Minutes 2009 May30

From SCVD

Draft

Diocese of El Camino Real

Santa Clara Valley Deanery

May 30, 2009

St. Jude’s, Cupertino

1) The meeting opened with prayer by the Rev. Karen Siegfriedt at 9:01am. There were 41 in attendance with 11/19 churches represented.

• The Agenda was presented. A motion was moved and seconded to accept the Agenda. Motion carried.
• The Minutes from the March 7, 2009 meeting were presented with corrections. It was moved and seconded to accept as corrected. Motion carried.

2) Share Best Practices: Chuck Utley & Dick Yarp presented their Employee Assistance Program they started at St. Timothy’s. They passed out a report detailing how the program works. This programs helps people with their resumes, cover letters, and networking. Thirty percent of the people they have helped have found jobs. They are available to help other parishes set this program up. Cost can range from just the software (starting at $30 for Resume Maker) to $1500 if the church needs to purchase a computer. It works best if there are two people to run this program. Contact Joanna Shreve at jrshreve@aol.com for more information.

3) Reestablishing Yourself: Beck Grabau, former West Valley Deanery Convener, presented some information on how to make your assets go further during these economic down times. He handed out some information that looks at subjects including Cobra, Income taxes, IRA’s, etc. Contact Beck Grabau at beckgrabau@yahoo.com more information.

4) World Mission Network & Companion Diocese: Fifty-seven people gathered at St. Paul’s, Salinas to hear Bishop Mary talk about her trips to the dioceses in our Triad Relationship. Areas that need funding in Africa are money for solar ovens, children and orphans, as well as scholarship money for the first woman seminarian. See more at www.worldmissionnetwork.blogspot.com. The Bishops and their teams from Africa and Gloucester will be in our diocese from September 18 through the 26th. They will start in the north and attend the installation of Channing Smith, St. Andrew’s new Rector. Linda will let the Deanery know when plans have been firmed up.

5) Capernaum Fellowship: Four teams have been formed: Fellowship, Worship, Restoration, and Children’s Ministry. (See attached CF Fact Sheet.) These teams will help fill a hole by helping those recently released from jail re-establish relationships – reconciling families. Those giving updates were:

• Carolyn Bowker – Training – two opportunities for training will be Sept 2nd and another time in August or September.
• Joanna Shreve – Background Checks: everyone needs background checks – previous clearance does not transfer from one non-profit to another.
• Lawrence Robles – Fellowship – this ministry is what sets this program apart from all the rest; we are unique. It increases opportunities to connect by eating together and accepting one another.
• Linda Morris – Worship: this will be for everyone – workers, families and former inmates as we gather together as a spiritual community. There will be music, prayer, and a short homily.
• Carolyn Bowker – Restoration: Information programs will alternate with small covenant groups. Subjects can include: communication skills, parenting, stress management, as well as many others. Gifts needed for this ministry are mercy, compassion, teaching, encouragement, and discernment.
• Holly Hem – Children’s program: This program will build relationships between parent and child. It will be a spiritual program to explore the Kingdom of God, a variation on the Vacation Bible School programs

Help is needed in the following areas: Administration Leader, HR person, and Communications.

Important dates: September 2nd will be a Kick Off – a run through of a regular Wednesday night program including all aspects; worship, fellowship, and program. The Program will officially start on September 16th. Bishop Mary will be present. The program will be on Wednesdays from 6:15 to 8:15pm. See the website www.scvd.org for more information.

We are asked to consider volunteering for one of the teams. Contact Joanna Shreve at jrshreve@aol.com. Also, go back to our congregations and talk about the program.

6) General Convention: Several Deputies and Alternates were present to help us weave through the complicated process of General Convention. They explained how resolutions get through the maze of the legislative process on to the floor for a vote. Two resolutions that will be generating a lot of interest are:

• A138 – Establish a mandatory Lay Employee Pension Fund. This would create increase costs to parishes with employees who work over 1000 hours per year, which could be a real hardship.
• A177 – Denominational Health Plan. This plan would require each parish to pay the same percentage of the cost of the health plan to its lay employees as it does for their clergy. (i.e. if they pay 100% of the cost for clergy, they have to pay 100% for all lay employees).
• B033 – Anglican Covenant. This is not likely to be considered, as the Anglican Consultative Council has not approved all four parts of the covenant.
• Many resolutions will be presented dealing with the Windsor moratoria.

A summary of General Convention’s Blue Book that was discussed is on the Diocesan Website at http://www.edecr.org/gc2009/gc2009docs/GC2009-ECRDeputiesBlueBookSummary.pdf.

Volunteers are still needed, which is an excellent way to see the process at work and to meet new and old friends from around the church. Contact Jo Weber if you are interested or sign up at

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/gc2009_11715_ENG_HTM.htm?menu=menu91932.

7) Announcements:

• Please contact Linda with your church’s Summer Activities to post on our website.
• June 27th – Healing Service at St. Jude’s with an emphasis on cancer victims (10AM)
• Next meeting will be August 29, 2009, St. Andrew’s, Saratoga, 9-4 pm, Budget Presentation & Networking with Bishop Mary.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:51am.

Respectfully submitted,

Judi Sato, Secretary