Introduction to Regional Council

As an introduction to what the North Vancouver Regional Council is all about, here is the report submitted to the member parishes' annual vestry meeting.

The North Vancouver Regional Council meets on a monthly basis. Since its inception in March 2011 it has met nine times.

Following meetings of parish Vestries last February, the MAP Implementation Team (MAPIT) became the North Vancouver Regional Council, comprising the incumbents/priests-in-charge and two elected members of each of the six North Vancouver Anglican communities, and also including the Pastor and one lay member from Gloria Dei Lutheran church as well as one Treasurer from the deanery (there is provision for 2 treasurers, but only one has been selected and attending regularly). In addition, the North Vancouver representative on Diocesan Council is a member of Regional Council. The role of Regional Council is to implement the July 10, 2010 Deanery Ministry Plan which involves a coordinated approach to  mission and ministry activities throughout the Region of North Vancouver.

Of the members of MAPIT, nine returned as parish reps, meaning there were thirteen members new to the Council.

The year was marked by a significant increase in the number of joint or shared events, including shared services at special times such as Ash Wednesday, Easter and Christmas; and a regional Lenten study series based on Karen Armstrong’s book Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life.

In the course of the year the Region and the Council said goodbye to the following clergy:
Rev. Keith Gilbert (St. Agnes) to retirement (March 2011); who was succeeded by Rev. Shirley Stockdill as interim priest-in-charge (March-April), Rev. Jeremy Clark-King (St. Martin) to his new position as interim priest-in-charge at St. Christopher, West Vancouver (August, 2011), and Rev. Gary Hamblin (St. John the Evangelist) to retirement (December 2011).  

The Rev. Stephen Muir was appointed Incumbent of St. Agnes on May 1, 2011, and Rev. Sarah Tweedale was appointed as interim priest-in-charge at St. Martin.
Currently at St. John’s, the Rev. Nick Parker is supplying Sunday worship.  For now, the Regional Ministry team will be on call for emergency pastoral care.  

Searches for incumbents for St. John and St. Martin have begun and are now in various stages of progress.

In October 2011, the Ven. Lynne McNaughton was appointed Archdeacon of Capilano. During 2011 she assumed ¼ time responsibility for ordained leadership at St. Clare-in-the-Cove in addition to her ¾ time position as interim priest-in-charge at St. Clement.  In January 2012, the Bishop appointed her as incumbent at St. Clement.  She also was affirmed as coordinator of the shared Regional Ministry Team.

In the past year Regional Council developed, approved and put forward to Diocesan Council, proposals to secure Diocesan funding support for:

1. A 2/5-time regional responsibility in Community Development to complement the incumbency of a priest for St. John the Evangelist for a term of three years;
2. A 1/4-time regional responsibility as Ministry Team Coordinator and coordinator of regional Adult Education and Spiritual Development;

In addition:

3. A plan to pay off the outstanding loan owed to the diocese by St. John the Evangelist was developed by the parish, endorsed by Regional Council, and approved by Diocesan Council. This plan was successfully executed by the people of St. John’s in December, 2011.

Regional Council affirmed and recommended to the Diocese the sale of the following properties:

1. The church building of St. Richard;
2. The church building of St. Clare.

St. Richard’s building has since been sold, and the St. Clare building is now on the market.

The worshipping community of St. Richard was welcomed into the St. Catherine’s community. Last summer, their memorial garden was moved and the soil comingled with the memorial garden at St. Catherine’s. One of their chalices was given to St. Agnes where it is used weekly at the 8:00 am Eucharist. The Bishop conducted a formal service of secularization on November 7, 2011 prior to the sale of the building.

The worshipping community of St. Clare-in-the Cove has moved to rented space at Mount Seymour United Church and will continue to exist as a functioning worshipping community under the care of the regional Ministry Team, with Rev. Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles serving as liaison between St. Clare and the Ministry Team.

The Properties Working Group has secured the cooperation and support of the diocese in providing an updated survey of the North Vancouver church buildings with regard to their state of repair, long-term upkeep and development potential. The Regional Council continues to consider the longer-term question of what locations and buildings (and their use) will be optimal to serve the North Vancouver neighborhoods in future.

The Regional Ministry Team is currently made up of clergy who have direct responsibility for leading certain aspects of the ministry of the Region.  All have regional as well as local responsibilities.   The regional responsibilities are:
Ministry Team coordinator – Ven. Lynne McNaughton
Stewardship – Rev. Stephen Muir
Community Engagement – new incumbent at St. John the Evangelist
Pastoral Ministry – Rev. Christine Rowe (Regional Dean) and Rev. Elizabeth Mathers
Youth and Family Ministry – vacant
Coordinator of Christian Formation: Spirituality and Education – Ven. Lynne McNaughton
Regional curacy (1/2-time – application in development) - vacant
At present the Ministry Team is composed entirely of ordained members, but it is expected that as positions are filled the Team will include lay leaders.

Regional Council has operated through working groups including:

• Ministry Team
• Pastoral Care Team
• Christian Formation
• Spirituality Team
• Properties Working Group
• Job Descriptions Task Group
• Stewardship mentors
• Communications Working Group

Each of these groups has been working and reporting to Regional Council regularly and as needed.

Regional Council wishes to thank:
Tasha Carrothers (Ministry Assessment Process Associate at Synod Office) who has assisted by providing several team-building training sessions associated with our regular meetings; the Rev. Douglas Fenton (Director for Ministry and Mission Development) and Mr. Rob Dickson (Business Administrator), for their assistance with many elements of our process; and Bishop Michael Ingham for his continuing encouragement and support as we have pressed into new ways of being the church in North Vancouver.

Regional Council Members as of December 2011
St. Agnes: Kathy Campbell, Lizz Lindsay, Rev. Stephen Muir
St. Clare: Laurie Dye, Carine Frisch
St. Catherine: Bonnie Grundy, Vivian McGie (alt.) Rev. Christine Rowe, Alison Watt
St. Clement: Ven. Lynne McNaughton, Delayne Sartison, John Stowe
St. John: Penny Connell, Linda Harrison, Rev. Gary Hamblin
St. Martin: Darlene Clarke, Mike Nelson, Rev. Sarah Tweedale
Representing Treasurers: Lynda Faivre-Duboz
NV rep on Diocesan Council: Dana Bowman
Gloria Dei Lutheran reps: James Berger, Pastor Kim Staus
Chair: Rev. Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles

Respectfully submitted,

NORTH VANCOUVER REGIONAL COUNCIL