Dear Friends,
"One key to successful leadership is continuous personal change. Personal change is a reflection of our inner growth and empowerment." — Robert E. Quinn
Our Parish Administrator, Raquel Murray, has decided to make such a change in order to pursue a new venture. Her last day with St. Bart’s will be June 30, 2022. Raquel joined the parish as Director of Finance in 2013 and was made Parish Administrator in 2017. She worked closely with staff and lay leaders on the Vestry and Finance Committee, and parishioners may remember her from her insightful reports at our Annual Meetings.
Raquel's commitment to St. Bart's is undisputed and I give thanks for her work, especially during the past two years when the pandemic stretched our operations in unprecedented ways. At the height of the pandemic, Raquel helped develop systems and protocols to ensure the safety of St. Bart's staff and preschool students. Her analysis and reporting helped us adapt to the abrupt loss of revenue brought about by the pandemic and she secured two federal Paycheck Protection Program loans to help sustain St. Bart's through a most challenging period.
As Raquel transitions from her role at St. Bart's, she will be working with members of the staff and Vestry to bring in a licensed independent CPA firm to support our financial operations. As part of our strategic plan, we will be hiring a Chief Operating Officer later this summer to provide administrative leadership for our operations staff and our mission-supporting activities. During this transitional time, I want to express my deepest appreciation to Wardens Miriam Schneider and Bill Fry and to Finance Committee Chair Keith Rook for their exceptional and sacrificial work.
Please join me in wishing Raquel the very best. I have appreciated Raquel’s loyalty to St. Bart’s and her dedication to the difficult work of overseeing its administration. She has been a friend and a partner over these extraordinary years and has served our parish faithfully and well.
Faithfully,
The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe, D.D.
Rector
Dear St. Bart's Friends,
Has it really been almost nine years since my former boss told me, "Did you know St. Bart's is looking for a Director of Finance?" I remember thinking, well I am an Episcopalian, I've worked and was baptized at Trinity Wall Street, I've served on my own church's Vestry – maybe this could work.
It could, and it did.
While it may have taken me a few years to get over the fact no one mentioned the start of the annual audit coincided with my first day here, I now know that was a sign. A good sign. It was an indication that my time at St. Bart's would be full of challenges and opportunities that allowed me to use and share the skills I had and learn new ones. Working in this unique community and for a church of this size and complexity meant that no two days would ever be the same. This became even more apparent after my promotion from Director of Finance to Parish Administrator. In addition to my financial management responsibilities, I learned to balance the demands of diverse departments, programs and staff. There was a lot of creative thinking and collaboration, and I could not have had this success without the support and commitment of my staff.
There is an unparalleled level of dedication to this institution and this magnificent building from both staff and volunteers and I am proud to have been able to contribute. St. Bart's has a rich history, but the true treasures are the connections and enduring relationships between current and former parishioners and staff. As a member of the staff, I have valued these personal and professional bonds which makes my announcing June 30 as my last day with St. Bart's so bittersweet.
I have gained life-long friendships during my tenure here. There is a camaraderie among the staff that is unmatched, and I will certainly miss their generosity.
Last year I wrote about the challenges that come with accepting change and taking chances. While it may be tempting to remain in the spaces we know, it's crucial we continue to make the right choices for ourselves and embrace the new things in life. I was reminded recently of the importance of taking advantage of opportunities when they are presented, and my plan is to continue to say yes!
I will continue to pray for the success of this community and all of you as I move onward and upward in the next step of my journey.
Sincerely,
Raquel Murray
Parish Administrator