Announcement from Wardens
August 17, 2017
On behalf of your Chapter, we wanted to update you on an exciting development with our children’s ministries at St. James. We are pleased to announce that Alison Barrington will be serving St. James in the newly created, temporary and part-time position of Children's Ministries Coordinator.
This position is intended to be an interim measure. As your clergy and Chapter continue to consider how best to serve the needs of St. James following Jacqueline Soltys’ departure, Chapter felt it critical to create this temporary role to ensure that we do not sacrifice the significant momentum achieved for our families and children through the maturing 9 a.m. service and the growing children’s faith formation program, including our exciting new children’s chorister’s program. The position is accordingly focused on overseeing the work of the Sunday School and the nursery on Sunday mornings, scheduling the liturgical ministries of the 9 a.m. service, liaising with the staff on all educational and liturgical issues affecting our families and children, including the role of children in Sandwich Sunday and our holiday services, and assisting with the administration and coordination of our new Chorister School. We also felt it important that the Children’s Ministries Coordinator is responsible for convening the parents of children in our Sunday School and Chorister’s School in an effort to grow their social and spiritual connection to each other and the church.
The Children’s Ministries Coordinator will report to Sub-Dean Lisa Hackney-James, who was charged by the Dean with filling the position. Lisa convened a small hiring committee that included parents of children active at St. James with perspectives of Chapter and the music program represented to solicit and review applicants for the position. Until the committee’s work was complete and its recommendation made, the Dean took no part at all in the process. The job was posted in our Cathedral communications, and advertised in Diocesan communications, and the committee received letters of interest from a number of applicants. That process led the committee to recommend Alison for the position. Alison has served as a Sunday School teacher in various parishes for over three decades. She has worked with children of all ages and is a qualified Godly Play instructor, which is our educational model for pre-school children at St. James. Alison is also a highly educated and certified counselor and therapist and is not only a talented flutist but also a teacher of music. Alison is incredibly personable, open and welcoming, and is highly invested in the success of our children’s ministries with the time and desire to keep moving forward the very positive momentum we are experiencing in them.
As we embark on our new Sunday School year and begin our new chorister program, we are excited for Alison’s quality contributions through this important role for our children’s ministries and church. We believe that her work will be invaluable to the welfare of our children and the continued development of our children’s ministries during this time of transition. Please join us in welcoming and supporting Alison in her new role.
Best regards,
Timm Holt and Erin Maus