Bishop and Chapter met on Monday, 20 March with nine of thirteen members present. Minutes of 15 February 2017 were adopted. A brief conversation was lead by the Dean based on Ephesians 5:8–20 encouraging consideration of what it means to be “light” and how we are light to one another and the wider community.
Business Arising
• Stipends and salaries – action on this item will be referred to the committee on Administration and Finance
• Christian formation part-time staff position – investigation continues. Meetings with two potential candidates having been held. We await recommendation from the committee on Christian Formation
• Nominating Committee – a nomination has been made and accepted to fill the Bishop’s appointment required for Bishop and Chapter – chair of Administration and Finance and Vice-Chair
• Diocesan Safe Church Regulation – As requested, the Bishop and Chapter Executive has met with a potential Safe Church Officer
• South Porch Window – repair completed
From the Dean
• Routine activities – summary of regular items
• Sexton – Lou McKnight approaches the end of a six month probationary period. The Dean will meet with him to discuss his continuing
• Statistical Return – submitted to the Diocese
• Verger – plans to attend 2017 Verger Conference and the Dean has indicated the Cathedral will reimburse him for airfare
• Vacation – scheduled for 17 – 30 April 2017
Items for Decision
• Safe Church Officer – Nathan Cutler has been asked to fill the requirement of Safe Church Officer (one day per month) and he has accepted. Nathan will guide the Cathedral congregation towards compliance with the Diocesan Safe Church Regulation as it applies to our congregational needs
Reports
• Treasurer – continuing to explore and implement several internal financial management processes to help streamline and regularize how we collectively participate in the tasks required including:
– review of general ledger coding
– acquiring current status on HST rebate through CRA
– assuring that monthly income, expenses and budget include the appropriate items for that report
– working with our bookkeeper to clarify interactions and points of contact
– bi-weekly processing of invoices and cheque requisitions
February expenses considerably higher than income by way of offering and other sources: Income: $37,218 Expense: $46,030.
Fuel, water and electricity costs for February: $9,098
• Mission Outreach – successful fund-raiser for Belize Missions raising $6300. Refugee family continues to have many challenges but progress is being made
• Communications – second and final draft of the 2017 Photo Directory is being edited by the committee
• Christian Formation – will consider more thoroughly options regarding a Director of Christian Formation with recommendation
Bishop and Chapter met on Wednesday evening, 15 February with nine of thirteen members present. The meeting was postponed from 13 February due to weather. Minutes of the 16 January 2017 meeting were adopted. The Dean offered some reflection on the Gospel for the coming Sunday and the nature of truth as it is considered in light of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5:38-48).
Business Arising
• Stipends and salaries – while a cost of living increase was applied to Dean’s stipend and staff salaries, further consideration is pending with a goal of annual review
• Nominating Committee – two nominations for recommendation to the Bishop for appointment and one for election. Nominations for Synod delegates in two categories including age 16-25 have been secured. (See Diocesan Constitution s. 4) Further nominations will be accepted from the floor.
• Diocesan Safe Church Regulation – the task group assigned to propose a Cathedral implementation process has completed its work with the Chapter’s thanks. Items for decision from recommendations.
From the Dean
• Routine activities – summary review of regular work
• Christian formation – continuing to investigate options regarding a possible near future staff position in Christian formation with a beginning focus on children and young families
• Scheduling – for honorary clergy participating in worship Mar-May should begin this week
• Vacation – scheduled for 17 – 30 April 2017
Items for Decision
• Safe Church Cathedral Policy – to become compliant with Diocesan Regulation 4-4 several actions recommended. Decision was made on three first steps:
1) The Executive negotiate and appoint a Cathedral Safe Church Officer beginning with a one year term, with honorarium if necessary, to coordinate implementation
2) That we proceed with initial requirements of training and police record checks for high risk volunteers and staff
3) That Health Ministry proceed with implementation requirements as needed for health ministries
• 2017 Budget – be approved as presented in the current Annual Report and be presented at the Annual Meeting
• South Porch Window – that the stained glass in the south porch be repaired at a cost of about $2000, restoration fund to be utilized
Items for Discussion
• Annual Meeting – some final details regarding child care and lunch were discussed
Reports
• Treasurer – absent due to family matters out of province, K. Percy provided the monthly statement for January 2017.
Thanks – were expressed to members ending their term, Dianne Wilkins, Kathy McBride and Catherine Schmidt
Up-coming Events
• Annual Meeting – 19 February (26 February snow date)
• After ALPHA (22 February)
• Belize Dessert Party and Silent Auction (25 February)
• Pancake Supper (28 February)
• Ash Wednesday (01 March)
Our Bishop recommends “Noticing God” by Richard Peace for study during Lent 2017.
In his opening words, Peace sets the goal of his book:
Where is God? How do we notice the presence of God? How do we encounter this God that we sense? How do we know it is God and not some figment of our imagination? Is it possible to know God at all? Questions like these have interested me for as long as I can remember. I suppose it all started when I was a child, probably around five or six years old, and I had a[n] experience …
In mystical encounters, in the ordinary, in the still small voice, in community, in creation, and more.
Books are available for $10 from the Cathedral Office; e-reader version for $9.99 at amazon.ca here: Noticing God.
Study on Mondays during Lent, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Lounge at the Cathedral Memorial Hall, 168 Church Street.
Bishop David Edwards installed the Rev’d Deacon Francene (Fran) Bedell, the Rev’d Greg McMullin, the Rev’d Wandlyn Snelgrove and the Rev’d Allen Tapley as canons of Christ Church Cathedral during a transferred celebration of Candlemas on 05 February 2017.
Wandlyn Snelgrove was collated as Archdeacon of Fredericton. The Ven. Patricia Drummond retired from that position at the end of 2016, continuing to serve as Archdeacon of Woodstock.
Archdeacon Cathy Laskey was the preacher at the Choral Evensong. She began by lighting a candle, noting that a Godly Play session, a popular Christian education programme for children, begins with the lighting of a candle.
“We carry the light and love of Christ wherever we go,” Archdeacon Laskey preached. “May we show that light and love to others.”
Canons of the Cathedral
The office of “Canon” is an honorary designation at the sole discretion of the Bishop of Fredericton.
Canon Four of the Diocese of Fredericton reads:
• The Bishop may appoint Canons who shall be installed by the Dean in seats in the canon stalls of the Cathedral.
• A Canon Residentiary of the Cathedral, who is a Canon employed as a member of the Cathedral staff, shall perform such duties as the Dean assigns.
• As members of the Cathedral Advisory Chapter, Canons shall perform such duties as are prescribed in the Cathedral By-laws, and any particular work the Bishop assigns to them.
Archdeacons
Canon Four of the Diocese of Fredericton reads:
• The Bishop shall appoint Archdeacons to exercise territorial or Diocesan supervisory functions.
• The Archdeacons have precedence after the Dean, and shall be installed in seats in the Cathedral to which they have a right whenever present in Choir of the Cathedral.
• The Bishop may authorize an Archdeacon to assist in the supervision of an Archdeaconry.
• The names and jurisdiction of each Archdeaconry shall be fixed by regulation.
• The Diocesan Council may adopt regulations prescribing the duties and supervisory functions of Archdeacons.
• The Bishop, with the approval of the Diocesan Council, may create additional Archdeaconries or decrease their number.
The Parish of Madawaska, well represented and supportive of the Rev’d Deacon Fran Bedell (centre) on 05 February
Canons of Christ Church Cathedral (residing in the Diocese – 10 February 2017)
The Rev’d Canon Deacon Fran Bedell
The Rev’d Canon Malcolm Berry
The Rev’d Canon Neville Cheeseman
The Rev’d Canon Edward Coleman
The Rev’d Canon Wally Corey
The Rev’d Canon Patricia Craig
The Ven. Thomas Crowther
The Rev’d Canon George Eves
Canon Charles Ferris, QC
The Rev’d Canon James Golding
The Ven. Arthur Gregg
The Rev’d Canon Elaine Hamilton
The Ven. Harold Hazen
The Rev’d Canon Ross Hebb
The Rev’d Canon James Irvine
The Rev’d Canon David Jackson
The Rev’d Canon David Kierstead
The Rev’d Canon Bonita LeBlanc
The Rev’d Canon Jon Lownds
The Rev’d Canon Elaine Lucas
The Rev’d Canon William MacMullin
The Rev’d Canon Leo Martin
The Rev’d Canon Richard McConnell
The Rev’d Canon Bruce McKenna
The Rev’d Canon Gregory McMullin
The Rev’d Canon Keith Osborne
The Rev’d Canon John Sharpe
The Rev’d Canon Robert Smith
The Rev’d Canon Thomas Smith
The Rev’d Canon Albert Snelgrove
The Rev’d Canon David Staples
The Rev’d Canon Kevin Stockall
The Ven. Reginald Stockall
The Rev’d Canon Allen Tapley
The Rev’d Canon Walter Williams
Episcopal Directive (8.5) issued 25 October 2008, directs that archdeacons no longer serving in the function, take the original title of “canon.”
Archdeacons of the Diocese of Fredericton (10 February 2017)
The Ven. Stuart Allan
The Ven. Patricia Drummond
The Ven Brent Ham
The Ven. Cathy Laskey
The Ven. John Matheson
The Ven. Robert Marsh
The Ven. Wandlyn Snelgrove
Sadly, the Diocese said goodbye to Canon George Akerley this week at a funeral on 10 February 2017 in Rothesay.
Looking forward, looking back
At least once each year it is a healthy and good exercise to stop and look backward. That’s not a useless reminiscence, but rather an opportunity to allow what God has been saying over the past year inform what happens in the next. In my day to day ministry, the days fly by, the weeks turn one into the other and the months the same – its Christmas and before I know it we’re preparing church bulletins for Easter.
And each week I have a checklist of sorts. My best intentions are to collect as many checks as possible: an effort to meet church members on their home turf (home or workplace visitation), attention to those who are either celebrating something special or in some form of distress or sickness, preparation for the corporate experience of Sunday worship. For the most part, if I’ve managed to complete those commitments, I consider it a good week spent. But … but there is so much more. Every week brings with it unique needs and requirements. There are meetings. Oh the meetings, all important to both diocesan and cathedral life and they bring a busy punctuation to everything else. They too are important, but its sometimes difficult to see the immediate result. While Christ Church Cathedral is not a huge pastoral charge, it is among the largest in the Diocese of Fredericton. Being the one stipendiary priest brings with it a level of responsibility that is significant. I’m thankful for the honorary assisting clergy, the ministries of our staff, group and committee chairs, members of Bishop and Chapter and others who take our corporate life seriously and offer so much. I simply couldn’t do what I do and we couldn’t be what we are, without all of you.
New Staff
2016 was a year full of changes and challenges. This year we welcomed three new members of staff: David Drinkell, Kathleen Snow, and Lou McKnight. All have been a blessing to our team. Adam Lewis joined us for a time. It’s the unique gifts that each of them bring to their work that brings us closer to a comprehensiveness to which we need to aspire. The Christ Church Cathedral “package” and how we accomplish what we do is important for us, important for Fredericton and important for our Diocese. We can do better, but we are on the way.
A Diocesan Cathedral
Being a Cathedral doesn’t afford us an easier road than our sister parishes in the Diocese. Our boundaries are those of the Diocese, coterminous with the Province of New Brunswick. We hold a special place among Anglican churches in this part of God’s vineyard and with that place comes both rich blessing and great responsibility. The Cathedral should always be a church towards which our Diocese can look to see a best practices example of the challenging task of being Christian in the midst of our cultural context which, it would seem, is growing ever more secular. Excellence in worship, a leader in mission both far and near, exemplary pastoral care, a place where we are being formed into disciples of Jesus Christ. In short, we are a light on the hill and being that consistently takes effort, commitment and a huge dose of the grace of God.
Bishop and Chapter
The Chapter experienced several membership changes during 2016. Resignations of Bob Garland and Carol Dixon were received regretfully and we thank them for the contribution they so graciously made during their terms. We welcomed Ed Biden, Bonnie Greenwood and Kevin Percy, and to God we are thankful for their response to the call to serve. To members with terms concluding, Kathy McBride, Catherine Schmidt and Dianne Wilkins we express sincere thanks for their contributions.
During the Fall, members of Bishop and Chapter read “Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional Parish” by James Mallon. In December a planning meeting identified several areas where as a church community we are doing very well. Two priorities needing attention were identified for the immediate future: 1) Ministries of Christian formation and 2) hospitality, welcoming and invitational ministries
The Good News
The good news over the past year is important to note:
• Confirmation preparation was held February to June, partnering with the Parish of New Maryland, and in June six Cathedral candidates were confirmed
• In May we began a regular schedule of the daily offices read in the Cathedral, Monday to Friday, 8:45 and 4:45 with help from a team of leaders – a very important addition to our regular worship schedule.
• Bishop and Chapter has continued to move into a council model of leadership and governance as we work towards functioning committees and drawing the circle of leadership ever wider
• The Cathedral hosted diocesan ordinations on 26 June and 18 September
• With permission obtained from our Bishop, home Communion administrators were trained, and began this ministry mid-year
• Financially we saw strengthened commitment in giving of about 11%. Commitments made to Parish Nursing is a significant part of that increase and certainly indicates we are being responsive to the corporate commitments we’ve made
• Several individuals responded to an invitation to become servers and we have been blessed with their service during worship
• In December David Drinkell began a regular Friday schedule of 12:10 organ concerts
• Choral Evensong continued on the first Sundays of the month
• Ministries, including the Director of Music, Parish Nurse and Sexton, were celebrated with commissioning on 20 November, the Reign of Christ
• Combined worship with all encouraged to join at 10:30 a.m. was held on Easter, Pentecost and the Reign of Christ Sundays
Some challenges
Needless to say, day to day operation and ministry is in itself a tremendous challenge. On the two “growing edges” identified by Bishop and Chapter I’ll briefly comment.
Christian formation
First of all, the word “formation” is new to many of us. It is not a substitute for the word “education.” Formation is a much broader term, recognizing that traditional education is only part of becoming Christian, something we are all doing every day. Worship, involvement in God’s mission and purpose for the Church, our witness to family, friends and the society in which we live, personal encounters with the divine – all of this and more are part of how we are shaped and formed into what God is calling us to be. How we are all constantly being moulded, “formed,” into disciples of Jesus Christ have come to light especially over the last few decades all across the Christian Church. Its not just the latest fad. Responsible for its recognition over the last several decades, is the reality of a growing secularism, or perhaps more accurately examples of religious faith publicly displayed and practiced being squeezed out of everything from Scouts to schools, Sundays to social life. Formation was somewhat automatic in times past. Community was different. The church was once central to the social and educational life of where we lived. What is being discovered is that if we as church are not intentional about formation at every age and stage of life, it may not happen. The absence of two or three generations of Christians in our midst is clear evidence. Parents leaving faith formation of their children to the corporate church, now too often clearly not equipped for the task, leaves a gaping hole.
Volunteers to run the programmes many of us expect should be automatic have become more and more difficult to engage. Do we have these people among us? I believe we do, but everyone will point to how busy their lives have become and that church, religion and faith now compete with many other important priorities. Few feel they are “qualified” and perceive they need training, co-ordination and coaching. It is for that reason that Bishop and Chapter and the Christian Formation Committee are seriously considering how we might bring that intentionality to how Christian formation happens at Christ Church Cathedral. It is yet another area behind which we will all need to get to take positive steps and begin to close the gap that many have been identifying for quite some time. Some will ask, “Is this about Sunday School?” The answer is “Yes.” But its about much more than Sunday School and includes an intergenerational approach to how we grow together in the faith. Those with experience have something invaluable to share with the younger in our faith family and, as is always the case, children always have something unique and valuable to teach us all. My prayer is that we stay tuned as we work our way forward because it is perhaps among the most critical of elements that will influence our present and determine our future.
Hospitality, welcoming and invitation
Hospitality is a biblical imperative. As a community of faith, the way we embrace those who are new, different and seeking is among the most important aspects of how we are the Church. “But my church is very friendly!” is not an uncommon sentiment I hear all too often. What we don’t often see is that the “my” in that sentence is the operative word. For those who already “belong,” my church is a friendly place! I know the people. I’m familiar with the surroundings. I know how things work. For the person unfamiliar, it can be, and is, an intimidating place to be indeed. While many believe a hand shaken and a copy of the Sunday bulletin at the door on a Sunday morning fulfills the hospitality requirement, that’s only the beginning.
This is the second priority for emphasis identified by Bishop and Chapter. How does a person who doesn’t yet belong to our congregational family become one of us? How do we consistently provide a sincere welcome to those who wander in and most often wander back out? Who is watching membership lists and assuring that those who are regular worshippers are identified correctly there? Does anything happen when someone quietly and unnoticed is no longer with us in worship? Does the onus lie entirely on the newcomer to attend to the necessary details of inclusion? Do we corporately and individually consistently make effective invitation? Is our church an inviting environment? Are we really an inviting place? Do we really want others to join us in the search for God in our midst? These are significant and difficult questions and the answers may surprise us all. And interestingly, we’ll unlikely find all the true answers among us.
Without a doubt, there are sensitivities that need to be recognized, but there is much that we can do to improve. Again being intentional and building in some systems and processes will go a long way to creating bridges where there now exists difficult terrain and sometimes even a great gulf in terms of membership boundaries and borders.
Conclusions
I continue to consider Christ Church Cathedral a very good place for me to be. After a decade in administration, my priestly vocation has been renewed over the past few years as I have the opportunity to preach regularly and attempt to be a pastoral presence in community. There are challenges. I could easily become overwhelmed. While I often wish I had the energy that was mine twenty years ago, it would seem That God has helped me learn the lesson one more time to take steps one at a time. I have a history of being a slow learner.
Pray if you will this coming year for Christian formation and hospitality, welcoming and invitation ministries.
The Cathedral is such a diverse and gifted church; our potential is incredible. I pray that we continue, by the grace of God, into 2017 relying of the Spirit of the One who calls us into his glorious light.
Respectfully submitted,
Geoffrey Hall. Dean of Fredericton
Bishop and Chapter met on Monday evening, 16 January with twelve of thirteen members present. Minutes of two December meetings were adopted. 10 December a planning session with our Bishop at which Treasurer Kevin Percy was appointed. 19 December was the regular monthly meeting primarily focussed on details of preparing the 2017 budget. The Dean offered reflections on Epiphany, the challenge of mission in our current context and encouraged the Chapter to identify their own epiphanies with the intention of sharing those by invitation. (John 1:35-42).
New member, the Ven. Wandlyn Snelgrove, Archdeacon of Fredericton-elect was welcomed. Guests Kathleen Snow and Chris Stevenson joined at 8:00 p.m. to address the topic of Safe Church
Business Arising
• Priorities – Two growth priorities identified in December planning were 1) cradle to grave Christian formation and 2) intentionality of welcome, hospitality and invitation. Motion carried to accept.
• Stipends and salaries – while a cost of living increase was applied to Dean’s stipend and staff salaries, further consideration pending
• 2017 budget – further revision since December. Now almost in final form to be finally adopted at the next meeting.
From the Dean
• Christmas worship – attendance review
• Routine activities – a quick review of normal activities during the past month
• October break in – note that the individual charged is to be in court for sentencing on 18 January
• 2016 Financial status – 2016 expenses appear to have been met comfortably with income. Issue of designated or target giving needs consideration by way of our accounting. A “giving policy” needs to be developed to communicate management assumptions clearly.
• Youth mission request – financial support requested for April
• Christian formation – doing some investigation about possibilities regarding a staff position in Christian formation
Items for Decision
• Nominating Committee – the Committee is the Dean, Jim Morell and Catherine Schmidt
Items for Discussion
• Safe Church – diocesan Safe Church (Regulation 4-4) is in effect. K. Snow and C. Stevenson have prepared an analysis of what needs our attention in order to work towards compliance. While significant detail has been determined for health and pastoral care ministries, there are larger questions and decisions to be made about processes and adjusting requirements to our own context. A “Safe Church Officer” is recommended by the regulation. Three individuals have been identified to work with the Chapter and the Officer (once appointed) as we endeavour to implement over the next several months.
Reports
• Treasurer – K. Percy presented a comprehensive list of his recent work and priorities as he settles in to the office of Treasurer
Up-coming Events
• Friday Organ Concerts at 12:10 p.m.
• Conversation re formation – 29 January 2:00 p.m.
• Choral Evensong, Installations and Collation – 05 February
• Annual Meeting – 19 February (26 February snow date)
Some have inquired about when the Photo Directory will be available.
First, thanks to so many of you for participating! Approximately 104 photo sessions took place and a few people who were unable to make any of the sessions, provided photos to Universal Portrait Studios for inclusion in the Directory.
This week, there was conversation with Kara Barnaby regarding how production is coming along. The first draft, should come to the Communications Committee for proofing by the end of January. Once that is done, it will go back and a final full colour draft will be received. One more final editing and it will be ready to print. Kara predicts that, if all goes smoothly, the directories may be ready by the end of February.
She also mentioned that there is time to submit a photo of your own for inclusion, if you still wish to do so!
The basic information (name, address, etc) that will be available in the back of the directory will be as it appeared on the permission slips signed and submitted when photos were done. If you didn’t sign a permission slip, please let us know. You can contact or speak with Gail MacGillivray or the Cathedral Office and include what you wish to have printed (ie: name(s), address, telephone, email).
Once again, thanks to everyone who participated. We anticipate that this Directory will not only help us to know each other better but will be a very useful communications tool for the many Cathedral groups and organizations.
On the celebration of the last Sunday of the Church year, the Reign of Christ (20 November 2016) the Cathedral took advantage of the opportunity to focus on the many ways the Christian community lives out the reality of the Kingdom of God in the midst of the world in which we live. That day we commissioned the ministries that exist among us. Three new members of staff were commissioned to their respective duties. New servers, administrators of the reserved Sacrament at home and, leaders of the daily offices at the Cathedral (8:45 am and 4:45 pm, Monday – Friday) were also commissioned to all important ways that members of the Cathedral community minister the Gospel in many and various ways. An additional commissioning for all other ongoing and existing ministries was part of the celebration.
The Dean of Fredericton made reference to our fragmentation as a congregation, the result of the advantage of a diverse worship experience on a normal Sunday morning. We enjoy comprehensive worship, providing a wide range of liturgical style, but we are ultimately left with a situation where we don’t always know one another as we could or should. The worship on 20 November was a combined worship, incorporating all of our styles into one.
Members of staff commissioned:
Cathedral Sexton (full-time): Louis McKnight Lou has spent most of his life in Sussex, where he was born. He spent 33 years working for the Town of Sussex, both as a recreation maintenance man at the arena, and as an equipment operator at the works garage. He and his wife, Gisele (diocesan communications officer) moved to the Fredericton area in 2012 for Gisele’s work. Since then, Lou has worked at the Grant Harvey Centre and Kings Landing. He is very happy to be the Cathedral sexton. He loves to tinker and tear things apart in his garage. He is a whiz with bicycle and lawn mower repair and loves to build and fix things. His favourite “toy” is his 4-wheeler. Lou and Gisele have two grown daughters. Ashley is a librarian, and Jacqueline is studying to be a social worker.Cathedral
Parish Nurse (half-time): Kathleen Snow Kathleen commenced her role as Parish Nurse on September 1, 2016. She has a Bachelor of Nursing from the University of New Brunswick. She holds certificates in Adult Education, Advanced Mediation, and is a Certified Privacy Professional. She is a Trainer and Facilitator in the Worldwide Mothers’ Union Parenting Program and completed her certification in Parish Nursing in November of 2014. Kathleen’s work experience includes 18 years in Labour and Delivery at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, 10 years as Patient Advocate for Horizon Health Authority and more recently, she held the role of Chief Privacy Officer. Kathleen is passionate about sharing her faith, and has led a woman’s home Bible Study for many years. She has been an active member of Mothers’ Union, and is currently a Representative Member and sits on a Fundraising and Communications Committee of the worldwide Mothers’ Union. She is married to Tim, and has three sons Eric, David and Tim. She loves to run, garden, walk Jack and Maude, and enjoys Sunday lunch with her mother Margaret.
Director of Music (half-time): David Drinkell David Drinkell, from Colchester, England, has been a church organist since the age of twelve. After gaining his degree at Bristol University and a teaching qualification at Cambridge, he was responsible for the music at St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, St. Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast and St. John’s Cathedral, Newfoundland, coming to Fredericton in 2016. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, Associate of the Royal College of Music and holds the Archbishop’s Diploma in Church Music.
Other Cathedral ministries commissioned can be found in the Order of Commissioning used on 20 November 2016.
The Cathedral is thankful for the time, talent and treasure that continues to make possible its role as a lead congregation in the Diocese of Fredericton and the home of the cathedra of the Bishop of Fredericton. With the honour and responsibility of being a Cathedral Church, we also give thanks for the enormous privilege afforded us, humbly striving to be, while by no means perfect, a model for Anglican ministry in the province of New Brunswick and Diocese of Fredericton.
Bishop and Chapter met on Monday evening, 21 November with nine of thirteen members present. Minutes of the October meeting were adopted. The Dean offered some reflections on the reality of the kingdom of God among us, leading us into a conversation about ways in which we might move towards becoming less maintenance and more missional in our focus. The discussion took us naturally into considering how “Divine Renovation” by James Mallon might assist us in the task of improving (church) culture
Business Arising
• Cathedral Signage – Word from the Guild of St. Joseph is that it is too late to erect the standards necessary for new signs on the green and that a permit will be needed from the city to install. The project will need to be postponed to spring
• Cathedral outside lighting – we are moving on upgrading fixtures and replacing with energy efficient LED lighting
• Safe Churches policy – online training modules now available. Health Ministry is working toward implementing for ministries under its purview.
From the Dean
• Routine activities – usual activities and duties include facility communions, commitments with diocesan and Cathedral groups and committees
• Board room audio/visual – recommendation
• Absence – 17-21 December to Calgary AB
• Christmas worship – 4, 8 and 11 p.m. Christmas Eve; 10 a.m. Christmas Day Items for Decision
• Audio/Visual – that the board room be equipped with an internet connected screen for meeting use, viewing video and other learning purposes at an estimated cost of less than $1000
Items for Discussion
• Safe Churches – A broad implementation plan will be necessary as well as appointing a co-ordinator (officer) for the Safe Churches initiative which is now officially a requirement in the Diocese
• 2017 Budget Preparation – with the pending departure of our Treasurer, preparation of the 2017 budget needs to begin now. Groups and committees are asked to communicate budget needs through their respective members of Bishop and Chapter as soon as possible.
• Changing Church Culture – The discussion’s goal was review of our current context, what we do well and areas where we especially need to improve and invest in the next year. A comprehensive list was assembled and a short list of potential priorities identified for more detailed consideration. An in-depth discussion led to a decision to have a Chapter planning session on 10 December, which will be led by Bishop Edwards.
Reports
• Financial – a new format report summarizing monthly and year to date receipts and disbursements was received and reviewed.
Up-coming Events
• Advent Procession 4:00 p.m., 27 November
• Advent Friday Organ Recitals
• Christmas Lessons and Carols 4:00 p.m., 18 December
• Bishop’s Reception – 01 January
Next meetings
10 December – planning; 19 December, 16 January
19 February – Annual congregational meeting
For many years, Bishops, members of the Cathedral Chapter and members of the Diocesan Council have wrestled with the challenges of owning and maintaining five old Fredericton buildings (most of them historic) and paying their annual operating costs. Bishop Medley’s beautiful Cathedral is almost 170 years old and many of its aging parts cry out for another multi-million dollar restoration project. To that end a local heritage architect has given us a very comprehensive, multi-year maintenance plan that will be followed as funds become available. Cathedral Memorial Hall sits idle most of the time and, while structurally sound, it is in need of extensive and expensive renovations. Neither Bishop’s Court nor Odell House (the deanery) are being used as homes for the bishop or the dean, but we continue to spend good portions of our annual income to maintain them. The synod office at 115 Church St. is another beautiful old residence but it falls far short of being contemporary office space, and renovations are needed.
Meeting with the Bishop of Fredericton – 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, 15 November 2016 at the Cathedral
Annual maintenance and operations expenditures for these properties are substantial. In recent years, the Cathedral congregation’s average expenditures have totalled just less than $200,000 per year for the Cathedral, the former deanery (Odell House) and Memorial Hall, not including insurance. Even with that level of expenditures the deferred maintenance on these three buildings is in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars. The diocese is spending approximately $ 36,000 each year to maintain Bishop’s Court and the diocesan office.
