Over the last seven months we have assessed our office needs in light of the untimely death of our beloved Dixie Allen. At around the same time, the need for an assistant to support David Horn and the various choirs became a priority for us. A third need for us was the recruitment of a clerical person who was fully bilingual and could help us develop liturgical bulletins, if and when we start a service in Spanish. This third need inspired us to create an ambitious Job description and to advertise for a Bilingual Secretary approximately four months ago.  Sadly, we received only one applicant, who was hired by Klein School District within a day of his interview with us.

Several weeks ago, I decided to change the focus of the position and to hire someone who could do secretarial work and assist David, even if the person was not fully bilingual. The reason for this change was the immediate need to provide support to our Director of Communications, who had been handling many of the responsibilities left vacant by Dixie’s passing, and to assist our Director of Music at a time when a new program year for the choirs had started in earnest.  Providentially, our own Kyra Helmick was in between jobs, and several parishioners and staff advocated for her to be considered for the position. In their opinion, Kyra had the blend of skills and experience we needed, and we would be crazy not to consider her.

I am very happy to announce that within ten minutes of the interview, I arrived at the same conclusion. Not only is Kyra “Home Grown,” as they used to say in Iowa, but she has worked closely with David in the Praise and Worship choir. He is thrilled with our decision and the two of them are already in conversations about ways in which Kyra needs to support the music department. So, what exactly will Kyra be doing? The following is a list of her responsibilities:

1. Church Business: Print cards and other documents for ministry needs, help with the member section of the Parochial Report, stuff leaflets for services, change out electronic sign messages, help in the maintenance of our database membership, mail out birthday postcards, manage and maintain records in Shelby (confirmations, transfers, deaths, new members, baptisms, marriages, etc.,) update emails in Constant Contact, help print and mail letters and make calls for In His Steps, send Easter and Christmas mailouts for the Rector, assist with Annual Meeting materials, manage and maintain membership files and records, answer phones and greet people, and manage returned mail.
2. Sunday Worship Services: Create and print leaflets for Sunday services, assist Director of Music with any choir-specific issues for the services.
3. Church Service (Non Worship:) Create LEV packets, create Leaflets for non-Sunday special services (funerals, weddings, burning of ashes, pet blessings, etc.,) prepare welcome letters to be signed by the priest and mail them, manage printing for Rally Day (ministry info, signs, etc.,) prepare postcards and labels for volunteer, and help Street of Shoppes to edit and print Vendor maps and advertisements.
4. Director of Music Ministries Support: manage Email for the Music Department and Choirs, manage department calendars, manage Zoom meetings, balance music budgets, secure proper licensing of music for all services, catalog and order sheet music as needed, copy music as necessary, organize choir library, and schedule singers, instruments, and guest leaders. Lastly, serve as the administrative support for youth choirs (emails and scheduling.)

As you can see, this is an ambitious job description for a 32-hour a week position, but Kyra will have the support of the entire staff to help her manage all of these responsibilities successfully. Please keep Kyra in your prayers and help me welcome her to our Saint Dunstan’s Team.

May our Lord continue to bless you,

Fr. Roman+