Snapshots

O God, by your grace you have called us in this Diocese to be a goodly fellowship of faith. Bless our clergy and all our people. Grant that your Word may be truly preached and truly heard, your Sacraments faithfully administered and faithfully received. By your Spirit, fashion our lives according to the example of your Son, and grant that we may show the power of your love to all among whom we live; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. -BCP pg. 817

Diocesan Convention

The 80th Annual Diocesan Convention was held November 7th-8th, at Christ Church, LaCrosse. Documents are provided here in PDF format:

OCTOBER 25, 2008
Members of the Executive Council, the Standing Committee, and the Trustees met at Christ Church, Chippewa Falls, at 10:00 a.m. to review and discuss the summary of information Deacon Jo Glasser compiled from the reports of the four Listening Sessions (PDF) held throughout the Diocese. A resolution has been submitted to the Constitution and Canons Committee for final review and any necessary “word smithing”. As soon as all resolutions, including this one, have been sent to the Diocesan Office, they will be included in a “Snapshots” and mailed to the clergy and Convention deputies. The basic idea of Saturday’s resolution is identifying a process of discernment for four possibilities for the Diocese.

A discussion of the proposed 2009 budget was entered into with the Trustees reiterating their concern over the state of the Diocesan budget and the means of sharing those concerns with Convention.

Canon David Seger Guest Preacher for Convention
The Reverend Canon David L. Seger is the retired canon to the ordinary in the Diocese of Northern Indiana where he served for seventeen years. He will preach at Evensong on the eve of our 80th annual convention representing the Right Reverend F. Clayton Matthews, who is the director of the House of Bishops Office of Pastoral Development. Canon Seger is one of a group of consultants who assist Bishop Matthews in guiding dioceses that are in the process of electing a bishop. Over the past eight years he has consulted with seventeen dioceses in the election process. Canon Seger is a 1972 graduate of Nashotah House. He and his wife Nancy are retired at their home in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

Diocesan Confirmations December 13, 2008, at Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire
The Right Reverend Russell Jacobus, at the invitation of the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Eau Claire, will be with us to confirm and receive new members from parishes throughout the Diocese at an 11:30 a.m. service on Saturday, December 13th, at the Cathedral. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend this special event and welcome the newest Episcopalians.

UTO Applications
The application forms for 2009 UTO grants may be obtained from the Diocesan Office or online at www.episcopalchurch.org/uto . The completed application must be in the Diocese Office by December 15, 2008, and in to the UTO office January 31, 2009. The Diocese of Eau Claire has been the recipient of past generous grants with dollars received far outweighing dollars contributed.

Pre-convention Convocation meetings are held to present resolutions, names of nominees, and the proposed budget being recommended by the Executive Council. This is a time for more informal discussion in a smaller group setting than the full body of Convention.

The Eastern Convocation met at Grace Church, Rice Lake, Saturday, October 11th. Fr. Ward Simpson, chair of Constitution and Canons reported there was one resolution in process and he would be wordsmithing some of the wording. The names of those nominated to office to date were announced. The full list of nominees with biographies will be mailed to deputies and clergy prior to Convention. Garrett Conover, member of the Finance Commission presented the proposed budget and spirited discussion ensued. Chancellor Jim Pelish addressed the dire status of the diocesan finances. The Convocation met from 10:00 a.m. to approximately12:00 noon.

The Western Convocation met at Grace Church, Menomonie, Saturday, October 18th. There were no resolutions in readiness but will be completed and mailed prior to Convention. A list of those nominated to office was distributed. Fr. Dale Klitzke on behalf of the Finance Commission presented the proposed budget and again spirited discussion followed. The Convocation met from 10:00 a.m. until approximately 12:30 p.m.

When the Resolutions have been submitted in final form and the biographies of nominees completed they will be posted on the diocesan web site.

Listening Session Report
The members of the Executive Council, Standing Committee and Trustees will meet at Christ Church, Chippewa Falls, Saturday, October 25, 2008, to discuss and deliberate on the summary of the information gleaned from the four Listening Sessions as prepared by Deacon Jo Glasser.

Diocese of Fond du Lac Resolution
The resolution submitted to the Convention of the Diocese of Fond du Lac, meeting the weekend of October 17-18, concerning entering into a discussion of junctioning with the Diocese of Eau Claire passed.

Sesquicentennial kick-off at Christ Church Cathedral Saturday October 25, 2008 with Solemn Evensong at 4:30 pm. There will be a dinner following – however, there are no more tickets available.

Convention of the Diocese of Eau Claire: November 7-8, Christ Church, La Crosse.

Ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacons: Janet Sterken will be ordained at 5:00 P.M., Friday, November 21, 2008, at St. John’s, Sparta. The Right Reverend Mark MacDonald will officiate at this English/Spanish service.

Gospel Based Discipleship Training: Bishop MacDonald will present this program Saturday, November 22, 2008, at St. Mary’s, Tomah. Opening Gathering 9:30 – 10:00 a.m.; Teaching 10:00 – Noon; Lunch Noon – 1:00 pm; Teaching 1 – 3:00 pm. A donation of $10 a person is suggested which includes lunch. Phone call reservations would be appreciated: St. Mary’s 608-372-5174. “Instead of using the Bible as a weapon, we are to use it to unlock doors and to open us to the voice of the Holy Spirit challenging us to new life” The brochure also notes that “*Yes we are aware that this is the beginning of deer season, but ……”

Listening Sessions
The Listening Sessions have been completed. Sessions were held September 13th at Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire and Church of the Ascension, Hayward. On September 27th a session was held at St. John’s, Sparta and one at St. Barnabas’, Clear Lake. Comments from each discussion are being prepared by the co-facilitators and forwarded to Deacon Jo Glasser who will summarize the information and her written report forwarded to the Executive Council, Standing Committee, and Trustees. Those three bodies will meet October 25th in Eau Claire to review the report and prepare to present the information to Convention. It is acknowledged that having the report for Convocations would have been ideal, but as we know, we do not live in an ideal world and there were only so many dates that were available for the Listening Sessions and only one Saturday, October 25th, for the three groups to meet. Thank you to co-facilitators Rev. Mother Kathy Charles, Ms. Missy Stepanek, Fr. George Stamm, Ms. Alberta (Bert) Rupert, Vicar Leigh Waggoner, Jim Glasser, Fr. Art Hancock, and Gregg Westigard.

Convention Consideration
In the first SNAPSHOTS, May 15, 2008, a brief summary of events from March 4 through May 10th was given. To quote an entry: “April 12, 2008. As a result of a meeting of Bishop Whitmore , Bishop Jacobus of Fond du Lac and lay representatives from each Diocese earlier this year, a Bi-diocesan Mission Conference was held in Wausau. Everyone was invited to the Conference and Eau Claire was well represented. The purpose was to assist the two dioceses in opening a continuing dialogue of entering the mission field outside our doors. The two dioceses share a common heritage, a majority of small congregations, large geographic area, and a yearning to “do mission”.

(The following comments are mine alone and in no way represent an official position of the Executive Council, Standing Committee, Trustees or the Diocese of Eau Claire. js)

During those discussions, we were introduced to a new word, “junctioning” in reference to one possibility for the future of Eau Claire and Fond du Lac.

A resolution is being brought before the Convention of the Diocese of Fond du Lac when that body meets October 17-18th. That resolution and explanation follows. A sister resolution will be considered by the Convention of the Diocese of Eau Claire in November. The intent is to receive permission from General Convention to “junction” if - and only if - both dioceses agree this is God’s desire for his church in this part of Wisconsin. The timing is such that both Conventions need to consider this resolution this year to allow the resolution to come before General Convention the summer of 2009. Please carefully read what follows keeping in mind that just because one has a passport does not mean one must travel abroad.

Resolution 2008-05 “Consent to Junction”
Submitted by the Rt. Rev. Russell E. Jacobus, Bishop
After discussion with the Executive Council and the Standing Committee

Be it resolved, by the 134th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Fond du Lac, with the mutual agreement of the 80th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Eau Claire and the approval of the Bishop of the Diocese of Fond du Lac, that a resolution asking for consent to junction the Diocese of Eau Claire and the Diocese of Fond du Lac be made to the 76th General Convention of the Episcopal Church meeting in 2009.

Explanation
ARTICLE V of the Constitution of the National Church
Sec. 1. A new Diocese may be formed, with the consent of the General Convention and under such conditions as the General Convention shall prescribe by General Canon or Canons,... (2) by the junction of two or more Dioceses... The proceedings shall originate...by mutual agreement of the Conventions of the Dioceses concerned, with the approval of the Bishop of each Diocese....After consent of the General Convention, when a certified copy of the duly adopted Constitution of the new Diocese, including an unqualified accession to the Constitution and Canons of this Church, shall have been filed with the Secretary of the General Convention and approved by the Executive Council of this Church, such new Diocese shall thereupon be in union with the General Convention.

To junction, in the formal language of Episcopal Church Canons, means the coming together of dioceses to become a new diocese. There have been several conversations about junctioning with the dioceses of Wisconsin in the past, but these conversations never progressed very far.

Since the last Diocesan Convention, representatives of Fond du Lac and Eau Claire have met to discuss the possibility of the two dioceses junctioning. The conversations continue and the idea of coming together is both exciting and daunting at the same time. There would be many benefits as well as challenges. One criteria that comes up over and over again is that a decision to junction should be made only if there are clear mission benefits. To say it another way, junctioning should be about Mission and not maintenance.

Why talk about junctioning now? The Dioceses of Eau Claire and Fond du Lac have similar demographics and heritage. The Diocese of Eau Claire is currently without a Bishop while the Diocese of Fond du Lac has a Bishop with 15 years of experience as Bishop. Congregations in both dioceses face similar ministry challenges. The mission field outside the doors of congregations is the largest it has ever been and is growing.

What is the process to junction? There are basically three steps:
Step 1: Getting Permission: General Convention must give formal consent to forming of a new Diocese. This happens after our Conventions mutually agree to ask for consent and the Bishop approves. General Convention's consent does NOT form a new diocese, it is simply a step in the process. It's possible for consent to be given, but then nothing else happen.
Step 2: Getting Together: The dioceses have to get together and work out something new. Junctioning is not merging, but forming a new thing. There would be numerous meetings, listening sessions, etc... before adoption of a new Constitution and Canons.
Step 3: Getting Done: If the work is done and a new Constitution and Canons adopted by the two dioceses, then it is forwarded to the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. Once they review and approve the document and it's filed with the Secretary of the General Convention, the junctioning would be complete and a new Diocese would be constituted.

As outlined in Father George Stamm’s article in the June, 2008 issue of The Herald, the diocesan leadership is planning to hold listening sessions at four locations around the Diocese of Eau Claire. The goal of the sessions is to gain an understanding of the work and circumstances of the congregations in the diocese, and to hear the perspectives and experiences of the people in those congregations. Each session will be co-facilitated by a clergy member and a lay person from one of the three sponsoring diocesan committees: the Executive Council, the Standing Committee, and the Trustees. Clergy and at least three members from each congregations are specifically invited but everyone is welcome.

The schedule for the four Listening Sessions follows:

The Executive Council met September 6, 2008, to review the material submitted by the Finance Committee and work out a budget to be recommended to Diocesan Convention on November 8, 2008. The proposed budget will be introduced during the Convocation meetings. The Eastern Convocation meeting at Grace Church, Rice Lake, on October 11th and the Western Convocation meeting at Grace Church, Menomonie, October 18th.

As outlined in Father George Stamm's article in the June 2008 issue of The Herald and in Snapshots, the diocesan leadership is planning to hold "listening" sessions at four locations around the Diocese.

On August 2, 2008, Deacon Jo Glasser facilitated the meeting of the Executive Council, the Standing Committee, and the Trustees at which time the plans for the sessions were developed.

Teams of two - one clergy and one lay person - members of the three committees will be leading the meetings. As soon as dates, times, and places have been confirmed, invitations and bulletin inserts will be sent to each parish.

JULY 19, 2008
The Executive Council met at the Church of St. Alban-the-Martyr in Superior. Action taken included the approval of a reduction of 25% in the apportionment for the remainder of 2008 for St. Alban’s, Spooner. Approval of $7500 to Bundy Hall to pre-buy fuel, denied request by Bundy Hall to be placed in the 2009 budget. The President of the Standing Committee updated the Council on the status of decisions regarding obtaining the services of a bishop. The Council moved to ask the Standing Committee to continue looking at all options for the services of a bishop for the diocese and report back to the Council on progress. Bob Allen, financial committee member, reported on the financial condition of the Diocese. All present acknowledged the seriousness of the financial outlook.

JULY 16, 2008
The Trustees met in Eau Claire at a regular meeting. The Trustees signed the necessary documents for the sale of the thirteen acres of Bundy Hall property, and the River Falls property. They reviewed an appraisal of the bishop’s residence condominium. They directed the Secretary/Treasurer of the Trustees, Rob Weathers, to arrange for an appraisal of the remainder of the Bundy Hall property. The review of the effect of the market on the Diocesan Endowments was an unpleasant item on the agenda. Father George Stamm, President of the Standing Committee, was a guest. The Trustees reminded Father Stamm that the Diocese is in serious financial condition and that it would be imprudent to consider any arrangement regarding a bishop that was on other than an “as needed” basis.

JULY 10, 2008
The Standing Committee met in Eau Claire. They continued their dialogue regarding obtaining the services of a bishop and discussing several options. It is a fact that with the very limited financial resources available this is a most challenging task. The process goes something like this: the Standing Committee has only the authority to recommend a plan. They will take that to the Executive Council who has the authority to accept or reject the plan. Finally, the Trustees must be involved before any agreements or covenants or contracts involving funds under their control are finalized. This is particularly important in light of the serious financial condition of the Diocese.

The Standing Committee admitted Sarah Blaeis-Diamond as Postulant for ordination to the priesthood. Sarah was nominated by the Dean and Vestry of Christ Church Cathedral. Vernon Barber, nominated by and a member of St. Paul’s, Hudson, was admitted to Candidacy for ordination to the priesthood. The Standing Committee approved the sale of thirteen acres of Bundy Hall property and the sale of the property formerly known as Trinity Episcopal Church, River Falls.

JULY 4, 2008
As Garrison Keiller might say, "Things have been rather slow at Lake Wobegon" the past couple of weeks. And, that is not all bad. It's been a time to do a bit of catching up.

There have been some questions concerning the "Listening Sessions". As noted in the June 14th "Snapshots" Deacon Jo Glasser is spearheading the process to develop questions that will produce the greatest amount of useable information. As soon as possible, something more definite, including dates and locations, will be communicated to you. This probably won't happen before sometime in August after the Standing Committee, Trustees, and Executive Council get together August 2nd. Your patience and understanding are deeply appreciated.

JUNE 14, 2008
Members of the Executive Council, Trustees and Standing Committee joined in follow up of the May Visioning retreat to continue the process of discerning options for our future to present to the Diocese. Chancellor Jim Pelish, using the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of Eau Claire, as well as Wisconsin State law, discussed the duties, responsibilities, and authority of the three entities. The Executive Council has authority for the operation of the Diocese, much like the board of directors of any corporation. The Trustees are responsible for the investment of diocesan funds and own the property. The Standing Committee is the ecclesiastical authority acting in all areas identified by Canon.

The Rev. Jo Glasser led the group through the beginning of a process to assist in
discerning questions and a method to be used in diocesan-wide listening sessions. The goal is to answer the primary question, “What does God want for the Diocese of Eau Claire?”

Per Canon 11, Section 4, the Standing Committee called a special meeting of the
Executive Council with a one item Agenda – to appoint Mr. Bob Allen to the Finance Commission. The Vice-President of the Executive Council Dr. Jim Glasser, called the meeting to order following a unanimous vote of members present to waive Notice of Meeting. Motion made to appoint Mr. Bob Allen to the Finance Commission. Second. Carried. Motion to adjourn. Second. Carried. Special meeting of the Executive Council adjourned.

The Standing Committee will continue the work they have begun to secure the services of a bishop.

The next retreat day is scheduled for Saturday, August 2, 2008, at Christ Church
Cathedral, Eau Claire.

JUNE 9, 2008
Deadline for articles for The Herald. Copy needed! Email your article to Archdeacon Jeanne Stout.

MAY 31, 2008
God willing and the People Consenting JoAnne Glasser will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons by Bishop Whitmore at Christ Church, La Crosse. The service begins at 1:00 P.M. Clergy – white stole.

MAY 20, 2008
Chancellor Jim Pelish and Archdeacon Jeanne Stout completed the agenda for the June 14th meeting of the Standing Committee, Trustees and Executive Council. The meeting will be at the diocesan office beginning at 10:00 a.m. with adjournment anticipated on or before 2:00 P.M.

MAY 16-17,2008
The Rev Dr. James Lemler presented a workshop for wardens, vestry members, treasurers, and clerks. Grace Church, Rice Lake, hosted the workshop attending by approximately forty persons – none of whom were clergy.

MAY 9-10, 2008
Members of the Executive Council, the Trustees, and the Standing Committee met at Bundy Hall to begin work on developing a plan to help discern what the future of our Diocese looks like; a plan that will hear the voices of everyone in the Diocese and bring all ideas for consideration and, most especially, to hear the voice of God. The Rev. Canon Karen Lewis, Canon to the Ordinary of the Diocese of Central New York, led the retreat. On May 20, 2008, the diocesan chancellor Jim Pelish, Archdeacon Jeanne Stout, and Canon Lewis will have a phone conversation to plan the agenda for a second meeting of the three groups, scheduled for June 14, to continue the planning process.

APRIL 16, 2008
The Standing Committee became the official Ecclesiastical Authority. The Trustees of the Diocese met with Father George Stamm, President of and representing the Standing Committee. At that meeting, Father Stamm informed the Trustees that Pete Dawson who has served as volunteer Business Manager of the Diocese had resigned. Trustee Bob Weathers, Christ Church, La Crosse, is assisting in the financial area. Bob Allen, former Diocesan Treasurer, will also help. Questions that you would have sent to Mr. Dawson, please send to the Diocesan Office and they will be channeled to the appropriate person for the appropriate answer.

APRIL 12, 2008
As a result of a meeting of the Bishop Whitmore , Bishop Jacobus of Fond du Lac and lay representatives from each Diocese earlier this year, a Bi-diocesan Mission Conference was held in Wausau. Everyone was invited to the Conference and Eau Claire was well represented. The purpose was to assist the two dioceses in opening a continuing dialogue of entering the mission field outside our doors. The two dioceses share a common heritage, a majority of small congregations, large geographic area, and a yearning to “do mission”. Visit the Bi-diocesan Network website.

APRIL 13, 2008
Bishop Whitmore officiated at his last Diocesan service. Solemn Evensong was beautifully done at Christ Church Cathedral and a dinner followed. That evening Bishop Whitmore thanked the Diocese for “making me the bishop that I am”. He announced that Father Bruce Gardner, Canon to the Ordinary, was also leaving.

MARCH 4, 2008
The annual Renewal of Clergy Vows and Blessing of the Oils took place at Christ Church Cathedral. Following the service, Bishop Whitmore announced his resignation to accept the position of Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Atlanta effective April 15th and on that date the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Eau Claire would become the “Ecclesiastical Authority”. In a nut shell, the S.C. is now responsible for those functions usually in the purview of the bishop – with certain exceptions such as confirmations, ordinations.