September Meeting Minutes

Click through to see the minutes from the September Regional Council Meeting.

Minutes of the Regional Council of North Vancouver (Anglican and Lutheran churches)
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 

Attendance:  

St. Agnes:  Kathy Campbell, Stephen Muir

St. Catherine:  Laurie Dye, Christine Rowe

St. Clement:  Lynne McNaughton

St. John:  Alison Brookfield, Patrick Blaney

St. Martin:  Darlene Clarke

Gloria Dei:  Jim Berger, Gerhard Preibisch

Mount Olivet: Barbara Mayer, Katalin Janko

NV Diocesan Council Representative:  Ian Thomas

Youth Coordinator: Andrew Halladay

Chair:  Alison Watt

1. Welcome/regrets: Regrets from Laurel Dykstra, John Stowe and Sarah Tweedale. Pastor Katalin Janko from Mount Olivet was welcomed to the Council.  Andrew Halladay was welcomed to the group.
   

2.   Opening prayer – Jim Berger

3. Agenda - Agenda was approved as presented.

4.   Minutes - M/S/C that the Minutes of the August 8, 2013, meeting be adopted as amended.

5.   Business arising from minutes

The location of the Thursday, November 21st meeting will be at St. Catherine’s.

6.   Reports: 

6.1 Community Engagement

Patrick Blaney circulated a report on the work of the Community Engagement team and reviewed the challenges of maintaining a core team from worshipping communities.   

Patrick reviewed that community engagement involves having programs that will move the worshipping communities out into the community to assist with needs in the community and develop a bigger profile for the region. Patrick posed the following question for further discussion: do we want to focus on reaching out into the community or church development? Jim Berger expressed that we need to have our ears open in our local community to engage it.

ACTION: Patrick to review community engagement ministry goals with Lynne McNaughton.

6.2 Youth Ministry

1. Lynne McNaughton introduced the Rev. Andrew Halladay as the new Youth Ministry Coordinator for the region beginning September 1st.

2. Andrew said that he is currently gathering contact information for youth in the worshipping communities and will be starting a Facebook page.  Andrew has circulated a list of upcoming youth events in the region.  The largest group of youth is in Grades 4 to 7.  He would also like to start a regional young adults group.  A regional Christmas Pageant is planned for December.  Andrew would like each church to create a space dedicated to youth and youth ministry and will be in contact to discuss.  He would also like to have a contact within each worshipping community who could act as a link with the young people of that community.

Andrew works with the Youth Theatre Production through the Diocesan Arts Ministry.  Last year, they organized Godspell at the Cathedral, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamboat at St. Mary’s Kerrisdale that brought in $25,000 in ticket sales and donations.  He is considering organizing a production of Sound of Music in North Vancouver in late May 2014 - St. John’s is the proposed location (May 28 to 31).  The audition notice would be published on the Vancouver Library site, as well as the usual diocesan web sites and mailings. Previous participants are interested in being involved including resources at Douglas College. The purpose of the auditions is to be inclusive and welcoming.

3. Lynne discussed that the Youth Ministry Coordinator contract is for four months at 20 hours per week.  St. Agnes will be handling the processing of the cheques and payments for the position. Each worshipping community is to send its cheques to St. Agnes by the 15th of each month.  For 2014, Lynne stated that the Region will be requesting funding from the Diocese under new ministry funding and needs to gain approval from the appropriate Diocesan committees. Information needs to be drafted on the program plan for this ministry and the proposed breakdown of sources of funds.  Stephen Muir suggested that a regional support group be in place to assist and support Andrew in shaping the position and providing links to worshipping communities.

ACTION:  Lynne is preparing a proposal for the Diocese to be reviewed at the October Regional Council meeting. Those members interested in participating in a regional support group for the Youth Ministry Coordinator are to contact Lynne.

6.3 Ministry Team

The Ministry team will be meeting on October 10th. With the participation of the Lutheran churches, Stephen emphasized the need to use the word “Region” rather than “Deanery”.

6.4 Edgemont/Capilano

Jim Berger circulated a progress report on the collaboration underway between Gloria Dei and St. Catherine’s including a shared vision and mission, and discussions on areas of sharing including staff, programs, facilities and worship.  Eight members of St. Catherine’s and Gloria Dei form the committee. In October/November, the committee members will be meeting with the worshipping communities to discuss the areas of sharing, with a goal of setting up task groups for each of the areas.  Lynne asked how the region can provide support to the process.  Both bishops are very supportive of the steps underway.  Once the worshipping communities have reviewed the process, it would be helpful to have an outside facilitator or missioner to assist.

Lynne McNaughton noted that the Lutheran pastor at Davis Bay has also be called as the part-time minister at St. Bartholomew’s and St. Aiden’s in Gibsons.

6.5 Lynn Valley Working Group

Lynne McNaughton reported that there are discussions underway regarding the possible relocation of the existing Lynn Valley United (LVUC) childcare centre to a site at St. Clement’s in order that these childcare spaces which are needed in Lynn Valley should not be lost during the renewal of the LVUC site.   The task group will be meeting next week to discuss and a proposal is anticipated to be forthcoming to the next Regional Council meeting. Discussion ensued on the location of a daycare building on the St. Clement’s site and the potential upgrading of St. Clement’s as part of the move.  

M/S/C that there is agreement in principle to enter into negotiations with the District of North Vancouver and Lynn Valley United to relocate the daycare from Lynn Valley United Church to St. Clement’s.

6.6 Eco/Social Justice Working Group

Alison Watt reported that the Metro Vancouver Alliance is trying to ascertain from the community which issues would form advocacy priorities for the coming year. They are seeking feedback from individuals on key community issues.

The Truth & Reconciliation Commission is coming in September and details on the TRC website. Stephen Muir advised that there are enough volunteers for the planned services.  

6.7 Diocesan Council (see attached)

Ian Thomas provided an update on the September Diocesan Council meeting that was co-chaired by Dean Peter Elliot and Diocesan Chancellor George Cadman as Bishop Michael retired at the end of August.

The Episcopal Election Update was the main subject of the meeting. The Search/ Nominations Committee seeking a new Bishop is made up of five lay and five clergy members. The call for nominations will go out next week with interviews in mid-October. A diocesan profile is being developed. They will adopt electronic voting at the Electoral Synod on November 30.

A report was also made on General Synod held in Ottawa from July 3rd to 7th. There was a discussion on re-locating the Synod Office outside the downtown core.  Ian would be pleased to speak to individual church councils about the work of Diocesan Council. Ian can be reached at ingthomas@shaw.ca to arrange.

7. New Business

7.1 Regional Programs

Stephen Muir circulated a North Vancouver Regional Calendar to the end of May 2014. Key items for the Fall and Christmas are listed below

ACTION:  Members of Regional Council are encouraged to publish the dates in bulletins and speak to these events at worship announcements.

8. Information

8.1 St. Clare in the Cove

St Clare’s has been sold and Laurie Dye outlined several items of furniture including pews that could be used in other places. Contact Laurie at laurie@dye.ca for full details.

8.2 “The Gala on 12th…

Kathy Campbell circulated a poster about “The” Gala on 12th… on Saturday, October 5th at St Agnes Church Hall from 6:00 to 10:00 pm.  The event is a fundraiser to support St. Agnes Church & Community Outreach.

8.3 Theatre at St. Clement’s

St. Clements is hosting a theatre production of Aunt Martha’s Funeral on September 28th.  Tickets are $20.00 on September 28th at 7:00 pm.

9. The meeting closed with prayer and adjourned at 9 pm.

Next meeting:

Thursday, October 10th at St. John’s Anglican Church, 220 West 8th Street, North Vancouver.

Deadline for agenda items - Thursday, October  4th

IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP – provide dates of events and meetings to Mike Nelson and Stephen Muir

September 28 - Emergency Preparedness workshop at St. Agnes 10 – 11:30 am

October 10 – Clergy Team Meeting, 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

October 19 - Regional Spiritual Gifts Discernment Workshop, 9 am to noon

October 26 – Anti-racism Policy Training (Diocesan requirement)

October 29 – Night of Testimonies, 7 pm St. John’s

November 2 – Readers and Intercessors Workshop

November 14 – Eco Justice Community Forum on Pipelines – Speaker – Robyn Allan, economist

All Deanery events are listed on the North Vancouver Deanery Blog Calendar http://northvandeanery.blogspot.ca/