Dear St. Paul’s family,
The Chapter is the name given to the cathedral’s board
of directors, the equivalent of a parish vestry. It consists of the Dean, 12
people elected by the congregation, two elected by diocesan convention, and one
appointed by the Bishop. Our bylaws and diocesan canons say very little about
the responsibilities of the Chapter, other than it being elected “to manage its
temporalities”. The Dean is explicitly given authority over all matters of
ritual and ceremonial and has responsibility for keeping the membership
register and the record of worship services.
The traditional model is that the clergy under the
direction of the Dean take care of all spiritual and program matters and the
Chapter confines itself to paying the bills and keeping the facility in good
order. However, as our denomination increasingly embraces the model of Mutual
Ministry, where every member of the church shares in ministry rather than it
being delegated to the professionals, the role of vestries and Chapters is
undergoing an evolution, and our Chapter is growing into a greater role of
spiritual leadership in partnership with the Dean. In recent years our Chapter
has begun each year by composing a Covenant to guide our behavior, and we also
conduct an annual Mutual Ministry review, laying out expectations and goals for
the Dean on one hand and the Chapter and congregation on the other. In the Chapter section of our website, you can read
a copy of this year’s Covenant. The most recently approved Mutual Ministry Agreement (MMA) will also be posted there very soon.
Chapter members are expected to attend monthly
meetings, to be active in worship, giving, and parish life, to pray for the
church community, and to take leadership in special projects and events as
needed. Those elected by the congregation serve a three-year term. Any member of the congregation may attend a
Chapter meeting as an observer: meetings are generally held on the first
Tuesday of the month at 5:30 pm in the Guild Room. As Dean, I rely heavily on
Chapter to be my partners in setting direction and strategic thought, and I
especially rely on the two Wardens to be my trusted advisors and truth-tellers
in sensitive matters such as human resources. It is a blessing to work with
such wise, faithful, and kind individuals.
direction of the Dean take care of all spiritual and program matters and the
Chapter confines itself to paying the bills and keeping the facility in good
order. However, as our denomination increasingly embraces the model of Mutual
Ministry, where every member of the church shares in ministry rather than it
being delegated to the professionals, the role of vestries and Chapters is
undergoing an evolution, and our Chapter is growing into a greater role of
spiritual leadership in partnership with the Dean. In recent years our Chapter
has begun each year by composing a Covenant to guide our behavior, and we also
conduct an annual Mutual Ministry review, laying out expectations and goals for
the Dean on one hand and the Chapter and congregation on the other. In the Chapter section of our website, you can read
a copy of this year’s Covenant. The most recently approved Mutual Ministry Agreement (MMA) will also be posted there very soon.
Chapter members are expected to attend monthly
meetings, to be active in worship, giving, and parish life, to pray for the
church community, and to take leadership in special projects and events as
needed. Those elected by the congregation serve a three-year term. Any member of the congregation may attend a
Chapter meeting as an observer: meetings are generally held on the first
Tuesday of the month at 5:30 pm in the Guild Room. As Dean, I rely heavily on
Chapter to be my partners in setting direction and strategic thought, and I
especially rely on the two Wardens to be my trusted advisors and truth-tellers
in sensitive matters such as human resources. It is a blessing to work with
such wise, faithful, and kind individuals.
Your sister in Christ,
The Very Rev Penny Bridges
