Loading...
"Coming Together" was not just a phrase, the theme for organizing the 183rd Convention of the Diocese of Kentucky on Feb. 25 and 26 at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Louisville. The theme became the vision and spirit inviting Episcopalians in the western half of Kentucky to continue to discern with their new bishop what diocesan mission and ministry can — and will — be in 2011.
The Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White summed up the key work to be done that weekend, and later, when he asked the assembly the question, "Coming together for what?" He posed the question repeatedly in his first address to the diocese, which he delivered in two parts. The first part was given during the opening Eucharist Friday evening; the second, during Saturday's Morning Prayer.
Describing the "marathon" as well as the "sprints" he has undertaken since becoming bishop in September, White frankly addressed the financial challenges the diocese is currently facing while it tries at the same time to determine how to fulfill the call, stated in the diocesan search profile, for "a new season of Gospel mission in Christ Jesus"
"The understatement of the day, 2011 is tight ... but the fact that income is down does not discourage me in the least and it must not discourage us," he said. "Though our budget is down, that does not mean we will settle for less ministry. It must not mean that."
Promising that "we will find new ways to do important work so that we can continue to serve those around us," White noted that the Episcopal Church has in recent years "embraced in a new way the baptismal call to serve. This diocese is bursting with energy. ... Trimming a budget can help lay ministry in particular to flourish."
To avoid the "trap of simply making numbers work in a budget," he said, "we would do well to ask if this statement of our priorities reflects accurately who we are ... My point is not to stir up guilt. It is quite the opposite. Can we see ministry in this budget? Can we commit to making this work come to pass and be something that is a part of who we are and how we are reaching out, not simply work done on our behalf by someone else. Work that is pleasing to God is present in our congregations, but what is it that binds us together as the people of God?"
Discernment of purpose needed
White encouraged serious reflection on the role of the diocese as a faith community. Quoting from an email sent by the Rev. John Hines in the aftermath of the earthquake in New Zealand, he said that Hines reminds those gathered that as members of the body of Christ they are bound together and must rely on each other for their identity as Christians. "Being a member of the body of Christ is when we are assembled, as we are now, breaking open the Word, sharing the sacrament of Christ's Body and Blood and being about the work of discernment," White said. The task, he said, is to determine "what it is you and I are called to be in the commonwealth of Kentucky."
White ended his address challenging the members of the diocese to deliberately consider the role of the diocese within their faith community. "What is the purpose of the diocese in the modern church? Is it simply to make sure there is a bishop to confirm and ordain?
Referring to Matthew 22, White noted that Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is "to love God with your all and your neighbor as yourself." Imagine, he said, if that commandment served as the heading for the diocesan budget and then consider "how are we changed by helping ministry in other places?"
The bishop, who has often mentioned that the weekends are the best part of his work, shared insight into his optimism for the future of the diocese. "Though our time together has been short, I am already firmly convinced that the people of this Commonwealth need our church, our voice and our hands, especially those who have no voice, no status, who have been told they are not worthy to come to God's Table, they are not worthy of God's unconditional love, that they have no gifts to offer God and God's people. If each of you could see what I see every Sunday in our congregations, you would be as inspired as I am."
Lean budget passed
As forecast in the bishop's address, 73 lay deputies, 11 registered youth deputies with five votes, and 53 clergy members approved a lean budget as proposed. Totaling $1,341,146, the budget reflects a $39,037 decrease in congregational pledging and a reduction of $155,853 from total budgeted expenses. Due to the sustained reduction in endowment spending as mandated by the Trustees and Council, the diocese's endowment spending in 2011 is $38,150 less than what was spent in 2010.
Overall, diocesan departmental funding increased by $12,396 with a total of $493,794 budgeted. Christian Formation's budget increased by $26,401; Justice and Jubilee's, by $1,143; and Finance and Stewardship's, $944. Funding for Mission and Evangelism decreased by $16,092.
The greatest reductions were made to diocesan operational costs with spending reduced by $73,537, which includes elimination of funding for the diocese's print publication, Episcopal Kentucky (a quarterly magazine) and reductions in other communication department expenses totaling $23,630.
In explaining the hard decisions and efforts that were made to help the diocese achieve a balanced budget, Budget Committee Chair Bill Allbritten noted that congregations receiving mission-funding grants cut their requests by 25 percent. Not reflected in the budget passed by convention is an additional $20,000 pledged by three congregations (Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville, St. Paul's Church in Henderson and St. Peter's Church in Louisville) responding to requests for congregations to increase their initial pledges.
Fall conventions approved
In one of its most significant actions, coming after a decade of discussion, this convention unanimously approved changing the date convention will meet from the first quarter to the last quarter of the year (Canon 4, Section 10) and subsequently made related changes to Canon 16 regarding the process for adopting and reporting the diocese's annual budget. Budget planners and others heralded the changes, noting the advantages for planning and presenting a diocesan budget for the following year as well as for traveling to a Fall convention. Because of the change, a second convention will be held this year, meeting on the second weekend of November at St. Andrew's Church in Louisville.
The convention also took the following actions:
- Elected and approved appointments of various diocesan officers and members of various boards and committees. (A list of the appointments may be found here, and the list of those elected to diocesan offices may be found here.)
- Amended Canon 29 changing the name, size and work of the nine-member Ecclesiastical Court to that of a seven-member Disciplinary Board. The change makes the diocesan canon on Ecclesiastical Discipline conform with a national canon passed by the last General Convention that "replaces a 'guilt or innocence' model of investigations into allegations of Clergy misconduct with a hybrid mediation and hearing model." The new approach is intended to resolve conflicts "by promoting healing, repentance, forgiveness, restitution, amendment of life and reconciliation among all involved or affected." The change will take effect July 1. Objections were raised that the canon changes would eliminate due process, but others noted that if the changes were not approved the diocese would have no authority to discipline clergy. The changes were approved by majorities in both lay and clergy orders.
- Amended Canon 33, Section 1, reducing the number of nominees elected as alternates to General Convention from the diocese. With this change, the diocese will elect only two clergy and two lay alternates. Previously, four alternates were elected for each order, but the resolution noted only one alternate has ever been needed "in recent memory." The change was approved unanimously in each order.
- Approved a resolution, proposed by the Rev. Lucinda Laird, asking Trustees and Council to make it a "top priority" to undertake financial negotiations to increase the bishop's salary by at least $30,000. (The action is intended to add to the compensation package an amount equal to the cost of family health insurance). Trustees and Council is to report to the diocese no later than the Fall convention.
With some 225 registered participants coming from across the diocese, St. Matthew's, the second largest congregation in the diocese, recruited approximately 150 volunteers to help with registration, prepare and serve all of the convention meals, provide directions and assist in setting up workshops and meetings. Their enthusiasm as hosts was especially evident Friday evening in the parish hall decked out for Mardi Gras.
Preceding the opening Eucharist, the convention offered a variety of interesting and well-attended workshops about diverse diocesan and ecumenical ministries, including a conversation with Bishop Terry White on "the hope of Christian Formation in the diocese." Presentations were also given by the Rev. Marion McClure Taylor with the Kentucky Council of Churches; the Rev. Rusty McCowan with the Church Pension Group's Medical Trust; website consultant Dave Hagan on the diocese's Digital Faith Community; Martha Bourlakas on church hospitality; the Rev. Ken Thompson and Callie Hausman on the ministry of Sister Emily Cooper; and the Rev. Dr. Mary Abrams on peace and justice ministry.
The assembly has another success to celebrate: the convention offering raised $2,478, of which half is to be sent to Christchurch Cathedral in New Zealand, which was destroyed by the earthquake, and half is designated to for ministries in the diocese.
Above photo by Donald Vish. More of his photos may be found here. To see more convention photos visit these links to photos taken by Lee Fletcher and Ed Hill
