September 2018 Staff Meeting

The Synod Staff of the Diocese of New Westminster convened for their first monthly staff meeting following the 2018 summer hiatus on Wednesday, September 5 at 10am in the Trendell Lounge, the meeting area shared by the Synod office and St. John's, Shaughnessy Anglican Church. The Trendell is now particularly welcoming as new LED light fixtures were installed the previous week and the room is now bathed in bright, warm light allowing even the most myopic (and presbyopic) to see printed materials with ease.

Diocesan Comptroller, Shailene Caparas was the chair for the meeting and Shai did a great job guiding the staff through the agenda.

Items discussed included: the aforementioned new lighting; an increase in work hours for Indigenous Justice Ministry Coordinator, Jerry Adams; the preparation for the 118th Synod (Special Synod on Canon 2 and 3) that will take place at the Synod office and St. John's, Shaughnessy on October 13; new programs for parish development being planned by Rev. Tellison Glover and Tasha Carrothers, the organization and implementation of a Parish Administrators Training Day coming up September 18; training of new anti-racism trainers; the Provincial Synod which takes place at Sorrento Centre, September 13-16 and will be largely organized and designed by the Metropolitan, Archbishop Melissa Skelton (this Synod will include the installation of the Metropolitan and the installation of the new Executive Director of Sorrento Centre); and much more. The staff check in portion of the meeting was longer than usual as staff members were enthusiastic about sharing their plans for ministry in the upcoming fall season.

This was also the first Synod Staff meeting for the Reverend Jessica Schaap who began her ministry as Missioner for Christian Formation on August 1. Mother Jessica has already produced some excellent content for the diocesan website and other diocesan communications vehicles getting the word out about Christian Formation, what it is and what's available. She is also scheduling information meetings with deaneries and plans to roll out both proprietary custom programs designed in house and existing Christian Formation programs available nationally and internationally recommended by the programming folks of the Diocese of New Westminster.

One of the highlights of Staff Meeting is the birthday celebration, and for September the birthdays of the Reverend Dr. Tellison Glover, Director for Mission and Ministry Development and Marche Riley, Anglican Archivist were celebrated with the now traditional chocolate ice cream cake, cards and of course the birthday song.

IMAGES

• The birthday folks, Marche and Tellison
• September's Chair, Shailene
• The Group Shot
• Mother Jessica at her first meeting and Amy