Wardens and Vestry
Members of the Vestry
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What is the Vestry?
The Church defines[1] the Vestry as “the legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property”. The deeper calling of the Vestry, however, is spiritual. Indeed, central to the basic responsibilities of the Vestry, as articulated by the Church, are those of helping to “define and articulate the mission of the congregation and to support the church's mission by word and deed”. The Vestry is also entrusted with responsibility “to select the rector, to ensure effective organization and planning, and to manage resources and finances”, but the exercise of these responsibilities is an expression of a calling that is spiritual. The Vestry is a microcosm of the Body of Christ, comprised of fellow parishioners, sisters and brothers in Christ, who have sensed a calling to serve in a particular way. To be a Vestry member is to minister.
The Vestry is elected (typically at the annual meeting, to serve three-year terms) by parishioners and, in this sense, formally serves as the representative of the parish, and, thus, of constituencies and interests within the parish. However, Vestry members do not simply vote as they believe parishioners would want them to vote. The Vestry is a discerning body in the midst of the parish; hence, the commitment on the part of Vestry members to pray for their fellow parishioners. Because we are a discerning body, Vestry meetings are a place where there is much discussion and minds are often changed. Anyone on the Vestry will tell you that, at one time or another, they went into a Vestry meeting thinking they had a certain opinion or were going to vote on an issue in a particular way and, then, through prayer and the discussion process, had their minds changed. As sisters and brothers in Christ, the Vestry comes together to speak forthrightly with each other, having “taken the pulse of the parish”, to share their hopes and dreams for the parish, to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, and try to turn those hopes and dreams into concrete plans.
Some people may assume that the Vestry often acts as a “rubber stamp” for whatever the clergy wants. It is certainly true that the Vestry, like the rest of the parish, looks to the clergy for leadership. However, the Vestry has real authority and specific, canonically-defined responsibilities, and can and does make decisions that differ from the preferred path of the Rector or other clergy members. Our calling really is to work in concert with the clergy, for together, Vestry and clergy—indeed the whole parish community, depend upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
One of the specific questions that is often asked is whether the Vestry has authority over liturgical matters. The quick answer to that question is, “no”. The Church wisely leaves decisions regarding liturgy in the hands of those ultimately responsible for it, those who are formally educated in it and who exercise a particular role in it: the clergy. Yet, if authority is really about service, then, in the end, the Vestry does have some authority, insofar as they are engaged in conversation with the clergy about liturgy, informing the clergy of the parish’s liturgical experiences and views and hopes.
Vestry meetings are an open forum
The Vestry meetings are usually held on the first Tuesday of each month. You are more than welcome to attend, listen, pray, and contribute to the discussion. They Vestry meetings are an open forum. The Vestry members, elected by you, members of the parish, welcome you. We currently have eight Vestry members, whose terms are staggered so that the composition of the Vestry change only slightly from year to year—giving us both continuity and change. Many of the members of our parish have served on the Vestry at various times during their life at Ascension and St. Agnes.
If you ever want to know what the Vestry has been discussing, discerning, and doing, the meeting minutes are posted on a monthly basis in the undercroft. If you have any additional questions about how the Vestry works, or have any interest in serving on the Vestry, do not hesitate to contact any of the current Vestry members. They would be happy to talk. Finally, as we pray for you, we ask that you pray for us, that we be instruments of divine love and divine light here at Ascension and Saint Agnes, our spiritual home.
Yours in Christ,
Members of the Vestry
[1] from "An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians," Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors
The Vestry is elected (typically at the annual meeting, to serve three-year terms) by parishioners and, in this sense, formally serves as the representative of the parish, and, thus, of constituencies and interests within the parish. However, Vestry members do not simply vote as they believe parishioners would want them to vote. The Vestry is a discerning body in the midst of the parish; hence, the commitment on the part of Vestry members to pray for their fellow parishioners. Because we are a discerning body, Vestry meetings are a place where there is much discussion and minds are often changed. Anyone on the Vestry will tell you that, at one time or another, they went into a Vestry meeting thinking they had a certain opinion or were going to vote on an issue in a particular way and, then, through prayer and the discussion process, had their minds changed. As sisters and brothers in Christ, the Vestry comes together to speak forthrightly with each other, having “taken the pulse of the parish”, to share their hopes and dreams for the parish, to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, and try to turn those hopes and dreams into concrete plans.
Some people may assume that the Vestry often acts as a “rubber stamp” for whatever the clergy wants. It is certainly true that the Vestry, like the rest of the parish, looks to the clergy for leadership. However, the Vestry has real authority and specific, canonically-defined responsibilities, and can and does make decisions that differ from the preferred path of the Rector or other clergy members. Our calling really is to work in concert with the clergy, for together, Vestry and clergy—indeed the whole parish community, depend upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
One of the specific questions that is often asked is whether the Vestry has authority over liturgical matters. The quick answer to that question is, “no”. The Church wisely leaves decisions regarding liturgy in the hands of those ultimately responsible for it, those who are formally educated in it and who exercise a particular role in it: the clergy. Yet, if authority is really about service, then, in the end, the Vestry does have some authority, insofar as they are engaged in conversation with the clergy about liturgy, informing the clergy of the parish’s liturgical experiences and views and hopes.
Vestry meetings are an open forum
The Vestry meetings are usually held on the first Tuesday of each month. You are more than welcome to attend, listen, pray, and contribute to the discussion. They Vestry meetings are an open forum. The Vestry members, elected by you, members of the parish, welcome you. We currently have eight Vestry members, whose terms are staggered so that the composition of the Vestry change only slightly from year to year—giving us both continuity and change. Many of the members of our parish have served on the Vestry at various times during their life at Ascension and St. Agnes.
If you ever want to know what the Vestry has been discussing, discerning, and doing, the meeting minutes are posted on a monthly basis in the undercroft. If you have any additional questions about how the Vestry works, or have any interest in serving on the Vestry, do not hesitate to contact any of the current Vestry members. They would be happy to talk. Finally, as we pray for you, we ask that you pray for us, that we be instruments of divine love and divine light here at Ascension and Saint Agnes, our spiritual home.
Yours in Christ,
Members of the Vestry
[1] from "An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians," Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors