Due to my absence from when I was in the hospital and subsequent recovery time, we postponed our Annual Meeting to March 13 – the 1st Sunday of Lent. And in our never ending effort to confuse people, we changed the worship service time to 10:00 am (from 9:30), AND re-instituted Sunday School at 9:00. Did I mention we made all these changes the weekend of the switch to Daylight Savings Time?

Nonetheless, it was a very good day. Despite a lot of our families out of town for spring break (I really wish schools would not take the WHOLE last week of Mardi Gras off – it kills participating in Ash Wednesday services, and hurts 1st Sunday of Lent as well…..price we pay for being in the middle of Carnival happiness I suppose), we had a good turnout for both Sunday School and church / meeting.

We elected two new vestry members and discussed the budget. I gave a charge to the Parish, reminding them of our “grasshopper” theme and also talked a little about my upcoming Sabbatical.

During lunch we made the “big announcement”. We have struggled mightily with our 2011 budget, and after much hard work and another terrific donation from the Diocese of Florida, as well as pay cuts for me and staff, we got it down to a $28,000 deficit. Then, in answer to prayer, an anonymous donor offered a $15,000 matching fund gift. So we launched the “Grasshopper Fund”, hoping to raise the full $15,000 (and more we hope) by Easter Sunday, so we can proceed on into 2011 without the anchor of a big deficit around our necks.

Our folks were really excited to hear of this and pledges to the Grasshopper Fund are already coming in. It was also the 7th anniversary of my arrival as Rector, making me the longest serving Priest of this place by almost a year. Year 8 will be great!

A good day!