What goes on at a vestry meeting?

The “Vestry” is a term in Anglicanism for the group in the local parish which, together with the Rector (the head pastor, which at All Saints is myself) is charged with the “secular” affairs of the church: everything from the stewardship of our resources to our insurances, all financial matters, governance questions, fiduciary concerns, safeguarding policies, vacation days, bylaws, canonical conformity, etc.… you get the idea.

But “secular” —is any part of life really secular? In its contemporary meaning (“that which is not sacred”), no. But in its original meaning, (“pertaining to this age”), sure much of life is secular. And, moreover, those things that are secular, or “of this age”, can be brought into the sacred work of the Church for the ministry of the Kingdom.

What goes on at these Vestry meetings? Here’s a picture taken from our last meeting:

1. OPENING PRAYER & ROLL CALL
   We have some technical trouble setting-up the computer monitor (we are going over the draft of next year’s budget tonight on one large screen erected with moderate precarity on the edge of the Meuller’s dining room table). While our interim treasurer finishes setting that up, I take roll and ask Matthew to open us in prayer. It’s his last time with us in person (he’ll be zooming-in for a few months while travelling). The room is filled with thanksgiving and with the ache of preemptive missing.
   

2. REVIEW OF MINUTES (from last meeting)
   Coffee and refreshments are served (pretzels, grapes, and homemade cookies from our Wardenness).
   We depart from the agenda to share a few jokes and ask about upcoming travel plans.
   The monitor is now set-up.
   We reflect on the previous month’s meeting, for which in this case there were no minutes because the whole of the meeting was a financial review and budget drafting conversation. We do all make sure we are on the same page regarding where we left the budget conversation from last time and follow-up on any questions.
   

3. FINANCIAL REVIEW (of previous month’s finances)
   We look at July’s finances (income, expenses, Year-to-date budget versus actuals, etc.) and discuss: “Why is this expense so high this month?” “Wait, didn’t we approve an increase in that column last month?” “So-and-so from the mainland gave a large gift this year, can someone reach-out and say ‘mahalo’ to them?” “Can we move $$ to this or that restricted account?”
   I note certain trends that I want us to keep an eye on, there is more discussion. Sometimes this part is short, sometimes it is lengthy. Sometimes the conversation is difficult, sometimes it is easy. Our aim, whatever the tenor of the conversations, is to have them with charity for one another and a high regard for the life of the parish we have been entrusted to steward.
   The motion is called. Seconded. All in favor of approving July finances.
   

4. DRAFT BUDGET, F.Y. 24-25
   Our fiscal year starts on October 1 of each year, so we work to finalize the draft 24-25 budget we began last month so that it is ready for our Annual Parish Meeting (involving the whole parish) at the end of September.
   Good discussion. Questions asked. Research done on the table. Columns are reformatted. Some expenses are increased to accommodate current growth. Xcel-sheet formulae are double-checked for accuracy.
   We finalize our draft and commit ourselves to be praying over it as we approach September. We want our budget to reflect our values —chief among which is the glory of God.
   We also discuss how best to invest the small savings our church has in order to be best equipped for the future of mission in Hawaii.
   We do not merely want to create a budget and ask God to bless it. We want to draft a budget by following what the Lord is doing —we want to craft it with Him.
   

5. VESTRY HEALTH & COMPOSITION
   We are looking to expand our vestry team by adding one or two additional members. Vestry members are drawn from among those in our parish who meet the following qualifications: (1) must be a member; (2) must be a regular contributor on the Treasurer’s records (I, as rector, do not have this information); (3) must be in good standing (i.e. not under discipline or in circumstances that would undercut the integrity of the vestry). As the rector I bring names forward to the Vestry for their concurrence, and then we bring them before the congregation at the annual meeting for a vote.
   I invite the Vestry to lend their thoughts and perspectives to this process and we engage in fruitful discussion. The big question we ask tonight sounds something like “What perspective(s) are we lacking in our current composition? Who do we want to ask to bring a representative perspective to help us see things in a new way as we discern where God is leading us?”
   

6. HEALTHY CHURCH & SAFETY POLICIES
   We are in the process of a large overhaul of some of the policies which help us be a healthy church, namely our safety policies surrounding children, volunteers, screening, training, and misconduct reporting. Marissa has really done a fantastic job leading the charge here and we are grateful for her work. We prepare for a church-wide training in October, and set a vision for what it looks like to be more than a “safe church” —we want more than a defensive safety, we want real vital health in our congregation.
   

7. CLOSING PRAYER
   We ask Steven to close us in prayer. He does so. The formal meeting concludes, but people linger. So-and-so follows-up with me about some of the things they are going through; I confirm plans with so-and-so for Thursday; Brad and Matthew talk about fishing, kayaks, and gps units; we clean-out the pretzel bowl and drain the coffee. I am the first to leave.
   It is good to be a part of a team that likes each other enough to linger after our duties have been satisfied. May God keep our little vestry thus knit together.
   

Perhaps this picture seems idealized —inflated with a load of Markbriansesque eloquence. Or it might be easy to assume that all of this warmth is the result of not having had to work through difficulties. I assure you that neither of those assumptions are true. We have had our share of hard conversations to hold and difficult decisions to make. Indeed, some of our meetings have ended with a real sense of unease. What had granted us this warmth and trust is the way we have walked, by God’s grace, through those difficulties. “Hey, I’m ill-at-ease about how last night ended —you got time to meet and follow-up” has been the kind of text message I have received after those hard meetings. Deep commitment to friendship, many one-on-one coffees, a couple of beers grabbed after work, quick phone calls, last minute emails, big hugs, affirmations of our love for one another during the passing of the peace on Sunday, and many other things that don’t figure in the counting of “best leadership practices” has anchored us in the love and unity of Jesus Christ. What we enjoy on our Vestry is not an easy “nice-ness” but rather a hard-won, grace-granted, charity.

It is this quality of charity in our stewardship that renders our “secular” work on the vestry a sacred ministry. The Holy Spirit makes each of us a little Joseph, entrusted with all the wealth of our Master’s house at All Saints, and when, like Joseph, we live in unity with our brothers and sisters, our “secular” work shines with the glory of the Kingdom which is not of this world.