Meeting Minutes March 12, 2015

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

March 12, 2015

Members Present:

Bob Batchelor, Sunil Chandy, Greg DeGroot, Betsy Fornal, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes (via phone), Ann Rheault.

Meeting was called to order at 5:15 pm. 

Budget Review

As of Feb. 28 revenue exceeds expenses.  Moving to ACS gives us a month-by-month budget comparison with a more detailed and realistic look at where we stand at any point.  Bob reported that he expects a balanced budget in 2015.

With the passing of the March 1 parochial report deadline, 22 of 50 parochial reports have been received, and so far expected apportionment income for 2015 is fairly flat relative to 2014. 

The budget hearing May 6 will be at Trinity Scituate from 7-9 p.m. with light refreshments.  The May 7 hearing will tentatively take place at Christ Church Westerly (St. Peter’s Narragansett could be a backup if there is a conflict).

We should ask Peter Tierney about the 2015 Task Force’s input for the budget hearings: what we should be doing that we aren’t already doing on a diocesan level, what are future directions and unmet needs.  The diocese may be able to support programs and projects that are beyond the ability of individual parishes to support. 

In addition to hearing from people who attend the hearings from throughout the diocese, we should invite people to make presentations about the following program areas: ECC (Megan Kelly), Hispanic Ministries (Bill Locke), Jonathan Daniels House (Gillian Barr), Cathedral Reconciliation project (Linda Grenz and David Dobbins), Congregational Development Commission, Future Areas of Need, 2015 Task Force (Peter Tierney).

David will to talk to Linda and Peter and Ben about crafting the invitation to the hearings.  The question we want each presenter to answer is, “How is the gospel being proclaimed through this ministry.”

Sunil suggested that the hearings be videotaped and posted to the web – David will talk to Ben about making that happen.

Next Meeting: Thursday, April 9, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes Feb. 12, 2015

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

February 12, 2015

Members Present:

Bob Batchelor, Sunil Chandy (via Skype), Greg deGroot, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Ann Rheault, Peter Tierney,

Meeting was called to order at 5:00 pm. 

The group welcomed new member Sunil Chandy, rector of Christ Church, Westerly, who joined the meeting via Skype.

Budget Review

All information is now on the ACS Church Accounting Software system.  The 6-page Analysis of Revenues & Expenses Summary represents a condensation of all 600 accounts on the ledger, and now the Committee on Finance and other committees have this condensed version.

Budget Worksheet 2015 – All Diocese combines apportioned and non-apportioned (endowment) and now has a 2016 column.

Income (pp. 1-6): total revenue budgeted for 2015 is $3,827,000.  Expenses (pp. 6-24)

Theoretical question: Is this the year we go to a zero-based budget?

Answer: No. The 2015 Task Force is wrapping up its five-year process of strategic planning, involving a review of existing resources, missions and structures.  It was agreed that we should receive, digest and act on their report and recommendations before overhauling the budget structure.  2017 might be the year to rebuild the budget from the ground up.

The first budget hearings are set for May 6 and 7.  We are trying to get input from the committees and entities that receive budget dollars before we actually work on the budget, so we should encourage them to attend.  Ask Communications Director Ben Sibielski what we should call these hearings to make them appealing.

Suggestion: in the budget report, boldface line items that we cannot change, and just discuss discretionary items. 

Episcopal Conference Center (ECC) represents a big chunk of the diocesan budget (10% ofdiscretionary) but is also a huge goodwill PR positive for the diocese.  Strategic planning would be helpful in moving towards sustainability and funding new projects, like the Bishop Wolf Conference Center, which could be rented out for retreats and other meetings.

Budget Big picture: $3.2 million budget, $1.5 million non-apportioned (endowment), $1.5 million apportioned, $300-400K pass-through from Episcopal Charities.

Next Meeting: Thursday, March 12, 2014 @ 5:00 p.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes Jan. 8, 2015

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

January 8, 2015

Members Present:

Bob Batchelor, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes (via phone), Ann Rheault, Peter Tierney,

Meeting was called to order at 10:40 am. 

In an effort to recruit new members meetings will now be scheduled for the second Thursday of the month at 5:00 pm.  We should encourage conference calling and Skyping for members, since it’s difficult to come into the city at 5:00.

Three or four Spring budget meetings should be used to determine what we want our budget to look like.  We will go around the diocese and listen to what people are doing, asking the strategic questions: What is working well? What is not happening that should be happening? What are you doing that you’re excited about? How could the diocese help you do it better? Did you know that this other church is doing the same thing? What networks exist? Encourage networking hubs, not command-and-control, top-down approach.  The 2015 Task Force is targeting leadership groups – deacons, priests, treasurers, wardens – and will be pulling their work together after June 2015.  This should piggyback on their work, and we should get the lay of the land from them, then go diocese-wide for a gut check.  We might be able to have fewer Fall budget presentations with this approach.

Spring budget hearings are set for May 7 and May 8 at locations tbd – one in the north and one in the south.

Budget Review

The ACS system is a big improvement over the spreadsheets of the past and their associated errors.  You can just push a button and get a report.  It will lead to more clarity and more transparency.

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 12, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes Oct. 9, 2014

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

October 9, 2014

Members Present:

Greg DeGroot, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Ted Hallenbeck, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes, Ann Rheault, Peter Tierney,

Meeting was called to order at 10:30 am. 

Budget Review

ECC: An increase in the number of campers has led to an increase in consumables and the need to bring on additional staff.  We need to see how much the diocese is actually subsidizing the running of the camp, call it a camp subsidy report, since expenses outstrip income.

Three budget presentations are needed:

Commission on Finance on Oct. 14 should be a big picture, high-level numbers report.

Diocesan Council on Oct. 22 should present the numbers without the stories.

Diocesan Convention on Nov. 8 should be more about the stories with less emphasis on numbers.  Ben and Linda are working on slides.  David and Linda will talk by phone.

Program and Budget needs to decide if and how the diocese is going to become involved in the Cathedral project. Ten years ago the estimate to restore the building to historical guidelines was around $14 million, but recently contractors went through the building and reassessed what it would take to get the basics done.  Estimated $1.3 million to secure the envelope (roof, windows, trench).  Split the project into 5-6 phases: museum and installation, library (bathroom and elevator), sanctuary. Total came in around $6 million.  Some revenue sources that are being pursued: RI Foundation planning grant, Champlin Grant for the envelope, Lily, Ford Foundation.

Next Meeting: Thursday, January 8, 2014 @ 10:30 a.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes Sept. 11, 2014

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

September 11, 2014

Members Present:

Greg DeGroot, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Ted Hallenbeck, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes, Ann Rheault, Peter Tierney

Meeting was called to order at 10:30 am. 

Budget Review

Apportionment Funded Budget:

College Ministry and Chaplaincy: has been increased to add support to the University of Rhode Island; more could be added.

Communications: subheadings of Computer Software/Maintenance and New/Replacement Equipment have been increased; it’s mission-critical to offer digital wallets and PayPal capabilities to make it easier to give.

Leadership Training: subhead School for Ministry has increased; this covers licenses for worship leaders, pastoral care, preaching.

Triennial General Convention: we have enough of a surplus reserved for EYE so funding for that was reduced from in 2015.

Convention Scheduling

At the Aquidneck Deanery meeting last night David and some P&B members held a dry-run of the budget presentation, highlighting major shifts. David felt it might be best to give total numbers first, saying we are spending X to do our work.  Show slices of the pie in 7 large chunks, then drill down to the details of changes in the big items.

P&B next meets Oct. 9; Commission on Finance meets Oct. 15; Diocesan Council meets Oct. 22.

We are still making up the budget development process and getting feedback from people at the deanery meetings.  We can amend the budget after Convention.

The first budget presentation will be at the Narragansett Deanery meeting at St. Augustines, Sept. 15; the next on Oct. 7 when Blackstone Deanery meets at Emmanual Church in Cumberland.

The meeting notice for the Deanery meetings inviting folks to come hear about the budget was emailed to delegates, but not to alternates.  Staff will correct this.

Next Meeting: Thursday, October 9, 2014 @ 10:30 a.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes August 14, 2014

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

August 14, 2014

Members Present:

Greg DeGroot, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Ted Hallenbeck, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes, Ann Rheault, Ron Turnbull

Meeting was called to order at 10:30 am. 

Budget Review

Donation to the National Church is down this year, due to lower budget from two years ago.

Rental income from the annex will be needed to make repairs to that structure next year.

Convention Scheduling

Narragansett Deanery meets Sept. 15, which will be the first budget presentation.  We hope to get video from Communications Director Ben Sibielski, and will need to write a script to tell the story.  Other deanery meetings are: Blackstone on Sept. 16, West Bay on Sept. 23, Central on Sept. 25.

Presentations should highlight Hispanic Ministries, ECC, New Church, JDH, Advent, Church Beyond the Walls, restarts and investment in turnarounds.

Next Meeting: Thursday, September 11, 2014 @ 10:30 a.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault

Meeting Minutes July 17, 2014

Minutes of the

Committee on Program and Budget

July 17, 2014

Members Present:

Bob Batchelor, Betsy Fornal, Linda Grenz, Ted Hallenbeck, Bishop Knisely, David Lucey, Jim Rezendes, Ann Rheault, Peter Tierney, Ron Turnbull

Meeting was called to order at 10:37 am. 

Thrivent Financial, an arm of the Lutheran brotherhood, has established a credit union for people of faith. 

Budget Review

Five parishes have not yet submitted parochial reports, but the current numbers represent 90 percent of units.

Non-Apportioned Diocesan Resource Funds are taking care of missions, including New Church Pascoag, Advent Coventry, Jonathan Daniels House; but these should be moved over to apportioned side of budget.

St. John’s Newport will soon be restored to parish status.

Episcopal Charities is running behind, it’s possible the new database has lost some contacts.  They only award money to organizations (in Oct/Nov) when the income is there so they’re not giving away money they don’t have. 

Convention Scheduling

Convention is set for Nov. 8, 2014 and we will try a new way of educating people on the budget.  Would like to have storyboards for a dedicated video presentation that can be posted on the web and shown at budget hearings in the fall.  Also a PowerPoint presentation with graphics and a video narrative of the budgets.  We can show the presentation at deanery meetings, where dialog with attendees can help us improve the convention presentation.  David will check the canons and look at the 2013 budget-hearing schedule. They’ll probably take place in mid to late Sept.

Next Meeting: Thursday, August 14, 2014 @ 10:30 a.m. in the Higgins Room.

Respectfully submitted,

Ann Kane Rheault