By Jim DeLa
Editor, The Southern Cross

The new interim director of DaySpring Conference Center will give his first formal report to Diocesan Council June 28 including a  preliminary 2009 budget ready to Council to see..

The Rev. Dr. Charles Wallace met with Diocesan Council May 3, expressing optimism that the 92-acre camp and conference center can be brought back to financial health. “I don’t think things are grim or in any way insurmountable,” he said. “I’m looking forward to working with all of you to make DaySpring the viable place that it can be.”

Wallace, a consultant and founding member of a professional association of conference center administrators, signed a 12-to-18-month contract to help the diocese determine a direction and vision for the facility.

The diocese has been wrestling with DaySpring’s finances for several years. Some say DaySpring is one of the diocese’s main vehicles for ministry and the cost of running the facility at a deficit is simply the cost of doing outreach. Others contend that the losses, which diocesan Treasurer George McLaughlin has estimated at nearly $2 million since 1999, unduly drains resources.

“My goal is to do an assessment of our situation, to work with the bishop and with you to really get a vision of what we would like DaySpring to be, based on the reality of the situation,” Wallace told Council.

“Once that vision is in place, I would like to assist you in selecting staff to carry you into the future, and if it all works like I think it will, I will quietly slide out the side door and you’ll have a transition into new leadership.”

Wallace did think DaySpring could be self-supporting. “With proper management, there’s enough money coming in to cover expenses,” he said.

Training changes
At the May 3 meeting at DaySpring, Council also approved the formation of a Safe Church Committee to draft new diocesan policies on sexual misconduct following the model policies of the Church Pension Group for protection of children and youth from abuse, preventing sexual harassment for church workers and managers and supervisors, and preventing sexual exploitation in communities of faith for congregations and ministries.

In a report by the diocese’s canon to the ordinary, the Rev. Michael Durning, Council heard that there will be major updates to the “Safeguarding God’s Children” training currently offered by the diocese. The new committee will be expected to provide a report to January 2009 meting of Council. Following a suggestion by Durning, current program trainers Bonnie Jean Durning and Deacon Marcia Tremmel were named to the committee; councilmembers Jim Park (Lay-Venice) and Birger Anderson (Lay-Fort Myers) also volunteered to serve.

Insurance audit
Council also heard from Mike Kline, the diocese’s newly appointed actuary. Kline reported on recommendations from an insurance review committee recently appointed by the bishop. Kline said the diocese had undergone an insurance review by the Church Insurance Corp. The committee is charged with providing a comprehensive report to Council in September, which will include setting minimum coverage standards for congregations and DaySpring Conference Center. “We may be the only diocese that doesn’t do this,” Bishop Dabney Smith told Council.

Congregations wishing to seek advice of Kline or the committee can contact him at (727) 581-3436 or at Michael@mhkline.net.

Other business:
Also at the May 3 meeting, Council:

• Heard a report from the convention planning committee. Hotel contracts have been signed and other planning continues for the diocese’s 40th convention Oct. 18 at Christ Church in Bradenton. Bishop Smith announced that retired diocesan Bishop Rogers Harris has agreed to preach at the convention Eucharist. A dedicated page devoted to 2008 convention news on the diocese’s web site (www.episcopalswfl.org) will be available soon.
• Heard a request from the Grants and Loans Committee for the diocese to decide how much money the committee will be able to award to congregations and ministries this year. Bishop Smith said information should be available by Council‘s June meeting. The committee plans to publicize the available amounts and procedures for grant requests as soon as possible.
• Agreed to allow St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church in Zephyrhills an extra year to pay off a $5,000 loan from the diocese in order to have funds to pay for specialists to eradicate rats that have infested the church property.
• Approved a resolution from Council to forward the names of seven congregations that have not submitted any 2008 apportionment payments to the diocese to the Congregational Development Committee for action. Also, churches that have not filed parochial reports by the May 1 deadline will be referred to that committee. Combined, the congregations are $73,000 behind in payments.
• Approved the creation of a convention nominating committee, to encourage potential leaders to stand for election to various diocesan boards and committees at diocesan convention.