The Annual Vestry meeting of the church is equivalent to the Annual General Meeting of most Canadian non-profit organizations. The authority for most decisions (including, critically, the budget/expenditures) actually belongs to the gathering of all voting members of the church (known as the "Vestry"). Of course, it would be extremely inconvenient to convene Vestry every week--so they grant the authority to spend money to the Wardens by approving the budget. There is lots of other business to do and discuss, as well, and it is a time for the church to take stock and layout priorities and plans for the next year.
Perhaps these means that this is religion at its most organized, and I know that is unfashionable. But on the other hand it means that our process of governing ourselves, in the Anglican Church, is consultative and participatory. It may be the case that I strongly suggested a direction I think we should head, but if the people don't agree that have an easy way to reign me in! Church's are not dictatorships!
So her is a copy of the Annual Vestry Report. You can see that I make an effort to make it look somewhat attractive and readable by laying it out in InDesign and adding some pictures. If I had more time or a design-gifted volunteer I could have made it even more beautiful, but it's better than 80% of the Vestry Reports I've seen, and that's a start!
Showing posts with label administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label administration. Show all posts
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 28, 2011
Annual Vestry....
A week ago Sunday we had our Annual Vestry Meeting of the Church. Actually, it was just the first half of the meeting--the other half will happen after the Stewardship Campaign has run its course. So, because of that, the financial plans for 2011 are probably going to shift somewhat depending on how successful the campaign is.
The other thing we did differently this year was actually integrating the Annual Vestry Meeting with the Sunday morning worship. So we had Eucharist and all that AS WELL as doing most of the stuff necessary for it to be a canonically correct Vestry meeting (and those things we didn't get to on Sunday we can do later before the Vestry is officially adjourned).
So here is the actual Vestry Report. You can scroll through it in the window below. You can also right-click on it to get other options (like viewing full screen or printing it). (Here's the link to the actual PDF file.)
The other thing we did differently this year was actually integrating the Annual Vestry Meeting with the Sunday morning worship. So we had Eucharist and all that AS WELL as doing most of the stuff necessary for it to be a canonically correct Vestry meeting (and those things we didn't get to on Sunday we can do later before the Vestry is officially adjourned).
So here is the actual Vestry Report. You can scroll through it in the window below. You can also right-click on it to get other options (like viewing full screen or printing it). (Here's the link to the actual PDF file.)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Bread-Kneading Approach...
What a whirlwind it has been at Messiah and the Moss home. I have been stretched to my capacity, and that means that some of the extra-credit stuff, like blogging, has had to take a backseat. But that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot to blog about now that it is all over! But rather than make a massive post describing every aspect of each service, I'm going to be all post-modern about it. Expect fragmentary little snippets..
The Bread-Kneading Approach of Project Management
In previous years, planning at Messiah went something like this. A few members of the staff (Music Director, Administrator, and me, typically) would get together and plan as much as we could. We tried to take as much burden for the liturgy off of the volunteers as possible. All they had to do was show up and pick up a job at the last moment. We did this because we had heard so many messages from people about volunteer burnout. We believed that people were overburdened, and we tried to compensate by putting more work on the staff. Of course, staff resources were limited, so the programme and liturgy were necessarily limited, as well. That also meant we bore the brunt of anxiety about making stuff happen.
So, for example, instead of asking the chancel guild to set up and clean up from the Easter Vigil, I did it myself. I also arranged all the chairs and handed out leaflets before the service, etc. It was exhausting and clearly was far from the kind of "empowering leadership" that we wanted to exercise. I realize in retrospect that it only appeared easier because it backloaded the work, rather than investing in real upfront planning.
So this year we tried an entirely different approach. I call it the "Bread-Kneading Approach." It started with just my Minister of Music (Eric) and I. We talked through the liturgies of Holy Week and dreamed together about what we would find most powerful and meaningful. We looked at lots of different liturgical texts and music before we had a basic outline of what we wanted to do.
Next, we involved a few more people. That meant a more general staff meeting in which we laid out our plans and fleshed out more details. This was helpful, especially as we identified lots of things we hadn't thought of before. We also, at this stage, gave a lot of thought to how various key congregational leaders would take part.
The next meeting included even more people--key leaders from the sidespeople (ushers), chancel guild, kitchen volunteers, etc. I prepared for this meeting by making up a series of flip-chart pages with summaries of the liturgy in question. There was one for Palm Sunday, one for Maundy Thursday, etc. Again, more issues were identified and resloved. Roles were assigned. More importantly, the vision was pitched. Eric and I wanted to get this small group of leaders to be excited about Holy Week in the way that we were excited about Holy Week.
It was a great success. Much more lay involvement in all aspects of the Holy Week worship. Staff were still busy, but with different stuff. The complexity and detail of everything was much, much greater than in previous years. That complexity and detail meant a deeper, more meaningful and spiritual experience for everyone. So it was a winning strategy all the way around.
Now, I've tried to plan liturgies in large meetings before, and it always fell apart. Now I understand that beginning the process with the big meeting or ending by handing out roles to a large assembly of volunteers is the right approach. Start with a small group to discern the corp vision, then work your way outwork. It's like kneading bread, you add flour and knead and add flour and need until you get just the right amount of flour for the amount of moisture in the dough. I think Jesus, always a fan of agricultural and domestic metaphors, would like this one, too.
-t
The Bread-Kneading Approach of Project Management
In previous years, planning at Messiah went something like this. A few members of the staff (Music Director, Administrator, and me, typically) would get together and plan as much as we could. We tried to take as much burden for the liturgy off of the volunteers as possible. All they had to do was show up and pick up a job at the last moment. We did this because we had heard so many messages from people about volunteer burnout. We believed that people were overburdened, and we tried to compensate by putting more work on the staff. Of course, staff resources were limited, so the programme and liturgy were necessarily limited, as well. That also meant we bore the brunt of anxiety about making stuff happen.
So, for example, instead of asking the chancel guild to set up and clean up from the Easter Vigil, I did it myself. I also arranged all the chairs and handed out leaflets before the service, etc. It was exhausting and clearly was far from the kind of "empowering leadership" that we wanted to exercise. I realize in retrospect that it only appeared easier because it backloaded the work, rather than investing in real upfront planning.
So this year we tried an entirely different approach. I call it the "Bread-Kneading Approach." It started with just my Minister of Music (Eric) and I. We talked through the liturgies of Holy Week and dreamed together about what we would find most powerful and meaningful. We looked at lots of different liturgical texts and music before we had a basic outline of what we wanted to do.
Next, we involved a few more people. That meant a more general staff meeting in which we laid out our plans and fleshed out more details. This was helpful, especially as we identified lots of things we hadn't thought of before. We also, at this stage, gave a lot of thought to how various key congregational leaders would take part.
The next meeting included even more people--key leaders from the sidespeople (ushers), chancel guild, kitchen volunteers, etc. I prepared for this meeting by making up a series of flip-chart pages with summaries of the liturgy in question. There was one for Palm Sunday, one for Maundy Thursday, etc. Again, more issues were identified and resloved. Roles were assigned. More importantly, the vision was pitched. Eric and I wanted to get this small group of leaders to be excited about Holy Week in the way that we were excited about Holy Week.
It was a great success. Much more lay involvement in all aspects of the Holy Week worship. Staff were still busy, but with different stuff. The complexity and detail of everything was much, much greater than in previous years. That complexity and detail meant a deeper, more meaningful and spiritual experience for everyone. So it was a winning strategy all the way around.
Now, I've tried to plan liturgies in large meetings before, and it always fell apart. Now I understand that beginning the process with the big meeting or ending by handing out roles to a large assembly of volunteers is the right approach. Start with a small group to discern the corp vision, then work your way outwork. It's like kneading bread, you add flour and knead and add flour and need until you get just the right amount of flour for the amount of moisture in the dough. I think Jesus, always a fan of agricultural and domestic metaphors, would like this one, too.
-t
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Changes
Big changes happening at Messiah. One of the key staff members has moved on to other things, which means that we are having to pick up the left over jobs. It also means we have an opportunity to change around the way we do a number of things behind the scenes of Messiah. It's a good thing, but also a little nerve wracking. It's been an interesting experience, and I wish I could discuss it openly, but alas that is not possible! Perhaps I can put in my memoirs in 50 years!
-t
-t
Friday, October 9, 2009
A Rainy Friday
Got up Thursday morning to kind of blustery day here in Toronto. I started my day off with a trip to the Doctor. He doesn't want to give me anything for my cough until it's been around for a week or two.
I knew I had an appointment in the afternoon, but nothing else to do at the office, so I decided to spend the morning working from home. Techie that I am, I can do most of my office tasks using just my old laptop at home. We do our liturgical planning, for example, using a Google Docs spread sheet. Each Sunday (or major feast) gets a row. The columns contain notes about what the readings are, hymn selections, who is preaching, what we are doing with the kids that Sunday, and other details. All the COTM staff can log in with a username and password from any computer on the Internet and make notes and changes. No more passing around xeroxed planning documents or e-mail attachments back and forth. It makes coordinating multiple staff assignments on Sunday mornings MUCH easier. I also use Google Calendar to track my personal appointments and task lists, which I can also access from anywhere.
So I got a fire going in the fireplace and went to work answering e-mails and reading. The cats kept me company. Betsy worked upstairs. After lunch I went into the office to do some meetings and take care of other tasks. One of these meetings was with a student from Wycliffe Seminary that wants to be a Theological Intern with us this year. I'm very pleased to have him on board. I don't want to announce his name and so forth until I introduce him to the congregation a week for Sunday.
After meeting with him I spent some time with Eric talking music and plans. He continues to impress me with his knowledge and ideas about church music. When I was at Holy Cross I picked a book called The Emergent Psalter by Isaac Everett. The book's blurb will give you a sense what that's about:
Not surprisingly, Isaac is friends with Emily Scott--who does the Paperless Singing stuff in NYC. Emily and I overlapped at Yale a few years ago. Anyway, Isaac does some really interesting things with these Psalms. On the one hand he is deeply invested in the tradition--Gregorian Chant and also the Hebrew approach to the Psalms. But then he let's the Word manifest in an new way in its new context. You can get a sense of what I mean by listening to his podcast. Every week he takes the Psalm appointed in the Lectionary and shows how to do it in his style.
So Eric and I had a nice talk about music and some of our ideas about how to develop liturgy at Messiah. Lots of good stuff in the works!
Today it was rainy and cold. I slept in hoping it would help the cough go away (it didn't) and read some of my childbirth/parenting books. Then I went on a pastoral visit. Now I'm home with Betsy with a nice fire and cats-on-laps. Life is good.
-t
I knew I had an appointment in the afternoon, but nothing else to do at the office, so I decided to spend the morning working from home. Techie that I am, I can do most of my office tasks using just my old laptop at home. We do our liturgical planning, for example, using a Google Docs spread sheet. Each Sunday (or major feast) gets a row. The columns contain notes about what the readings are, hymn selections, who is preaching, what we are doing with the kids that Sunday, and other details. All the COTM staff can log in with a username and password from any computer on the Internet and make notes and changes. No more passing around xeroxed planning documents or e-mail attachments back and forth. It makes coordinating multiple staff assignments on Sunday mornings MUCH easier. I also use Google Calendar to track my personal appointments and task lists, which I can also access from anywhere.
So I got a fire going in the fireplace and went to work answering e-mails and reading. The cats kept me company. Betsy worked upstairs. After lunch I went into the office to do some meetings and take care of other tasks. One of these meetings was with a student from Wycliffe Seminary that wants to be a Theological Intern with us this year. I'm very pleased to have him on board. I don't want to announce his name and so forth until I introduce him to the congregation a week for Sunday.
After meeting with him I spent some time with Eric talking music and plans. He continues to impress me with his knowledge and ideas about church music. When I was at Holy Cross I picked a book called The Emergent Psalter by Isaac Everett. The book's blurb will give you a sense what that's about:Many alternative and emerging church communities have begun exploring ancient music and liturgical traditions despite a lack of high-quality, published liturgical music which does not require (or even desire) an organ and a four-part choir. The Emergent Psalter serves to provide that resource. Featuring music written for two emerging communities (Transmission in New York and Church of the Apostles in Seattle), this book is an excellent resource for anyone producing an alternative worship service or thinking of starting one. (source)
Not surprisingly, Isaac is friends with Emily Scott--who does the Paperless Singing stuff in NYC. Emily and I overlapped at Yale a few years ago. Anyway, Isaac does some really interesting things with these Psalms. On the one hand he is deeply invested in the tradition--Gregorian Chant and also the Hebrew approach to the Psalms. But then he let's the Word manifest in an new way in its new context. You can get a sense of what I mean by listening to his podcast. Every week he takes the Psalm appointed in the Lectionary and shows how to do it in his style.
So Eric and I had a nice talk about music and some of our ideas about how to develop liturgy at Messiah. Lots of good stuff in the works!
Today it was rainy and cold. I slept in hoping it would help the cough go away (it didn't) and read some of my childbirth/parenting books. Then I went on a pastoral visit. Now I'm home with Betsy with a nice fire and cats-on-laps. Life is good.
-t
Monday, July 13, 2009
Warm, Creative Parish Seeks Music Leader with a Heart for Mission
I've started posting the blurb advertising the Minister of Music position widely. We already getting applications, several of which are very promising. Always a relief to actually get a response when you put something like this out to the universe.If you know someone who might interested, or want to post the flyer somewhere, here it is in PDF. Of course, this is just a summary. The full job description, with details about the responsibilities, etc., is available here on the website. Then there are all the relational and dynamics that can be only be elicited in the interview process. In fact, it these relationship chemistry factors that are most important to me. I want to have a sense of how this person will fit into the team and how we will work together to the Spirit's will in this place.
Already I can see how expressing what I'm talking about in words begins to get a bit "mushy" and imprecise. Spirit-language is often accused of being ephemeral by those that want a more rational framework, but I know experience that God does tell us what to do (or whom to hire, for that matter) if we are patient enough to listen for that call.
If I do have to step out of the spirit-led discernment mode to talk about what I want in a Minister of Music, I think the next place I land is the Mission-Shaped framework. How does the liturgy enact the Mission of Church? Obviously, I have some ideas about that, but I'm eager to hear how others address this challenge.
-t
Monday, February 9, 2009
Annual Report: DONE!
I wrote my Annual Vestry Report today. It's part of the yearly report on the state of the parish that we Anglicans and Episcopalians (and, I imagine, most other denominations) are required to do. It includes lots of statistical and financial information and reports from various committees and staff members.
My report last year was relatively short (page a half), but I had only been here a few months. This year's report is about four pages long! And that was after I decided not to write about a number of things! The point of the report, after all, is to highlight the important stuff, not dump my brain of all the different aspects of COTM and what I think of them!
Next I'm going to head off to the gym and work out for a while. No excuses! I suppose this evening I'll continue to punish myself by eating only vegetables!
-t
My report last year was relatively short (page a half), but I had only been here a few months. This year's report is about four pages long! And that was after I decided not to write about a number of things! The point of the report, after all, is to highlight the important stuff, not dump my brain of all the different aspects of COTM and what I think of them!
Next I'm going to head off to the gym and work out for a while. No excuses! I suppose this evening I'll continue to punish myself by eating only vegetables!
-t
Friday, October 3, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Hiring
We hired our new Director of Children's and Youth Ministry today. I don't think I should say who it is until she has actually signed the contract, etc., but it's basically a done deal. I'm very excited about her; I think she'll be great for us. If everything works out, she should start on June 1st.
Funny to say, but I don't think I've ever actually made the phone call to tell someone they've gotten the job. I mean, I've been a part of the hiring process before, but usually it's one on the Wardens that actually gets to make the phone call. I enjoyed it, I must say. I know, technically it's the Wardens who hire and fire, but this was one of those cases where it was just easier for me to make that call once the decision had been made. It's a nice feeling.
-t
Funny to say, but I don't think I've ever actually made the phone call to tell someone they've gotten the job. I mean, I've been a part of the hiring process before, but usually it's one on the Wardens that actually gets to make the phone call. I enjoyed it, I must say. I know, technically it's the Wardens who hire and fire, but this was one of those cases where it was just easier for me to make that call once the decision had been made. It's a nice feeling.
-t
Friday, February 8, 2008
Desk Clearing
Wow, my desk is now clearer than it has been in a long, long time--however there is still a four-inch pile of non-urgent things I'm supposed to read. Amazing how when you are a Rector people are always asking you to read things. I've gotten good about not accepting entire books if I can help it, but I still get the usual newsletters and reports and "updates" from various organizations and individuals. It's important to stay informed about all these people and individuals connected to the church, so I can't simply skip it. Still, I'm pleased that my office and desk are looking more and more organized.
My experiment with singing the Offices by myself is continuing to go well. It really does change the feeling of the rite. It makes it much more prayerful for me--probably because it's much more embodied. I'm also saying in the church rather than at my desk--again, embodying the prayer seems to be key in my case.
I've been asked to write an article about my experiences at the Leadership Conference. I'm thrilled that have opportunity, and I'm glad that I took lots of notes! Considering that both of my sisters get their stuff published all the time, it's about time that I catch up!
Fridays are Finance Day at COTM. This morning we made progress on a number of fronts having to do with the 2007 books being prepared for the Annual Vestry. The bottom line numbers are encouraging, but it's still going to take a lot of work to sort out the details of how to organize the financial activity for reporting it to the congregation. The instability in clerical leadership over the last 2 years or so has a lot to with challenge. Yet there is something really nice about having a fresh start!
-t
My experiment with singing the Offices by myself is continuing to go well. It really does change the feeling of the rite. It makes it much more prayerful for me--probably because it's much more embodied. I'm also saying in the church rather than at my desk--again, embodying the prayer seems to be key in my case.
I've been asked to write an article about my experiences at the Leadership Conference. I'm thrilled that have opportunity, and I'm glad that I took lots of notes! Considering that both of my sisters get their stuff published all the time, it's about time that I catch up!
Fridays are Finance Day at COTM. This morning we made progress on a number of fronts having to do with the 2007 books being prepared for the Annual Vestry. The bottom line numbers are encouraging, but it's still going to take a lot of work to sort out the details of how to organize the financial activity for reporting it to the congregation. The instability in clerical leadership over the last 2 years or so has a lot to with challenge. Yet there is something really nice about having a fresh start!
-t
Friday, January 4, 2008
I'm Going to San Francisco!
The Diocese mandates that I have to put aside (and eventually spend) a certain amount every year for Continuing Education. So this year I've decided to spend that money going to a conference in San Francisco. It's called "Leadership In Community: helping the people find their voice in the liturgy" and is being hosted/sponsored by St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church, which I've talked about a lot on this blog. I feel that I have a lot to learn from these people, so I think it will be a worthwhile investment of my time. Plus, SF is a kick-ass town and I can see some friends while I'm there. The conference runs from the 22nd to the 25th, but I'll probably take that Sunday off as my post-Christmas vacation (clergy get 1 week off after Christmas and then a month off in the summer).
This is one of those moments where I am just delighted that my life and ministry are turning out so well. Blessings, blessings, blessings.
But there is work to be done, too. This morning I had a meeting with some folks to look at some of the financial administration issues that need to be addressed. Some of it is compliance stuff, like making sure we get our books properly audited. Others have more to do with getting data flowing from A to B in a helpful way and planning how we are going to make up the 2008 budget. Most of the tasks to be done are straightforward, but it's just a matter of planning a course of action and implementing it.
-t
This is one of those moments where I am just delighted that my life and ministry are turning out so well. Blessings, blessings, blessings.
But there is work to be done, too. This morning I had a meeting with some folks to look at some of the financial administration issues that need to be addressed. Some of it is compliance stuff, like making sure we get our books properly audited. Others have more to do with getting data flowing from A to B in a helpful way and planning how we are going to make up the 2008 budget. Most of the tasks to be done are straightforward, but it's just a matter of planning a course of action and implementing it.
-t
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