Answers to questions you may have about St. Luke’s in Fall 2021

(updated 10/2/2021)

Fr. Michael Ralph is on leave until the New Year. The Vestry is engaging the Parish in work that needs to be done now, and that also prepares us for our future.  Here are Vestry’s responses to some questions you may have. Please contact a Vestry member with further questions. We will continue to update this document in response to your questions.

Why is Father Michael taking a leave and why now?
Please refer to Fr. Michael's letter to the Parish. If you didn’t receive one, contact the Parish House and we will get a copy to you. 

Do we know if he plans to return to his Rector role in January? 
Fr. Michael plans to rejoin us in the New Year.

Are we paying Fr. Michael during this time? 
Yes, we are paying Fr. Michael his normal compensation and benefits during his leave.

Do we have insurance to cover his period of leave?
Insurance processes have been initiated and the first approval has been received. St. Luke’s could receive as much as $1,000 per week during the claim period. We would use these funds to cover costs for those who offer supply services and other church needs while Fr. Michael is on leave.

Will Worship services continue?
Yes! Absolutely! The 8 am service will use Rite 1 Morning Prayer. The 10 am services will continue with supply priests through the New Year, and the schedule is now full – folks are happy to help us. Liturgical planning is in place for the remainder of the year. We have covered Kendal services through October and hope to fill this need through the end of the year. We have paused the Saturday evening outdoor service at this time.

What will our Advent services look like?
We are grateful that Fr. John Kaufmann will provide services during Advent.

What will our education program look like?
As Fr. Michael took his leave, the children’s education ministry was moving toward a weekly multigenerational gathering time over a meal or outdoor activity. Vestry member Josh Whittington is contacting Parish families to discuss possible activities for these gatherings. We hope you join us as these events are announced! For all activities we will follow current Diocesan COVID guidelines.

What will pastoral care look like? 
Wayne Piper is continuing his work as chair of the pastoral care ministries that include the Prayer Chain, Prayer Shawls, and Card ministries. Eucharistic Visits and Friendly Visitors/Callers ministries are on hold at this time due to the pandemic. For those who would like a pastoral visit, please email Ginny Sharkey or call her at 740-644-0823. She will be diligent in accommodating those requests. We have established a new email address for Ginny: SrWarden@stlukesgranville.org.

Will historic preservation and Koinonia (fellowship and membership) ministries continue as well?
Yes! Please contact Dave Proctor if you’d like to be involved in the Historic Preservation ministry. If you are interested in serving on or leading the Koinonia ministry please contact the Parish Office at office@stlukesgranville.org or 740-587-0167.

Will the Market Street Pantry be affected?
Volunteers at the Market Street Pantry will continue to provide food to families in Newark and Licking County with service on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:30-11:30 am. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact Dagny at office@stlukesgranville.org or 740-587-0167.

Will we have the Turkey Trot this year?
At this time, the Turkey Trot committee is planning to hold the annual Thanksgiving Day event that raises funds for the Food Pantry Network of Licking County. 

Will our staff be affected?
We are grateful that our talented staff, including Lara Benschoter, Dagny Gelormo, Stephen Trumbull, and Brandon Wilson will continue to be with us.

Is St. Luke’s OK financially? 
Yes, we project we can meet the Financial Plan for 2021. Resources that have helped us in 2021 (CARES Act PPP2 and diocesan grants) will likely not all be available in 2022. Please pledge for 2022! Your financial support is as important now as it has been in the past and will be in the future.

Are we reducing expenses since we’re not as active as we once were?
Yes. Implementation of parts of the Financial Plan for 2021 are reducing costs to the Parish. However, the initial gap between the expected spending needs in 2021 and expected 2021 income was a negative $88,000 at the beginning of the year. Details of our 2021 financial plan can be found on pages 24 – 28 and a letter from our Treasurer will be arriving soon. 

The reality is we have fewer members at St. Luke’s today, and fewer financial resources than just a few years ago. We continue to provide meaningful worship and ministries, attend to our historic buildings, and support the administrative needs of our church within our financial resources and those we can access. Your pledge is an important part of this. Jean Schelhorn, our Treasurer, can provide specific details. Please call her or email with questions: 614-638-9547 or finance@stlukesgranville.org.

Where can I help?
Our community needs each other more than ever. Please come to worship services if you are comfortable. When someone asks you to participate in a Parish event or volunteer to support a Parish activity, please be open to sharing an hour or two of your time. The Market Street Pantry and the Turkey Trot are always eager for volunteers. We also are assembling a list of opportunities that we will share with the Parish.

Vestry Members:
Sue Bushman
Ashlin Caravana, Jr. Warden
Stan Kauchak
Jean Schelhorn, Treasurer
Ginny Sharkey, Sr. Warden
Mary Tuominen, Clerk of Vestry
Josh Whittington
Kim Zaborniak