Vestry

ST. LUKE’S VESTRY

Members of Vestry at their annual retreat at St. Thomas Episcopal Church Center.

The Vestry is the legal, canonical, and financial “board of trustees”. The Rector is the ex officio chair of Vestry. Along with the Rector, the Senior and Junior Wardens, the Treasurer, and the Clerk of Vestry form the Executive Committee. Members of the Executive Committee act as the corporate officers of the parish, set Vestry meeting agendas, and manage parish business between Vestry meetings. 

Members are elected for three-year terms (renewable once) and lead the parish in setting its goals and policies, maintaining the physical plant and its grounds, and managing the overall finances of the parish. Members serve on various standing and ad hoc committees and task forces in support of the parish’s mission.

Officers

  • Stephen Doster- Senior Warden
  • Eileen Sidelnick – Junior Warden
  • Rob Box – Treasurer
  • John Gragson, Esq.– Clerk

Members

  • Laurie Daub
  • Fieldon Daubert
  • John Feather, Esq.
  • Carmen Gaud
  • Matthew Haag
  • Jennifer Hackett
  • Sue LeBaron-Tonini
  • Pam Weaner, MD

Committees and Task Groups

St. Luke’s is a community that values collaboration among all its members in the work of mission and ministry. This work is often organized through standing committees and ad hoc task groups as necessary. The standing committees and their respective responsibilities are listed below. 

  • Worship Committee 

Worship is not merely one activity among many but is the core, the heart, and the center of the Church’s life as lived in the parish community. Because our faith is a covenant and corporate faith, we worship always in union with other churches. Consequently, we share rites and norms of worship that are contained in the Book of Common Prayer (and its supplemental sources) as they are interpreted in various policies articulated by the diocesan bishop, the first among leaders of worship in the Episcopal Church. The worship committee acts as a key committee of the parish and is to provide support, advice and guidance to Vestry, clergy and staff in all matters related to worship in the parish. The worship committee specifically shall assist the Rector in fulfillment of his/her duties pertaining to matters of worship as prescribed by canon law (especially the Book of Common Prayer), the policies of the Diocese of Bethlehem and the parish. 

  • Outreach Committee (under redevelopment) 

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church strives to serve others through compassionate and personal outreach and its commitment to advocate for social justice. The Outreach Committee helps to coordinate and provide focus for the ministries carried out in, by and for the parish, especially through compassionate outreach, social justice advocacy, and pastoral care. The committee collaborates with other committees to facilitate long and short-range strategic plans established by the parish community by:

  • Attending to the needs of parishioners who are in vulnerable stages of life.
  • Advocating for those in need in our community and beyond.
  • Evangelizing through visible and tangible good works that include but are not limited to:
    • Feeding the hungry and giving drink to the thirsty.
    • Clothing the naked.
    • Providing shelter for the homeless.
    • Tending to the sick.
    • Providing for the needs of those imprisoned.
    • Burying the dead.
  • Building a deeper understanding of biblically based social teaching and a greater commitment to compassion and to act for social justice.
  • Developing, supporting and carrying out a parish-wide outreach plan as part of the overall pastoral plan of the parish.

The Outreach Committee acts in deep collaboration with Lebanon County Christian Ministries (LCCM) for efforts in these areas, especially the areas of food insecurity and shelter. 

  • Christian Formation Committee (under reorganization)

The Christian Formation Committee provides support and advice to the Vestry, clergy and staff in matters relating to the Christian Education and Spiritual Formation of all members of the parish regardless of age and stage of development.  

  • Fellowship Committee 

The Fellowship Committee provides leadership for social events within the parish. This includes traditional Sunday Coffee Hours, the Annual Church Picnic, and other special celebrations of parish life as a faith community. It often works in collaboration with the parish’s Episcopal Church Women’s organization (ECW) to plan and execute these opportunities. 

  • Finance Committee

The Finance Committee provides support, advice and guidance to the Vestry, clergy and staff relating to church related financial matters. It maintains a sound internal control system that assures the Vestry and people of the parish that funds collected and disbursed receive proper handling and are accounted for in accordance with the Vestry’s wishes. The Finance Committee assists the Treasurer in fulfilling the respective duties prescribed by Canon law.  The Finance Committee assures that the parish conducts its affairs in accordance with the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs of The Episcopal Church.

  • Stewardship Committee (under development)

As a formal subcommittee of the Finance Committee, the Stewardship Committee is to provide support, advice and guidance to Vestry, clergy and staff as it relates to what it means to be stewards of God’s gifts, the nature of the gifts of which we are stewards, and the role of financial resources (money) in the life of the Body of Christ (the Church).

  • Property Committee (under reorganization)

The parish is where the Church lives. Parishes are by definition communities formed by individuals of faith, of action, and of hope. However, these communities exist in the real world and are housed in buildings and institutions that stand as symbols of the continuing life of the Christian community. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church has received a rich legacy of physical buildings and appointments over which careful stewardship must be exercised. The Property Committee oversee all activities associated with the operation, maintenance, safety and security of all buildings, grounds, furnishings and equipment owned by the church (property), except those items expressly the responsibility of another committee or organization. The Property Committee advises and assists the Vestry and the Rector (or another person designated by the Rector) on matters relating to its building, facilities, and grounds.

  • Personnel Committee

The Personnel Committee advises the Rector and Vestry on employee personnel matters, planning for staffing, assisting with interviews and hiring, development and maintenance of the Employee Personnel Policies and Practices, i.e., Personnel Manual, employee evaluations, and salary adjustments, and other personnel related concerns as requested.