Vestry Work Retreat Minutes, December 9, 2007

3:00 p.m. / Parlor

Present:

2007 Vestry: Robin Bewley, Phil Cofer, Penny McClanahan, Wren Howard, Tom Odom, Robin Krause, Betsy Turner, John Ballard, John Becker, Erwin Greene, Bill Connerat, Katherine Byrne, Amrey Harden, Naomi Norman

Newly-Elected Vestry Members:

Anne Brightwell, Matthew Hicks, Vince Howard, Nancy McDuff, Lisa Yarn

Clergy:          Fr. Robert Salamone, Mother Nancy Malloy

Absent:         Gillian Ball

Presider:       Fr. Robert Salamone

The newly-elected 2008 Vestry members were invited to participate with the 2007 Vestry by listening to the resumed discussion regarding outreach. Questions for clarification were answered after the working session. The new class needed to be brought up to speed, thus ensuring a smooth transition between Vestries.

2007 Audit Presentation

First we heard and accepted a presentation by our accountant, Mr. James B. Jordan, CPA, CVA, regarding the 2007 audit of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Emmanuel Episcopal Day School.  Printed reports and information letters were given to each vestry member to further explain the audit, its findings, and recommendations.

Motion: Amrey Harden moved we engage Mr. Jordan’s services for three more years.

Seconded. Vote: Passed unanimously

Outreach Business (continued from the Vestry Work Retreat on 11/4/07)

Robin Bewley read the new mission statement for outreach adopted by the Vestry at the last work retreat (11/4/07). The questions were posed: Do we still feel this represents Emmanuel? Are we still in agreement with the number of constituents in our statement? The overall response was yes. Fr. Robert reminded us that our statement is based on the Sermon on the Mount. The Mission statement was approved.

Mission Statement for the Mission and Extended Ministries Committee (MEMC):

“To give and receive Christ’s love with intention by serving the poor, the hungry, the sick, the marginalized, the oppressed, and the outcast within our community, the nation, and the world.”

Robert reminded us that outreach is the “next big piece” at Emmanuel for the Vestry and the parish; our outreach will be more focused; the Vestry has fiduciary responsibility for all “monies” at Emmanuel - outreach as well as the rest.

Naomi gave a brief history of the outreach summit and the process leading up to the summit. MEMC will be charged to re-evaluate our outreach focus and goals every 3-5 years. The two big outreach priorities that arose from the outreach summit were children and the homeless. We now need to “close the circle” – to give direction to MEMC for making financial grants, initiating programs and offering parishioners hands-on activities for outreach.

Robert suggested keeping our outreach dollars fluid in case we want to put 100% of our funds toward a single project. The MEMC will make recommendations to the Vestry, but the Vestry has final authority to spend the funds.

Naomi (former chair of the outreach summit committee and new 2008 senior warden) will write a draft of a document to be presented to MEMC. Robert will formulate the new committee (9 parishioners + ex officio members) with suggestions from the Vestry. There will be a Vestry liaison to MEMC, as well.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Williams-Rhodes Allocations

Naomi, Amrey, and Fr. Robert met after last month’s work retreat to discuss the allocations of our endowment revenues. They recommended the following:

Building:         The percentage for building would not change, but remain 25%, though this money would not be designated up front for any particular use. The funds would be allowed to accumulate to be used in the future for development of our campus as decided by the Vestry at some future date.

Outreach:       The allocation for Outreach would increase to 70%. In the past 50% was allocated for outreach and 20% was allocated for education. The recommendation was to eliminate the allocation for education.

Rector’s Discretionary Fund: The allocation for the fund would be reduced from 5% to 2.5%; because the annual draw from the Endowment has been increased, however, the amount of money in the fund would remain essentially the same.

Music:             Create a new allocation for developing the music program and allocate 2.5% of the Endowment draw to this program.

These allocations do not include any of the other special funds of the endowment such as the general fund that are designated by the Vestry for major maintenance.

*We will receive one quarter of these amounts approximately every 3 months.

Motion: Betsy moved that we accept these recommendations with the amendment that the current percentages be reviewed and renewed or adjusted yearly by the Vestry.

Seconded. Vote: Passed unanimously.

DIRECTION FOR MEMC

Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD)

[At the work retreat on 11/4/07 we discussed setting aside funds for national outreach. By donating to ERD Emmanuel would be able to have more impact by teaming up with our diocese and the national church. “The Episcopal Relief and Development responds to human suffering around the world. We provide emergency assistance after disasters, rebuild communities, and help children and families climb out of poverty” (from the ERD website). By plugging into ERD’s mission and outreach ministry, our parish can go and do hands-on work.]

Naomi explained that to become involved with the ERD each parish contributes 0.7% of their annual budget to ERD.  She recommends that Emmanuel contribute 0.7% from our outreach budget line totaling approximately $7000.

Motion: John Ballard moved that we earmark 0.7% of our pledges to go to ERD.

Seconded. No discussion. Vote: Passed

Haiti

Naomi suggested we give MEMC guidelines regarding Haiti.

Discussion: Do we support Haiti? Emmanuel needs to have ownership of the Haiti issue. It’s important to be linked diocese to diocese; we accepted the principle that if we were to send money to Haiti, Emmanuel would send it directly to the Bishop of Haiti and ask that it be given in support of the school at Limonade. (The students at Limonade hold an important place in many parishioners’ hearts.) We would also like the Bishop to use 10% of the funds to support other institutions (churches, schools, & orphanages) in his diocese that receive no support from anyone.

In addition we would like Emmanuel to be involved in our diocesan’s mission initiatives in Central Ecuador, and possibly, Africa.

Meeting adjourned at 5:30 p.m.

Called meeting:         Wednesday, December 12, 7:00 p.m. in Parlor

Need to meet prior to January Vestry Retreat (Naomi will not be able to attend the retreat). Agenda: 1) Elect Junior Warden & 2) Meet current requests for W-R funds

Submitted by Robin Krause 12/30/07

Approved by: Robin Bewley, Amrey Harden, Wren Howard, Penny McClanahan, Katherine Byrne, Robin Krause, Betsy Turner, Erwin Greene, Naomi Norman, Phil Cofer, Bill Connerat, John Becker, & John Ballard