Diocese of Nebraska

Annual Council Business October 9-11, 2014

Annual Council 2014 Hampton Inn & Suites Conference Center, Scottsbluff Nebraska

October 9 – 11, 2014 Thursday October 9, 2014 2:00 - 5:30 p.m. Early Arrivals & Check-Ins 5:30 p.m. Gather at Scottsbluff Monument

190276 Old Oregon Trail Rd. Gering, NE 69341

6:00 p.m. Rite of Confirmation Scottsbluff Monument Amphitheatre Located behind the museum

7:00 p.m. Reception at St. Francis - Dinner on your own St. Francis – 14 East 20th Scottsbluff, NE 69361

Special Group Meetings as necessary 8:00-10:00 p.m. Late Council Registration at Hampton Inn ______________________________________________________________________________ Friday October 10, 2014 Vendors Open all day in Hotel – at back of ballroom. 7:30 a.m. Breakfast on your own - Each Hotel offers a free breakfast for guests. 9:00 a.m. Small Groups at assigned tables - Morning Worship with Music 9:45 a.m. Bishop’s Address - Small Group Discussions 10:20 a.m. BUSINESS SESSION 1 10:35 a.m. FIRST ELECTION BALLOT 11:00 a.m. Break 11:30 a.m. Keynote Address – Mike Wagner -Small Group Discussions 12:30 p.m. Noonday Prayer 1:00 p.m. Box Lunch & Workshops (Listed on next page) 2:45 p.m. Small Group Discussion 3:00 p.m. BUSINESS MEETING II 3:15 p.m. Treasurer's Report - Vote on 2015 Budget 3:45 p.m. Reports and Presentations 4:45 p.m. Meeting Adjourns for the day - Snack available

AA Meeting will be available in the Executive Boardroom 5:30 p.m. Festival Eucharist

Calvary Lutheran 17 E. 27th. Scottsbluff, NE 69361

7:00 p.m. Banquet with Cash Bar - Dinner Buffet – Musical Entertainment - Branden Sipes

______________________________________________________________________________ Saturday October 11, 2014 7:00 a.m. Breakfast on your own - Each Hotel offers a free breakfast for guests 8:00 a.m. Conference Room Opens 8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer – Final Small Groups 9:00 a.m. BUSINESS MEETING III 10:00 a.m. Break & Snacks 10:15 a.m. Discussion and Voting on Submitted Resolutions 12:30 p.m. Adjourn

COUNCIL REGISTRATION 2014 ALLIANCE, St. Matthew’s

Coke McClure, Clergy

John Adam, Clergy

Cheryl Harris, Clergy

Kristy Dietrich, Delegate

Rick Deans, Delegate

Kathy Graham, Alternate

Charles Plantz, Alternate

Tamara McClure, Visitor

Mike Dietrich, Visitor

Todd Harris, Visitor

Anne Adam, Visitor

Dean Huckfeldt, Visitor

Bill Reno, Visitor

Sandi Reno, Visitor

ARAPAHOE, St. Paul’s

Ashley Groves, Delegate

Corey Groves, Alternate

BASSETT, St. Mary’s

Randy Goeke, Clergy

Jan With, Clergy

Linda Baugher, Delegate

Mike Skulavik, Delegate

Max Goodrich, Alternate

Lucy Geib, Alternate

BEATRICE, Christ Church

Marilyn Hasemann, Clergy

BELLEVUE, Holy Spirit

Tom Jones, Clergy

Bob Richter, Delegate

Ruth Richter, Delegate

Corey Hagen, Delegate

Michele Hagen, Delegate

Vic Culp, Delegate

Sharon Jones, Alternate

Kim Culp, Alternate

Judy Darrell, Alternate

BLAIR, St. Mary’s

None Available

BROKEN BOW, St. John’s

Mary Jane Gockley, Clergy

Carol Werley, Delegate

Ann Keller, Alternate

CENTRAL CITY, Christ Church

None Available

CHARDON, Grace Church

Russ Seger, Clergy

COLUMBUS, Grace Church

Ellie Thober, Clergy

Tammy Lassen, Delegate

Betty Lassen, Delegate

COZAD, St. Christopher’s

None Available

CREIGHTON, St. Mark’s

None Available

CRETE, Trinity Memorial

None Available

DE WITT, St. Augustine’s

None Available

ELKHORN, St. Augustine

Nicolette Papanek, Clergy

Pat Sheldon, Clergy

David Holmquist, Clergy

Noelle Ptomey, Visitor

Grant Suhr, Delegate

Sandra Squires, Delegate

FALLS CITY, St. Thomas

Larry Parrish, Clergy

Mary Parrish, Delegate

FREMONT, St. James

Maureen May, Clergy

GORDON, St. Mark’s

Betty Blackcrow, Delegate

Darwin Long, Alternate

Loretta Kacere, Visitor

Michael Kacere, Visitor

GRAND ISLAND, St. Stephen’s

Robert Lewis, Clergy

Leslie Lewis, Delegate

Rich Webb, Delegate

Roxie Webb, Delegate

Ellen Lewis, Visitor

Edwin Lewis, Visitor

HARRISBURG, Good Shepherd

Gladys Wyatt, Delegate

HARVARD, St. John’s

Story Schwenk, Delegate

HASTINGS, St. Mark’s Pro Cathedral

Catherine Scott, Clergy

Clint Schwenk, Delegate

Katharina Schwidtal, Delegate

Lyndel Lewis, Delegate

HOLDREGE, St. Elizabeth’s

John Titus, Clergy

Holli Rich, Delegate

HYANNIS, Calvary Church

Coke McClure, Clergy

Joy Boyer, Delegate

Kathy Cover, Alternate

KEARNEY, St. Luke’s

Jerry Ness, Clergy

Colleen Lewis, Clergy

Cindy Dennis, Delegate

Karen Park, Delegate

KIMBALL, St. Hilda’s

Chris Plantz, Clergy

Dale Hendrickson, Delegate

LEXINGTON, St. Peter’s

Kay Knudson, Clergy

Kathy Thomsen, Delegate

Shirley Knudson, Visitor

LINCOLN, Holy Trinity

Susanna DesMarais, Clergy

Dr. John Long, Clergy

Dan Coffman, Clergy

Mary Lu Long, Delegate

Sally Bates, Delegate

David Bloomquist, Delegate

LINCOLN, St. David’s

Tim Anderson, Clergy

Sarah Grubb, Clergy

Jo Bomberger, Delegate

LINCOLN, St. Mark’s on the Campus

Jerry Thompson, Clergy

John Flint, Delegate

Ray Lowther, Delegate

LINCOLN, St. Matthew’s

Craig Gavin, Clergy

Rich Kelly, Clergy

Bob Snow, Clergy

Ron Jacob, Delegate

Jan Jacob, Delegate

Susan Streich, Delegate

Heather Bauer, Delegate

Mike Parish, Delegate

Steve Foral, Alternate

Claire Elser, Alternate

Ellen Snow, Visitor

John M. Jones, Visitor

Paula Jones, Visitor

McCOOK, St. Alban’s

Brad Brauer, Clergy

Daniel Stramel, Delegate

Linda Clark, Alternate

Cloyd Clark, Alternate

Leslie Stramel, Visitor

MITCHELL, Holy Apostles

Angie Jones, Clergy

Jenny Hughson, Delegate

Lee Hughson, Alternate

Sr. Elizabeth-Sojourner, Visitor

MULLEN, St. Joseph’s

None Available

NEBRASKA CITY, St. Mary’s

Phil Chapman, Clergy

Diana Chapman, Visitor

NORFOLK, Trinity Church

Bob Schlismann, Clergy

Carol Schlismann, Delegate

Kathy Siemsglusz, Delegate

NORTH PLATTE, Our Savior

Jeffrey Nelson, Clergy

Ruth Carson, Delegate

Dan Brown, Delegate

Phyllis Shavlik, Delegate

Milo Shavlik, Visitor

Brian Gardner, Alternate

OGALLALA, St. Paul’s

None Available

OMAHA, All Saints

Judi Yeates, Clergy

Jay Gabb, Clergy

Lynne Bacon, Clergy

Stephanie Ulrich, Clergy

Jeremy Vogt, Delegate

Bob Brown, Delegate

Roy Phillips, Delegate

Jim Yeates, Delegate

Fred Ulrich, Delegate

Craig O’Connor, Delegate

Sam Brown, Deletate

Bob Morley, Alternate

Bryan Peterson, Alternate

OMAHA, Church of the Resurrection

Jason Emerson, Clergy

Juanita Johnson, Clergy

Keith Winton, Delegate

Lesley Dean, Delegate

OMAHA, St. Andrew’s

John Schaefer, Clergy

John Adams, Clergy

Tom Upton, Clergy

Camille Culp, Delegate

Cricket Foley, Delegate

Lois Westfall, Delegate

Jane Upton, Visitor

OMAHA, St. Martin of Tours

Kim Roberts, Clergy

Patrick Vossen, Delegate

Lynn Martin, Delegate

Jim Martin, Visitor

OMAHA, Trinity Cathedral

Craig Loya, Clergy

Debbie Andrews, Delegate

Michael Duffy, Delegate

Tanya Potts, Delegate

Carol Schrader, Delegate

OSHKOSH, St. George’s

Joan Phillips, Clergy

PAPILLION, St. Martha’s

Ernesto Medina, Clergy

Nancy Huston, Clergy

Wes Agar, Clergy

Beth Agar, Delegate

Michael Heller, Delegate

John Greise, Delegate

Phil Brown, Alternate

PLATTSMOUTH, St. Luke’s

Mavis Hall, Clergy

Ellen Olson, Clergy

Mike Hall, Delegate

Merlin Olson, Delegate

Neal Langan, Alternate

Diana Chapman, Alternate

RUSHVILLE, St. Mary’s Holly

Phyllis Krotz, Delegate

Pat Wellnitz, Alternate

James Krotz, Visitor

Jerry Wellnitz, Visitor

SCOTTSBLUFF, St. Francis

Mark Selvey, Clergy

Karen Anderson, Clergy

Robert Manasek, Clergy

Terry Haney, Delegate

SEWARD, St. Andrew’s

Helen Goltl, Clergy

Rise Mitchell, Delegate

Cal Williams, Delegate

Pam Williams, Visitor

SIDNEY, Christ Church

Bob Cook, Clergy

Marian Cook, Delegate

TECUMSEH, Grace Church

None

VALENTINE, St. John’s

None

WYMORE, St. Luke’s

Pr. Gretchen R. Naugle, Clergy

Ronald C. Naugle, Delegate

DIOCESE STAFF

The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker, Clergy

The Rev. Canon Liz Easton, Clergy

Archdeacon Betsy Bennett, Clergy

Beth Byrne, Director of Finance

Lindsey Rowe, Diocesan Administrator

VISITORS & GUESTS

Rev. Dr. Don H. Compier, Bishop Kemper School

Yolanda Compier, Bishop Kemper School

Mike Wagner, White Rabbit Group

Ministry Booths 2014 Nebraskans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty – Byron Peterson

The Diocese Emergency Preparedness – Wes Agar

Camp Comeca – Noelle Ptomey

St. Francis Community Services – Brenna Talley

South Sudan Companion Diocese Mission – Jim Yeates

St. Francis Prayer Beads/Jewelry – Susan Selvey

Episcopal Relief & Development - Chris Plantz

Bishop Kemper School for Ministry – Don Compier

Youth Outreach – Tom Jones

Betty Wood Enterprises – Betty Wood

History of All Saints – Deacon Lynn Bacon and Fr. Michael Tan Creti

EFM – Judy Gray and Woody Bradford

The Missionary Society’s Diocesan Partnership Program – Bernice David

Episcopal Recovery Ministry – Sr. Elizabeth Sojourner and Nancy Benton-Brown

Dominican Republic Companion Diocese Mission – Don Peeler

Proceedings of the The 147th ANNUAL COUNCIL of the Diocese of Nebraska

Held at the Hampton Inn & Suites Scottsbluff, Nebraska October 9-11, 2014

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014 The 147th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska was held at the Hampton Inn & Suites Hotel and Conference Center in Scottsbluff, Nebraska on October 9th 2014, the Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker, Eleventh Bishop of Nebraska, presiding. The meeting was opened with a Morning Worship lead by The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Easton and Music lead by The Rev. Ernesto Medina. Small Group Session One – Getting Acquainted

After a minute to consider the questions in silence each group member was encouraged to share:

1 - What is your name, your parish, and the best gift you’ve received in the past year?

2 - Tell your group about a memorable birth in your life.

3 - What particular moment in the Holy Eucharist is especially important to you? Why?

Bishop’s Address: The Bishop addressed the Council. A full version can be found at the end of the proceedings. Small Group Session Two – Responding to the Bishop’s Address 1 - What “new thing” has happened in the life of your church since our last Annual Council?

2 - What did you hear in the Bishop’s Address that gave you hope?

3 - Can you share a story about a time when the Spirit led you to do something new?

BUSINESS SESSION I

General Announcements Exhibits, Sower’s Fund reports must be scheduled with Dispatch of Business ASAP. Tom Jones (Dispatch of Business) Introduction and Welcome: The Rev. Mark Selvey, St. Francis Council Committee Appointments Bishop Barker referred the Council to the following list of appointments in the Council Book on page 9.

1. Committee on Elections – Bryan Peterson, Chair 2. Dispatch of Business – Tom Jones, Chair 3. Committee on Arrangements – Lindsey Rowe, Chair, & People of St. Francis 4. Committee on Resolutions – Ernesto Medina, Chair & Betsy Blake Bennett 5. Credentials – Chris Plantz 6. Courtesy Resolutions – Jeffrey Nelson 7. Parliamentarian – Woody Bradford

Report on Credentials Bishop Barker called upon The Rev. Chris Plantz for a report of the Committee on Credentials. Plantz Reported that a quorum was present: 37 congregations, 77 delegates, 32/34 priests present, 26 deacons present Election of Secretary and Treasurer Secretary – Liz Easton (confirmed by vote). Treasurer – Sammy Reagan A motion was made by Sandra Squires and seconded by John Schaefer. Motion carried Report of Committee on Elections Bryan Peterson, Chair of the Elections Committee, presented to the members of Council the vacancies needing to be filled on the Standing Committee, Executive Commission, and the Disciplinary Board. Peterson explained the process of voting and answered questions of the Council. Balloting took place. Clergy Changes The Rev. Canon Liz Easton

• Priests Ordained Since Last Council:

The Rev. Kim Roberts – 5/8/14 (Serving St. Martin’s, Omaha)

• Priests Serving in Nebraska from other Denominations: The Rev. Brad Brauer (serving St. Alban’s, McCook)

The Rev. Marilyn Hasemann (Serving Christ Church, Beatrice) • Transitional Deacons Ordained:

The Rev. John Adams – 4/27/14 (Serving St. Andrews, Omaha)

The Rev. Chris Slane – (Moved to Diocese of Missouri)

The Rev. Jan With – (Serving St. Mary’s, Bassett)

• Priests Transferred to Other Dioceses by Letters Dimissory: The Rev. Kelsey Hogue – Diocese of Colorado

The Rev. Rick Swenson – Diocese of Minnesota

• Priests Retired: The Rev. Tom O’Dell (Moved to Diocese of Western Michigan)

The Rev. Rick Swenson (Moved to Diocese of Minnesota)

The Rev. Tim Anderson (Serving St. David’s in Lincoln)

Introduce Seminarians:

Diaconate:

o Greg Burke o Bryan Peterson o Joan Wood

Priesthood:

o Tony Anderson o Verneda Kelley o Kyle Martindale o Pam Williams o Keith Winton

Parish Changes since Council:

• All Saint’s, Omaha – The Rev. Tom O’Dell completed his 8-year tenure as rector in May, 2014.

The Rev. Judi Yeates has been called to serve as Rector-in-the-Interim for 12-18 months beginning on June 1, 2014. The Search Committee has been appointed and the parish is preparing to create a profile for a national search.

• Beatrice, Christ Church – Has entered into a shared ministry agreement with Peace Lutheran Church in Plymouth and have called a full time Lutheran pastor, The Rev. Marilyn Hasemann to serve both parishes as of June 1, 2014.

• Elkhorn, St. Augustine’s – The Rev. Nicolette Papanek has been called to serve as Rector-in-the-Interim for 12-18 months beginning on February 1. A Search Committee has been formed, and parish profile is being created as they prepare for a national search.

• Fremont, St. James – After completing an interim period under the leadership of Jay Gabb, the Search Committee is now creating a parish profile and preparing to conduct a national search for their next rector.

• McCook, St. Alban’s - Is currently in a shared interim ministry relationship with the local ELCA church and is in a search process with the ELCA to call a full time pastor together. Brad Brauer is the Interim pastor.

• Sidney, Christ Church – has called the Tar Drazdowski to serve as priest-in-charge. Other Clergy Changes—Refer to Council Booklet Priests Deceased, Deacons Deceased, Prayer for Deceased

• Priests Deceased Since Last Council:

o The Rev. Scott Rathman o The Rev. Howard Schoech o The Rev. William Smythe o The Rev. Richard Miles

• Deacons Deceased Since Last Council:

o The Rev. Betty Andrews

Let us pray. Eternal Lord God, you hold all souls in life: Give to your whole church in paradise and on earth your light and your peace; and grant that we, following the good examples of those who have served you here and are now at rest, may at the last enter with them into your unending joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Keynote Address Mike Wagner – White Rabbit Group Noonday Prayer – John Adams Break & Re-set rooms Tom Jones: Explain directions for transition

Lunch and Workshops WORKSHOP ONE: Mike Wagner on Branding In today’s world it’s essential that every church learn how to “own its brand”. You live in a time of instant sharing across social media platforms, your brand performance is constantly judged — making it imperative that branding become everyone's job. Come as a team, ready to learn… - About the “secret sauce” of every compelling brand. - How to equip everyone to “live" your church’s brand. - Why every church gets the brand they deserve even if it isn’t the brand they want.

WORKSHOP TWO: Fr. Mark Selvey / Bishop J. Scott Barker / Dean Craig Loya / The Restoration Project: A Path to Wisdom, Strength, and Love. Interested in what YOU can do to live more fully and help grow your church? In this workshop, our presenters will share tested principles from "The Restoration Project" resources, including ways to transform old church structures in ways that seed new life and hope. Be ready to hear stories and get proven strategies around… - The Basics of Christian Formation - Discipleship Groups - A new and authentically Christian rhythm of life Break Small Group Session Three – Checking in after workshops

1- What was the best “take away” from your lunch-time workshop?

2- Is there some “new thing” you might yet offer to contribute to this Annual Council?

3- To what do you most look forward for the remainder of our time together in Scottsbluff?

BUSINESS MEETING II Report from the Election Committee Bryan Peterson reported the following people were elected:

Standing Committee:

Jason Emerson Carol Schrader, ML Martin

Executive Commission: Ernesto Medina, Coke McClure, Noelle Ptomey, Leslie Dean

Disciplinary Board: Karen Watson, Wes Agar Charles Plantz

Treasurer’s Report

Sammy Reagan reported that we continue to be on stable financial ground. The commitment to Faith Asking plays a big role in the Diocese, and we would not be where we are today without the stepped up commitment. We continued to review the expenses, but not live in fear. For the second year we have included in the budget the earnings from the Bishop & Trustee funds. We are disbanding the Coordinated Finance Committee. Beth Byrne gave the Financial Report which included a slide presentation. Beth reported that there was an increase in revenue over expenses from 2012 to 2013, we had an exceptional year with the return on our investments. Our revenue has been going up over the past two years and expenses are going down. Beth talked more about the increased commitment to Faith Asking by the churches, and proposed a decrease in Faith Asking percentages by 1% at each tier. Beth reported on the Bishop’s Society, and the earnings from Bishop & Trustees. Beth reviewed the 2015 Proposed Budget in detail starting with the income and highlighted some of the expense areas. The motion was made and seconded to approve the Financial Report and the Operating Budget. Motion Carried. Beth added “What the Director of Finance wants every parish to know”

Partner with Church Insurance

Do a video inventory

Use our Online Safeguarding resource

CPG Online tools

Call Beth on the first day of a new employee

Use the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs

Do an audit every year

Don’t forget to pray Report from Legislative Committee Woody Bradford explained that a “Suspension of the Rule” motion must carry by a two-thirds vote for Resolution #3 to be considered by the Council. Report from Resolutions Committee Ernesto Medina explained the reason why we needed the “Suspension of the Rule” motion in order to vote for Resolution 3. Bishop’s Appointments Appointed at Council to take office following this year’s Council (Refer to booklet, ask for approval at end).

Legislation Committee: Woody Bradford David Gardels Nancy Huston Committee to Review the Minutes: Elizabeth Easton Lindsey Rowe

Bishop and Trustees: Under provisions of Article XV of the Constitution of the Diocese, I nominate the following Trustees to serve for 3-year terms. Each is serving a term that expires in 2014 and is eligible for re- appointment. Susanna DesMarias Nan Smutko Robert Harding Elizabeth Easton (clerk) Commission on Ministry: Under provisions of Canon 6 of the Constitution/Canons of the Diocese, I nominate the following to serve for 3-year terms on the Commission on Ministry. The following person’s terms expire in 2014. They are eligible for re-appointment to terms that expire in 2017: Karen Watson Robert Behrens John Symonds Margaret Schaeffer The following persons are appointed to fill positions left vacant between terms: Jason Emerson (term to expire in 2016) Dave Hendricks (term to expire in 2015) Executive Commission: Under provisions of Canon 5 (3) of the Constitutions/Canons of the Diocese, I nominate the following to serve for 3-year terms on the Executive Commission. The following appointed terms expire in 2014, and are eligible for re-appointment to a 3-year term ending in 2017: Christine Plantz Marcia Mapes Under provisions of Title I, Canon 3, Section 5(b), I appoint Chancellor – Dana “Woody” Bradford Church Attorney – Joe Jones Archdeacon – Betsy Blake Bennett Diocesan Committee Chairs: Clergy Compensation – John Schaefer Commission on Ministry – Margaret Schaefer Committee on Elections – Bryan Peterson Ecumenical Relations - Tim Anderson Disaster Preparedness – Wes Agar and Charles Plantz Global Mission – Karen Watson (DR)/Jim Yeates (Twic East, South Sudan) Stewardship Chair – In Transition Legislation – Dana “Woody” Bradford Education for Ministry – Judy Gray Youth Commission – In Transition Episcopal Relief and Development – Christine Plantz Historiographer – Jo Behrens

Recovery Ministry – Sr. Elizabeth Sojourner and Nancy Benton-Brown Women’s Ministry – Christine Grosh Commission on Scouting – Wes Agar Wellness Commission – Stephanie Ulrich Moved to accept Bishop’s appointments: Jason Emerson moved. Motion seconded. Approved. Don Compier spoke about the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry Noelle Ptomey presented a video on the Camp Comeca 2014 camp experiences. The video illustrated the activities enjoyed by the youth and adults at camp. Jack Keester gave a presentation on Collegio Kids. Presentation of Bishop’s Cross: Craig Gavin for Jack Keester Tim Anderson for Judi Yeates Announcements Gift cards, etc. Directions to church, Snacks outside of ballroom. AA Meeting – Executive Board Room Festival Eucharist: Calvary ELCA Banquet and Cash Bar Hampton Inn – Hosted by Mark Selvey

Saturday, October 11 Arch Deacon Betsy Bennett and The Rev. Ernesto Medina lead the group in Morning Prayer. Small Groups Session Four – Looking Ahead 1 – What three words best describe your experience of this Annual Council so far?

2 – What memory will you carry home with you from our time together?

3 – Is there some prayer your group members might pray on behalf of you or your church in the

days ahead?

BUSINESS MEETING III

Sower’s Fund Award Last year’s Sower’s Fund Award winner, St. Matthew’s, Alliance presented the 2014 award to St. Andrew’s, Seward for their painted gourds. The Sower’s fund trophy, donated to the diocese by Marge Huffmeister, is a replica of the Sower Statue on top of the capital building. The traveling trophy is given to the parish who creates the most unique fundraising project to grow $2.00 seed money provided by the diocese. It was first award awarded to St. Mary’s in Nebraska City in 1995 and has traveled to many parishes throughout the diocese since then. This year a total of $4,387.40 was raised from the participating churches and donated to the Collegio Kids.

Deacon David Holmquist spoke on the Diocesan Public Policy Network. The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Barker directed the Council’s attention to the Reports to be accepted by title. See Page 36 in the Council Book. All were accepted by Title. Diocesan Archives Annual Report – Jo Behrens Bishop & Trustees – The Rev. Canon Liz Easton Camp Comeca – Noelle Ptomey Clarkson College – Louis W. Burgher Clergy Compensation Committee – The Rev. John Schaefer Commission on Ministry – Margaret Schaefer The Order of the Daughters of the King – Suzanne Titus Deacons Report – The Rev. Archdeacon Betsy Blake Bennett Diocese Disaster Preparedness – The Rev. Deacon Wes Agar and Charles Plantz Executive Commission – The Rev. Canon Liz Easton Global Mission, Dominican Republic – The Rev. Karen Watson Global Mission, Twic East – Jim Yeates The Nebraska Episcopalian – Keith Winton Recover Commission – Nancy Brown and Sr. Elizabeth Sojourner Resurrection House – Joe Kapusnick Episcopalian Diocesan Committee on Scouting in Nebraska – The Rev. Deacon Wes Agar Standing Committee – The Rev. Karen Anderson The Episcopal Tri-Faith Foundation – Theresa Newell Women’s Ministries – The Rev. Deacon Christine Grosh Youth Outreach – The Rev. Tom Jones Resolution Report The Rev. Ernesto Medina presented the following resolutions to the Council.

Resolution #1

Fossil Fuel Divestment and Clean Energy Reinvestment

Resolved, that as a matter of moral and theological urgency, in obedience to God’s command to “tend and keep the earth” and consistent with Jesus’ injunction that we care for those who are most vulnerable, this 147th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska calls on the Episcopal Church Pension Fund and the Episcopal Church Endowment Fund to adopt a policy to refrain from this time forward from purchasing any new holdings of public equities and corporate bonds of the world’s leading 200 fossil fuel companies as identified by the Carbon Underground1, and be it further Resolved, that in obedience to God’s call to be stewards of earth’s diverse community of life, this 147th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska calls on the Episcopal Church Pension Fund and the Episcopal Church Endowment Fund to develop and implement a plan to divest within five years from direct ownership of public equities and corporate bonds of the world’s leading 200 fossil fuel companies as identified by the Carbon Underground2, and be it further

1 http://fossilfreeindexes.com/the-carbon-underground-2014/ 2 http://fossilfreeindexes.com/the-carbon-underground-2014/

Resolved, that as an investment in the healthy future of humanity and the planet, this 147th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska calls on the Episcopal Church Pension Fund and the Episcopal Church Endowment Fund to develop and implement a strategy to invest 5% within two years and 10% within four years of their overall holdings in “impact investments” in the clean energy sector, and be it further Resolved, that this 147th Annual Council of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, memorialize the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church to encourage all dioceses and the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes to engage within the coming year the topic of divestment from fossil fuels and clean energy reinvestment. Explanation God calls us to be good stewards of God’s good Creation (Gen. 1:31, 2:15). Jesus commands us to care for those who are vulnerable as if we were caring for Him (Mt. 25:40). The Fifth Mark of Mission of the Anglican Communion is “To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.” The Episcopal Church has long been on record calling for action to address climate change, and environmental justice, most recently with resolutions in 2006 and 2009.3 The Episcopal Church, by its mission, is pledged to the protection and care of God’s people and God’s Creation. Climate change represents a titanic threat to all life, and especially to the poor. The biblical mandate and our church’s teachings could not be clearer that we must respond with faithful, prophetic action. For over two decades, the Episcopal Church and the wider faith community has utilized shareholder and legislative advocacy on climate change, to very little effect. The scientific consensus is overwhelmingly clear that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels4 have already caused and will continue to cause climate change.5 Without a swift, concerted, global shift away from the burning of fossil fuels, the effects of climate change will displace and impoverish hundreds of millions of people in the coming century6 and condemn many species to extinction. In recent years, super storms and droughts have plagued our planet. We witness an unprecedented melting of Greenland’s ice cap, the Arctic ice pack, Antarctic glaciers and ice shelves, and mountain glaciers worldwide. Rising, acidifying7 seas coupled with more violent storms are threatening communities at sea level worldwide. An estimated 400,000 people a year die from the effects of climate change8. A far larger number of people lose their homes, livelihoods, and health from climate-related droughts and storms, the increased spread of infectious disease due to rising temperatures, and related stressors. Climate change is, in profound ways, a matter of justice. Jesus

3 Resolution GC2009 - D031: Urge Commitment to Lower Carbon Output, Resolution GC2006 -B002: Acknowledge and

Reduce Global Warming 4 “Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data” from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/global.html 5 Naomi Oreskes, “The Scientific Consensus on Climate Change”, Science, December 3, 2004;

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/306/5702/1686.full 6 "Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change," 2007;

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/contents.html 7Ken Caldeira and Michael E. Wickett, "Anthropogenic Carbon and Ocean pH", Nature, 2003;

https://pangea.stanford.edu/research/Oceans/GES205/Caldeira_Science_Anthropogenic%20Carbon%20and%20ocean%20pH.pdf 8 “Climate Vulnerability Monitor, Second Edition”, DARA and Climate Vulnerable Forum, 2012; http://daraint.org/climate-vulnerability-

monitor/climate-vulnerability-monitor-2012/report/

teaches that when we care for the poor, we care for Him. (Mt. 25) As the climate crisis worsens, the church must increase the scope of its response. Climate scientists inform us that if we are to limit global warming to just 2 degrees Celsius above the norm existing prior to the Industrial Revolution—a cap that is still fraught with risks9 but one that even the most conservative governments in the world have agreed to meet10—then we can only emit approximately 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide11. The fossil fuel industry already possesses in their reserves enough carbon to emit approximately 2,795 gigatons of carbon dioxide if burned12—five times the amount that could be ‘safely’ emitted into the atmosphere. At current rates of emission this ‘ration’ will be used in by 2040.13 The fossil fuel industry’s value and future depend on burning these fuels. This industry has used its financial power to prevent legislation to reduce carbon emissions, spending over $400,000 per day to lobby the US government alone.14 It secures unthinkably large government subsidies - $1.5 billion globally per day, according to the International Energy Agency. In 2013, the industry spent over $600 billion exploring for new fossil fuel reserves, far beyond the $244 billion invested globally in renewable energy.1516 This level of spending dwarfs the resources that can be mobilized by advocates for a sustainable future. Given this reality, four factors require the church to address the issue of fossil fuel divestment and clean energy reinvestment. Two of these are moral factors, and two financial. First, a growing number of religious and educational institutions are committing to divest from fossil fuel holdings, having concluded that it is immoral to profit from an industry whose core business creates climate change and whose financial and political influence has prevented climate change legislation. In the past, under circumstances of grave harm combined with intransigent resistance to change by the offending industry or regime, the church has debated and/or divested from certain industries (tobacco) or from certain companies which support repugnant regimes (apartheid South Africa). Such a time has arrived with the fossil fuel industry. Within the past two years, the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Association have both voted to divest. The Presbyterian Church USA is studying divestment. The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, in May 2014, became the first Anglican body in the world to divest from fossil fuels. Union Theological Seminary and the University of Dayton, a Catholic University, voted to divest in June 2014.17 The Diocese of Massachusetts has adopted a divestment resolution, and study of divestment is underway in the Dioceses of Oregon, Western Massachusetts, and in hundreds of churches nationwide. The time has arrived for the Episcopal Church to take a leading role in the pre-eminent moral issue of our time.

9 Just two examples of the effects of a warmer planet include the increased risk of hurricane disasters (see Kerry Emanuel, “Global

Warming Effects on U.S. Hurricane Damage,” 2011; ftp://texmex.mit.edu/pub/emanuel/PAPERS/wcas_2011.pdf) and species extinction ("Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Summary for Policy Makers," 2007; http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg2/ar4-wg2-spm.pdf). 10 The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference; http://unfccc.int/key_steps/cancun_agreements/items/6132.php 11 http://fossilfreeindexes.com/2014/05/06/the-allocated-carbon-budget/ 12 Ibid. 13 http://www.climatecentral.org/news/ipcc-climate-change-report-contains-grave-carbon-budget-message-16569 14 http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?Ind=E01 15 http://www.fastcoexist.com/3020656/are-oil-companies-wasting-billions-on-energy-theyll-never-use 16 http://fs-unep-centre.org/publications/global-trends-renewable-energy-investment-2013 17 For a current list of faith-based institutions that have divested or that are debating divestment, see

http://greenfaith.org/programs/divest-and-reinvest/listing-of-known-religious-divestment-efforts

Second, analyses18 have shown that eliminating fossil fuel industries from an investment portfolio over the past twenty five years would have resulted in no reduction in returns. This suggests that concerns about the risk to church investments posed by divestment may well be overblown. Third, a growing number of investment professionals are now warning about the inevitability of a “carbon bubble,” a term referring to the over-valuation of fossil fuel companies which currently depend on fossil fuel reserves as a substantial part of their market value. In the view of an overwhelming majority of scientists and policymakers, approximately two thirds of these reserves will not be able to be burned if the climate is to remain below two degrees Celsius. This creates the inevitability of the devaluation of these holdings; church investment managers and trustees are duty-bound to respond. Fourth, the growing number of renewable energy and clean technology investment opportunities (with some of these referred to as “impact investments”) combined with the desperate need of the developing world for clean energy establishes a moral obligation for the Episcopal Church to seek to utilize its investment resources in a manner that meets its investment objectives while supporting the emergence of clean energy systems in the developing world. According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN): "Impact investments are investments made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate a measurable, beneficial social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below-market to above-market rates, depending upon the circumstances.”19 The time has come to bear our witness in this new, faithful, courageous manner. For the sake of life and of justice, the time has come for the church to divest, and reinvest. Respectfully submitted by Archdeacon Betsy Bennett The resolution was voted on and passed by the Council.

Resolution #2

CHANGE AND CLARIFICATION TO DIOCESAN CANON 3: “OF THE BUSINESS OF COUNCIL” SPECIFICALLY WITH

RESPECT TO THE COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS

1.1 BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE 147TH ANNUAL COUNCIL OF THE DIOCESE OF NEBRASKA APPROVE THE FOLLOWING CHANGE IN

THE DIOCESAN CANONS:

CANON 3.

Of the Business of the Council.

18 See, for example, http://www.aperiogroup.com/system/files/documents/building_a_carbon_free_portfolio.pdf 19 http://www.thegiin.org/cgi-bin/iowa/aboutus/index.html

Section 1. At least ninety days before each Annual Council the Secretary of the Diocese shall transmit to each

ex-officio member of the Council and to the Clerk of each Congregation of the Diocese notice that all proposed

legislation and debatable resolutions to be considered by the Council shall be submitted to the Secretary in

writing at least sixty days prior to the convening of the Council and shall be signed by the proposer. The

Secretary shall prepare copies of all such proposals and resolutions and distribute them by mail at least thirty

days in advance of the Council to every ex-officio member of the Council and to the Clerk of each Congregation

such number as necessary for the Congregation's delegation to the Council. This ninety-day notice shall include a

list of the offices to be filled by election at said Council, together with the name of the chairman of the

Committee on Elections, to whom nominations for said offices may be made.

Section 2. At least ninety days one hundred and eighty days before the convening of the Annual Council, the

Ecclesiastical Authority shall appoint the Committee on Elections, to consist of three Clergy and three Laity, shall

name one of the members as chairman, and shall notify the Secretary of the Diocese of the appointment of said

chairman.

This committee shall solicit and receive nominations, prepare ballots, and supervise elections of the Standing

Committee, Deputies and Provisional Deputies to the General Convention, Elective members of the Executive

Commission, Judges of the Ecclesiastical Court, and Deputies to the Provincial Synod.

This Committee shall nominate at least two qualified candidates for each vacancy to be filled on the Standing

Committee and the Executive Commission, shall nominate eight Clergy and eight Laity for election as Deputies to

the General Convention, and shall nominate the Clergy and Laity for election as Judges of the Ecclesiastical

Court. All such nominations shall require the consents of the nominees and shall be made publicly available,

together with a brief description of each nominee, before the next meeting of the Council.

Nominations from the floor of the Council may be made for election to any office recited in this Section,

provided the nominee has consented to the nomination.

Eligibility for election or appointment. No person, clergy or lay, shall be eligible to be elected to any diocese

wide committee, commission, or office who has not successfully completed the Episcopal Church Anti-Racism

Training Program.

This Committee may appoint tellers, who shall be communicants in Good standing in Congregations of the

Diocese, and whose duties may include distributing, receiving and counting written ballots at said Council.

Respectfully submitted by

The Rev. Ernesto Medina

St. Martha’s Episcopal Church

Papillion, Nebraska

The resolution was voted on and passed by the Council. Discussion of “Suspended Rule” Resolution

Suspension of Rules: Passed

Resolution #3

A Resolution to Change the Percentage Amount Asked by the Episcopal Church from each Diocese

In order for this resolution to be considered by the Council, a “Suspension of the Rule” motion must carry by a

two-thirds vote.

Resolved, that the Diocese of Nebraska meeting at the 2014 gathering of its Annual Council, send a

memorandum, in the form of a resolution, to the General Convention Office of the Episcopal Church for

consideration at the next General Convention. The resolution shall direct the General Convention to change the

current Asking Formula to 10 -12 %.

And be it further resolved, that the Bishop of the Diocese of Nebraska appoint a Task Force made up of the

Nebraska Deputation to General Convention and any other at his discretion, to further draft the resolution to

include a recommendation of spending priorities if the new formula were to be accepted.

And be it further resolved, that the Executive Commission for the Diocese of Nebraska be authorized to approve

the final draft of such resolution on behalf of this gathering of the Annual Council.

And be it further resolved, that the Secretary of this Council submit the approved memorandum to the General

Convention Office of the Episcopal Church for consideration at the next General Convention.

Explanation:

At the last General Convention of the Episcopal Church, after a variety of grassroots requests to restructure the

organization of the Episcopal Church a Task Force was established to provide recommendations to the General

Convention meeting in 2015.

It has become clear to many of us that the recommendations to be offered may not be as dramatic as was

hoped at our gathering in 2012. There are a lot of forces at work doing what they can to maintain the status

quo. An interesting dynamic of being willing to support cuts in various programs as long as it is “not their

program.”

This resolution is intended to be one of many other voices that are developing from the many dioceses in the

Episcopal Church.

The long-term effect of the above resolution is a clearer focus on governance and mission, while allowing

program monies to stay at the local diocesan levels.

We are aware of the exception we are calling for so that we may consider this resolution at this Diocesan

Council. We wish we had the information/data prior to the resolution deadline so such a resolution could have

been submitted according to the canons, but it was not until the beginning of October that some of the data is

being released at the greater church level.

We believe this to be a vital importance to the mission of our own Diocese.

Respectfully submitted,

The Rev. Ernesto Medina Mr. Woody Bradford

The Rev. Ellie Thober Ms. Nicole Ptomey

The Rev. Canon Liz Easton Mr. Charles Plantz

The Rev. Jason Emerson Ms. Leslie Dean

The Rev. Wes Agar Mr. Michael Skulavik

The Rev. Tom Jones Ms. Judith Stribley

The Rev. Susanna DesMarais Mr. Vic Culp

Mr. Jerry Hall

The resolution was voted on and passed by the Council.

147TH ANNUAL COUNCIL COURTESY RESOLUTIONS

Right Reverend Sir, Members of the Council, special guests and visitors, I am honored to present the following

Courtesy Resolutions on behalf of the 147th Annual Council of the Diocese of Nebraska:

Be it resolved that this 147th Annual Council of the Diocese of Nebraska, meeting in the City of Scottsbluff on

October 11th, 2014, does acknowledge, affirm, and express our gratitude:

For our Bishop, The Right Reverend J. Scott Baker, whose vision of the Gospel has reached to the corners of this

diocese enlivening and renewing this church in Nebraska; and whose Spirit-led creativity has opened new doors

for ministry in this diocese; and for the Bishop’s spouse, Annie, whose companionship and love continues to

sustain him.

For The Right Reverend Joe Burnett and his spouse, Marty Wheeler Burnett, to whom we bring fond greetings as

they continue to serve Christ's Church. We pray God’s continued blessings on the bishop’s work in the Diocese

of Washington and on Marty’s work in Omaha.

For Bishop James Krotz and his spouse, Phyllis, whom we greet with grateful affection and pray that God may

bring health and the rewards of a fruitful retirement to them; and for Marcy Warner, spouse of The Right

Reverend James D. Warner, deceased Bishop of Nebraska, whose Spirit-led life and ministry still burns brightly in

our collective memory.

For the Members of the Council duly elected to represent the parishes of the Diocese of Nebraska, grateful for

their many gifts given for the sake of the business of the Council and mindful of their witness to our Lord Jesus

Christ through this ministry to the end that all may come to know and love him.

For The Reverend Mark Selvey and the members of St. Francis Church in Scottsbluff, who served as our hosts

during this 147th meeting of the Annual Council, and for the people of Calvary Lutheran Church, who hosted us

during the Festive Eucharist, giving heartfelt thanks for gracious hospitality and many acts of kindness and

generosity shown us in our time together.

For the members of the Diocesan Staff: Lindsey Rowe, Diocesan Administrator, Beth Byrne, The Reverend Canon

Liz Easton, Canon to the Ordinary, and The Venerable Betsy Bennett, Archdeacon of the Diocese, as well as our

Chancellor Woody Bradford, Sammy Reagan our Treasurer, and The Reverend Tom Jones, Dispatch of Business,

to whom we give thanks for their tireless labor and committed dedication in making this Annual Council fruitful;

and in grateful recognition for the life and ministry of The Reverend Canon Judi Yeates, who served the people

of this diocese diligently and faithfully as the Canon to the Ordinary for two bishops, and now enriches the

people of All Saints Church in Omaha with her many gifts.

For the life and witness of all the faithful departed, but most especially The Reverend Deacon Betty Andrews,

The Reverend Scott Rathman, The Reverend Howard Schoech, The Reverend William Smythe, and The Reverend

Skip Miles, retired clergy who served in the Diocese of Nebraska, grateful that their faithfulness enriched our

common life; and we ask the continued presence of the Holy Spirit to bring comfort and hope to their families

and friends, that, casting all their care on the Lord, they may know the consolation of God’s love.

For our newly ordained clergy: The Reverend Kim Roberts of St. Martin of Tours Church in Omaha, The Reverend

Deacon John Adams of St. Andrews Church in Omaha, The Reverend Deacon Jan With serving St. Mary’s Church

in Bassett, and The Reverend Deacon Chris Slain, who is serving in the Diocese of Missouri; and for two new

clergy serving this diocese from other denominations: The Reverend Brad Brauer of St. Alban’s Church in

McCook and The Reverend Marilyn Hasemann serving Christ Church in Beatrice; to these we pledge our prayers

that the Holy Spirit would richly bless their labors in these places.

For those clergy who have retired since the last Council, especially Father Tom O’Dell of All Saints’ Church in

Omaha, Father Rick Swenson of St. Mary’s Church in Nebraska City, Father Tim Anderson of The Episcopal Tri-

Faith Ministries, and The Reverend Deacon Cheryl Harris of St. Matthew’s Church in Alliance, grateful for their

faithfulness and labors with prayers for a fruitful and enjoyable retirement; and for those clergy to whom we bid

farewell as they offer their gifts to other dioceses of this church: The Reverend Kelsey Hogue to the Diocese of

Colorado, The Reverend Richard Swenson to the Diocese of Minnesota, and The Reverend Tom O’Dell to the

Diocese of Western Michigan, even as we give thanks for the ministry of The Reverend Tim Anderson who, in

retirement, serves St. David’s Church in Lincoln.

For those preparing for Holy Orders: Greg Burke, Bryan Peterson, Joan Wood, Tony Anderson, Verneda Kelly,

Kyle Martindale, Pam Williams, and Keith Winton, with prayers that encouraged by God’s Holy Spirit, they may

become to us effective examples in word and action, in love and patience, and in holiness of life.

And lastly for our brothers and sisters in our companion dioceses: giving thanks for the people of The Diocese of

the Dominican Republic and for Bishop Julio Holguin; and asking God’s protection and peace for the beleaguered

and dispersed people of The Diocese of Twic East in the South Sudan and its bishop Ezekiel Ding; for our special

guests at this Council, Don Compier and Mike Wagner, we give thanks and bid them, and all of us, safe travel

home that our homecomings may be joyful.

Faithfully submitted this 11th day of October, 2014

By The Reverend Doctor Jeffrey S. F. Nelson+, Esq.,

Church of Our Savior, North Platte

Invitation to 148th Annual Council in Grand Island 2015

The Rev. Robert Lewis, Rector of St. Stephens in Grand Island, issued and invitation to Annual Council October

16-17, 2015.

There being no further business to come before the 147th Annual Council the Diocese of Nebraska, it was adjourned.

Diocese of Nebraska Annual Council Address Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ -

Grace to you and peace in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus!

It is a joy to be with you and to be gathered in this beautiful part of our Diocese of Nebraska. My thanks

to each one of you for making the trip. And will you join me in thanking Father Mark Selvey and the whole

amazing church community of Saint Francis here in Scottsbluff for so graciously hosting this Annual Council?

I hope to accomplish three things in this annual address to our diocese. I’d like to offer a snap shot of

the current state of the Episcopal Church both here in Nebraska and across our larger denomination. In keeping

with this year’s council theme, I’d like to celebrate some of the “new things” that are happening in this place.

And, I’d like to offer a few thoughts about the year and years ahead.

A Snapshot

On any given Sunday morning, about 640,000 people gather to worship in parishes throughout the

Episcopal Church. At last count there were about 1.9 million members in our entire denomination, so on

average, almost exactly one third of all Episcopalians gather to worship Jesus in their local church on Sunday

morning. In Nebraska, we better that national statistic by just a bit. At last count there were 7,600

Episcopalians in our diocese, 2,725 of whom gather in our churches on an average Sunday. This means

Nebraskans are 3% more likely to get to church than the nationally average Episcopalian. Go Big Red!

Important to say that the statistical trends in our diocese and across our larger church have not been

encouraging for some long time. These most recent years are no exception. From 2011 to 2012 – the most

recent updates we have – the Episcopal Church as a denomination lost 1.5% of its membership. Nebraska did a

skosh better, losing a little less than 1% of our members. Average Sunday attendance is likewise down

nationwide, as are pledging and a number of other measurable categories of church health. This phenomena of

church decline is not new. Our denomination – and Christianity in America – have been in decline for more than

a quarter century.

This is not the time or place to interpret or parse out the meaning of these numbers. And while I don’t

begin to think that such raw statistics tell the whole story of diocesan or congregational health, neither are they

irrelevant to the work we are called to as disciples of Christ. Remember the Book of Acts, in which Saint Luke

studiously records the number of souls touched by the teaching and witness of the early apostles. 3,000 are

added one day … 5,000 on another. On some other occasion a single family is added. But every soul matters

and every person is counted.

I think it is important to keep counting. It is one way we that we measure how we’re doing.

Well what about the people behind the numbers?

Our Nebraska parish families are marvelously diverse – each local church a treasured member of the

larger body of Christ. Those of you who work and travel throughout our state have some sense of the

astonishing variety of church communities that dot our landscape from Chadron to Falls City, from Creighton to

Kimball. Our churches are set in bustling urban neighborhoods and on quite, small-town back streets. We’re in

big, fancy, stone structures, and tiny, humble, pioneer meeting houses. Our members are men and women,

young and old, and hail from dozens of ethnic and racial groups. We inhabit every possible rung on the socio-

economic ladder, we identify as gay, straight, bi-sexual and transgendered and we will vote on November 4th for

candidates of every conceivable political persuasion.

It would be a mistake – more accurately I would say a betrayal – to imagine that we are all alike. We are

not all alike. We are rather a quite wonderful cross-section of the diversity of God’s much greater and much

beloved human creation.

It that wonderful diversity, there are beliefs and practices that bind us together. There are deeply

meaningful and shared sensibilities that help make us one. We are a “people of the Book.” Without exception,

we look to the Bible not only to instruct us in righteous living, but as the best and perhaps most accessible place

to meet and come to know the person of Jesus. We are determined to worship God “in the beauty of holiness.”

Meaning that we treasure ancient liturgical patterns, and are deeply invested in maintaining a rich sacramental

life in our church communities. We know that “being Christian” means getting outside of ourselves - and

outside of the comfort of our family and friend circle – to work to build up the kingdom of God. In even our

smallest Nebraska churches, folks generously labor, “to seek and serve Christ in all persons.”

And in all these things – behind all these things – we are bound together by Christ himself. He is the one

we gather to worship, the one through whom we pray, the one we seek to know better through church

fellowship. He is the one we endeavor to understand more fully through Christian education and the one we

hope to meet in service of the poor and the outcast. He is the one whose image would by the grace of God most

clearly be visible if we could indeed take a “snapshot” of our beloved Diocese of Nebraska!

Doing a New Thing

Some 29 years ago I was a recent law-school drop out, diligently searching to discern what call God had

placed on my life. Through prayer, study and not a little bit of trying and failing at other things out in the

workplace, it had come to seem to me that I was called to serve as a priest. A huge step in my formation – this is

still a big deal today – was my application to seminary, and the wait to see whether I would be admitted to study

theology. In those days it was pretty much all residential seminary for folks, and you would apply in the late fall

and then wait until after the first of the year to hear what the schools thought of you.

I will never forget receiving an envelope from one of the schools to which I had applied in the late

December mail. I could not figure that I would be getting word on admission at that early date, and frankly I was

worried that the size of the envelope was not right for a letter of acceptance. So I waited until Annie got home

and we opened the envelope together. In it was a Christmas card from the admissions office of one of the

seminaries to which I’d applied, on which appeared the verse from Isaiah that is our theme for this year’s Annual

Council: See! I am doing a new thing. Now it springs forth. Do you not perceive it?

That card was a small but mighty sign. I felt so grateful – so affirmed that somebody out there

understood that I was so earnestly, seriously – and I hoped faithfully – trying to do a whole new thing with my

life, a thing that I truly believed was a response to the voice of God.

We are in a similar place, it seems to me, as a denomination, a diocese – and as individual parish

churches – in the year of our Lord 2014. In the face of fast-paced change and more than a little drift and shrink,

we are earnestly, seriously and faithfully trying some “new things” in response to God’s call to be the body of

Christ for this here and now … to make disciples … and to grow the Church. We too are doing a new thing.

What is most wonderfully and apparently “new” this year in terms of diocesan mission and ministry, are

a number of key personnel changes and additions. I put a lot of stock into getting the right people onto the job

here in Nebraska. While little is certain-sure about church ministry in this challenging 21st century, it’s clear that

far more often than not, churches and church ministries thrive and grow when the right leaders are in place.

We’re doing a new thing with Diocesan Staff. In April we welcomed Lindsey Rowe to our staff as your

Diocesan Administrator. Lindsey is just the right person to succeed the irrepressible Kate Baxley, who stepped

into a phenomenal opportunity last winter and began working for the Episcopal Church Pension Group. In May,

we welcomed The Rev. Liz Easton as Canon to the Ordinary and successor to Mother Judi Yeates. Judi served

with exceptional grace and unequalled commitment over six years, two bishops and innumerable changes in

diocesan staffing and structure. I am so grateful for Canon Yeates’ service, and equally, so enthused about

working with Canon Easton

Your diocesan staff has never been stronger. Thanks be to God!

We’re doing a new thing in our Bishop’s Society. A year ago, I was gleeful to report that a group of

Nebraska Episcopalians from all over the state had come together to help raise funds to support diocesan

ministries, and particularly, to help build up our clergy ranks and grow our diocesan endowments. It was such a

delight to report that we had raised $135,000 at this time last year. Today, pledges to our Bishop’s Society total

$365,000! Even better, we have begun to invest those resources in exactly the fashion we’d hoped.

The Rev. Deacon John Adams is present with us today, taking a break from his new responsibilities as

Curate at Saint Andrews in Omaha where Bishop’s Society funds are making it possible for him to serve the

people of God and to continue his formation under the mentorship of Father John Schafer. In another year or

so, Deacon John’s formation will continue in this diocese, as we will provide for him the opportunity to come to

know this part of the Cornhusker State a little better, as a priest-in-charge of one of our smaller, western

churches. (By the grace of God he will be “Father John” by then, and this is your invitation to join the people of

Saint Andrew’s for John’s Ordination to the Priesthood on November 14th. That should be a grand party!)

Our Bishop’s Society Curacy program is a particularly exciting “new thing” for us! It will benefit the

churches where we place curates, it will benefit the curates themselves as they receive an extraordinary

formation opportunity, it will benefit our diocese, as we bring some of the best-and-brightest to the place we

love so well, and it will benefit our larger denomination, as we do our part here in Nebraska to equip great

leaders for the future Church.

The Curacy Program is not all the Bishop’s Society has made possible.

We have, as promised, applied $100,000 of the cash raised by the Society to begin rebuilding the

endowments of our Diocese of Nebraska. We hope to make additional such investments in the years to come.

Our strengthened endowments – and the careful management of our annual budget – will make possible this

year a reduction in the percentage of your parish income that we ask you to share to underwrite our annual

diocesan budget. For the first time in well over a decade, we’re asking LESS of you in diocesan support this year

so you can have MORE to do ministry in your local context. Now that’s a new thing!

We’re doing a new thing in diocesan mission ministry. For many years, a locus of exceptionally

inspirational and life-giving diocesan work, has been our efforts to be in faithful partnership with our brothers

and sisters in the Dominican Republic, Twic East in South Sudan, and with our neighbors on the reservation lands

in the Dakotas to our north. The diocese has supported targeted fundraising efforts for particular projects, has

supported parish level mission trips with money and administrative support, and at least a couple of times every

year, has been able to field specifically “diocesan” journeys for youth and adults alike, to do mission and service

ministry.

In the year and years to come, we’ll be doing something new to support these great ministries. I can

report that as of last week, the Reverend Tar Drazdowski has been hired to fill a new full-time priestly ministry in

Nebraska, in which she will serve half her days as the Rector of our beautiful and historic Christ Church in Sidney,

and half her days as “Vicar for Mission” for our diocese of Nebraska. For the first time since Bob & Ellen Snow

returned from the Dominican Republic, we will have a diocesan position dedicated to supporting the amazing

work you already do in mission and outreach ministry.

Mother Tar and her husband Jim hope to beat the snow and move into our Sidney rectory by mid-

November. I bid your prayers for their safe journey to Nebraska, and a great start to an exciting new ministry.

There will be more of course in 2015.

- We’ll be distributing a new resource to help church vestries and “committees of the whole” do more

meaningful and effective work when they convene on behalf of their church communities.

- We will continue our new diocesan Mutual Ministry fair, which will next convene at Trinity Cathedral

on Saturday March 21. Mark your calendars now and plan to attend a great day of workshops and networking

to empower you to be better disciples of Jesus.

- We will continue to find ways to support our current, and devoted college of Nebraska clergy, including

for the first time in an age, the addition of a second annual clergy retreat, this one located in the west to make

that event more accessible to our intrepid panhandle clergy. You know who you are!

Our challenges are great – but we are meeting them with faith, optimism and determination. We are

doing new things! Now they spring forth. Do you not perceive it?

A few thoughts about the future.

For the last three years I have reported on the ministry of the Tri-Faith Initiative. Last year that report

included the prediction that the Diocese of Nebraska would increasingly seek additional Christian partners in

that work, in order to build a church community on the Tri-Faith campus worthy of this great endeavor. We’ve

now taken a major step in that regard by asking the people of Countryside Community Church in Omaha to

consider sharing in the leadership of the Tri-Faith Initiative, and to relocate their church building and

congregation to the Tri Faith Campus. This would effectively mean that we’d pass the torch to Countryside as

the primary leaders of the Christian presence on the Tri Faith campus.

Countryside has been in discernment for some months regarding that possibility, and a preliminary vote

by the congregation indicated a very strong interest in accepting our invitation. It seems likely the Diocese of

Nebraska will have an on-going but less visible leadership role in the Tri Faith effort in the years ahead.

Even now, there is work being accomplished at the national level, by the special task-force

commissioned at our last General Convention to re-imagine the structure of our Episcopal Church. We’re

looking to build a church that might better equip us to do ministry in the 21st century.

Our own Trinity Cathedral Dean, Craig Loya, serves on that body, which is known as TREC. This summer,

our General Convention will gather again in Salt Lake City. Expect passionate debate, deep conversation and

meaningful prayer as that body seeks to respond to the recommendations offered by TREC and to move as best

it can to re-imagine and re-structure the larger church. It is likely whatever moves Convention makes will have a

real impact on diocesan and even parish life. Everything is on the table in an effort to faithfully be the church

Christ calls us to be today and in the years ahead. More to come.

Parallel work has begun in our own diocese to see if we can’t anticipate – and test – some of the same

kind of re-structuring that is being considered at the national level. I’ve said before that our Diocese of

Nebraska seems inordinately burdened by a large commission and committee structure all to oversee a fairly

simple diocesan ministry. I take as evidence of that truth the difficulty we have in recruiting people to run for

our many diocesan offices, and the often times modest attendance we see at diocesan gatherings. I get it!

Meetings should be necessary, every team member should have a fun part to play in them and frankly, they

should be places where Jesus leads the way.

In the year to come we’ll begin the slow but important work of re-imagining our own local diocesan

structures, with some joint meetings of commissions and committees who do overlapping work. And you will

have the chance to discuss at this council a related resolution – which would move towards reforming how the

work of the larger Episcopal Church is funded by diocesan assessments – should you so desire. Stay tuned for

Saturday morning!

My brothers and sisters, the challenges before us in this time and place are great. But while we are

indeed caught up in the midst of societal and demographic changes the likes of which have not been seen for

generations in the Church, that fact that the work before us is challenging, well that is hardly unprecedented!

From its very beginnings, Jesus’ Church has had to fight to survive and to thrive.

I am not worried.

I believe in the people of this diocese. YOU are some of the finest leaders I have encountered in our

Episcopal Church or anywhere else in my life, and I am proud to work with you. I believe in our parish churches,

every one. I continue to be inspired and touched by your fierce devotion to your brothers and sisters, and your

great determination to keep on keeping on. But most of all, I believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the head of

this Church. Our Savior. Our Lord.

With his help, we will endure. By his grace, we will live.

Submitted this 10th day of October, 2014 in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, by

The Right Rev. J. Scott Barker

Eleventh Bishop of Nebraska

Diocese of Nebraska

Annual Council Reports October 9-11, 2014

DIOCESAN ARCHIVES ANNUAL REPORT, 2014 The archive continued to grow in this, the fifth year of my efforts. The original twenty-four unsorted file

drawers have been reduced to four unsorted file drawers; the original six cupboards of dusty books and other

materials have been reduced to less than one. Newspaper clippings, articles, book chapters, photographs, and

Spirit of Mission letters have been added. Through the year, the primary queries to which I responded have

been genealogical in nature. Due to the “holes” in our collection, however, some cannot be answered. Many of

the books for closed parishes and missions remain at undisclosed sites – probably the basements and closets of

the parishes to which they were transported in an era in which moving such materials presented more of a

problem. Unfortunately, those books provide a wealth of information, not only of a community’s vital statistics,

but more importantly, the evidence and records of relationships and community-building within that parish.

And remembering the work and lives of those individuals who built the parish communities across the diocese is

my mission – it is not solely sorting the papers, although I find that very satisfying.

I continue to find data related to interesting chapters in diocesan history. For anyone interested in historical

study, the following are topics that merit additional research. An incredibly important, and overlooked, area of

study is that of women’s civic- and parish-building efforts from the late-nineteenth century forward. Even the

smallest parishes and missions had active women’s guilds that maintained incredible records. An example

would be Holy Trinity Church in Schuyler. Founded in 1870, the parish was well-established when the Diocese of

Nebraska first encouraged formation of Women’s Auxiliaries in its parishes in the early 1880s. The record

keeping undertaken by the women of Holy Trinity, including their meeting minutes, correspondence, and

financial records leaves a very complete story of women’s parish building efforts that should be told. Records

remain from the guilds in other parishes as well. Other interesting topics relate to inter-racial relations across

the state, such as the diocesan reaction to integration in the mid-twentieth century, especially in Omaha;

diocesan support of the Japanese-American communities near North Platte; and very importantly, Episcopalians’

work in Native American communities across the state from the 1860s through the late-twentieth century.

Additionally, diocesan efforts to establish schools on the Nebraska frontier in the late-nineteenth century is a

topic worthy of more in-depth study.

In closing I would say as I did last year, Nebraska has a vibrant ecclesiastical history; I continue to collect and

organize its pieces for all who seek further investigation of our history.

Respectfully submitted,

Jo Behrens, Historian and Archivist

Bishop & Trustees 2014 Annual Report December 3, 2013

The Bishop and Trustees gathered on December 3, 2013, at the Clarkson Center in Omaha. After opening with prayer

and questions for reflection, Bishop Barker presented a report on his ministry in the time since the group last met.

Special attention was given to Discipleship Groups, the House of Bishops meeting, and the continued growth of the

Bishop’s Society. Beth Byrne presented a financial report, and the group discussed recommendations made by the

Coordinated Finance Committee. Beth Byrne also reported on the consolidation of investment funds, and a motion

was made and carried that a small group form to further study the Centennial Fund for future reporting. The group

voted to repurpose the Joyner Music custodial fund as a temporarily restricted account to be used to support special

music programs. Woody Bradford reported on the Tri-Faith Initiative.

February 11, 2014

The Bishop and Trustees gathered on February 11, 2014, at the Clarkson Center in Omaha. After opening the meeting

with prayer and questions for reflection, Bishop Barker presented a report on his ministry since the group last met.

Special attention was given to his upcoming trip to the Dominican Republic, staff transitions in the diocesan office,

and upcoming ordinations. Beth Byrne reported on diocesan finances, calling attention to a new report on the

expenses of the Clarkson Center. The Subcommittee on the Building Loan Policy reported on their work since the

group was established. The Joyner Fund was designated for the purpose of supporting music and the arts at regional

and diocese-wide liturgies and other events. Beth Byrne reviewed recommendations from the Coordinated Finance

Committee regarding financial controls over diocesan funds. Discussion moved to a loan request from St. Mary’s in

Nebraska City, which was approved. Woody Bradford reported on the Tri-Faith Initiative.

May 13, 2014

The Bishop and Trustees gathered on May 13, 2014, at the Clarkson Center in Omaha. After opening the meeting with

prayer and questions for reflection, Bishop Barker presented a report on his ministry since the group last met. Special

attention was given to staff transitions in the diocesan office, a report on new clergy who have joined the diocese,

and his decision to not attend the House of Bishops meeting in Taiwan. Beth Byrne presented a financial report,

noting small capital updates to the Clarkson Center, the Clergy Sabbatical fund, and the increase in participation in

faith asking. Bishop Barker reported that St. Stephens’ in Grand Island has requested approval to demolish their

Community Center. The request was approved. Bishop Barker and Woody Bradford reported on the Tri-Faith

Initiative, announcing that Countryside Community Church is discerning their role in the Initiative’s future. A new

Building and Loan policy was approved.

August 5, 2014

The Bishop and Trustees gathered on August 5, 2014, at the Clarkson Center in Omaha. After opening the meeting

with prayer and reflection questions, Bishop Barker presented a report on his ministry in the time since the group last

met. Beth Byrne presented a financial report. St. Stephen’s in Grand Island requested approval to sell their “annex,”

which the Bishop and Trustees approved with suggested language for the purchase agreement. Beth Byrne reported

on Diocesan investments, and the Bishop and Trustees recommended more research regarding DFMS Trust Accounts

and account management through the Episcopal Church Foundation.

Respectfully Submitted by, The Rev. Canon Liz Easton

Camp Comeca 2014

83 youth and 18 adults gathered at Camp Comeca at the end of July for our annual summer camp program. Our theme was, Anchored in Christ: Navigating a Changing World. If you think there is a paradox in our theme, you are right. But that is exactly what we asked our kids this year. How can you be anchored in an ever-changing life? What anchors you? What fills your sails? Who determines your course in life? What tools help you navigating rough waters? And what is it that you hold firm to? Our daily Bible Studies took us deeper into those questions with Scriptures about turning our wills/lives over to God, building our foundation firmly in the rock and choosing to serve God rather than materialism. We started each day with student led disciple groups (using the Restoration Project cards). These small groups, organized by Bishop Barker and our Senior High campers were truly a sacred time in the day. Again, our High School students gave back to Comeca through a service project. This year we completed 12

benches that will provide additional seating around the campfire and on the tower deck that overlooks Midway

Lake.

With some facility improvements at Camp Comeca, our campers enjoyed recently repaired (and safety

inspected) zip-line and rock-wall activities as well as a new horseback riding program. The Beth Shalom cabin has

updated their bathrooms.

There are so many great parts of camp, it’s hard to list them all, but some camp highlights include: our annual

counselor hunt (Bishop Barker is back to back champ), our annual Talent show, our closing bonfire that

recognizes our senior campers and our Eucharist on Friday that includes our slide show presentation of the

week’s activities.

A total of 26 parishes supported the camp program by sending participants, adult volunteers and/or contributing to the camp scholarships: St. Matthew’s Church Alliance, St. Paul’s Church Arapahoe, Christ Church Beatrice, Church of the Holy Spirit Bellevue, *St. John’s Church Broken Bow, *St. Mary’s Church Blair, St. Augustine of Canterbury Elkhorn, *St. James Church Fremont, St. Stephen’s Church Grand Island, St. John’s Church Harvard, St. Elizabeth’s Church Holdrege, Church of the Holy Trinity Lincoln, St. David’s Church Lincoln, St. Matthew’s Church Lincoln, St. Alban’s Church McCook, Holy Apostles Church Mitchell, St. Luke’s Church Plattsmouth, St. Martha’s Church Papillion, All Saints Church Omaha, Church of the Resurrection Omaha, St. Andrew’s Church Omaha, St. Francis Church Scottsbluff, Christ Church Sidney

* denotes parishes that sent campers for the first time in years

The Western deanery sent 12 youth and 2 adults

The Central deanery sent 17 youth and 1 adult

The Eastern Deanery sent 54 youth and 15 adults

35 campers opted to ride the bus from Omaha/Lincoln/Grand Island

13 parishes sent 2 or fewer campers. Some parishes did not send campers but supported camp in other

important ways:

Church of Our Savior North Platte sent parishioners, Marcia Mapes and Jenny Salestrom, to help us run

camper check in

St. Luke’s Kearney donated to the general camp scholarship fund and Rev Jerry Ness came out to camp

on Wednesday to work with our Senior Campers.

40 | P a g e

Parishes that supported camp by sending their clergy to camp for the full week: Trinity Cathedral Omaha sent Dean Craig Loya

Rev. Susanna Des Marais Church of the Holy Trinity, Lincoln, Rev. Karen Watson St Paul’s, Arapahoe and St. Elizabeth’s, Holdrege

Rev Mark Selvey, St. Francis, Scottsbluff Deacon John Adams, St. Andrew’s Omaha

From the diocesan office: Bishop J. Scott Barker & Rev Canon Elizabeth Easton who graciously joined us for the entire week of

camp. And our deepest thanks to Beth Byrne and Lindsey Rowe for their assistance in the planning and organization – not to mention budgeting of camp.

Special thanks to our Lay Volunteers, who need to take a week off work – in some cases unpaid – to be

a camp. Michaela Gay (field games), Chris Mattson (service project), Harlan Ptomey (jack of all trades),

Claire Atkins (tye dye) Cheri Schroeder (tye dye), Jeremy Vogt (horse whisperer), Joey Knoell (sign

language), Tony Anderson (music).

Volunteer Camp Co-directors were Kourtney (Lewis) Geschke and Noelle Ptomey.

R.N., Schuyler Hytrek, was hired for the 2nd consecutive year to be our camp nurse.

A heartfelt Thank You to all those people and parishes listed above. Simply put, camp would not happen

without you and your contribution of time, talent and treasure.

Be sure to visit our Camp display to:

see the 2014 camp video

Get your 2015 save the date information to take back to your parish

Pick up your Adult Counselor applications

For more information about our camp program, email Noelle Ptomey at nptomey@yahoo.com or visit

the camp website at http://campcomeca.episcopal-ne.org

Respectfully Submitted, Noelle Ptomey Volunteer Diocesan Camp Coordinator

41 | P a g e

Clarkson College, 2014

The College has completed another year of notable success. The overall enrollment goals were

achieved; we began our new doctoral program, added a new Certificate and were nationally recognized

for affordability.

In December 2012, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor in Health Care Education and

Leadership (Ed.D.) programs were accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In fall 2013, the

College welcomed the first class for the Ed.D. Program. In addition, we began offering a Long-Term Care

Certificate in Health Care Business.

The College was notified that our online Undergraduate and Graduate Business and Health Care

Administration Programs were nationally ranked #5 for affordability by AffordableCollegesOnline.org.

We continue to graduate Nebraska’s largest Nursing class for a single campus, the largest Radiology

Technology class and the largest Physical Therapy Assistant class. Board scores by all of our graduates

continue to exceed local and national averages. Some specifics:

FINANCES

Once again, our year-end positive variance of $1.9 million in our operating budget is a new

record. Our budgeted tuition and fees will increase 4% and as you can see we rank 12th out of

13 private colleges and universities in this important measure.

ENROLLMENT

The College continues to have record enrollment of 1,238 students taking 11,024 credit hours.

Last year we reported a credit hour increase of 4%. This year, for the first time in many years

the College experienced a decrease in credit hours of 4 %. We had correctly projected that

reduction and were scheduled to exceed our budget by 862 credit hours. The College did,

however take the decrease of 115 hours into consideration in the planning of the 2015 Budget.

During the last year our ratio of credit hours to FTE has increased from 157 to 194.

FACILITIES

Last year, the college opened a new study area in the walk-way over 42nd street. This new study

area has been a great success with our students seeking a quiet place to study. In addition, the

5th floor renovation is well underway and scheduled to be completed summer 2014. This update

will help the College meet the Higher Learning Commission’s request for faculty to have a

private office. A second simulation lab is being planned as a part of the College’s Strategic Plan

and we are finalizing our vacating of the Ed-Tech Building (the Villas).

42 | P a g e

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

The College experienced a turnover rate of 7.21% for the calendar year ending December 2013.

The 2013 turnover rate is the lowest the College has experienced in 6 years. The annualized

turnover rate for 2014 is 10.23%.

The Employee Opinion Survey scores for 2013 were outstanding once again with an 88.5%

positive overall score.

The College continues to be successful in “in preparing students to professionally provide high quality,

ethical and compassionate health care services”. Our graduates are prepared to be the best and are

employed.

Respectfully submitted,

Louis W. Burgher, M.D., Ph.D.

President

43 | P a g e

Clergy Compensation Committee, 2014 The Bishop’s Advisory Committee for Clergy Compensation conducts an annual review of the financial

compensation of the full time clergy of the Diocese of Nebraska and prepares guidelines to assist

congregations with their negotiations with clergy for compensation.

In order to successfully call and retain clergy to serve Nebraska congregations, we must compensate

clergy at a level that is competitive on a regional and national level.

The 2015 recommended compensation schedule includes only a minimum salary standard for the

diocese. Parishes should consider years of service; cost of living adjustments; merit increases when

appropriate; and market conditions when negotiating salary. The diocesan office can provide resources

to help a parish determine current market rates for clergy compensation.

Other Recommendations

It is a best practice for the Vestry and Rector to arrange for an Annual Mutual Ministry Review.

It is a best practice that conversation about compensation be held at a time separate from the Mutual Ministry Review. Compensation conversations are a good time to discuss any “merit” or “time in service” increases.

Annual planning retreats for Vestry and Clergy provide good opportunities to discuss the goals and work plans of Clergy and Lay Leadership for the next year.

We recommend a 3% cost of living adjustment for all clergy for 2015.

Travel expense reimbursement is to be paid at the current IRS rate. (See exception for supply clergy below)

Full time clergy should be covered only under the Diocesan Medical Insurance Plan, or have insurance that is fully comparable to that of the diocesan plan through spousal insurance or other preexisting insurance. If the diocesan “high deductible” plan is selected, parishes are required to cover at least ½ of the deductible. The parish should fund the clergy’s HSA at the beginning of each quarter.

As of 1/1/2014, all incoming full time clergy should be paid 7.65% in addition to their salary to offset “SECA” taxes.

It is highly recommend that all full time clergy and their congregations participate in The Diocese of Nebraska Sabbatical Plan.

Supply Priest Compensation

One service, one location $100 plus travel reimbursement

Two services, on location $135 plus travel reimbursement

Each additional service on location $35.00 per service extra

For example, if a church has four services over a weekend, the compensation would be $205 plus travel

reimbursement. Travel reimbursement rates may be negotiated by the parish and clergy for supply

work.

44 | P a g e

2015 – Base for Clergy Compensation

The minimum compensation standard for a priest in the Diocese of Nebraska working full time is

$50,000 except for curates, whose compensation shall be negotiated between the priest, the diocese,

and the parish to whom the curate is assigned.

“SECA” tax of 7.65% of compensation should be added for all new incoming clergy and should be

strongly considered by those parishes who do not currently offer it.*

The total compensation figure above does not include health, life and disability insurance or other

benefits as may be negotiated between the clergy and parish.

IRS rules for clergy are different than for a normal employment situation.

Compensation (excluding benefits) can be divided between “salary” and “housing”.

Please contact the diocesan office for guidance in how to set each category, especially if the parish

supplies a rectory as part of compensation. Otherwise, clergy can designate whatever portion of total

compensation they wish as “housing allowance” within IRS guidelines and as designated by the vestry

each year in December.

*Clergy are considered “self-employed” for IRS tax purposes and pay the full 15.5% tax on their

earnings.

45 | P a g e

Commission on Ministry, 2014 The Commission on Ministry met twice since last Council: November 16 and January 11. The COM

continues to work closely with the Bishop in implementation of the formation plans established through

the VIR, as well evaluation of various educational tracks.

Current seminary enrollment:

Diaconate

Greg Burke, St. Mark’s, Hastings – Postulant, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Bryan Peterson, All Saints, Omaha – Postulant, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Joan Wood, Holy Spirit, Belleview – Postulant, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Priesthood

Tony Anderson, St. Augustine’s, Elkhorn – Postulant, Virginia Theological Seminary

Kyle Martindale, St. Mark’s, Hastings – Postulant, Virginia Theological Seminary

Keith Winton, Church of the Resurrection, Omaha – Postulant, Sioux Falls Seminary

Bi-Vocational Priesthood Track

Verneda Kelly, St. Andrew’s, Seward – Candidate, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Pam Williams, St. Andrew’s, Seward – Candidate, Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

Respectfully Submitted,

Margaret Schaefer

Chair

46 | P a g e

The Order of the Daughters of the King, 2014

Daughters of the King (DOK) is an Order for women of the Episcopal Church and churches in

communion with the Episcopal Church. DOK was organized in 1885. Every Daughter pledges

herself to a lifelong program of prayer, service and personal evangelism, dedicated to the

extension of Christ’s kingdom and to the strengthening of the spiritual life of her parish.

Daughters around the world all wear the same cross. There are approximately 25,000

Daughters of the King in the US and 5000 international Daughters in eighteen countries.

We have a total of 15 chapters in Nebraska

Church of the Holy Spirit, Bellevue

St. Alban’s, McCook

St. Alban's McCook – Juniors*

Church of the Holy Trinity, Lincoln

Church of Our Savior, North Platte

St. Augustine’s of Canterbury, Elkhorn

St Elizabeth’s, Holdrege*

St Mary’s, Nebraska City

St Mary’s, Blair

St David’s, Lincoln*

Grace Church, Columbus *

St Martha’s, Papillion

Trinity Church, Norfolk

St. Christopher’s, Cozad

St. Andrews, Omaha

St. Barnabas’, Omaha is in the process of changing their denomination to Catholic but will

remain a member of the NE Assembly.

Starred chapters * are reported to be inactive by the National office. If this is incorrect and

known to any reader, please contact Suzanne Titus at titussrs@gmail.com.

Most Daughters are active in parish chapters although we also have several "Daughters-at-

large" who have moved to parishes without a DOK chapter or those with fewer than 3

Daughters in a parish. Daughters in each parish work with their rector in prayer, service, and

evangelism.

Current service

Includes prayer chains, quiet days, scripture study, prayer gardens, sending birthday and

Christmas cards to all in congregation, ingathering for Stephens Center every quarter, helping

47 | P a g e

with a community mobile pack for Feed My Starving Children, gathering toiletries for Lydia

House, helping provide awareness of human trafficking, and other activities to enhance and

provide prayer support to parishes as well as representing their churches and DOK in outreach.

Activities during the 2013-2014 year are as follows

June 21st we met for our annual Daughters Day at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Lincoln.

Carol Olson, Certified Spiritual Director provided an excellent program on “Contemplative

Practices for Busy People”. She taught, and gave us opportunities to experience ways to

incorporate a contemplative lifestyle into our days.

In August three daughters, Rebecca Smith, Judy Simodynes, and Suzanne Titus attended

leadership training at Loveland, Colorado. The Rev’ Michelle Danson and Lyn Burns led us to

consider how “God Colors the World” with people of many colors.

Our assembly president is involved in quarterly phone meetings with the provincial officers and

other presidents from Province VI. Suzanne Titus serves as Provincial secretary

Ministry Project

We have finished with “The Red Tent” project, and currently have a committee researching

ideas as to what this year’s project will be. We are looking for something that can be done by

each Chapter wherever they are. Suggestions would be appreciated, please send them to

Rebecca Smith at rsmith1956@msn.com.

DOK goals for 2013-14

Pray, especially for our clergy and parishes

Continue providing service in our parishes

Increase our spirituality through study

Monthly communications with our members

Have quarterly board meetings

For information, please contact any of the officers:

Diocesan President, Suzanne Titus, titussrs@gmail.com

Vice President, Rebecca Smith rsmith1956@msn.com

Secretary, Carol Schlismann, cschlismann@gmail.com

Treasurer, Zelda Richwine, zrichwine@nebr.rr.com

Chaplain, The Reverend Ruth Jaynes, revsjaynes@gmail.com

Respectfully submitted,

Suzanne Titus

President Nebraska Assembly Daughters of the King

48 | P a g e

Deacons Report, 2014

The primary ministry of deacons is service in the world in the name of Christ. Deacons in Nebraska serve

people directly through ministries such as feeding programs, healthcare, and visits to those who are sick

or otherwise in need, and we also participate in advocacy and education to serve those who are poor,

sick, hungry, or otherwise marginalized. Our service in the liturgy — proclaiming the Gospel, setting the

table and helping distribute the bread and wine during Holy Communion, and dismissing the people to

go out into the world and serve — reflects both our ministry in the world and the foundation of our

ministry in Christ. Many of our deacons who were ordained in the early years of the renewal of the diaconate in Nebraska have now retired from active ministry or are getting close to retirement. With people in formation for the diaconate at the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry and others in the discernment process toward becoming deacons, we anticipate that the ministry of deacons will continue to be a vital element of the Diocese of Nebraska. Along with serving in the world, deacons bring the concerns of the world to the church in a variety of ways, including preaching, teaching, leading new ministries to meet the worlds’ needs, and, in many parishes, gathering the prayers of the people. Deacons contribute our collected prayers for the world beyond our parishes every week for the “Deacons’ Bidding Prayers” in The Nebraska Episcopalian. These prayers are usually online by Friday afternoon. They are available for individuals wishing to join the deacons in prayers for the world, and also for parishes wanting to renew or expand the Prayers of the People on Sunday mornings. Archdeacon Betsy Bennett attended the Archdeacons Conference in Baltimore in March. A great benefit of this conference is the opportunity to learn about both the ministries of deacons in other dioceses and the formation programs for those in the diaconal ordination process. The formation our postulants are receiving at the Bishop Kemper School brings our diocese closer to the standards for the formation of deacons in other dioceses with an active diaconate, though we still have work to do in finding more intentional ways to connect that education to diaconal ministries in the world. Respectfully submitted, Betsy Blake Bennett, Archdeacon

49 | P a g e

Diocese Disaster Preparedness We have inventoried, and taken pictures of the Diocese Offices as well as made a Disaster Preparedness

plan for the diocesan offices. We want to work with each parish if they would like our help and have them all create a disaster

preparedness plan and file a copy of it with the Diocesan office. Please call us to schedule a meeting to

fill out the paperwork and/or help with the forms. Phone numbers are Deacon Wes Agar 402.981.9111;

Charles Plantz 308.360.2025.

We would like to make presentations to each deanery and provide some guidance for all the parishes.

We look forward to working with all the churches in the diocese and sharing ideas and best practices.

Respectfully Submitted,

Deacon Wes Agar Charles Plantz

Co-Chair Diocese Disaster Preparedness Co-Chair Diocese Disaster Preparedness

50 | P a g e

Executive Commission, 2014 February 22, 2014

A meeting of the Executive Commission was held at St. Stephen’s in Grand Island on February 22, 2014.

The meeting began with new member orientation, and a celebration of Holy Eucharist. Beth Byrne

presented a report on current financials, and a discussion followed. Beth Byrne also presented two

recommendations from the Coordinated Finance Committee regarding access to bank statements, the

establishment of a Certificate of Deposit for designated funds, and review of the faith asking formula.

After reviewing a report on faith asking, Bishop Barker requested a reassessment on behalf of three

parishes, and Beth Byrne presented information on seven other parishes. Bishop Barker closed the

meeting in prayer.

April 26, 2014

The Executive Commission met via conference call on April 26, 2014. After opening with prayer, Bishop

Barker presented a report on diocesan staff transitions, and a report on the Tri-Faith Initiative. The first

quarter financials were presented and approved. Noelle Ptomey reported on Camp Comeca, and Tom

Jones reported on the Rosebud Mission Trip. Bishop Barker closed the meeting with prayer.

June 14, 2014

The Executive Commission gathered at All Saints in Omaha on June 14, 2014, for a planning retreat

facilitated by Mark Selvey. The group reflected on the following questions: “What is the role of the

Executive Commission?”; “What is the relationship between the various entities with oversight

responsibility in the Diocese?”; “How might we restructure?” Following discussion, Bishop Barker

proposed a joint meeting with both Bishop and Trustees and Executive Commission in 2015.

September 5 – 6, 2014

The Executive Commission met on September 5-6, 2014, at St. Martha’s in Papillion. The meeting began

with the celebration of Holy Eucharist, followed by dinner. The primary objective of the meeting was to

write the 2015 budget for recommendation to Annual Council. Detailed discussion of the budget took

place, paying special attention to the formula proposed for faith asking. A budget was proposed and

passed. The Executive Commission discussed national church assessments. The budget was approved.

The gathering ended with the order for Noonday Prayer.

Respectfully Submitted,

The Rev. Canon Liz Easton

Secretary to the Executive Commission

51 | P a g e

Global Mission, Dominican Republic, 2014 The Adult trip to the Dominican Republic took place March 10-17 2013. There were 6 missioners from

Omaha, Arapahoe, Holdrege, and Alliance. Our group was not only representative of different churches

in the diocese but we were also ecumenical as we had one Methodist participant. We left Omaha early

on a Monday morning and returned to Omaha the next Monday. Our task as a group was to present

Bible Study at the school each morning and to paint and generally help spruce up the camp in the

afternoon. We were at the Camp in the mountains near the little town of La Pedregal.

One highlight of our trip was the house blessing that we attended. This house was newly built (really

not finished yet) for a woman who was going to live there with her daughter, her daughter’s new baby,

and her son. Our group plus many from the community crowded into the small dwelling for the blessing

which was said by Fr. Alvaro. There was much joy in that home and thankfulness for what God had

given them. As a mission group we were all very touched by the service and certainly felt the presence

of God among us.

It was a wonderful week filled with many chances to make friends with Fr. Alvaro and his wife Angelina,

Thomasina and her husband and all the teachers from the school. The weather was beautiful – not too

hot or humid and it even rained one day.

We are planning a trip in 2014 – the dates are January 12 -19. There will be information sent out about

this trip soon. Please consider this opportunity. We found out that even though we didn’t all know each

other before the trip, by the end of the trip we had bonded as a community. Bishop Holguin always tells

us that the most important part of our trips are the relationships that are built.

Scholarships for Students in the Dominican Republic

There is a great need for help with school costs for all the children in the Dominican Republic who wish

to attend an Episcopal School. The Dominicans strongly believe that their hope for the future lies in

education and they sacrifice a lot to send their children to school. Although the standards of public

school education have improved, they still are a long way from providing what would be considered

adequate education. Most of the parents want to send their children to either the Catholic Schools or

the Episcopal Schools. Many of the children attending school come from very poor homes and need

help to be able to attend at all. The cost to send one child for one year is $350. They are thankful for

any help that we can give them. Please consider having a fund raiser at your church or send individual

checks to the Diocese office. Please mark that it is for the scholarship fund.

If you have questions about the upcoming mission trip or about the mission work in general, please

contact Rev. Karen Watson. Krnwtsn78@gmail.com or call 402-517-1326.

Respectfully Submitted,

Karen Watson

Diocesan Coordinator to the DR

52 | P a g e

Global Mission, Twic East, 2014 Last December 15th an attack on government troops in Juba, South Sudan by a rebel group led by Riek Machar former vice-president was the beginning of a civil war in South Sudan. This conflict continues to this day, however it has become splintered and complex. The primary conflict is between South Sudan president Salva Kiir from the Dinka tribe and his former vice-president Riek Machar. The situation in South Sudan continues to be guarded and delicate. Ongoing talks continue between the government and rebel groups in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. The primary question and challenge is what will it take to put together a coalition government to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict between the parties involved. The final solution will need to bring about peace within the primary Dinka and Nuer tribes for a lasting end to the conflict. Within a new country, there are so many issues that haven’t been tested, that only time will bring about the changes required for lasting peace and civility. Companion Diocese Twic East The Diocese of Twic East located in Jonglei State is in disarray. Clergy and Lay have scattered to other areas of South Sudan, and to refugee camps in Kenya and Uganda. We are limited at this time with what we can accomplish in the Diocese. Our efforts are now shifting more to the areas where the safety and security is still present. There are some dioceses still active in South Sudan however; our Diocese of Twic East is in an area of conflict. What we are doing presently is providing prayer books and bibles to the scattered clergy in Kenya and Uganda. We recently provided funds from the Diocese of Nebraska and a grant from VTS Mission Society for this effort. With the funds about 500 prayer books and bibles were provided to the displaced refugees in Kenya and Uganda. Bishop Ezekiel is in Nairobi, Kenya and serving his scattered parishes as best he can. He is in need of a truck for transportation since his prior truck was destroyed in the conflict. An ever present need is clothing materials for the refugees in the camps in Kenya and Uganda and clergy liturgical clothing as well. There is South Sudanese Diaspora and American missioners on a limited basis still traveling to South Sudan; however this is generally for special project missions. Diocese of Nebraska Here in Nebraska we are continuing to broaden our scope of activities with the South Sudanese communities located in cities.

a) We have a Sunday afternoon Sudanese service every Sunday with Eucharist once monthly. This service is in Dinka tribal language and led by Joseph Pager Alaak. Joseph has just begun his discernment process with the All Saints parish discernment committee, as he begins his track towards Seminary training and priesthood.

53 | P a g e

b) We have included also 12 Sudanese youth in our Vacation Bible School for the first time at All Saints. Some of the youth are now training as lectors and crucifiers. We hope to send a group to Camp Comeca 2015 for Diocese camp.

c) St. Stephens Grand Island has a South Sudanese Sunday afternoon service also. This service is in Arabic.

d) All Saints Omaha hosted a national weekend conference of South Sudanese Clergy from several states. They came from as far as New York and Arizona. Leading the conference was Bishop Stacy Sauls, chief operating officer for The Episcopal Church, Reverend Angela Ifill, Director of Black Ministries for The Episcopal Church and Reverend Stan Runnels, rector at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Kansas City Missouri.

e) Finally, we are connected with Salisbury Diocese, England, South Sudan Province, South Sudan and several U.S.A. dioceses bi-weekly with a conference call connection. Approximately 15 to 20 parties listen in as we share our communications and news on activities in South Sudan and elsewhere.

Respectfully submitted, Jim Yeates Diocesan Coordinator for Twic East

54 | P a g e

The Nebraska Episcopalian We’ve added a FOURTH way you can get the stories in The Nebraska Episcopalian—new stories are now

also featured as links in each week’s Ministry Memo. As a reminder, here are all the ways to read the

stories in The Nebraska Episcopalian are:

1) Click on the links in each week’s Ministry Memo.

2) Go to http://nebraskaepiscopalian.org to see the full set of articles, including an article index that lists

all past and current stories.

3) “Like” The Nebraska Episcopalian Facebook page and see updates in your Facebook news feed.

4) Follow the stories on Twitter @ne_episcopalian.

Another enhancement made this past year is the addition of a “print” feature that lets you get printer-

friendly versions of a story, and/or export a story as a PDF file. Finally, we’ve added a “Featured

Sermon” story about once a month. Special thanks to all those parishes which share their stories of

Christ's service with all us, our friends, and even the world. Please continue to send more stories and

photos, and to find more ways to celebrate our Christian life and mission together. You can submit your

stories to me at wintonkd@gmail.com or to Lindsey at dioadmin@episcopal-ne.org. Thanks!

Respectfully submitted,

Keith Winton

55 | P a g e

Recovery Commission, 2014 1. Alcoholism is a disease. 2. It is a primary illness, not caused by outside circumstance. It is progressive, incurable and can be fatal. 3. Addiction is a problem of brain chemistry; a medical issue, not a moral problem. (Excerpted from Episcopal Recovery Ministries) Raising awareness of the nature of this illness and the many other faces of addiction is one of the primary goals of the Nebraska Recovery Commission, as well as that of the Episcopal Recovery Ministry. The nine member Commission continues its efforts in enlisting a contact person in each of the parishes in the Nebraska diocese, to deliver its message of awareness and to disseminate information about education and recovery/treatment programs. Current parish contacts received a mailing in the spring of 2013, reminding them of the Church's policy on serving alcoholic beverages at church functions and asking them to make certain clergy and hospitality committees were also aware of the policy. Future mailings of pertinent materials suitable for reprinting in bulletins and newsletters are planned. A Recovery Commission articled, "The Wet Side of the Ocean", was published in the May, 2014 Issue of the Nebraska Episcopalian and is currently archived under the Health and Wellness category in that publication. An open AA meeting was sponsored by the Commission during the 2013 Annual Council and a booth, staffed by the Commission, provided brochures and educational material on addiction and related subjects, to attendees of the Council. The Commission website, www.ne-episcopalrecovery.org, lists articles, liturgies, contacts, and resource Information on education and treatment programs. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Brown, Co- Chair Sr. Elizabeth Sojourner, Co- Chair Nebraska Recovery Commission

56 | P a g e

Resurrection House, 2014

Another successful year has been completed. Resurrection House was blessed to have three young

adults discerning ministry in our 2013/2014 program year. Church of the Resurrection and the CORE

Outreach Center would like to express tremendous gratitude for everyone in the diocese who helped to

make this year a success, especially those who put on and participated in our soul food fundraiser at

Annual Council in 2013.

Jeremy Vogt came to us from New York as a graduate of Binghamton University, where he studied

chemistry but felt called to ordained ministry. Jeremy worked at the Miller Park after School Program for

his service placement, and served at All Saints Church for his parish placement. After graduating from

Resurrection House, Jeremy has stayed in Omaha and is currently working part time at both All Saints

and Miller Park while continuing the discernment process.

Reagan Grabbe came to us from Bozeman, Montana, as a 2012 graduate of Montana State University

with a B.S. in microbiology. Reagan worked at Midland Mentoring Project and Building Healthy Futures

as her service placements, and served at St. Andrew’s Church for her parish placement. After graduating

from Resurrection House, Reagan returned to Montana to continue the discernment process.

Alyse Viggiano came to us from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from John Carroll University, in

Cleveland Ohio, with a degree in Marketing and minors in Philosophy and Entrepreneurship. Alyse

worked at the Habitat for Humanity Restore for her service placement, and served at Church of the Holy

Spirit for her parish placement. After graduating from Resurrection House, Alyse returned to Pittsburgh

where she is continuing in the discernment process.

Each of these individuals brought many gifts to the parishes and non-profits and churches with which

they worked. This intern class eagerly and consistently focused on building their community, and

demonstrated a great willingness to help one another and discuss their struggles and joys. There are so

many talented young people filled with energy, empathy, and exciting new ideas that one can’t help but

motivated to get behind them.

Resurrection House is moving into a rebuilding and revisioning year. For the 2014-2015 year, we will

work with an advisory council composed of Resurrection House alumni and our church partners to

redesign the program and develop new strategies for recruitment. As the program enters its 14th year,

we are excited to discern how we are being called to better serve the Omaha community and the needs

of our interns. So stay tuned for updates on this exciting process.

Respectfully submitted,

Joe Kapusnick

Executive Director

CORE Outreach Center, Inc.

http://rxnhouse.org/

57 | P a g e

Episcopal Diocesan Committee on Scouting in

Nebraska

The Episcopal Diocesan Committee on Scouting in Nebraska is still in search of more members,

especially from the Girl Scouts, Camp Fire, and 4-H programs.

Our mission is to promote the God and Country program to all youth and adults across the Diocese.

Your members of Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, Camp Fire, 4-H members, Sunday

school classes, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation classes, and other church groups can earn these

awards.

We have not had any God & Country Award recipients for this year beginning January 2014 in the

diocese that we know about. If you know of any award recipients please let us know. Call Deacon Wes

Agar at 402-291-6768 or email EagleDeacon1@gmail.com

We strongly suggest that each parish use this program in their religious education programs. Programs

of Religious Activities with Youth 1-800-933-7729. Mailing address: P.R.A.Y., 11123 S. Towne Square

Suite B, and St. Louis, MO, 63123. Fax 314-845-0038. Or PRAY can be contacted at www.praypub.org

Student, Mentor, and Counselor manuals are now $4.50 each. And questions please PRAY at the

number above or Deacon Wes Agar at 402-291-6768 or email EagleDeacon1@gmail.com

We also want to have each parish look at its adult members and help us recognize the adults in Boy

Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of America, and Camp Fire programs who have been active in those

programs, their church, and deserve recognition. The Episcopal St. George Award can be presented to

those adults who have provided outstanding service to youth.

We hope and pray that more youth throughout our Diocese will take on the challenge to earn these

awards and be recognized.

Respectfully submitted,

The Reverend Deacon Wes Agar

Chairman, Episcopal Diocesan Committee on Scouting in Nebraska

58 | P a g e

Standing Committee, 2014

At the 146th Annual Council held at Omaha, Nebraska on October 18-20, 2013, the returning members of

the Standing Committee were: The Reverend Karen Anderson, The Reverend John Schaefer, Karen Park,

Michael Skulavik, and M. L. Martin. Council elected The Reverend Catherine Scott for a second term and

The Reverend Tom O’Dell, and Bill Reno.

Election of Officers

During a conference call on November 2, 2013 The Standing Committee elected the Reverend Karen

Anderson President and the Reverend Tom O’Dell was elected Secretary. In April 2014 Reverend O’Dell

resigned from the Standing Committee due to his retirement. The Reverend John Long was appointed to

fulfill the vacant position. During the July 12, 2014 meeting The Reverend John Schaefer was elected

President Pro-tem and the Reverend John Long was elected secretary.

Meetings

During this reporting period, the Standing Committee was convened for regular meetings on January 11,

2014 in Omaha, Nebraska; telephone conference on April 5, 2014, and July 12, 2014 in Omaha,

Nebraska. The Standing Committee communicated electronically as warranted to conduct business

between regularly scheduled meetings.

Formal actions of the Standing Committee during the reporting period include:

Episcopal Elections

The Reverend Matthew Gunter to be Bishop for the Diocese of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

The Reverend Robert Skirving as Bishop for the Diocese of East Carolina

The Reverend Heather Cook as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Maryland

The Reverend Brian Seage as Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese of Mississippi

The Reverend Alan Gates as Bishop for the Diocese of Massachusetts

The Reverend Allen Shin as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of New York

Other Canonical Consents

Consented to the election of a Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of the Dominican Republic

Consented to the election of a Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of West Texas

Consented to the election of a Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of Southeast Florida

Diocese of Nebraska Ordination Process

Approved Kim Roberts for Ordination to the Priesthood

Approved Chris Slane for Ordination for Transitional Diaconate and Priesthood

Approved John Adams for Ordination for Transitional Diaconate and Priesthood

Approved Jan With for Ordination for Transitional Diaconate and Priesthood

Approved Verneda Kelly for Candidacy for the Transitional Diaconate and Priesthood

Approved Pam Williams for Candidacy for the Transitional Diaconate and Priesthood

59 | P a g e

Other Diocese of Nebraska Actions

Approved removal from ordained ministry – The Reverend Kimberly Fretz (Deacon)

Approved listing for sale three parcels the Diocese owns in Scottsbluff to sell since renovations

were made to existing building rather than pursuing building a new church.

Approved consent for the request to demolish St. Stephen’s Center in Grand Island to repurpose

the property.

Approved consent to sell the St. Stephen’s Center annex property in Grand Island.

2013-14 Standing Committee:

Rev. John Schaefer – St. Andrew’s – Omaha (term 2015)

Rev. Catherine Scott – St. Mark’s Pro-Cathedral – Hastings (term 2016)

Rev. John Long – Holy Trinity – Lincoln (fulfilling O’Dell term 2016)

Rev. Karen Anderson – St. Francis – Scottsbluff (term 2014)

Mike Skulavik – St. Mary’s – Bassett (term 2015)

Karen Park – St. Luke’s – Kearney (term 2014)

M. L. Martin – Church of Our Savior – North Platte (term 2014)

Bill Reno – St. Matthew’s – Alliance (term 2016)

Respectfully submitted,

The Reverend Karen S. Anderson

Standing Committee President

60 | P a g e

The Episcopal Tri-Faith Foundation, 2014 Much has changed since Annual Council last year. Last October our community was focused on

presenting Inter-faith and Intra-Christian programs. We hosted Abrahamic Faith Discussions exploring

how the Abrahamic faiths deal with issues such as life events, justice, forgiveness, women’s status and

liturgy. We rebroadcasted and held discussions on Darkwood Brew’s production on the Convergent

Church. As we deepened our Inter-Faith and Intra-Christian knowledge and relationships, change was

beginning.

In February, Rev. Canon Tim Anderson retired as our full-time leader. We deeply appreciate Fr. Tim’s

dedicated and thoughtful leadership. While Rev. Anderson is no longer full time in our community, he

occasionally celebrates Eucharist with us and guides us. His influence remains. He has forged new paths

and formed new, lasting relationships. He continues to help bring into the world a new project of peace,

trusting and understanding. Through his commitment to the Diocese of Nebraska and the Tri-Faith

Initiative, Fr. Tim Anderson continues to make this world a better place. We miss having him with us full-

time. This was a difficult blow to our community.

During Lent we continued, with lay leadership and rotating visiting clergy, to offer public programs and

worship. We offered a Lenten series looking at penitence and forgiveness in each of the Abrahamic

faiths.

In April the Rev. Tom Brackett, Missioner for the office of New Church Starts and Missional Initiatives for

the Episcopal Church, came to visit. This would become a transformative event for our community. He

brought us encouragement and advice. He believed in us, supported, listened, and loved us. He

recommended resources for support. He recommended putting a hold on public meetings and programs

until our leadership team was more fully established. We are following this advice. We have and

continue to hold discussions based on his advice and resources. Our leadership continues weekly video

conferencing with the learning group he facilitates.

Not long after Rev. Brackett’s visit came another high impact change: the Diocese of Nebraska offered to

pass the Episcopal position as Christian leaders in the Tri-Faith Initiative to Countryside Community

Church (a UCC congregation). This offer was made after much deliberation and negotiation.

Countryside has now discerned a call from God to the Tri-Faith mission. They are now in the process of

discerning the feasibility of purchasing the Christian land (currently still owned by the Diocese) and

building a new church for their congregation on the land. Countryside is a very large, open and

welcoming church. They have offered our community space to worship at their facility and become a

liturgical presence within Countryside as well as continue participation in the Tri-Faith Initiative through

their church.

While Countryside deliberates the possibility of moving, our community is continuing the work we

began in building lay leadership and structure. Our conversations have been fruitful. Our worshipping

group includes Episcopalians, Lutherans (ELCA), Roman Catholics, Methodists, and those who do not

claim a denominational affiliation. We have decided that we want to continue to be a liturgical home for

all Christians. We want to worship together, honor the belovedness of all people, promote spiritual

61 | P a g e

growth and offer a place where the public can learn about people of other faiths and other

denominations. We have decided to do this by offering worship, small groups, and educational

programs. Our small group offerings will include meditation, book study, yoga, discipleship, and others.

We continue to develop our structures. We have decided to name our movement or initiative rather

than the immediate community. For now we have decided to call ourselves Sacred Journey: An Intra-

Christian Community of Understanding. (The fiscal entity is still called the Episcopal Tri-Faith Foundation.

That formal name can only change with the vote of the Foundation Board.)

We plan to continue our community conversations until our leadership, vision and structures are firm.

At that time we will again open public programs and open small groups and worship to everyone.

Currently we are meeting at Rejoice Lutheran Church (at the corner of 138th and West Center in Omaha)

at 5:00 PM on Sundays. We foresee a high probability that we will eventually move our worship and

programs to Countryside Community Church depending on whether they decide to establish their

church on the Tri-Faith campus.

We deeply appreciate the support this year of our ecumenical and interfaith mission from The Episcopal

Church through grants from the Constable Fund and Roanridge Trust and the support of the ELCA

Nebraska Synod. We are also grateful for the ongoing support of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, the

Nebraska Synod ELCA and the Episcopal Tri-Faith Foundation.

There will be many changes ahead this year. We will make the announcements via our e-newsletter well

in advance of any change. Our website address is still trifaith.episcopal-ne.org. You may sign up for our

e-newsletter there or email theresa.newell01@gmail.com.

We hope you will join us on our Sacred Journey!

Respectfully submitted by

Theresa Newell,

Lay Coordinator,

Sacred Journey: An Inter-Christian Community of Understanding

62 | P a g e

Women’s Ministries, 2014 Women’s ministries happen everywhere all the time! All the caring ways we interact with each other

can be called ministry. Formally, women come together in churches, serving in every capacity.

Episcopal Church Women, guilds, clubs, Daughters of the King, Bible studies, prayer groups, hospitality,

community service, etc. For the diocese this year, Women’s Ministries held 2 retreats and awarded a

$500 scholarship. Sandra Squires also took a delegation to the Province VI meeting in Denver in

September.

In April, The Rev. Canon Judi Yeates facilitated a retreat for 24 women on the topic of forgiveness. We

met at the Benedictine Retreat House at Schuyler on a Friday night and Saturday.

In July, Sandra Squires and I (Christine Grosh) drove to Grand Island to go to lunch with our scholarship

recipient, Abigail Kutlas, and her mother, Ronna. Abby is studying at Northwestern University in

Chicago.

The fall retreat was at St. Luke’s, Kearney, with a program on Mary Magdalene. Sandra Squires

presented the video segments of The Rt. Rev. Kate Moorhead and led the discussion. 18 attended.

Marilyn Brandt of McCook has retired from heading the diocesan Church Periodical Club. We would like

someone to take those responsibilities.

Save the date for the next Women’s Ministries Retreat! April 24-26, 2015 at The Benedictine Retreat

House in Schuyler. Actor, writer, storyteller and Episcopalian, Pippa White, of One’s Company, will

perform Women’s Work. You’ll love it! Please come!

Also coming in 2015 is Triennial. It will meet in Salt Lake City, the last week of June. Representing

Nebraska will be Kathy Graham, UTO coordinator from St. Matthew’s Alliance, and delegates Sharon

Bartlett, Lynn Fitzgibbon and alternate Virginia Salisbury, of Grace Church, Chadron.

Women’s Ministries exists to connect and support the women of the diocese, growing and serving Jesus

Christ. Please join us, let us know your interests, activities, needs and ideas.

Respectfully submitted,

Christine Grosh

Convene

63 | P a g e

Youth Outreach, 2014 We had another successful and blessed year. With trips to both the Rosebud Reservation and the

Dominican Republic, we found that we were not only God’s hands in the world, but the recipients of

God’s grace in and through the people we met on our journeys.

Our annual trip to Rosebud began with a gathering at St. John’s in Valentine of youth and adults from

across the diocese. After a quick dinner, and get to know you time, we headed up to Mission, SD to

meet up with another team working on the reservation to receive safeguarding God’s children training

and to hear about life on the reservation from Rev. Lauren Stanley. The next day we began offering the

youth living near The Church of Jesus, in Rosebud, SD, lunch and VBS, and we started on our service

project, cleaning the basement of the church and painting the handrails on the church handicap ramp.

Our team had fun with both endeavors. Half way through the week, Bishop Barker, accompanied by

Jacob Byrne, stopped in for a visit; and together, we enjoyed spending time with the kids. The trip ended

with a tube ride down the Niobrara and lunch at Smith Falls. To read more about our trip, and to see

pictures of the fun we had and the work we did, visit:

http://neepiscopalyouthoutreach2014.blogspot.com/

Our trip to the Dominican Republic returned to the area our 2011 youth team worked in; a village called

El Pedregal, just a few miles north of Jarabacoa. After a long day of travel, arriving at the camp, the team

was met with music and hugs as Padre Alvaro, his wife Angela, and a host of friends from past trips

came to welcome us to the DR. It was a really great way to start off our time together and a little

dancing helped shake off the cobwebs of sitting in a plane and on a bus.

Up bright and early, we surveyed the work completed by our last team and began work on the two

major projects we were asked to complete. The first was a play-gym in the school playground, started by

our brothers and sisters from the Diocese of Georgia, and to second, was roofing and laying a floor in a

nearby home being built. Both projects looked insurmountable that morning, but under the leadership

of Don and Melissa Peeler, the team got to work after long hours in the hot sun, on our last day we

enjoyed watching kids from the church play on the completed pay-gym and looked proudly on a building

almost move-in ready (the plumbing and electrical work would be completed in the weeks following ur

trip). This is not to say we only worked, we had fun too. We had one afternoon down swimming in the

river that ran behind the camp, one afternoon hiking to a waterfall (where Don almost lost his

sunglasses in the water) and a thank you dinner and dance from the local community that rocked the

camp for hours. When it came time to leave, it was hard. Just as before, we had made new friends and

vowed to return to see them and work alongside them again. To read more about our trip and see

pictures of the projects we did and the fun we had, please visit:

http://neepiscopalyouthoutreach2014dr.blogspot.com/

Yours in Christ,

Respectfully submitted by

Fr. Tom Jones

64 | P a g e

NECROLOGY LIST

ALLIANCE, St. Matthew’s

Eugene Kort Lewis

Robert Albon Hall

Berniece Bates

Madeline Jane Bowhay

ARAPAHOE, St. Paul’s

None Reported

BASSETT, St. Mary’s

None Reported

BEATRICE, Christ Church

Verna Smith

BELLEVUE, Holy Spirit

Ralph “Bud” Oltman

Louise Hamilton

Amelia Westman

David Nutting

Shirley Commings

BLAIR, St. Mary’s

None Reported

BROKEN BOW, St. John’s

Wanda Weatherly

George Ashenfelter

Lane Brabham

CENTRAL CITY, Christ Church

None Reported

CHARDON, Grace Church

None Reported

COLUMBUS, Grace Church

Roberta Lakey

David Forsberg

COZAD, St. Christopher’s

None Reported

CREIGHTON, St. Mark’s

None Reported

CRETE, Trinity Memorial

None Reported

DE WITT, St. Augustine’s

None Reported

ELKHORN, St. Augustine

Sally Farnham

FALLS CITY, St. Thomas

None Reported

FREMONT, St. James

DeLoris McGee

Sarah “Sally” Wengert

Boyd Hammond

GORDON, St. Mark’s

None Reported

GRAND ISLAND, St. Stephen’s

None Reported

HARRISBURG, Good Shepherd

None Reported

HARVARD, St. John’s

None Reported

HASTINGS, St. Mark’s Pro Cathedral

None Reported

HOLDREGE, St. Elizabeth’s

None Reported

64 | P a g e

HYANNIS, Calvary Church

Maxine Applegarth

Frances Janet Davis

KEARNEY, St. Luke’s

Jean Sall

Roger Hanson

Priscilla Ring

Elizabeth King

Harold McClure

KIMBALL, St. Hilda’s

None Reported

LEXINGTON, St. Peter’s

Audra Jean Sands

LINCOLN, Holy Trinity

None Reported

LINCOLN, St. David’s

None Reported

LINCOLN, St. Mark’s on the Campus

Ferd Anderson

LINCOLN, St. Matthew’s

Dawson Cox

Brad Loyd Braddeley

Patty Jo Hohenstein

Helen Rokeby

George Russell

Russell C. Inbody

McCOOK, St. Alban’s

None Reported

MITCHELL, Holy Apostles

None Reported

MULLEN, St. Joseph’s

None Reported

NEBRASKA CITY, St. Mary’s

None Reported

NORFOLK, Trinity Church

None Reported

NORTH PLATTE, Our Savior

Marialyse Knobel

Hideo Kamino

Bud Johnson

Ruth Matsutani

George Layton

Susie Kudlacek

OGALLALA, St. Paul’s

None Reported

OMAHA, All Saints

Patricia Ann Bauerle

Shirley J. Randall

Carroll E. Fredrickson

Barbara J. Harmon

Muriel K. Young “Miv”

Marilynn Adair Hetzler

Robert Emmett Scherrer

E. Newton Kelley “Newt”

Thomas Rudyard Kipling

Elizabeth Ann Finn

Maybelle E. McMaken

Drexel John Sibbernsen, Jr.

Larry Dean Rankin

Linda Buthman Bedwell

OMAHA, Church of the Resurrection

None Reported

OMAHA, St. Andrew’s

Fr. Bill Smythe

Clayton Witherspoon

George Lee

OMAHA, St. Martin of Tours

None Reported

65 | P a g e

OMAHA, Trinity Cathedral

Charlotte Egger

George “Woody” Thelin, II

Evelyn Reimer

Gloria Dunbar

Thelma Nelsen

Danforth Loving

Beatrice McLaughlin

Kara Shainholtz

Helen Weber

OSHKOSH, St. George’s

None Reported

PAPILLION, St. Martha’s

None Reported

PLATTSMOUTH, St. Luke’s

None Reported

RUSHVILLE, St. Mary’s Holly

None Reported

SCOTTSBLUFF, St. Francis

None Reported

SEWARD, St. Andrew’s

None Reported

SIDNEY, Christ Church

Betty Andrews

TECUMSEH, Grace Church

None Reported

VALENTINE, St. John’s

None Reported

WYMORE, St. Luke’s

Edna L. Closs

Margaret A. Thomas

Priests Deceased Since Last Council

The Rev. Scott Rathman

The Rev. Howard Schoech

The Rev. William Smythe

Deacons Deceased Since Last Council

The Rev. Betty Andrews