Bishop and Chapter News – March 2021

Bishop and Chapter met 15 March 2021 by video conference with 10 of 14 members present. A faith conversation and discussion of an article “We’re in the Innovation Business” (Dwight Zscheile) was lead by the Dean. Minutes of 16 and 22 February 2021 were adopted.

From the Dean

  • meeting with Pandemic Response Task Group making adjustments for yellow level restrictions Operational Plan 11 March 2021
  • no care facility Communions (Farraline/Windsor Court) in March
  • meetings with Chapter committees and other groups
  • Lenten programmes continuing with thanks to leaders/particpants
  • work progressing on proposal for security upgrades, main entrance monitoring/cameras and potential refurbishment of networking
  • upcoming need for congregational consultation regarding future facilities development

Items Arising

Cathedral Video Project - we await two more cameras. Current live streaming significantly improved thus far. Operators in training

Chapter By-law - members asked to bring current By-law items possibly in need of modification to the next meeting of the Chapter

Discussion

Housing First - information is needed about the current status of the Cathedral Housing First Project. S. Mayo will coordinate a meeting soon.

Resignation of Treasurer - the Chapter regrets having received the resignation of Treasurer Kevin Percy as of 30 April 2021.

Committee membership - J. Mahar will facilitate an accessible online document for submitting/listing up to date committee membership

Annual meeting - noted request for Cathedral consultation re facilities

Decision

Facilities development - The Chapter appointed Jim Morell to act as liaison in current discussions with the Diocesan Synod regarding facilities management and development

Thanks to the Treasurer - a vote of sincere thanks to K. Percy for his service as treasurer. The Chapter Executive will meet soon to discuss next steps

Reports

Treasurer - an overview of February financials noting that expenses significantly exceeded income ($22,500) year to date. Several other reports including the 2020 Diocesan Financial Return, Financial Survey for Diocesan use in applications on our behalf for government subsidy when possible, Diocesan Consolidated Investment Fund to year end 2020.

Property - a report is expected from Heritage Standing updating renovation and maintenance required now and in the future. The current proposal regarding security/network will be shared with the Committee when available.

Health and Pastoral Care - Parish Nurse search: advertisement posted this past week with deadline for application of 30 April.

Mission and Outreach - Clarity regarding the Housing First Project is a priority. Financial management, committee membership and documentation describing commitments, responsibilities and expectations needed

Finance and Administration - the Committee continues to seek leadership for the Stewardship Team and a Safe Church Officer. Recent updates to the Report on Deferred Funds (money in our operating account designated for specific purposes) were considered and recommended. The chair will follow up on a meeting of the Stewardship Team in the near future.

Upcoming

  • Holy Week begins 28 March
  • Easter Day 04 April

Next Meetings: 19 April 2021 (if necessary); 17 May 2021

GMH

Pandemic Yellow Level at the Cathedral

Zone 3 (Fredericton and area) is currently in the Yellow Level of the New Brunswick Pandemic Recovery Plan.

In-person worship at the Cathedral continues and Memorial Hall is open to the public, both with restrictions. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday.

Pandemic precautions outlined in the latest revision of the Cathedral Pandemic Operational Plan (11 March 2021) will be followed. These include:

  • Worship gatherings are limited to 90 individuals (based on 50% of total capacity)
  • Meetings where 2 metres of distance with masks is maintained
  • 2 metres of physical distance between bubbles is required
  • Face masks are mandatory indoors at all times (with an exception for “leaders or performers whose activities require vocalization” while maintaining 4 metres of physical distance between bubbles)
  • Congregational singing with masks and 2 metres of distance between bubbles

Please note that we continue to be encouraged to limit contact outside of single household bubbles, especially in confined spaces. Please continue to pray for those who are at risk and those providing care and helping to keep us safe.

Worship reservations

With current limits of individuals, worship reservations continue to be required. Reserve online by visiting Cathedral Signups by 8:00 p.m. on the previous day. Telephone reservations are needed in real time (not by voicemail). If reserving by telephone, please contact the Cathedral Office (506) 450-8500 during office hours, 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon, Monday to Friday.

Parish Nurse Wanted

Parish Nurse for
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL, FREDERICTON  NB
Permanent part-time position: 20 hours/ week with benefits

Definition:  Parish nursing emphasizes the wholeness of body, mind and spirit rooted in the vision of Christ as Healer. A Parish Nurse is a registered nurse who practices holistic health for self, individuals and the community using nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care. See the Canadian Association of Parish Nursing Ministries.

Learn more about Health Ministry at Christ Church Cathedral
View the Health Ministry information brochure

Qualifications: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

  • Certification in Parish Nursing or willingness to complete the same
  • Registered Nurse in good standing with NANB (Nurses Association of New Brunswick)
  • *Minimum of 5 years nursing experience

Further inquiries: (506) 450-8500 or by email

Please inquire or apply with cover letter and resume via email or surface mail.

Application deadline: 30 April 2021

Parish Nurse: Search Committee
Christ Church Cathedral
168 Church Street
Fredericton NB    E3B 4C9
(506) 450-8500

[search at christchurchcathedral.com]
christchurchcathedral.com

Marvellous Macey – Caitlin Bangsund

The Delightful Days ...

From the review on A Mama's Corner of the World - Marvellous Macey spotlight - Can you va va voom? Do you light up the room? Marvellous Macey does! She may not quite fit the mould, but she is living delightful days. Embrace Macey's world of imagination and ability to love and accept everyone. Life may not be perfect and some things might be hard, but Macey shows us how to live in the moment and find the delight! Be inspired by Macey to make everyday the BEST day.

5 4 3 2 1 GO

It’s a launch. The book is real. It’s on the internet. And in a local shop here in Okotoks AB.

Time to sit back and relax.

Or be busier than ever wildly trying to cover my bases, step up to the plate, and score - these are mixed metaphors. I think they are sports-related, but you get the point.

Flipped-lid-magic

Macey “flips her lid” daily. That simply means that her feelings get big and she loses her ability to think and act clearly.

She lives in a world that often doesn’t make sense. Her functional age is younger than the almost eight-year-old she is. I feel like a good parallel would be me living in a country where I don’t understand the language.

On Monday, March 1 we set out to have a little celebration to mark the official launch of “Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days.”

And we did. It was lovely.

The magic part was that after supper when Macey did “flip her lid” I was not deflated.

Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be perfect. I know I’m not done learning this lesson, but I have gotten so much better at accepting that we wouldn’t have the magic we have without the “flip side.”

March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month. I chose to time my launch with this month because I wanted to promote inclusion and be an advocate.

Everything doesn’t have to be perfect to be perfect.

I finally have a tool to help start the conversation and to demonstrate that disability most definitely does not mean inability.

Into the unknown

A song from Frozen. And the place I’m wandering into.

One year ago (on March 6th exactly) I shared the first draft of “Marvellous Macey, The Delightful Days” with a group of authors in a publishing group I’m a part of.

I chewed my hangnails (like a do every day) and waited to see if I had written garbage or sunshine.

They suggested it was “delightful.” Having a draft is a far cry from having a real-life book in the world.

Now I do.

But having a real-life book is a far cry from it selling enough to pay your illustrator (or pay a desperately needed house cleaner).

I’ve been walking “into the unknown” for a long time so I guess it isn’t something to fear.

The unknown is uncomfortable and exciting all wrapped together.

True or false? “I made this book thing happen all by myself.”

False.

There is not one SINGLE thing I did all by myself. Not ONE.

I didn’t pay for the investment myself.

I have never self-published a book so I needed a coach, subscriptions, and memberships to things.

Um ... a picture book needs pictures so I had to hire an illustrator.

I didn’t even write all the words alone. I have a trusty side-kick who spent hours helping me (because even fully grown children need help from their mom).

I had help from a gracious editor for the fine-tuning.

There were logos to create, a website to build, publicity and marketing, and then books to be printed,

And more.

PLUS, there are all of you - the cheerleaders, buyers, and reviewers.

I love you so much for sharing screenshots of the book(s) arriving, pictures and videos of your kids and grandkids reading, words of encouragement, private and public reviews, and telling other people about the great new book you just ordered!

You. are. the. best.

The proof is in the pudding.

Is week two of the launch “the pudding” or is “the pudding” far away in the distance?

I don’t know. But I hope there is proof of this book filling hearts and homes with hope.

Press on,

Cait

P.S. Unless you really really really want off the hook please tell people about Marvellous Macey - the real girl - and about her book!

P.P.S. I was on a podcast last week talking about trial and triumph. I hope you will find it encouraging. See the graphic and go find it.

Find Marvellous Macey on Amazon
Find Marvelous Macey on Goodreads

Bishop and Chapter News – February 2021

Bishop and Chapter met 16 February 2021 by video conference with 11 of 14 members present. Guests Kendra Patrick (Bringloe Feeney LLP) and Tom Maston were welcomed. A faith conversation and discussion of the article “We’re in the Innovation Business” (Dwight Zscheile) was postponed to the next meeting. Minutes of 18 January 2021 adopted.

From the Dean

  • during Orange Alert level no hospital (end of life care only) or home visits. Telephone contacts when possible. Communion is available upon specific request following restrictions
  • no care facility Communions (Farraline/Windsor Court) in current alert level.
  • meetings with Chapter committees and other groups
  • lecture on Anglicanism for students at Northeast Christian College on 08 February
  • refresher course on Prepare Enrich - relationship inventory tool and resources for preparing couples for marriage
  • conversations continue regarding Synod and Cathedral sharing and future development

Items Arising

Cathedral Video Project - one PTZ camera received and temporarily installed yielding significant improvement in the quality of our live streams. Remaining equipment expected soon. Project overview

Chapter By-law - several needed adjustments being identified. Possible revisions to be considered by the new Chapter in 2021

Parish Nurse - Search Committee (S. Dibblee chair) is at work. A next step is finalizing and posting an advertisement for the half-time staff position as soon as possible

Committee and Group Reports - thanks to all for attention to annual reporting. The 2021 Annual Report has been circulated.

Nominating Committee - a current version of the report to the Annual was circulated. Last-minute adjustments in a final version circulated for the Annual Meeting, new nominations up to the time of election

Decision

Financials - 2020 reports including Review Engagement presented by Kendra Patrick and approved for presentation to the Annual Meeting. 2021 Budget approved for presentation

Invested Funds - Agreement between corporations and the Synod regarding participation in the Diocesan Consolidated Investment Fund, as an investment tool of choice, moving to Diocesan Regulation 5-3 from individual contracts. No substantial changes. Motions carried

2021 Nominating Committee - member nominations recommended

Discussion

Annual Meeting - 1) In-person (by signup), 2) observe by live stream 3) Zoom video conference option. See details in the normal Friday email.

Reports

Treasurer - Brief overview of January month-end and Proposed Budget.

Property - Heritage Standing update of 2016 report on Cathedral maintenance on-going

Christian Formation - “Ad - LENT - ures” opportunities for Lenten study and reflection complete with all encouraged to participate

Communications - see annual report for 2020

Health and Pastoral Care - Parish Nurse search a priority. C. Stevenson has resigned as chair of the Health Ministry Committee.

Welcome and Hospitality - see annual report for 2020

Mission and Outreach - progress on Housing First Project - construction expected by summer 2021. Monday morning last Mondays

Finance and Administration - stewardship team hopes to continue progress on narrative budget. Mike Toole has resigned as committee member, Stewardship Team Chair and Cathedral Safe Church Officer

Upcoming

•  Ash Wednesday (17 February); Annual Meeting (21 February)

•  Next Meeting: 15 March 2021

GMH

Pandemic Orange Level at the Cathedral – January 2021

Orange Level Recovery

At 11:59 p.m. on 26 January, 2021, Zone 3 (Fredericton and area) will return to the Orange Level of the New Brunswick Pandemic Recovery Plan.

In-person worship at the Cathedral will resume and Memorial Hall will reopen to the public. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday to Friday.

Pandemic precautions outlined in the latest revision of the Cathedral Pandemic Operational Plan (20 January 2021) will be followed. These include:

  • Worship gatherings are limited to 50 individuals
  • Meetings are limited to 25 individuals
  • 2 metres of physical distance between bubbles is required
  • Face masks are mandatory indoors and out at all times (with an exception for “performers or officiants whose activities require vocalization” while maintaining 4 metres of physical distance between bubbles)

Please note that during the Orange Level, we are strongly encouraged to limit contact outside of single household bubbles, especially in confined spaces. Please continue to pray for those who are at risk and those providing care and helping to keep us safe.

Worship reservations

With current limits of individuals, worship reservations are required. Reserve online by visiting Cathedral Signups by 8:00 p.m. on the previous day. Telephone reservations are needed in real time (not by voicemail). If reserving by telephone, please contact the Cathedral Office (506) 450-8500 during office hours, 9:00 a.m. - 12 noon, Monday to Friday.

 

Bishop and Chapter News – January 2021

Bishop and Chapter met 18 January 2021 by video conference with 11 of 14 members present. The Dean provided in advance an article “When the Mission Changes” (Dan Hotchkiss). Discussion included the value and necessity of our congregation understanding our true mission as God's church and challenges in involving broad-based engagement. Minutes of 14 December 2020 were adopted.

From the Dean

•  continuing in the Orange alert level of pandemic recovery
•  no hospital or home visits by telephone contacts when possible
•  no care facility Communions (Farraline/Windsor Court) in current alert level. Communion at Farraline Place 22 December
•  various meetings with Chapter committees and other groups
•  worship attendance - Blue Christmas (21 December) - 11; Christmas Eve - 175; Christmas Day - 34
•  CBC Information Morning interview 18 January
•  annual discussion with accountant re Review Engagement
•  Synod office(s) settling in at Memorial Hall

Arising

Cathedral Video equipment - required equipment not in stock. Work will proceed to acquire what’s possible and begin pre-installation

Chapter By-Law - possibility for adding past lay chair position on hold for the moment as recommended by Chapter Executive

Decision

Parish Nurse - K. Snow resignation as of 31 January 2021 noted. Unanimous recognition of the difficulty/impossibility to replace Kathleen Snow. Chapter directed the Health and Pastoral Care Committee to proceed to create a search committee, Sally Dibblee chair.

2021 Budget - current draft discussed, received and recommended

Discussion

Annual Meeting - scheduled for Sunday, 21 February 2021. Streamlined, time economical agenda. Immediately following worship in the Cathedral. Virtual options to be explored if necessary.

Nominations - one member Bishop and Chapter still required. Chapter’s assistance requested

Reports

Treasurer - December 2020 financials were provided and briefly discussed. 2020 giving was down, expenses also reduced. Note extraordinary elements including Wage Subsidy allowing revenue to slightly exceed expenses. 2020 review engagement in process

Property - continuing work with Heritage Standing to determine short and long-term property goals. Bishop’s graves to the east, choir steps and stained glass window ventilation are current first priorities. Large basswood at west door removed by the City on 07 January - wood shared with indigenous carvers

Christian Formation - Taizé and Godly play continue virtually. Youth Group suffers from online gathering. Lenten programming considered

Communications - meeting reviewed current web content and Facebook maintenance. February 2020 survey results will be studied

Health and Pastoral Care - main emphasis is parish nurse vacancy Hospital visits are not possible during current pandemic alert level

Welcome and Hospitality - no specific actions during pandemic restrictions

Mission and Outreach - St. Hilda’s Belize end of year $1000 support transferred. Monday outreach continuing as best as possible on the last Monday of the month

Finance and Administration - no meeting since December. Presentation of narrative budget may not be possible with modified meeting format

Upcoming

•  Annual Reports due 31 January

Next Meeting

16 February 2021, Annual Congregational Meeting - 21 February 2021

Basswood gains new life – January 2021

Basswood on Cathedral grounds gains new life with carvers

When a 2020 summer storm struck and felled a large basswood on the east end of the Cathedral Green, Christ Church Cathedral congregation member and former forester Eric Hadley volunteered to step in and help with cleanup.

Unlike many large trees felled by wind storms, Eric saw that the roots of this tree had remained firmly planted while the tree trunk itself had snapped.

Closer examination revealed considerable rot within the tree. This outwardly strong-looking basswood was a bit of a disaster waiting to happen. And along came Mother Nature and her winds providing just that disaster!

Since there are other Tília Americana (basswood) trees on the Cathedral property, it seemed like a good idea to check for any signs of visible rot and potential for damage to the Cathedral building itself.

Sure enough, just outside the west end (main) door and directly in line with the stained glass window over that door, stood another big old basswood showing what Eric believed to be signs of rot.

a legacy for future generations

When Eric brought in Mike Glynn, assistant manager of Parks and Trees and city forester for the City of Fredericton, he confirmed the diagnosis and advised that this old beauty posed considerable risk to the building. He recommended it be removed.

Enter Calvin Thompson, manager of First Nations relations, City of Fredericton. Calvin contacted Cathedral officials to see if there would be an interest in offering the wood to the St. Mary’s First Nation community.

The answer was a resounding yes! Renowned indigenous woodcarver Percy Sacobie was delighted to accept the offer. Basswood has long been the wood of choice for indigenous carvers, coveted for its featureless, fine-grained, white wood that doesn’t splinter or chip easily.

Percy Sacobie, woodcarver, Mike O’Brien, Mayor, Eric Hadley

In addition, Bob Clowater of the Fredericton Woodcarvers group was interested in obtaining some of the wood for their 17 members who meet twice a week at the Johnson Street Seniors Workshop.

And thus, this venerable old tree, Tília Americana, will leave a legacy for future generations. It may no longer stand guarding those ancient Cathedral walls, but it will not be relegated to the wood chipper or the furnace!

Its God-given artistic form will be transformed into man-made artistic forms by New Brunswick woodcarvers and enjoyed for years to come.

-- by Gail MacGillivray

Support New Brunswick tenants during the pandemic

As referenced in the Dean's Pastoral Letter for Christmas 2020, the true cost of the current pandemic is yet to be calculated. The issue of many in our society attempting to navigate the economic realities should be important to us all. Please pray for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 18 December the Dean of Fredericton signed the letter below addressed to New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs and Minister Wilson.

See New tenants' rights coalition hopeful for reform on CBC New Brunswick

Re: Support New Brunswick’s Tenants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear Premier Higgs and Minister Wilson,

We, the under-signed non-profit organizations and grassroots advocacy groups working in the areas of
housing, poverty, employment, and human rights, are writing to request government action to offer
support for tenants in New Brunswick during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a group of organizations with
expertise in housing and closely related issues, we are providing the following:
1) a summary of the challenges facing tenants in New Brunswick,
2) a list of pandemic-related recommendations for your consideration, and
3) a discussion of some of the benefits for New Brunswickers that these measures can produce. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, other provinces have offered similar support for tenants and we request that the government of New Brunswick consider doing the same.

The Challenges
As the COVID-19 crisis continues, greater support for tenants in New Brunswick is urgently needed.
Even before the pandemic, tenants in New Brunswick were facing significant challenges. The Canadian
Rental Housing Index 1 shows that 36% of renter households in the province are living in unaffordable
housing, with 14% living in situations of severe unaffordability. At the same time, the New Brunswick
government has reported that across the province vacancy rates dropped while tenant shelter costs
rose 14% between the last two censuses 2. In this same timeframe, the median tenant income increased
by only 11% ($29,769 to $33,226). Homeowners in the province, however, experienced the inverse,
with median income growing by 13.8% ($62,602 to $71,259) and shelter costs by only 9.9%. 3 Simply
put, tenants in the province, as a group, have less of a financial reserve to draw on during periods of
hardship. This hardship is experienced disproportionately by lone female parents, people with
disabilities, and Black and Indigenous people and People of Colour. The pandemic will only continue to
exacerbate these challenges.

In addition to the concerning trends represented by these statistics, anecdotal evidence of a rental
housing crisis is in the news and on social media, with tenants reporting monthly increases in rents of
upwards of 50% at a time, amounting to hundreds of dollars per month. Faced with these new and
unanticipated costs, it is foreseeable that many tenants will be forced to seek lower-priced
accommodations at a time when there is an extreme shortage of affordable rental stock. There is also
the risk that tenant relocation due to dramatic rent increases will require tenants to move out of their
neighbourhoods and further away from their places of employment, thereby disrupting access to their
support networks and necessities such as public transportation and childcare.

While we recognize that average rent and utility costs in New Brunswick may be lower than the national
average in absolute numbers, so too is the average income of New Brunswick tenants. When
compared to the national average, tenants in New Brunswick are spending approximately the same
percentage of their income on rent and utilities and face similar rates of unaffordable housing. 4 Tenants
in New Brunswick, therefore, need support similar to that provided in other jurisdictions.

Our Recommendations
We are calling on the provincial government to immediately implement the following support for
tenants:

1. Introduce a 2% cap on rental increases for existing tenants until a vaccine has been
successfully rolled out and the entire province of New Brunswick has been moved into the
Green Phase.

This will ensure that tenants remain housed at a time of income uncertainty. It will also allow
tenants to budget effectively at a time when New Brunswickers are often forced to miss work
due to symptoms of or risk of exposure to COVID-19.

2. Make this 2% rent cap retroactive to September 1, 2020, and allow tenants to apply any
ensuing rent credits to arrears and/or future rental costs.

3. Re-establish a moratorium on evictions until the entire province returns to the Green Phase.
Since June 1st, 2020, New Brunswickers have been without any kind of eviction protection
despite the economic hardships brought on by COVID-19 and the now well-established
relationship between homelessness and vulnerability to COVID-19. As the second wave of the
virus continues to hit Canada hard as winter begins, it is essential that New Brunswick tenants
have a secure place to live where they can limit contacts, self-isolate if necessary, and maintain
their health and well-being as we weather this crisis together. A renewed moratorium on
evictions would support public health efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.

4. Fund a rent bank that provides tenants in financial need with non-repayable grants or interest-
free loans to cover their rent OR implement a rental subsidy program similar to that put in
place by the government of Prince Edward Island at the beginning of the pandemic.
A rent bank will limit rental arrears and forestall evictions for unpaid rent during the pandemic
following the end of any moratorium on evictions. More broadly, a rent bank will support the
provincial government’s stated commitment to “timely access to affordable, safe and adequate
housing options that meet individual needs and promote healthy and inclusive communities.” 5
One model is the BC Rent Bank, with funding provided by the provincial government. 6
We also request that in the new year, before March 31st, 2021, the government take the following
actions:

1. Roll-out the Canada–New Brunswick Housing Benefit that is part of the Canada–New
Brunswick bilateral agreement under the National Housing Strategy.
As part of the National Housing Strategy, “the federal government committed to introducing a
new $4 billion dollar Canada Housing Benefit that would provide affordability support directly to
families and individuals in housing need.” 7 While other provinces have taken the opportunity to
implement housing benefits for low-income renters (e.g. Nova Scotia, Ontario), New Brunswick
has not yet done so. However, there are provisions for the implementation of this benefit for the
2020–2021 fiscal year in the bilateral agreement (see Schedule B). 8

2. Establish a New Brunswick Affordable Housing Commission
The commission will support the implementation of the provincial housing strategy and will
identify and contribute to the establishment of promising practices for the purpose of addressing
housing challenges in the immediate post-COVID-19 context.

The Benefits of Taking Action
Improving support for tenants during the pandemic will serve as both a response to the numerous
financial hardships brought on or exacerbated by the pandemic and will support the continued efforts of
public health to stop the spread of COVID-19 in New Brunswick. Offering tenants greater support will
also safeguard the pre-pandemic work done by government and non-governmental stakeholders alike
on affordable housing, community development, and homelessness 9 from the economic hardships
COVID-19 has caused. Similar measures have been taken by the governments of other small
provinces, such as Nova Scotia, and larger provinces, like Ontario and British Columbia. We therefore
hope that the government of New Brunswick will implement our recommendations as part of its ongoing
commitment to maintaining New Brunswick’s position as a leader in the fight against COVID-19.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Those signing on behalf of community organizations

 

1 Canadian Rental Housing Index. (n.d.). Snapshot, New Brunswick.
2 The next census will take place in May 2021. For more information about census dates and data
3 Government of New Brunswick. (n.d.). 2019–2022 New Brunswick Action Plan. pp. 14-15
4 Canadian Rental Housing Index. (n.d.). Snapshot, New Brunswick.
5 New Brunswick Housing Strategy 2019–2020, p. 1. Available here.
6 To learn more about the BC Rent Bank, and rent banks generally
7 Canadian Housing Renewal Association. (2019). Canada Housing Benefit, p.1
8 CMHC-NB Bilateral Agreement under the 2017 National Housing Strategy.
9 Saint John, for example, has reduced homelessness by 34%, an accomplishment that the pandemic threatens.

Bishop and Chapter News – December 2020

Bishop and Chapter met 14 December 2020 by video conference with 11 of 14 members present. The Dean lead some reflection on “How to Shine Your Light for Christ - So how exactly do you shine?” – practical tips. Members added additional insights. Minutes of 16 November 2020 were adopted.

From the Dean

•  Cathedral Pandemic Operational Plan was revised 01 December 2020 to accommodate the NB Orange Level of Recovery
•  in-person staff meetings continue. Sexton Ashley Swim 30 November
•  consultation with the Diocesan synod regarding temporary facility sharing
•  work completed on a proposal to equip the cathedral with video equipment for better live streaming in the future (December project)
•  Cathedral committee meetings as possible
•  diocesan meetings including Diocesan Council, Finance Committee, Creation Matters, and Fredericton deaneries’ clericus
•  brief report on Christmas worship schedule

Decision

•  Stipend and Salaries - In 2021: Cathedral staff 2% cost of living;. Dean’s Stipend $59,708 ($15,786 above minimum stipend scale)

•  Cathedral Video Equipment Project - acceptance of a proposal to purchase ($12,000 by the end of this calendar year) and install equipment for improved video live streaming and recording. Contributions to the Project (labelled “audio/visual”) are invited

Discussion

•  2021 Budget - draft discussed. Challenges will include some reduction in offerings during the pandemic and no future government subsidies ($52,000 in 2020)

Reports

Treasurer - In November operations income exceeded expenses by $11,711. Diocesan Shared ministry contribution not owing in November due to reduced diocesan expenses year to date. Cathedral Shared Ministry reduced by $1000 per month in 2021. No further federal grants (Canadian Wage Subsidy) expected in December or in into 2021

Property - An initial meeting of the Restoration Committee was held C. Ferris chair). Several repair items: Bishop’s graves, choir room steps, window ventilation. Security camera system under review and awaiting proposal. New sexton 30 November. Heritage Standing to update 2016 report at a cost of up to $4000.

Communications - Coordination of advertising for Christmas. A next Cathedral Connections in the new year.

Health and Pastoral Care - meeting of Health Ministry before Christmas is expected. Health Ministry budget received

Worship - no recent meeting. Presentation of the Video Project proposal

Welcome and Hospitality - no events and little committee activity during the pandemic

Mission and Outreach - $1000 funding for St. Hilda’s School (Belize Missions) will be transferred in the next couple of weeks. Monday morning programme (Outreach) continues on the last Monday of the month in a modified format. Missions Committee needing members

Finance and Administration - hiring of sexton complete. Follow up with Treasurer on 2020 review engagement management letter recommendations. Stewardship Team: “narrative budget” for 2021

Nominating Committee - interim report. Good progress being experienced on acquiring nominations for positions opening in 2021. Further nominations welcome

Upcoming

•  Blue Christmas - 21 December, 7:00 p.m.
•  Christmas Eve - 4:00, 8:00, 11:00 p.m. Christmas Day - 10:00 a.m.
•  New Years Day - 11:00 a.m.

Next Meetings

18 January 2021, 16 February 2021
21 February 2021 Annual Congregational Meeting

GMH