This Week at the Church of the Redeemer

Family Mission Trip to New Orleans

 I am delighted to report that the family mission trip to New Orleans is full!  (We will be starting a waiting list).  The Redeemer really has a heart for mission, and I am excited by the energy around the trip.  We will have a few preparation meetings designed to get to know our St. Stephen’s partners and learn more about New Orleans post-Katrina.  Missioners are also encouraged to help with the mission support events in the coming months.  Thank you all for your dedication and willingness to support mission work at the Redeemer.

2008 Vestry Nominating Process Review
 

The Vestry is conducting a periodic review of the parish’s Vestry nominating and election process.  A Vestry committee consisting of Graeme Mills, Chair, Margot Finley, John Marenghi, Lucinda Doran Stern, Dick Tucker, and Suzy Westcott is interviewing other parishes to understand different models and the contexts in which they evolved and will be asking our own parishioners for their ideas.  In preparation for this process, we realized that a number of parishioners may not be fully aware of our governance process and how it evolved. To remedy this, we will include information on our own process in the weekly email, the Redeemer News, the Redeemer website and the service leaflet for the next several weeks, culminating in an informational Forum on Sunday, June 1 where parishioners can clarify their understanding of our governance process, how it came about and our current review process. Over the summer, we will be asking that parishioners submit suggestions and input to the committee in writing to help us identify ways if there are any ways we might want to improve our process. The committee’s recommendations, if any, will be presented to the vestry in the fall.  The following summarizes our current process.

1.       Who Sits on the Vestry?
 

The Church of the Redeemer has a total of twenty people on the Vestry.  There are twelve Vestry members, five officers (the Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Clerk, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer), the Rector, and two ex-officio members (the President of the Church Service League and the Head of the Altar Guild).  Our Curate attends Vestry meetings but does not have a vote. The normal term for a Vestry person is four years.  The twelve elected Vestry people are divided into four classes with rotating terms of four years each, the term of one class to expire each year.  Vestry people may not be elected to an immediately succeeding term of office.  Unexpired terms may be filled by the Vestry for a term expiring at the next Annual Parish Meeting, at which time a replacement is elected by the parish to serve out the remainder of that term.  At the expiration of that unexpired term, the person may be nominated for an additional full term.

The Senior Warden and Junior Warden serve regular terms of four years each.  The Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Clerk serve regular terms of three years each.  The Treasurer may not be elected to an immediately succeeding term of office; and no other officer may be elected to an immediately succeeding term of office except as follows:

1.      the Assistant Treasurer may be elected to an immediately succeeding three year term as Treasurer,

2.      the Clerk may be elected to two immediately succeeding three year terms as Clerk,

3.      the Senior Warden may be elected to one immediately succeeding four year term as Senior Warden,

4.      the Junior Warden may be elected to one immediately succeeding four-year term as Junior Warden, and, in addition, may be elected to two immediately succeeding four-year terms as Senior Warden.

       It is hoped that the Redeemer’s Vestry is representative of the parish and has members who are

1.  Committed to the interests of God for the whole Church.

2.  “Full of Wisdom and of the Holy Spirit”-- 

Committed to their own spiritual growth in Christ, in prayer and study.

                        Discerning, able to see the things that make a difference.

3.  Blessed with practical skills that will benefit the Church and complement other skill sets in their class.

4.  Good in group process, able to speak up in a meeting, and help forge consensus.

5.  Willing to take initiative and unafraid to lead:  a stakeholder.

6.  Passionate for helping the congregation grow (in maturity and numbers). 

7.  Full of a genuine love of the Redeemer and of the world for which Christ died. 

2.       How does the Nominating Committee Work?
 

The size of the Nominating Committee varies between five and nine people but usually has an odd number of members.  Those retiring from the Vestry are usually members of the Committee unless there is an inordinately large number of people retiring that year.  The Vestry elects additional members from the parish at-large.  This number varies depending on the number of retiring Vestry members on the Committee.  No one on the committee or any of their relatives is eligible to be nominated to fill a Vestry position.  The Wardens alternate serving on the committee unless one of them is eligible for election or is retiring from the Vestry.  The Nominating Committee elects its own Chairperson from among its members.  It is hoped that the Committee as a whole has a wide awareness of the parishioners in the congregation and the gifts and passions that they might bring to the Vestry.

The Nominating Committee is asked to formulate a slate with one nominee for each open position (Vestry and Diocesan Delegates).  The committee needs to make sure that if elected, the nominee is willing to serve.  The slate is scheduled for completion by the December Vestry meeting.

The Committee is charged with a number of criteria in identifying potential vestry candidates. These include that they are people who are active members of the parish, who participate in the life of the church, who can work well in a group, and who can be spiritual leaders of the entire congregation.  The Committee is asked to look at the remaining members of the Vestry and choose candidates who together with those remaining members of the Vestry will form a group that is representative of the parish and can act on behalf of the congregation as a whole.

3.         How Do Candidates for Vestry Get Nominated?
 

The Committee solicits nominations from everyone in the congregation.  Nominations can be given to any member of the Nominating Committee.  Ballots are available at the church and in various communications that are available to all parishioners. The Committee keeps the names of all nominees confidential.  Nominees are only aware that they are being considered for a position when the committee has decided that that person is their choice for a position and a member of the committee contacts them to see if they would be willing to serve. Once identified candidates have confirmed that they are willing to serve, the slate is finalized.

            The roles of the Vestry and Rector are the same as any other parishioner in that they can nominate candidates, although they do receive advanced notice of the slate when it is presented to the Vestry at its December Vestry Meeting.  They do not, however, have any power to make any changes in the slate.

4.         How Do Candidates for Vestry Get Elected?
 

After the Nominating Committee presents the completed slate to the Vestry at the December Vestry meeting, the slate is posted one month before the Annual Meeting and then presented again at the Annual Meeting. When the slate is presented at the Annual Meeting, the Congregation is asked if there are additional candidates to be nominated from the floor.  If not, the congregation is asked to make a motion for the clerk to cast one ballot in favor of the slate.  The motion is then asked to be seconded and voted.  In the event that there are additional nominees, paper ballots are distributed and the congregation votes.  The process for officers is the same as it is for Vestry people.

5.         Have there been Changes in the Process in Recent Years?
 

A number of changes in the process, particularly in the conditions for sitting on the nominating committee, have taken place in recent years. Originally, the committee just consisted of the retiring members of the Vestry.  To broaden the committee and not have it appear so inbred, the Vestry started adding a few non-Vestry parishioners.  Recently, the members of the Nominating Committee also agreed not to be considered for any office and not to consider any of their relatives.  Previously, any non-Vestry member of the Committee or their relative was allowed to be considered for an open position but had to excuse themselves from that particular discussion.  The change was prompted by the thought of the procedure not being entirely unbiased.

The roles of the Rector and Wardens also have changed – and more than once. In the fall of 2001, both the Rector and the Wardens became members of the nominating committee.  When Dorsey arrived, he saw no need for the Rector to be a part of the Nominating Committee in recognition of the fact that the Committee chooses lay leadership and thus should consist of lay members.  At the same time, it was decided to have just one Warden serve on the Nominating Committee instead of two in order to avoid undue influence. The Wardens currently serve alternating years unless one is eligible for election or is retiring.  The presence of one Warden was deemed helpful in ensuring continuity and awareness of the process, to capitalize on a warden’s awareness of parishioners and possible candidates for other positions other than the Vestry, and, if necessary, to advise the Committee on concerns held by the Rector about the ability of a parishioner to effectively serve without revealing confidences.

Hunger in Massachusetts

With food prices rising sharply recently, there has been an estimated 20 - 40% increase in people in Massachusetts seeking assistance from food pantries.  Many of these are working families who can’t make ends meet, or have to choose between buying food or gasoline.  To help address this, there will be collection bins all summer for non-perishable food items outside the church office and on Amy and Rick Weed’s front porch (20 Malia Terrace, Chestnut Hill).  We will drop the items at the Newton and Brookline Food Pantries every other week.  Please pick up an extra item or two when you are at the grocery store to help address this growing problem.

Uganda Pen-Pal Project: Update and Reminder!

 Dear Redeemer Families,

 So far we have matched more than 40 students at the Pilgrim-sponsored School in Uganda with Pen-Pals!  If you chose a student to write to, now is the time to send your letter off to Pilgrim's Seattle address!  A delegation will be leaving Seattle for Uganda on April 28 and would love to have your letters to hand out to the students when they arrive!  In case you have misplaced the address, it is: 
 

Three Loaves Fund
ATTN: Jill Englehart
819 North 49th St, Mailbox #207
Seattle, WA 98103

 We have 24 more Pen-Pal letters (all boys!) remaining, so please consider picking one up at the next coffee hour.  A simple letter from the U. S. would mean a lot to these amazing children, and can take as little as 10 minutes to write!  For more information, contact Leslie Williams, Leswill@gmail.com or 617-969-0470.  Thank you!!

Bible Study with the Rector

 The Radiant World:

Midweek Bible Studies for Ordinary Life

Over coffee at the Rectory, we will explore the teachings of Jesus.  Come, spend some time with a few fellow pilgrims, and fill the rest of your week with the grace of the Lord in the power of the Spirit.

 Men’s Bible Study, Wednesdays, 7:00 am

Women’s Bible Study, Thursdays, 9: 00 am

Both meet at the Rectory, 381 Hammond Street.

Diocese to celebrate fifth anniversary of

Barbara C. Harris Camp on June 22

A family kayaks on crystal-clear Lake Otter at the Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center.
Image: Courtesy the BCH Center

 This June is the fifth anniversary of the Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center, and coincidentally the birth month of Bishop Harris herself, so it's time to celebrate!  All are invited to the camp in Greenfield, NH, on Sunday, June 22 between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for a day of fun: camp activities, food and fellowship in a relaxed and beautiful setting.

Activities and a cookout will run from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., followed by a worship service at 3 p.m. Attendees may arrive at any time and are requested to RSVP to allow planners to get a head count; buses will be provided for those who need transportation.

For more details and to RSVP, please visit:  www.diomass.org/bcharris-camp-anniversary.