Committees, Commissions, and Boards: Diocesan Council

The Diocesan Council develops, administers, oversees, coordinates, and evaluates the program of the Diocese and maintains general supervision over the Diocese's budget and financial affairs. Members must be canonically resident in the Diocese. They should be knowledgeable about and active in diocesan programs.

Time of meeting
Diocesan Council meets about ten times a year, usually on the fourth Tuesday. On occasion the date may be changed. Phone Diocesan House, 1 877 394-5281, for confirmation of date.

The meetings are open to everyone.

Meeting reports
Below you'll find reports of Diocesan Council meetings in 2008. The most recent summaries are first. If you'd like to read Diocesan Council reports from earlier years, click the year that interests you:

2008
2007
2006
2005
2004

Report from the June 2009 Meeting of the Diocesan Council

At a meeting of the Diocesan Council on June 16, 2009, the Council:  

• Approved a conditional loan as recommended by the Loan and Grant Committee not to exceed $100,000 for 10 years to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Beverly, to be drawn from the Venture in Mission Loan Fund and to carry an interest rate of 4%.
• Adopted a Stewardship Statement.
• Received a Report on the work of the Congregational Development Committee.
• Received a Report on the work of the Environmental Commission.

Report from the May 2009 Meeting of the Diocesan Council

At a meeting of the Diocesan Council on May 26, 2009, the Council:

• Approved the interest rate for new loans from the Venture in Mission Loan Fund to be lowered to 4%.
• Approved a new loan of $69,036.30 to St. Thomas’ Church, Red Bank, over ten years at 4% from the Venture in Mission Fund, part of which would be to fund the specified new projects and part of which would represent rolling over the balance on the church’s existing, interest-free loan contingent upon St. Thomas’ Church having a consultation with a Stewardship Commission member before October 1, 2009. The loan was approved with the understanding that the proceeds from St. Thomas’ current Capital Campaign will go towards paying off the loan until the loan is paid off. Canon Greene will provide them with the loan documents to sign, with the payment schedule, upon the receipt of the copy of the Treasurer’s bond in the proper amount. 
• Approved $163,461 from the St. James Fund to be distributed equally among Ascension, Atlantic City, Epiphany, Ventnor, St. Augustine’s, Atlantic City, and St. Mary’s, Pleasantville.
• Authorized Bishop Councell to use his discretion in distributing any amount to the Church of the Ascension, Atlantic City, to assure that it is used to meet past and present obligations under the Letter of Agreement signed by Ascension and the Rev. Timothy Holder, Rector.
• Authorized the Trustees of Church Property to sell the garage at Grace Church, Elizabeth, located on the corner of East Jersey Street and Second Avenue.  The proceeds of the sale are to be used for the ministry of Grace Church, Elizabeth.
• Authorized a grant of $2,000 to Trinity Church, Vineland, at this time from the Board of Missions’ administrative line, which is all that is presently available. Bishop Romero will send a letter to the congregation informing them that this situation will be reviewed later in the year to see if monies are available within the budget for an additional grant.  
• Recommended to continue to fund line item #35, Millennium Development Goals, with .07% of our budget.

Report from the April 2009 Meeting of the Diocesan Council

At a meeting of the Diocesan Council on April 21, 2009, the Council:

• Approved a grace period of one-year for loan repayment and use of the full mission assistance allocation for the vicar’s compensation for St. Mark’s-at-the-Crossing, Williamstown.
• Approved the recommendation set by Chancellor Goldsack for holding funds in trust for the merger of Christ Church, Magnolia and Christ Church, Collingswood.  

March 2009

Diocesan Council did not meet in March, owing to Diocesan Convention.

Report from the February 2009 Meeting of the Diocesan Council

At a meeting of the Diocesan Council on February 17, 2009, the Council:

• Approved the Loan Fund Investment Policy Draft 5 for Diocesan Council for implementation.
• Adopted Draft 6 of the Delinquent Loans Policy, as amended.
• Approved $15,600 from the proceeds of the sale of Our Savior, Camden, to St. Andrew’s, Camden, for the roof and removal of the oil tank, contingent upon approval of the surrounding churches in Camden.

Report from the January 2009 Meeting of the Diocesan Council

At a meeting of the Diocesan Council on January 21, 2009, the Council:

• Approved the Proposed 2009 Budget as presented.
• Approved the Preliminary 2010 Budget as presented.
• Recognized that Diocesan Council has not maintained the schedule designed in 2007 regarding the Harriet Procter Matthews Fund, noting that this requirement is met in the Preliminary 2010 Budget.
• Approved a grant from the HPM Fund for Good Shepherd Church in the amount of $8,730.00 for a Parish Nurse Program.  This program will be evaluated and reviewed quarterly.  
• Approved two-thirds of the total payment for a building inspection for St. Thomas’ Church, Red Bank, from the line item for building inspections.
• Approved additional funds for St. Wilfrid’s, Camden, for asbestos removal from the proceeds of the sale of Our Saviour, Camden, and Trinity Church, Delair, contingent on approval of the surrounding Camden churches.
• Approved a grant in the amount of $5,800 for Cristo Rey, Trenton, from the Capital and Revolving Fund to help pay for its recently installed boiler, on condition that the church have an energy audit, to be reimbursed by a grant from the Loan and Grant Committee from the same Fund. 
• Concurred with the Board of Missions recommendation for St. Mary’s, Clementon, to sell its Ministry Center with the stipulation that the proceeds are placed in a DIT account and only the interest income is used. 

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