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Executive Director’s Report
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Rev. Dr. William S. Shillady
Board of Director’s Meeting
June 18, 2010
I have been reading a series of articles at a Duke Divinity School sponsored website entitled, “Faith and Leadership: Where Christian Leaders Reflect, Connect and Learn.” This leadership forum and program has been funded by the Lilly Endowment and Duke has taken a key role in the establishment of this site designed to help Christian clergy transition from being pastors of churches to leaders of institutions as well as creative entrepreneurs in faith.
The site provides forums and articles and Duke has established training programs to assist leaders at the helm of Christian organizations that support local congregations. Their training program began when Duke was approached by a class of newly elected Bishops in the United Methodist church to help them find new levels of skills and leadership for the challenges they faced.
To be a leader of a Christian institution like our City Society, or a church related college, or a new judicatory position means that one will face a complex and morally consequential task, to live and work at the intersections of prophetic witness and practical leadership. Leaders of denominational offices, seminaries, church-related colleges and other institutions need to be skilled in basic leadership and management practices and must also place all of their work under the light of God’s abundant presence in and for the world. Duke Divinity School in this new Faith and Leadership program aims to cultivate thriving communities by building capacity for “traditioned innovation”, transformative leadership and vibrant institutions.
“Traditioned Innovation” is defined as a way of thinking and being that holds the past and future in tension, not in opposition, and is key to the growth and vitality of Christian institutions. “Traditioned innovation” is an inner-biblical way of thinking theologically about the texture of human life in the context of God’s gracious and redemptive self-disclosure.
One of the best articles, which I hope you enjoy as much as I have, is about jazz music. I copy it for you because we are moving more toward this model I believe. As we move forward with some of our City Society ideas of selling property and investing in ministry rather than capital projects, there will be tension. Handled well, it will create beautiful music.
This is the article by Ross Kane:
“You have to hang on that tension note — that’s what makes the solo interesting.” My saxophone teacher told me this, years ago when I was learning jazz improvisation; little did I know then this would become a lesson for ministry.
Despite the church’s expressed commitment to creating a peaceable community through reconciliation, in daily life we often sidestep tension and conflict. “It’s probably easier to move to something else and not address that comment,” thinks a pastor in a tension-filled meeting. “I’d rather not talk to the pastor about the way we’re doing our music these days,” thinks one parishioner. Often Christians see conflict and tension as problems to be forgotten or hastily avoided.
For the jazz musician, however, without the tension there is no groove. The sense of movement in a jazz solo depends upon the building up of harmonic tension followed by release. In jazz, the idea is not to reduce the tension or eliminate it, but rather to negotiate it and let the tension and resolution work together to create something beautiful.
What makes jazz so instructive is that a chord is rarely resolved the same way twice. As each soloist in the band plays over the same chord progression, the particularities of each round means every tension is resolved slightly differently. The jazz musician constantly has to find new ways of resolving tension.
Despite popular notions of improvisation as performance in which anything goes, jazz artists are schooled within a wide tradition of music ranging from Louis Armstrong to John Coltrane. The musicians learn the same tunes called standards, practicing each one so many times they become second nature. The musical tradition and chord structure provide a framework for what pianist Herbie Hancock calls “controlled freedom” and theologian Jeremy Begbie calls “liberating constraint.” The band has one sound because they are drawing from the same tradition and playing from the same chords, even as each musician improvises.
The tension and resolution of a jazz solo also occurs as part of a band. For example, a saxophone soloist may not know ahead of time how the pianist will play a particular chord, and the way he plays that chord will then affect the notes the saxophonist chooses. Then the drummer might pick up the sax’s notes and rhythm, playing them back to the band. The members of the band have to listen to one another, exchange ideas and find mutual inspiration to negotiate tension toward a fruitful musical resolution.
Like jazz musicians, we in the church are rooted within a common tradition and so are able to enter into tension and respond to it with creativity and imagination. Working through conflict proves our commitment to one another, as we rediscover our mutual identity in each other and within the community of Christ.
In the process of living through tension and conflict, we are taken outside ourselves, discovering we are not self-sufficient. Each individual’s sense of what is best for the congregation has to be negotiated with others in that community. Tension becomes a means of dispossessing our narcissistic attempts to be self-sufficient. By working through tension we learn to see other people not simply as competitors, but as part of a life inherently interconnected with others.
This process of tension and resolution in turn forms us: We learn to see others not through rivalry and self-defense but through mutuality and self-giving love. As musicians in a jazz band improvise, they find ways of resolving musical tension together as a band. One member cannot control the process, but the resolution is negotiated by everyone involved. Like the jazz musicians, our tensions are never resolved the same way twice, we do not necessarily know how other members of the “band” — our church community — will express conflict, but we have to listen to one another in order to move toward resolution.
This does not mean we should seek conflict or that all tension eventually will resolve itself. We need not look far into the church’s history for examples of how tension — racial, theological and socioeconomic — has served as a means of destruction within our communities. But if we are truly in community, there will be tension; jazz shows that when this tension is faced openly and honestly, it can be harnessed to form a deeper community — or, God willing, a hipper groove. Posted September 1, 2009Faith and Leadership Website
So, I think as we try to seek innovative ways to live into the future in our faith, in our fiduciary responsibilities, and in our leadership of the urban witness of our church, we will recognize that there will be a healthy tension and even conflict. Some may not want to give up the days of the past. Some congregations will still be in the 1960’s mindset, while others may be ready to jump into the future and throw the baby out with the bathwater. We may have some tension with others within the United Methodist connection. But we should not avoid seeking a new future to avoid the tension. For with that tension, we can find a new tune and melody as we go forth in ministry.
May we be faithful, courageous and imaginative as we live in the dynamic tension of the past, the present and the future. This is not the first or the last time we will be challenged to face the brutal facts and also be people of hope.
Today, we welcome our new board members who were elected at the Annual meeting on May 13,2010.
Rev. Richard Allen, Mamaroneck; Rev. Ariel Ferrari, First Church, Greenwich; Mr. Joonki Kim, layperson from Manhattan Korean Institute; Rev. Arturo Maine, Hispanic Coordinator for the Annual Conference, Ms. Renata Smith, lay leader of the conference and a member of the New Rochelle United Methodist Church.
A draft directory is in your packet so we want you to correct any mistakes.
ANNUAL MEETING
The members of the Society gathered in our annual meeting in the Sockman Room at the Interchurch Center on Thursday, May 13th, 2010. It was a grand night of music, food, fellowship, and an outstanding message by Thomas G. Kemper. His sharing of his personal journey and work as a mission coordinator for Methodist Church in Germany helped us to understand his passion for mission. His personal journey included work in an urban mission program in San Paolo, Brazil, where he ministered with the poor and homeless. His theology of collaboration will bode well for our society. I hope to meet with Mr. Kemper a few times this summer to begin the process of collaboration for an urban witness.
The highlights of his talk included the following themes: People need to discover their own empowerment. Ministry with the poor is to have justice and mercy. The Board is looking for collaboration to meet the concerns of poverty. He hopes that the Board can collaborate with the City Society against poverty. NYC is a global city.
Our attendance was 257 which is 80 less than last year. There were 53 churches present as compared to 57 last year. However, folks remarked that the room was better suited for that number and that there was major positive feedback concerning the venue and the format.
The orchestra of classical and jazz music presented by the Broken Builder’s congregation was exceptional. The gathering time in the hallway with punch and appetizers was a new way of helping people connect with one another.
I want to express great thanks to Leticia Saa Johnson for all the last minute coordination of this event and the reservations. Those present seemed to appreciate the buffet style of the dinner and the dessert being on the table speeded things up.
Our donations from the dinner:
| 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
| $11,720 | $8,708 | $4,370 | $17,795 | $6,512 | $5,145 | $5,720 | $4,633 |
*Please note in 2007 Rev. Bernard, the speaker, gave us a $10,000 check.
However, I want the board to be aware that the dinner was still underwritten by our budget.
The cost of the dinner in 2009 created a loss of $5,251. The building did not charge us in 2009 for the air conditioning or the guard services. This year, the dinner loss was $5,853. However, this included $2,125 in building related costs for the guards and the air which were not billed last year.
We specifically charged $75 for the tickets in an attempt to not lose as much money. The cost per person for the food and food service workers was $73. With less people in attendance the other building related costs were not covered.
The cost of our program also included free meals for the orchestra and program participants. We contributed a $350 gift to the Urban Ministry work in San Paolo, Brazil, the program to which Mr. Kemper referred, in lieu of a personal honorarium.
The executive committee will need to evaluate if this is cost effective promotion of our work. Or is there a different way to present the Annual meeting?
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Our report was well received at Annual Conference this year. Our display table was popular. According to those who stopped by, we had the best candy. We have already begun to receive donations since we included a donation envelope in the brochures on the table. I appreciate April for her creative work in the display boards. And I tried to be present at the table as much as possible to share our story on an individual basis. I was able to share the City Society story with many who came to our display table.
On Saturday of Annual Conference, the Bishop’s dream of having 5,000 United Methodists attend the Annual Conference was fulfilled. Momentum Day was a huge success. We gave away practically all the literature we took with us to the AC. The fun circus and energy filled atmosphere empowered our Bishop to do 120 pushups on stage. The number of people who came by our display on Saturday must have been at least 1,000. In Taek Rhim and his wife, Sung Hea stopped by and immediately helped us tremendously with the flow of people and information. Stella Law was also a willing volunteer.
April Callender and Aisha Campbell presented information about Olmsted Center and the camp this summer. Sheila Pfeiffer, a trained retreat program leader, in cooperation with Five Points will be attempting to increase our retreat revenues and also provide income for herself with three retreat programs this fall and winter. I thank them for taking a Saturday to make the journey to Hofstra. Trudy Grove and April were also present on Friday for our presentation to the AC.
Wendell Harris represented us in the Legislative Section and the AC report which was adopted unanimously in the legislative section. Considering the last two years there were two negative votes, this means we have moved forward in our relationship with the San Pablo and People’s congregations.
We were given 15 minutes to present to the entire Annual Conference. Wendell Harris, president, was introduced by Bishop Park. Wendell gave a wonderful introduction to the new directions of the Society and asked for the Bishop and Cabinet to include us in more strategic planning in the future. We do not wish to simply be funding programs without also have input into those programs before they are finalized.
I attempted to highlight some of our new initiatives and spoke of our move to fiscal stability. April shared the work of our children’s program and highlighted the major work of the Nomads at Olmsted Center.
Overall, we received excellent response to this presentation.
We also announced our scholarship winners at Annual Conference. The scholarship committee met on May 28th and we immediately notified our winners, so that a majority was present at AC. We will try to do this going forward.
They are:
Full time seminarians –
Lori Hartman $3,750
New York Theological School
St Mark’s, Manhattan
Juyeon Lee $3,000
Drew Theological School
United Church of Westville
Hannah Peck $3,750
Yale Divinity School
Christ Church, Manhattan
Part Time Seminarians
Victoria Kittoe up to $2,750
New York Theological School
Ghana Church, Bronx
Lynda Duhaney up to $2,750
New York Theological School
Bushwick Parish, Brooklyn
Paul Fleck up to $2,750
Yale Divinity School
First and Summerfield, New Haven
Our College Scholarship Winners
Natalie Alvarez-Plaud $1,500
Hofstra University
Co-op City, the Bronx
Kohei Timothy Ando-Mizunno $1,500
Elizabethtown College
North Shore United Methodist Church, LIE
Vincent J. Burke $1,500
Penn State University
Metropolitan Community
Karina Feliz $2,500
Nyack College
First Church of Corona
Catherine Jordan $1,500
Drew University
King’s Highway, Brooklyn
Seung Kwon (Joseph) Yang $1,500
Wesleyan University
Korean United Methodist Church in NY
CHURCH OF OUR SAVIOR
In our contract of sale of this property, $30,000 was held in escrow because of the new landlord-tenant relationship of St. Gregorious Orthodox Church and the Church of Our Saviour Day School. If the school does not vacate the property by June 30, 2010, we are being penalized $200 per day. The parties are finalizing a lease. We have asked them to extend the date that the school must vacate since they have not finalized their lease. We hope, after July 1, 2010 or upon the consummation of a lease that we will receive the funds from escrow.
GRACE CHURCH APARTMENTS
REEL has agreed to a contract for the replacement of the apartment roof for $176,000 by Kay Waterproofing. Phipps has good experience with this company. This will be paid for by the Grace Housing Fund remaining balance which the Board had voted to set aside as a capital project reserve.
There is a plan for a cell tower with Metro PCS when the roof is complete. We unfortunately are in the process of having to re-negotiate the lease because Metro PCS changed lawyers after we thought we had a done deal. This would generate about $36,000 a year in lease fees.
MADISON AVENUE
A letter of understanding was reached to allow Artimus Developers to explore government funding and subsidies for this project. They have until September 30, 2010 to present us with a financing plan for the possible development of a 14 story building with senior housing, church facilities, affordable rental apartments, and commercial space.
ST. STEPHEN’S
The restoration work has proceeded well at St. Stephen’s. I have been to every construction meeting, but one. The project won a $25,000 grant from the New York Landmarks Sacred Sites Fund. This was the maximum amount given by the group. To date with change orders, the contract is at $350,000. There are some structural issues on future change orders, but I do believe we will be able to bring things in under our budget of $425,000.
NOMADS
I had the chance to meet the Nomads group working at Olmsted Center. April will share more details, but it was a hard working group. I took them out for a meal and thanked them on your behalf. Don Kirby spent most of the time at the Camp with them. We thank Don for all his hard work as well.
EASTER APPEAL
The Easter appeal for Camp Olmsted and the Summer task force funding raised $6,580 from 75 donors. Last year was $7,300 but we are still receiving donations. This appeal replaced the summer mailing. The spring is a much more effective time for a mailing to our donor list.
The following is a comparison chart of the appeal this year compared to the summer of the last few years. We are still 23% higher than 2008 and 2007.
Easter Appeal (formerly the summer appeal)
| 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 |
| $6,600 | $7,360 | $5,350 | $5,329 | $4,845 |
FINALLY
As we approach the summer, I look forward to participating in Camp Olmsted’s summer program. I have been invited to come and provide worship, which I will plan to do for each session. I look forward to Field Day again for our summer camp programs at our churches here in the city.
I will also be visiting a number of the summer camps funded by the Summer Task force money as well as some of the mission projects we support through our budget.
I have been invited by United States Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand to attend a Capitol Hill Summit of Faith-Based Leaders on Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 in Washington, DC. This is her first faith-based summit of faith leaders representing African-American communities across the Great State of New York.
Our budget and evaluation committee will meet over the summer. Our administrative committee will need to begin to prepare a budget.
Have a good summer if we do not see you at the June 18th meeting.