Diocesan Council
October 20, 2016
Members present: Wayne Blassingame, Pat Bradly, Liz Brauza-Hughes, Cheri Maytum-Krull, Brian Miller, Colleen O’Connor, Carl Otis, Gloria Payne-Carter, Kim Rossi, Ben Thiesen
Others present: Maria Manocchio, Cathy Dempesy-Sims, Vicki Zust, Bob Matson
The Bishop called the meeting to order with prayer at 6:00 pm
Carl moved and Liz seconded the approval of the minutes. The motion passed.
Bishop Remarks:
The November Diocesan Council meeting will be November 10 at 6 pm. Most of the meeting will be dedicated to orientation for new members.
Chris O’Connor is home recovering well from surgery following a TIA.
Bishop is looking forward to the Convention next week. The spirit at the preseason meetings has been good. The last preseason meeting is in Jamestown at 2:30 on Sunday.
Currently there is only one candidate for two lay positions on the Diocesan Council. Council members are asked to encourage people to run.
Thank you to Brian Miller and Kim Rossi whose terms are expiring. Gloria is retiring in January and so has a few more meetings.
The final service at Holy Communion, Lakeview was last Saturday and the service of blessing of the new parish hall at Grace Church, Randolph was last Sunday.
The role of Diocesan Council at Diocesan Convention. The Council members are encouraged to welcome and greet people, especially new people.
Maria reported on delinquent congregations.
All parochial reports have been submitted
Ellicottville is missing their fairshare/fullshare pledge & audits. No lay delegation is coming
Salamanca is missing their audit no lay delegation is coming
Dunkirk, Springville & Holley are missing their audits. Dunkirk & Springville have promised that their audits will be in before Convention convenes.
Colleen will make the motion to seat the lay delegate from Holley with voice & vote.
Council moved to consideration of the grants.
The Bishop asked if anyone had any further questions about any of the grant proposals.
Pat asked about the break in the narrative on the Genesee region grant and why both a three day workshop and a one-day with the Genesee deanery was recommended. The answer was that Rob Voyle would schedule a three-day workshop here in the course of his usual work. The one-day would focus on the Genesee deanery.
Gloria asked if this was similar to Invite, Welcome, Connect and how they related. Colleen replied that Invite, Welcome, Connect was about invitation and connection, the Appreciative Inquiry is much more focused on long-term leadership & ministry development. Gloria asked what the measure of success would be. Colleen replied that great cooperation while maintaining their own identity would be the principal one.
Bob asked how the Bishop feels about the proposal and if it interfered with future plans of the Diocese. The Bishop replied that this was not an issue and that he was neutral on all the specific proposals.
Kim moved and Gloria seconded that the Council fund Welcoming the Stranger at $20,000, the Genesee Region project at $25,000 and Children of the Book, Immaculata House and the North Tonawanda/YWCA partnership at $10,000 each. The motion passed.
The Diocesan staff will work on getting publicity for all of these grants beyond the Episcopal Church.
The Bishop thanked Cathy and the sub-committee for all of their work.
Maria distributed the financial report.
Liz raised the issue of the declining options and service by the Church Medical Trust. She moved that the Council request Maria to obtain competitive bids on health insurance. Kim seconded. Motion passed.
The Bishop thanked the Council for all of their work over the past year.
The Bishop closed the meeting with prayer and a blessing. The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm