It’s no secret that most people don’t get too excited about Annual Meetings. They can be long and they can be tedious and they can even be boring. But they shouldn’t be!

The Annual Congregational Meeting is a once a year chance to hear about what has been accomplished in the past year and the hopes and aspirations for the coming year. Read the Annual Report here.

Under the capable leadership of Lynn Meehan and the Welcoming and Hospitality Committee, the eight committees of Bishop and Chapter are hoping to make the upcoming ACM more than just an ACM.

An intentional goal has been set to bring more people out to the meeting and to have them leave looking forward to next year’s meeting! That’s an ambitious goal and to that end, some changes and additions have been made to the program.

It’s clear that one thing this congregation enjoys is a chance to share fellowship over a meal! And so, this coming Sunday, there will be a joint service at 10:30. The joint service is meant to make it easy for attendees of all three services to worship together and go directly to the Hall for lunch. No need to go home or find something to do until the meeting starts! Lunch will be a smorgasbord of the best chilis by the best chili makers (homemade vegetable soup for non-chili aficionados) and a ‘Noodle Town”, build-your-own pasta buffet for youngsters. Beef, chicken and vegetarian chili options will be available, along with sweets, hot chocolate bar (think whipped cream and other toppings), tea, coffee, juice and popcorn.

Not only do we want you to bring your children along, Kurt Schmidt, our Christian Formation director and the Christian Formation Committee, is working on a fun-filled afternoon of entertainment for them.

A focus of the meeting will be on getting to know the eight committees of Bishop and Chapter, their members, highlights of their past year’s work, and a glimpse at what they hope to accomplish going forward into 2019. We often hear congregational members say that they don’t have a clear understanding of what happens beyond Sunday services at Christ Church Cathedral. In short and lively 2 minute presentations, the Committees hope to change that! Maybe you will find a place for your skill or talent on one of those committees?

Yes, there will be “normal” ACM duties. We can’t, nor should we, avoid this portion. We need to focus on business. We need to discuss budgets. But we need to do it in the context of understanding how much our Church means to us and to those that it supports through its various ministries. So, we are hoping that you will attend, that you will read your Annual Report, that you will listen carefully to what is being done with not a lot of dollars and that you will enjoy every minute of this afternoon of fellowship.

And, by the way, did I mention that there will prizes. For example, Fredericton Tourism will have a display set up with Wellness and Family Activity information for all. You must be present to have an opportunity to win one of their “Freddy Beach Family Activity Gift Packs."

Please mark February 24th on your calendar and plan to attend what will be so much more than a typical Annual Congregational Meeting.

Gail MacGillivray