District 4 Meeting Minutes

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District 4 Meeting Minutes, Tuesday, September 27, 2005 - Grace, Madison

Present:  Anne Davidson, the Reverend Elizabeth Kaeton, Bill Kinnaman, St. Paul’s, Chatham; the Reverend Lauren Ackland (co-convenor), Larry Taber, Hester B. Wharton, Grace, Madison; Beth Rauen Sciaino, Chris West, St. George’s, Maplewood; Louie Crew, Kate Halm-Lutterodt, the Reverend John Hamilton, Edward Onaodowan, Grace, Newark; the Reverend Judy Baldwin, Doug Eldridge, Dolores Macauley, House of Prayer, Newark; Joseph A. Dasent, Frank Waiters, Louise Waiters, St. Barnabas’, Newark; Edith Gallimore, John L Smith, Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral, Newark; Sam McKeown, Joan Mebane, the Reverend Allison Read, the Reverend E. Bevan Stanley, Christ, Short Hills; Crystal Brown, Faith Gideon Brown, Marilyn Lehren, Patrice Henderson, the Reverend Sandye Wilson, St. Andrew & Holy Communion, South Orange; the Reverend Chris Brdlik, Charles Rall, Calvary, Summit

o       The meeting began with fellowship and dinner.  Thanks were extended to Grace, Madison, parishioners Constance Bizer who prepared a delicious dinner and Larry Taber who ably assisted as maître d’ and with clean up duties.

o      A motion was made and passed to accept the minutes from the June 22 meeting.

October 15 District 4 Music Festival

Anne Matlack, organist and choirmaster at Grace, Madison, provided an enthusiastic progress report on the October 15 Music Festival.  The concert will be held at Grace, Madison, and all free will donations will go to Hurricane Katrina relief.  Anne and Jim McGregor, director of music at Grace, Newark, are the musical directors for this event.  Anne and Jim met with other District 4 organists and choir directors on September 17 to plan for this event.  (Marilyn Lehren is helping to put together an organist/choir director email list, which will facilitate future collaboration.)  The Music Festival Participation Sheet to be submitted by congregations is due on October 1.  This form was available at tonight’s meeting and sent (following the meeting) in electronic form to all district clergy and mailed to congregations without email access. 

            The choir rehearsal and fellowship begins at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, at Grace, Madison.  Choir directors are asked to share their favorite warm up at the rehearsal.  See below for the outline of the concert program, which includes four joint musical selections.

o       Congregational hymn

o       “Let Us Love in Deed and Truth” by Larry King. An Anglican hymn with a social action message.

o       “Praise His Holy Name” by Keith Hampton

o       “Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord” Cameroon Processional

o       “Surely it is God Who Saves Me” or “First Song of Isaiah” by Jack Noble White. This piece includes a congregational part throughout.

o       A hymn written in response to Hurricane Katrina set to Regent Square.

In addition, individual parishes are invited to sing an anthem.  Please indicate your selection through the participation sheet, which can be sent to Edward Onaodowan, edwona@msn.com, or Anne, ajmpresto@cs.com.   If your choir only plans to sing an anthem you do not have to attend the rehearsal and can arrive in advance of the concert.  All are welcome to participate, be they few in number or a full choir.  Singers do not have to prepare the joint selections in advance because they are either well known or easy to learn.  Parishioners who like to sing but are not in the choir are also welcome to participate.  Anne will direct the adult choir and Jim McGregor will rehearse the kids and play organ accompaniment for the concert.

            Jim Little, organist and choirmaster at Calvary, Summit, intends for his choir to contribute to this portion, as do the Grace, Madison, choirs, and the boy’s choir of Grace, Newark.  The North American Welsh Choir, which rehearses at both Calvary and Grace, Madison, has graciously offered to perform as well. 

            The concert begins at 5:00 p.m. and should run at most one hour and fifteen minutes, without an intermission.  A reception and opportunity for District 4 fellowship will follow the concert.  Congregations are asked to contribute food and refreshments for the reception; please let Edward know what you will bring.  Grace, Madison, is providing paper products.  Contributions are requested for the rehearsal as well as singers will be fed during the rehearsal which will also allow for an opportunity for fellowship. 

            The concert is a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina relief and all donations will be contributed to Episcopal Relief and Development, possibly to a Gulf Coast Episcopal congregation in need.  The suggested donations are $10 per adult and $5 per child.  District 4 representatives are asked to 1) encourage their choirs to participate at any level, 2) attend this event, and 3) contribute refreshments.

            Unfortunately there was a delay with ticket printing for the Music Festival.  Dolores Macauley asked that congregations request the number of tickets they would like for their parish and she will mail them to each church.  A thousand tickets were printed.  Although Grace, Madison, holds a maximum of 450 people, it was suggested that some parishioners might view a ticket purchase as a contribution for hurricane relief or a way of participating in this event even if they are unable to attend.  Dolores can be contacted at ephres57849@cs.com, (973) 483-3690 (home), or (973) 885-7196 (cell after 7:00 p.m.).

Bishop Search Update

Louie Crew reported that the Search/Nominating Committee met with diocesan clergy this morning to gather input for the diocesan profile.  The Education Committee of the Search/Nominating Committee made a presentation on the episcopacy and clergy were engaged through small group work.  Clergy also received instruction kits (in tubes) to assist in providing a structural reflection at the congregational level on the role of bishops.  Leaflets have been provided for Sunday bulletins since Sunday, September 11. 

            All laity in the diocese are encouraged to participate in one of four Lay Input Focus Groups held this coming week.  The meetings will run from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., beginning with refreshments, with the meeting itself beginning at 7:00 p.m.  In our area these will be held on Tuesday, October 4, at Christ Church, East Orange, and on Thursday, October 6, at Calvary Church, Summit.  A handout was distributed with this information, as well as a suggested exercise for Reflection Sunday, October 2.  This reflection about our experience of bishops can be done on another Sunday if necessary, preferably by the end of October.  This information will serve as important feedback for the Profile Committee. 

            The profile is significant because it will communicate our understanding of ourselves as the Diocese of Newark and will be read by all potential nominees.  Nominees will frame their presentations in light of our profile.  A draft of the profile will be written over the last weekend in October, and then made available throughout the diocese and online.  There will be additional opportunities for input into the profile following this draft.  The final profile is scheduled for completion on November 15.  The election of the 10^th bishop of Newark will be held on September 16, 2006.  Sandye Wilson asked for everyone’s continuous prayers for this complex task and expressed gratitude for the trust we have put in the committee members.  Sandye suggested that we close today’s meeting with the prayer used at this morning’s clergy meeting.

Diocesan Convention Nominations Committee

Hester Wharton recommended that people check the diocesan website for the available diocesan positions and the nomination form (www.dioceseofnewark.org/convention/nomform.pdf).  The nomination form can be submitted electronically or through regular mail.  The openings and candidates can be found at www.dioceseofnewark.org/convention/candidates.html.  Nominations are due by November 30.  Hester asked us to consider fellow parishioners who would be good representatives at the diocesan level.  Names can be provided to Hester, hesterbwharton@optonline.net, or Tom Mathews, tmathews@gracemadison.org, our district’s representatives on the committee.  Hester or Tom will then follow up with materials for nominees.  Elizabeth Kaeton suggested that the Nominations Committee provide bulletin inserts similar to those of the Search/Nominating Committee to better inform congregations about particular committees and position openings.  Lauren Ackland recommended that parish newsletters also run an article describing openings and the benefits of participating on a diocesan level.  Contact Hester for an article if interested.

Clinton Ave. School Reading Volunteers

Carla Lerman was not present to report on the status of this program.  Constance Bizer said that she believes volunteers are waiting to be contacted by Carla, according to her conversations with a fellow Grace, Madison, parishioner who had enjoyed volunteering with this effort last spring.  Once information is available, Constance intends to hold an adult seminar at Grace, Madison, on the volunteer opportunity to spur interest and encourage more involvement among parishioners.

District 4 Elections

At an upcoming district meeting we will hold elections for the following positions:

·         Youth deputy to diocesan convention – Devin Clark, Calvary, Summit, incumbent

·         Nominations Committee (clergy representative) – Tom Mathews, Grace, Madison, incumbent

·         Diocesan Council (lay representative) – Faith Gideon Brown, St. Andrew & Holy Communion, incumbent

All current incumbents are eligible to run for a second term, and Faith expressed her desire to do so.  Tom is not present tonight due to being on paternity leave (Congratulations, Tom!), but Lauren suspects he is interested in serving again as well.

            Chris Brdlik spoke on behalf of Devin.  He said that Devin is not interested in serving as youth deputy again having felt infantilized by the process and the way the youth were handled at the last convention.  Devin is currently in college and likely to be elected as a regular deputy by Calvary.  While the youth deputy experience might be geared toward younger high schoolers, it was requested that this feedback be passed along by the District 4 convenors to diocesan convention planners. 

            Carr Holland, co-convenor with Lauren Ackland, was not able to attend tonight’s meeting, however Lauren will discuss with Carr in advance of the next meeting whether an election for new district convenors will be held in conjunction with the above elections.  District convenors can be either lay or clergy, and people are asked to consider whether they are interested in this position.  (The job of secretary will also be up for grabs!)

District 4 Confirmations

A diocesan Confirmation will be held at Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral on December 3 this year, but there are no District 4 parishes currently participating.  Grace, Madison, will most likely have an adult confirmand involved. 

            The spring District 4 Confirmations have been scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2006, at St. Andrew & Holy Communion, South Orange, and Saturday, June 10, 2006, at St. Paul’s, Chatham.  The idea behind two Confirmation sites was to allow a range of churches to host, while at the same time accommodate the anticipated number of confirmands and their guests.

            Diocesan Confirmation preparation dates will be held on the following Fridays and Saturdays:  November 4-5, 2005; March 3-4, 2006; March 31 and April 1, 2006; and May 5-6, 2006.  Confirmands can attend any preparation date in advance of their Confirmation.

Old/New Business

o     Louie Crew announced that it is the 220^th birthday of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, which was formed in 1785 upon splitting from the Church of England.  He wished ECUSA another happy 220 years.

o     John Hamilton, Grace, Newark, offered to serve as District 4’s representative on the Christian Formation Commission.  He is available to attend CFC meetings.  John was thanked and approved in this role.

o     Lauren asked for parishes to volunteer to host District 4 meetings.  Meetings are usually held on the fourth Tuesday of the month according to the following calendar.

§         Tuesday, October 25, 2005

§         Tuesday, December 6, 2005*

§         Tuesday, February 28, 2006

§         Tuesday, March 28, 2006

§         Tuesday, April 25, 2006

§         Tuesday, May 23, 2006

§         Tuesday, June 27, 2006 

*The November and December meetings are combined due to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The January meeting is cancelled due to Diocesan Convention.

o       Edith Gallimore asked that a list of District 4 representatives by parish be distributed to the group.  It was agreed that this would be done.

o       The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25, 7:00 p.m.  The location is to be determined and will be announced as soon as it is known.

o       The meeting was closed with the prayer mentioned above by Sandye Wilson and adjourned.

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