A called meeting of the Vestry was held in the parish library on Wednesday, May 26, 2004. Vestry members present were Dick Taylor (Sr. Warden), Paul Carew (Jr. Warden), Jean DeSaix, Kevin Trapani, George Evans, Jack Scarborough, Chris Bowes, Jim Crow, Steve Lackey, and Mary Schoenfeld. Also present were Stephen Elkins-Wilkins (Rector), recently outgoing Vestry members Ted Vaden and Robert Wright, Watty Bowes (member of the Johnson Intern Board), John McGee (Treasurer), and Nancy Kelly (Clerk).

The Rector presided and opened the meeting at 5:30 p.m..

Mr. Elkins-Williams began the discussion by stating the purpose of this called session of the Vestry, that of reconsideration of the motion passed at the Vestry meeting of May 13 to suspend the Johnson Intern Program for the academic year 2004-05. This possibility arose in light of recent gifts that would make it financially possible to continue the program. He asked Dr. Bowes to update the Vestry on the situation.

Dr. Bowes began by saying that the exploratory committee of the Johnson Intern Program met on Tuesday, May 25, after learning of potential gifts that would ensure funding of the program for another year. The committee took into account a number of factors.

First, the parish had already announced to applicants the suspension of the Johnson Intern Program. The committee considered whether there will be enough applicants at this point if the program is reinstated. He indicated that several of the former applicants have already made other plans. Dr. Bowes continued by stating that program director Mary Agnes Rawlings is presently attending a national meeting of Episcopal young adults in Florida, which would be a good place to recruit potential applicants. If the Vestry votes to reinstate the program, she will be notified to make this information public.

The committee then considered the question of whether, with sufficient funding available, it would be possible at this point to move forward to reinstate the program for 2004-05. Dr. Bowes outlined the actual expenses for the 2003-04 program year and anticipated revenue for the 2004-05 program year as listed below:

Actual expenses for 2003-04
$13, 457 - intern stipends
$34,219 - staff salary
$24,150 - room and board
$ 2500 - transportation
$11,160 - health insurance
$ 1500 - development
$18,714 - program expense

Anticipated revenue for 2004-05
$47,500 - agencies
$30,000 - Don Williams’ gift from discretionary funds available to him through the estate of Frances and Carey Shaw
$10,000 - Strowd Rose
$20,000 - anonymous gift

The committee then asked if there will be five fully-funded agencies for the program. There is confidence that there will be at least four and a half.

Another question was the availability of the Carr home. Fortunately, it is still available.

The next question was whether or not there will be a Duke Divinity School intern available to the program. Duke has indicated that an intern can be provided.

Dr. Bowes informed the Vestry that the program’s association with Public Allies Americorps can’t be continued because of administrative changes in that program.

An additional consideration is that the Johnson Intern Program was in the process of applying for non-profit status. This process will be continued if the program is reinstated.

The exploratory committee, after consideration of all of these issues, concluded that the program could be continued with a $106,000 budget for 2004-05, if qualified interns can be identified.

Mr. Elkins-Williams indicated that Strowd Rose has already been contributing to the program and would like a continued association with the parish in this endeavor even if 501(c)(3) status is attained.

Mr. Vaden added that the committee considered the prospect of continuing the program with only four interns. Dr. Bowes added that this would reduce the amount of funding from the agencies, and he suggested a possible solution to that problem. The interns, who currently work 24 hours per week, could work 32 hours per week for a higher stipend.

Mr. Scarborough asked how certain the figures on the revenue side are, and Mr. Elkins-Williams replied that the committee is very confident in these numbers.

Mr. Taylor stated that the parish is engaged in this ministry as a result of a gift. He followed this statement by asking what kind of commitment we are making long-range if we accept these recent gifts to continue the program for the coming year. He asked if accepting these gifts and reinstating the program will result in having to face the same problems again next year, or will the program become part of our parish program?

Mr. Vaden said that the Vestry, when it voted to suspend the program for 2004-05, included in the motion the intention of taking the year to discern the parish’s long-term commitment to the program. He further stated that the Vestry, if the recent gifts are accepted and the program authorized to continue, needs to have an awareness of its obligation to study the issue of making the Johnson Intern Program a parish program. He added that it has become apparent that the program can’t succeed unless it is broadened to attract grant funding or becomes a parish program.

Mr. Wright expressed the concern that attempts to keep the program alive and long-term feasibility issues may distract from other parish issues and concerns. The greater issue is the question of the long-term future of young adult ministry at the Chapel of the Cross.

Mr. McGee noted that the outside gifts of $60,000 that would enable the program to continue equal the total of the entire parish budget for outreach. Mr. Taylor commented that if the program does become a parish program, then our giving outside the parish doubles.

Mr. Trapani stated that these gifts seem to indicate that the funding sources for the Johnson Intern Program may be unique, rather than the traditional large grant-funding foundations. He reiterated his strongly held belief that this is yet another case not of an expense problem, but of a revenue problem, and he noted that these gifts have answered the revenue problem.

Mr. Elkins-Williams cited several creative ideas that have been suggested to reduce expenses, including the idea of looking for a volunteer coordinator. He said that there are many creative ways to approach long-term support of this program.

Mr. Crow noted that little effort was expended to attract these gifts to the program, and he suggested that the director’s time is not well-spent in seeking grants and that the time would be better spent working on administration of the program.

Mrs. DeSaix added that these gifts do indicate that the Johnson Intern Program is important to some individuals.

Mr. Carew said that he would be more comfortable with the program as a parish program if our own youth were more involved in it. Dr. Bowes stated that this program is not exclusively an Episcopal ministry, but rather a Christian ministry. Mrs. DeSaix commented that the interns have been heavily involved in the parish, and she suggested that we need to make a greater effort to recognize the involvement of the Johnson Interns in the life of the parish.

It was moved by Mr. Taylor, seconded by Mrs. DeSaix, and passed unanimously, that the Vestry accept gifts totaling $60,000 offered to the Johnson Intern Program, that it approve continuation of the program for the 2004-05 program year by reversing its decision of May 13 to suspend the program, and that the Johnson Intern Program be considered in the long-range planning process for inclusion as a parish program.The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m..

Respectfully submitted,
Nancy F. Kelly
Clerk of the Vestry