The rector and the senior warden appointed the members of a Long-Range Planning Committee to develop a vision for the long-range future of the Chapel of the Cross and to prepare a plan to guide the parish in reaching that vision. I agreed to serve as chair of the committee, and the members of the committee are Laura Cole Alexander, Lee Buck, Paul Carew, Margaret Conrad, Jim Crow, David Dodson, Terry Eason, Dania Ermentrout, Neil Pedersen, Wyndham Robertson, Rob Sullivan, Ramsey Terhune, Nancy Tunnessen, and Judy Watkins. The rector and Ted Vaden are ex-officio members. A new addition to the committee is vestry member Joe Khoury. The committee has been greatly assisted in its work by the efforts of the Rev. Dr. Bill Morley.

The members of the committee bring a wealth of experience and talent to their task. Members have served as senior wardens, junior wardens, vestry members at both our parish and at others and have participated in practically every program or opportunity for service offered at the Chapel of the Cross. We have members who are life-long parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross as well as members who have joined the parish only recently, but bring with them experiences at other churches. We have all ages represented from students to elders. The work experiences of the members of the committee include business, consulting, administration, education, medicine, and law, among others. All of this experience is being called upon as the committee pursues its work.

The committee has met regularly since the fall of 2002. We began our work by gathering information about the parish and information about the demographics of our community. The committee then formed three subcommittees to look at parish programs, worship, and facilities. The committees have attempted to identify and focus on issues that will have to be addressed by the parish as it moves into the second and third decades of this century. The committee was invited to the annual vestry retreat in May where it reported on its efforts.