2017 Rector’s Report
Submitted by The Rev. Paul Kane
I want to take this opportunity to tell you how grateful I am to be serving as the seventh Rector of St. Paul’s! 2017, my second full year serving as your rector, was truly a memorable one. It is an incredible joy and privilege for Irene and I to be a part of this loving, welcoming, and active parish family. The following report is an attempt to highlight some of the many wonderful events and initiatives that made 2017 so special.
Vision 2020 Strategic Plan
In April, our Vestry approved the final draft of our Vision 2020 Parish Strategic Plan (available to read here). With the publication of our Strategic Plan, the real work of an effective plan began…its implementation. Our Strategic Plan is a living, transformative document that is helping to guide us through the intricacies of our common life for the next three years. As a part of the Strategic Plan, we crafted new mission and vision statements that reflect the joys and challenges of our mutual call to discipleship in this ever-changing community and wider world. Our Strategic Plan is focused on achieving five goals: (1) Growth in Membership, (2) Enhancing Our Spiritual Vitality, (3) Increasing Opportunities for Fellowship, (4) Outreach to Those Broken by Life Circumstances, and (5) Strengthening Our Christian Education and Spiritual Formation. In addition to our Goal Committee Chairs, each member of our Vestry is a part of one of the Goal Committees to help oversee its effective implementation and ensure that appropriate resources are allocated to the activities and initiatives called for by the Plan.
Clergy and Staff
In 2017 we had a few transitions in our pastoral staff. At the end of February, we celebrated the incredible ministry of Dr. Keith Paulson-Thorp. As Keith journeyed into retirement in Mexico, we welcomed Mrs. Erin Paiva as our interim organist from March through May.
In June, we welcomed Dr. Paul Cienniwa as our new Director of Music Ministries. Dr. Paul “hit the ground running” by leading the music program for our Vacation Bible School (VBS) the first week of June. Seeing the smiling faces of the little ones at VBS, we knew we had hired a special and gifted person to lead our music ministries at St. Paul’s. It has been a great joy to welcome Dr. Paul and his wife Jackie into the life of our parish family.
At the end of the 2016-17 school year, we celebrated the wonderful ministry of Mrs. Diane Simpson, who retired after serving 20 years as a teacher in our Day School. This school year 2017-18, we have welcomed Ms. Gracie Aho as our new Pre-K teacher. Gracie is exceptionally talented and she is truly adored by the children she cares for at our Day School. Recently, we have hired Mrs. Nonette Orne as a teacher’s assistant in our Day School.
At the end of the 2016-17 school year, we celebrated the ministry of Mrs. Isabel Hernandez, who served as our interim Coordinator for Church School and Children, Youth, and Family Activities. For the current school year, we re-structured our Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, eliminating the position of Activities Coordinator and creating the position of Children’s Faith Formation Coordinator. I’m happy to say that we offered this position to Mrs. Liz Ryan, our Day School Director, and she joyfully accepted. Mrs. Ryan and Rev. Kathleen Gannon, our Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry, recruited a wonderful team of Church School volunteers who are helping to form our pre-school and elementary aged children in the faith. We have also welcomed Mike and Nancy Armstrong, Elyse Granda, Tim Kilpatrick, and Autumn and Mike Mreczko as our new Youth Ministry leadership team. These dedicated volunteers are working with our Junior High and High School youth and their families.
The greatest asset of any parish is its human resources, and at St. Paul’s we are blessed with outstanding staff members and faithful disciples of Jesus.
New Initiatives in 2017
In addition to sustaining many of our flourishing ministries and outreach partnerships, in 2017 we began new ministries and initiatives, while revitalizing and reimagining others.
- Youth Choir: Under the direction of Dr. Paul Cienniwa, we have started a new Royal School of Church Music-affiliated Youth Choir. Our Youth Choir debuted in the fall and also sang for our Advent Lessons and Carols service.
- Lenten Lunches: Through this ecumenical initiative, we welcomed two guest preachers at two special mid-week Lenten services. Each service was followed by a delicious lunch with the proceeds benefitting CROS Ministries, one of our main local outreach partners in grace.
- Seasonal Members and Friends Receptions: In March, we joyfully enhanced our “in-reach” to our seasonal members and friends by continuing our “Snowbird/Northern Lights Receptions.” In December, we welcomed back our “Northern Lights.” Both of these lovely receptions were hosted by Jim and Ellen Walton.
- Lent/Advent Reflections: As part of our goal to enhance our spiritual vitality, we began a weekly reflection series in Lent. This seven part series of reflections on the Lord’s Prayer was authored by our parish clergy and three lay members. We published this series across our various communication media, including email, E-pistle, and print. This series was followed by a series of reflections for Advent that we titled “Watching with Hope”. Be on the lookout for our seven-part series this Lent titled “Lord, Teach Us How to Pray”.
- Summer Family Fun Days: Inspired by our Strategic Plan’s call for more intergenerational fellowship events, we sponsored three outings for families this summer. We enjoyed an evening at a Marlins game, a day at Lion Country Safari, and an afternoon watching and discussing the acclaimed film “Dunkirk”.
- Youth Ministry Team: As noted in the “Clergy and Staff” portion of this report, we formed this team of six adult volunteers to help our Junior High and High School youth to love and live their Episcopal faith!
- Disaster Response Ministry: In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which devastated the Texas Gulf coast, we formed a team of parishioners to assist with disaster relief and recovery efforts. Under the leadership of Deacon Helen Trainor, this team helped to coordinate several collections of desperately needed donations of money and supplies to support various disaster relief efforts this fall, most especially in the Florida Keys. To date, we have sent four mission teams to the Keys to help in the wake of Hurricane Irma, collected $9,200 for various relief efforts, and sent several truckloads of relief supplies to the Keys. We hope to send another mission team, including our Youth Group, later this year.
- This Is My Story: Responding to the call for more “in reach” to our congregation members, in December we started this weekly series of personal stories of transformation by God’s grace and the ministry of St. Paul’s. You can read the whole series to-date on our website. I hope it inspires you and encourages you to share your story or someone else’s story!
Sustaining Active Ministries in 2017
As a community that embraces our Baptismal Covenant to “seek and serve Christ in all persons,” we continued to support vital ministries in our community and beyond. In January of 2017, we celebrated the 2nd Anniversary of the Delray Beach Children’s Garden, a teaching garden that offers a variety of programs on indigenous plant life, the environment, and sustainability. Our Paul’s Place after-school program continues to thrive, serving as a model for public and faith-based partnerships to the benefit of our children. In 2017, we added a dedicated computer lab to help our Paul’s Place children to stay ahead of the technology curve and so increase their academic achievement.
In 2017, we continued to expand our collaboration with our Episcopal neighbors at St. Matthew’s and the Blessed James Holly Haitian Episcopal Mission in Delray. This year we increased our combined worship services to include a Thanksgiving Eve service, hosted by St. Matthew’s and featuring a combined choir of members from all three congregations.
We continue to partner with and support several community outreach organizations, including: C.R.O.S Ministries, Family Promise, Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida, Habitat 4 Humanity, and the South County Recovery Residence Association. We also continue to support and partner with international outreach organizations, including: Bon Samaritan Church and School in Bondeau, Haiti through our commitment to the South Florida Haiti Project, and the Madagascar Mission in the Diocese of Toliara, East Africa.
Sacramental Life in 2017
As Episcopalians, we are a sacramental people. We celebrate significant life events through our ritual prayer in community. From baptism to burial, we journey the cycle of life together as disciples of Jesus Christ. At St. Paul’s in 2017, we welcomed 16 people into the fellowship of Christ through the life-giving waters of Holy Baptism, eight couples were joined together in the bonds of Holy Matrimony, and 17 people were prayerfully commended to the eternal joy of God’s kingdom through Christian burial.
2017 Finances
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our parish members and friends, the good stewardship practiced by our Vestry and Finance Committee, and a Diocesan-wide assessment relief for November and December, we ended 2017 with a budget surplus of over $47,000. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work of so many people on our two primary fundraisers, our late winter/spring Jumble Sale and our fall Treasures and Trinkets. These fundraisers provided us with critically needed income to help us meet our expenses. As we look ahead, we are hopeful that our 2018 pledges will meet our goal of $746,000. This pledge income, together with our other budgeted income sources, will provide the financial resources we need in order be all that God is calling us to be as a parish in 2018.
Looking Ahead
As we look forward to 2018 and beyond, we do so confident that God is faithful and walks with us at all times. This year, our Lectionary Cycle B for Sunday worship invites us to enjoy the spiritual nourishment of the Gospel according to Mark. One of the unique features of Mark’s Gospel is its message of urgency in welcoming the good news of Jesus Christ into our lives and communities. My prayer for our parish family is that we will not delay, but rather, embrace with joy, the salvation of our God offered to us in the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. May we live our faith with the courage and blessed assurance that comes from knowing that God is with us always, and that when God sends us to serve in Christ’s name, we are never alone.
In Christ, our Hope,
Paul+
Rev. Paul J. Kane
7th Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
2017 Annual Report: Sr. Warden
Submitted by Lorraine Sciara-Kelley
The call to Senior Warden or “Rector’s Warden” is an honor, privilege, and significant responsibility in the ministry of the Vestry and the church. As the lay partner to the Rector, the open and trusting relationship we developed over this year has helped us to serve our parish. Thank you to our Vestry for deliberate, prayerful and respectful management of our time, talent and treasures!
Vision 2020, our strategic visioning plan for St. Paul’s Church, was approved by the Vestry in April. This document is the result of countless hours spent reviewing our past, examining our survey and outreach data by the Visioning Committee and their Goal team members to produce a “living, working plan” for all of us to enhance our spiritual and faith journey. As I reflect on the work of the past year, the focus of all we do is to make a difference in people’s lives.
Our Mission is the reason we exist as a church and worship at St. Paul’s. Our team revised it to reflect who we are. It is:
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church spreads God’s love and grace in the world through inspiring worship, meaningful fellowship, Christian education and compassionate outreach.
How is your life changed by worshipping at St. Paul’s? We are blessed to have clergy who pray with us, listen to us in joy and sorrow, teach us about the gospels and help us use our time, talent and treasures to serve our Lord.
A special thank you to Kristen Murtaugh, Co-Chair, Father Paul, Deborah Cartwright-Clough, George Daniell, Rev. Kathleen Gannon, Catherine Hinds, William (Buff) Miner, and Henry (Punch) Peterson, our Strategic Visioning Team.
The Plan, available on line, was discussed after all church services in May. It’s design includes Objectives for each year of the plan with measurable activities and evaluation tools developed to help our teams determine how to best serve you, our parishioners!
Five new committees were recommended:
Church School and Youth Leadership Team, established in the fall of 2017;
Adult Christian Formation Committee
Church Ambassadors – to be developed
Fellowship Committee – established
Interfaith Relations Committee was formed to begin praying about and investigating extra-parochial opportunities for Inter-Faith Ministry.
New members are welcome.
As the implementation of our Goals continues, our Vestry will assume oversight of the work of committees in 2018. It is important to keep our lay leadership and parishioners informed about the success or need to modify our plans and activities.
Please Pray For Our Pastoral Strategic Visioning:
Lord, help us not only to know what we are to do, but give us the energy and will to do it strategically, faithfully and persistently
Communication is vital to making our parish life meaningful in doing God’s work. What are we called to do?
Thank you to George Daniell, Junior Warden, for his oversight of the care and maintenance of our beautiful church and grounds.
Stewardship is about the care and use of all of our resources. We ended the year with a modest excess of funds. Thank you for your generosity and our Vestry for their care and wisdom.
As you know, we were fortunate that Hurricane Irma moved west after landing in the Keys. Your response to our call for supplies and manpower was remarkable! As our sister parish, St. Columba, continues to recover, you are continuing to respond to their needs with hard work in a loving way.
In the first quarter of the year, Dr. Keith, our Music Director for ten years, retired. We thank him for his years of service, beautiful music, and prayerful discernment with us as we hired Dr. Paul Cienniwa. Effective June 1, Dr. Paul joined us to celebrate 30 Years of Music at St. Paul’s. Our music programs expanded to include a Children’s Choir. How joyful, beautiful and enriching is all music at St. Paul’s.
I thank Caren Kilpatrick, our Parish Administrator, for her work in managing the physical plant and getting all of us “where we need to go” with questions and our needs for pastoral care. Her willingness to care for others is a wonderful gift.
All of our staff should be recognized for the good work and outreach to support St.Paul’s Church. We are grateful to all of our volunteers who serve wherever they are called to do whatever is needed.
I am humbled and honored to have served as Senior Warden.
2017 Annual Report: Jr. Warden
Submitted by George Daniell
2017 was quite a busy year for St. Paul’s properties improvements and repairs. I will not go into all the specifics but it’s important to understand, with a campus that is over 100 years old, there is always something that needs attention.
The job of the Jr. Warden is totally dependent upon a good relationship with our Parish Administrator and Sexton. Without them the Jr. Warden’s job would not be so easy.
We could not have anyone better that Caren Kilpatrick in the Parish Administrator’s position. In vestry meetings I may eventually change the name of the Jr. Warden’s report to Caren’s report. She’s gotten quite good at passing me notes during the meetings. Whenever I’ve spoken with contractors, I always give multiple phone numbers and email information that include Caren’s information. We are a good team, and I so appreciate all she does for St. Paul’s.
Roscoe Campbell has been our Sexton for quite a while now. As a result, he now knows where everything is because he probably took it down and put it away. He is always happy to help with projects. While we do try to give advanced notice for things, there are many times when we are doing 10 things at once and all of them require his help. He does those last minute tasks without question and with a positive altitude.
Last spring the Delray Beach Old School Square Historical Area, which includes St, Paul’s Episcopal Church, was nominated to be part of the National Register of Historic Places. It is an honor to be nominated, so many wonderful things have been done in the name of Christ by the good people of St. Paul’s over the past 100+ years. Thank you and God bless you, to all who have come before us.
So, what did we do to the campus in 2017?
- The Parish Hall was repainted, the ceiling fans were replaced as was the awning over the courtyard. The painting and ceiling fans were a gift, and the awning was paid for from Designated Contributions.
- We had our 1st annual Jr. Warden’s breakfast. The new Jr. Warden ended up with quite a list of things that all the other Jr. Warden’s thought should be on it. This is a breakfast for former Jr. Wardens, so I made a gourmet breakfast. Actually, I bought a dozen donuts and everyone was happy.
- Shortly after this meeting the ladies’ bathroom toilet was replaced with one that flushed. And I added window sills in Bush Hall and Guild Room. I didn’t even know they were missing.
- We had our 1st work day cleaning out the storage shed in the back of the Children’s Cottage. It was great day, and when we were done we could actually walk into the shed.
- As a result of the Jr. Warden’s meeting, I took on the task of getting storm windows for the second floor windows. This took a little longer than I would have liked, they were installed the week after Hurricane Irma came to visit. We paid for the 16 storm windows from the Burch Fund.
- Hurricane Irma was not a direct hit, but our campus did see some tree damage. We had a tree fall on the fence on 1st street. We repaired the fence using the Burch fund.
Usually summer time is the slow period in South Florida, but not at St. Paul’s. There was so much activity it was hard to keep track who was doing what and when. The following things were done during the months of June, July, and August:
- Paul’s place received a generous gift that enabled them to purchase several new computers and printers. Kathy Fazio and Taylor Kilpatrick requested that we create a secure location for the new equipment in the Children’s Cottage. Our first thought was to consolidate the Nursery into a single room, after further discussion we decided to secure the entire Children’s Cottage for the exclusive use of Paul’s Place. I think on the same day we made that decision, Taylor had the painters in the Children’s Cottage. It is now very bright and cheerful. I call it “Taylor Yellow”.
- At the same time we were looking to do something different with the bookstore. We wanted to create a more flexible bookstore, one that could be set up in a more visible spot and opened as needed. We boxed up the contents of the bookstore and put the inventory into the cabinets in the Guild Room along the western wall. Over the past months you may have noticed bookstore items offered for sale in the Parish Hall.
- We repainted the bookstore room and Children’s Chapel and relocated the Nursery into this new space for the start of the new school year. This is a great new space for the Nursery – very bright and closer to the church. Stop by and take a peak, it came out great. All costs of these changes were gifted to St. Paul’s. This was a team effort, thank you to everyone that helped.
- Paul’s place installed new playground equipment for the older children behind the Children’s Cottage and gifted new playground equipment to St. Paul’s Day School.
- The Day School classrooms were painted and cleaned.
- The front of the church was painted and new carpet installed on the front steps.
- Over the summer we replaced 2 AC units and repaired 4. The new units were paid for from the Burch Fund.
- All of the lights in the western parking lot were repaired or replaced.
- This fall, we had our second work day. We spread 3 pallets of mulch, with 80 bags per pallet – that’s 240 bags of mulch. It was done by so many helpers, and it was done in the pouring rain. I really cannot remember the last time I was that dirty. Oh my goodness, what fun we had.
The Real Estate Task Force is continuing to evaluate the best short-term and long-term solution for our western properties. Our short-term solution included a 3-year lease of the two lots currently being cultivated by The Delray Beach Children’s Garden. We had several estimates to refurbish the houses that we currently own on these properties to make them ready for rental. The cost vs. payback period was not to our advantage, so this is on hold.
We have been looking at long-term possibilities. There are several options the task force is discussing. Downtown Delray is a HOT Market, so selling the property is an option, but it also creates issues. Long-term income opportunities are also a possibility but take a while to develop and are expensive.
2017 Annual Report: Music
Submitted by Dr. Paul Cienniwa
Director of Music Ministry
The Beginning
My relationship with St. Paul’s began back in January, when I applied for the position of Director of Music Ministries. From February 1-3, I visited the church, and I was called to St. Paul’s shortly thereafter. My employment began on June 1. There were many reasons I accepted the call, from the hospitality of Dr. Keith, Sandy Norman, Mary Catherine Salo, and the choir, staff, and clergy to all of the exciting elements of the position. The main reason I accepted the position, however, was that I had found a church that was engaged in an active prayer life. Months later, I still boast that I have never worked in a church where the clergy prays as much as they do at St. Paul’s. It is my great pleasure to be a part of the St. Paul’s family.
A Week in the Life
The Director of Music Ministries’ typical week at St. Paul’s begins at 9am on Tuesdays with Day School chapel, followed by a music class till 10am. Staff meeting begins at 10:30, usually ending by 12:30. The rest of the day is spent planning music for upcoming liturgies, attending an occasional meeting, and performing an endless stream of small tasks, from answering emails to filing music to navigating this new position.
Wednesdays begin with nearly two hours of organ practice, following by more planning and organization. At 4pm, I meet with the Paul’s Place children for a music class. In the fall, this consisted of music appreciation sessions, and it has now moved to handbell training.
Thursdays also begin with organ practice, followed by preparation for evening choir rehearsals. Youth Choir arrives at 4:30, followed by their family dinner at 6pm. Adult Choir then rehearses from 7-9pm.
The weekend begins with a 4:30pm rehearsal for Illuminated Worship at 5pm. Sunday starts with a 9am choir rehearsal, followed by the 10am service. The monthly Music at St. Paul’s concert will extend my day till 5pm.
As I reflect on my first six months at St. Paul’s, I realize that so much of my time has been organizational, as I learn the culture and practices of St. Paul’s. Many times I wonder where my time has gone, but none of it is wasted. There is much to do.
Website and Music Catalog
For St. Paul’s outsiders, the first point of contact is very likely our website. Since music is so important to Episcopal worship, my first and continuing task has been for the music portion of our website to reflect our programming. New web pages have been created to better explain our music program, from “Adult Choir and Schola Cantorum” to “Youth Choir.” In order to detail our organs and pianos, there is now an “Instruments” page. (The handbells and upright pianos have yet to be listed.) For those who wish to know what our choir will be singing, there is now a “Service Music Calendar.”
The Choir Room has an extensive music library, but there is no catalog. One of my major tasks continues be the creation of an electronic catalog. This will serve well into the future so that I, and future music directors, will have a much better sense of the contents of the library.
Liturgies
For many church members, my first six months have been marked by changes to the music program. For Day School chapel, I brought back my high school guitar-playing skills. For Illuminated Worship, I have worked to make the service more jazz-oriented while also choosing more music from the Episcopal tradition. For Sunday worship, I have worked to align the music program to the Episcopal tradition, from using Anglican chant with the appointed psalm to using The Hymnal 1982 as the principle hymnal.
Ensembles
For most weeks throughout the year, Illuminated Worship features a core ensemble made up of soprano Anita Smith, saxophonist Larry Mellone, drummer Fred Wang, and me on piano. The ensemble is essential to the character of this contemporary worship service, often leaving the congregation clapping along with the music.
When I arrived at St. Paul’s, I stated that it would be a great failure on my part if I were unable to create a Youth Choir. I asked the parish for three children; I asked God for success. Through the grace of God and the commitment of our children and parents, we ended 2017 with a marvelous group of six singers, ages 6 through 9. The choir meets weekly for a ninety minute rehearsal, followed by a family dinner provided alternately by choir parents. Along with singing twice for fall Sunday services, the choir played a significant role in Advent Lessons & Carols. More so, the Youth Choir was the choir for the 5pm Christmas Eve Service. This is a remarkable achievement for such a young ensemble.
The Adult Choir continues the great choral tradition of St. Paul’s. Since my arrival, the ensemble has sung music from the Renaissance through the 21st century, with a special emphasis on unaccompanied singing. The choir is an essential component of our Sunday worship, and their work is greatly helped and enhanced by our professional Schola Cantorum: Emily Carter, Alex Drucker, Denario Kelly, Marie Ridolfo, Glen Rovinelli, Mary Catherine Salo, Anita Smith, Allen Webber.
Instruments
The three grand pianos (church, parish hall, and choir room) are all in good condition. The church piano is tuned before every concert, and the parish hall and choir room pianos are on a biannual tuning schedule. There is no current tuning schedule for the Bush Hall or Day School uprights.
The Lois C. Davett Memorial Positiv Organ has been moved from the church to the Choir Room. It will be used in the May Music at St. Paul’s concert, and I anticipate that it will continue to be used on an occasional basis.
The chancel organ continues to serve the congregation well. Through the generosity of several Vestry members, funding was secured for retempering and tuning of the entire instrument. The project took four days and was completed by our new tuners/technicians, Guzowski & Steppe of Fort Lauderdale. In July, Guzowski & Steppe provided an appraisal for insurance purposes: $1,275,000.
Please see stpaulsdelray.org/instruments for the list of instruments.
2017 Annual Report: Music at St. Paul’s
Submitted by Dr. Paul Cienniwa
Director of Music Ministry
Upon arrival in June, I adopted a mostly-planned concert series, thanks to my predecessor, Dr. Keith Paulson-Thorpe. With schedule and fees already negotiated, I merely had to set about publicizing the series–and this has been a big one: 2017-2018 is MASP’s 30th Anniversary Season. From building an up-to-date press list list to creating a brand new website, Music at St. Paul’s hit the ground running.
From there, I set out to build a three-part Board of Directors to assist in the oversight of MASP. The Board consists of three units: Patrons, Music Guild, and Advisors. Patrons oversee fiscal development and advancement. The Music Guild is responsible for concert management. Advisors work to select performers and develop programming. There is some overlap of the three units, as they all work together for the benefit of MASP. (Please see below for current Board membership. As of now, I have not developed the Patrons, since I am taking time to get to know MASP contributors.)
As Dr. Keith wrote in last year’s annual report, “The concert series remains in the black, financially, but with a significant number of our larger donors having departed this life recently, there will be challenges in the year ahead.” I was aware of this challenge before June, and I immediately strategized ways to expand MASP’s donor base.
As most non-profits receive the majority of income from smaller contributions, we began offering reserved seating for those who contribute $50 or more to the 2017-2018 concert season. (This replaced the “preferred seating” section, a seating option that was both confusing to manage and not very lucrative.) Not only did donors’ reserved seating increase the series income, but also it expanded the donor roll. In honor of MASP’s 30th Anniversary Season, we created the 30th Anniversary Circle. Members of the Circle have pledged to contribute $1000 or more for three consecutive years. All in all, MASP continues to operate in the black, and I anticipate an even healthier outlook as the donor roll continues to grow.
Many of this season’s concerts are preceded by a pre-concert lecture. Some of these lectures have been conversations with featured performers. These lectures have been well-attended, and they will continue to be a feature of MASP concerts for years to come.
Changes in leadership can bring about other changes, and those changes can go unintentionally unnoticed. With that in mind, I must mention that, shortly after I came on, Brigitte Kumpf announced that she would step back as Chair of the Music Guild. Brigitte has been a familiar face to the MASP audiences, and her many years of service–and her help in making my arrival painless–are something for which we can all be grateful.
A final note of gratitude must go to Marie Ridolfo. Marie is the graphic design guru behind MASP. Her posters, postcards, and flyers are essential to the character of the programming. More so, her knowledge as a musician makes her a reliable counsel and a delightful coworker.
–Dr. Paul Cienniwa
Music at St. Paul’s Board of Directors
| Patrons TBD Music Guild Ms. Fay Codner Ms. Anne Dichele Ms. Valerie Smith Ms. Janet Thompson |
Advisors Laurice Campbell Buckton, LTCL, director of Musica Delray LLC Dr. Stuart Gardner, former Director of Music at St. Paul’s Dr. Roberta Rust, Lynn University Mr. Donald Waxman, composer Prof. Allen Webber, Palm Beach State College |
2017-2018 Season
Con Brio String Quartet
Trillium Piano Trio
Duo Beaux Arts
Advent Lessons & Carols
Klotz, Calloway, Strezeva Trio
Pianist Roberta Rust with the Serafin Quartet
J.S. Bach’s Art of the Fugue (with 30th Anniversary Gala Reception)
Amernet String Quartet
Camerata del Ré
Palm Piano Trio
2017-2018 Season Donors
30th Anniversary Circle
Dr. Ruth E. S. Hayhoe
The Reverend Paul and Irene Kane
| Archangel Dr. Joseph & Andrea Goldberg Sandy Simon & Christy Collins Suanne B. Taylor Angel Nancy Flinn Sandra M. Houle Dr. Donald H. Jones Dr. Patricia Kollander Marie-Christine Leavitt & Berenice R. Lennon Mr. & Mrs. Leon Sachs |
Donor Fr. David Angelica Carol & Leonard Berkowitz Phyllis Blackman Ann Marie Chamberlain Rabbi & Mrs. Alan Cohen Dr. & Mrs. Leo Collins Judith Eiger John & Marie Gabrielson Sue Wetzel Gardner Carolyn M. Hilty Howard Hoffman Mariana Morris Suzanne Parker B. Michael Paschkes Priscilla Randall Joseph & Evelyn Ross Kathy Rousos Joan W. Salmon Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Sand Frank & Anne Marie Smith Valerie Vermont Smith Linda Sorenson Patricia C. Stewart Linda Sturdy Steven & Judith Varady |
Friend Nancy & Peter Ganyard Dr. Stuart Gardner Marcia D. Merritt Sally B. Oken Mary Range Aurora Siegl Donald Waxman Friend: $10-$99 |
2017 Annual Report: St. Paul’s Day School
Submitted by Mrs. Elizabeth “Liz” Ryan
Director of St. Paul’s Day School
Kindness counts! That’s what we say on the playground, in Chapel and in the classrooms of St. Paul’s Day School! We “catch the children being kind” and encourage everyone to try to be a recipient of the Kindness Award! And while they do that, they are learning not only how to treat one another, but they are gaining skills that will help them learn about the world God has given us!
Reporting for 2017 is slightly different for the Day School than for the church, as our year runs July 1st through June 30th like most schools. So there are portions of two school years included in this narrative. The end of the 2016-2017 year, and the beginning of the 2017-2018 year.
2017 started with our new staff member, Ms. Gracie Aho, learning the ropes in the Three Yr. Old class with Mrs. Diane Simpson who was planning to retire at the end of the school year. Ms. Aho brings not only a warm heart and a passion for Early Childhood Education, but a beautiful singing voice and the ability to play guitar and ukulele! Within days of starting, she felt like part of the team and is loved by her students.
The enrollment for 2016-17 as of January topped out at 37: 11 in each of our two VPK classrooms for Four Yr. Olds and 15 in the Three Yr. Old class (because we had two teachers in that class we were able to increase the size of the class in January with the hiring of Ms. Aho.) We had waiting lists for all three classes and were able to move new students in when two of our students and their families moved during the last part of the school year.
We said “Thank You” and “Happy Retirement” to Mrs. Simpson in June with a surprise luncheon attended by not only the whole school and many parents, but several alumni from Mrs. Simpson’s classes over the years!
During the summer we were blessed with a new piece of playground equipment (that was a gift from Paul’s Place donors) to replace the triple slide that begun to show some serious wear. A multi-use piece, with slides and places to climb and survey the playground, the incoming students were enthralled by the “new toy”! The fundraising we did early in the year afforded us two big, shady awnings over the piece so the children had a covering from the hot Florida sun. Thank you to all who supported our efforts!
Our enrollment for the 2017-18 year was capped at 33 (11 in each of the VPK classes and 11 in the Three Yr. Old class). With only one teacher in the class with our youngest children, we wanted to make sure they were well-supervised and taught. I have spent as much time in the classroom with Ms. Aho as possible as the children learned the routines of their day, and have provided the “extra eyes and hands” that were needed.
We are proud that we have been able to provide scholarships to several children who might not otherwise have been able to attend St. Paul’s Day School. In the ‘16-’17 school year there were 5 children who received partial scholarships and in the ’17-’18 year there are 3 children. The amounts vary by need and are approved by the Day School Board.
The Day School has been a very busy place, with visits from Ms. Ginger the Dental Hygienist, Engine #112 and the crew from the Delray Beach Fire Department, and the P.A.R.T.Y. van from the Delray Beach Police Department. That’s not even mentioning our walks to the Delray Beach Children’s Garden and our monthly science enrichment program visits from High Touch, High Tech!
All of this work is supported by a terrific, dedicated group of people who make the Day School a happy place to learn! “It takes a village” and the “village” who help us give the children a special place to attend preschool include: Our teachers (Mrs. Yates, Ms. Aho and Mrs. Miller); Our priests, Fr. Paul Kane, Reverend Kathleen Gannon and Fr. David Angelica (who make Chapel a holy and special time in our week); Dr. Paul Cienniwa (who has given us beautiful and joyful music each week and whom we have indoctrinated into the Day School way of finding joy in every day!); Caren Kilpatrick who keeps track of our income and expenses for the school; the Day School Board who lend their time and talents at every opportunity – Jennifer Kilpatrick and Sherry Fleming, Co-Chairs, Tippi Breakwell, Joanne Grubman, Erin Keller, Kacey Keogh, Marie Ridolfo, Tania Shelley and Michelle Warden (we are so grateful for their ideas, helping hands, and tireless support); and the attention and care of Mr. Roscoe Campbell. (Who has been known to come to the rescue when “messes” occur without warning!)
We’re all – the children, their families, the teachers and I – so blessed to be recipients of God’s grace in this ministry. And as we thank God for St. Paul’s Day School, we pray for the people of St. Paul’s church, and we ask your continued prayer that each child will develop a lifelong love of learning, and that they may know the importance of following Jesus and being kind to all!
2017 Annual Report: Paul’s Place Afterschool Program
Submitted by Kathy Fazio
Director of Paul’s Place Afterschool Program
During the past 17 years, Paul’s Place has remained steadfast in our commitment to bring meaningful services to “at risk” children in the Delray Beach Community. We provide a safe haven for our students, nutritious meals and snacks, tutoring as well as enriching their lives in as many ways as possible. Paul’s Place has transformed into a program that is far more comprehensive than any other after-school program in the area. Our students do not “age out” of the after school. Rather, we strive to support our students through high school and into college and beyond.
Current daily enrollment at Paul’s Place is 30 students ranging in age from 6-18. In addition, we have college students, supported by our Scholarship Fund, who continue to arrive at Paul’s Place to receive academic counseling, help with financial aid, computer access or just a quiet place to study. It is our hope that our relationship will empower them to successfully navigate through college culminating in the attainment of a college degree.
Here are some of the things that we are currently doing:
- Serving the daily academic needs of our elementary, middle and high school students with separately tailored academic programs guided by staff and loving volunteers, followed by supervised recreational activities and a hot family-style meal
- Providing an earned Friday Field trip
- Providing a music course led by Dr. Paul Ciennewa once per week as well as an applied music course once per week. Performances at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Paul’s Place Sunday
- Providing arts and crafts one day per week
- Providing tennis lessons through the Delray Youth Tennis Foundation
- Making regular contact with our students’ teachers, guidance counselors and principals
- Guiding parents through critical social services, like obtaining employment, housing and hardship relief
- Identifying scholarship opportunities at private schools for our most driven students
- Funding pre-college assistance, including private SAT/ACT tutoring and college tours
- Providing a Summer Enrichment Program which offers simulated kinds of real world activities that are intended to prepare our teens for adult responsibilities. Some of the activities include career planning, finding jobs, paying bills, grocery shopping, budgeting, live interviews and managing the curve balls that come in life
- Creating a media lab to increase our students’ understanding of technology. MacBooks provided to middle and high school students for their use at Paul’s Place
- Creating The Paul’s Place Scholarship Fund which provides need-based scholarships to our high school graduates as they embark upon a college degree and assistance to our students enrolled in private schools
- Offering continued assistance to our former students, who are in college (i.e., registration help, academic counseling or quiet study areas).
At the beginning of the 2017-2018 school year we welcomed Medley Fleuranvil as our new “coach”. Medley is a young man of Haitian-American descent and is currently enrolled at Palm Beach State College pursuing a degree in Computer Science. Medley leads all of our recreational activities and assists with tutoring. Miliene Dallegrand,who has been an integral part of the Paul’s Place staff for four years, recently completed her degree in Education at FAU. Miliene works closely with all age groups, assists Taylor with the Summer Enrichment program, and provides a very important cultural link to our parents. Taylor Kilpatrick is the assistant director in her second year with the after school. Taylor oversees the middle and high school students, leads our Summer Enrichment program, and assists with administrative duties. Kathy Fazio continues as Director and has been with the program in that capacity since 2007.
Paul’s Place is unlike any other after-school program. Experience has taught us that changing the fate of these low income students requires more than a safe place to play. It takes an intervention. With that in mind, we are making every effort to influence the positive outcomes of these children. We are grateful to The Clergy, Vestry and Parishioners for always supporting us in our mission.