Introducing Ministry Council Cohorts

Dear Trinity Church and friends,

Grace and Peace and summer greetings! Hoping this message finds you and yours well, we write with an update on the development of Trinity’s Ministry Council.

Building on the work of the 2020-2021 Leadership Development Task Force (and its report, found here) and the 2021-2022 Ministry Collaborative, we announced the coming launch of the Ministry Council at our 2023 Annual Parish Meeting this February (Morgan’s sermon and Annual Parish Address from that Meeting can be found here).

Following the Annual Parish Meeting, members of the staff convened for a workday on February 24. After a slight COVID deferment, your Vestry then picked up that initial coordination of active- and inactive-ministry data during a day retreat on May 20, and at its regular meeting on June 14. During these discussions, we winnowed the list of ministry “Cohorts” from six to five; confirmed Staff Support assignments; identified Vestry Liaisons and called from those ranks an initial Cohort Co-Convener; and invited second Co-Conveners from the ministries comprising each Cohort:

Finance, Facilities, & Administration
Vestry Liaisons: Tim Martin (Building Committee Chair); Chuks Okoli (Audit Committee Chair); Olie Thorp (Treasurer)
Staff Support: Rob Hess (CFO) and Lonsdale Koester (Director of Stewardship)
Cohort Co-Conveners: Olie Thorp and Kathy Sheehan

Hospitality & Care
Vestry Liaisons: Christine Arcese, Christopher Atwood, Peter Renner
Staff Support: Kit Lonergan (Priest for Welcome & Care) and Paige Fisher (Associate for Community Life)
Cohort Co-Conveners: Christine Arcese and Laurie Buchta

Lifelong Formation
Vestry Liaisons: Josh Fiala, Niven Narain, Katie Wrisley Shelby
Staff Support: Abi Moon (Senior Associate) and Katrina Leslie (Minister for Youth & Young Adults)
Cohort Co-Convener: Katie Wrisley Shelby and Peter Howe

Outreach & Justice
Vestry Liaisons: Richard Henderson, Constance Perry, Pam Waterman
Staff Support: Michael Battle (Theologian-in-Community) and Alison Poor (Director of the Rector’s Office)
Cohort Co-Conveners: Pam Waterman and David McFerrin

Worship
Vestry Liaisons: Vincent James and Mary Roetzel
Staff Support: Abi Moon (Senior Associate) and Colin Lynch (Director of Music)
Cohort Co-Conveners: Mary Roetzel and Brad Johnson

As anticipated in her portfolio announced last summer, Abi Moon will chair the Ministry Council. This summer, she will be at work encouraging and resourcing the Co-Conveners and Staff Support as they reach out to the ministries in their Cohorts and confirm: their ministry lists are complete; that all ministries have shared a Ministry Description; that all ministries have identified leadership; that all ministry leaders are “Communicants in Good Standing,” faithfully pledging, praying, and working for the reign of God; that all leaders have identified terms to their service; and that all ministries have a clear leadership-succession plan in place (or are working toward that outcome).

Your Vestry is excited about this energizing momentum! As we make progress, we look forward to keeping in touch with you. In the meantime, please consider us a resource as we can be helpful. If you will, reply to this message and we will direct your concern to the person who can best respond.

Looking forward to ministry with you,

Chris Allen, Senior Warden
Barbara Dortch-Okara, Junior Warden
Morgan Allen, Rector