The Vestry is composed of eight elected lay people, five appointed officers, and the clergy. The vestry oversees and provides direction and support to the various ministries of the parish. They are also responsible for the parish finances and buildings. Their responsibilities are defined by the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal and parish?s by-laws. All parishioners are welcome to attend scheduled Vestry meetings.
At monthly Vestry meetings, a variety of nuts-and-bolts issues of parish operations are addressed. If you would like to address the Vestry concerning a specific issue or ministry, please contact the Parish Office by the Wednesday BEFORE the next Vestry meeting.
Three new Vestry members are elected each year for a rotating 3-year term at the Annual Parish meeting which is held each year within 30 days after the feast of the Epiphany in January.
Rector - The Rev. David G. Showers
Associate Rector - The Rev. Robert Stephenson
Senior Warden - Joan Shisler
Junior Warden - Jim Shepherd
Treasurer - Tim Wakeman
Assistant Treasurer - Anne Gross
Registrar - Anne Gross
Tom Hogenson (Term expires 2011)
Rob Pieters (Term expires in 2011)
Sharleen Wagner (Term expires in 2011)
Cheri Campbell (Term expires in 2012)
Hugh Davies (Term expires in 2012)
Anna Hall (Term expires in 2013)
Bobby Swann (Term expires in 2013)
Andy Connolly (Term expires in 2013)
Diocesan Representatives:
Diocesan Representative - Anne Gross
Diocesan Representative - Leah Rayburn
We are extremely proud of our history
at Middleham and St. Peter's Parish.
The parish facilities of Middleham and St. Peter's include a parish hall and two chapels. Each chapel has its own unique history.
Middleham originated in 1684 as a wooden "chapel of ease" to the church of Christ Church Parish in Broomes Island. The wooden structure served until 1745, when an act of the Maryland Assembly provided funds (80,000 lbs. of tobacco) for a brick church erected in 1748. It is the present chapel in use today, with some modifications. The bell was donated in 1699 by two brothers from Middleham, England.
Middleham Chapel served the southern part of Christ Church parish until the late 1800s. By then the Solomons area was becoming more highly populated and desired more than infrequent visits by a missionary. Meetings were held in various locations--a local school house, a tin shop and private homes.
By 1889 enough funds were raised to build a place of worship for the Solomons area. A board and batten chapel was constructed that year and named St. Peter's. Again, this is the present chapel in use today. In 1900, Middleham and St. Peter's joined together to form a self-supporting diocesan mission.
The Parish Hall:
In 1967, a parish hall was built to serve both chapels. Finally, in 1978 the chapels incorporated into a parish. In 1995 the Parish Hall was enlarged to include more space for Sunday school classes, the Day School, Youth, and Community activities. The multipurpose room (or Great Hall) also serves as worship space on Sundays.
Work on the Parish History Project is continuing. As we have noted in previous Connectors, Middleham and St. Peter's Parish will celebrate the 325th Anniversary of the founding of Middleham Chapel in this coming year. In anticipation of that event, the Planned Giving and Endowment Board and the 1684 Society are sponsoring the development of a comprehensive history of the parish, with a focus on both Middleham and St. Peter's chapels.
As you might expect, we are gathering information about our history from a variety of sources, including the State Archives, the Diocese, Calvert County Historical Society, and our own records, including histories done over the years. We have started doing oral histories with selected parishioners. Our first one, with Marie Cox, Norma Lee Buckler, and Toby Burke was wonderful. They shared memories about the community and the chapels – including a description of Sunday school in the 1930's and 1940's. Reverend Harry Paff would drive throughout the community picking up the kids and take them to the Parish Hall on Solomons Island. Marie related that if it was too cold in the middle of winter in the Parish Hall, they would go to St. Peter's Chapel, and if it was still too cold there, they would go next door to Mrs. Kopp's house.
Please feel welcome to join the project, or share information that you might have. Contact Hugh Davies at daviesh@comcast.net or 410-326-0370.
Pictures may include 325th Celebration, Galactic Blast, worship photos from various services, pics of crab feast, pancake supper. Suzanne will be consulted as to whether the photos may be captioned.
Should this go on the home page or if it should go here? Home page would be much more visible...
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MINISTRIES AND PROGRAMS
