Monday, December 05, 2022

The Rector Retires; The Clerk Reflects

The applicant whom the Rector Search Committee rejected became the chief priest of the corner at Church Street and Polk. That was 11 years ago; now Fr. Roger Allen is retiring from St. James Episcopal Church, Marietta, and it's time to reflect.

Origin Story

In 2009, parishioners expressed to a survey their preferences for a priest under 45 years old with children and at least 10 years' experience leading a large congregation. At 57, happily married without children, an ex-lawyer who'd led a small parish only six years, Fr. Roger Allen did not meet specs.

Yet we on the Search Committee heard good things from priests who'd worked with him, and we heard from a gentleman whose parish was destroyed by Katrina a month after Roger's first Sunday there: "Fr. Roger was a tower of strength to us when everything had fallen apart." When Fr. Roger's name was one of three that our committee passed to the Vestry, the Sr. Warden told me that two candidates were perfectly suitable; they elected the one who was extraordinary.

Clerk of the Vestry Looks Back

Soon after Fr. Roger began his tenure at St. James, I became Clerk of the Vestry, so I've not only seen the ups and downs of his service, but I've typed them.

Regarding the business of the church, Fr. Roger exerted control. He consolidated bank accounts and sorted through an array of special funds. He took a hard look at groups and programs that had operated for years without oversight. Some who chafed at his oversight had also criticized the previous rector (unjustly) for not being strong enough: go figure.

Every year, to reach a balanced budget, the Vestry considered cutting programs and personnel. Every year, Fr. Roger maintained that a church cannot thrive if it cuts what's vital to the parish. Have faith, he would say. Every year, parishioners came through with their pledges, expenses were lower than expected, other resources were found, and the budget balanced.

Fr. Roger's choices of personnel made a difference. He gave the parish what it wanted in Associate Rector Fr. Daron Vroon, a young priest with children. (See an appreciation of Fr. Daron.) Peter Waggoner brought children, teens, and college students into the choir program, and established a "St. James School of Music" where musicians could give lessons -- an outreach program that paid dividends to the church in dollars and in participation. Matt Bowers reinvigorated the flagging Youth Ministry; when he moved out of state during COVID, Riley Dugan continued to grow the program. Fr. Roger hired staff from outside of the parish to serve as disinterested professionals: Jenny Mancini, Assistant to Clergy; Charlene Smith, Financial Manager; Amy Goetze, the Director of Communications (someone to manage our web site -- at last!); and Building Superintendent Erik Linso, who saves the church thousands of dollars with DIY proactive repairs.

Fr. Roger's pastoral ministry happened mostly out of my sight, but I got a sense of it early in his tenure. I was still known for chairing the Search Committee when an elderly gentleman accosted me after a service. "Do you know what that rector you got us did last week?" I braced myself. "He stayed all night with me and my wife when she went into the Emergency Room." I know Fr. Roger recently took similar care with a bereaved father. As Clerk taking names of visitors after services, I saw the personal connections Fr. Roger had made to the people who waited in line for a word with him. People routinely clasped both of his hands; they hugged him; they whispered in his ear, and received whispered words back, or a promise, "I'll call you." He has often visited my mother in memory care, but I wouldn't know it if her caregivers hadn't told me.

Until COVID, Fr. Roger saw to it that worship took place at St. James nearly every day. Sundays there were three services for three worship styles (Rite One no music, Rite Two with music, Rite One high church with chanting), plus Evensong spoken, sometimes sung. Weekdays there was morning prayer, and Wednesday evening healing services. Some of my most memorable worship experiences were for feast days I'd never known about in my 30 previous years in the Church. Fr. Daron or Fr. Roger would preach and serve communion for groups of six-to-twelve parishioners on Ascension Day, the Annunciation, and, in the church cemetery, All Soul's Day.

Metrics of all sorts were headed in the right direction, bucking trends in the Diocese, until COVID hit in March 2020, and our church building was practically barricaded by decree of the Bishop. Still, Fr. Roger and his team found ways to do church, adapting to changing protocols. Easter live-streamed from Fr. Daron's living room was memorable -- with mother Julie Vroon keeping her youngest boys respectfully silent, mostly. I stood in for the choir a few times once that was allowed, singing to the camera accompanied by interim organist Paul Kelley. There were eucharists in the parking lot, with priests in masks moving from car to car even in cold wind and rain. No wonder that Fr. Roger, expressing thanks when church at last opened up again, was overcome with emotion and couldn't speak.

COVID was responsible in one way or another for declines in attendance, discontinuation of the small services, and the departure of the choir director. Fr. Roger's appointment of Bryan Black to lead music at St. James may turn out to be one of most enduring and consequential gifts in his legacy. As a baritone in the choir, that's how it feels.

So now Fr. Roger can rest. When Roger introduced me to his wife Elisabeth back during the search process, he said he'd married her because "she's fun!" I'm sure she's thrilled. In the words of that catchy hymn tune (with an even catchier title Ora Labora), a glad sound comes with the setting sun, / "Servants, well done."

Reflections on Sermons
I've reflected on sermons by Fr. Roger through the years. I'd make notes on my bulletin, and write on my blog if my teaching schedule gave me the time. Here are my reflections, most recent listed first:

Fr. Roger Allen

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