The End of the Beginning or the Beginning of the End

The words which I used to title this article suggest to me being in the middle of a particular situation. Is it the end of the beginning? Or is it the beginning of the end?

This is the place where we presently reside in regard to the Second Province. As I have written earlier, we did a great deal of work before General Convention to encourage a positive vote on the resolution to fund Province Coordinators for our Provinces. The belief was that such a person would allow us to do our mission more effectively in, through and between our dioceses. By coordinating our work, we could encourage individuals in our dioceses to do effective work on the local level. We could build a support structure, education base and accountability structure that could bring energy to our ministry. A youth worker or parish nurse program could benefit from sharing across diocesan lines what was happening in his or her locale. If a solitary chairperson in a diocese had several other like individuals in the contiguous dioceses, then that individual would be better encouraged and equipped to work with his or her cohorts at home. So the theory goes. As we began to work with the convention process, several of us began to use the shorthand for our commitment. That was to say, "it's the mission, stupid". Quite frankly, the only reason I can give for a Program Coordinator is that it has the potential to bring people together to more effectively do the mission of the church.

We were able to pass the resolutions necessary and to procure the money to match our budget so that a position could be offered. We are near the time of selecting our coordinator. The Council of the Province is excited about the choice, who is in our midst. Soon, we hope, we will be able to announce our selection.

A big event will then lie ahead of us. We plan to provide a one-day conference for various leaders of our dioceses. The purpose will be to begin to build the networks of relationships which we plan to use for the building and carrying out of our mission. We hope each Bishop will bring along the leaders from the dioceses so that we can begin to get a vision for our work together. What would it be like to have our stewardship chairs, our youth workers, our education chairs, our chancellors, our outreach or public policy diocesan convenors, our deployment officers, treasurers, churchwomen chairpersons, website managers, newspaper editors, bishops, etc., together for a day of mutual exploration? We would obviously worship and eat together.

A place has been set for this conference.
It is The College of St. Rose near Albany. It is close enough, and the schedule will be planned to allow trips back home on the same day for those who desire it. A date has been selected: Thursday, May 31, 2001.

Though the day has not yet been planned, we look forward to the selection of our Program Coordinator so that he/she can be part of the planning for the Conference Day. This event, you will remember, will take the place of our Synod meeting for 2001.

I look forward with excitement to this possibility. I hope you will join me and place the date on your calendars. We are going to have a start up party!!! More information will be forthcoming with an invitation for the specific leaders we hope will come. See you there.

Is it the beginning? Or is it the beginning of the end? I don't know, but it is in the middle of something important.

Jack M. McKelvey
President, Province II

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Executive Begins A New Triennium

The Executive Council met October 24 – 27, 2000, to begin work for the new triennium. High on the agenda was orienting and incorporating the new class 2006 and, to accomplish that, the Council met in the relaxed setting of Lake Lawn Lodge, Delevan, Wisconsin. The first day and a half were spent working with a consultant to develop a sense of community and to build a shared set of norms for the Council's common life. The remainder of the week was devoted to building the Council's agenda for the next three years and beginning the work assigned it by General Convention.

Each day began with Morning Prayer and Bible study in small groups. Meetings of the whole Council were accomplished at round tables in groups of eight. The two different groupings allowed new members to get to know a fairly large number of continuing members in depth. Daily Eucharist and shared meals also encouraged the development of community, as did a mid-week scavenger hunt.

For this triennium, the Council has divided into four sub-committees: Administration and Finance, Congregations in Ministry, International Concerns, and National Concerns. The press of concerns caused the former National and International Concerns to be divided into two committees, and a new communications strategy and officer at the Church Center has allowed the old Communications sub-committee to retire. The earlier Planning and Evaluation Committee was also retired for lack of a particular and ongoing function. The four sub-committees met for an afternoon reviewing the General Convention resolutions they will track during the triennium.

For the benefit of new members, the Treasurer of the Episcopal Church, Stephen Duggan, and his office made an extensive presentation on the finances and trusts of the Church. The Executive Council is also the Board of Trustees of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society and has extensive responsibilities for the operations of the Society.

A new and regular feature of Council meetings is a time of "off the record" sharing between the Presiding Bishop and members of Council. Its intent is to encourage candid discussion of any issue without the pressure of voting or the presence of the news media. At this meeting there was honest sharing about a number of pressing concerns facing the church and the hopes of the Presiding Bishop and Council.

Brian Grieves, the Peace and Justice Officer, and Paul Newhauser, representing Social Responsibility in Investing, presented several proxy resolutions for the Council's endorsement. The Episcopal Church, working with the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility, has presented shareholder resolutions at annual meetings of the corporations in which we hold stock for more than twenty-five years.

We also spent considerable time considering the matter the Orderly Exchange of Pastors and Priests under Called to Common Ministry. The document governs "temporary," "interim," and "short term" exchanges of clergy between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and The Episcopal Church. It is anticipated such exchanges will begin across the country shortly after the inauguration of full communion. The Executive Council together with the Presiding Bishops and officers of both churches will celebrate full communion as outlined in Called to Common Mission at the National Cathedral on the Feast of the Epiphany. Called to Common Mission was adopted by an overwhelming vote of the General Convention this past summer in Denver.

Of importance to many Council members was General Convention resolution A045, concerning the continued monitoring and implementation of women's ordination across the church. Rumors have been flying about the church in regard to this resolution including one that said the Presiding Bishop had promised the demurring dioceses that there would be no visitations. The Presiding Bishop assured the Council no such promise had been made. Resolution A045 calls for the establishment of a task force by January 2001, to work with the Dioceses of Fort Worth, Quincy and San Joaquin. In order to do the best possible job naming and charging the task force, Council determined to move the appointment deadline to March 1, and to spend extensive time at its February meeting addressing the issue.

As always, there was more business to be accomplished than time to do it, but, by all accounts, the new Council is off to a good start. The Presiding Bishop and new House of Deputies President, the Rev. George Werner, are developing a good working relationship and are looking forward to the coming triennium. The new class moved in quickly and is fully on board. Province II members of the Executive Council include returning members Bishop Ted Daniels (VI), Al Price (WNY) and Warren Ramshaw (CNY) and new members Louie Crew (N), the Rev. Steve Lane (R), Diane Pollard (NY), and Bishop Catherine Roskam (NY).

The Rev. Steve Lane

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Educators Network Reorganized

The Province II Educators Network met in New York City in November to go through Anti-racism training with New York Educators, to reorganize and to plan for the future. The Network shares information about programs and resources that have worked in the various Dioceses, explores mutual concerns and disseminates information back to Dioceses to relay to their local congregations and parishes. The Network members are selected by each Diocese, most of which have two members, but a few of the larger Dioceses have more. An effort to alternate meetings between the northern and southern parts of the Province, to reach out to marginalized or struggling parishes, to have the Network represent the diversity of the Province and to increase communication between the Network and the Dioceses were issues addressed at the November reorganization meeting. Co-leadership was established, with the new co-chairs being Nancy Wart, of the Diocese of Central New York, and Bonnie Magnuson, of the Diocese of Newark. The two took over from Sandy Pacyca, of the Diocese of Rochester, who has served as chair for the last six years and who nurtured the network to its current level of enthusiasm and ambition.

In no particular order, the members of the Network are as follows:
from the Diocese of New York

• the Rev. Joan Jackson, Rector at St. John's Kingston and a member of the Children and Family Ministries Committee and the Congregational Support Committee.
  
• Kay Grant, long time educator at St. Andrews in the Bronx and member of the Diocesan Youth Council
  
• Suzanne Guthrie, educator, chaplain at Vassar and author of several books, the most recent being Praying the Hours

from the Diocese of New Jersey

• Nancy Miller long time educator
  from the Diocese of the Virgin Islands
  
• TheVery Rev, Ashton Jacinto Brooks, Dean of All Saints Cathedral
  
• Claudia Belle, a double educator being both, a Director of Religious Education at St.Mary's and a schoolteacher
  

from the Diocese of Rochester

• Sandy Pacyca, with over twenty years of Christian Education! Sandy holds a Master of Divinity and a Masters in Education.
  
• Sally Heiligman, who is currently an Associate Rector at Tri-Parish Ministry and also a chaplain at Rochester Institute of Technology
  

from the Diocese of Central New York

• Nancy Wart, the Coordinator of Parish Support Ministries and member of numerous commissions
  

from the Diocese of Newark

• Bonnie Magnuson, a long time educator and former Christian Education Commission Chair.
  
• The Rev. Lucy Ann Dure, the current chair of the Christian Education Commission, who came to the ordained ministry via her avocation to the theater
  

from the Diocese of Western New York

• the husband and wife team of Chuck and Chris Wheeler. Chuck is the Deacon in charge of Pastoral Care and a teacher. Chris is chair of Christian Education for the Diocese.
  

from the Diocese of Long Island

• Ruth Ann Collins, the Director of Christian Formation and Youth Ministries at the Cathedral of the Incarnation, formerly Executive Director of Parish Resource Center a non-denominational resource center in the metro NY area. She is also a Trustee of the George Mercer School of Theology.
  

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Youth 911

The Diocese of Newark has created a congregational support program for youth group development within parishes. We call this program Youth 911. This program has been developed over the course of the year 2000 and is in its pilot phase in 2001. We are limiting the scope of the pilot phase to 5 congregations.

The program works like a buddy or mentoring program for adults who are working with youth in their church. An experienced adult from the Youth Ministries Board is assigned to be a buddy for one or two adults in a particular parish. The length of the assignment is six months. In the first month, the adult from the Youth Ministries Board visits the parish to meet with the adults, see the physical facility, and bring a copy of the Youth Advisors Manual.

For the following five months, the Youth Ministries Board representative checks-in by phone with his or her adult(s), prays for them on a daily basis, and acts as a resource person for them. The best part of this program is that it gives adults in parishes, who are in the trenches, an opportunity to process ideas and feelings about their programs with someone who is outside of the immediate community, but still familiar with the Episcopal Way. Moreover, it connects parishes to the diocese in a new way and provides a greater variety of ideas and resources for youth workers in the parish; thus helping them feel less isolated. For more information contact the Rev. Rich Bardusch at 973-430-9913 or e-mail rbardusch@dioceseofnewark.org.

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Acolyte Festival 2000 - and on to 2001

Over 200 acolytes of all ages gathered this past fall at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in the Diocese of Long Island for the first annual Acolyte Festival, hosted by the Cathedral and sponsored by the Diocese's Commission of Liturgy and Church Music. The day consisted of workshops, such as Holy Smoke, Majoring in Minors (the history of acolytes), Chanting, Signs, Symbols and Seasons. There was a live game show called "Stump the Celebrant" where a panel of experts were challenged by audience questions.

There were Cathedral Tours and Organ demonstration. Bishop Catherine Roskum, of the Diocese of New York, was the guest preacher and Bishop Rodney Michal, of the Dicoese of Long Island, celebrated at the closing Eucharist. A procession of over 200 acolytes began the service and it concluded with the commissioning of all the acolytes who participated in the day's activities.

All interested acolytes are invited to Acolyte Festival 2001!

Acolyte Festival 2001
Saturday October 13, 2001
Cathedral of the Incarnation
Garden City, NY
Diocese of Long Island

For Further Information contact:
Ruth-Ann Collins 516-746-2955

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Newark's Christian Education Newsletter

The Diocese of Newark's Commission on Christian Education (COCE) is now producing a seasonal newsletter called The Newark Networker. It is distributed free of charge to all parishes of the diocese and their educational ministries on a quarterly basis, and will be provided to those
who request a copy. Coverage includes: a Calendar of Events; information on Resources/Curricula; Theological Reflection; news on Children's Advocacy efforts; articles about Children and Youth; Nuts and Bolts for Children and Youth Ministry; Seasonal Planning; and Book Reviews. Submissions of parish and diocesan events and/or educational ideas may be sent to the Editor, the Rev. Lucy Ann Dure at ladure@aol.com or Bonnie Magnuson, bnmagsn@att.net, Christian Education Communications Coordinator.

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Celebrating Creative Congregations 3

On March 17, 2001, the Diocese of Newark will be sponsoring a day of workshops at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Celebrating Creative Congregations 3 will be even bigger and better than it's two predecessors. The program will offer ninety.....that's right 90 workshops touching on virtually every ministry! Some of the choices are Sunday School, youth, finance, music and drama, evangelism, violence, today's women, grant writing, diversity, insurance, spirituality and altar guild to name a few.

So gather your vestries, altar guilds, Sunday School teachers, men's and women's groups, fellow parishioners and friends - groups of five or more receive a discounted registration price. Come with a group or come alone, you will not be disappointed.

Lunch is included in the registration of $20 per person or $15 pp for groups of five or more prior to February 1st. After that the fee is $25 pp or $20 for groups of five or more. There is plenty of free, secure parking. The workshops are totally accessible and easily reached by public transportation.

For more information or to receive a brochure, please call Kitty Kawecki at 973-430-9902 or via e-mail at kkawecki@dioceseofnewark.org. The complete brochure and printable registration form is also available online at http://www.dioceseofnewark.org/barc/ccc3/mainpage.htm

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