Weekly News, August 4

August 4, 2009

Please pray for all of us in Minnesota as we
discern who might be called to be the IX Bishop of Minnesota,
trusting in the Holy Spirit to inspire and guide.
May God's grace surround and keep us all.

excerpt from Bishop Search Committee's letter
introducing their candidates for IX Bishop of Minnesota
Read the letter in its entirety.

Diocesan Prayers

For the month of August, please pray for all hospital chaplaincies, counseling chaplaincies and Spiritual Directors throughout the Diocese. Pray also for your local parish nurses, health ministers and all those who minister to the sick. Please pray for the candidates in the Bishop Search process for the Diocese of Minnesota and for the Search Committee.

Sunday, August 9 is Pentecost 10
St. Christopher's, Roseville

Anniversaries
8/10 Larry J. Crockett, p 2000
8/14 Margaret Matllin, d 1996

Diocesan Cycle of Prayer
Anglican Cycle of Prayer
Gospel Based Discipleship

Children's and Youth Ministries

"Making Time for God" workshop offered

On September 19 and 20 Sharon Ely Pearson, Christian Formation Specialist, will lead "Making Time for God," a workshop for parents and teachers to explore their abilities to nurture the spiritual lives of children and youth. For more information contact Anna Ostenso, 952-435-8687 or Susan Mallison, 651-228-1164. Click here to view brochure.

Episcopal Youth Music Camp (EYMC) seeks sponsors
EYMC is seeking sponsors for four youth still on the waiting list to attend camp. Music camp is August 9 to 15 at Camp Heartland. Contact Alison Feigh if you are interested in sponsoring a young person's camping experience.

Around the State

Prayer at the Fair
The Minnesota Council of Churches will once again present Prayer at the Fair. Join Leslie Ball, liturgist and "fair fanatic" for a morning of readings, prayer, and choral singing. Prayer at the Fair will take place at the Bandshell on Sundays, August 30 and September 6, at 9:15 am. There will even be bulletins on a stick! For more information contact Gail Anderson, 612-230-3210.

IX Bishop Search

Meet the Search Committee candidates
After many long months of prayer and conversation, the Bishop Search Committee for the Diocese of Minnesota is pleased to offer three outstanding candidates for consideration as the IX Bishop of Minnesota:

The Rev. Mariann Budde, Rector, St John the Baptist Episcopal Church, Minneapolis, MN
The Rev. Bonnie Perry, Rector, All Saints Episcopal Church, Chicago, IL
The Rev. Brian Prior, Rector, Episcopal Church of the Resurrection, Spokane Valley, WA

Diocesan Budget

Budget documents available; discussion meetings upcoming
The diocesan budget and several supporting documents are now available on the diocesan website. Several meetings to discuss this budget are upcoming:

Tuesday, August 18, St. Mark's Cathedral, Minneapolis
Thursday, August 20, Christ Church, Grand Rapids
Tuesday, August 25, Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault

All meetings begin promptly at 7 pm and will conclude at 9 pm. The August 18 meeting at St. Mark's will be webcast through the homepage of the diocesan website.

Episcopal Center

Responding to the diocesan budget: staffing changes in coming months
Responding to the current economic situation, a corresponding shift in available finances at the diocesan level, and a call for a transition in priorities for diocesan activity, Bishop Jelinek is making several substantial changes in staffing at the Episcopal Center. Specifically, the position Assistant Financial Officer, which is currently held by Jeff Langaard, and the Department of Development, headed by Director Kevin Shaw, are both being eliminated in 2010, but effective this fall.

Bishop Jelinek said, "this is a painful but necessary step in trying to be responsive to the current economic reality and the profound transition in which we find ourselves in the Diocese of Minnesota." He lauded the work of both gentlemen whose positions are being eliminated, adding that "their work has been exemplary and this move is based solely on finances."

In the past year, the Episcopal Center has reduced staffing by 3 additional positions (Gary Gleason as Canon to the Ordinary, Bronwyn Skov as Leadership Development Officer and Canon Missioner, and Stephanie Mann as part time Administrative Assistant ). Please keep the staff of the Episcopal Center in your prayers throughout this transition and into the busy Convention and IX Bishop election season.

Diocesan Convention

Registration opens soon; submit Lay Delegate Certifications now

Please take a moment to confirm that your congregation has submitted Lay Delegate Certifications for 2009 Diocesan Convention. If yours is still outstanding, the forms are available for download on the diocesan website. Early registration begins next week for this important upcoming convention where, among other things, we will be considering the 2010 diocesan budget and electing the IX Bishop of Minnesota.

Nominations still needed
The Diocese is still seeking nominations for the following councils of the church:

Standing Committee (elect 2 lay and 2 clergy), need clergy
Commission on Ministry (elect 1 lay and 1 clergy), need clergy
Trustees (elect 3, lay or clergy), need 3 individuals
Seabury, need 1 individual for the lay order

To learn more about each position, the current nominations process status, and nominations procedures, visit the Elections page of the diocesan website.

Diocesan Council

Executive summary of Council actions at July meeting

Voted to refer the remaining four items from the document titled "Improving Governance, Processes and Procedures within the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota" and dated June 22, 2009, to Council's Steering Committee to bring back for discussion in September
Accepted the Finance Committee recommendations as amended
Heard reports from Holy Apostles, St. Paul and La Misi�n el Santo Ni�o Jes�s, St. Paul
Passed a motion that Diocesan Council stand in support of the Mission Strategy Network resolution submitted to the 2009 Diocesan Convention
Accepted the report of the Diocesan Finance and Audit Committee
Voted that a narrative be prepared of the conversation of the committee of the whole on 2010 draft budgets A and B
Passed a motion that a third column be added to the budget which incorporates the budget narrative; in addition, to include a revenue page to include five columns: 2008 actual, 2009 forecast, 14.5% ACG reduction, 12-14% ACG, 10-12% ACG
Voted to include in the narrative an explanation of the revenue side
Voted that the draft of the 2010 diocesan budget be transmitted to the Trustees for review and comment
Passed a motion to coordinate the Finance Committee with the Trustees of the Diocese, Inc. by appropriate liaisons serving on each other's finance committees

This Week in the Diocese
August 9, 2:30 pm: Second Sunday, Gethsemane, Minneapolis A complete Calendar of Events is available on our website. Other events can be found on the Region 7 Calendar and the Episcopal Music Calendar.