Bishop Michael Ingham was unable to chair this meeting of Diocesan Council as he was attending a meeting with the Provincial House of Bishops. The Dean of the Diocese, the Very Rev. Peter Elliott chaired the meeting. Chancellor George Cadman had also sent his regrets as he was unable to attend.

(Image - Clerical Secretary Rev. Karin Fulcher, Archdeacon Ron Harrison, Dean Peter Elliott)
 
 
In his opening remarks, Dean Peter assured council that Bishop Michael and Diocesan Youth Coordinator, Phil Colvin would be present at the December meeting to give a report on their visit the week before to our partner diocese, the Diocese of Taiwan. Dean Peter continued his opening address, making reference to the change in the weather, the increasing cold and the shortening of the days but juxtaposing the dullness and darkness of late autumn with the “bright spot” November 7th, 2010, a direct reference to the Second Annual Investiture of New Members to the Order of the Diocese of New Westminster. The most memorable moment during that service was at the point where the congregation was asked to recognize the 47 newly inducted members to the Order and the Cathedral erupted with applause. The applause was sustained and energetic; it was a moving outpouring of sincere gratitude.
The first item on what was admittedly a light agenda was a report from the Rev. Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles the Chair of the Strategic Planning Steering Group on the responses received from the previous month’s table exercise about Mission Review.
After that document was briefly discussed another member of the SPSG, the Rev. Jeremy Clark-King introduced the exercise for the evening which was to look at the Preferred Future Statement (please click the link to download a copy) and personally reflect on where each person’s parish will be in 5 years time in relation to the content of the statement. Council was asked to keep in mind that the statement is not a prescription and it is not a mission statement.
Jeremy asked council to think through where “you” are in relation to the Preferred Future Statement and ask one question divided into 3 parts.

"What will your parish look like in 5 years time?"
1. How are you translating the picture of the preferred future into the realities of your place?

2. What differences or divergences are there from the picture? Is there a direction you see your community taking that is different from Plan 2018?

3. What are the real obstacles in your way over the next 5 years? Please be as concrete and realistic as possible.
 
After 10-15 minutes Jeremy encouraged members of council to respond.
Many of the responses were connected to MAP the Ministry Assessment Process and where different parishes were on that journey. The results of MAP will have a profound effect on where parishes will be in 5 years. Due to our increasingly virtual and specialized world congregations are changing. The Rev. Trudy Lebans of St. Laurence, Coquitlam reported that currently her parish has at least five different congregations. Those who regularly worship at Sunday services may attend once every three-four weeks which manifests itself in unpredictable attendance. Then she listed: web worshippers, those for whom Social Justice is most important (and St. Laurence is a base of operations for their activism), people who are on a faith journey and an older more contemplative component of the congregation who are just as eager to help carry out God’s mission in the world. In five years these diverse groups will certainly affect the future of St. Laurence.
Dean Peter thanked Jeremy for his facilitation of the SPSG exercise.
The Venerable Ronald Harrison, Executive Archdeacon of the Diocese gave a report to council about the diocese fulfilling its pledge to contribute $300,000 to the Archives at Vancouver School of Theology. On October 21st Ron and Diocesan Business Administrator, Rob Dickson traveled to VST to personally hand over the cheque to VST leaders, among them Principal and Dean, the Rev. Dr. Wendy Fletcher.
The cheque was presented on behalf of the Anglican entities; the Diocese of New Westminster and the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and the Yukon. The Archives now completed is located in the basement of the VST library. This facility houses the diocesan archives, provincial synod archives, the United Church archives and the VST archives.
Next on the agenda, Registrar, Don Paul reviewed the issues in advance of voting on 7 resolutions regarding the Christ Church Anglican Cemetery (The Heritage Cemetery in Surrey located across from Christ the Redeemer Church). The 7 resolutions passed unanimously. Among these resolutions was the approval of the appointment of the Rev. Craig Tanksley as Chair of the Christ Church Anglican Cemetery, Surrey.
Council then moved in Camera to discuss financial issues.
Council moved ex Camera to vote on a resolution that would with several conditions provide the parish of St. Clare-in-the-Cove with an interest free loan of $20,000 to be used to fund a ¼ time priest through December 31, 2011. This loan is to be repaid from the property fund upon the sale of the St. Clare-in-the-Cove rectory. The loan conditions require interim reporting from the North Vancouver MAP team that a plan for implementation of ministry for the North Vancouver parishes: St Agnes, St. Clement and St. Clare-in-the-Cove is in process with projected dates for that implementation.
The in Camera segment and the subsequent wording of the resolution took almost an hour so in the interests of time and brevity, Diocesan Comptroller Mark Beley referred council to the Executive Summary of the current financial report and assured DC members that all is going well with revenues and expenditures.
The final item on the agenda fell to the Rev. Linda Varin, Chair of Nominations who forwarded the names of five nominees to diocesan leadership roles. All nominees were approved:
- The Rev. Craig Tanksley – Christ Church Anglican Cemetery (Chair)
- Oliver Hamilton -Administration and Finance
- Michael Bennett – St. Michael’s Centre, Burnaby
- The Rev. Len Dyer - Communications Committee
- Nancy Southam – Communications Committee

The next meeting will be Tuesday, December 14th, 2010
 
The Minutes of Diocesan Council Meetings are Public. If you would like an electronic copy of the Minutes please contact Sandra Stevenson and request a pdf version via email.



What is Diocesan Council?
 
Diocesan Council is the decision making, governing body of the Diocese of New Westminster consisting of:
  • the Diocesan Officers (Bishop, Dean, Executive Archdeacon, Business Administrator, Chancellor, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer)
  • the Archdeacons of the five Archdeaconries
  • the Archdeacon who is the Director of Deacons
  • two additional Diocesan Legal Officers, (Registrar and Legal Assessor)
  • a Lay Secretary, a Clergy Secretary,
  • the chairs of the Diocesan Standing Committees
  • there are two Deanery reps either Ordained or Lay. Sometimes Deaneries have two lay reps and sometimes two clergy reps, sometimes one of each. A Deanery is a group of churches, geographically affiliated and the reps are elected at the Annual Synod Meeting.
Diocesan Synod consists of all the active clergy in the Diocese of New Westminster and 2-6 lay people elected from each diocesan parish proportionate to the size of the parish community.
Diocesan Council functions as the Synod between Synods, it is a representation of the large group that meets annually.
Diocesan Council and Diocesan Synod are both chaired by the Bishop.
 
Diocesan Council meets monthly on the second Tuesday of the month usually at St. Augustine, Marpole at 7:30pm. Diocesan Council is adjourned for the months of July and August.