This has been a period of change at All Souls. The Rev. Dr. Galen Guengerich has been working hard to re-cast his ministry in his own image while trying to preserve all the good things Dr. Church had brought to this congregation. But his efforts have been made more difficult by the changes in ministerial staff. Not only did we lose Forrest Church, but Director of Religious Education Melaney Mashburn is also leaving All Souls and her permanent replacement will not be in place until the fall of 2011. Meanwhile, a temporary DRE, Lissa Gundlach, will fill in this September. Assistant Minister the Rev. Cheryl Walker left last fall to take on her own church where she is happily settled. She has not been replaced and the Rev. Ana Levy-Lyons has the difficult task of taking on the workload of part of Galen’s former tasks and part of Cheryl’s while anticipating the birth and eventual care of twin babies (see: Ana Levy-Lyons). The Rev. David Robb has added more work to his own schedule and retired Minister Emeritus the Rev. Richard (Dick) Leonard is extending a helping hand. Clearly, the ministerial staff will be looking forward to the new staff positions anticipated in the recently approved budget.

All this turmoil has actually not affected our multitude of programs and other congregational efforts and this is something for which we can be grateful. The Board of Trustees and its committees have worked hard to continue to make All Souls work in spite of staff changes and the major effort of changing our fiscal year. In this issue, we are trying to explain the financial underpinnings that are the backbone of an organization like All Souls, in charge of itself through its congregational polity. Also touched upon here is our financial relationship to the Heart & Soul Auction and the role that the Deacons and the Clerk of the Society play in the orderly running of All Souls. See the Table of Contents for other subjects covered in this issue.

—Marietta Moskin

In response to reader feedback, there is now a link on each web page to Adobe PDF format files for those who want to print the Quarterly out without having to print each article separately, or who wish to view it onscreen in this format.

In future issues of the Quarterly, we would like to highlight special achievements in the lives of our members: books, articles, awards, performances, etc. Please let us know about your recent achievements, creative or otherwise. Please contact Marietta Moskin at 212-289-7900 or by e–mail at m.moskin@verizon.net.

Contributors to this issue:
Lois Chazen
Mary-Ella Holst
Marietta Moskin