Parking 1. Cathedral parking lot 2. SLU Law School 3. Park Pacific Garage 4. Tucker & St. Charles surface parking lot 5. Ninth Street Garage

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1 Parking 1. Cathedral parking lot The Cathedral parking lot is designated for those with Missouri issued handicapped stickers or license plates plus designated staff member parking 2. SLU Law School SLU Law School is the parking lot adjacent to the east side of the Cathedral parking lot and these spots are available. Do not park in the US Bank spaces on the east side of the lot. All SLU Law School spots have SLU LAW painted on the spaces. 3. Park Pacific Garage Park Pacific garage parking is available for parking across Olive Street from the Cathedral lot. This is a pay garage and the individual is responsible for the fee when exiting. We estimate the fee to be $12. There are 100 spots available. 4. Tucker & St. Charles surface parking lot Look for payment machine on lot. 1st enter License plate 2nd Select rate 3rd select Yes when Prompted, "Do you have a coupon code?" and enter DIOCESE 5. Ninth Street Garage Garage parking is available at 911 Olive Street. Coupons are available during the convention that will be given when exiting the garage, otherwise the normal fee will need to be paid when exiting. There will be no reimbursement for parking other than what is outlined above. Please review the parking instructions and follow the directions, or be prepared to pay for your individual parking.

2 Reports Received Baptism Task Force Bishop s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention Deaconess Anne House Diocesan Council Diocesan Investment Trust Dismantling Racism Commission Episcopal Campus Ministry-Rockwell House Episcopal Church Women Episcopal City Mission Episcopal School for Ministry General Convention Deputation Grace Hill Jubilee Ministries Offices of the Bishop-Archives Offices of the Bishop-Christian Formation Offices of the Bishop-Communications Offices of the Bishop-Senior Staff St. Andrew s Resources for Seniors System St Luke s Hospital United Thank Offering University of the South (Sewanee) Baptism Task Force In his address to the 178th Convention, Bishop Smith called for the formation of a task force on baptism, with the purpose of deepening the diocese s experience of the sacrament in order to help us live in to the baptismal ecclesiology of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. He formed the task force early in the new calendar year. Members: The Rev. Dan Handschy, chair, Sr. Donna Ruth Hawk-Reinhard n/af, the Rev. Ian Lasch, Kate McCormick, Jeff Wunrow, the Rev. Tamsen Whistler, and the Rev. Emily Hillquist Davis in an advisory capacity. The task force undertook several major initiatives. At this convention, there is an exhibition of artwork by 8 artists from six congregations in the diocese that draws us to reflect on the meaning of baptism in our lives. This installation will travel through the diocese in the coming year. We hope each worshiping community in the diocese will host this exhibition during the coming year. Please see Jeff Wunrow to make arrangements. The task force also worked with the JesusHacked podcast, which will publish a number of interviews in this coming season (Season Two of JesusHacked) on members of the diocese considering how their baptism impacts their daily lives. The task force developed a booklet to guide and equip clergy with candidates, parents, and sponsors for preparation for baptism. We hope this booklet will encourage a diocesan standard for preparation The task force conducted a retreat for the clergy of the diocese, focused on enriching the liturgical experience of baptism. The task force also sponsored a workshop for liturgical leaders to help carry ideas for enrichment into our worshiping communities. Heidi Clark, Mary Drastal, and Lura Koch helped Jeff Wunrow put the workshop together. The task force collected a number of resources for use by clergy, educators, parents, sponsors and others for fostering an understanding of baptismal identity, and connecting the newly baptized and their parents and sponsors to the Church. All of those resources are available at: During Lent and Easter of 2019, look for our series of devotional meditations. Please make an effort to participate in the conversations about baptism on social media, using the hashtag #livingmybaptism. At our Baptism Task Force display table, there is a static cling decal for each of you to take home or to Church. Put it near a sink or in the shower to let the water remind you of your baptism. Please come to the display table to pick one up. Submitted by the Rev. Dan Handschy Bishop s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention Tragically, despite substantial progress in many regions of the United States in reducing the frequency of gun violence, the City of St. Louis remains the epicenter of this national epidemic. In 2017, the city experienced 28 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

3 205 homicides, over 90% of which were committed with guns. Nor were the surrounding counties in Missouri and Illinois immune from bloodshed. Importantly, however, notable (albeit isolated) progress is being made with an enhanced focus on community engagement by several area police departments and the increased use of evidenced-based policing strategies, especially in the Hayden Rectangle, a contiguous area of North St. Louis City and County. Nevertheless, the fragmentation of local government and resulting lack of coordination among program initiatives have limited the region s ability to address gun violence systematically. Consequently, the Episcopal Presbyterian Health Trust (EPHT) awarded a $25,000 grant in 2017 to a coalition of 100+ local organizations to assist them in developing a model of collaboration and mutual accountability that would significantly improve their collective effectiveness and community responsiveness. Based on the results of a 6-month study completed with the assistance of a nationally recognized consulting firm (based in St. Louis), the St. Louis Violence Prevention Commission (VPC) was chartered in early 2018 and officially recognized by both St. Louis City and County governments. The Episcopal Bishop s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention worked to secure the grant, facilitated input to the organizational study from the larger faith community and, now, serves on the VPC Leadership Committee. The partnership between the diocese and Washington University School of Medicine s (WUSM) Department of Psychiatry for the development of materials to train clergy and mental health professionals in the care of victims of violence continues. New modules on the nature of evil, PTSD in children, chronic grief and suicide were completed during the past year. WUSM faculty and diocesan staff regularly offer programs to local seminaries, faith communities and community organizations. The Lock It for Love partnership with Women s Voices Raised for Social Justice also continues to grow. Parishioners from Christ Church (Cape Girardeau), Grace (Kirkwood), Holy Communion (University City), Trinity (CWE) and Trinity (St. Charles) have led the diocesan efforts to raise money for the purchase and distribution of gun locks through the sale of imported cashmere scarfs. To date, more than 3,000 have been made available free of charge to gun owners throughout eastern Missouri. Earlier this year, the Bishop s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention received a Fellowship from the University of the South s School of Theology (Sewanee) to begin the development of an adult education curriculum on the responsibility of people of faith in addressing issues of violence. The first four modules of the curriculum have been completed: violence in Scripture; an American culture of violence; gun violence; and youth bullying and suicide. Chapters on domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as forgiveness and reconciliation, will be completed by year s end in preparation for online publication of the entire curriculum by the University of the South in Individual modules are currently being pilot tested at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in University City. The partnership with the American Hospital Association continues, facilitating the exchange of information on violence prevention and programs to address it, primarily through the coordination of our respective web sites. The next year will focus on creating an initiative that brings the diocese and a local hospital(s) together around a violence prevention and education initiative. Bishop s Deputy for Gun Violence Prevention The Reverend Marc D. Smith, Ph.D. (314) cotterboatworks@aol.com Deaconess Anne House The Deaconess Anne House (DAH) 5.0 corps members had a great start to In late January, they journeyed to Colorado to be with three other Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) programs on a regional retreat and to watch the Winter X Games! Kevin Rysted and Rebecca Cole joined the corps members from Brendan s Crossing in Cincinnati, OH, Denver and Steamboat Springs, CO, and Minneapolis, MN, for a weekend of reflection, fellowship, and fun in the snow! Recruitment was also in high gear early in 2018, with Director Jillian Smith visiting many colleges in the Midwest to promote DAH and ESC! During the year, DAH was represented at University of Evansville, University of Missouri St. Louis, University of Missouri Columbia, Columbia College, Washington University, St. Louis University, Missouri State University, and the University of Kansas. She also had help from the Venerable Mark Sluss! The Little Free Food pantry, which was installed in November 2017, has become a self-sustaining ministry in Old North St. Louis, with neighbors taking what they need and giving what they can. In late 2017 and throughout 2018, DAH received multiple grants from Grace Episcopal Church to help fill the food pantry! Corps members Kevin in Rebecca made several parish visits throughout their program year. They traveled to Trinity CWE, Holy Communion, St. Vincent in the Vineyard, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Peter s, and Online at 29

4 St. Francis to preach and/or lead the forums! Several of these churches serve as Sponsoring Parishes, which means DAH corps members make an annual visit and the parish provides clergy support during DAH s Monday night dinner and Eucharist, as well as financial support. Over the summer, Jillian visited General Convention in Austin, TX, to promote DAH and ESC to thousands of other Episcopalians. Bishop Smith submitted a resolution for ESC to become a part of the Episcopal Church s Faith Formation Department. Jillian, Bishop Smith, and the Ven. Mark Sluss spoke at a committee hearing about DAH s impact on the Diocese of Missouri and beyond. The resolution passed but was left unfunded. The 5.0 year wrapped up in early August, and with the help of the Rev. Canon Loren Lasch and some eager Diocesan youth, we were able to clean the house and put on a fresh coat of paint in the chapel for the incoming group! DAH welcomed two new corps members in August, Madison Orozco (Missouri Health Care for All) and Shelton Clark (Grace Hill), both of Nashville, TN, and welcomed back Kevin (The Haven of Grace) for a second year! The past few months have been wonderful, and the corps members are settling nicely into their lives in Old North and into their placements sites, where they serve 32 hours weekly. DAH has always been committed to spiritual formation rooted in the Benedictine tradition and Episcopal Church, transformative non-profit service, and love of neighbors in Old North, and this year is no different! The corps members meet 5 days a week for Morning Prayer and all day on Fridays for Chapter Meeting, a time to share regrets and thanksgivings and to revisit values and the Common Rule of Life they created together at the beginning of their year of service! They also have community dinner and Eucharist on Monday evenings, and they have welcomed clergy from all around the Diocese to eat, preach, and preside! They have also done a fantastic job of reaching out to their neighbors and creating a radically hospitable space! October 2018 was a very exciting month for DAH. The Diocese of Missouri, Bishop Smith, and the lovely folks at Christ Church Cathedral welcomed the Episcopal Service Corps Director s Meeting early in the month. On October 20th, DAH held its first ever fundraiser! The trivia night, held at Emmanuel in Webster Groves, was a huge success, with nearly 100 people in attendance and over $2000 raised! Many thanks to Mike Fowlkes for chairing the event and the Advisory Board for putting it on. Shelton, Kevin, and Madison enjoyed a retreat a few weeks ago with the corps members from Circle of the Beloved in Iowa! It is a joy to be able to connect with other ESC programs. Our corps members also have relationships with other religious service corps members in the St. Louis area, and look forward to celebrating with a Christmas party. The corps members continue their tradition of visiting parishes and communities across the Diocese. In early November they visited the Rockwell House campus ministry for St. Louis area colleges and universities. We are also excited to announce that Annie Brock will be joining DAH in January as a corps member and will be serving as Rockwell House s intern for the spring semester in 2019! Applications for the year open on December 1st, which means Jillian is back at career fairs and visiting campus ministries to let people know the good news of ESC and DAH! With the help of the Ven. Mark Sluss, DAH s deacon, the Rev. Martie Metzler, the Advisory Board chair, and the fantastic folks around the Diocese of Missouri who are in Sponsoring Parishes and on the Advisory Board, the DAH community continues to grow and thrive in the love of Christ. We are looking forward to 2019 and beyond, so if you would like to learn more or join us on a Monday, please Jillian at jsmith@diocesemo.org. Submitted by Jillian Smith Director, DAH Diocesan Council The Diocesan Council continued to fulfill its mission throughout this past year. Highlights of the work it has done: The Council provided careful oversight of 2018 income and expenditures and prepared a balanced proposed 2019 operating budget. The Council monitored 2018 income and expenditures, and in the latter half of the year, with the leadership of Desiree Brattin (Financial Officer for the Diocese) and Tom Hedrick (Treasurer of the Diocese), prepared the proposed 2019 operating budget with input from parishes, ministry partners, the Bishop, Diocesan staff, and the Convocations. Once again, a clean audit report was issued by the external audit of the Diocese for the years ended December 31, 2017 and The Council elected co-trustees to the Diocesan Investment Trust. Krista Baker, Kathleen Sherby, and Bruce Ward were elected to 2-year terms as co-trustees of the DIT. The Council voted to give $20,000 to Faith Christian Church of India, the South Indian Episcopal congregation starting up in West County. The money is to come 30 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

5 from the year-end capital gains distribution from the White Loan Fund. The Council approved a request from St. Francis to use the balance of their pledged amount to the Diocese for the new daycare center. They will be using the funds to cover the expenses of setting up the center. Church Assistance Endowment Fund grants in support of infrastructure improvements were awarded to 10 parishes. A total of $41,765 of CAEF grants were given to Christ Church, Cape Girardeau; St. Martin s, Ellisville; St. Barnabas, Florissant; Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis; St. John s, St. Louis; St. Paul s, St. Louis; Trinity, St. Louis; and St. John & St. James, Sullivan. Making All Things New grants were awarded to 5 parishes. They were awarded to Christ Church, Cape Girardeau; Episcopal City Mission; Holy Cross, Poplar Bluff; St. Paul s, Carondelet; and Trinity, St. Louis. Additional details of the above highlights, all official acts of the Council, and all other activities and accomplishments of the Council are available at: Respectfully submitted, Margaret Rowe Vice-Chair Diocesan Investment Trust The Diocesan Investment Trust (DIT) provides an institutional-quality investment platform for parishes and other diocesan groups to help manage their endowments and other long-term investments. The Stock portfolios are screened to the church s socially responsible investment guidelines. The DIT s funds are overseen by a board of trustees, who meet quarterly. Parishes and other diocesan groups are invited to use the DIT. We offer three funds. 1. U. S. total stock market fund following the Russell 3000 index. 2. Developed market international stock funds following the MSCI World ex. USA index. 3. U. S. intermediate bond index. Parishes using the DIT have direct control of their funds, with all record keeping provided by the sponsor, TIAA-CREF. The DIT is a good solution for parishes without in-house investment expertise, or where account size doesn t justify professional management fees. There are currently 15 parishes, plus several organizations throughout the diocese participating in the DIT. The DIT board consists of six lay members along with the bishop and diocese financial officer as an ex officio member. We meet quarterly to review fund performance, perform due diligence, and other fiduciary tasks as needed. Please see me or Desiree Brattin if you are interested in using the DIT for your investment program. Respectfully submitted, Bruce Ward President, Board of Trustees Dismantling Racism Commission Vision: As people living out our Baptismal covenant, we see our diocese reconciled to God by challenging racism in ourselves and society. Mission: To dismantle racism through relationship building, dialogue, education and action. The Commission on Dismantling Racism is charged by the National Church and the Diocese of Missouri to promote racial justice in the Episcopal Church. The Commission expects to realize this result by working toward the above stated vision and mission statements. To fulfill this charge, the Commission has divided its work into four major goals areas: Goal 1: Increase the presence of the Commission in Diocesan and Congregational activities. Goal 2: Train, educate, and update all members of the Commission on some aspect/component of racism. Goal 3: Educate and inform so to empower others to dismantle racism in the Diocese. Goal 4: Increase the active membership of the Commission on Dismantling Racism. During calendar year, the Commission provided the required fourteen-hour training for all ordained and leadership persons in the diocese. These trainings were conducted at St. Stephen s in Ferguson and Trinity Episcopal Church in St. Charles. Additionally, the Commission visited Grace Episcopal Church in Kirkwood and conducted an Adult Education Program on the fourteen hour training program offered by the Commission. The Diocesan Commission on Dismantling Racism works to achieve the National Church position on Resolutions: A143 Title: Slavery and Racial Reconciliation Online at 31

6 and Resolution and A144 Title: Endorse Restorative Justice. Additionally, the Commission is committed to the National Episcopal Church s Becoming Beloved Community. This vision emerges as a response to General Convention Resolution C019 ( Establish Response to Systemic Injustice ). The comprehensive commitment, which the church s top leaders created in partnership with the presiding bishop s staff, key leaders, networks, and organizations dedicated to racial reconciliation, links new initiatives with existing work and seeks to support local, regional, provincial, and church-wide network efforts. The Annual Absalom Jones Celebration, Raising Anti-Racist Children for a Beloved Community was held on February 10, 2018, at St. Martin s Episcopal Church in Ellisville. In July the Commission in partnership with Christ Church Cathedral-Pursuing Racial Justice Committee and under the direction and leadership of Alice Stanley, member of the Commission and Christ Church Cathedral took a group of approximately 25 adults and youth on a five-day educational tour to Washington D.C. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. While in the area, this group also visited the Frederic Douglass National Historic Site at Cedar Hill, also located in Washington D.C. One of the more fun and relaxing activities included a visit to the nationally renowned Ben s Chili Bowl, where presidents, mayors, celebrities and Episcopalians from St. Louis gather to eat, fellowship and enjoy camaraderie. This trip was a great success by all measures. The Commission is partnering with the following churches in the diocese who have started their own journeys to dismantle racism where congregants live, work and play: Christ Church Cathedral-Pursuing Racial Justice, St. Timothy s-ministry of Racial Reconciliation, St. Martin s-justice Commission, Emmanuel-Equity and Diversity. There are also beginning efforts to establish internal dismantling racism programs at Holy Communion in University City, St. Stephen s in Ferguson and Trinity-St. Louis. Calvary-Columbia and Trinity-St. Charles under the direction of Martha Kelly and Bill Cramer respectfully have active programs as yet to be named. The Commission will host its third annual conference and celebration on Saturday, December 1, For its third annual celebration of raising racial awareness throughout the diocese, the Commission on Dismantling Racism will use Becoming Beloved Community as a platform for this year s events. In 2017, the Episcopal Church articulated its longterm commitment to racial healing, reconciliation and justice by introducing Becoming Beloved Community, a set of interrelated commitments around which Episcopalians may organize our many efforts to respond to racial injustice and grow a community of reconcilers, justice-makers, and healers. Peace, Chester Hines, Jr. The Reverend Chester Hines, Jr. Chairperson, Commission on Dismantling Racism Deacon, The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion For additional information, please contact any of the following listed Dismantling Racism Commission current or past members or diocesan staff: *Dale Anderson, M. D., Trinity, St. Louis *Mary Ellen Anderson, Trinity, St. Louis *Rina Chittooran St. Martin s, Ellisville *Tony Corey, St. Timothy s, Creve Coeur *Adrienne Dillon, All Saints-Ascension-North Woods *Alexia Dukes, All Saints-Ascension-North Woods *John Dotson, Grace Episcopal Church, Kirkwood *Courtney Everson Schaeffer, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Webster Groves *Beth Felice, Diocesan Office *Bill Gilbert, St. Peter s, Ladue *Will Gilbert, St. Peter s, Ladue *Rob Good, Christ Church Cathedral *Kurt Greenbaum, St. Martin s, Ellisville *Pinky Hunter, St. Stephen s, Ferguson *The Reverend Chester Hines, Jr., Deacon, Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, University City *The Reverend Heather McCain, Columbia, Missouri *The Reverend James H. Purdy, Retired Rector from St. Peter s, Ladue *Margaret Rowe, Emmanuel, Webster Groves *Randall Schilling, Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, University City *Lisa Heaner, Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, University City Episcopal Campus Ministry- Rockwell House You could meet them in school: 2018 has been the year to bring a friend to Rockwell House, and we ve been glad to run into those friends again at again as we participated in events on campus: from our Luther-Presby- Palian Ashes to Go station at SLU in February to the unity events at WashU s main and medical campuses responding to the 32 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

7 shooting at Tree of Life synagogue and other recent acts of hate, from the Title Mine organizing in the spring to the Give Thanks Give Back Christmas drive in the fall. Or in lanes, or at sea: Sometimes we ve been literally in the streets - with the local March for Our Lives and Women s March, and especially this summer as part of the Episcopal PRIDE presence. Sometimes it s meant learning how to find our lanes in the struggle for justice and peace, such as during our summer book discussions of The Cross and the Lynching Tree. In church: Spring semester saw a record 8 students sign up to preach at Sunday worship (and fall semester added a few new preachers as well). Members of Rockwell House participated in General Convention in Austin this summer, and are here at Diocesan Convention this weekend. Increasingly, you can find Rockwell House students involved in service and worship at Holy Communion, University City, where we celebrated a brand new partnership in September. Or at tea: Of course, the heart of our ministry still happens in the relationships with God and one another that are built over coffee or tea, at weekly dinners and office hours, and in the Eucharist. We look forward to the ways this ministry will grow in 2019, especially as we welcome a new Deaconess Anne House intern to Rockwell House beginning in January. As our current seasonal blessing says, May God who makes saints of sinners raise and strengthen us, that we may transform the world as Spirit-filled servants of the reign of love. Episcopal Church Women The vision of the Diocese of Missouri Episcopal Church Women (ECW) reflects the statement of the National Board of Episcopal Church Women: To offer every woman in the Diocese of Missouri an environment of support, encouragement, education and opportunity for ministry by providing: Fellowship; Communication; Resource Materials; and Outreach to the Diocese, Nation, and the World. According to the canons of the Episcopal Church, every woman who belongs to the Episcopal Church automatically is a member of Episcopal Church Women. Our duty, as a Board, is to serve every woman in this diocese, whether she is a part of an organized ECW group within her parish or not. We look to church history and stories of the Bible reflecting the unique relationship women have serving God and supporting one another in spirit and ministries. Through the centuries, women have supported one another; lending physical and emotional support to other women by example, assistance, and as a presence in important milestones of family life. We are the daughters, wives, mothers, aunties, and dear friends to one another with Jesus at our center. Jesus taught us how to be in relationship with God and one another. While many ECW organizations take on the role of the social aspect of their parish, such as hosting events and funeral receptions, or raising funds, the main reason for existence of an ECW is to care for one another by providing education, resources, and an environment of support to other women and find opportunities for ministry to the hurting world. We work within our Baptismal Covenant to share the Good News of God and to begin to reclaim Jesus by accepting others, learning about and from them, and share what God has so generously given us through His abundant love. This past year (November November 2018), the ECW Board has had two retreats, a Board retreat, held a luncheon celebrating the Distinguished Women within our Diocese and taking the winner to the Triennial Convention in Austin, TX. We have held an election and have had a change in leadership of the Board. In November 2017, we had an overnight retreat at Mercy Center for approximately 50 women from various parishes throughout the Diocese. Our theme was Interwoven: Sisters, Mothers, Friends where we explored the courage of the mystics, had time to learn about worship through the music of the singing bowls and dyed silk scarves using natural materials from the land around us. We learned how to use affirmations to calm and heal us and were able to worship in many manners using the examples of our ancestors. During this time, we invited the women to give an offering of love for our sisters in need. We brought personal care products for the women who shop the food pantry at St. Stephen s Ferguson and had an area where Bravely, an organization who helps women with recovery, to sell their products. Our women in this Diocese desire to love women outside our church with what may look like a small gift, but in reality, can sometimes be a large gift for women in our communities. January and February had us reaching out to the parishes of our Diocese to find who among us had a Distinguished Woman whose name we could submit to the National Board of Episcopal Church Women where we would honor those women at a luncheon at the Triennial Convention in July in Austin, TX. We had nine parishes submit names from which the Diocesan Board chose one to represent our Diocese as our Distinguished Woman. The Board was astounded by the talents and ministries these women provided to our cities, counties and our parishes! It was difficult to choose from the list of Online at 33

8 women, but in the end, we chose Sharon Meusch, from Christ Church in Rolla to represent the women from the Diocese of Missouri. She was able to attend the Triennial Convention and even testify at one of the hearings on domestic abuse. She has since become an ECW Board member and we are all delighted. In May, we held the Distinguished Women s Luncheon in the diocese of Missouri to honor each of the women who names were submitted to the ECW Board. We hope to begin a little earlier in a couple of years to encourage more parishes to participate in this remarkable event. The annual ECW meeting was held in conjunction with a one day retreat in August at St. Francis in Eureka. The theme for this retreat was Sister to Sister: Episcopal Women in Community where we explored a deeper context of the meaning and relationship of sisterhood in Beloved Community. We had discussion time and some community building activities. As in previous retreats where we share the gifts which God has so generously given us, we shared those gifts of personal care products with Neighborhood United, a ministry of Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis. During this meeting, new Board members were elected and installed: Deborah Caby, President, Shug Goodlow, Vice-President & Chaplain, Rica Bond-Williams, Secretary, Jo Anne Harris, Treasurer, Ruby Downs, Communication Coordinator, Jeanne King, UTO Coordinator, Kay Fletcher, Scholarship Coordinator, and the Members at Large are Doris Lucy-Goodlow, Ginger Simmons, Sharon Meusch and Marty O Leary. Cheryl Gaynor was honored for her service as past president with gifts and much gratitude. In November, we will honor Annie Rayman for her many years of service with the Church Periodical Club. In September, the new Board began with a daylong retreat which included a Eucharistic service and spiritual retreat examining and identifying our gifts of The Spirit. In the afternoon, we had our first working meeting. Also in September, we were able to celebrate and award the ECW Scholarship to Christy Henke Ratliff at St. Timothy s. In the upcoming year, we will be reaching out to each individual parish to offer our support of their work, however they may need us. We are working on a Province V Conference in Springfield, IL in April 2019 where all the women from this diocese will be invited to attend. We are in the process of developing other events where we can be of service to the women in the Diocese of Missouri. Our meetings are the second Wednesday of every month; held at Grace-Kirkwood from 4-6 p.m. All women from the diocese are invited to attend. You may contact Deborah Caby at debbiecaby@yahoo.com for further information or with any questions. Respectfully submitted, Deborah Caby President, ECW Board, Diocese of Missouri debbiecaby@yahoo.com Episcopal City Mission Overview Episcopal City Mission (ECM) delivers its mission of chaplaincy providing support, hope, and healing to children in the juvenile justice system through the work of its chaplains. The chaplains serve the children in St. Louis City and County Detention Centers. ECM has also expanded it services to youth certified as adults who are being held in the St. Louis City and County Justice Centers. ECM also serves two groups of youth at Missouri Hills, a Division of Youth Services (DYS) facility. Staff Changes ECM has had several staff changes from November 2017 to November 2018, including the resignation of two chaplains and the recruitment of a development assistant. Angela Breeher joined ECM in November 2017 as ECM s development assistant. She came to ECM after 27 years of serving the Episcopal Church as a lay professional in the Diocese of Missouri on both the parish and diocesan level. The Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker submitted her resignation in December 2017 and served her last day at ECM in January 2018 after 12 years as a chaplain. It was decided that ECM would fill this full-time position with two part-time chaplains, which will fit better with the availability of the children in late afternoon and evenings during the week and throughout the weekends. Ms. Deborah Burris joined ECM as a part-time chaplain in March She is an ordained pastor and served as an ECM intern in Her daytime job is the Director & Chief Diversity Office at the University of Missouri St. Louis. Mr. Brian Sieve joined ECM as a part-time chaplain in March He is an ordained pastor and served as an ECM intern in He currently serves as pastoral support at his home church, Metropolitan Community Church (MCC) of Greater 34 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

9 Saint Louis and is a guest preacher around the region for his denomination, MCC. Mr. Jeff Fabbiano resigned and left ECM on September 10, 2018 after serving as an ECM chaplain for eight years. He is missed very much. We are now looking for a replacement that has a background similar to Jeff s youth ministry experience and a counseling license Mission Growth This year we submitted a proposal for a New Ventures in Community Ministries Grant. Our plan is to use these grant funds to implement a new initiative to serve court-involved youth in St. Louis County. We have met with the Delinquency Services Director of the St. Louis Family Court to plan and implement a Community-Based Chaplaincy Program. ECM agreed to start a pilot program in January 2019 at a North County location, where ECM chaplains will provide Grief and Loss Groups on a voluntary basis. Delinquency Services staff members will recruit the court-involved youth (who are not detained, but under court supervision) to participate in the groups. ECM s Board and staff members are very excited about this new opportunity to serve youth. ECM continues to work on increasing our presence in the community through such things as our Community-Based Chaplaincy Program described above, along with its ability to grow and serve more children in the juvenile justice system. ECM is serving youth that have been certified as adults and are being held at the City and County Justice Centers. There are hundreds of children committed to Missouri DYS facilities. Many of the children in DYS already have relationships with ECM chaplains due to their time at the St. Louis City and County Detention Centers. Providing chaplains to the children in DYS facilities fits within our mission and we are currently providing a chaplain to work with one group of boys and one group of girls at Missouri Hills, a DYS facility that houses about 100 young men and women Development Activities In 2018, ECM continued to spread the word of the chaplains work through our fundraising events and several visits to parishes where the chaplains provided sermons and/or participated in adult forums. In addition, ECM s Executive Director had the pleasure to attend the Metro 3 and Metro 4 meetings to talk about ECM s current work and plans for serving more court-involved children. We are already scheduled in 2019 for several parish visits. ECM communication with the Episcopal churches has become a key activity for the ECM office and Board Members. Our Development Assistant is providing church contacts with information concerning monthly birthday parties, upcoming fundraisers, and other activities. In addition, she is posting information on ECM s Facebook page and sending blasts to our supporters. Our key fundraisers are still providing about 20% of our income. Summer Celebration in 2018 was again a Bingo event that mimics ECM s monthly birthday parties with its food (birthday cake, Ted Drewes, pizza, etc.) and fun, competitive games! The 15th annual Moment in Time was held in October 2018 with a guest speaker, Commander Perri Johnson, who is a member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. He spoke about his several years of experience serving in the Juvenile Division of the department and his community volunteer work with juveniles. ECM now has a new initiative for recruiting supporters and volunteers. It is a Young Professionals Group that held two small fundraisers a documentary (The Pruitt-Igoe Myth) viewing in April 2018 and a walk-athon in September The goal is to introduce ECM to young persons and enlist them in supporting us with time, talent, and some treasure. In 2018, we contracted for a second year with a Grant Writer to assist in grant applications and research new grant opportunities. This has increased our grant revenue in 2018 and added one new funder identified by the Grant Writer. Thank You We sincerely thank you for your continued support of Episcopal City Mission and the children we serve. Read more about ECM s programs and activities at and review ECM s video titled Why We Need to be Here, which is available on the website s home page. Be sure to like us on Facebook (facebook.com/ episcopalcitymissionstl). Contact Elizabeth (Beth) Goad, Executive Director Episcopal City Mission ; ecmdirectorstl@gmail.com Episcopal School for Ministry This year, the Episcopal School for Ministry has begun a collaboration with the Central States Synod (CSS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The ELCA, like other denominations, is facing a shortage of seminary-trained clergy, and has begun to license Parish Online at 35

10 Ministry Associates (PMAs) to offer word and sacrament in congregations in transition. The Central States Synod covers the states of Kansas and Missouri. The Bishop Kemper School of Ministry in Topeka, Kansas, offers the courses needed for the certification of PMAs. The Central States Synod has asked ESM to allow students to pursue their certification in our curriculum. Most of our courses will meet requirements of PMA certification. We will have to add courses in Lutheran Theology and Ethics from a Lutheran Perspective at some point to meet their requirement. This term, we have five Lutheran Students. Two will finish their requirement for certification, and three will continue on in our curriculum. Episcopal School for Ministry has added a course in the Fall term for candidates for ordination preparing to take the General Ordination Examinations. In the Spring of 2018, the School offered a continuing education course for clergy of the diocese on the eucharistic theology of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. The faculty is currently reviewing the curriculum for deacons. The General Convention has changed the requirements for ordination to the diaconate over the course of time, and the curriculum at the School has not changed to accommodate current requirements. We are trying to shorten the curriculum for deacons to a two year course of study. The faculty of the Episcopal School for Ministry are: The Rev. Dr. Dan Handschy, dean, instructor of theology, the Rev. Dr. Marshall Crossnoe, instructor of church history and sacramental theology, Dr. Ron Crown, instructor of New Testament, the Rev. Dr. Deborah Goldfeder, instructor of liturgics, Sr. Donna Ruth Hawk Reinhard, n/af, PhD, instructor of spirituality and church history, the Rev. Dr. Barbara Willock, instructor of Old Testament, New Testament, and preaching. Respectfully submitted, Dan Handschy, Dean Episcopal School for Ministry. General Convention Deputation General Convention (GC) was held in Austin, Texas, July 5 12, The overarching theme of GC was The Way of Love, introduced by the Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop, at the opening service and expressed throughout GC. Three areas of focus for joint-sessions of the House of Deputies (HoD) with the House of Bishops (HoB), and for the GC Budget, were Racial Reconciliation and Justice; Evangelism; and Creation Care. Lay Deputies from Missouri voting at GC: Betty Bowersox, Kathy Dyer, Michael Booker and Lisa Fox; Alternate: Adrienne Lemmons Dillon. Liz Yount and Robby Dunlap were also Alternate Lay Deputies; Dunlap attended GC. Clerical Deputies: Tamsen Whistler, Mark Sluss, Beth Scriven, and Luke Jernagan; Alternate, Todd Mc- Dowell. Several Deputies served on GC Committees: Dyer (Chair) and Sluss, Dispatch of Business; Jernagan (Secretary) and Fox, Certification of Minutes; Booker (Secretary), Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations; Whistler, Congregational and Diocesan Vitality; Scriven, Special Committee on Sexual Harassment and Exploitation (#Me- Too Committee); Bishop Smith, Prayer Book, Liturgy, and Music. GC Convention Deputies spent about 30 hours in Legislative Committee meetings, 45 hours in Legislative Sessions in HoD, six hours of joint sessions in HoD with HoB; at least 14 hours in Prayer and Worship; five seven hours in A Day of Action, and, for your MO Deputation, another hour or two each evening to check in with each other, discuss critical issues, and consider what to expect the next day. Along with Bishop Smith and MO Deputies, Joe Chambers, MO representatives to ECW Triennial Meeting, and all DioMO people in Austin during GC were invited to participate in our evening meetings. Basic statistics for resolutions and actions of GC: In HoD, 841 voted, representing 110 dioceses. In addition, Deputies from Liberia and after special welcome Cuba, held seat and voice, but not vote. Of 524 Resolutions proposed by Executive Council, Bishops, Dioceses, and/or individual Deputies, and reviewed by Legislative Committees, GC acted upon 368. HoB and HoD concurred on 262. Of the remaining, 162 were either rejected or replaced by substitutes; voted, Take No Action ; or simply not completed by the time GC ended. (To see a 55-page PDF containing full texts of all Resolutions passed, go to and look for A Summary of Actions of the 79th General Convention. ) Several resolutions addressed a topic of particular interest to the Diocese of Missouri this year. These had to do with a diocesan Missional Review in preparation for calling a new Bishop, and more stringent background checks for Bishop candidates. Although these resolutions do not take effect immediately, it seems important to pay attention to them as we begin our own search for a new Bishop. Notable differences between the 79th GC and previous ones included HoB s response to the Special Committee (#MeToo) a liturgical Listening Session, with readings of selected stories of harassment and/or abuse by TEC leaders, prayers, music, and litany of confession and commitment. Larger response included a significant number of resolutions presented through several committees addressing clergy misconduct, suspending 36 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis

11 the ecclesiastical statute of limitations on reporting abuse or harassment for two years; gathering statistics on compensation and deployment of women clergy, including clergy of color; and, an immediate suspension of HoD Rules of Order to permit nursing infants (and feeding children) on the floor of the HoD. Not all resolutions connected with the work of the Special Committee were adopted, but their impact on the GC was significant. One other major difference between the 79th GC and those preceding it was in the Joint Sessions for HoB and HoD noted above. The sessions on Racial Reconciliation & Justice, Evangelism, and Creation Care followed a format of four presentations and discussion: Among the presenters were a former white supremacist; a DACA recipient who is an Episcopal priest; a Native Alaskan environmental advocate; the Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa; a family of Episcopalians who lost their daughter/sister in the Parkland High School murders in Florida; and a diocesan Bishop who conducts revivals (40 of them in 2017), with a two-year follow-up to assist Episcopal congregations in evangelism. In each session, after presentations, Deputies and their Bishops focused on their own dioceses. First, we were asked to share in pairs or trios a personal response to what we had heard. Then, as a group, we discussed how our own diocese might address issues raised and what resources we would need to do so. For the next three Diocesan Conventions 2018, 2019, and 2020 we will be responding to resolutions and actions of the 79th GC, as well as addressing in some yet-to-be determined ways the areas of Justice & Racial Reconciliation, Evangelism, and Creation Care. It has been and remains an honor for each and all of us to serve the Diocese of Missouri as your Deputies to the 79th General Convention. Grace Hill Grace Hill Settlement House was established by the Episcopal Diocese in 1903 to provide comprehensive services to immigrant families acclimating to life in St. Louis. Grace Hill is rooted in the philosophy of the Settlement House Movement, an enduring tradition established in 1889 with the work of Jane Addams at the Hull House in Chicago. This tradition seeks to provide an equitable opportunity for all members of the community to participate in academic, economic, civic, and other neighborhood activities enabling them to support each other to make their communities better places to live. Grace Hill serves families throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. However, our programs are concentrated in two areas of North and South St. Louis City comprised of zip codes 63106, 63107, and Availability of safe affordable public and private housing stock is limited in each of these zip codes, most notably within and All the families of the children in the St. Louis Public Schools with which we partner, are eligible for free breakfast and lunch food programs. Grace Hill delivers integrated, place-based interventions in target low-income neighborhoods. This work is anchored in a collective impact model that strives to serve at least two generations of each household, building on successful programs to ensure that every child, every family, and every community has the opportunity to succeed. Grace Hill s focus is on three key programmatic elements: educational, economic, and community impact. All elements spark collective social and economic advancement for the individuals, families and communities we serve. One element cannot improve without the concurrent improvement of the others. Our Programs: Educational Impact: includes our Head Start and Early Head Start as well as our Community School Partnership program. Grace Hill serves hundreds of children at community Head Start centers and public schools across the City of St. Louis, ensuring that our children have the tools they need to grow up great. Grace Hill partners with parents to help the whole family become strong and healthy, supporting children and themselves for years to come. Grace Hill s core educational programs, Head Start/Early Head Start and the Community School Partnerships, building a bridge of stable academic and student/family support models from infancy to middle school in the St. Louis Public Schools. Economic Impact: includes our Women s Business Center, our partnership with Connections to Success and Prosperity Connections. Every family deserves an opportunity to become self-sustaining. Raising a child isn t easy, and neither is trying to get your feet on the ground financially. Doing both at once is an overwhelming task for many St. Louis families. Focused around our Head Start centers, the Women s Business Center and Community Hubs, Grace Hill s economic development network offers wrap-around services that build capacity and lead to family stability. Community Impact: includes Housing, Aging Services, Food Pantries and Material Assistance. Because it takes more than a single program, person, or organization to make a difference in the lives of St. Louis families, Online at 37

12 Grace Hill s community development programs leverage all available resources and work in collaboration with neighborhood residents, and enact a collective impact approach to build a stronger, healthier future. Grace Hill community development programs include the North Corridor Collaborative, housing and human services, and volunteering. Community support programs bring residents together around specific activities that build community identity, provides residents with more employable skills, encourages residents to become life-long learners and address neighborhood concerns. In 2017 Grace Hill s Community Development Program partnered with Dr. Jason Purnell and his research team from Washington University in a first of its kind attempt to take action on Dr. Purnell s research in his groundbreaking report, For the Sake of All, by examining and implementing recommendations for alleviating health disparities in the community. Community stakeholders were introduced to the principles of Community Based Participatory Research, a collaborative and inclusive approach to research that equitably involves partners in all aspects of the research process, such as community members, organizational representatives, and academic researchers. Armed with data from the For the Sake of All report and the lived experiences of residents, the team embarked on a shared learning experience. After reviewing all of the recommendation areas from the report, residents settled on healthy neighborhoods as their focus. Then they taught us about their community and their lives. This merging of knowledge has resulted in a plan to repurpose vacant land within College Hill. Over the course of 7 months residents collected information on their community by speaking with residents and business owners, reviewing community-level data, meeting with city leaders and community advocates, and reading about potential solutions. All of this data informed their plan. Collectively, they spent 315 hours attending workshops, completing homework, and building the action plan. Neighborhood residents shared their perspectives on the neighborhood and the challenges facing their community. After documenting and discussing each concern, residents voted on a priority issue to address through this community-academic partnership. Residents chose unsafe structures and unhealthy housing conditions as an issue to explore further through their own research and data collection. Seven neighbors completed the process of identifying health concerns within the community and designing an intervention to improve health outcomes in their neighborhood. The Neighborhood Researchers not only gained knowledge of the tools and methods to gather this information, but 38 The 179th Meeting of the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri through grassroots engagement, they also were able to build skills and capacity to respond to health-related needs using data-driven, evidence-based approaches. While the Community Development team continues to work with this group of residents to complete this phase, they recognize that is just the beginning. The team is looking for ways to duplicate the model in other neighborhoods throughout the community. Giving a voice to those who sometimes struggle to be heard. Contact: Michael Foley, Director of Development mfoley@gracehillsettlement.org Jubilee Ministries German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote, The Church is the Church only when it exists for others. This is the essence of Jubilee Ministries. In 1982, the 67th General Convention of the Episcopal Church concurred as amended the Resolution A080 which affirmed that a ministry of joint discipleship in Christ with poor and oppressed people, wherever they are found, to meet basic human needs and to build a just society is at the heart of the mission of the church. That resolution further directed the Executive Council to implement and co-ordinate with other programs of the Church a priority ministry commitment by this Church to be called The Jubilee Ministry. Since that time, there are hundreds of Jubilee Ministry Centers across this Church doing the work of peace and justice at a grass roots level to work to meet basic human needs of water, food, housing, healthcare, education, employment, and a healthy environment. In addition, there are those working for a just immigration policy, cultural affirmation, equal protection under the law, and economic opportunities. This is the work of Jubilee. Nothing belongs to us. It is all gifted to us by God regardless of how much we feel we have worked for it, regardless of how much we think we own it. Jubilee is about: Radical forgiveness Matthew 18:21-35 Radical Equality Matthew 20:1-16 Radical Hospitality Luke 14:1-14 Radical Compassion Mark 1:40-45 Radical Hope Isaiah 43:18-19, Luke 15:11-32 The Diocese of Missouri has 3 Jubilee Ministry Centers: St. Louis Trinity Food Ministry at Trinity Church in the Central West End 1987 Nov. 17, 2018 at Christ Church Cathedral, St. Louis