The upcoming vestry vote, scheduled for Monday, September 10 (with some alternate times being discussed as I write this, I believe) will give us a unique opportunity, not afforded members of Grace Episcopal Church for the last 20 years, to vote for 3 new members of the vestry in an open election of volunteer participants with prior notification and biographical information available for each.
First things first:
...thanks to all of those volunteering for election. This is a trail-blazing opportunity and you are the trailblazers.
...thanks to the current vestry for sponsoring this event at this time in this manner. It is this activist approach to pursuing a new direction that will shape Grace Episcopal Church's future.
The events of the last 1, 5 10 and 20 years have been unprecedented in this church and some of these events have been so outrageous that sometimes it is difficult to put our current situation in perspective. Keep in mind that we are a sizable church:
540 members (or very close to that), including adults and children.
424 voting members, including legal adults, comparable in definition to the voting list assembled by Grace/Nigeria (I think that was 792 total, with 342/370 voting to leave, if you catch my drift...424).
In short, as a sizable church with designs on near-term reoccupation of our traditional digs, we have the ability to accumulate and manage significant financial resources, perhaps more fully realizable when we are home again, but significant, even in exile. Indeed, the diocese may be able to expect big things out of us with such a large count, so the ability to manage financial contributions and expectations will be paramount for the existing and new vestry members. In this context, it might be good to have a response from the prospective vestry members to the following questions:
1. For those who have had prior vestry experience at Grace, what are the necessary changes you are going make about your approach to being a vestry member this time around?
2. How does a vestry member best help promote the financial well-being of the church through promotion, cost-control, etc.?...what kind of vision applies here?
3. At what point do we start making our contribution to the diocese?
4. In what capacity and under what circumstances should the vestry engage other members of the parish in church business?...Is this desirable?
5. What is the vestry's role in getting the priest-in-charge matter settled and when?
6. What can the vestry do to better publicize what they are doing to manage the financial affairs of this church to avoid appearing secretive?...or inactive?
7. How is an activist vestry best achieved?...Is that even desirable?
Please post a response to any or all questions, or even something you would rather talk about at your earliest convenience. If you respond with your name and you are running for the vestry, your comment will be published. I will be reviewing this blog routinely to ensure timely update.
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13 comments:
Thank you, David, for your thoughtful blog. As I understand it, we will be allowed one vote per each member in good standing, at Monday's election? This is all so new to us, we want to make sure we have it right! Thanks to all who are making this possible and we encourage absolutely everyone to vote!!!
I do feel the nominees who have previously served on the vestry need to state what objections they put forth in the past to the way things were handled and why they did not protest more or resign when Don ramrodded things through the vestry with no discussion. VERY important to your reputation.
My understanding is that each adult member in good standing will get to cast a vote for each open seat, which would mean three votes cast by each voting member, in this circumstance.
I do not care too much about what has gone before this election, but I am very interested in what the vision is going forward. I do believe this should be explained by each prospect, but those with prior vestry experience should have a unique perspective to share.
Let's hope we can get some commentary before the election and we should all remember to engage in this activity in the best spirit, namely accepting of all views and opinions and with repect for those who would stand before our several hundred and expose thier opinions to all.
I am actively moderating each comment so we'll see how it goes. I will not be posting hurtful or vindictive commentary, but I do think it is important to allow any reasonable or representative commentary.
So, candidataes, jump in...the water's fine!
I understand there is a concert at FCC tomorrow, so we can't have coffee hour. We can, however, dawdle in the halls, sidewalks and parking lots. I urge all candidates to make themselves available and for those with questions to go find them.
I agree with David that what went on in the past is not really important now, not nearly as important as what we are now accomplishing. I also agree with Anonymous (II) who states it would be good for individual reputations to help clear up how the previous mess was created.
I will agree with my husband and take this one step further. Please ask questions of our current candidates, but more importantly, vote either on Sunday or Monday. We have all asked for years for our voices to be heard. Here is our opportunity. There is much to be done at this time and in the coming months. Your current Vestry of only six needs your ideas and input. We welcome this opportunity to hear from you.
OK, so I have corrected the numerous misspellings in the main post...now there should be nothing untoward here which would prevent one from commenting...how about it?
The Vestry has two assigned jobs. First, to actively manage the finances of the Parish. Second, to maintain the physical plant of the Parish. These two are the only required duties of the Vestry. Beyond these duties, it's job is to support the Rector in promoting and funding the programs in the life of the church. I believe that this duty also extends to trusts that are given to the church, even when the Vestry is not named as a trustee.
Beyond the finances, the Vestry must ensure that the Parish has active Sunday School for the kids, active youth groups, adult education, and fellowship. It must help to make the Parish a place where people want to come and worship.
Once, when I joined a hospital committee, the Chairman of the Hospital said. "Dr. MacHaffie, these meetings were a lot shorter before you started to attend." I do ask a lot of questions and am not afraid to offer suggestions.
Bruce MacHaffie
Now that there are 9 people on the Vestry, we can hope that the flow of thoughts and opinions on topics will flow smoothly and all aspects of decisions to be made, be even more carefully reviewed. We need new By-laws soon so that every step we, as a church, make is spiritually and morally sound and right.
May God bless us, everyone!
The vote is over...I have no idea whaat the count is, but many thanks again to the vestry for hosting this actifity...and thanks in particular to Bruce MacHaffie for answering the call for a position voiced on this blog...this is the election communication format of the future and you appear to understand that (it got you at least one vote!).
OT, but do you know if Grace/CANA ever completed and release the results of their "internal" audit?
Now that the Presiding Bishop has developed a plan for DEPO, do you think it would be possible for Grace/CANA and Grace Episcopal to come together again? Would a more conservative Bishop providing pastoral care to the combined Grace family be able to heal the rifts? And yes I'm assuming that Don Armstrong is no longer in the equation. I can't see anything happening with him still around. But I think both groups need to find a way to start healing the rift. Oh, and did Grace/CANA ever release the results of their internal investigation?
Thanks!
I think it is presumptuous to think that "combining" Grace Episcopal and Grace/Nigeria is a feasible approach.
I am sure Grace Episcopal will wlecome willing members into the fold, but the "C" word will likely never be in the vocabulary again.
Just my opinion.
As long as people think Don and company have been maligned or mistreated in any way there will be little in the way of coming together. I have many friends whom I miss terribly that still attend the Tejon services. I believe I can forgive many things, but it will be difficult for me to forget how the vestry of the CANA church completely disrupted my spiritual life for many months and cost our diocese a untold sums of money over the property dispute. When Grace and St Stephens were able to come together again in the last century some decades had passed. The same may need to happen here before we can again be one church.
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