Bishop and Chapter met on 16 January 2024 with 8 of 12 members and one guest. Minutes of the 11 December 2023 meeting were adopted. J. Yeamans was elected meeting chair. The Chapter briefly discussed the article “7 Trends for Church Leadership in 2024" (Lewis Centre for Church Leadership). Worthwhile to compare challenges and successes with the wider church.

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

• 2 care facility Communions; 1 funeral; 4 staff meetings; dinner for staff 02 January; 3 committee / group meetings; 8 home/hospital visits; Christmas attendance 297/80/98/38; New Year’s Day

• Chapter vacancies: Lay Chair | Vice Chair | Property

Diocesan

• 1 meeting of Synod Finance; 2 Bishop’s Counsel

Up-coming

• Ash Wednesday is 14 February

DECISION

• Home Communion - that the Dean request permission for Doreen Smith to administer Home Communion
• Bookkeeper - that we increase the per hour rate being paid
• Budget - acceptance of the 2024 Budget as modified for presentation
• Annual - meeting 1:00 p.m. 18 February 2024 following a light lunch at the Cathedral. Snow date 25 February
• Repairs - that the Property Committee proceed with repairs of Cathedral furnace motor (est $2500) and replacement of Cathedral chimney cap (est $5500). 2024 maintenance budget has been increased
• 2023 Financial review - Bringloe Feeney appears to be unable to provide a review engagement. The Dean and Treasurer will attempt to engage 2 competent individuals to review 2023 financials

REPORTS

Treasurer - December ended with a 2023 deficit of about $20,000 (2023 offering was $46,033 below budgeted - see bulletin offering budget summary)

Nominating - continues to meet. Three nominations have been secured. One member of Chapter needed (Communications Committee chair?)

Buildings and Property - Interim chair R. Crowe reported on current active items including: Cathedral furnace pump; Cathedral chimney cover removed by wind; consideration of now inoperable platform lift at Memorial Hall. Programable thermostat installations at the Hall complete. 2 additional inside security cameras (1 hall/one church) complete. Garda Security contract for the Hall has been cancelled.

Finance and Administration - finishing up work on staff policy handbook; application for 2024 tour guide funding made; statistics on 2023 summer visitors reported; Safe Church Committee to meet to consider implementation strategy

Health / Pastoral Care - chair for Health Ministries needed. 2 new hospital visitors. 2 new administrators of home communion. Cathedral Visitors made visits at Christmas. Hospital Visitors met January 9^th. Ongoing consideration of possible ministries with available volunteers

Mission / Outreach - Benevolence policy form used once at Christmas. Giving Tuesday campaign exceeded $2000 to Montgomery Street School project. $1000 support to St. Hilda’s, Belize sent at the end of the year

Worship - a youth choir sang on Christmas Eve at 4:00 p.m. Recognize need to reestablish a server’s guild and train new servers

UPCOMING

• Annual reports due 31 January
• 14 February 2024 Ash Wednesday
• Annual Congregational Meeting 18 February, 1:00 p.m.
• Next meeting - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, 06 February teleconference

GMH

Bishop and Chapter met on 11 December 2023 with 8 of 12 members present. R. Crowe attended as guest. Minutes of the 16 October meeting were adopted. J. Yeamans was elected meeting chair. The Dean lead discussion on an Alban Institute article “This Thing Called Church,” from A. B. Robinson’s “What’s Theology Got to Do With It?”

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

• 3 care facility Communions; Deanery Clericus; 1 funeral; 1 funeral attended; 8 committee/group meetings; congregational meeting 21 November; choir rehearsal 30 November;10 home/hospital visits

• noted: no work review, housing allowance or stipend review in 2023

• Chapter vacancies: Lay Chair | Vice Chair | Property

Diocesan

• 2 meetings of the Synod Finance; over-night Diocesan Council 1/2 Dec

Up-coming

• Spencer funeral 10am 16 Dec; Farraline 12 Dec; Windsor 28 Dec; Christmas Lessons and Carols (b) - 17 Dec; 24 Dec 8am, 4pm, 8pm (b), 11pm (b); 25 Dec 10am (b); 31 Dec 8am, 10:30 am; 01 Jan 11am (b)

DISCUSSION

• 2024 Budget - draft was discussed. Adjustments over the next month with the goal to adopt a proposed budget version in January

DECISION

• That we reimburse K. Schmidt $1500 for an October course on Celtic spirituality

• That the Dean request Bishop’s permission for Michele LeBlanc to administer the chalice in worship and administer Home Communions

• That staff salaries receive a 3% cost of living increase in 2024

• That the stipend of the Dean be $65,976 (3% cost of living increase, $16,906 above the diocesan minimum stipend scale (Regulation 7-2)

• With security cameras and locking system installed at the hall, that we end our contract with Garda Security (one visit per night) at the end of 2023

REPORTS

Treasurer - November reports need revisions for accuracy. Deficit to end of November $46,549. Bookkeeper Ben Bourque resigned in November; engaged Justin McCoy as bookkeeper. Working with Scotiabank on Anglican Church Women BMO shares conversion

Nominating - 4 meetings thus far. 2024 nominations remain to be required

Buildings and Property - R. Crowe graciously offered to be interim chair. 1) Cathedral sprinklers need maintenance ($60,000) in 2024. 2) Hall platform lift is inoperable needing replacement. Exploring grant and other fund possibilities. 3) East window has been repaired ($8257) insurance coverage less deductable ($5219). 4) Leaks inside Cathedral are an ongoing concern. Next meeting 09 January

Christian Formation - Advent programming proceeding. Consideration of Medical Assistance in Dying (Faith Seeking Understanding)

Health / Pastoral Care - assisted Anglican Church Women luncheon. Christmas gifts to be delivered by Cathedral Visitors. Chair of Health Ministries, Sally Dibblee has resigned.

Mission / Outreach - Angel Christmas gifts for children complete. Giving Tuesday exceeded $2000 commitment to school food and winter clothing programme

Worship - committee met in November including discussion/planning for Christmas worship including a possible youth choir. Meeting of Sunday intercessors on 07 November

UPCOMING

• 17 December, 4 p.m. Christmas Lesson and Carols

• 01 January, 11 a.m. New Year’s Day with our Bishop

GMH

Bishop and Chapter met on 16 October 2023 with 8 of 13 members present. Minutes of the 11 September and 19 June meeting were adopted. J. Yeamans was elected to the chair in the absence of the Lay-Chair. The Dean lead a short discussion following a reading of Philippians 2:1-13 and some reflections on the nature of decision-making by way of Christian discernment. Some references to “The Way of Discernment” (E. Liebert) were considered.

CATHEDRAL SAFE CHURCH

Safe Church Officer Dianne Wilkins visited with an update on recent efforts toward implementing diocesan policy on safe church. V. Hachey and G. Hall offered to be part of a task group to consider next steps

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

• 1 care facility Communion; Diocesan Clergy Conference (18-20 September); ill and absent on Sunday 01 October; 1 committee/group meeting; 1 meeting with assisting clergy and deacons; choir rehearsal 21 September; 1 meeting of the Diocesan Finance Committee.

Up-coming

• 21 October Farraline Place fund-raiser
• 01-12 Diocesan Council development retreat
• 03 December First Sunday of Advent

ITEMS ARISING

• Nominating Committee - J. Hand appointed to the Committee. Members: H. Palmer, J. Hand, K. Schmidt, J. Dunderdale. Chapter requests the Committee meet to attend to current/upcoming business
• Vice-Chair of Chapter - referred to the Nominating Committee
• Property Committee Chair - referred to the Nominating Committee

NEW BUSINESS

• East window repair - recent storm damage to plexiglass panel. Repair estimate $8,257 (Active Glass and Mirror). Insurance ($2500 deductable) claim investigated. Cost charged to property maintenance approved
• Snow removal contract - accepted a proposal for 23/24 winter from Pro-Care of $5,175 + $100 per sanding
• Parish nurse funds - that an investment fund account be created for monies received or accumulated and designated parish nurse

REPORTS

Treasurer - Financial update presented on Sunday, 24 September, 8 and 10:30 a.m.. No specific feedback received. 30 September deficit of expenses over income is $66,580. 2023 income includes Diocesan Synod (Fabric Grant) of $45,000. Unrestricted funds ($60,000) to cover summer cash flow could be returned to unrestricted investment if available at year-end

Administration and Finance - meeting pending

Worship - planning for Christmas upcoming. Server training needs to be planned

Property - several issues have arisen. The Lay-Chair has called a meeting 24 October. Theft of hall furnace exhaust cover was fabricated for replacement and installed with no indication of cost as of yet; east window cover damage, Guild of St. Joseph replaced west door carpeting; cathedral sprinkler system replacement (+/- $175,000) to meet current safety code; hall chair lift out of operation estimated +/- $60,000 repair; security project update; cathedral boiler project; snow removal

Health and Pastoral Care - committee hasn’t met

Mission Outreach - 25 September Monday Outreach - 56 served, volunteers needed for 30 October; 3 Belize Mission scholarships 23/24 to Silvia Trapp, Caleb Martinez and Korey Kelly

Communications - no recent meeting

Christian Formation - meeting scheduled on 19 October

Welcome and Hospitality - Sunday refreshments. Several future events

NEXT MEETING

Monday, 20 November 2023                                                            GMH

Bishop and Chapter met on 11 September 2023 with 10 of 13 members present. Minutes of the last meeting were unavailable and will be considered at the next meeting. Members read and briefly discussed “The Ultimate Guide to Delegation” (Nick Blevins) – categories: What to Delegate, To Whom to Delegate, How to Delegate. Resources to Delegate Better and 7 steps to follow included.

FROM THE DEAN

Cathedral

•   Preaching through the Season of Creation 01 September - 4 October; vacation 24 July - 13 August; staff meetings 27 June and 05 September, outside Communions (1), committee/group meetings (2), staff and deacon reviews completed, home visits (3), 3 home/hospital communions, 2 funerals / 1 committal / 2 attended, Evening Prayer Jackson Falls 23 August, July/August Sunday worship attendance (75 avg) - 10 September (106).

•   Vacancies: Chapter Property | Vice-Chair | Nominating

Diocesan

Synod Finance Committee (2)

Up-coming

•   17 September 8:00, 10:30, 4:00 every other week resumes
•   18-20 September - Diocesan Clergy Conference, Renforth

ITEMS ARISING

Bishop’s letters: appointment of Isabel Cutler, Deacon and permission to administer Communion (D. Beek)

DECISION

•   Benevolence Policy - adopted as of 11 September 2023
•   Recognition - Canon Rod Black as Honorary Assistant

DISCUSSION

June Report of Planning Study - Source Alliance returned the final report of the feasibility study (January - May) regarding Cathedral restoration, Our Bishop has one other contact he wishes to make. Cathedral officers and the Bishop considering the next step in light of the current circumstances. Letters of thanks will be sent to planning study participants this week.

REPORTS

Treasurer - Offerings stable but below budget with a 31 August deficit of $55,657. Payroll and Shared Ministry is $36,000 monthly. $9,887 in flow through donations (PWRDF, community ministries etc.) to be transferred. Sunday financial update presentation before the end of September

Administration and Finance - tour guide season has ended with thanks

Worship - no report

Property - noted recent gifts-in-kind with thanks

Health and Pastoral Care - no meeting. Only a few COVID test kits left

Mission Outreach - completed draft Benevolence Policy; Belize Missions Yard Sale for scholarships a success; Mijia’s from Honduras visited 25 June

Communications - no recent meeting. Additional souvenirs were acquired for sale during the summer tour season

Christian Formation - planning for 30 Sept Day of Truth and Reconciliation; Life in the Eucharist postponed to Fall 2024; Godly Play has resumed; discussed possible quiet space on the Green

Welcome and Hospitality - no meeting. 3 committee members + Dean

UPCOMING

•   Nominating Committee - 4-1^st term / 1-2^nd term vacancies upcoming in 2024. T. Maston (Lay-Chair) plans not to let his name stand for a second term
•   30 September - Day of Truth and Reconciliation
•   21 October - Farraline Gala Fundraiser

NEXT MEETING

Monday, 16 October 2023                                                                GMH