Dear St. Paul’s community,
As you may know, it’s that time of year when we are looking for candidates to stand for election to Chapter. Chapter is the Cathedral’s version of Vestry, or church council. We meet monthly, usually via Zoom, to run what could be considered a Board of Directors meeting of the Cathedral. The meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 5:30pm, and tend to last no more than 1 ½ hrs. The post is for 3 years at a time, and re-election is permitted. Chapter members have fiduciary responsibilities. The Dean serves as President of Chapter. Chapter meetings are open to all parishioners, and you are welcome to sit in on one.
I have been a member of St. Paul’s Cathedral since December 2009, and a member of Chapter since January 2021. I am now on my 2nd term as a Chapter member. There are two Wardens, both elected members of Chapter. The Senior warden, appointed by the Dean, is known as the “priest’s warden”, or in St. Paul’s case, the “Dean’s Warden”, and the junior warden is known as the “People’s Warden.” Here at St. Paul’s, the People’s Warden is elected by the Chapter. In some parishes, the people’s warden may be given responsibility for the upkeep of the parish buildings and grounds. The People’s Warden presides at Chapter meetings if both the Dean and the Dean’s Warden are absent. When a new Rector or Dean joins a parish, the wardens begin the Celebration of New Ministry service by addressing the Bishop. They express the congregation’s intent to welcome the new minister and state that the new minister has been selected in a prayerful and lawful manner. A warden typically presents the keys of the church to the new minister during the ceremony.
The wardens’ responsibilities include signing checks and legal documents. They write monthly reports and attend the Chapter meetings. Chapter is represented at various functions such as funerals. In terms of day-to-day functions, at least one of the wardens is expected to attend the myriad committee meetings, and act as a liaison between the committee, Clergy, Staff and Chapter. As Dean’s Warden, I have been attending the Building and Grounds, Capital Campaign Leadership, Stewardship, Mutual Ministry, Finance, Family Ministry, Women Together, Evangelism, Strategic Planning, Endowment, and Stewardship committees. With so many meetings, I am grateful for Zoom!
My favorite part of this this assignment is interacting with so many different members of the Cathedral. I have met and gotten to know several people who were not in my immediate circle. The volunteers on the various committees have taken on a lot of responsibility, and everyone plays a role in the proper functioning of the church. St Paul’s is blessed to have a
group of dedicated volunteers and staff, and some people wear several hats.
I encourage those of you who are looking for a way to participate more fully in the activities at St. Paul’s to join a committee, or stand for election to Chapter in January. It has been a rewarding experience for me so far, and I hope to continue for the foreseeable future. There is a lot to be accomplished as we recover from the pandemic and expand our outreach. It’s a team effort, and all are welcome to play a part.
Sincerely,
Kimberly H Fernandez
Dean’s Warden
Thank you for your service to the Cathedral!