North Central Jurisdiction Mission Council
December 12, 2024
Members Present: Amy Aspey; Paige Boyer; Walter Brault; Curtis Brown; Diane Brown; Kelly Brown; LaTonya Calderon; Hannah Choi; Karen Cook; Beata Ferris; Gordon Grigg; Angela Hansen Abbas; Andrea Hult; Nathan Lundy; In Suk Peebles; Dan Schwerin; Jim Searls; Erik Slingerland; Rita . Smith; Sarah Sneider; Eric Swanson; Jessica Gobel; Peace Kim; Ryan Russell;
Members Absent: Kaitland Szczypka; Fabiola Grandon-Mayer; Dione Joseph (resigned)
Ryan welcomed the new Mission Council members and explained the meeting setup. Sarah, the new jurisdictional treasurer, provides information about the facilities. The group introduces themselves, with some members attending in person and others joining via Zoom. Ryan outlined the agenda for the current session and the following day, mentioning that elections for new officers will take place Friday morning. He then transitioned into a short worship time, beginning with a poem about new beginnings.
Bishop Schwerin led communion.
Ryan went through purpose and scope of the Mission Council (Reading from the 2022 NCJ Journal.)
Curtis explained the importance of building connections beyond formal positions he group norms will be changing as the denomination moves through change in relationships. The importance of building connections beyond formal positions. Adaptation to changes in the church and society
Discussion of the council’s membership and representation
Group participated in team building exercise. “How do we find new ways of reaching new goals?”
3: 30 PM After a break the group shared stories about our positions in the church and where we have seen God recently.
Group activity lifting small “poles” together. Learning to deal with variables. Being aware of different problem-solving skills. How to build a team. How do you react?
Meeting recessed for dinner at 5:40.
North Central Jurisdiction Mission Council
December 13, 2024
Eric Swanson- IGRC
Jessica Gobel, Wis
Bishop Schwerin- Wis/IGRC
Rita Smith- NIC
In SukHong Peebles- Indiana
Curtis Brown- IGRC
Walker Brant– Minnesota
Beata Ferris- Dakotas
Gordon Grigg- Michigan
Karen Cook- WOC
Sarah Sneider- Wis
Nathan Lundy- Ind
Erik S- IGRC
Amy Aspey- WOC
Hannah Choi- Minnesota
Peace Kim- Wis
Ryan Russell- Iowa
Kelly Brown- EOC
Diane Brown- Mich
Jim Searls- Communications
Paige Boyer- EOC
Laytonya
Angela Hansan Abbas- Iowa
Devotions Eric Swanson
Vote to Affirm the election of Sarah Sneider as North Central Jurisdiction treasurer for the quadrennium 2024-2028.
Election of officers
Chair- Eric Swanson
Vice-Chair- Amy Aspey
Secretary- Kelly Brown
New officers for the quadrennium approved by the council.
Thanks for the work of the outgoing and continuing officers and their hard work.
Financial Update
Lonnie is finishing the work as treasurer through the end of 2024 and then the transition to Sarah as the treasurer.
Will move checking account from Christian Family Credit Union to a bank in Wisconsin.
$130,000 in checking account
$443,000 in an investment account- NIC foundation
Handouts- Mission Council Financial Policies, 2024-2028 Budget Proposal,
The financial apportionments for each year will remain the same.
May get a credit card for the treasurer.
Asked about how the Episcopal Area Transition Fund was to be used by conferences.
-Started as a $40,000 request but current amount matches what was used in the past.
Archives space at DePauw University in Indiana.
Noted the use of reserve funds to avoid deficit.
Lonnie will finish any 1099s for the year.
Review of funds needed but not an audit.
Motion to receive the financial report.
Motion Karen Cook
Seconded Erik Slingerland
Approved
Motion to move checking and savings accounts to First Business Bank in Wisconsin.
Moved by Nathan Lundy
Second, Walker Brault
Approved
Grant Writing process review for 2024
Opens in the summer
Communicated to persons who was the signer of earlier grant.
Communicators asked to publish this information.
-Some conferences are better at this than others.
Grants must be jurisdictional in nature.
-At least three conferences involved
-The process has streamlined
-Now a multi year request
-There is a reporting back for accountability. Treasurer will not release funds if the council does not receive report.
-Concern about communication of grants to Acs.
-Adding “ands” to communicating grants
NCJ will run down our reserves to grant levels after this quadrennia we will have minimal assets available for grants.
Grant applications-
Grant rubric attached.
Grants we are considering were submitted on time and impact at least three ACs in the NCJ.
Lots of discussion about grant process.
The following grants were approved for 2025
COE Request- 120,000-
-$30,000- 2025
-$30,000- 2026
VIM Grant Request- $20,000
Escuela de Ministerio- $15,000
NACOS (Native American Course of Study)- $26,500- Annual Request
College of Bishops request- $15,417
Motion- If, we do not have a 2026 jurisdictional conference we designate $100,000 from the 2026 Session line item for additional shared episcopal assignment cost.
Motion- Curtis Brown
Second Jim Searls
Motion to refer to executive team for study to bring recommendation to the next mission council meeting.
Motion- Walker Brault
Second- Sarah Sneider
Meeting recessed at 5:10pm
North Central Jurisdiction Mission Council
December 14, 2024
Amy Aspey; Walter Brault; Curtis Brown; Diane Brown; Kelly Brown; Hannah Choi; Karen Cook; Beata Ferris; Gordon Grigg; Angela Hansen Abbas; Andrea Hult; Nathan Lundy; In Suk Peebles; Dan Schwerin; Erik Slingerland; Rita L. Smith; Sarah Sneider; Eric Swanson; Jessica Gobel; Peace Kim, LaTonya Calderon
Members Absent: Kaitland Szczypka; Fabiola Grandon-Mayer; Dione Joseph (resigned)
Meeting called to order at 9:05am
Discussion of agenda for the day
Rita L. Smith shared concern about election of mission council officers. Her concern is that the the chair and vice chair are both clergy. She expressed the hope that chair and vice chair would alternate between clergy and laity.
Discussion on the mission council roster and it was expressed that the roster should show clergy or laity so we can be aware of balance on the council.
Curtis discussed the Korean Mission and expressed we should know about them. We need to follow up with them and receive their grant application to learn more.
Discussion about the appropriateness of having the Korean Mission and other group meet with the grants team. The intent of the meeting with the grants team is to hear what the ask is, encourage communication, learn
Motion for the grants team and executive team to reach out to the two groups that were going to send a late grant application and ask them to send their request for discussion and consideration at The NCJ Mission Council Spring meeting.
Motion Curtis Brown
Second Beatta Farris
Approved
New Racial Audit
Curtis Brown shared the history and background of the racial audit review. The audit was presented at the 2024 NCJ Conference and there was extensive conversation (attached powerpoint file). Desire expressed for the mission council to continue the audit. There were some helpful things from the initial audit. Wespath is working on some information to help with a new study. The new study will be able to include different data collection. The weakness of the first study is that different data os tracked by each conference. Wespath will helpful because they receive and can provide uniform data. No surprises in the first study the question is what will we do with it. The DEI team on the council will work with this. Staff results from the original study is a place where change could happen.
We elect more diverse people than we hire. If we elect fewer Bishops the power will be with hired staff who are majority white men. We need to be intentional about our action steps.
The audit information needs to be volunteered, so it does not violate title 7 projections.
The mission council is asked to expand their scope and update the audit and share a report with the 2028 NCJ Conference. The task is what do we do with the information and how do we do the study again. How can mission council resource annual conferences to have healthy discussion at annual conferences about constitutional amendment dealing with racism.
⁃ How to follow up with this in light of the current audit
⁃ What questions are we missing today (age, gender, etc…)
⁃ New work for us as a result of the GC & JC.
Proposal for 3 teams of Mission Council
Grants- *Beatta Farris, Karen Cook, Angela Hansen Abbas, Gordon Grigg, Amy Aspey, Nathan Sundland
What is our process?
Is it sustainable?
Does it align with values etc.
Are we being good stewards
DEI- Hannah Choi, *Walker Brault, Erik Slingerland, LaTonya Calderon, Curtis Brown, Jessica Gobel
Look at scope of first audit
Ask good questions
Determine next steps
Continue to build beloved community
Core Values- Mission and Values- *Rita L. Smith, Diane Brown, Paige Boyer, Sarah Sneider, Peace Kim, In Suk Hong Peebles
Mission Council and Jurisdiction
Are there places where we can expand our scope in response to needs and our values.
2025 meeting dates
Spring 2025 zoom- March 27- 4-7pm central
Summer 2025 zoom- August 12- 4-7pm central
Fall in-person October 10-11, 2025- In person at Wisconsin Annual Conference.
10am Friday-Noon Saturday.
Meeting adjourned at 11:51am
⁃ Closing Worship as a Committee
