Sunset Convocation Meeting
March 11, 2001
Minutes
Cynthia Reynolds called the meeting to order at 2pm.
She then led us in prayer.
We went around the room so each person could introduce themselves. Those present were:
All Saints: Bill Whipple, Jan Pederson
St. Alban's: The Rev. Ray Ferguson, Dana Clay, Laurence Briggs
St Barnabas: The Rev. Ted Rodrigues, Cynthia Reynolds, Pam Zollman, Mark Mahon
St. Bartholomew's: Dcn. Roger Reynolds, Ray Hayes, Karen Bretl, John Wehlitz, Jr., John Rockwood, Stu Cato
St. Francis: The Rev. Marilyn Brown, Norm Weekly
St. Gabriel's: The Rev. David Brownmiller, Pat Adamosky, Deby Falconer
St. John's: Kimberly Beck, Bud Furber, Mary Dorscheimer, Frank Dorscheimer, The Rev. Valerie Ambrose
Guests: The Rev. John Nesbitt, St. David's Portland, The Rev. Lincoln Eng, retired, Mabel Eng, Gail Brownmiller, The Rev. Palmer Pardington
Parish Sharing:
St. Gabriel’s, Portland
·
going to buy a piano
·
had 300+ people attend fundraising concert March 10th
·
has a handbell choir called “Ring of Fire”
·
Youth Group just had a ski weekend, Junior High &
Young Adult ski weekends forthcoming
·
Alpha beginning new term
·
in consultation with David Gordon of the Diocese of New
York for a new stewardship plan
· has a Sunday night praise service at 6pm on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, initiated and led by youth
St. Barnabas, Portland
· has a two-tiered youth group: one for 6-11 year olds, one for 11 & up - both meet year round and are serving to integrate youth, feed into the senior high group
· Lenten supper studies began Friday night. The first session was led by a man who walked through Israel and painted during his journey. Next two sessions will focus on the Episcopal and Lutheran “Call to Common Mission.” Last session to focus on the history of the Easter Vigil.
· now has a Pastoral Commissioner and a Fellowship Commissioner.
Cynthia Reynolds added that the Diocese is gearing up to support youth ministry.
St. Alban’s, Tillamook
· has Tuesday Lenten suppers
· Tillamook Ecumenical Commission is leading joint services at varying churches. They are preparing a Palm Sunday walk in which participants will stop to pray and read scripture in front of various churches in town.
· Monday nights suppers are being served for anyone who needs a meal.
St. Francis
· “Our Godly Play” kicked off Saturday. It is a Montessori-based program for children. Adults loved it.
· Evensong with the Lutheran church will take place in two weeks to experience the “Call to Common Mission.”
· Parish Home Services Program: groups to do consultation on finances, home repairs, and health ministry, respectively.
· has a preaching guild that meets once a month. Consists of 6-7 lay people, once clergy. Lay person preaches at parish Sunday morning service once a month.
Cynthia Reynolds asked if lay preachers are available.
Rev. Lincoln Eng articulated the Canons of the Church on Lay Preachers: a Christian person may preach at any time once, but must be licensed in order to preach regularly.
St. Bart’s, Beaverton
· Jennifer Cleveland is the new Christian Education Coordinator, scheduled to work 8 hours a week. She preached this morning at services.
· Lenten program in progress. Ken Dorsch leading study of Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus.
St. John the Baptist, Portland
· Lenten programs: Stations of the Cross every Friday, Wednesday Soup Supper featuring the PBS series “From Jesus to the Cross”
· the choir just produced a CD: Mozart Mass KB 220
· Greenfield Lecture Series features church history March 23-24
· Fr. Coulter announced retirement, going to France. Planned celebration of 20 years of ministry.
· has a new sound system. They are still working out the bugs.
Cynthia Reynolds added that St. Barnabas records sermons. They are especially valuable to those present at important events such as baptisms, marriages and memorials, and they are helpful to shut-ins.
All Saint’s, Hillsboro
· in the search process for a new rector
· Sunday school is held after services on even Sundays, church group meetings on odd Sundays
· “Who is this man called Christ?” studied Wednesday evenings at 6:15pm.
Episcopal Senior Living (ESLS) (presentation by Gail Brownmiller)
Non-profit organization with emphasis on Senior Living services.
Idea originated at ‘94 Diocesan convention.
Mission:
1. Work with all Diocesan churches to lift our focus to Seniors via giving presentations regarding senior ministry within and outside of the church
2. Build senior housing on church property. Match the ministry of each parish with seniors. Seniors often have to leave home, church, family and thereby lose their sense of community. They become isolated.
Churches can’t afford to pay staff. Therefore, the idea is to make the senior housing next door to or very near a church. The church could then provide financial help, social commitment, and intergenerational contact.
A successful example of this exists in Salem at the Wilson House (Methodist). There is a daycare inside, and the seniors & little kids take turns rubbing lotion on one another’s hands.
Many seniors in the Diocese have 30-40 years of ministry within the Diocese, and the idea is to pass their ministry on.
Episcopal Senior Living (ESLS) is in conversation with Trinity Cathedral (Portland), St. Stephen’s (Portland), St. Timothy’s (Salem) and Trinity (Ashland) about possibilities of such a project.
ESLS is privately funded. The bishop made it clear that the funds he has provided are to start the ministry, not to sustain it.
The proceeds from the auction to be held by St. Gabriel’s on May 5th are to benefit Episcopal Senior Living. Funding may come from state or federal sources. However, the more government money involved, the more regulated any project will be.
Approximate sizes of such projects?
There are two levels:
Independent living --> varying sizes, 50-60 units or duplex
Assisted living --> 35-40 units minimum to be financially viable
It depends on your goals: In Salem, they would have cottages or duplexes, in Portland (with Trinity) they would have high rises
Bill Whipple noted that some Dioceses have had problems with such projects. Have these problems been considered?
Answer: yes, there are layers upon layers of review. There are many models and ways to work out legalities. Gail Brownmiller has worked in Affordable Housing for 20+ years. She serves as the facilitator in the process, which is multi-year. The actual (building) development is done by a contractor.
Cynthia Reynolds transitioned the meeting by saying that, according to the Bishop, we (the Convocation) are here to do the work of the Diocese. She would like to see goals spelled out in order to move toward said goals, rather than just share information at Convocation meetings. We are the first Convocation to have a website, and we could be the first to have a mission.
Any concerns the Convocation has can be brought to the Diocesan Council.
An All Saints member asked why the Convocation was begun.
Fr. Lincoln Eng responded, explaining that the Diocese was divided into seven Convocations in order that each Convocation could do some program planning, cooperative work and develop its own budget in recognition of the differing (regional) needs of the Diocese. It’s purpose could also be for mission and development of congregations, as people have long let the Diocese take care of this ministry. The last mission was 25 years ago with St. Bart’s, then St. Gabriel’s. Six years ago, a study called “PERCEPS” was done. People in the Convocation could update these studies. It may be time for at least one, if not two new missions. St. Gabriel’s was begun by a call to St. Bart’s for volunteers to seed a new congregation.
A St. Barnabas member pointed out that starting a mission requires infrastructure in a congregation, including youth, worship, music, and evangelism. We must strengthen ourselves to begin, so that people do not fear the mission.
Fr. Brownmiller said that Episcopal parishes often look inward too much, stagnate, and must be called to look outward. Seniors, youth, and church planting can all be points for outward focus: mission is what keeps us alive as a church. The Convocation can serve with a mission and focus. Fr. Brownmiller shared his own experience working with articulating a mission statement, saying it can feel like one is working more with words than doing something practically beneficial.
The question: “What are our expectations?” was asked.
Cynthia Reynolds pointed out that many Episcopalians don’t know what Convocation is. Therefore, we need to articulate what we can do, what our goals are. This begins with education, to strengthen ourselves (our individual congregations) and each other (other congregations).
A problem with Convocation was presented: it has historically been a way to look at the Diocesan budget. Therefore, it is important to communicate & educate. It is equally important to have a focus beyond Convocation.
Fr. Lincoln Eng pointed out that a church that lives to itself dies by itself.
Roger Reynolds said that we must deal with the structure of Convocation. He would like to see people committed for the long-term, to maintain momentum and avoid problems.
A St. Barnabas member suggested divorcing Convocation from Convention. That is, having separate delegates to Convention and Convocation.
Karen Bretl suggested that if Convocation is looking for a purpose, it be upon youth. There are many disjointed families and hurting youth in our Diocese, adding that Diocesan events are great but do not replace discipleship of youth on a parish level.
Cynthia Reynolds suggested we sponsor Convocation youth events.
Fr. Brownmiller shared St. Gabriel’s upcoming mission with YWAM this summer, saying there is easily room to add youth from other places.
A vision for Convocation was suggested: 1) support and strengthen youth ministry; 2) begin process for planting a new church.
Stu Cato pointed out that youth has been a topic for a long time. He suggested all parishes with an active youth group “adopt” a church without a youth group.
A motion to develop a Convocation mission statement was moved, seconded, and approved.
Fr. Brownmiller proposed three groups:
1) mission statements
2) youth group coordination
3) long-range planning toward mission development
Bill Whipple suggested people in the youth coordination group need not be in the room.
Fr. Lincoln Eng said we need to find people capable to work in the mission development group.
An All Saints member suggested there should be someone who reports from each group at the next Convocation meeting.
Sign-up sheets for the three groups were passed around.
BREAK from 3:45-4pm.
Fr. Nesbitt, St. David’s, spoke as a representative of the Ministry of Congregational Development (MCD). The MCD will look at PERCEP, and is here to help us start a congregation. He also shared that the Metro East Convocation has a School of Lay Ministry whose first class will be graduating May 19th. It takes 1 1/2 years to get through the School of Lay Ministry.
Cynthia Reynolds said we need lists of key people in each parish to develop a Convocation directory and, hopefully, facilitate more direct communication.
Fr. Brownmiller offered http//www.stgabes.net as a resource.
St. Barnabas presented a softball challenge: it is just for fun. Ask for Glen Bjorkquist or David Piacente if interested.
We have a Sunset Convocation website: http://www.snowsweb.com/members/sunset
Roger Reynolds is webmaster. It was suggested that vision, mission and youth information should be posted on this website. Also, all minutes from last year’s Convocation meetings are posted on it.
Fr. Brownmiller suggested an idea for fund-raising toward youth events: Albertson’s will donate a small percentage of everything you purchase using a card entitled “Community Partners” to YOUTH WORK within your parish/community. It has a barcode that is scanned every time you shop at Albertson’s.
Diocesan Convention is November 15-17 in Seaside, Oregon.
Convocation meeting schedule was decided upon as follows:
May 6, 2001 2pm All Saint’s, Hillsboro
July 22, 2001 2pm St. Bart’s, Beaverton
October 7, 2001 2pm St. Barnabas, Portland
Meeting adjourned with prayer at 4:30pm.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Karen Bretl.