Staffing Changes - Fall 2024

Dear Friends of Saints James and Andrew,

This past spring, we hired Deb Parker as our Facilities staff to address our cleaning, event, security, on call, and other facility needs. She has done great work for us, including making several efficiencies. This fall Deb’s schedule changed, and we came to the mutual decision that her time with us would conclude on November 23, following the Mistletoe Mart & Craft Faire. Please join me in thanking Deb for a job well done. 

We’ve spent the last two years experimenting, analyzing and learning about our staffing needs. As the Vestry looked to the future, we decided to go in a new direction. We have hired our current Office Administrator, Aaron McMurray, as our new Parish Administrator, effective November 1. Aaron has a background in supporting churches administratively, as well as, in a facilities management role.  Aaron will continue to be responsible for all of their current tasks around parish administration and communication, property use, plus event set up/take down, property on call, security, minor repairs, liaising with the Property Committee around meeting contractors and keeping up certifications.  Moving forward, Aaron will have the overall responsibility, being the point person, for the day to day operation of our spaces.

We believe this change:

• Reflects our current reality, and will lead to improved efficiencies. 
• Expands the time and capacity of the position to match the current needs of our property use program. 
• Fills many of the gaps that have been in limbo since our Sexton retired this past spring, and that they have the skill set and experience to do so. 

We are also entertaining the notion and weighing the pros and cons of hiring a staff person v. hiring a cleaning service. We have learned from other churches with large, active facilities how helpful it was to make such a shift. We are currently collecting the information from cleaning services, but we believe it is worth the Vestry’s serious consideration. We hope to make a decision within the next couple of weeks.

Another staffing change relates to our Missioner, the Rev. Jimmy Pickett. We hired Rev. Jimmy to serve as our Missioner for Formation, Community, and Mission as part of a two year holy experiment with our diocese and St. John’s, Athol. The position was ⅔ time, with ⅓ time in each parish, and Rev. Jimmy supplemented this work with agricultural work. He has done excellent work building a community on Wednesday mornings with those who gather for Holy Eucharist, as well as his work with our young families ministry. As we looked back on the first year together, we realized his work was heavily under the umbrella of formation. We’ve changed his title to Missioner for Formation and his work for the second year will be focused primarily on continuing the great work he has already begun. This is a time specific job, and Rev. Jimmy will conclude his time with us in late 2025.  Meanwhile, St. John’s, Athol, have increased his time to ½ time, allowing him to focus more fully on parish ministry and take a step back from agricultural work. 

As the young families ministry has experimented and grown this last year, we made the decision to shift to some Sunday morning programming a couple of times a month starting in Advent. This ministry will be run by parents, caregivers, and other parishioners excited with engaging our young parishioners.  Rev. Jimmy is currently overseeing the hiring process so we might pay for a second adult to help manage childcare (kids who need to be brought to the restrooms or require a bit of support in listening or engaging with the programming). If you know anyone who would be a good fit for this role who is over 18, please contact Rev. Jimmy at [email protected]. Likewise, if you are excited to potentially work with our young kids on a rota of other volunteers, please speak to Rev. Jimmy or myself. 

Thank you for your ongoing love, care, and support for the James and Andrew community, and your faithfulness to the mission and ministry God has called our parish into during this chapter. May God continue to bless the work happening here, and may all we do be to the glory of God.  
​
Peace,
Rev. Heather J. Blais,
on behalf of Clergy & Vestry