Wednesday, April 14, 1999
St. Mary's Church, Haledon, New Jersey
Approved Minutes of Regular Monthly Meeting

Bishop's Appointments: The Rev. Geoffrey Curtiss; Ms. Diane Kaczmarek; The Rev. Dr. Robert A. Schiesler

Elected by Convention: The Rev. Emory Byrum; Mr. Leonard Glenn; Ms. Joyce Skipper; The Rev. Richard Wrede

Elected by Districts: The Rev. David Badgley; The Rev. Martin Bagay; Mr. Steven Boston; The Rev. Dr. Lawrence Falkowski; Mr. Richard Fifield; Ms. Kathy Ganim;; The Rev. Margaret Hodgkins; The Rev. Scott Hoogerhyde; Ms. Naomi Horsky; Mr. Michael James; Mrs. Doris Mardirosian; Mr. Christopher Neglia; The Rev. William Parnell; Mr. Junius Powell; Mr. Robert Simmons; The Rev. Mildred J. Solomon; The Rev. Steven Steele; Ms. Mary Sunden; Mrs. Virginia Whitehouse

Absent: The Rev. Kevin P.J. Coffey; The Rt. Rev. John P. Croneberger; Ms. Dorothy Gould The Rev. William Lantz; The Rev. Mark Lewis; The Rev. Kenneth Near; Ms. Susan Schink; The Rev. Harry Smith; Ms. Lynn Tyler; The Rev. Dr. Franklin Vilas

Others present: Mrs. Clara Horsley; The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Kaeton; The Rev. Margaret Gat

The Rev. David Badgley, Rector and Council member, welcomed the members of Council and introduced the parishioners who were responsible for the meal. The Council demonstrated its appreciation by applause. Ms. Judy Loeb, former warden, provided a brief report on the history of the church. The current church building was built in 1969 to replace the previous structure that had been destroyed in a fire. The parish hall was built in 1872 and housed the day care center, St. Mary's Place.

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Bishop Spong.

AGENDA

It was moved and seconded to adopt the agenda with additions by Kathy Ganim, Michael James and Jay Powell. The motion was adopted.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded to accept the minutes for the March 10, 1999, meeting. The motion to accept the minutes was adopted.

EPISCOPAL COMMUNICATIONS: THE RT. REV. JOHN S. SPONG

Congratulated Bishop McKelvey on the birth of his first grandchild, Alex.

Welcomed the Reverends Elizabeth Kaeton and Margaret Gat.

Announced the Standing Committee approved for ordination to the diaconate Amy Eagan and Susan Fortunato at a service scheduled for June 5 at the Cathedral.

Announced the New Dimensions lecture with Karen Armstrong on Tuesday, May 11 at St. Peter's Church, Morristown.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Mr. Zinn presented the Treasurer's Report. Pledge income had been strong in the first quarter. The income line on office reimbursement was above expectations. Office expense lines were over budget, but so were office reimbursement lines. A review of these budget lines was planned. It was moved and seconded to accept the report.

An annual diocesan financial report for 1998 will be prepared by the May Council meeting.

He reported that the national church had been in contact with the diocese about the group tax exemption that covers most dioceses and most congregations. The national church was attempting to get more organized with the exemption process. Dioceses and congregations were asked to provide information and to specifically request participation in the group exemption under the national church. Letters from his office were mailed to churches about the process. Next month a resolution would come before Council that would be forwarded to the national church listing the dioceses and the churches that responded positively to be part of the group exemption.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

Mrs. Clara Horsley distributed copies of the recent issue of the ECW newsletter that was published five times a year. She reported that May 2 was designated as Church Periodical Sunday by the presiding bishop with the request that donations be made to a school in Liberia. She announced that North Porch had ongoing needs of formula and pampers. She reported that 80 people attended the Today's Woman IV conference in March.

THE OASIS

The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Kaeton, Missioner, highlighted the work of the Oasis, especially in the areas of outreach and education. Nearly half of the work was given outside the diocese of Newark. She regretted having to report that getting educational programs into our own congregations had been difficult, because of clergy resistance. The Rev. Dana Rose had begun a program of diversity education for churches and other agencies. Presentations had been made at six churches, Apostles House, the AIDS Resource Center at St. Barnabas and several other organizations.

The educational programs of All Love is Of God and Claiming the Promise were still underway and being distributed.

A new initiative would be undertaken in the Newark school system on diversity training for students. A seminarian, Adam Lahm, worked to bring diversity into liturgies, as evident of the Pauli Murray service in February.

The LEM training program was quite a success. This spring there were three classes concurrently running. During the past two years, sixty persons went through the training.

She reported on speaking engagements at Unitarian Universalist congregations and to a recent Lucent Technologies conference for employees' diversity education.

Copies of the Wellspring were distributed that included a statistical study of the number of sponsoring congregations, the number of gay, lesbian and people of color clergy. The 10^th anniversary service was scheduled for Tuesday, June 1, All Saints', Hoboken.

WOMEN'S COMMISSION

The Rev. Margaret Gat, Commission Co-chair and rector of St. John's, Dover, gave a history of the commission. It began about thirty years ago as a support system for women seeking ordination. The commission members were men and women, lay and ordained. It continued to support women in their ministries, both lay and ordained. Collaborative leadership steps were taken and the shared leadership was evident of that process. Two liturgies were hosted each year by the commission. This year the commission worked with the Oasis for the Pauli Murray service and with the ECW for the Today's Women liturgy. Three leadership gatherings were sponsored each year for clergy and lay leaders. The commission sponsored the annual Saturday morning breakfast at convention featuring a noted speaker. Each meeting of the commission had time set aside for bible study and the dismantling racism dialogues. Recommended readings were offered by the commission through Voice articles and other publications. The commission will participate in the Creative Congregations Conference in October.

CANTERBURY VILLAGE

The Rev. Margaret Hodgkins, Canterbury Village Board Member and member of the nominating committee, reported that the new by-laws of Canterbury Village required Diocesan Council ratification of the slate of Board nominees, which were: The Rev. Wade Renn, President, Grace, Westwood; Mr. Tim Carpenter, Vice President, St. John's, Montclair; Mr. Tim Russo, Treasurer, Grace, Nutley; Ms. Hope Lampe, Secretary, Christ, Short Hills; The Rev. Margaret Hodgkins, Calvary, Summit; Mr. Junius Powell, St. John's, Montclair; The Rev. Donald Shearer, All Saints', Orange; Ms. Jessie Wilkerson, Epiphany, Orange; and Mr. Richard Haines, Calvary, Summit. It was moved, seconded and adopted to ratify the slate of nominees as presented.

NEWARK REGIONAL MINISTRY

The Rev. Mildred J. Solomon, Missioner to the Newark Regional Ministry, shared her thoughts on her call to the diocese and the work of the Newark Regional Ministry. In trying to proclaim the gospel, she needed to find new ways to do so and to be able to recognize the strangers in our midst. She stressed the WHO within the ministry of the regional ministry in Newark. The ministry was a work in progress, with resurrection experiences weekly. The House of Prayer would celebrate its 150^th anniversary later in the year and plans were underway for a celebration.

JERSEY CITY MINISTRY

Bishop McKelvey thanked the Council for its support at last month's meeting of resolutions for the development of a youth outreach program in Jersey City. It has since been decided that the former rectory of Grace Greenville would not be used by the program. Youth ministry program work was continuing and names were being taken for the position of youth minister.

STEERING COMMITTEE - PLANNING DAY

Ms. Diane Kaczmarek announced a Planning Day with the Bishop Coadjutor for all Council members and for the leaders of the various diocesan organizations and groups. The event was scheduled for Saturday, May 22 at St. Agnes' Church, Little Falls. The intent was to determine the Council's role in budget, planning and program as priorities for the diocese.

STEERING COMMITTEE - VESTRY/EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VISITS

Ms. Diane Kaczmarek reported that Susan Schink would be coordinating the visitations by Council members to vestries and executive committees. The work on the process would begin at the May meeting.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ms. Kathy Ganim reported on efforts of the parishioners at All Saints' to build a community center in the west side of town. To help fund the project, a five mile race and a 1 mile fun run were scheduled for May 1. She distributed registration forms.

Mr. Jay Powell announced an evensong celebration at Christ, Ridgewood, sponsored by the Commission on Aging, on Sunday, May 2.

Mr. Michael James updated the Council on the search process for a new dean. The profile was nearly completed. The revised cathedral constitution was also close to adoption. Names of candidates were being received up until June 15.

EPISCOPAL COMMUNICATIONS - THE RT. REV. JACK M. MCKELVEY

Reported on the birth of his grandson, Alex, born on March 29.

On Saturday, April 17 will install Michael Gerhardt and Paul Walker as rectors of Christ, Teaneck and Christ, Belleville, respectively.

Michael Garrison, the bishop of Central New York asked him to be a co-consecrating bishop on April 24.

Announced several clergy calls: Grace, Westwood, called the Rev. Elton Smith to begin ministry on June 1; the Rev. Charles Ramsden called as priest in charge to St. Paul's, Morris Plains; the Rev. Denise Yarbrough called to Transfiguration, Towaco; and, the Rev. Jennifer Baskerville was called as priest of Christian Formation to St. Peter's, Morristown.

The benediction was pronounced by Mr. Michael James.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:50 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Francaviglia, Secretary

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