The 213th Annual Council - Diocese of Virginia

Proceedings
Region III
Region IV
Region VI
Region VII
Region VIII
Region IX
Region X
Region XI
Region XII
Region XIII
Region XIV
Region XV
Ms. Carol Burroughs
Mr. Churchill “Kirk” Gibson
The Rev. John Baker
The Rev. Vinnie Lainson
The Rev. Grayce O’Neill
Ms. Miffy Hall
The Rev. Dana Corsello
The Rev. Anne Kirchmier
The Rev. Laura Inscoe
Mr. Douglas Cady
The Rev. Chris Cunningham
Ms. Doris Savage
By custom, the ECW president also has seat and voice at meetings of the Board, and this
year we have been pleased to be joined by Anna Lou Flynn in that capacity.
I’d like to give you, the Annual Council, the opportunity to express your appreciation for
the work of these faithful volunteers who give of their time to help lead this Diocese.
Executive Board terms are for three years, and one third of the Board will end their
service at the close of this Council tomorrow.
The Executive Board receives strong support and guidance from the staff of the Diocese.
In particular, I would recognize Patrick Getlein who serves as coordinator for the Board
and Michael Kerr, treasurer of the Diocese. A review of the activity of the Board reveals
the importance of virtually all of the diocesan staff in framing the issues for review and
implementing the plan of the Board and the decisions of Council.
The Executive Board met six times since the last Council. Two of the meetings—those in
April at St. George’s, Fredericksburg and November at Christ Church, Spotsylvania—
were jointly with the Standing Committee, the regional deans and the regional
presidents. The Board met as well in February at Mayo House in Richmond, in June
at Immanuel-on-the-Hill in Alexandria, in September at St. Mary’s, Arlington and in
December at Roslyn.
The Executive Board is the governing body of the Diocese in between sessions of this
Council. The canons of the Diocese direct that the Board “shall prepare and recommend
diocesan programs, and the proposed funding of such programs.” To discharge these
functions, the Board has organized itself into two standing working groups: a working
group on the budget and a working group on program. The budget group was led this
year by Don Metheny, and the program group by Miffy Hall.
The work of the budget group during the year culminates with presentation of the budget
at Council, and members of the budget working group are by custom also appointed
to the Budget Committee of Council. During the year, a principal budget issue has
been accommodating the unusual demands placed upon our resources by the property
litigation. As has been widely discussed, the staff has developed a plan for financing the
costs of litigation through prudent use of a line of credit. The retirement of this debt, in
turn, will take place at an appropriate time when sale of unconsecrated land is arranged.
The timing of that action will depend upon market conditions. A goal of this plan is to
minimize the impact of ongoing litigation costs on the program of the Diocese.
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The Diocese of Virginia t Journal of the the 213 th Annual Council