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Long Range Planning
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From the Rector Dear Friends, Last year in the July issue of Cross Roads, we reported to you some preliminary areas of consideration by the Long-Range Planning Committee. Now that they have submitted their final report to the vestry, this issue outlines their recommendations and the vestry's discussion in response. Before you read these exciting articles, I have three reflections for you to keep in mind. The first is that we initiated this process by asking the question, "What is God calling the Chapel of the Cross to be and to do?" As I wrote you last year, "The very asking of that question acknowledged not only that our parish's identity and mission stem from God, but that the context and circumstances of that divine calling continue to change. We are not the same parish in the same community in the same diocese as we were 160 years ago or 60 years ago or even six years ago. And we will certainly not be 16 years from now. While there remains and will continue a certain continuity, the Spirit, we trust, will continue to 'renew the face of the earth' (Psalm 104). We are to be alert and to respond to the work of the Spirit as it is manifested within and around us and to follow that divine guidance in the shape and particulars of our parish ministry." The second reflection is that part of the change facing our community and our parish is continued growth. Two thousand people are forecast to move into Orange County alone each year for the next 30 years, in addition to those moving into Chatham County and Durham County, from which we also draw. Many of them are seeking or are open to participation in the Episcopal Church. One response to this growth has been to begin the Episcopal Church of the Advocate. I hope that its flourishing will encourage the starting of yet another Episcopal congregation in another ten years or so. But many of those coming in seek an established congregation or a larger one, one with the diversity of ministries offered at the Chapel of the Cross. Another important response, then, is to prepare our parish for moderate growth. By growing in hospitality, by providing more and better organized space, by maximizing the use of our beautiful worship spaces, by responding actively to the challenge of available parking, and by other steps, we will be offering more access to the ministries to which God calls us. The final reflection is the caveat that this report is not a final plan. The Long Range-Planning Committee has thoughtfully and creatively identified opportunities for growth and change and outlined possible responses. More exploration is needed to determine the viability of and desirability of these options. More planning is needed by appointed committees to help shape an eventual master plan. More discussion is needed in the parish and on the vestry to decide the particulars of what God is calling the Chapel of the Cross to be and do. We are well under way, however. I hope that reading these pages and engaging with the vision contained in them will encourage and inspire you as much as it does me and the members of the vestry and of the Long-Range Planning Committee. Thanks be to God "for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts" (Book of Common Prayer, p. 836)! - Stephen Vestry Actions - May 13, 2004 At its May meeting, the vestry:
Vestry Actions - May 26 Called Meeting At a called meeting on May 26, 2004, the vestry:
An Overview of the Work of the Long-Range Planning Committee Bill Daniell, Chairman In the fall of 2002, the rector and the senior warden appointed the members of a Long-Range Planning Committee and charged it with the mission of developing a vision for the long-range future of the Chapel of the Cross and preparing a plan to guide the parish in reaching that vision. The completed plan was to be submitted to the vestry for its consideration. The committee began its work by gathering information about the parish and about the demographics of our community. The committee then formed three subcommittees to look at parish programs, worship, and facilities. The subcommittees attempted to identify and focus on issues that will have to be addressed by the parish as it moves into the second and third decades of this century. The committee was invited to the annual vestry retreat in May of 2003, where it gave an interim report. In July, 2003, the committee contributed several articles to Cross Roads in order to inform parishioners about its work, and in order to seek input from parishioners about planning issues. In the fall of 2003, members of the committee met with various groups of parishioners to continue the sharing of planning information and to give parishioners an opportunity to voice their thoughts about the planning process. In October the committee mailed a planning survey to all parishioners. While the number of parishioners who responded to the survey was less than the committee had hoped, the input that was received played an important part in helping the committee to formulate a vision for the future of the parish. During the beginning of 2004 the committee completed its work, and in May of this year presented a finalized plan to the vestry at the annual vestry retreat. The members of the Long-Range Planning Committee are Laura Alexander, Lee Buck, Paul Carew, Margaret Conrad, Jim Crow, Bill Daniell, David Dodson, Terry Eason, Dania Ermentrout, Joe Khoury, Neil Pedersen, Wyndham Robertson, Rob Sullivan, Ramsey Terhune, Nancy Tunnessen, and Judy Watkins. The Rector, Stephen Elkins-Williams, and the former Senior Warden, Ted Vaden, are ex-officio members. The committee was greatly assisted in its work by the efforts of Bill Morley. Long-Range Planning Committee Report Defining Characteristics of the Chapel of the Cross A strategic plan presents an organization with the opportunity to consider how it can preserve its defining attributes while being responsive to changing circumstances. So it is with the Chapel of the Cross. In preparing this strategic plan, we asked ourselves:
A short review reveals these defining characteristics of the Chapel of the Cross:
Changing demographics, social pressures, and expectations of the church require us to examine these attributes as we think about our future. These characteristics can be guides for the future. They can also be convenient excuses for not seeing emerging challenges and opportunities clearly. As we seek to be a parish that is ever alert to God's call to share the good news of Christ Jesus and to glorify his Name, our task is to find a faithful balance between continuity and change. Worship Recommendations Within the next 10 years (2014), assume moderate growth:
Maintain present traditions, formats and strengths:
Additional growth in attendance at services accommodated by:
Add a larger range of services which might include:
Possible times for new services:
Other issues affecting worship:
Program Recommendations Values and Principles That Guide Our Recommendations: The Chapel of the Cross should make the deepening of Christian community an intentional parish priority, assigning staff leadership and organizational resources to this dimension of parish life. Recognizing that a strong parish community is instrumental to Christian formation and is a living expression of the Body of Christ that is the Church, we believe the parish should work to make the Chapel of the Cross distinctive for its:
We hold out a vision of a parish where strong lay ministry is supported and nurtured by a strong staff. We underscore the dynamic relationship that exists between the quality and flexibility of our physical space and the quality of our programs and of our community. Where our space is uninviting and restrictive, program and relationships suffer. We should retain our historic strengths as a parish while having the courage to adjust ourselves to the demographic changes that are transforming our community. We see a parish that reflects the totality of our community, not an insular vision. Issue #1 We are a programmatically rich parish, but gaps and overlaps exist in what we do. As we grow, we must take care to remember that "more" is not necessarily "better." Recommendations: Years 0-1: We recommend that the vestry appoint a Program Review Committee to:
The Program Review Committee should request that clergy, staff, and volunteer leaders be asked:
The Program Review Committee should report its findings and recommendations at a parish-wide forum and following each Sunday service to generate feedback and commitment. Years 2-5: Act on the recommendations of the Program Review Committee, including implications for new staff and new configurations of existing staff. Issue #2 The parish should consciously and deliberately work to strengthen the intangible dimensions of Christian community (hospitality, fellowship, intergenerational relationships), so that the Chapel of the Cross becomes a place where "no one is a stranger." Recommendations: Years 0-1: The vestry should form a special committee of clergy, staff, and volunteers to examine how the parish can build a culture that resolutely and lovingly:
A central element of the work of this committee should be to visit and seek out examples of successful efforts from other congregations, locally, across the Diocese, and nationally. Years 2-5: Act on the findings of the special committee. Issue #3 The Chapel of the Cross should do more to use the pulpit and the classroom to help parishioners relate our Christian faith and Anglican perspective to the great moral issues of the day where "the cross and the world intersect." Recommendation: Year 0-1: Begin to model this goal in worship, education, and service activities. Simultaneously charge the Program Review Committee to assess how well this recommendation is being implemented and report results to the rector and vestry. Options for Expansion of Facilities Basic Assumptions Underlying the following discussion is the basic assumption that our buildings exist to support our parish programs. Our buildings are public statements about who we are and what we do. People establish immediate impressions about us when they enter our church, chapel or parish house. Like it or not, our facilities are judged against those of other churches in the community. It is time to reconsider what we are doing and what we ought to be doing in regard to our parish programs and activities (see the reports of the program and worship subcommittees) and then ask how our buildings support or hinder those goals. We end our report with a recommendation about the steps to be taken by our parish. Definitions As our committee discussed facility design changes, it quickly became evident that many among our group were confused about names. To be certain that everyone understands the terms in this report, we offer the following glossary: Chapel - Our first building built in 1848 of brick with lime wash coating. Church - The pink granite building completed in 1925. It encompasses several areas with distinct names. Nave - Where the congregation pews are located Transepts - Side congregation seating areas at the front of the Nave where the church widens Chancel - Where choir pews are located Sanctuary - Area behind the rail where the altar is located Parish House - The red brick structure linking the church and chapel. It contains classrooms, offices, parlor and dining room. It is composed of two buildings: Battle Building - Built in 1925, the interior features plaster walls and wooden floors that creak. Yates Wing - An addition to the Battle Building completed in 1958. The interior features concrete block walls and silent concrete floors. Fellowship Hall - A large multi-purpose space where our congregation can gather for meetings, social events, or meals. Our current dining room functions to a limited degree in this capacity. Major Needs Delineated Based upon findings of the Space Use Study Committee, the Parish Survey and many informal discussions with congregation ministry groups, the Planning Committee established the following areas needing attention:
Elder Minister Youth Minister Volunteer Program Coordinator Communications Support Development/Stewardship Leader Social Work ... and others
Constraints to consider in addressing our needs Our property is small. We cannot purchase adjacent land for expansion. There is no way we can expand on-site parking. The only open space available for development is our playground and the adjacent portion of our parking lot. Any development on our site will be subject to Historic District limitations and review. The Planning Committee concluded that relocating our congregation to a new larger and more modern site outside of the downtown area with ample parking is not an option. Unlike some churches in our area, our identity is closely linked to our historic location and buildings. We evolved from a campus ministry, and we must remain in our current location if we hope to continue our tradition of service to the University community. The Planning Committee determined that downtown property acquisition in nearby areas is not desirable at this time. Relocating office staff to sites around town would disperse the nucleus of our operation. Cohesive staff function mandates a single office location. Teamwork would be more difficult to achieve. Efforts to raze community structures to create additional parking would generate opposition from the Historic District. Oversight of the properties would tax our maintenance staff. Whatever parking spaces could be created by this process would not adjoin our church property thus walking several blocks would still be required. The purchase and maintenance of properties would consume resources that otherwise could be devoted to parish programs. In considering our need for additional worship space to accommodate larger congregation size, the Planning Committee quickly set aside any consideration of chapel expansion. This historic structure should remain untouched except for ongoing infrastructure upgrades to lighting, heat, sound, and media. Serious attention was devoted to analyzing church expansion options. Multiple novel ideas surfaced including the following
The committee considered options for a new fellowship hall through modification of our existing structures. The following option emerged from the discussions: We analyzed the option of adding a fourth floor to
the Yates Wing. Access would be accomplished by extending the
eastern stair tower and existing elevator shaft. A previous
engineering study concluded that a fourth floor could be added to
the present structure. Whereas a large fellowship hall with an
attractive cathedral ceiling can be constructed there, the distance
from the church and chapel would make it an impractical location. A
more likely use of a fourth floor would be as office space or for
an expanded child-care center. The new construction would include
code upgrades required for licensing a full day child-care program.
Advantages of a forth floor addition to the Yates Wing include the
relatively low cost required to gain a significant amount of space.
If used for offices, we may be able to consolidate most in one
location. Disadvantages include the lack of satisfaction of our
primary need for a large fellowship hall. We would also loose the
much valued storage space in the attic.
Recommendations of the Facility Subcommittee Having debated these subjects for over a year, and discussed them at length with many parishioners, the Facility Subcommittee offers the following recommendations:
The Parish House Addition Strategy: Create an attractive fellowship hall with a cathedral ceiling in a new two story building on the site of our current playground. The first floor would be the basement level and could house offices or an expanded child-care center. The playground could be relocated to a newly constructed fourth floor open roof of the Yates Wing as commonly found in a 'city' playground. An elevator and additional stair access would be required to reach the relocated playground; however, a safe and inviting environment could be accomplished as is common atop many urban buildings. The new fellowship hall would be accessible from the church or chapel via a new hallway built through the existing dining room, which in turn could become a large meeting room. The existing kitchen and dish washroom would be converted to another use, possibly clergy vesting or storage. A new kitchen would be constructed adjoining the new fellowship hall. The new building would likely be constructed with an outdoor corridor on its north side next to the Battle Building. To fully realize the size required for a large hall we will likely need to extend the new building west into the existing parking lot, possibly eliminating six parking spaces. An architectural and engineering study would be required to determine the feasibility of attaching a new building to the Battle Building and/or Yates wing and to study how new roof lines would integrate with the existing buildings. Advantages projected for this strategy include the practical means by which we gain a grand fellowship hall with the high ceiling that is an important consideration for a large room. We also gain basement space for enhanced offices for a child-care center in close proximity. Disadvantages for this strategy involve the loss of the current playground close to the fellowship hall, the loss of parking spaces, and the fact that the basement-level rooms might have little or no natural light. This approach also leaves the Battle Building and Yates Wing essentially unchanged with existing limitations in ambiance, infrastructure, and security. Hallways would become more complex. The Parish Hall Replacement Strategy: This approach involves completely razing both the Battle and Yates buildings and replacing them with an entirely new parish house. This would enable us to achieve an entirely new vision of our parish ministry. Architectural integration with the church and chapel would be much more appealing. By excavating a full basement, we could achieve a three-story structure in most of the space and a full four stories in the eastern corner near the Arboretum. We could resolve our office, education, fellowship hall and security issues. We would assure a pleasant ambiance and offer appropriate support for our parish ministry. Our image would become one of a 21st century parish offering innovative programs that serve our congregation and community. Steps to undertake Two feasibility studies are required before we can finalize plans. First, we need to assess the capability of our parish to support any new construction. Second, we need to engage an architect to assess the feasibility of the addition strategy and the replacement strategy for our buildings. The results of the two feasibility studies will guide our decision process. While the feasibility studies are under way, no major renovations should be made to our parish house beyond what is needed to sustain daily operation. In 'blue-skying' these various possibilities for expanded space, the committee acknowledged that there comes a point at which we are forced to accept the limitations of our location. Eventually we must turn our energies away from expanding our physical plant and towards expanding God's kingdom both within our confines and beyond our boundaries. Vestry Responses to Long-Range Planning Report Ted Vaden, Immediate Past Senior Warden In May of 2002, the vestry gathered in the pastoral surroundings of The Summit to address the question: What is it that God is calling Chapel of the Cross to be and to do? That weekend vestry retreat launched a two-year long-range planning initiative focused on that key question of identity and calling for our parish. It was appropriate then, that the planning effort came full circle in May 2004 when the parish's Long-Range Planning Committee presented its final report to the vestry, again in the leafy climes of The Summit. The report occasioned another weekend of energetic debate, discussion, some disagreement, but ultimate consensus overall to proceed with the broadest strokes of the Long-Range Planning Committee's recommendations. Here are some of those brush strokes:
These recommendations look to a 5- to 15-year time horizon. They will be fleshed out and refined by vestry in the coming year, but committee appointments will be made soon. There are many other recommendations and conclusions in the report, which are summarized elsewhere in this issue of Cross Roads. The energy and enthusiasm with which the report was presented and received were impressive. But just as impressive to me was the vestry's discussion of the topic that we had addressed two years ago: What is it that God is calling us to be and to do as a parish? The Long-Range Planning Committee sought to address that question by identifying "Defining Characteristics of the Chapel of the Cross." During its meetings over the last two years, the committee frequently talked about "the DNA" of the church, but we decided that was too secular. Call it, maybe, "the soul of Chapel of the Cross." The five "defining attributes" of the Chapel of the Cross as listed in the report are outlined on p. 6. We asked the vestry, "Which of those attributes most resonates with you? Which single one defines the soul of Chapel of the Cross? Here are some of the answers. Most identified the first characteristic - the tradition of Anglican worship - as central to our identity. "Sunday is just an awesome experience," said Mary Schoenfeld. "The liturgy offers this wonderful expression of who and what we are, our place in the universe." "That's our core," said Stephen Elkins-Williams. "The world needs the moderating voice that the Anglican tradition brings," added Vicky Jamieson-Drake. Robert Wright said he would add preaching of the Gospel as a high value. "I think we are an evangelical church, though not in the ways people traditionally think," he said. He noted that the diocese and national church have both embraced a missionary strategy to grow the Episcopal Church. "People who are considering our church need to know up front that we're unambiguous about that." Jean DeSaix, long-time adviser to the Episcopal Campus Ministry, identified the UNC student relationship as a core value. "I think that's really a spiritual formation place." Paul Carew liked the concept of "courageous stands" in the world. "During the controversy over a gay bishop," he said, "people felt they could speak the truth and that they would be listened to and respected. That's important." Jim Crow sees "active social outreach ministry" as an increasingly important role for the church, as secular and political institutions cut back on attention to the needy. "It's more and more important that we sow seeds early." And finally, Steve Lackey embraced the concept of the universal Church. "That is the ultimate one through which all the others flow," he said. "Think globally, act locally. It comes down to living out the Gospel and thinking globally and acting locally." That sounds to me like a good answer, for us as individuals and as a parish, to the starting question: What is it that God wants us to be and to do? Corsortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes Annual Conference Dick Taylor, Senior Warden In early May, five of us from the Chapel of the Cross journeyed to Atlanta to the annual conference of the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes. Membership in that group is open to parishes with more than $1 million in endowment - funds restricted to generate income for the mission of the church. Our parish acquired that status in the decade between the two terms I have served on the vestry. We are now blessed with about $1.5 million in endowment with the income designated for our buildings and grounds and outreach. We also have roughly one-half million in various funds that support programs, music, campus ministry, and general operations. At the same time, the constant dilemma facing the vestry is how to meet the growing costs of parish programs and operating expenses without depleting our principal - how can we grow in our current ministry and still have the resources to meet the needs of future generations. The Rev. Dan Matthews, recently retired rector of Trinity Wall Street and chaplain for the conference, called us to respond to a gospel of abundance despite a prevalent view of scarcity. He preached at morning and evening prayer three times and his words became a backdrop for the various workshops. I came to the realization that the task for the Chapel of the Cross was not to hoard our special funds or endowment, but to grow them intentionally. With the growth in annual giving and in endowment of which we are capable, we can continue to foster wonderful programs (like Johnson Interns), preserve and enhance our historic buildings, minister to ourselves more ably, and continue the tradition of beautiful worship at the edge of the campus, town, and world, which is our special call. I was inspired by a pre-conference for wardens. The subject was leadership. Katherine Tyler Scott, President of the Consortium and a professional leadership trainer, and Jim Lemler, Dean of Seabury-Western Seminary, were the presenters. But the richest element was getting to know 23 people serving as wardens of various endowed parishes across the country and sharing information and ideas. I also attended workshops on "Increasing Parish Revenue 10-20% Every Year," "Building Endowments," and "Overlooked Steps of Capital Construction Projects." Each was informative. I met people who will be good resources for the Chapel of the Cross. The trip was also fun. Barbara Hastings, John McGee, and I saw the Braves in Turner Field. I went with a group to a tour of Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center. We had Evensong and a reception at St. Luke's the first night and a closing Eucharist at All Saints. Coincidentally, my niece graduated from Emory University the weekend of the conference and I had the pleasure of going to dinner with her and my mother and sister. I returned to Chapel Hill renewed and reinvigorated for vestry work and more prepared to become your Senior Warden. John T. McGee, Treasurer The conference was certainly a unique opportunity to both learn from those that have been successful in their endowment efforts and to share experiences with other parishes that have similar situations. The focus on "Power of Vision: The Gospel Insight" was striking in that the ability to grow an endowment that sustains a parish and fulfills God's promise to help those in need takes continuous effort over a long period. In its 19th year, the Consortium has become a major influence in assisting organizations in the development of capital and human resources that promote the mission and ministry of the member parishes. Although the parishes vary widely in both size and endowment, many common issues and processes can be exploited for better understanding and approaches. One of the interesting viewpoints was given by Kurt Barnes, Treasurer of the Episcopal Church USA. He gave his perspective of controls and reporting from both a central and local parish experience. Presenter Ernie Petrey has the magical gift of delivering information in an entertaining and informative manner. His presence was powerful throughout sessions that focused on financial and investment topics. I must say, however, that most of the learning came from attendees representing parishes across the country. The size of the endowments ranged from one to 42 million dollars but there was a congruence of problems and opportunities to discuss. I plan to continue to maintain contact with several key parishes for sharing of best practice ideas. One thing became patently clear during the conference: the overwhelming need to grow and maintain an endowment sufficient to sustain our beloved Chapel of the Cross. Although we have been blessed by a number of significant bequests over the years, we will need to expand greatly our endowment in order to protect our future from unseen circumstances and to be able to support outreach opportunities that present themselves. It will take the more productive investment strategy that we have adopted combined with a meaningful planned giving program to achieve the levels we will need for our parish. This is in addition to the annual giving program that supports the on-going operation of the parish. Gretchen S. Jordan, Christian Education Director Youth and Family Ministry "You can tell when a child is approaching adolescence by the pale expressions of fear on the faces of the parents." Was it serendipitous that as I began to write this article I flipped to the middle of a notebook which I had created for leading a workshop on parenting many years ago to find this statement underlined and starred across the top of a page? I think not, for it succinctly supports one of the four key points of the pre-conference seminar I attended in May at the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes in Atlanta: to minister to youth, the parish must minister to youth and their families. Below are excerpts from a document being adopted by many parishes which are striving to strengthen their youth and family ministry program: "Whereas God intends for parents to serve as the primary spiritual instructors of their children (Deuteronomy 6: 4 - 9), and Whereas God intends for those He calls as ministers to equip His people for service (Ephesians 4: 11-13), and Whereas many parents in church fail to fulfill their responsibility for the spiritual development of their children (Judges 2: 10, 14), and Whereas the church makes its greatest impact upon unbelieving youth and families when its own youth and families are healthy spiritually (1 Timothy 3: 1 - 13), and Whereas the church and organizational leaders too long have failed to equip parents for their vital role in the spiritual instruction and leadership of their youth... Therefore, ministers are called to take on their rightful role as pastoral ministers to parents, acknowledging parents as the primary spiritual leaders of their children and serving parents in that role." This is a changing dynamic for youth ministry and one that is already being addressed within our parish. A group of approximately 12 parents of pre-adolescents and adolescents have met several times over the past four months to discuss how to be more involved in the program of ministry to youth within the parish and how to create opportunities for parent education and support of one another. If you are interested in being a part of this developing group, please contact parishioner and parent, Maria Saunders, or me. A second key point for this ministry is the importance of mentoring. During adolescence, youth are searching for identity, seeking out advice to help them define who they are, and experiencing a natural tendency to separate from their parents. They yearn and need relationships and connections to other people, especially to adults. Mentoring programs within the parish offer young people a relationship with adults other than their parents. While this is not presently a part of the parish's program, there has been some conversation about incorporating this into the Youth Inquirers' Class. In addition, our parish is investigating the Journey to Adulthood curriculum, designed for 7th and 8th graders, that has a mentoring component. A third key point is the need to incorporate youth fully into the life of the parish and encourage youth to live out their life in Christ. (Youth are to be guided in determining ways to live into the baptismal covenant during the confirmation process and upon confirming their infant baptism.) This is best accomplished when the parish offers many opportunities for youth to be involved by learning about God and the Church; ministering to others; having healthy Christian fellowship; serving as leaders of the worship services; giving their time, talent, and money; and when youth are encouraged each year to commit to a minimum of two areas of participation with Church School being one of the two. This was the most concerning point for me as I reflect on the low percentage of middle and high school youth who attend Church School. We have many opportunities for youth that include three Church School classes (7th-8th grade, Youth Inquirers' during the 9th grade year, and 10th-12th grade), evening EYC, an annual youth mission trip, youth serving as worship leaders (we have youth serving as acolytes, choir members, readers and greeters), and youth as leaders in programs to children such as Vacation Church School and Children's Chapel. Other areas recommended include a youth altar guild; a stewardship program of pledging time, talents, and money; regularly scheduled family activities; diocesan participation; and intergenerational service opportunities. A fourth point for this ministry addressed organization. To further develop, evaluate, and monitor the parish's ministry to youth and families, youth councils are strongly recommended. These councils are representative of each age level of youth, parents of each age level of their youth and leaders of all specific programs offered (i.e. Church School teachers, EYC leaders, mission trip leaders, etc....). David Frazelle will be joining the clergy staff in December and will have responsibility for many aspects of this ministry. I anticipate that soon after his arrival David and I will be discussing how better to coordinate the varying aspects of ministry to youth and families. I look forward to continuing conversations with parents of youth through the summer and involvement with the Youth Inquirers' Class. Barbara Hastings, Parish Administrator I was fortunate to attend the Parish Administrator's Pre-Conference portion of the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes annual conference. I benefited greatly from networking with parish administrators from other parishes. We now have an e-mail list that can be used to ask "how do you do it in your parish" questions, or get "words of wisdom from experience" advice. It's always helpful to compare notes with others and make contacts for the future. We had four presentations by experts during the pre-conference.
Paul Carew, Junior Warden The theme for this years' conference was The Power of Vision: The Gospel of Insight, and certainly the workshops and presentations reflected the theme admirably. The many workshops addressed the varied issues of endowments, leadership, spiritual formation, outreach, and stewardship. It was my privilege to moderate a workshop entitled "Simplifying Stewardship and Enabling Generosity" that included Pam Wesley Gomez from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and Mac McFarling, MD, from St. Luke's, Atlanta, as presenters. Both Pam and Mac have outstanding credentials in the field of stewardship implementation and they kept the over-subscribed workshop (and their moderator) on our collective toes. The Chapel of the Cross attendees took full advantage of the conference workshops as well as the pre-conference seminars that provided an extended and comprehensive examination of the issues challenging wardens, treasurers, stewardship volunteers, youth directors, and parish administrators. Besides orienting attendees new to these roles, those who had been to previous conferences found a wealth of new ideas and dynamic strategies to digest and bring back to their parishes. The conference's theme was brought into immediate focus by the three morning "commentaries" by the Rev. Dr. Daniel Matthews, the recently retired rector of Trinity Church, Wall Street. Starting with a gripping description of his witnessing the horror of 9/11 from Trinity's office building near the twin towers, Matthews led us through the lessons of loss, sacrifice, devotion, and God's stewardship. The large room was so still, you could have heard a pin drop. He continued the conference's theme in his subsequent talks, culminating with the charge that it is our obligation and responsibility as endowed parishes to do God's work in our communities and beyond through the bounty we have received. We returned to the Chapel of the Cross enriched, refreshed, and with a renewed sense of commitment to our tasks and responsibilities. "I Think That I Shall Never See. . ." Environmental Stewardship For Trees Linda B. Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair Do you remember the famous poem by Joyce Kilmer that began with this statement? Perhaps you, like me, had to memorize it back in grammar school. Re-reading that poem recently prompted me to write this article because I realized that the poet presaged a descriptive word for trees that we commonly use today to describe ourselves - multi-taskers. Kilmer described in his poem the aesthetics of trees, the symbiotic relationship between trees and the water and soil that compose our earth, the habitat that trees provide for wildlife. Yet there are many other tasks that trees provide. Consider some of the following contributions that trees make as part of God's creation. Trees:
Can you picture our world without trees? Imagine, if you can, Chapel Hill in the spring without dogwoods or red buds, or in the summer without our big oak trees. Picture Vermont in the fall without sugar maples. Think of northern California without its giant sequoias. Then consider this: between 1990 and 2002, North Carolina lost more than one million acres of forest - an area greater than Wake, Durham, and Orange counties combined. This loss was largely due to urban sprawl (US Forest Service). According to the World Resources Institute, more than 80 percent of the Earth's natural forests already have been destroyed. The Environmental Stewardship Committee invites you to reflect on all that trees mean to you and what they do for us as individuals and as a community. Then commit to becoming better stewards of this amazing part of creation, God's original multi-taskers! Diocesan Mission and Ministry Fair John Vernon Local media had warned that Saturday May 8 was likely to experience thunderstorms. Obviously, when they chose "Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos" ("We are marching in the light of God"), those who planned the Mission and Ministry Fair and Acolyte Festival were thinking in bright, positive, sunny terms. At the Canterbury School in Greensboro, where this program of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina was held, the sky was blue and the sun was bright throughout the day-long program! Registration was fast, easy and friendly, and attendees were sent on their way to enjoy orange juice, fresh fruit, and coffee. Then, it was on to the Phillips Chapel for a welcome-worship service. Friends - from your home parish or prior Diocesan events, or that you had just met - were all smiling and ready to move on to the morning workshops. Both the morning and afternoon workshops (about 32 different offerings, if I counted correctly!) were designed to support the five objectives set out in our Diocesan Mission Strategy. In very summarized form, those five are: Spiritual Revitalization, Outreach, Church Growth, Evangelism, and Church Structure. As we walked from the chapel to the building housing the particular workshop each had elected, moods were heightened even more by the architecture of the buildings outlined against the naturally beautiful campus. I'd chosen Servant Leadership, one of the workshops to support our Outreach objective: "To expand and extend the ministry of the community of Christ through reaching and serving all people, including those on the margins of society, with God's help." About 10 of us found our building and meeting room quickly, and our group discussion leader had each of us talking within five minutes of arriving. Several different parishes were represented and, despite differences in the backgrounds of our attendees, all were there in some stage of a process of discerning a particular call for life-giving service to the world. Our leader was Dr. Ruth D. Anderson, Director of The Servant Leadership School of Greensboro, an inter-denominational institution. One of the ways she describes "Servant Leadership" is "shaping our lives in accordance with God's dream [for each of us]." Even listing the courses currently offered at The Servant Leadership School (just an hour's drive from Chapel Hill) would take too much space here. This selected range will have to do: from "Servant Leadership Praxis: Hunger, Feeding, Fasting and Lobbying," to "Biblical Light on Troublesome Times," to "Keeping Body, Mind and Spirit Together." All too soon, the morning workshop ended. We all headed back to Phillips Chapel for the Acolyte Festival and Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, our bishop, both celebrated and thanked acolytes for their contributions throughout the Diocese. He also focused on Mission and Ministry as making disciples and making a difference by living God's dream. When none of us came up with the admittedly clear answer to a question he asked, the Bishop asked a worshiper to stand and cup her hands. He took a small dark bag from his pocket, tore the top open and began to pour the contents into her hands: M & M's - so we would remember this day and its message of Mission and Ministry! Surely none of us will ever forget Mission and Ministry! Assisted by the Rt. Rev. Alfred C. Marble, Jr., Bishop of the Diocese of Mississippi, retired, and others, the Holy Eucharist was celebrated. Lunch (really more like a dinner!) followed, and then on to the afternoon workshop sessions, which in turn were followed by closing prayer, farewells and thank-yous! I'm not sure I saw everyone from Chapel of the Cross who attended, but I did see Vicky Jamieson-Drake, Joseph Ferrell, Gretchen Jordan, Bill Joyner, and Robert Wright - most of whom led a workshop or moderated a panel discussion! As this Mission and Ministry day ended, I left singing Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos' (I'm sorry, "We are marching in the light of God") to myself on the sunny ride home. Decisions about the Summit Note: For more current and precise information about The Summit, please consult the diocesan Web site, http://www.episdionc.com/update/index.html. On May 28 Diocesan Council met to discuss the future of the diocesan camp and conference center, The Summit. During the past several years, The Summit has operated at a deficit that has been covered by diocesan reserves. The reserve funds are nearly spent and the diocese will no longer be able to subsidize The Summit. According to an e-mail message sent by the Summit's Executive Director, John Koch, to members of The Summit Board, the following decisions were made:
The Rev. Vicky Jamieson-Drake serves on the Board of Directors of The Summit. Please feel free to contact her for detailed information.W Send
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