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ST THOMAS
E P I S C O PA L C H U R C H   T E R R A C E PA R K




                C h u r c h                   P r of i l e   2 0 0 9




                                                                       Photo by Lynn Siefgried
Photo by John Cascella
Who we are

     St. Thomas is an Episcopal church

        serving Christ for 134 years

 in the Cincinnati suburb of Terrace Park.

   We are looking for our 12th Rector.

Currently we have a full-time staff of five,

     membership of approximately 700,
           182 pledging families,

       an annual budget of $885,000,

  and average Sunday attendance of 222.
Our Strengths

                                          We are a “loving, caring, friendly” parish with strong traditions that we value. A significant
                                          proportion of us have been members of St Thomas for 30 years or longer. In our parish-
                                          wide focus groups, parishioners describe us as having a “long tradition of spirituality” and a
   How We See                             “willingness to be transformed.”
    Ourselves                             Worship: We offer two Rite 1 and two Rite II services each week, and our music program,
                                          with six choirs, offers “wonderful” traditional Anglican music at these services, as well as
                                          several special events each year with outside singers and instrumentalists.
 “We are educated, smart
   people who give their                  Education: Starting in 2007, we have an adult education hour between Sunday services.
   talents to the church.”
                                          We also have four new church school programs for children 3-16 which parishioners feel
                                          give our children a “solid foundation” in the elements of our faith.

    “Our ‘plant’ is lovely,               Physical Plant: We have a beautiful worship space and a six year old, 10.5 million dol-
 though not utilized fully                lar building (debt-free) that houses our Parish Hall, Church School, Nursery School, a
    and reflects the honor
                                          commercial-grade kitchen, and several sitting rooms and offices.
  which is felt by the con-
  gregation for the Lord.”
                                          Congregation: As a congregation, we see ourselves as being “resilient, welcoming, and
                                          friendly.” The words we use to describe our church and ourselves are “authentic, comfort-
                                          able and well intentioned.”
  “The group is active in
    various ministries of                 Outreach: We have several significant, long-term outreach programs: In 1964 we and two
     service to the larger                other churches founded the Interparish Ministry, a local food pantry and social service
            community.”
                                          provider. In 1990, we conceived and financed the building of one hundred town homes
                                          for low income families in a nearby rural community. And for 30 years, St. Thomas youth
                Photo by Lynn Siegfried
                                          and accompanying adult volunteers have participated in Mt. TOP, our annual
                                          mission trip to rural Tennessee.
                                                                                             How we describe ourselves in one word
                                          For a fuller list of outreach
                                                                                                                 Wounded
                                          and ministries please see                            Waiting/passive     5%
                                                                                                       5%                        Traditional
                                          our expanded Parish Profile                    In transition                              21%
                                                                                              5%
                                          on our website
                                                                                   Episcopalian
                                          www.stthomasepiscopal.org.                   5%

                                                                              Well-intentioned
                                                                                     6%
                                                                                                                                            Friendly
                                                                                                                                              12%
                                                                                      Home
                                                                                       7%


                                                                                           Caring                                  Loving
                                                                                            7%                                      11%
The Rev’d. Darby Everhard,
our Sr. Associate Rector,                                                                            Authentic
                                                                                                        7%        Conservative
leading worship.                                                                                                      9%


                                                                                                                                               PAGE 2
Photo by Lynn Siegfried

Our Challenges

There is, however, a sense that we have lost energy and momentum at St. Thomas. Since
2004 when our rector of 9 years left, we have had one rector and three interim rectors.
Our attendance has diminished annually since 1999. The maintenance of our new build-
ing has been a significant drain on our resources as well as a source of controversy among
parishioners. Our previous rector was asked to resign. And at this time, we are a parish                      Tom Long of “Friends of the
                                                                                                              Groom”.
with challenging financial issues. We seek a new rector who will provide invigorating
leadership to the parish and bring much needed stability and direction.

Worship: Our worship experience is described by some as “one dimensional, and dull.”
Others say, “the pews are empty because we offer too many services and they are all alike.”                   “Too many services–
There are significant numbers of us who feel that the music, while beautiful, is too                          nothing for the high
difficult to sing.                                                                                            schoolers and young
                                                                                                              college age.”
Education: Our congregation wants challenging, relevant, adult educa-
tion opportunities focusing on “things that pertain to my life.” We
want more Bible and prayer study in small-groups. Our program for
high school students is widely seen as needing improvement, and there
                                                                                                              “It is discouraging to see a
are many requests for a youth minister.                                             Photo by Lynn Siegfried

                                                                            Another interesting               half-full church.”
                                                                           adult education hour.
Physical Plant: Our new building is underused and very expensive.
We need to use our splendid facility more fully for recruiting new members and to make
our presence and our welcome more strongly felt in our surrounding communities.
                                                                                                              “We need to have more
Congregation: Many parishioners feel that “lingering resentment over old wounds,
                                                                                                              parishioners active.”
focusing inward, not outward, and insularity” keep us from moving forward.

Outreach: We have many outreach options, but suffer from “volunteer fatigue” because
too few people carry the heavy load of volunteering.

Overall, our congregation is eager for:

•	 Stable,	inspired,	leadership	and	direction.
•	 Our	worship	to	be	more	joyful,	spirit-filled,	vital	and	happy.
•	 New	parishioners	and	the	return	of	those	who	have	left.
•	 Challenging	and	relevant	adult	and	youth	education.
•	 Fuller	and	more	creative	use	of	our	new	building,	especially	to	make	us	a	more	
    recognized and welcoming presence in the community.




PAGE 3
Skills and Characteristics We Seek in Our Next Rector

                              •	 	 e	seek	a	rector	who	is,	according	to	our	parish-wide	survey,	a	leader	(12%),	a	builder	
                                 W
                                of	congregations	(11%),	a	good	preacher	(10%),	spirit-driven	(9%),	a	youth	leader,		
                                (9%),	and	warm	(7%).		
Our Next Rector               •	 We need a inspirational rector who both respects tradition and has experience with
                                multiple liturgies and forms of worship. There is strong feeling that we need more
                                variety,	relevance,	joy,	and	energy	in	our	sermons,	music	and	liturgy.	However,	we	have	
    “I would like a rector
interested in the care and      little experience with alternate liturgies, and so we need a rector who is able to gently
   growth of this parish–       lead the congregation to appreciate a range of worship rituals and structures.
 not as a stepping stone.”
                              •	 	 ith	so	much	change	in	the	last	five	to	seven	years,	we	need	an	experienced	leader	
                                 W
                                who can help us create a focused, energetic, fiscally-responsible organization.

                              •	 	 ecause	we	have	been	drifting,	we	need	a	person	with	vision,	tact,	imagination,	and	
                                 B
 “A spiritual scholar who       warmth who can align our many well-established groups to fulfill our collaborative
      can work with and         vision for a more vital community at St. Thomas.
 inspire people, especially
         young families.”     •	 	 e	need	a	person	with	spiritual	wisdom	and	empathy	to	help	us	resolve	issues	that	
                                 W
                                keep us looking backward rather than forward.

                              •	 	 e	need	a	spirit-filled	person	who	can	help	bring	relevance,	variety,	energy	and	
                                 W
                                fellowship to our adult and youth education programs.
        “Compassionate,
thoughtful, approachable,     •	 	 e	need	a	person	who	can	lead	us	as	we	reach	out	to	the	surrounding	communities,	
                                 W
    with good counseling        and can inspire and lead our emerging
                  skills.”      evangelizing ministry.                                             Top Rector Qualities

                                                                                        Finance
                                                                                        Manager        Adult Education
                                                                                    Outreach                   Fund-raiser
                                                                                                                                        Leader
                                                                             Building
                                                                          Lay Leaders

                                                                           Listener
                                                                                                                                                    Building
                                                                                                                                                    Congregation
                                                                    Building
                                                                  Fellowship



                                                                      Warmth
                                                                                                                                                     Orator

                                                                    Collaborative
                                                                          Leader

                                                                                                                                        Pastoral
                                                                                     Youth Education
                                                                                                               Spirit-driven

                                                          The information in this Parish Profile was gathered in March 2009 by means of focus group discussions and a survey.
                                                                 One hundred and forty-one parishioners attended focus groups and 125 parishioners filled out surveys.



                                                                                                                                                               PAGE 4
Our Past and Present

St. Thomas is located in the Village of Terrace Park, fifteen miles east of Cincinnati.
                                                                                                                    “We need this parish to
Our church was founded in 1876, in a small wooden structure on the banks of the Little
                                                                                                                    establish viable programs
Miami River, serving the residents of Terrace Park, Milford, Indian Hill and Miamiville.                            that integrate with the
             Photo by Lynn Siegfried                                                                                community.”
                                        In 1901 the congregation built a new church in Terrace Park. The
                                        church is located on the very spot that was once Covalt’s Station, a
                                        pioneer fort built to defend the first settlers from attack. The nave
                                        of the new building was dedicated as a memorial to the daughter
                                        of John Robinson, a local landowner who wintered his circus in
                                        Terrace Park. We are told that Mr. Robinson’s original proposal
                                        called for a frieze of elephants, trunk to tail, all the way around the
                                                                                                                                    Photo by Lynn Siegfried

                                        interior of the nave. While this never happened, old-
The welcoming red doors.
                                        timers do remember elephants pulling snow plows on
the tree-lined roads of Terrace Park.

The church flourished with the growing area population, and the size of the
building was increased with additions in 1950 and 1960. A Columbarium
was added in 1983, ramps in 1992, and elevators connected all floors in our
2004 addition.

By 2002 the church buildings were strained trying to contain a growing num-
ber	of	programs	and	activities.	Ground	was	broken	for	a	major	new	structure:	
a 55,000 square foot, four-storied Parish Building, which opened in 2004.
Now, we are grappling with the challenge of maintaining this new facility.
Though it brings new opportunities to serve Jesus in our community, our re-
                            Photo by Lynn Siegfried
                                                      duced numbers and income make its maintenance
                                                      a burden, and the facility is far from fulfilling its
                                                      potential for outreach to the surrounding areas.
                                                      Our newly established Evangelism Ministry is
                                                      committed to finding ways in which this splendid               Our beautiful Parish Hall.
                                                      facility can serve as a gateway into the St. Thomas church
                                                      community.

                                                      St. Thomas today is a deeply committed church with a strong
                                                      spiritual core, offering a wide range of opportunities for
                                                      worship, inspiration, instruction and renewal. We have 124
Decorating the tree at Christmas.




PAGE 5
children enrolled in four new church school programs: the Catechesis of the Good Shep-
                                          herd for 3-6 year olds, Faith Explorers for 6-11 year olds, Rite 13 for 12-14 year olds, and
                                          Journey to Adulthood for 15-16 year olds. We also offer a youth group for older teens,
                                          but it is widely recognized that this program needs more focus and energy.

                                          We have a weekly adult education hour from 10:00 to 11:00 between our Sunday morn-
                                          ing services. Throughout the year, we also offer several four to six week Wednesday night
                                          supper and discussion group series, small study and prayer groups, and special Lenten
                                          programs.
       “We are still here.
                                          As St. Thomas has grown, so have the eastern suburbs
                                                                                                                                Photo by Lynn Siegfried

      We have survived.
  We have kept the faith.”                of Cincinnati. Today, fewer than half our parishioners
                                          live in Terrace Park, with growing numbers from Mil-
                                          ford	(just	across	the	Little	Miami	River),	Indian	Hill,	
                                          Mariemont, Anderson Township, and more rural parts
                                          of neighboring Clermont County. There are now four
      “We need this parish                new and growing evangelical churches within five miles
          to diversify more               of St. Thomas that have attracted many of our members,
       (demographically).”                especially our youth.

                                          For more information on key aspects of our parish,
                                          please see our expanded Parish Profile on our website
                                          www.stthomasepiscopal.org.
                                                                                                           The tunnel in Terrace Park.


                                          Our Setting

                                          With its tree-lined streets, late 19th century Victorian houses, and kids on bicycles, the
                                          Village of Terrace Park has a distinctly Americana feel about it. The village green, grade
                 Photo by John Cascella
                                          school, community building and church serve as centers of activity for all its residents.
                                          Community activities are relaxed and family oriented, from the Memorial Day and Labor
                                          Day parades with marching band, decorated bicycles and costumed pets, to the pumpkin
                                          festival in the fall, and lighting of the Village Christmas tree and luminaria in December.
                                          It is worth noting that while St. Thomas is not a community church, it is the only church
The front entrance of                     in the Terrace Park community. There is strong feeling among parishioners that St.
St. Thomas.                               Thomas should make a greater effort toward becoming a more central force and presence
                                          for the Village of Terrace Park.




                                                                                                                                    PAGE 6
Terrace Park is part of the Mariemont school district (the neighboring suburb to the
west). Mariemont High School has been designated a “National Exemplary School” by
the U.S. Department of Education and Terrace Park Elementary has been named both a
“National Exemplary” and “Blue Ribbon” school.

The Little Miami, a National Scenic River, forms the east-
ern and southern boundaries of Terrace Park, providing many
miles of fishing and canoeing. Cincinnati, “The Queen City
of the West,” has been lavishly praised in previous centuries
by Longfellow, Twain, and Dickens (among others) for its                                         “We have a wonderful
natural beauty, culture and industry. More recently, it has been                                 mix of church members,
                                                                                                 and they come together in
designated among America’s most livable cities. Cincinnati’s
                                                                                                 a time of need.”
principal feature is, of course, the Ohio River which has carved
out the steep hillsides that form the city’s seven hills. The city
planners have carefully preserved these tree covered hillsides to
create a lovely setting. Across the river is Northern Kentucky,
with the Bluegrass Country a short drive away.                         The Little Miami river.

Cincinnati is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. The Diocesan House
and	Christ	Church	Cathedral	are	located	in	downtown	Cincinnati,	just	25	minutes	away.	
The proximity encourages clergy and lay involvement in the activities and business of
the diocese.

The largest employers in the area are Procter & Gamble, General Electric, and the
University of Cincinnati. There are eight colleges and universities within a twenty mile
radius. Hospital and medical care are second to none. Many feel that Cincinnati’s princi-
pal attraction is its remarkable selection of Fine Arts, with an internationally recognized
symphony, chamber orchestra, opera, ballet, and the College Conservatory of Music at the
University of Cincinnati. The Playhouse in the Park and the The Cincinnati Shakespeare
Company offer first-rate traditional theater, with the Ensemble Theater Company provid-
ing more contemporary drama. Then there are the Cincinnati Zoo, Art Museum, Natural
History Museum and Hamilton County Library – all recognized as among the country’s
very	finest.	And	there	are	major	league	sports,	with	the	Cincinnati	Reds	and	Bengals!

Newcomers are often taken by surprise by the city’s ease of living, its Midwestern
openness and welcoming ways, its livable moderate size, easy accessibility, and its high
energy citizenry.




PAGE 7
Our Worship

                                       Saturday 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing
                                       Sunday 7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I
                                       9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing, Children’s Chapel and
                                       hospitality hour
                                       10:00 a.m. Sunday School, all ages
                                       11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I with hospitality hour

    “I want more joy and             Summer Sundays
      energy in worship.”              Saturday: 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing
                                       7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I
                                       9:00 a.m. Summer Breakfast Hour
                                       10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing
                                     Other occasions, Holy days and seasons are celebrated with appropriate liturgies. Taize
                                     liturgies are offered several times a year.

                                     Sunday worship is central to the life of the parish. It is enriched and inspired by strong lay
                                     participation. Ushers, greeters, lectors, acolytes, and chalice bearers serve at most services.

                                     There are occasional Choral Evensongs, concerts, and the Festival of Lessons and Carols
                                     is sung at Christmas season by the Men & Boys choir.

                                     The congregation has expressed a strong desire for more varied worship opportunities;
                                     however we do not know exactly what we want. Eighty-five percent of survey participants
                                     feel that we should offer some version of a less traditional form of worship. Focus group
                                     comments range from needing “a traditional service with new ideas,” “a contemporary
                                                       Photo by Lynn Siegfried
                                                                                 service, if needed,” “more relevant energetic sermons,” “relevant
                                                                                 music–not Latin or academic,” “upbeat music I can sing,” to “we
                                                                                 need respect for traditional liturgy and ritual,” and “no contem-
                                                                                 porary service, please.” We seek a rector who will work collabora-
                                                                                 tively with the parish to help us clarify and fulfill this vision.



                                                                                 The Nursery School

                                                                                 St. Thomas is the home of a well-established and vibrant
                                                                                 five day a week preschool program that is an extension of the
                                                                                 Church’s outreach ministry. Enrolling 190 children (with a
                                                                                 capacity of 205), ages two though five, in morning and after-
                                                                                 noon sessions, the school’s mission is to serve the Parish and
A special performance by some talented young angels.

                                                                                                                                                PAGE 8
Photo by Lynn Siegfried

surrounding communities by providing excellent preschool education in a Christian
environment. There are 22 teachers and staff turn-over is very low. While some of these
students are the children of parishioners, others come from area families who are not
members of St. Thomas. We realize that our Nursery School is a draw for these
families, and we are interested in accepting more Nursery School families as members
of St. Thomas.



Current Parish Administration and Organization

We are blessed with a wonderful full-time staff of five and part-time staff of six. In         Meditation room.
addition we have three full-time staff of semi-autonomous programs of St Thomas:
our Director of Services for Thomaston Woods and our Nursery School Director and her
                                                                                                     Photo by Lynn Siegfried

assistant. We have a loyal and effective corps of volunteers who staff the church office and
edit our weekly online bulletin and monthly mailed newsletter, Tidings.

The Rev’d. Robert E. Reynolds–Interim Rector
The Rev’d. Darby Oliver Everhard–Senior Associate Rector
Michael Hrivnak–Director of Music
Dr. Connie Golden–Organist
Chrissy Hrivnak–Women’s Choir Director
Jill Fischer–Parish Administrator
Rose Loprest–Ministry Assistant
Connie Krebs–Bookkeeper                                                                        Hospitality hour.
Hobert Roberts–Facilities Supervisor
Wiley Craft–Sexton
                                                                                                     Photo by Lynn Siegfried
Tina Lytle–Director of Thomaston Meadows and Thomaston Woods
Emily Keiser–Nursery School Director
Alicia Stanula–Nursery School Assistant Director
Brenda Tolliver–Childcare Coordinator



Volunteer Staff

Two daily office receptionists (15-20 volunteers in total)
Alex and Bea Filimonov–Editors of our online and monthly mailed newsletter, Tidings
                                                                                                 Church school.
Pat Matchette–Director of the Senior Singers
Karen Long and Vern Thomas–Co-chairs of the Search Committee




PAGE 9
Vestry

                                           Senior Warden–Vern Thomas
                                           Junior Warden–Jack Buchholz
                                           Treasurer–Chris White


                                            2010                             2011               2012
                                            Tim Fening                       Erinn Monette      Zoe Hardy
                 Photo by Lynn Siegfried
                                            Rose Marie Luking                Carol Peterson     Nathan Prather
                                            Marvin Quin                      John Bowers        Mary Lou Scott
                                            Anna K. Carey                    Jamie Flerlage     Christopher Willoughby
                                                                                                                  Photo by Lynn Siegfried




Fellowship before services.



                 Photo by John Cascella




A spring Sunday morning.




                                           The Rev’d. Robert E. Reynolds, our Interim Rector.


                                                                                                                   PAGE 10
Financial
Attendance and Sacramental Acts
                                               2004            2005          2006            2007           2008
 Average Sunday Attendance                      341             297          275               246           222
 Number of Pledging Families                    309             275          256               155           182
 Total Dollar amount Pledged                    $758,482        $757,045     $768,715          $730,678      $608,414
 Average Pledge                                 $2,455          $2,753       $3,003            $4,714        $3,343
 Weekend Eucharists                             189             177          178               186           189
 Weekday Eucharists                             42              17           7                 9             14                     Photo by John Cascella


 Private Eucharist Services                     171             149          178               225           297
 Church School Enrollment                       212             201          197               140           124
 Baptisms                                       14              9            13                13            2
 Confirmations                                  23              9            15                5             20
 Marriages                                      2               4            5                 4             7
 Funerals                                       9               11           13                14            17




                                                                                                                        On their way to Church
Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Assets                                                                                          school.
Cash Basis - as of December 31st
                                                              2006                2007               2008*
 ASSETS                                                                                                                             Photo by Lynn Siegfried



 Cash & Short Term Money Market Funds                         $145,345            $173,437           $174,669
 Long Term Investments                                        $774,713            $723,713           $547,812
 Property Improvements & Equipment - Net of                   $9,418,907          $9,174,865         $9,176,709
 Accumulated Depreciation
 Other Assets                                                 $407                $407               $407
 Total Assets                                                 $10,339,372         $10,072,422        $9,899,597
 LIABILITIES
 Loans & Lines of Credit                                      $1,337,422          $1,318,641         $1,336,980
 Other Liabilities                                            $2,354              $4,910             $156,750
 Total Liabilities                                            $1,339,776          $1,323,551         $1,493,730
 NET ASSETS                                                   $8,999,596          $8,748,871         $8,405,867
 Total Net Assets                                             $8,999,596          $8,748,871         $8,405,867
 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS                             $10,339,372         $10,072,422        $9,899,597
Notes
* Diocesan share in 2008 was recorded as a liability and not yet expensed.




PAGE 11
Statement of Operating Revenue and Expenses
                                           Cash Basis - Period Ending December 31st
                                                                                        2006                      2007                      2008*
                                            OPERATING REVENUES
                                            Pledges                                     $697,915                  $626,097                  $562,371
                                            Plate Offerings                             $40,162                   $73,894                   $60,243
                                            Other                                       $147,838                  $115,033                  $141,981
                                            Total Revenue                               $885,914                  $815,024                  $764,595
                                            EXPENSES
                 Photo by Lynn Siegfried    Staff                                       $539,799                  $551,251                  $440,594
                                            Administrative                              $59,543                   $66,855                   $85,000
                                            Building and Grounds                        $240,187                  $243,234                  $129,702
                                            Programs                                    $33,727                   $43,871                   $50,848
                                            Outreach                                    $255,137                  $126,103                  $109,743
                                            Total Expenses                              $1,128,393                $1,031,314                $815,887
                                            Surplus /(Deficit)                          ($242,479)                ($216,289)                ($51,292)
                                           Notes
                                           * Diocesan share in 2008 was recorded as a liability and not yet expensed. Included in Outreach in 2006 and 2007.




Small meeting room.                                                                          2008 Outreach
                                                                                  Youth Developmental Fund
                                                                                                                      Other Outreach
                 Photo by Lynn Siegfried




                                                                                                                                         Moutain T.O.P.


                                                 Nursery School



                                                                                                                                             Habitat for Humanity




Church school.
                                                                                                                                   Friends of the Groom


                                                                             Memorial Concert             Inter Parish Ministry




                                                                                                                                                         PAGE 12
Photo by Lynn Siegfried




The Hearth Room with its beautiful stained glass window.




PAGE 13
The mission of St. Thomas Church

    is to draw all people within our reach

        into deeper communion with God

                      and each other

          through Jesus Christ our Lord.

                 We pursue our mission

            through prayer and worship,

the proclamation and teaching of the Gospel,

and the promotion of justice, peace, and love.




St. Thomas Episcopal Church 100 Miami Avenue Terrace Park, OH 45174
                     Parish Office Phone: 513.831.2052

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Parish Profile

  • 1. ST THOMAS E P I S C O PA L C H U R C H T E R R A C E PA R K C h u r c h P r of i l e 2 0 0 9 Photo by Lynn Siefgried
  • 2. Photo by John Cascella
  • 3. Who we are St. Thomas is an Episcopal church serving Christ for 134 years in the Cincinnati suburb of Terrace Park. We are looking for our 12th Rector. Currently we have a full-time staff of five, membership of approximately 700, 182 pledging families, an annual budget of $885,000, and average Sunday attendance of 222.
  • 4. Our Strengths We are a “loving, caring, friendly” parish with strong traditions that we value. A significant proportion of us have been members of St Thomas for 30 years or longer. In our parish- wide focus groups, parishioners describe us as having a “long tradition of spirituality” and a How We See “willingness to be transformed.” Ourselves Worship: We offer two Rite 1 and two Rite II services each week, and our music program, with six choirs, offers “wonderful” traditional Anglican music at these services, as well as several special events each year with outside singers and instrumentalists. “We are educated, smart people who give their Education: Starting in 2007, we have an adult education hour between Sunday services. talents to the church.” We also have four new church school programs for children 3-16 which parishioners feel give our children a “solid foundation” in the elements of our faith. “Our ‘plant’ is lovely, Physical Plant: We have a beautiful worship space and a six year old, 10.5 million dol- though not utilized fully lar building (debt-free) that houses our Parish Hall, Church School, Nursery School, a and reflects the honor commercial-grade kitchen, and several sitting rooms and offices. which is felt by the con- gregation for the Lord.” Congregation: As a congregation, we see ourselves as being “resilient, welcoming, and friendly.” The words we use to describe our church and ourselves are “authentic, comfort- able and well intentioned.” “The group is active in various ministries of Outreach: We have several significant, long-term outreach programs: In 1964 we and two service to the larger other churches founded the Interparish Ministry, a local food pantry and social service community.” provider. In 1990, we conceived and financed the building of one hundred town homes for low income families in a nearby rural community. And for 30 years, St. Thomas youth Photo by Lynn Siegfried and accompanying adult volunteers have participated in Mt. TOP, our annual mission trip to rural Tennessee. How we describe ourselves in one word For a fuller list of outreach Wounded and ministries please see Waiting/passive 5% 5% Traditional our expanded Parish Profile In transition 21% 5% on our website Episcopalian www.stthomasepiscopal.org. 5% Well-intentioned 6% Friendly 12% Home 7% Caring Loving 7% 11% The Rev’d. Darby Everhard, our Sr. Associate Rector, Authentic 7% Conservative leading worship. 9% PAGE 2
  • 5. Photo by Lynn Siegfried Our Challenges There is, however, a sense that we have lost energy and momentum at St. Thomas. Since 2004 when our rector of 9 years left, we have had one rector and three interim rectors. Our attendance has diminished annually since 1999. The maintenance of our new build- ing has been a significant drain on our resources as well as a source of controversy among parishioners. Our previous rector was asked to resign. And at this time, we are a parish Tom Long of “Friends of the Groom”. with challenging financial issues. We seek a new rector who will provide invigorating leadership to the parish and bring much needed stability and direction. Worship: Our worship experience is described by some as “one dimensional, and dull.” Others say, “the pews are empty because we offer too many services and they are all alike.” “Too many services– There are significant numbers of us who feel that the music, while beautiful, is too nothing for the high difficult to sing. schoolers and young college age.” Education: Our congregation wants challenging, relevant, adult educa- tion opportunities focusing on “things that pertain to my life.” We want more Bible and prayer study in small-groups. Our program for high school students is widely seen as needing improvement, and there “It is discouraging to see a are many requests for a youth minister. Photo by Lynn Siegfried Another interesting half-full church.” adult education hour. Physical Plant: Our new building is underused and very expensive. We need to use our splendid facility more fully for recruiting new members and to make our presence and our welcome more strongly felt in our surrounding communities. “We need to have more Congregation: Many parishioners feel that “lingering resentment over old wounds, parishioners active.” focusing inward, not outward, and insularity” keep us from moving forward. Outreach: We have many outreach options, but suffer from “volunteer fatigue” because too few people carry the heavy load of volunteering. Overall, our congregation is eager for: • Stable, inspired, leadership and direction. • Our worship to be more joyful, spirit-filled, vital and happy. • New parishioners and the return of those who have left. • Challenging and relevant adult and youth education. • Fuller and more creative use of our new building, especially to make us a more recognized and welcoming presence in the community. PAGE 3
  • 6. Skills and Characteristics We Seek in Our Next Rector • e seek a rector who is, according to our parish-wide survey, a leader (12%), a builder W of congregations (11%), a good preacher (10%), spirit-driven (9%), a youth leader, (9%), and warm (7%). Our Next Rector • We need a inspirational rector who both respects tradition and has experience with multiple liturgies and forms of worship. There is strong feeling that we need more variety, relevance, joy, and energy in our sermons, music and liturgy. However, we have “I would like a rector interested in the care and little experience with alternate liturgies, and so we need a rector who is able to gently growth of this parish– lead the congregation to appreciate a range of worship rituals and structures. not as a stepping stone.” • ith so much change in the last five to seven years, we need an experienced leader W who can help us create a focused, energetic, fiscally-responsible organization. • ecause we have been drifting, we need a person with vision, tact, imagination, and B “A spiritual scholar who warmth who can align our many well-established groups to fulfill our collaborative can work with and vision for a more vital community at St. Thomas. inspire people, especially young families.” • e need a person with spiritual wisdom and empathy to help us resolve issues that W keep us looking backward rather than forward. • e need a spirit-filled person who can help bring relevance, variety, energy and W fellowship to our adult and youth education programs. “Compassionate, thoughtful, approachable, • e need a person who can lead us as we reach out to the surrounding communities, W with good counseling and can inspire and lead our emerging skills.” evangelizing ministry. Top Rector Qualities Finance Manager Adult Education Outreach Fund-raiser Leader Building Lay Leaders Listener Building Congregation Building Fellowship Warmth Orator Collaborative Leader Pastoral Youth Education Spirit-driven The information in this Parish Profile was gathered in March 2009 by means of focus group discussions and a survey. One hundred and forty-one parishioners attended focus groups and 125 parishioners filled out surveys. PAGE 4
  • 7. Our Past and Present St. Thomas is located in the Village of Terrace Park, fifteen miles east of Cincinnati. “We need this parish to Our church was founded in 1876, in a small wooden structure on the banks of the Little establish viable programs Miami River, serving the residents of Terrace Park, Milford, Indian Hill and Miamiville. that integrate with the Photo by Lynn Siegfried community.” In 1901 the congregation built a new church in Terrace Park. The church is located on the very spot that was once Covalt’s Station, a pioneer fort built to defend the first settlers from attack. The nave of the new building was dedicated as a memorial to the daughter of John Robinson, a local landowner who wintered his circus in Terrace Park. We are told that Mr. Robinson’s original proposal called for a frieze of elephants, trunk to tail, all the way around the Photo by Lynn Siegfried interior of the nave. While this never happened, old- The welcoming red doors. timers do remember elephants pulling snow plows on the tree-lined roads of Terrace Park. The church flourished with the growing area population, and the size of the building was increased with additions in 1950 and 1960. A Columbarium was added in 1983, ramps in 1992, and elevators connected all floors in our 2004 addition. By 2002 the church buildings were strained trying to contain a growing num- ber of programs and activities. Ground was broken for a major new structure: a 55,000 square foot, four-storied Parish Building, which opened in 2004. Now, we are grappling with the challenge of maintaining this new facility. Though it brings new opportunities to serve Jesus in our community, our re- Photo by Lynn Siegfried duced numbers and income make its maintenance a burden, and the facility is far from fulfilling its potential for outreach to the surrounding areas. Our newly established Evangelism Ministry is committed to finding ways in which this splendid Our beautiful Parish Hall. facility can serve as a gateway into the St. Thomas church community. St. Thomas today is a deeply committed church with a strong spiritual core, offering a wide range of opportunities for worship, inspiration, instruction and renewal. We have 124 Decorating the tree at Christmas. PAGE 5
  • 8. children enrolled in four new church school programs: the Catechesis of the Good Shep- herd for 3-6 year olds, Faith Explorers for 6-11 year olds, Rite 13 for 12-14 year olds, and Journey to Adulthood for 15-16 year olds. We also offer a youth group for older teens, but it is widely recognized that this program needs more focus and energy. We have a weekly adult education hour from 10:00 to 11:00 between our Sunday morn- ing services. Throughout the year, we also offer several four to six week Wednesday night supper and discussion group series, small study and prayer groups, and special Lenten programs. “We are still here. As St. Thomas has grown, so have the eastern suburbs Photo by Lynn Siegfried We have survived. We have kept the faith.” of Cincinnati. Today, fewer than half our parishioners live in Terrace Park, with growing numbers from Mil- ford (just across the Little Miami River), Indian Hill, Mariemont, Anderson Township, and more rural parts of neighboring Clermont County. There are now four “We need this parish new and growing evangelical churches within five miles to diversify more of St. Thomas that have attracted many of our members, (demographically).” especially our youth. For more information on key aspects of our parish, please see our expanded Parish Profile on our website www.stthomasepiscopal.org. The tunnel in Terrace Park. Our Setting With its tree-lined streets, late 19th century Victorian houses, and kids on bicycles, the Village of Terrace Park has a distinctly Americana feel about it. The village green, grade Photo by John Cascella school, community building and church serve as centers of activity for all its residents. Community activities are relaxed and family oriented, from the Memorial Day and Labor Day parades with marching band, decorated bicycles and costumed pets, to the pumpkin festival in the fall, and lighting of the Village Christmas tree and luminaria in December. It is worth noting that while St. Thomas is not a community church, it is the only church The front entrance of in the Terrace Park community. There is strong feeling among parishioners that St. St. Thomas. Thomas should make a greater effort toward becoming a more central force and presence for the Village of Terrace Park. PAGE 6
  • 9. Terrace Park is part of the Mariemont school district (the neighboring suburb to the west). Mariemont High School has been designated a “National Exemplary School” by the U.S. Department of Education and Terrace Park Elementary has been named both a “National Exemplary” and “Blue Ribbon” school. The Little Miami, a National Scenic River, forms the east- ern and southern boundaries of Terrace Park, providing many miles of fishing and canoeing. Cincinnati, “The Queen City of the West,” has been lavishly praised in previous centuries by Longfellow, Twain, and Dickens (among others) for its “We have a wonderful natural beauty, culture and industry. More recently, it has been mix of church members, and they come together in designated among America’s most livable cities. Cincinnati’s a time of need.” principal feature is, of course, the Ohio River which has carved out the steep hillsides that form the city’s seven hills. The city planners have carefully preserved these tree covered hillsides to create a lovely setting. Across the river is Northern Kentucky, with the Bluegrass Country a short drive away. The Little Miami river. Cincinnati is the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio. The Diocesan House and Christ Church Cathedral are located in downtown Cincinnati, just 25 minutes away. The proximity encourages clergy and lay involvement in the activities and business of the diocese. The largest employers in the area are Procter & Gamble, General Electric, and the University of Cincinnati. There are eight colleges and universities within a twenty mile radius. Hospital and medical care are second to none. Many feel that Cincinnati’s princi- pal attraction is its remarkable selection of Fine Arts, with an internationally recognized symphony, chamber orchestra, opera, ballet, and the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. The Playhouse in the Park and the The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company offer first-rate traditional theater, with the Ensemble Theater Company provid- ing more contemporary drama. Then there are the Cincinnati Zoo, Art Museum, Natural History Museum and Hamilton County Library – all recognized as among the country’s very finest. And there are major league sports, with the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals! Newcomers are often taken by surprise by the city’s ease of living, its Midwestern openness and welcoming ways, its livable moderate size, easy accessibility, and its high energy citizenry. PAGE 7
  • 10. Our Worship Saturday 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing Sunday 7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing, Children’s Chapel and hospitality hour 10:00 a.m. Sunday School, all ages 11:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I with hospitality hour “I want more joy and Summer Sundays energy in worship.” Saturday: 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing 7:45 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I 9:00 a.m. Summer Breakfast Hour 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II with Prayers for Healing Other occasions, Holy days and seasons are celebrated with appropriate liturgies. Taize liturgies are offered several times a year. Sunday worship is central to the life of the parish. It is enriched and inspired by strong lay participation. Ushers, greeters, lectors, acolytes, and chalice bearers serve at most services. There are occasional Choral Evensongs, concerts, and the Festival of Lessons and Carols is sung at Christmas season by the Men & Boys choir. The congregation has expressed a strong desire for more varied worship opportunities; however we do not know exactly what we want. Eighty-five percent of survey participants feel that we should offer some version of a less traditional form of worship. Focus group comments range from needing “a traditional service with new ideas,” “a contemporary Photo by Lynn Siegfried service, if needed,” “more relevant energetic sermons,” “relevant music–not Latin or academic,” “upbeat music I can sing,” to “we need respect for traditional liturgy and ritual,” and “no contem- porary service, please.” We seek a rector who will work collabora- tively with the parish to help us clarify and fulfill this vision. The Nursery School St. Thomas is the home of a well-established and vibrant five day a week preschool program that is an extension of the Church’s outreach ministry. Enrolling 190 children (with a capacity of 205), ages two though five, in morning and after- noon sessions, the school’s mission is to serve the Parish and A special performance by some talented young angels. PAGE 8
  • 11. Photo by Lynn Siegfried surrounding communities by providing excellent preschool education in a Christian environment. There are 22 teachers and staff turn-over is very low. While some of these students are the children of parishioners, others come from area families who are not members of St. Thomas. We realize that our Nursery School is a draw for these families, and we are interested in accepting more Nursery School families as members of St. Thomas. Current Parish Administration and Organization We are blessed with a wonderful full-time staff of five and part-time staff of six. In Meditation room. addition we have three full-time staff of semi-autonomous programs of St Thomas: our Director of Services for Thomaston Woods and our Nursery School Director and her Photo by Lynn Siegfried assistant. We have a loyal and effective corps of volunteers who staff the church office and edit our weekly online bulletin and monthly mailed newsletter, Tidings. The Rev’d. Robert E. Reynolds–Interim Rector The Rev’d. Darby Oliver Everhard–Senior Associate Rector Michael Hrivnak–Director of Music Dr. Connie Golden–Organist Chrissy Hrivnak–Women’s Choir Director Jill Fischer–Parish Administrator Rose Loprest–Ministry Assistant Connie Krebs–Bookkeeper Hospitality hour. Hobert Roberts–Facilities Supervisor Wiley Craft–Sexton Photo by Lynn Siegfried Tina Lytle–Director of Thomaston Meadows and Thomaston Woods Emily Keiser–Nursery School Director Alicia Stanula–Nursery School Assistant Director Brenda Tolliver–Childcare Coordinator Volunteer Staff Two daily office receptionists (15-20 volunteers in total) Alex and Bea Filimonov–Editors of our online and monthly mailed newsletter, Tidings Church school. Pat Matchette–Director of the Senior Singers Karen Long and Vern Thomas–Co-chairs of the Search Committee PAGE 9
  • 12. Vestry Senior Warden–Vern Thomas Junior Warden–Jack Buchholz Treasurer–Chris White 2010 2011 2012 Tim Fening Erinn Monette Zoe Hardy Photo by Lynn Siegfried Rose Marie Luking Carol Peterson Nathan Prather Marvin Quin John Bowers Mary Lou Scott Anna K. Carey Jamie Flerlage Christopher Willoughby Photo by Lynn Siegfried Fellowship before services. Photo by John Cascella A spring Sunday morning. The Rev’d. Robert E. Reynolds, our Interim Rector. PAGE 10
  • 13. Financial Attendance and Sacramental Acts 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Average Sunday Attendance 341 297 275 246 222 Number of Pledging Families 309 275 256 155 182 Total Dollar amount Pledged $758,482 $757,045 $768,715 $730,678 $608,414 Average Pledge $2,455 $2,753 $3,003 $4,714 $3,343 Weekend Eucharists 189 177 178 186 189 Weekday Eucharists 42 17 7 9 14 Photo by John Cascella Private Eucharist Services 171 149 178 225 297 Church School Enrollment 212 201 197 140 124 Baptisms 14 9 13 13 2 Confirmations 23 9 15 5 20 Marriages 2 4 5 4 7 Funerals 9 11 13 14 17 On their way to Church Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Assets school. Cash Basis - as of December 31st 2006 2007 2008* ASSETS Photo by Lynn Siegfried Cash & Short Term Money Market Funds $145,345 $173,437 $174,669 Long Term Investments $774,713 $723,713 $547,812 Property Improvements & Equipment - Net of $9,418,907 $9,174,865 $9,176,709 Accumulated Depreciation Other Assets $407 $407 $407 Total Assets $10,339,372 $10,072,422 $9,899,597 LIABILITIES Loans & Lines of Credit $1,337,422 $1,318,641 $1,336,980 Other Liabilities $2,354 $4,910 $156,750 Total Liabilities $1,339,776 $1,323,551 $1,493,730 NET ASSETS $8,999,596 $8,748,871 $8,405,867 Total Net Assets $8,999,596 $8,748,871 $8,405,867 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $10,339,372 $10,072,422 $9,899,597 Notes * Diocesan share in 2008 was recorded as a liability and not yet expensed. PAGE 11
  • 14. Statement of Operating Revenue and Expenses Cash Basis - Period Ending December 31st 2006 2007 2008* OPERATING REVENUES Pledges $697,915 $626,097 $562,371 Plate Offerings $40,162 $73,894 $60,243 Other $147,838 $115,033 $141,981 Total Revenue $885,914 $815,024 $764,595 EXPENSES Photo by Lynn Siegfried Staff $539,799 $551,251 $440,594 Administrative $59,543 $66,855 $85,000 Building and Grounds $240,187 $243,234 $129,702 Programs $33,727 $43,871 $50,848 Outreach $255,137 $126,103 $109,743 Total Expenses $1,128,393 $1,031,314 $815,887 Surplus /(Deficit) ($242,479) ($216,289) ($51,292) Notes * Diocesan share in 2008 was recorded as a liability and not yet expensed. Included in Outreach in 2006 and 2007. Small meeting room. 2008 Outreach Youth Developmental Fund Other Outreach Photo by Lynn Siegfried Moutain T.O.P. Nursery School Habitat for Humanity Church school. Friends of the Groom Memorial Concert Inter Parish Ministry PAGE 12
  • 15. Photo by Lynn Siegfried The Hearth Room with its beautiful stained glass window. PAGE 13
  • 16. The mission of St. Thomas Church is to draw all people within our reach into deeper communion with God and each other through Jesus Christ our Lord. We pursue our mission through prayer and worship, the proclamation and teaching of the Gospel, and the promotion of justice, peace, and love. St. Thomas Episcopal Church 100 Miami Avenue Terrace Park, OH 45174 Parish Office Phone: 513.831.2052