All Angels by the Sea gathers parishioners for annual meeting

Although the annual meeting was ostensibly for going over the church’s spending and big moments of 2019, members of All Angels By the Sea Episcopal Church on Longboat Key made it a friendly affair.

“We gather to remember who we are and who we have been,” the Rev. Maggie Gatt said before the meeting commenced.

On Feb. 9, members mingled before settling into a brunch at the Sarasota Yacht Club and hearing from church leaders, including the Rev. Dave Marshall. The 2020 meeting was Marshall’s first as lead rector at the church, and despite the routine nature, he made it fun, much to the delight of his parishioners.

“You do get extra credit in heaven if you find the others,” he said, referring to errors on the program.

Marshall leaned on his community a bit to help him through his first meeting, asking for prods and direction throughout. Despite the gathering of more than 70 people, the atmosphere was one of a particularly large family dinner, especially as attendees paused to reflect on pages of “Thank you’s” within the program.