Our 2025 Annual Parish Meeting (APM), held Sunday, May 4, began with votes for Wardens, Vestry members, and Diocesan Convention Lay Delegates. We congratulate St. John's new Senior Warden Janet Hall and Junior Warden Becky Neal (both for one-year terms) and new Vestry members Emma Cowan Stevenson, Frances Kittrell, and Jim Winkler, and returning member Dan Ryan; (all for three-year terms). We also welcome Lay Delegate to the Diocesan Convention Alan Snyder and alternate Michael Stramoen (both for three-year terms). (Click here for the full list of current Vestry members.)
In response to recent changes in Maryland law, we were next asked to vote on Resolution 1, which the Vestry had recommended after due consideration. The Resolution, which passed unanimously, reorganized St. John's corporate entity into a religious corporation under the Maryland Corporation Code; amended our Bylaws to reflect this change and to comport with the Code; elected the Vestry as the governing body of that entity; and approved related enabling documents. This change will facilitate our ability to manage our temporal affairs while not impacting our worship, doctrine, or other aspects of our faith community in any way.
After voting, we recognized and thanked both outgoing and incoming leaders. We thanked our outgoing elected leaders: Kevin Kehus for two years as Senior Warden; Avril Barker, Katherine Krile, and Michael Stratmoen for serving on the Vestry; and Mark Edwards for serving as Lay Delegate to the Diocesan Convention and Johnna Story as the Alternate. We thanked outgoing ministry/committee leaders: John Ross and Johnna Story (Nominating Committee Co-Chairs); Ann Ramsey-Moor (Exploring Spirituality Co-Leader); Nancy Adams (Refugee Ministry); Rick Seale (Property Committee); Liz Luck (Flower Guild Lead); Marny Helfrich (Healing Prayer Co-Leader); Kirk Campbell (Holy Land Committee Co-Chair); and Johnna Story (Stream Team Lead). And we recognized and thanked several new leaders: Jim Winkler and Debra Parker (Leadership Development Committee); Liz Jones and Christie King (Refugee Ministry); Kate Tapley (Property Committee); and Kevin Kehus (Men's Ministry). We also noted staff transitions—Shannon McNeil, our former Senior Office Assistant; Sarah Reynolds, our former Associate Rector, and Kim Knudsen-Knoll, our new Office Assistant—and recognized continuing staff members.
We then heard about some of our Vestry's important past and future activities. Henry Crossman, Vestry member and Chair of the Kitchen Task Force, highlighted the "Keep Our Kitchen Cooking" Appeal, which is raising funds for expensive upgrades necessary to keep our kitchen—used for so many beloved St. John's activities—both safe and functional. Outgoing Senior Warden Kevin Kehus outlined some of the Vestry's top accomplishments of the past year, including many steps toward stronger financial health; a sounder, safer facility; and improvements in governance policy. And incoming Senior Warden Janet Hall briefed us on the Vestry's anticipated work of the coming year, such as continued capital improvements, hiring an Associate Rector, and revitalizing volunteer efforts for St. John's many ministries.
We finished the program by remembering parishioners who passed away since our 2024 Annual Parish Meeting.
If you'd like to watch the video recording of the 2025 APM, go to stjohnsnorwood.org/2025-apm.