Jack Laing

Transfers Out “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.”

Elisabeth Rhoton

Christopher Rhoton

“Then they laid their hands on them, and

they received the Holy Ghost.”

Luke Bullock

Katie Larson

Connally Newman

Jennifer Peel

Receptions 2020

Jenna Hernandez

Renewals 2020

Christina Cobaugh

Robin Newman

Kira Harris

Lance Harris

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St. Paul’s Episcopal School

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

Educating the whole child in mind, body, and spirit is the mission of St.

Paul’s Episcopal School. I do not believe the school has ever faced as

many challenges to keeping this mission alive as we did in 2020.

Throughout the year, the faculty, staff, students, and families recognized

more than ever before the importance of fulfilling this mission. At the heart

of everything we do is the recognition that young minds are capable of

great things. Hand in hand with academic rigor is the belief that children

will walk with God if given the opportunity. As part of that philosophy,

our children engage in daily worship, which looked different since it was

virtual. Finally, we believe that learning and spirit mean nothing without action. Above all, we want young

men and women with the courage of their convictions and the ability to turn ideas into reality. At St. Paul’s

we strive to incorporate this mission in all that we do.

This year I began my fourth year of service as the Head of

School. The Board of Trustees and I continue to lead our

school toward a bright future. The Board continues to

emphasize remaining fiscally strong. However, the challenges

of COVID-19 brought financial challenges. The school closed

its doors to in-person instruction from March until the end of

the school year. Additionally, out of an abundance of caution,

summer programs were cancelled. A PPP loan was acquired,

which has since been forgiven. We continue to be diligent with

budgeting efforts to remain financially stable. An audit of our

accounts was conducted for the fiscal year 2019-2020, which

was a clean one, with very minimal adjustments. We continue

to work towards our goal of building an enrollment that will support the operating budget 100%, leading us

to become a self-sustaining school.

A yearlong self-study led to a visit from The Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools in February.

St. Paul’s was granted Provisionary Accreditation pending submission of an Interim Report submitted on

January 15th of this year. The report addressed the recommendations made by the On-Site Visiting Team.

The self-study and accreditation report are leading the Board of Trustees into the strategic planning

process.

St. Paul’s saw enrollment grow to 207 students by the end of the

2019-2020 school year. However, COVID adversely affected

enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year. The school opened

its doors to 167 students in August. Since August, however,

enrollment has grown to 184 students. The staff continues to

work diligently to design a creative curriculum to build a strong

academic foundation for our virtual and in-person students.

Teachers and students alike have been able to pivot from in-

person instruction to virtual learning easily. I believe we will

continue to see growth in enrollment as conditions improve in

our community.

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I am amazed at how we have attacked educating our children. I must

say I learned that you can teach an old dog new tricks. I feel confident

in saying that some of what we have learned as educators have made us

and the instruction we give better. I am deeming 2021 to be the year of

hope! I am hopeful that at some point our lives will return to what we

understand to be normal.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised

is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23

I am hopeful that our school will continue to grow and that the teachers

will continue to teach the best and the brightest among us, our children.

Respectfully submitted,

M’Lissa Howen, M.Ed.

Head of School

St. Paul’s Episcopal School

Educating the whole child in mind, body, and spirit.

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St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

2021 Office Holiday Closure Schedule

Monday, January 18, 2021 …………………....Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday, February 15, 2021………………………………..President’s Day

Friday, April 2, 2021………………………………………..…Good Friday

Monday, April 5, 2021……………………………..……….Easter Monday

Monday, May 31, 2021…………………………………..….Memorial Day

Monday, July 05, 2021……………. ……....Independence Day (Observed)

Monday, September 06, 2021…………………………..……….Labor Day

Thursday, November 25, 2021……………………….…Thanksgiving Day

Friday, November 26, 2021……………………..Friday after Thanksgiving

To Be Determined…………………………….……….…..Floating Holiday

Friday, December 24, 2021 – Friday, December 31, 2021…Christmas/New Year Break