St. John’s in Aptos CA kills Board of Helpful Shop

No more Helpful Shop Board.

For  many years,  the women of the church via the ECW  and then the   Helpful Shop’s Board  have operated the Helpful Shop as their outreach to the Santa Cruz County  community.

For the last ten years,  the Helpful Shop has operated under its bylaws and  has elected officers each year.  Six of the seven current members of the Helpful Shop Board are listed in St. John’s  church directory.

Andy Pudan  is the current president of the Helpful Shop Board. Other Board members are:  Floyd Bishop; Margy Cottle; Eileen Fernald;   Esther Meister;  Joanne Peterson and Nancy Shepard.

One effect:   there’s no more specific   participation by community  members in  decisions as  to the distribution of monies. The Helpful Shop’s  bylaws require two (2)  community members.  A  current  community member is the former secretary of the church who resigned   without warning during 2016.

Each year, the Helpful Shop Board distributes substantial money to many  local charities:  $19,400  was  distributed in 2016.  In 2015,  $28,000. was distributed.   In 2014 $32,000. was distributed.   Decisions are made by a Grant Committee.

 History:  Many years ago, the  Episcopal Church Women (ECW)  decided at a  High Tea held  that   December  that all money that could be distributed   would be decided by the members present for  High Tea that day. Women present that day  suggested  various charities and a vote taken.    It was an amicable and  memorable High Tea.   Delicious food and everyone got along.

 Subsequently,  a more formal Helpful Shop Board evolved  and   a more formal process put  in place how to choose charities. A couple years later the first manager of the Helpful Shop was hired.

There are numerous  scenarios as to what’s currently  going on.  Wanting control of the money — which organizations receive how much —  may  be  an  issue underlying the decision to disband the Helpful Shop Board.

The Helpful Shop  Board and its cadre of  faithful volunteers are largely  women.

This probably is  one of the last major acts Rev. Merritt Greenwood will do.

At the Feb. 2017 vestry  meeting,   the Rev. Merritt  Greenwood  in conjunction with Bill Kell (Sr Warden), Andrea Seitz (Jr. Warden) Jon Showalter and others voted to take all legal authority to operate from the Helpful Shop Board.

Information:  In an episcopal church such as this, the Junior Warden is the  ‘voice for the People’;  the Senior Warden typically assists and promotes  the Rector’s agenda.  Each vestry member has one vote.

Disagreeing with the majority, one-third of the Vestry   voted “no”  to killing the Board.

Why take such action at this time?  There was no immediate crises and a new Rector will be coming soon.

One wonders whether  this action involves gender issues?     Several men were instrumental  implementing this decision  to dismantle this  outreach activity,   long the principal outreach of women in the church.

Over the last year, there have been allegations of  disturbed/  distressed volunteer work relationships related to the  rector’s  and/ or partner’s volunteer activities.  One would think these issues would resolve naturally  with the coming of a new Rector.

The  Helpful Shop board puts on various events during the year and reaches out seeking volunteers.

  Through outreach by the Board,  numerous persons have chosen to help out at the Helpful Shop.

Who will do the substantial  work which Board members  have done? Who will find the volunteers?  Who will put  on the events?

The church vestry dismantled  i.e. killed  the Helpful Shop Board.  So, let the  St. John’s vestry do the work necessary to find volunteers and put on events?    

Rev. Merritt Greenwood — who has been at St. John’s somewhat over a year  as temporary Rector —  will leave St. John’s  with the coming of a new Rector.

From the newsletter of St. John’s:

“The shop has not been without controversy over the years. The level of autonomy of the advisory board has become an issue from time to time in its history. Most recently this has caused division and conflict within the parish, which the Vestry recognized as impeding the churchâ€s mission and presenting a major difficulty for our new Rector …” written by A. Seitz

Checking out what St. John’s mission  is:

“Our mission statement goal is to equip all of our members for life and service to others.”

______________________

 Monterey Bay Forum:   My, my.  What to do when there’s conflict in a church?  

Does the vestry think it can dismantle the Board that has run the Helpful Shop and expect those who have done it  for years to just keep on chugging along?

 Is this the way a pastor ‘tends his sheep’?

There was no crises which required immediate action.  

The issue of  management of the Helpful Shop should have been left to the incoming Rector — coming soon —  to address and seek healing for all. 

Why hurt fellow church members?

Church boards, one hopes,  will reach out to heal — not hurt.

 There are resources which can help heal. Use them!