Standing Committee Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande Meeting ...

Standing Committee
Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande
Meeting Summary
Monday, January 14, 2007
The Standing Committee met with the Deans on Monday, January 14, 2007 at the
Diocesan House. Highlights and actions taken at the meeting are reflected below.
- Fr. Phil Parham has been called as the rector to St. Alban’s, El Paso.
- Norma Betz who lives in Farmington will assist in the re-development of Cursillo in
Navajoland at the request of the community in Navajoland and with the support of the
Cursillo Secretariat of the North.
- Diane Butler and Betsy Yost, who were the first and second alternate respectively,
have been appointed as deputies to the 2009 General Convention and Synod meetings to
replace two deputies who had resigned.
- The Executive Council of the Episcopal Church will be meeting in the Diocese of the
Rio Grande June 13-15, 2007. Dean Mark Goodman will serve as the liaison and
establish the schedule for the visit.
- The Diocese needs to develop its policy for sexual ethics training as the insurance
company no longer requires it. The Standing Committee appointed the Dean of the
School for Ministry, Fr. Michael Perko and Bob Stice to work with Fr. Colin Kelly on the
development and conduct of his policy. They are to report at the February meeting of the
Standing Committee.
- The Communications Committee, chaired by Dean Mark Goodman, will meet on
January 24, 2007. Dean Goodman at the Cathedral should be contacted for details.
- Fr. Colin Kelly will be meeting on Friday, January 18 with the first applicant to offer
to assist with developing a healing strategy throughout the Diocese. Others will also be
interviewed and a report will be made at the February Meeting.
- A major portion of the meeting was devoted to the selection of the Assisting Bishop.
The group divided into subgroups to discuss qualifications sought, job description and the
compensation package.
Attributes:
1. Compliant with the recommendations of The Windsor Report.
2. A pastor with a servant heart.
3. Someone who can serve as a liaison to the Standing Committee
and Diocesan Council.
Job Description for the Assisting Bishop of the Diocese of the Rio Grande
Scope: To provide for the sacramental and pastoral needs of the Diocese and
provide counsel to the Standing Committee.
Specific Responsibilities:
1. Preach, celebrate and confirm during official visitations.
2. Ordain deacons and priests for ministry in the Diocese of the Rio
Grande.
3. Inspect parish records and share results of the visit with the Standing
Committee.

4. With the Standing Committee, share ministry of pastoral care to clergy
and their families.
5. Give counsel to the Standing Committee with respect to issuing Letters
Dimissory and licenses.
6. Give counsel to Standing Committee with respect to mediation of
disputes with vestries.
7. Give counsel to the Standing Committee to informal and formal
canonical discipline of clergy.
A compensation package which addressed salary, transportation, housing, and
meals was adopted as a guideline for the Standing Committee to use in calling an
Assisting Bishop. We thank all those who suggested names for our consideration.
We consulted with Bishop Clay Mathews on all bishops offered to us, before
making our final selection. We plan to announce who that will be by Friday,
January 25, by announcement on this web page.
- There will be a special meeting of the Standing Committee to focus on the search
process for a new Bishop. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 29. The agenda
will include the development of a process for forming both search and transition
committees, size and composition of the Search Committee, the process to gather names
and name the committee members, the process to gather Diocesan input, the timeline, and
the charge to the committee(s).
- The next regular meeting of the Standing Committee and the Board of Trustees will
be held on February 19, 2007.
The following items are reported from the meeting of the Board of Trustees:
-Church of the Ascension: Two members of the Trustees met in Cloudcroft in
December with Church of the Ascension and it was agreed that they would be on the
January agenda of the Board of Trustees. The Vicar, Assistant Treasurer and Vice
President of their council came on the 14 th to discuss their desire to leave the Episcopal
Church. They have agreed to work together with the Trustees for the next 6 months in
accord with the Canons of the Episcopal Church. The first step is the building of a trust
relationship between Church of the Ascension and the Diocese.
-At this time there is no plan to move Diocesan House. The vestry of the Cathedral has
decided to purchase the Berger Briggs building and will initially utilize the building for
youth and outreach ministries. We congratulate them on their farsightedness and our
prayers are with them!
-Hope Episcopal Church will break ground on their new church facility 2:00 PM
Friday, February 1. Congratulations to Fr Dan Teuton and all the people of Hope
Episcopal, with special thanks to Bishop’s Warden, Howie Tischler.