The following is the resolution of the Executive Council recognising and supporting those in the Diocese of Pittsburgh and San Joaquin, committed to staying in the Episcopal Church. The Executive Council is "General Convention at rest".
Resolved, That up to $700,000 of undistributed accumulated income and appreciation be made available in calendar year 2009 from one or more of the following trust funds established to support the missionary work or mission work of the Church,
TF#756 Lloyd, Ethel. S., Bequest of (1996)
TF#200.2 The St. leger Fund (1909)
TF#492 Hopkins, Theresa B., Bequest of (1936)
TF#723 Zabriskie Memorial Fund (1961)
TF#814 Boyd, Lizzie E. Fund (1978)
TF#656 Monteagle, Lydia Paige, Bequest of (1953)
TF#678 Olden, Sarah E., Bequest of (1955)
TF#860 Gregg, Ellen F., and David McM. Memorial Fund (1982)
TF#540 Seager, Schuyler F., Gift of (1941)
And be it further
Resolved, That these funds be used to provide financial assistance during calendar year 2009 in the Diocese of San Joaquin, the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and other similarly situated dioceses for clergy salaries and other expenses; and be it further
Resolved, That in the light of the action of the Presiding Bishop in deposing the Rt. Rev. Robert W. Duncan as Bishop of Pittsburgh for abandoning the communion of this Church, the Executive Council joins with the Presiding Bishop in recognizing the Rev. James Simons, the Rev. Jeffrey Murph, and Ms. Mary Roehrich as the current Standing committee of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, and designates a portion of the funds referred to in the first Resolve be sued to provide financial assistance during calendar year 2009 to the current leadership of the Diocese of Pittsburgh for clergy salaries and other expenses; and be it further
Resolved, That the Executive Council joins with the Presiding Bishop in recognizing The Rev. Keith Axberg, The Rev. Glenn Kanestrom, Ms. Cindy Smith, Mr. John Ledbetter, The Rev. John Shumaker, Mr. Richard Jennings, Ms. Beryl Simkins, and The Rev. Tim Vivian as the current Standing committee of the Diocese of San Joaquin and designates a portion of the funds referred to in the first Resolve be used to provide continued financial assistance to the current leadership of the Diocese of San Joaquin, as well as to the leadership of other similarly-situated dioceses, for clergy salaries and other expenses during the calendar year 2009; and be it further
Resolved, That the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church commends the work of all those involved in supporting the efforts by Dioceses to exercise their pastoral and fiduciary responsibilities in regard to the ownership of properties and funds; and be it further
Resolved, That the disbursement of these funds from one or more of the above trusts be made by the Presiding Bishop and the Treasurer.
Explanation:
Some members of the Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of San Joaquin and Pittsburgh have opted to leave the Church. The remaining members of these dioceses-lay and ordained-find they have reduced resources from which to care for one another and to reach out to those who do not know the Gospel of Christ. Ordained ministers, who provide an ongoing pastoral presence to the continuing Episcopalians, not face insecurity with respect to their salaries.
The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ—through prayer and worship, proclaiming the Gospel, and promoting justice, peace and love. These dioceses have become fertile areas for mission work.
The Executive Council authorized a draw of up to $500,000 to fund similar work in 2008. Through October, nearly $421,000 had been expended to support mission in the dioceses of San Joaquin, Fort Worth and Pittsburgh. These disbursements were reviewed and approved by legal counsel, who confirmed that the disbursements complied with the terms and conditions of the trusts.
The undistributed appreciation in the above named trust funds totaled an estimated $3.0 million as of 9/30/08.
This copy of the resolution is not a “certified” copy, but reproduced from the hard copy of the resolution in the same language passed by Council on October 23, 2008 in Helena, MT.
4 comments:
Jim -
Do you understand the distributed appreciation to be a total sum of of up to $700,000, portions of that sum distributed equally or unequally to the named dioceses; or do you understand that to mean each of the 4 named dioceses can request up to $700,000 for a total sum of up to $2.8M from the named trust funds?
Rob:My assumption was$700,000 total but I can ask.
Fr. Eaton knew this because it was asked and stated at convention. He was testing the waters -- par for the course. It is difficult for a leopard to change his spots.
Fred,
You sound extremely adversarial.
I'm not sure to what spots or what testing you refer. Besides, if you knew me at all, you'd know leopard isn't my favorite.
You don't see this as an important question, apparently. If you were listening closely at Hanford you would have heard the uncertainty I heard. It is not a done deal. And that's the answer I received as well at the combined deanery meeting in Fresno the week before. Not only was there the hint of uncertainty regarding how much would come our way, but from the dais at Hanford came only three names of dioceses rather than the four.
Fr. Jim took the time here to post the Exec. Council resolution, and I read at the end of the explanation that the Treasurer noted the possibility of $3M of appreciated income. Treasurers don't usually name sources and how much is available if they haven't been asked, "How much is available?" Mentioning Three Million leaves room for all four to receive considerable funds. So it is always good to be sure; "I'm not sure" is always an opening for research.
Fr. Jim, as the recognized head of the Standing Committee for TECUSA Pittsburgh, would have the connections at this point to get the question answered for good.
Wouldn't you like to know whether "up to $700,000" meant up to that amount for San Joaquin alone, rather than up to that amount split unequally between 4?
One way or the other, Fred, the question was not answered at Hanford about how much would be coming our way. I hope for the sake of those on the bishop's staff, including administrative staff, and for the sake of the subsidized vicars that at least those portions of the diocesan can be funded. I'm praying for that.
I'm truly sorry we did not meet and sit down and talk out what needs to be talked out. Could you describe yourself, or what you were wearing? I must have seen you at some point.
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