CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
ANNUAL MEETING FEBRUARY 9, 2020
AGENDA
1. Call to Order – Opening Prayer – Welcome...... The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell
2. Recognition of Secretary
3. Elections • Recognition of 2019 Nominating Committee...... The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell • Explanation of Regulation Changes (Proposal)...... Michael Henrickson • Explanation of Electronic and Other Voting Procedures...... Tammie Vanoss - First Ballot on Regulations - First Ballot for Elected Positions
Reporting on balloting and additional ballots will occur as needed throughout the meeting
4. The Dean’s Address (Ministry Appreciations)...... The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell
5. Treasurer’s Report...... Julie Kline • Budget Recap for 2019 • Pledge Updates • Presentation of 2020 Budget
6. Next Century Vision Update...... Dianne Ebbs, Tom Kent
7. Operations Executive...... Carine de Lange
8. Trustees’ Report | Socially Responsible Investing...... Steve Gerdsen, Don Lane
9. Senior Warden’s Address...... Michael Henrickson
10. Appreciation to Outgoing Vestry...... Michael Henrickson, The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell
11. Closing Prayer and Hymn
3 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Agenda------3 Table of Contents------4 Report of the Wardens and Vestry 2019------5 Report from the Dean------7 Report from the Sub-Dean------10 Report from the Pastoral Care Associate------13 Report from the Canon Missioner------14 Report from the Operations Executive------17 Special Gifts and Bequests Received 2019------22 2019 Statement of Revenues and Expenditures------23 Report of the Trustees------26 2020 Pledge Appreciation------27 Slate of Nominees------28 Rotating Vestry Expiration Date Roster------29 Organizational Chart------30 Committee Reports------31 Altar Guild------31 Archivist------31 Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival------31 Buildings and Grounds------32 Camping and Youth Opportunities ------33 Cathedral in the Park------34 Children's Formation and Family Ministry------34 Communications Department------36 Community Issues Forum------37 Docents------38 Episcopal Network for Economic Justice------38 5000 Club------39 Flower Guild------40 Gallery South------40 Hospitality Guild------41 Interfaith Hospitality Network------42 Library------42 Music Committee------43 Native American Ministry Council------47 Outreach------48 Community Grants------49 Outreach Assistance/Volunteer Friend Ministry------50 Planned Giving------51 Plumb Line Ministry------51 Prayer Group Ministry------52 Resource Stewardship------52 Taft Memorial Fund Lecture Programs------53 Ushers - 10 am Services and Special Services------54 Youth Program------55
4 REPORT FROM THE WARDENS Michael Henrickson, Senior Warden | Julie Kline, Junior Warden The industrious year of 2019 brought substantial, incremental progress regarding Third Century Vision (3CV) projects. The Sycamore Commons dedication occurred on May 12, 2019, with Bishop Breidenthal presiding at this uplifting occasion. The beauty of this sacred space inspires with its living wall of vertical gardens, water features, contemplative labyrinth and artwork. This splendor was recognized in November 2019 when the design firm of Human Nature, Inc. and the project team of Phillip Markwood Architects, KZF Design, won the Cincinnati Design Honor Award in the Landscape Architecture Built Category for this outstanding contribution to the cathedral and the city. Under the leadership of Junior Warden Julie Kline, the ongoing nave renovation made great headway. General contractor HGC completed the construction phase during 2019, primarily focusing on structural modifications and acoustic improvements in preparation for our organ installation. Richards, Fowkes & Co are building the long-anticipated, new nave organ (their Opus 24), with projected delivery in mid-January. Casework and pipework will follow, then a 9-month voicing process. We are truly grateful to retired Director of Facilities Mark Reed, and his successor, Matt Hornsby, who have been deeply involved in these major projects, as well as the nave organ project committee members, Director of Music Stephan Casurella, Associate Director of Music Shiloh Roby, our cathedral choir, and to our patient congregation. As a collective, nave worship services throughout 2019 brought a broad array of talented musical offerings, characterized by their rich color and intimacy despite the absence of our prior nave organ. The vestry continued careful budgetary oversight for these projects. Cincinnati Scholar House (CSH) is another major 3CV project which nears completion in Walnut Hills; it is anticipated to open in April 2020. You will recall CSH represents the unique partnership of Cincinnati Union Bethel, the Model Group and Christ Church Cathedral. CSH is a transitional learning- living program focused on equipping low-income single parents with the support they need to complete a post-secondary degree and improve their work prospects. Cincinnati Union Bethel has been accepting applications during the past few months for CSH’s 2- and 3-bedroom apartments. Our congregation can take great heart in knowing the profound impact CSH will have for the city, helping to break the intractable cycle of poverty by starting with its participating student parents. We remain humbled by and grateful for the previous, foundational efforts of our dear, recently departed brother, Mark Sackett, who steadfastly shepherded the idea of CSH into reality. Another cathedral nave effort involved the replacement of the General Robert E. Lee and Bishop William Meade stained-glass window. Artist Gillian Thompson, daughter of Michael and Jane Thompson, provided this expertly crafted piece, depicting Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, which was prayerfully dedicated and commemorated on December 8, 2019. This installation will inspire generations to stand against oppression and injustice. The vestry remains grateful to our expert scholars and congregation’s thoughtful discernment during this process. One of the most gratifying aspects of vestry service encompasses witness to the maturation of candidates for the ordination process. We are currently blessed to be involved in review of four cathedral members who are pursuing ordination to either the diaconate or priesthood. Prior to vestry review, candidates have been scrutinized by regional discernment committees. Our cathedral-sponsored candidates provide interim updates to the vestry whose exploratory questions and reflection determine endorsement for the next step, the Diocesan Committee on Ministry.
5 Our present priesthood candidates are Debbie Rhodes, Dan Carlson, and Martha Camele, and our candidate for the diaconate is Stacey Sands. We encourage you to keep them in prayer and loving support during this challenging process. Deacon Rae Casurella joyfully attained her ordination in early June, setting her devotion to God’s work into a brilliant new phase. The Noon Service community continues to thrive in its second year. Initial expectations for this deeply committed and caring congregation have been vigorously exceeded, making this one of the most exciting and engaging centers for spiritual growth in the diocese. The vestry now uses a similar format to the Noon Service’s reflection for its own spiritual reflection time, spurring important cohesion and focus. In a national era regrettably represented by civil discord and strife, this has been an essential, healing act. The first year of non-voting, dedicated youth representation at vestry meetings brought the timely input of Ethan Nichols. Ethan remains a compelling voice of social responsibility and inclusion. We are particularly grateful for his major contribution in our community toward the prevention of gun violence (PGV). To the latter initiative, the vestry received an important update in August from the PGV Working Group. Judith Robinson, Jack Jose, Ethan, and the Rev. Canon Karen Montagno are creating a significant presence in the group’s identified community of Price Hill (Lower, East & West) characterized by the strong bond of trust. This is critical to ascertaining the desired interventions voiced by community members which will eventually form and promote its core public health-driven plan to reduce gun violence. The vestry has a strong interest in the success of this vital work and appreciates Ethan’s presence and contributions, along with those of the PGV Working Group. The vestry’s previous congregational listening sessions have been replaced during 2019 by those of the Strategic Planning Team (SPT). Vestry members attended these planning sessions held throughout the second half of 2019 to discern the vision, hopes and needs of our cathedral community. The SPT members have been working steadily to synthesize the many ideas offered, and we are obliged for their dedicated discernment. We realize the tremendous contributions currently enacted throughout the daily life of the cathedral by a loving array of volunteers. Wherever the new Strategic Plan takes us, our diligent committees and programs engage and deliver the cathedral’s mission in its great tradition of service. Your wardens are indebted to all who contribute and for the opportunity to keep our enduring focus on this mission. In service to you, Michael Henrickson Julie Kline Senior Warden Junior Warden
6 REPORT FROM THE DEAN The Very Rev. Gail Greenwell Work of the Cathedral I am in my seventh year of ministry as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral. Our common life and our mutual ministry continue to enrich my prayer life and sense of purpose. The worship life of the cathedral on Sundays now includes three diverse worshipping communities. Unlike many churches, our early Rite I service continues strong with a deep sense of care and community among the regulars. We often see national and international visitors in town for events or on business attend this service due to its walkability from downtown hotels. The 10 am service benefits from the musical creativity we’ve employed as we enter year two without an organ. By the time of the Annual Meeting, the full installation of the new nave organ should be well underway. We are using Centennial Chapel for Evensong, and while this means a smaller choral offering, it has added intimacy and a sense of community in the smaller space, providing a chance for the entire community to experience our chapel organ.
Renovations in the main nave were disruptive during most of 2019, but we continued to use the space during construction. Without the nave organ and with scaffolding in place on occasion, Christ Church Cathedral was not attractive for most weddings in 2019, though we hosted four. There were also nine baptisms, six funerals, and 17 people confirmed or received. The Noon Service has experienced steady and on occasion, explosive growth in attendance. They possess a strong lay leadership team that represents a cross-section of the people who are feeling called to join us in worship, many of whom identity as “exvangelicals”, people who grew up in the evangelical traditions but who felt alienated from their former churches for a variety of reasons. The service includes a homily offered as a dialogue between the worshippers and the “reflector of the day”. Lay people as well as clergy offer the reflections. In 2019, we added sign language to the service and have attracted several members of the deaf community into our midst. The vibrancy of the Noon Service is enhanced by their commitment to study together each week following the service and to monthly dinners they call the Moveable Feast”. Again, lay leadership is providing the energy and organization. The Noon Service is receiving attention from the seminary community and other churches and we hope to reflect on our progress so we might share our learnings of successes and mistakes. Live-streaming our 10 am Sunday services and formation events continues to be popular. Over 1,000 people logged in this year, including many regulars from our own community who do not feel physically able to attend church. Our video-on-demand services continue to link our Sunday morning worship and Evensong to a large congregation beyond our walls including an average of 50 views per week. We hosted two services of ordination for the Diocese of Southern Ohio in June. Bishop Breidenthal and I continued the work of collaboration between his staff and the cathedral staff, broadening our understanding of how a cathedral and the Bishop’s office can together better support the congregations of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. We share some staff members in IT, operations, payroll and facilities, which not only saves money but increases the sharing of great ideas and best practices.
In March, we continued our commitment to periodic cathedral pilgrimage with a second trip to the Holy Land with 26 travelers.
7 In April, I nominated Mark Sackett and Pat Coyle to receive the St. Simeon and St. Anna award from Bishop Breidenthal for exemplary service. We attended a Eucharist and luncheon in their honor at Procter Center. In January, with a gift from the Coombe Fund, Rabbi Abie Ingber joined the cathedral community as rabbi-in-residence offering bible study for clergy staff as well as members of the community.
Olivia Hamilton served as a seminary intern during 2019 and was ordained in June. Outreach and Advocacy The Dean’s discretionary fund (aka the Coombe Fund) supported outreach, advocacy and individual assistance in the following areas totaling over $870,000: • Pilgrimage, art camp, and seminary scholarships • Rental assistance, funeral assistance for gun violence victim • Neighborhood development funds in Lower Price Hill • Lydia’s House, housing for low income women • Pendleton health fair • Brides of Faith Trialogue • The Episcopal Church in Cuba and Navajoland • Center for Closing the Health Gap • All funding for Plumb Line ministry • Elementz • Tender Mercies • MARCC – immigration and human rights initiatives • Duke Energy – debt relief initiative • Gun violence prevention initiatives • Mobile health clinic with Deaconess Foundation • Price Hill safety initiative • Caracole – HIV/AIDS ministry support • The Cancer Justice Network • Gleaning Project of Cincinnati • Strategies to End Homelessness • Arts initiatives Strategic Visioning As our Third Century Vision projects came to an end in 2019 (aside from the organ installation and the grand opening of Cincinnati Scholar House which both have a completion in early 2020), the vestry decided to embark on a new strategic visioning process. Dianne Ebbs and Tom Kent were chosen to lead a process called the Next Century Vision. We engaged a consultant from Episcopal Church Foundation and selected a visioning team which included representation from all three worshipping congregations as well as reps from our community partners. The team hosted 21 listening sessions both inside and outside the cathedral and will present a final report of goals and objective to the vestry at their April 2020 meeting.
8 Cathedral Staff The cathedral said farewell to Canon Sherilyn Pearce in April as she stepped down to care for her father. Sub-Dean Manoj Zacharia accepted a call to serve as rector to St. Anne’s in Annapolis in June. Deacon Dick Rasner ably assumed the duties of pastoral associate attending to pastoral care needs of the congregation, the welcome ministries and prayer requests. In July, the Rev. Paul Williams, formerly of St. Andrew’s in Pickerington, Ohio, joined the staff as our new Sub-Dean. Paul+ and Dick join me, Deacon Marshall Wiseman, and Canon Missioner Karen Montagno to round out our clergy staff. We are also blessed with the able assistance of several Honorary Canons, the Reverends Sallie Schisler, Jane Gerdsen, Noel Julnes-Dehner, George Hill, Bill Scrivener, Scott Gunn, and Jason Leo. Associate priests, Ted Albert and Susan Lehman, also continue to offer their gifts in service and worship. After 20 years of faithful service, we bid farewell to Mark Reed as he decided to retire, and welcomed new facilities director, Matt Hornsby. Other cathedral staff include Operations Executive Carine de Lange; Sextons Jay Davis, Drew Caldwell, Marvin Williams, and new sexton Madeline Sartor; Music Director Stephan Casurella, Associate Shiloh Roby, and Children’s Music Director Christopher Wheeler; Youth and Young Adults Dan Carlson, Children and Family Ministries Hannah Teetor; IT Tammie Vanoss, and Communications Director Sarah Hartwig; Administrative Support Team Crystal Jones, Kathy Noe, Margo Nelms, and Sandy Porada; Finance Team Judy Hering and Jean Beck; and new Kitchen Manager Ro Morsby. Personally, this has been a year of many changes, challenges and deep joy. Jim experienced consistent health difficulties in 2019 so we decided to sell our Pendleton home and move into a more manageable apartment on Fourth Street. I have had the great honor to work closely with the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes and the Leading Women initiative to offer my gifts in coaching clergy women. We know something is a true blessing when it blesses both the giver as well as the recipient. That is how I would describe my ministry at Christ Church Cathedral. Faithfully, Gail Greenwell, Dean
9 REPORT FROM THE SUB-DEAN The Rev. Canon Paul B. Williams What is a Sub-Dean? I asked that question myself many times before accepting the call to come to Christ Church Cathedral as Sub-Dean and before beginning my tenure here in July 2019. In my search I learned that in typical fashion, the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion to which we belong are not all that consistent with the definition of what a Sub-Dean is.There is much freedom of thought in our Episcopal/Anglican tradition and apparently that extends to staff titles. Google searches were of modest help.
Funny thing is, we Episcopalians/Anglicans do not always agree on the name of the position itself. For example, I was ordained as priest at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine, NYC. St. John’s clergy staff includes a position title of Sub-Dean. St. James Cathedral, Chicago also has a clergy staff position with the title of Sub-Dean.
Whereas the Cathedral of St. Philip (Atlanta) where I was ordained as a transitional deacon (meaning clergy who are ordained as deacon and within a year or two are additionally ordained as priest) does not have a position title of Sub-Dean. In its stead they have a position title of Vicar. Christ Church Cathedral (Houston) also has the position title of Vicar rather than Sub-Dean. And yes, there’s more. Grace Cathedral (San Francisco) does not have the title position of either Sub-Dean or Vicar and instead uses the term Vice Dean. The Vice Dean title is shared throughout the cathedrals across the Church of England including such notables as Winchester, Sheffield, and Durham. So why go through all these different names in their different places? The simple answer is that across all these examples there is a commonality; the Sub-Dean/Vicar/Vice Dean is on staff to fully support the Dean in her duties. The demands on the chief cleric of a congregation and particularly a cathedral are enormous. Each of us sees only a section with which we are involved and not the myriad others we are not. As a rector of two small parishes over 17 years I am well aware of the lengthy list of required oversight even for a small parish. The rector of a parish or a dean of a cathedral has to have her eye on everything, most of which we don’t notice. For this cathedral the particulars in my oversight include Adult Formation and supervision of staff who oversee Youth and Teen ministries, Children and Young Family ministries, Pastoral Care, Welcome, New Member and Outreach Ministries. I refer you to the reports of the Rev. Canon Karen Montagno for Outreach, the Rev. Canon Richard Rasner for Pastoral Care and Welcome, Dan Carlson for Youth Ministries, and Hannah Teetor for Children and Family Ministries. Below you will find my report on Adult Formation. One more thing to add: I love being here! 2019 Adult Formation, Fall Adult Formation Fall, 2019 programming was built with: • Direct input from the Dean, Prince Brown, Paula Rose, Dan Carlson, Barbara Rohrer, Sarah Hartwig, and Abie Ingber. • Direct input before my arrival (in addition to the above) from Mike Phillips (Out of the Shadows exhibit, Sister Christine Schenk and Anna Miller), Manoj and diocesan staff (Jennifer Harvey- Dear White Christians, Ruth Meyers in for diocesan conference on Language and Worship, Festival of Faiths), Hawley Todd (EfM), Steve Gerdsen, Chuck Ellman, and Ron Sloan (Men’s Retreat), and more.
10 • Advice from Elizabeth Brown, Karen Montagno, Dick Rasner, and many more. • Want to re-engage an Adult Formation Committee to begin planning for Fall 2020. Previous committee members are enjoying well-deserved retirement so looking for three to four new committee members, at least one of which from vestry. Revisions for this Fall’s programming: • Took previous years’ examples of having a theme for the year, we chose “Telling our Stories” with program planning through that lens. • Move Sunday programming to the same floor. Third floor simultaneously held children’s, teen and adult programming to help parents bring children and children bring parents. • Effort to add further cohesion in programming by setting up monthly themes of Sunday Community, Sunday Theology, and Sunday Comics. • Further cohesion efforts were to bring training and education from both cathedral and diocese together in publicity. That meant diocesan training (safe church, anti-racism, young adults retreat, etc), cathedral training (liturgical retreat, baptism preparation) cathedral conferences (Taft Lecture series, Indigenous People’s Conference) were announced and promoted along with all cathedral adult formation. • And worked to bring further “branding” of programming, mimicking layout of music brochure. Programming basically unchanged: • Sunday morning 9 am Bible Study • Sunday study group meeting after the Noon Service has been renamed “afterNoon” • Education for Ministry with Hawley Todd • Weekday evening Big Questions with Dan Carlson • Thursday morning Men’s Bible Study • Thursday Noon Women’s Study Attendance has been modest for some and extraordinary for others. Sunday Forums have drawn as few as eight, and as many as 50+, with a guesstimate of 20 people attending on average. The largest attendance was for Rabbi Ingber, Sister Christine Schenk, and Professor Anna Miller, the last two bringing in a large out-of-the-cathedral attendance. 2020 Adult Formation, Winter Spring Summer Quest Classes are the focus of Winter and Spring adult formation. • Curriculum built for those seeking a deeper understanding of faith, deeper commitment to faith, those seeking a “refresher”, and those who simply want to drop in for a particular topic. • Different class leader each week taken from both clergy and laity of cathedral. • Topics arranged to tell a story of our Anglican Faith: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, Worship, Church, Trinity, Your life at cathedral and then a “What have we not answered for you?” final session.
11 Under the “Telling our Stories” theme we developed an Epiphany and a Spiritual Direction series. • Epiphany Series with assistance from The Hive, an ecumenical center in Cincinnati. Contemplative prayer and mindfulness used in exploring our own stories of racism. • Spiritual Direction series, “Learning from our Story, Learning from our Spirit” is an introduction to methods and practices of spiritual direction presented not as lectures but offered through our own exploration of our journey. Foyer Groups could be a hidden gem this year, and perhaps a “test kitchen” for an evolving small group formation at the cathedral. To quote from Dan Carlson: • “Small groups who meet together for study, discussion, food, and relationship-building are a central part of virtually all churches currently attracting and retaining young adults. Within our own city, Crossroads, Vineyard, and Queen City Church are among the most successful at attracting young adults and all three are squarely built around small groups as their central means of community building. We need to get better at this kind of formation, but developing such a program will not be a simple or speedy task.” • We have nascent small groups already here at the cathedral: choir, guilds, weekly group studies, Noon study groups, EfM, and annual Foyer Groups all have general characteristics and framework of small groups. A project for 2020 is how to build stronger small group network at cathedral. Faithfully, Paul Williams, Sub-Dean
12 REPORT FROM THE PASTORAL CARE ASSOCIATE The Rev. Dick Rasner Over all I do feel that things are going well in the whole area of Pastoral Care. I took over Canon Sherilyn Pearce’s responsibilities in April 2019, and even though I have experience in this area, there was (and is) much learning taking place based on the needs of the cathedral. I have reorganized a number of the areas that fall under the broad heading of Pastoral Care and have found leaders for each area. I feel that I have good ongoing communication with these leaders. Number of Pastoral Calls I would say that at least 3 – 4 times a day (or night) calls, emails, texts come in for a pastoral need of some kind. These are calls relating to hospitalizations, a parishioner needing to be put on the prayer list, a parishioner wanting a home visit, etc. (The “Red Phone” emergency I–Phone also serves a purpose.) Pastoral Visitors We changed the name “Companions in Christ” to “Pastoral Visitors” to more accurately describe the role of these people. We have five people who are licensed Pastoral Visitors. For now, that takes care of our needs. But a goal is to add two to three more people to this group. I would like to have enough pastoral visitors who also visit with parishioners who are lonely and not necessarily sick. Hearts and Hands Prayer Shawl Ministry Under the very capable hands of Berta Lerch, we now have approximately 20 parishioners who make the prayer shawls, baby blankets and mini hand-sized prayer shawls. This group meets once a month on a Saturday to knit and chat. I have plugged a number of new parishioners into this ministry in order for them to get connected and meet other parishioners. Cycle of Prayer Card Ministry Through the continued good work of Mary Hagner, we now have 12 parishioners who are in this group sending out cards each week informing parishioners that we are praying for them the next Sunday as part of the Cathedral Cycle of Prayer. I have always felt this ministry serves a real purpose. For me, it has always been meaningful getting a card informing me of the prayers for me the upcoming Sunday. Prayer Chain Ministry Continuing to do its work of praying daily for parishioners requesting prayers. 23 parishioners are part of this ministry. Pastoral Goals for 2020 • Increasing the number of Pastoral Visitors. • Making sure that all groups within the parish, e.g., the Noon Service parishioners, are brought up to date and kept informed as to what is meant by “Pastoral Care.” Once again, I thank you for allowing me to be a part of the vital services of Pastoral Care. Faithfully, The Rev. Richard Rasner+
13 REPORT FROM THE CANON MISSIONER The Rev. Karen B. Montagno “How do we distinguish between the ‘still, small voice’ of our authentic vocation and all of the other competing counterfeit voices in ourselves and in our culture? Specifically, how do we balance the inward listening to our hearts and the need to listen with our hearts to the realities and needs of our world?” - A Sacred Voice is Calling, John Neafsey. The title of Neafsey’s book comes from a song from the Native American visionary and healer Black Elk. John Neafsey writes prophetically about calling, social conscious, and discernment. This year has been one of listening with others to determine where God is calling Christ Church Cathedral. I look forward to ongoing discernment, the riches we will uncover from the strategic planning process. It has been a year of engagement, deepening and expanding relationships, going out to communities, organizations and individuals to support and share ministry.
I have been engaged in the following: • Ongoing work with Christ Church Cathedral’s committees, partners and projects • Outreach and Grants Committee • Taft Lecture Series Committee • Absalom Jones Symposium Planning Committee • Quest Class Instructor • Tender Mercies • CAIN (Churches Active in Northside) • New initiatives with city partners, Cincinnati Police Department, community councils, civic organizations and community groups • Jubilee Cincinnati—a challenging on-going multi-level effort to expose, interrupt, challenge and end wealth disparity, October 12, 2019 • Worship leadership with sister churches in the Cincinnati area Worship I have had a particular leadership focus in three of our worship services. The Noon Service, (NS) The NS has a strong lay leadership team that meets regularly to consider hospitality, liturgy, formation, and intentional integration across cathedral common life. There is an annual community building retreat each spring. NS members have leadership roles throughout the cathedral community: altar guild, annual giving, formation, worship leadership across services, vestry, Quest instructors, music ministers, and youth leaders. The attendance numbers continue to grow upwards from 45+ each Sunday. We have begun to consider the possibility that the numbers could outgrow the space. NS thrives as an intergenerational and interactive service. Each year, NS celebrates its anniversary on Advent 1. Join us! Advent 1, 2019, marked year two. NS has a rich musical tradition led by singer-song writer Kim Taylor. Many members are talented musicians including the youth. Such a blessing! NS service music is so important to our life as a community. It is a big draw for many guests, visitors and seasonal cathedral offerings.
14 Tuesday Evening Prayer This service grows as a prayerful time at the close of the day. Many who will join us later as dinner guests of the 5000 Club and others regularly attend this emerging service. 25 and growing join us on Tuesday evenings. This service is an opportunity to address their spiritual and pastoral needs. It is important for the members to play a part in the service by reading, singing and reflecting. We continue to seek ways to make the service relevant. I have noticed that several join us on Sunday and feast days. I was quite proud during the BLINK parade where I saw many of their faces on the street, as we passed by, and someone shouted, “Housing for all. That’s my church!” Contemplative Prayer A new service has been developed for Wednesday at noon. It is a quiet prayer oasis in the middle of the city and the busy week. It lasts 20-30 minutes, a time of prayer, readings, reflection, and silence. It has a small but consistent following.
Other Christ Church Cathedral Ministries Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) I have had the privilege of working with the members of Christ Church Cathedral’s GVP Working Group and the leadership of Judith Robinson and Jack Jose. The work of this team has garnered the support of the vestry and Outreach Committee to support this cathedral ministry with a budgetary line item. This team has worked tirelessly in Price Hill building relationships, regularly attending civic, community meetings, celebrations, supporting and advising efforts to prevent violence in the Price Hill community. Christ Church presence is welcome in many challenging places.
Our GVP partners were warmly welcomed as they joined the cathedral community as readers for our annual service of Lessons and Carols. We are looking for you to join as volunteers and supporters.
New places for ministry (there is so much urgent work) for GVP are: • Unheard Voices, empowerment for a growing community of those who have become wheelchair bound as a result of gun violence. • Engagement and support of Outreach Advocates, Trauma Advisors and West Price Hill Neighborhood Enhancement Project. • Conversations about firearms, safety and responsible gun ownership. • A Safe House on Warsaw- Youth and Family Initiative. The Safety House-- a family youth initiative. This is a place that is being developed as a place of respite. The God Squad (GS) GS is an organization initiated by the Cincinnati Police Department, local clergy and community activists. Each month in the summer, GS held opportunities to meet and greet—“Grill and Chill” in Lower Price Hill near Olyer School. A primary goal is to give (to learn about how to offer) spiritual support to communities experiencing trauma and violence. We often attend memorial services for the fallen.
15 Mitch Morris has taught me a great deal about the life of the city. He says, “Christ Church Cathedral has been a great partner for the Cincinnati Works Phoenix Program in spreading a message of peace and non-violence. We want to show people who are living in vulnerable communities that there is an alternative to the street life. Our friends at Christ Church Cathedral walk with us in big, public events and low-key neighborhood outreach, whenever and wherever we can make a difference.”. Notable Events of 2019: • May 4 symposium, Strategies to Reduce Gun Violence second Annual conference • Cincinnati United peace marches, Hands Across the 8th Street Viaduct (August 11) and Hands Across the MLK Bridge (September 22) • The Last Call, procession of hearses (July 27 and September 29) I look forward to the promises and challenge of our work in the city in the coming year. It has been my privilege to serve among you.
Faithfully, The Rev. Canon Karen B. Montagno
16 REPORT FROM THE OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE Carine de Lange 2019 was the second year in my shared role as Operations Executive between Christ Church Cathedral and the Diocese of Southern Ohio. This report will present some overlap between these two institutions, which, in and of itself, is a great hallmark of the collaboration that is currently in place. From the top, one of the goals at the cathedral in 2019 was to focus on streamlining processes and procedures, and to document such processes. In doing so, we have been able to identify duplicate efforts and/or incongruous systems, and rework them to introduce more efficient systems. Another infrastructural change was that 2019 also brought with it some staff changes. We said goodbye to our long-term Facilities Director, Mark Reed, who went on a well-deserved retirement after 22 years of service to the cathedral. Our new Facilities Director, Matt Hornsby, is up and running and bringing new energy and ideas to the position. In addition, Tom Price went on retirement in December, and our new Controller, Jean Beck is familiarizing herself in her position. The cathedral hired Ro Morsby as the new Kitchen Assistant, and they are leading the efforts with catering needs to support ever-growing cathedral programming; a part of this role is to manage and adhere to food safety regulations, which is an integral part of providing this level of hospitality. Aside from processes and staffing, some departmental highlights of the past year were: Facilities This department saw a great deal of benefit during last year. Improvements included, but were not limited to: • An online room booking request form that was launched to streamline the process for room reservations in order to receive all pertinent program information needed up front to reserve space on our campus. • A new weekend rotation schedule for our sextons was put in place, and is working well. This small change alone allows for a better work/life balance for this team of valued employees. • New restroom signage has been installed to indicate that three restrooms in our building are now being gender-inclusive. It is based on our beliefs as Episcopalians, that every person is born with dignity and humanity, and that includes their gender expression. We practice that belief by creating welcoming and inclusive spaces. Christ Church Cathedral supports bathroom facilities that are physically accessible (ADA compliant) and open to people of any gender- or “gender neutral” - as an important way to show radical hospitality and inclusion. Our gender- inclusive restrooms are located in the corridor closest to Centennial Chapel and are provided to further promote support for gender equity. Additionally, some restrooms have also been outfitted with new baby changing stations to make them more family-friendly. Finance After much research, the cathedral changed banking partners in order to decrease fees, improve account security, and customer service across the board. Also, a new online giving platform was launched, which makes it easier to give to efforts like the Sunday offering, our annual stewardship campaign, and many other deserving ministries. The online giving system also integrates with our finance database, which makes transactions and reporting efforts that are much more streamlined. As we head into 2020, it is also important to note that budget process for this fiscal year went quite smoothly.
17 Human Resources (HR) An updated employee handbook as well as an annual review process were rolled out to all staff in 2019. Our staff was offered several different training opportunities throughout the course of the year, including CPR and AED training, as well as ACS training for those who help to manage our member database and/or interact with the systems under it. IT (Informational Technology) As we want to remain ever vigilant, increased security protocols were put in place on our website. The cathedral moved to a new online streaming platform that allows for easier overall management of the many services and events we offer our community in real time or in our online archives. The physical historical cathedral timeline -that currently can be seen in the north corridor- was recreated on the website for those who would like to interact with it online. The cathedral switched from analog phones to a new digital system. Building on the good work that was done for annual meeting voting in 2019, we are excited to offer another smooth voting process in 2020 come February. Collaboration Over the last year and a half, we have spoken extensively about the collaboration between the Diocese of Southern Ohio and Christ Church Cathedral, but what does that mean? The collaboration is an opportunity for us to grow as individuals, to succeed as team members and to broaden our combined impact in our community, diocese and beyond. The latest strategic plan from the diocese calls for putting the Gospel story into action. The cathedral’s Third Century vision calls for claiming God’s mission as its own. These two visions intersect at a place of transformative discipleship. At its core, discipleship translates into relationships, the bedrock upon which Christianity and our Trinitarian faith rests. Putting this understanding into practice is the impetus behind collaboration efforts now being undertaken. These efforts, underscoring that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, for the first year focused on three key components: 1. Enhancing Creativity and Individual Impact 2. Strengthening Community 3. Leveraging Our Leadership Roles Together, we can chart a way forward to new relationships that will better serve ourselves, our organizations, and the countless individuals who depend on our good work. So, what have we accomplished to date, and where can you see real change? Communications • Staff from both organizations continue to work more closely with each other, sharing information and keeping each other in the loop. The shared meetings are building a sense of team and getting to know each other, which is having a positive impact on the day to day operations. The communications team worked extremely well together during the active shooter event downtown in 2018, strategies to reduce gun violence initiatives in Cincinnati in 2019, and on many other projects, some of which can be found later in this report. • Liturgical website work is continuing, and the goal for this project is to create a resource for those seeking a deeper understanding of and participation in Christian worship as a transformative practice. This practice can lead to the experience of God’s radical love and empowerment, and ultimately to share that love with all people.
18 • Reds Opening Day was a great time for combined staffs to grill out and enjoy the afternoon in fellowship. The two communications teams came up with an engaging large scale banner on the Diocesan building facade for the baseball season (highlighting humorously a comparison between baseball and church), and it attracted foot traffic and some great comments both in real life and also on our social media pages. • The second annual Festival of Faiths was held on September 8 at the Cintas Center, and more than 3,000 people were in attendance. The diocese and the cathedral were both sponsors for the event, and had an information booth as well as a photo booth onsite. There were great interactions at the event, and many people came up to tell the staff that they love the Episcopal Church and what it stands for! • The cathedral communications department once again offered to other churches in the diocese the gift of some of their radio spots on local NPR stations WVXU/WGUC/WMUB so that they might use them to promote their own events. Not every church can extend their message on radio due to cost, and it is important that we be good stewards with the resources we have. Some of the churches that have benefited from this are - Redeemer (Hyde Park), St. Barnabas (Montgomery), St. Thomas (Terrace Park), St. James (Westwood), Grace Episcopal (College Hill) and St. Anne (West Chester). Emergency Preparedness • The Active Shooter preparation hand out created for the cathedral was made more generic and made available as a resource to all churches via the Diocese website here: http://diosohio.org/wp- content/ uploads/2019/02/ActiveShooter-DSO-handout.pdf. • Interested staff on both sides received CPR, AED, and Narcan training and kits. • A full day House of Worship security training (including active shooter and various other risks) was provided by the Ohio Crime Prevention Association (OCPA) at three different locations for all churches in the Diocese, sponsored by the Bishop’s office in 2018. If there is an interest from members of our community, these trainings can be repeated. In the interim, training opportunities through OCPA is open to all faiths, and these events are shared through e-Connections. • Emergency Response posters have been created to serve as quick guides to urgent situations including fire, severe weather, medical and violent incidents. These, as well as certain signage posters (like AED machine, First Aid Box etc.), are made available for free to all congregations. • A template for an Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Plan has been created and is available on our website - http://diosohio.org/emergency/ for all congregations to use. Carine worked with various congregations on assisting with their plans and happy to help others. Community Outreach • The cathedral serves as a faithful partner alongside the Diocese by funding ministries, like Gabriel’s Place, as well as assisting with outreach grants to other diocesan church missions and scholarships for youth to attend Procter Camp. • Sycamore Commons, a prayerful place of beauty and respite for all who live, work and visit downtown is now open and available for the community to use. • The cathedral’s annual Maundy Thursday Sole Clinic continues to be an opportunity for the staff of both organizations to provide comfort and care to many in need, by washing the feet of attendees, providing them with new footwear, and feeding them a nourishing meal.
19 • We had our second annual backpacking collaboration event on August 1. Staff from the diocese and the cathedral worked shoulder to shoulder to pack 150 backpacks (and many boxes of additional student and teachers supplies) to benefit Rothenberg Preparatory Academy. Notably, this effort supports all children in the neighborhood in partnership with Imani - https:// imanifamilycenter.org/imani-fest--4 - not just Rothenberg students. This year most of the supplies needed to make this effort possible were secured from Crayons to Computers, a local non-profit. • For Cincinnati Pride Festival on June 22 , the cathedral and the diocese hosted a booth and walked in the parade with several other congregations in the diocese. It was a great event; people enjoyed the day, made new connections, and spread the word – God loves you [no exceptions]. • While preparing for the Pride Festival, the idea of having branded Episcopal vendor tents available to our churches in the diocese would be of great benefit, and would help our congregations to increase the visibility of the Episcopal Church in our communities. • There are four tents, and these 10 x 10′ tents reside in the four areas of the diocese, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton and the East. They are branded with “The Episcopal Church in Southern Ohio”, and the message, :God loves you [no exceptions]”. The back walls of the tents were intentionally left blank so that congregations can hang their own banners, signs, etc. We hope that congregations will think of new and creative ways to raise their visibility in their community at local festivals, concerts, farmers’ markets, etc. • Our first Community Health Fair was held on August 21, and took place at St. Anne’s in West Chester. We had a lot to offer and had over 150 attendees come through!
Some of the day’s offers included: • Free document shredding. • Free CPR classes, as well as the distribution and training for Narcan kits. • Health screenings – mammogram, blood pressure checks, vision, and hearing testing, and the Deaconess van offered services for other medical needs. • Church Pension Group hosted a lunch and training session for all lay staff, covering topics relating to healthy lifestyle, finance and benefits. • Yoga and Tai Chi sessions, not to mention on-site massages that followed. • 22 speakers in attendance that spoke on a variety of topics, ranging from financial security to hands on healthy cooking demonstration. The most popular was the sessions on Normal vs Not Normal Aging and Parenting for Parents and Grandparents. Of note: both these speakers have shown interest in being more involved with the Diocese, and one of our congregations have already booked the speaker on aging. • 19 vendor partners – many of whom have already asked when we will hold the next health fair, and indicated their willingness to be involved. • Two food trucks (coffee/smoothie truck and a taco truck), and hourly giveaways from vendors who provided free swag for the winners (coffee mugs, sporting event tickets, etc.) • Mix 94.9 radio station was there to provide music for the event, and radio spots ran two weeks prior to event day to promote it, and spread the news that the Episcopal Church is working in our community.
20 Human Resources • Carine is providing input and guidance to the Diocesan Advisory Committee on Compensation and Resources (“ACCR”), and sharing pertinent information through e-Connections. • The Diocese has started offering diocese wide payroll processing. Churches still pay a fee for the payroll company (Paycom), but the Diocese provides the processing and support, at no cost, through Angela Byrd. Angela to date has onboarded the following churches – Christ Church Cathedral, St. Simon (Wyoming), All Saints (Pleasant Ridge), and All Saints (Washington Courthouse). Informational Technology (IT) • The IT project funded by the Bishop and the Dean to provide 365 access to each parish in the Diocese continues to grow. Currently, there are 34 users, spanning eight churches.
Worship • Two of the diocesan canons are honorary canons at the cathedral – the Rev. Jason Leo and the Rev. Jane Gerdsen. The leadership of The Noon Service has spoken to some other congregations about this innovative service, and is willing to share lessons learned on starting new services. What is next? - Connecting the Dots: Becoming a Beloved Community We all know the kid’s activity “Connect the Dots”. Following the numbers, connecting one to two, two to three, and finally, you see the bigger picture. A new initiative was introduced at our annual convention in November which is one way for all of us to be more intentional about getting to know each other, learning from each other and finding ways to collaborate to widen our impact while connecting with God and seeing our bigger picture.
Our goal with the “Connect the Dots” initiative is simple - to connect people to a loving God and each other. We encourage you to visit other churches in our diocese, and worship together or visit an outreach program or formation program. We believe there is strength in diversity, and that by engaging more with each other, we will learn from each other and grow together, becoming a stronger diocese.
Did you know that one of our congregations holds their main Sunday service in a bar? Or that one has a resident cat named Bishop? Or that one has a butterfly garden next to their labyrinth?We invite you to find more stories like these and share your photos and your lessons learned. More information, including directions and incentives for participating in Connect the Dots can be found on www.dsoconnectthedots.org. Let’s travel through the Diocese, inspiring each other and growing together! Respectfully submitted, Carine de Lange
21 2019 SPECIAL GIFTS AND BEQUEST
Calendar Year 2019 None
Calendar Year 2018 The Estate of Alfred Lippert------General Endowment
Calendar Year 2017 The Estate of Phyllis Hopple------Cincinnati Scholar House The Estate of Betty Johnson------Cincinnati Scholar House The Estate of Robert LaShelle------Music The Estate of Philip Osborn------General Endowment Luther Charitable Foundation------Third Century Vision Capital Campaign
Calendar Year 2016 Doris M. Smith------General Endowment
Calendar Year 2014 Virginia Bohn Trust------General Endowment The Estate of Compton Allyn------General Endowment Wodecroft Foundation------Cathedral Organ Fund Allyn Family Foundation------Cathedral Organ Fund
Calendar Year 2013 Wodecroft Foundation------Organ Development Fund Anonymous------Organ Development Fund Luther Charitable Foundation------Boar’s Head
Calendar Year 2012 Wodecroft Foundation------Organ Development Fund
Calendar Year 2011 The Estate of Alice Tyler------General Endowment The Estate of Irene Kennedy Taylor------General Endowment
Calendar Year 2010 The Estate of Anna Marie Evans------Cathedral Library The Estate of Anna Marie Evans------Altar Guild The Estate of Betty Gillespie------Unrestricted Charles A. & Carole C. Kehrer Family Trust------Unrestricted F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation------Purchase of Continuo Organ The Estate of Margaret Ohanian------Music Mission Fund Endowment Wodecraft Foundation------Organ Development Fund
Calendar Year 2009 The Estate of Rosemary Frey Rogers------Frank H. Nelson Fund The Estate of Smith Hickenlooper------General Endowment Fund The Estate of Virginia Hickenlooper------General Endowment Fund Girl’s Friendly Society------Boar’s Head Girl’s Friendly Society------General Endowment Fund The Estate of Virginia Worthington------Unrestricted Wodecroft Foundation------Organ Development Fund
22 2019 STATEMENT OF OPERATIONAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES 2020 2019 2019* BUDGET BUDGET ACTUAL REVENUES Pledges & Donations $ 505,650 $ 500,200 $ 528,936 Misc. Program Income 25,100 23,800 22,334 Facility Usage Fees 5,000 5,000 4,560 Endowment Draw (Operating) 3,698,499 3,714,056 3,551,405
TOTAL REVENUES $ 4,234,249 $ 4,243,056 $ 4,107,234
EXPENDITURES Administrative & Technology $ 309,300 $ 322,936 $ 333,588 Adult Ed/Hospitality/Consortium 125,800 122,400 92,784 Altar Guild 8,000 8,000 5,179 Boar's Head 26,000 26,000 25,694 Buildings & Grounds/Nelson Mem 263,483 259,133 265,628 Camp & Youth 65,500 65,500 59,220 Children & Family Ministry 11,360 12,060 7,184 Communications (PR) 97,800 99,800 96,237 Diocesan Assessments 498,454 517,916 480,431 Flower Guild 19,850 19,850 16,668 Libraries 2,500 2,500 768 Liturgical 19,400 22,900 16,852 Music 166,860 166,859 180,376 Native American Mission 93,800 93,800 94,821 Outreach & Seminary Support 421,333 371,333 364,398 Salaries & Benefits 2,047,159 2,069,518 2,032,898 Stewardship 18,500 18,500 14,059 Welcome Ministry/Pastoral Care 22,450 27,350 9,048 Youth Group & Church School 16,700 16,701 11,403
TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 4,234,249 $ 4,243,056 $ 4,107,234
REVENUES OVER/ (UNDER) EXPENDITURES $0 $0 $0
* unaudited results as of 1/24/2020
23 2019 STATEMENT OF CAPITAL REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES 2019 2019 Budget Actual DRAWS Endowment Draws/Loan Proceeds $ 4,305,173 $ 3,042,380 Capital Campaign Pledge received 575,000 334,375 Other Gifts/Income 10,000 63,995 $ 4,890,173 $ 3,440,750
Pledges and Other Income Collected-To-Date $ 2,998,460
EXPENDITURES Third Century Vision (3CV) Projects Bicentennial $ 10,000 $ 3,350 Scholar House 250,000 250,000 Nave Organ & Remodel 3,607,852 1,575,574 Chapel Remodel/Organ/Garden 391,577 401,523 3CV Total 2019 $ 4,259,429 $ 2,230,447
OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS Parish House Masonry Parapet Repair $ 40,000 $ -
Total 2019 Capital Expenditures $ 4,299,429 $ 2,230,447
3CV Project Expenditures-To-Date $ 11,484,726
DEBT SERVICE Principal $ 562,330 $ 562,330 Loan Interest $ 152,342 $ 152,342 Total debt service for 2019 $ 714,672 $ 714,672
Loan Balance at December 31, 2019 $ 3,949,355
24 Pastoral Care $106,323 3% 2019 EXPENDITURES Christian Formation IN MISSION $419,697 10% FORMAT
Worship and Music $980,738 24% Outreach $705,796 17%
Community Life Facilities $479,761 $668,818 16% 12%
Communications & Administration $746,100 18%
CATEGORIES Pastoral Care $ 106,323 Worship and Music $ 980,738 Community Life $ 668,818 Communications & Administration $ 746,100 Facilities $ 479,761 Outreach $ 705,796 Christian Formation $ 419,697 $ 4,107,234
25 REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES For the Christ Church Cathedral Endowment Funds Year Ending December 31, 2019
During calendar year 2019, we continued our policy of being invested 85% in equities, which produced a 23.8% return for the year. This was slightly below the Custom Benchmark Index of 24.9%, which is comprised of both US and International equities and a fixed income component. During 2019, the cathedral withdrew $7,261,611 from the General Endowment Fund to support the cathedral budget, of which $3,504,551 was used for operating purposes, $3,507,060 for capital and 3CV projects, and $250,000 for Scholar House. (In 2018, the cathedral withdrew $7,280,000 from the Endowment.) After withdraws, market value of the endowment at year-end 2019 stood at approximately $89.6 million vs. $78.8 million at the year-end 2018.
General Endowment Fund:
2019 2018 2017 Principal Market Value $89,616,618 $78,849,038 $90,527,454 Gross Income Before Charges $1,947,258 $1,383,012 $1,198,513 Net Total Return 23.8% -5.3% 18.5%
Ensign Harry James Coombe Fund 2019 2018 2017 Principal Market Value $28,520,317 $22,045,810 $22,787,459 Gross Income Before Charges $401,532 $346,870 $338,794 Net Total Return 34.4% 0.3% 22.3%
Over the last year the Trustees have worked with the Vestry appointed Task Force on “Socially Responsible Investing” to update and amend the “Investment Policy Statement” for the Endowments, which is used in guiding the Investment Managers on these issues. The Trustees incorporate responsible investing in the portfolio and in manager selection. Endowment Trustees: Stephen F. Gerdsen, Chair Janna U. McWilliams, Vice Chair John R. Gillespie, Treasurer & Secretary Joseph J. Dehner Cornelius W. Hauck
26 AS OF 1/31/20, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE MADE THEIR 2020 PLEDGE
Drew Abbott & Robert DiMartino Clark & Joanne Handy Stephen & Lynn Okel Judith Admas Dennis Harrell George Patrick & Emily Boswell Cecile Allyn Chuck & Betsy Harris Emily Patterson & Amanda Berkich Susan Anuforo Dale Harris and Alexander Watson David Payton Adabelle Ashley-Foster Sarah Hartwig Michael Pelgen & Troy May Merrilee Atkins Pat Haug John & Frances Pepper Keith & Margaret Baldwin Neil & Sue Heighberger Barbara Pfister Ruth Bamberger Michael & Mary Henrickson Mike & Nancye Phillips Gratia Banta Diane Herzog Mike & Sandy Porada Marja Barrett Zachary Higbie Holly Pratt & Ceci Pratt Thornton Bartlett George & Amy Hill III Roxanne Qualls Merelyn Bates-Mims Laura Hobson David & Leslie Quattrone Jeff & Laurel Bauer Sue Hoel Julie Quick Bob & Judy Beiring Billie Houston Blake Racer Jon & Linda Berger Isaiah Hyman, Jr. Dick Rasner James Bielo & Sara Williams Sarah Jackson Debbi Rhodes Beth Boatright Tammie Jacobson & David Lewis Lou Rielag John and Maryann Boorn Ted & Anne Jaroszewicz Shiloh Roby Michael Bootes Sarah Johnson Paula Rose Jim & Trish Borgo Adam Jones Michael Rouse Richard Boydston Beverly Jones Connie Sanders Sue Brammer Jack & Kathy Jose Mary Ann Sanders Paula Brickler Tom & Jenny Kent Zach Neiheisel & Stacey Sands Mamie Brown Julie Kline Nick Sargen Prince & Elizabeth Brown, Jr. Martin & Lisa Koepke Shirley Schooler Amy Brubaker Barbara Koerner Vicky Schooler Doug & Dawn Bruestle Dan Lakamp & Dan Shirley Thomas Schuck Sammie Bubel Don Lane & Matt Dunn Bill Scrivener & Susan Pace Ed & Carole Burdell Charles & Jean Lauterbach Paula Sears Tom & Meg Burrows Susan Lehman & John Dalzell Bob & Brenda Shawver Dianne Butler Suzann Parker Leist Andy & Nikki Shenk Martha Camele Steve & Lisa Lemen Vestal & Julieta Simms-Howell, Sr. Chris Carey Patsy Leo Ron Slone Dan Carlson & Kim Taylor Roger & Berta Lerch Karen Smith Stephan & Rae Casurella T.J. Lonergan Matthew & Cyndi Smith Tom & Cindy Cecil Carl Rhodes & Lori Luchtman-Jones Eric Soderlund & Matt Shad Bill & Judy Chamberlain Carol Lyon Warren Solar, Jr. Chris & Nancy Christensen Bobbie Lyons Jerry Stein Alicia Clark Mark Mahoney Roy Steiner & Jane Page-Steiner Pat Coyle, Jr Michael Maloney Shane Stines Kathleen Cox Kathy Mank Gina Strohm John & Sandra Crawford, Jr. George Marshall Karen Taylor Patrick Daffin Janet McDaniel Douglas & Kay Thompson Bruno & Carolyn De Palma Bernie McKay & Zack Weber David Thomson Emily Deet Jesse & Rachel McKnight Roger & Rita Thoney Joseph Julnes & Noel Julnes-Dehner Frank & Janna McWilliams John Treacy & Roland Ficke Jeffrey Dey Brandon & Claire Mello Michael Unger Robert & Gretchen Dinerman Tom Milbery Kyle Vath Malcolm & Priscilla Dunn Thom & Roberta Miles Dave Vorbeck & Tammy Turner-Vorbeck Cheryl Eagleson Bailey Miller Tony & Suzanne Walch Peter & Dianne Ebbs John & Ellen Miller Harolyn Walker Chuck Ellman Karen Montagno Kevin Walzer & Lori Jareo David & Janet Fedders Kim Montgomery Arthur Wang Marjorie Fox John & Karen Moreland C.K. & Shirley Wang Mike & Barbara Gehrig Vivian Morris Olden Warren & Sheila Hill Garrett & Ellen Gerard Ro Morsby Tonya Warren Steve Gerdsen Douglas & Donna Mullins Christopher Wheeler Sally Ghering Denis Murphy & Paul Williams & Larry Hayes John & Chris Gillespie Yvonne Schrotel-Murphy Charmienne Willmoth John & Toni Grate George & Nandi Mutema Marshall Wiseman Jim & Gail Greenwell Bill Myers Mary Lynn Woebkenberg & Lexie Bopp Pat Groth Ethan Nichols Nancy Woodburn Mary Grover Michael & Julie Nichols Bill & Carol Woods Phil & Mary Hagner Jeffrey & Carol Oak 27 SLATE OF NOMINEES
SENIOR WARDEN (Voting for one one-year term—2021) Michael Henrickson
JUNIOR WARDEN (Voting for one one-year term—2021) Mary R. Grover
TRUSTEE OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND (Voting for one unexpired one-year term) Don Lane
TRUSTEE OF THE ENDOWMENT FUND (Voting for one five-year term—2025) Stephen F. Gerdsen
VESTRY MEMBER (Voting for one unexpired two-year term) Matthew Dunn
VESTRY MEMBERS (Voting for five three-year terms) Drew Abbott Elizabeth Brown Garrett K. Gerard Jack M. Jose Ethan Nichols David Payton Michael Pelgen Mary Lynn Woebkenberg
DELEGATES TO THE 2020 DIOCESAN CONVENTION (Voting for two one-year terms) Sue Brammer Bailey Miller Ro Andrew Morsby Judith Robinson
2020 NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Voting for two two-year terms) Martha Camele Chuck Lauterbach Lisa Lemen
28 ROTATING VESTRY EXPIRATION DATE ROSTER
WARDENS Michael Henrickson (Senior Warden) 2020 Julie Kline (Junior Warden) 2020
VESTRY Emily Boswell (2020) Elizabeth Brown (2020)
Matt Dunn (2020) Clark Handy (2020) Karen Taylor (2020) Tonya Warren (2020) Mary R. Grover (2021) Jean Lauterbach (2021) Kathy Mank (2021) Frank McWilliams (2021) John Gillespie (2022) Dan Lakamp (2022) Julieta Simms (2022)
29 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ORGANIZATIONAL CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHRIST
30 COMMITTEE REPORTS
ALTAR GUILD Chris Carey, Chair If there is one constant with Altar Guild, it is that we are ever adapting to the needs of the church. In addition to Sunday services, the Altar Guild also supports all additional services of every church season, weddings, baptisms and funerals/memorial services. Shane Stines who participates in the Noon service began training with Altar Guild in October 2019. An additional new trainee, Jenny Kent, started in Spring 2019. Both have prior experience and are learning quickly. We commissioned Lynn Okel as a fully trained member in 2019. Diane Herzog will be commissioned February 2020. We were fortunate to welcome Beth Boatright back to active membership in 2019. As the opportunity for service expands and those serving change, we have a need for even more people to step forward and volunteer to serve God on this grace fueled path. We were sorrow-filled as we mourned the death of two dear members after many years of leadership and devoted service on the Altar Guild. Barb Lopez and Sigred Coyle each provided wise and insightful leadership during their time with Altar Guild. We also said goodbye to Grace Jones as she moved to another city to live. Lastly, we wish to thank the clergy and all Christ Church Cathedral staff for their unwavering support and team work. *** ARCHIVIST Dennis Harrell, Archivist With the completion of the Bicentennial celebrations, the requests for information from the archives diminished considerably during the past year. Nonetheless, it provided an opportunity to consolidate and reorganize the many files and documents used during that undertaking in order to make them more easily accessible to future researchers. It is always a continuous responsibility to integrate into the archives new materials related to current activities of the cathedral and older materials donated by current and former members of the congregation. As members go through their (or those of family members) old files, pictures, notes, etc., pertaining to activities at the cathedral, please consider the Archives before throwing such things away. They may fill in important information not currently or adequately covered for purposes of research. Such items can either be donated to the Archives for permanent preservation and storage or loaned for the purpose of scanning. *** BOAR’S HEAD AND YULE LOG FESTIVAL Anne Jaroszewicz, Co-Director The 80th Annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival took place on January 4 and 5 of this year (2020). It was our traditional “Gift to the City of Cincinnati”, but this year, it was also different in some very significant ways.
31 Before the dress rehearsal, we celebrated the ministry of Bob Beiring who has dedicated 55 years in service to the Boar’s Head Festival including 15 years as a member of the cast, and the last 40 as our director. Senior Warden Michael Henrickson presented Bob with a proclamation from the vestry declaring Boar’s Head Weekend, “Robert Beiring appreciation days” and then Dean Gail surprised him with his very own Beefeater red blazer, a gift from the cathedral and the BHYLF (Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival) family. The cast, crew, orchestra, choir and audience then acknowledged Bob with a standing ovation. It was a very special moment for all who were there.
We also used our 80th anniversary as an opportunity to look back at this wonderful Christ Church Cathedral tradition. We collected and shared stories from people who have been a part of Boar’s Head cast and choir throughout the years. Along with Bob, we heard from Phil Hagner (who celebrated 70 years of Boar’s Head service), as well as John Gillespie, Mike Phillips, Connie Sanders, Danyale Marshall, Justin Gabbard, Ben Fibbe, Matt Paul and David Thomson. Each story was unique, and helped explain the emotional commitment we all have to this unique pageant. We displayed these stories in the south corridor and in the undercroft and received lots of positive feedback from audience members as well as from cast, crew and musicians throughout the weekend. We are thinking it would be nice to continue to highlight the people who have dedicated so much time and talent to the Boar’s Head over the years. Next year, we may do something similar with the people who make it all work “behind the scenes” in our wonderful crew. We had the largest cast ever roughly 185 in costumes and approximately 60 in the choir and 40 in the orchestra. All were fed and cared for by our selfless committee and crew of over 50 more who somehow made it all come together. As usual, Trevor Shibley’s lighting genius was on display and added to the magnificence of the performances. We played to three packed houses, and even had people standing in the narthex for the 2:30 p.m. show on Sunday. We had a lot of first timers at all the shows thanks to some wonderful publicity, and as people left, I heard many say, “Thank you so much. This truly is a gift. See you next year.” *** BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS Matt Shad, Chair The committee continued on course through 2019, serving mostly in a facility maintenance capacity as the second and third of the Third Century Vision capital projects, managed via special project committees, began to draw to a close. The second, the Sycamore Commons, was dedicated on May 12, 2019. Later, on November 18, 2019, was recognized with a best of Landscape Architecture Award at the annual Cincinnati Design Awards event. Matt Shad, David Thomson and Mark Reed actively participated throughout 2019 with the expedited design build process orchestrated by the Nave Organ Committee. That project includes not only the installation of the organ, but the careful reviewing of the many accompanying acoustical and aesthetic projects within the sanctuary resulting from the installation. Our committee has often provided sound advice through the participating members resulting in better lighting, and acoustical treatments benefitting both worship services, spoken word and musical programs.The committee also offered resources within its existing budget to expedite HVAC enhancements to further the Nave Organ Project to a much better acoustical result.
32 The committee did perform a number of smaller yet critical projects throughout the facility. Among them includes: • Completion of the facade inspections recommended repairs on the Parish House masonry. • Installation of the replacement of the memorial windows to General Robert E Lee and Bishop William Meade with representations of Harriet Tubman and Fredrick Douglass, installed December 8, 2019, and created by the artist, Gillian Thompson. • Minor improvements to our restroom facilities to better accommodate all persons desiring to worship with us. • Seeded an initiative to work in conjunction with the Noon Service Leadership Team to monitor and prepare for facility needs as the growth and interest in this liturgical service increases. Our budget remained on track with our utilities again being well within budget. For 2020, we are continuing to be vigilant in our maintenance regime with our five-year capital budget delaying slightly the new roof for the Parish House, which though beyond its anticipated performance life, is not showing signs yet of deterioration. Though well-deserved, we regretted the retirement of our Director of Facilities, Mark Reed, and celebrated his 22 years of service at his ceremony on August 30, 2019. However, we were left in good hands as we were introduced to our new director, Matt Hornsby, who has quickly demonstrated his compassion and proficiency in facility management. With new staff and significant capital projects drawing to a close, the committee committed to 2020 as a year to reconsider our annualized maintenance priorities and invest time and consideration in space allocation throughout the cathedral facility.
The committee members serving during the year included: Ed Burdell, Carl Harbour, Dennis Harrell, Matt Hornsby, Martin Koepke, Frank McWilliams, Sarah-Theresa Murakami, Mark Reed, Mark Sackett, Matthew Shad, David Thomson, and Pat VanSkaik. The year ended with wishing Sarah-Theresa Murakami well and thanks for her many years of service, as she stepped down from the committee, with her impending retirement and return to Cleveland. *** CAMPING AND YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES Mark J. Mahoney, Chair The work of the Camping and Youth Opportunities Committee (the “Committee”) is an important and fulfilling part of Christ Church Cathedral. It provides the opportunity to invest in young people who enthusiastically go from pews to life-enhancing experiences near home, and at times abroad. It is not always understood that the committee does not administer ongoing programs or make distributions that satisfy budgetary items, rather, it annually makes educational and recreational grants to applicants based on merit, need, and available funds. The cathedral’s history with camping started in the 1930’s on Bass Island on the Little Miami River near Newtown. It continued in the 1950’s at Lakeside Ohio on Lake Erie. In the late 1950’s, Judge Robert Marx (think Playhouse Theatre), a Jewish former member of Christ Church Cathedral Boy’s Club, gave us his 100-acre hunting spread near Felicity, Ohio for a summer youth camp. We developed and ran that camp for 25 years to benefit our parish members’ children and inner-city children. The proceeds from the subsequent sale of that camp to the YMCA, and the consolidation of other camping and youth activities bequests, have resulted in an endowed fund overseen and administered by the committee.
33 The following is a summary of Committee activity for 2019: • The committee continued our long tradition of supporting camping at the Diocesan Procter Camp ($5,000) and YMCA Camp Ernst ($12,000). • Summer Reading Camp was sponsored ($6,000). This six-week reading program helps underachieving students from low-income families improve their reading; and readies them for successful learning. The Camp was held at Christ Church Cathedral with assistance from Dianne Ebbs, Executive Director. • Camp Joy, a United Way affiliated agency, was supported ($5,000). • Kids4Peace, an international youth movement, was supported ($2,000). • Consistent with our practice for over 25 years, we provided college scholarships to Christ Church Cathedral family youth. Nine students were awarded scholarships ($18,200 total). • A generous donation was received from a parish member ($350).
We look forward to the opportunities that 2020 will bring. *** CATHEDRAL IN THE PARK Judy Beiring We experienced beautiful weather this summer for our worship service at Mt. Echo Shelter House, overlooking the city. This was our 14th year of Cathedral in the Park, where we enjoyed celebrating the Eucharist in the beauty of outdoors. The Rev. Suzann Watson celebrated in June, the Rev. Bill Scrivener in July and the Rev. Paul Williams in August. There was music during the service and we enjoyed a light lunch and fellowship after. The average attendance was 20 - 30 people with quite a few new people enjoying this alternative service. *** CHILDREN’S FORMATION AND FAMILY MINISTRY Hannah Teetor, Director Children’s Formation and Family Ministry is building community to connect children, family, and the parish in formative ways while laying the foundation for lifelong learning. In 2019, we witnessed transformations in education, programming, and annual events for our growing families at Christ Church Cathedral. Firstly, and perhaps most notably, this ministry serves the youngest members of the cathedral – the kids! closely followed by the families and loved ones who support them in the early part of their faith journey. After much deliberation alongside Dean Gail Greenwell and Sub-Dean Paul Williams over the last year, we began preparations for changes to happen to the children’s curriculum in 2019. To better meet the needs of the families here at the cathedral, a new children’s formation program, Telling God’s Stories, was born. Acting as a bridge between the 10:00 a.m. and noon services, this program has brought
34 together the many families from both worship communities. Since its start in September, I have seen faith and friendships growing between children and families who had never met before Telling God’s Stories began. I feel this has fostered greater connection within the broader cathedral family. Kids of all ages are encouraged to worship in the services with their families each Sunday, and have a safe space to engage with one another and with the biblical texts through a lens of wonder and curiosity. Catechesis of the Good Shepherd explored these themes throughout the program year of 2018-2019. Additionally, the offering of Catechesis during the season of Advent exemplified the newness of life as told through the prophecies. The beautiful connections I have witnessed from each of these educational opportunities has been truly life-giving. The 2019 Camp Create art camp was a memorable week packed with three artists, one workshop, six adult volunteers, and twenty happy campers creating all kinds of art together! At the end of the week, we hosted an art show at the cathedral for the families of our campers, to showcase their various pieces of artwork, from still life pastels to multimedia self-portraits to glasswork. The philosophy of Camp Create supports the artist in everyone! With inspiration, education, and dedication, kids of all ages can create beautiful and meaningful art to share their point of view with the world. The week of Camp Create was such a transformative and fantastic time to connect with children here at the cathedral and in the greater Cincinnati community. I would also love to share with you some of the other exciting events from 2019: • The beloved Easter Egg Hunt took place in the Sycamore Commons on a gorgeous Easter Sunday morning and welcomed dozens of families and children to the cathedral. • The Parents Book Club formed over the summer, inviting parents to read six books over the course of a year. The parenting books focus on the engagement of social justice and the continued formation of growing children as compassionate people. • The Back-to-School Blessing at the end of the summer prayed for all students, teachers, parents, professors, administrators, school counselors, any one who might step foot inside a school to do good work. As a gift, each person received a tag with the words “Peace Be Upon You” colorfully printed, as a thoughtful reminder throughout the year. • In September, Welcome Sunday offered a delightful gathering in the Sycamore Commons for fellowship, packed with delicious food and plenty of fun and games. • Advent Village kicked off the month of December and, as an inter-generational offering for the 10:00 a.m. and noon services, brought together the cathedral community to create wreaths and celebrate the start of the new church year. For Advent, I gifted families with devotional resources for prayer throughout the season, along with some holiday chocolates. • And finally, the Christmas Eve Pageant, written and performed by the kids of the cathedral was an amazing and joyful experience – I am incredibly proud of everyone who brought the Nativity story to life, from the words on the page to the actions on the stage! Special thanks to the wonderful people who bring joy to all facets of my ministry at Christ Church Cathedral: Michelle Foster, Kathy Jose, Erica Konopka, Melissa Vath, Pat Phelan, Ericka Williams, Shelly Reimer, Suniti Nelson, Brianna Kelly, Dan Carlson, and Sara Williams! Each of you has shared your spiritual gifts with the children and families of the cathedral; you have inspired me. I am immensely grateful for your presence in my life and the life of Christ Church Cathedral. ***
35 COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT Sarah Hartwig, Director With programming being thoughtfully put forth by -and for- our cathedral community (and the community at large), the communications department has been busy as ever. Our goal is always to support the interesting and valuable content being offered, to invite people to join us, and to be radical in our hospitality while they are here. What follows is a snapshot of just some of the programs we were pleased to support. From the top, 2019 saw a year of robust programming of Christian Formation offerings, like the newly introduced Faith & Films platform, an impressive list of invited guest preachers and presenters at the cathedral, these alongside well-loved annual series’, like The Big Read, Sunday Comics, and those given during Lent and Advent. Our youth and children’s programming saw increases in attendance, as well as programming to support it, be it under Big Questions for our youth group, or the introduction of Telling God’s Stories, an offering for our younger children. Additionally, the children’s summer art camp was a particular success unto its own, offering an impressive roster of local artists who came in to teach throughout the week. The cathedral welcomed in keynote speakers like Taylor Branch and Ibram X. Kendi under the Taft Lecture Series, as well as those who joined us with the Community Issues Forums, and it’s newer Thursday offspring program, known as Alt+ Thursday. Christ Church Cathedral continues its dedication to the arts with our incredible music offerings, spanning from worship services to Music Live@Lunch, the annual Boar’s Head & Yule Log Festival, and one-of-a-kind performances featuring local, national, and internationally acclaimed musicians. Gallery South offered up several shows, including the compelling, Faces of Addiction and Out of the Shadows exhibits, respectively, that were open and available to the public. Additionally, the cathedral again partnered with Artworks Cincinnati, and the result was the large Fourth Street facade installation of Windy Land by Sharareh Khosravani, an Iranian multimedia artist based in Cincinnati. By extension, cathedral members also marched in the city’s BLINK parade to highlight the narrative of the facade’s artwork, depicting the very real struggle of housing insecurity by so many, both here and abroad. In addition to BLINK, the cathedral was pleased to be a participant in other offsite initiatives, including, but not limited to: the Strategies to Reduce Gun Violence conference at United Way, the city’s annual PRIDE parade and festival, the second annual Festival of Faiths, and a very successful free public health fair, sponsored by Christ Church Cathedral and the Diocese of Southern Ohio. The communications department also spent time in 2019 in support of valuable infrastructural efforts, like creating and sharing out a gender inclusive language document to help educate and inform our community about thoughtful ways to engage with one another, as well as the introduction of online giving, as a way to increase giving and make it even easier. As is always the case, the communications department works diligently to promote and invite our cathedral members, friends, and the Greater Cincinnati community to all of our program offerings from worship to music, ministry work to outreach, and everything in between. We are working hard to serve you, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have a cathedral program or endeavor that would benefit from our support. ***
36 COMMUNITY ISSUES FORUM Ed Burdell and Bill Woods, chairs The Community Issues Forum completed its 38th year of providing forums in May, and it launches its 39th year this September, Established as a program that reflects the commitment of this downtown cathedral to the public life of the city, the forum features luncheon presentations on important local issues. A particular focus of the forum is to address questions of social, economic, and political justice. Scheduled every other Thursday from September to June, forums begin at noon and are open to the public with no reservations required. Success in 2019 Several forums took place in 2019 with even more scheduled through May of this year. Diverse topics such as homelessness, Cincinnati’s affordable housing crisis, addressing gun violence, the prospects for improving public transit in Greater Cincinnati, Preschool Promise and other public education innovations, the current status of Cincinnati’s Appalachian community, neighborhood organizing initiatives, and issues facing Hamilton County and Cincinnati governments were featured. Speakers included: the President of the Hamilton County Commissioners, the executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, the executive director of Elementz, the executive director of the Interfaith Workers Center, the lead organizer of the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, the executive director of Cincinnati Preschool Promise, the executive director of Community Shares, the president of the Better Bus Coalition, the director of the Legal Aid Society of Southwest Ohio, the program leader for Holistically Empowering All Teens, the project manager for the Cincinnati Black United Front’s Collaborative Agreement and Its Refresher, the special projects associate for LISC, a founder and leader of the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition, and a Cincinnati Council member/former Mayor. Another activity carried out under the umbrella of the Community Forum in 2019 was “Alternative Thursday.” On certain Thursdays when forums did not occur, smaller sessions took place. During the winter and spring, the forum facilitators organized informal discussion groups as follow ups to regular forums. One special session featured the cathedral’s photography exhibition, “The Faces of Addiction,” followed by a discussion on drug rehab programs as a better alternative to jail. Alternative Thursdays will continue this fall. The forum greatly benefited in 2019 from the energy and insights of the forum planning committee that includes five members of the cathedral: Prince Brown, Elizabeth Brown,Tom Kent, and Michelle Dillingham, and two community leaders including the director of the Interfaith Workers Center and the recent president of the Woman’s City Club. Sarah B. Hartwig, the cathedral’s director of communications, attended most meetings and provided invaluable assistance in getting the word out about the forums with innovations such as the spots on WVXU. Besides continuing to orchestrate forums on critical issues, forum planners collaborated with other community groups and organizations in planning and sponsoring events. The forum will again venture outside the cathedral this fall with another forum at the Peaslee Neighborhood Center. In terms of other ways the forums can be viewed or read about, segments of every forum were filmed, and five to ten minute programs can be viewed on the cathedral and AIR, Inc. web-sites. Articles on the forums also regularly appeared in StreetVibes.
37 Approximately 400 people attended the forums from September 2018 to June of 2019. The number of times people have have gone online to view forum clips during that same time period is 2,392. Baseline Deliverables Utilizing the experience and talents of the forum planning committee, Burdell and Woods will plan and administer 16 to 17 forums in 2020. Maintaining its current ministry guidelines of service that “promotes reconciliation, social justice, and advocacy,” the forum will continue its recent innovations of conducting series on important issues, collaborating with other other community organizations, and experimenting with different venues such as the Peaslee Neighborhood Center. Forum planners will also make an effort when possible to complement major events and topics as they develop at the cathedral. Alternative Thursdays in 2020 and beyond In 2020, we propose to continue Alternative Thursdays. Working with Olden Warren, the outreach committee and other cathedral leaders, we will plan and administer programs for the Thursdays when Community Issues Forums do not take place.The goal is to facilitate activities during these Thursday lunch hours that complement the cathedral’s interests and concerns for the community beyond its doors.
For further information, call Ed Burdell or Bill Woods, 381-4994. *** DOCENT REPORT Dennis Harrell The cathedral docents continue to provide tours of the cathedral on the first Sunday of the month and at other scheduled times for special groups. Following the completion of several renovation projects over the past two years, there are even more new spaces to explore and information to be learned – even to those who have taken tours in the past. Any members -- old or new -- who are interested in becoming a docent are encouraged to contact either Dennis Harrell or Suzann Parker Leist. *** EPISCOPAL NETWORK FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE Michael Maloney, Chair The Episcopal Network for Economic Justice, for the past 21 years, has faithfully served as a resource for Episcopalians concerned about social justice and economic inequality. We have done this work in conjunction with the other networks in The Consultation and, since 2013, in collaboration with the Union of Black Episcopalians and the Episcopal Ecological Network. In 2019, our collaborative: 1. Advocated with church officials for the renewal of the Jubilee Ministry network. 2. Followed up on the social justice resolutions of the 2018 General Convention and issued a report for bishops and deputies. 3. Updated a set of justice-oriented Reflections for Advent (www.enej.org/publications.htm) for use by preachers and teachers. 4. Published Immigrant Stories as a resource for educators (www.enej.org/publications.htm).
38 5. Represented the Episcopal Church at Ecumenical Advocacy Days in Washington, D.C. Education and advocacy on justice issues continue to be our focus. Our web site and listserv keeps our network of over 500 activists informed on social justice issues. Upcoming projects include: 1. Working with the Office of Government Relations on promoting voter participation during the 2020 election year. 2. Developing (with UBE and EpEN) a Voter Justice Guide for use by congregations in 2020 as they meet with candidates. 3. Conducting a three-day conference on economic justice in Atlanta for young adults in the region. 4. Publishing a booklet on community investment for use by individuals and congregations. 5. Our staff and leadership team provide consultations to diocesan leaders and congregations throughout the country. Leaders and advisers include several from Cincinnati and the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Numbers: Consultations – 55 Reflections reached estimated 3,000 preachers and teaches Resolutions – 43 Reached estimated 300 individuals at Ecumenical Advocacy Days Immigrant Stories – circulated to estimated 2,000 EpiscopaliansChurch Officials Impacted - 47 *** 5000 CLUB Mike Bootes, Chair There were 53 Tuesdays in 2019 and the 5000 Club continued to offer a community dinner on each and every one of them in our first year after Foy Knierim passed away. Attendance remained much as before averaging 144 guests, and serving a total of 7,626 meals. Among our guests about a third of them remain regulars of some long standing; about a third we see for short durations; and about a third are new faces each week. Unfortunately this year we lost touch with our legacy. Anna Louise Inn ladies. Our biggest attendance was 186 on September 24 and our smallest was 83 on New Year’s day. This was accomplished with the help of some 2,600 hours of volunteer service. With amazing reliability, about 20 volunteers appeared each week to keep the well-oiled 5000 Club machine on the rails. There was a gratifying and gentle turnover among the group as some new, inspired workers found us with uncanny regularity, sustained by a core group of about 12 steadyeddies who come almost every week. As has been the case in the past a good number of the volunteers are not members of the cathedral and some of the most loyal are dinner guests who join in the effort. Especially gratifying this year were the cathedral members who stepped up to fill holiday voids as we began 2019 with NewYear’s Day and closed with both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. We continued our productive relationship with the Freestore Foodbank Cincinnati COOKS training program. Chef Marcus Hazel and his students did the cooking on 39 Tuesdays and a couple of the COOKS graduates returned to cover four other weeks, leaving only ten weeks for us to cover among four volunteer cooks. The sharing of the kitchen remains a work-in-progress as we all adjust to continuing changes and growth. We have tested the cathedral staff, other users of the kitchen and the facility. All have responded well. 39 In the midst of our weekly gathering, a number of programs have continued their offerings to our guests. These have included a well-established evening prayer service, the Outreach Assistance program (reported elsewhere) and the most rewarding and effective health care assistance of the Cancer Justice Network. The gratitude of our dinner guests is exceeded only by the most heartfelt thankfulness of the beneficiaries of the lifesaving referrals of the CJN. We have also seen occasional visits from Deaconess Mobile health clinic and Cincinnati Behavior Health Services, who found us by referral from their clients. This is further testimony to the fact that the 5000 Club remains a productive and cherished fixture in our urban community. *** FLOWER GUILD Susan Pace, Chair The Christ Church Cathedral Flower Guild supplied beautiful arrangements for the cathedral throughout the year. People may not realize that all arrangements are done by volunteer members of the Flower Guild - there are currently 26 members and two trainees. Each week (except for Lent) flowers are arranged and placed at the Fourth Street entrance, in Centennial Chapel, in the cathedral nave and prayer corner at the rear of the nave and on the hospitality table in the undercroft. We also do weekly arrangements for St. Paul’s Chapel at the diocesan offices and supply flowers for use by the 5000 Club and Catechesis. At Christmas and Easter all the stops are pulled out for a glorious array of flowers and flowering plants to celebrate these two major feast days of the church. All this is supported by thoughtful donations of time by our volunteers and money by those moved to donate toward the beautification of the cathedral in celebration or memory of events and loved ones. This past fall, the Flower Guild proposed to the vestry that the Easter Anderson Cross be eliminated as of the year 2020 and the income of the Larz and Emma Anderson Memorial Fund be reallocated to provide monies for shared horticultural experiences for/with children, youth, and families of the cathedral congregation(s) and the newly built Cincinnati Scholar House. We envision cooperative intergenerational activities where children, their families and their leaders from both Christ Church Cathedral and Cincinnati Scholar House can plant, grow, maintain, and harvest flowers, vegetables, herbs, and fruits (if appropriate) at the Cincinnati Scholar House property - giving rise to an understanding and appreciation of God’s creation as well as basic gardening experience. The Vestry approved this proposal unanimously. We hope members of the cathedral will enthusiastically become part of this new initiative. *** GALLERY SOUTH Mike Phillips, Chair We kicked off the year with a major project: 50 exceptional photo portraits of current or former opioid addicts paired with their stories. Created by Eric Hatch over two years of painstaking research, the exhibit was launched at Christ Church Cathedral and then moved on to other venues, including the Rhodes Office Building at the state capitol. While the exhibit was at Christ Church, we invited Newtown police chief Tom Synan (a leading voice in local law enforcement’s effort to confront the
40 opioid epidemic) for a community forum in the gallery. Gallery South contributed half its budget to print, mount, frame and glass this important exhibit, and gallery team member Barry Carlin contributed many hours of technical assistance.
The Art of Wonder became our signature exhibit with Wonder II, which featured the work of 35 invited artists. Taft Museum assistant curator Emma Caro judged the exhibit and made cash awards to eight of the exhibitors. She spent two hours pacing the gallery because the overall quality made narrowing the prizes to eight artists a tough call for her. Art of Wonder will occupy the exhibit calendar between Easter and Memorial Day every year going forward. After much hand-wringing over the Vatican Museum’s bureaucracy, we obtained permission to exhibit Roman catacomb photos gathered by Xavier University theology professor Dr. Anna Miller. These photos illustrate the important roles played by women in the earliest centuries of the Christian church and call into question the “women should be silent” comments written into New Testament epistles in later years. Dr. Miller made two presentations for us: one in the gallery and one in an adult forum. Just as the year was ending, we received notice that Gallery South will be a venue for Greater Cincinnati’s biennial FotoFocus festival. Our theme for 2020 will be Spirit of the City, as told by street photographers. This festival occurs in alternating Octobers. Exhibits like these raise the bar for Gallery South and help carve out a niche within the visual arts community that reflects the cathedral’s values -- and give excellent exposure and encouragement to artists in this region. *** HOSPITALITY GUILD Connie Sanders and Yvonne Schrotel-Murphy, Co-chairs The Hospitality Guild’s primary mission is to provide a meaningful way for cathedral worshipers to gather informally. The guild has served the cathedral for a number of years by providing refreshments for worshipers after the Sunday morning services. Cathedral members and visitors continue to depend on the Sunday morning coffee hour as a very important time to discuss informally cathedral activities, visit with friends, and meet new people.
Dedicated members of the guild arrived early on Sundays to prepare food and beverages. In addition, considerable food was donated by the guild members and others. Guild members also arranged to provide special refreshments and cakes on the occasions such as staff members retiring or transferring. Denis Murphy faithfully has procured pastries from Busken Bakery each week, or has arranged for another guild member to pick them up. Guild volunteers are scheduled quarterly, using a combination of online and manual process, which Connie Sanders had overseen for a number of years. During 2019, scheduling responsibilities were assumed by Lexie Bopp and Mary Lynn Woebkenberg. In addition, guild co-chairs have communicated with cathedral committees and attended budget and other committee meetings that involved hospitality. In December 2019, Yvonne Schrotel-Murphy stepped down as co-chair of the Hospitality Guild, while still remaining a member. We thank her for her long-time commitment to this ministry.
41 The Hospitality Guild also is very appreciative of Mary and Phil Hagner, who have provided a wonderful atmosphere at their home to conduct our annual meeting. This meeting provides the opportunity to maintain effectiveness, discuss ideas, visit with other guild members, and recognize hard work. Membership in the Hospitality Guild has fluctuated over the year, as we have gained and lost members. We always are happy to have new members and encourage others to join us. Some guild members have taken on a new responsibility as Sunday morning team leaders. We appreciate their enthusiasm! Other guild members graciously volunteered multiple times to substitute when last-minute situations arose that prevented scheduled team members from being able to serve. All this has helped to maintain the quality of service that we hope to continue to provide to our fellow parishioners in the coming year. *** INTERFAITH HOSPITALITY NETWORK Elizabeth Brown, Chair The cathedral is one of 27 host congregations in the greater Cincinnati area providing shelter and food for homeless families. We hosted families five weeks during 2019. During the host week the families came each evening at 5:00 p.m. and spent the night at the cathedral leaving for the IHN Day Center around 7:00 a.m. the following morning. The cathedral’s mission is to provide food, shelter and hospitality for the families. Other needs and issues are met by the IHN social work staff during the day. In 2019 we provided food and shelter for 35 days for 24 adults and 39 children, ranging in age from infants to teenagers. Volunteers donated and prepared 35 hot sit-down dinners for groups of 15- 20 people. We also provided breakfast and bag lunches for the guests. Each week, about 40 cathedral volunteers made the program possible by playing with the children, preparing meals and spending the night with them in the cathedral undercroft. Volunteers set up and tear down the room dividers and beds, do the laundry, and shop for groceries. In addition to cathedral members, Calvary Episcopal Church is our supporting congregation and provides volunteers and the meal for each Thursday of host week. IHN and the handful of other family shelters in the area were full again in 2019. Most homeless families with children seeking shelter in the Cincinnati area are turned away for lack of space. *** LIBRARY REPORT Nancye Phillips, Chair It was business as usual for the church library this year. We bought 75 new books, and we cleared the shelves of 50 older fiction books that had not been checked out in years.We received 25 mostly best sellers as gifts from parishioners. Those few that were duplicates were put on the sale cart. Total income from book sales, at $1 each, was $140, as of December. We keep older fiction books from popular writers such as James Patterson, Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache mysteries, and Donna Leon’s Inspector Guido Brunetti series. They continue to have wide popularity.
42 In its nonfiction section, the library has a deep collection of Thomas Merton books, as well as C.S. Lewis and contemporary religion writers, including Walter Brueggemann, Elaine Pagels, and Karen Armstrong. It has been a library goal to increase the number of contemporary nonfiction books. Thanks to Toni Grate, the children’s library books have been put into a friendlier and more useful catalog arrangement. Gratia Banta, a former children’s librarian, has donated a number of brand new children’s books, for which we are grateful. And we acknowledge the gifts of art books from Roger and Berta Lerch. As always, we try to respond to parishioners’ requests. *** MUSIC COMMITTEEE Harold Byers, Chair It is a privilege to continue sharing the gift of music with the cathedral’s worship community, the Diocese of Southern Ohio, and the City of Cincinnati. Below are music ministry highlights from the 2019 calendar year. Nave Organ Project We are about to enter the most exciting stage of our new nave organ project: delivery, installation, and voicing! General contractor HGC has completed the construction phase of the project, which included structural modifications to the chancel to bear the weight of the organ, reduction in the noise of mechanical systems, updated and expanded lighting capabilities, improved audio/visual equipment, and significant acoustical improvements (under the guidance of Threshold Acoustics LLC). Organ builders Richards Fowkes & Co. (RFC) have completed construction of the organ, Opus 24, and stand ready for final installation to commence in January 2020. In October, RFC delivered and installed the winding system and the largest pedal pipes. Erecting the organ in the chancel will take two to three weeks, after which will begin the 9-month intensive voicing process. The builders will adjust each pipe to work perfectly with the other pipes and with the acoustics of the room. Several new ranks will become playable each week, so we will enjoy an ever-broadening palette of colors. Chapel Organ, C. B. Fisk Op. 148 Op. 148 has been a marvelous addition in worship services, has received international attention, and has been a great resource for musicians adding a whole new dimension to the experience of professionals and students alike. Below are some of the high points in 2019: • American Record Guide review of C.B. Fisk Op. 148: “New Fisk Italian Organ at Christ Church Cathedral Cincinnati” by Catherine Moore, January-February 2019. • Giornale di Brescia (Brescia Italy newspaper): article on C.B. Fisk Op. 148, “A Cincinnati per suonare un organo in stile Antegnati” and how it has inspired the restoration of the Antegnati (1536) - Serassi (1826) organ in the Duomo Vecchio in Brescia. February 23, 2019, page 48. [https://www.mascioni-organs.com/en/duomo-vecchio/]. • Giulio Francesco Togni: Recital in Centennial Chapel, C.B. Fisk Op. 148 March 1, 2019. • Balint Karosi: Fisk Op. 148 Demonstration, YouTube 3,085 views, published April 2, 2019. [https://youtu.be/eYaYep6GvMo].
43 • Naomi Gregory article in Choir & Organ, May/June 2019 Issue: “Bel canto: A violinist playing a 1653 Amati, and a tour of historical Italian instruments, proved decisive in shaping the tonal concept of a new C.B. Fisk organ for a cathedral in Ohio.” • Kimberly Marshall: Recital, November 17, 2019. • University of Michigan organ students of Kola Owolabi: Recital, November 22, 2019. Cathedral Choir The cathedral choir consists of 34 choristers: 12 professionals, two high school choral scholars, and 20 volunteers. During 2019 the choir sang for more than 80 liturgies and concerts, including: • The Annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival • An Epiphany Procession • A “Shrove Sunday” Jazz Mass • Services of Choral Evensong • Ash Wednesday • Holy Week liturgies • Cincinnati May Festival “Sounds of the City” Concert at Music Hall • Ascension Day Eucharist with the Parish Choir of St. Thomas (Terrace Park) • Ordination of Deacons • Ordination of Priests • Indigenous Peoples’ Celebration • All Souls’ Requiem • An Advent Procession with Lessons and Carols (at the Cathedral) • An Advent Procession with Lessons and Carols (at Church of Our Saviour, Mt. Auburn) • Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols • A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols • Christmas Eve and Christmas Day liturgies Solo cantors and small vocal ensembles have provided music for liturgies such as: • The Epiphany • All Saints’ Day • Thanksgiving Day • Blue Christmas Christ Church Singers The Christ Church Singers is an all-volunteer ensemble designed for those who love to sing but are not able to commit to the cathedral choir’s rehearsal and performance schedule. The singers met to rehearse and sing for Sunday morning Eucharist four times during 2019. Cathedral Choir of Children and Youth The Cathedral Choir of Children and Youth (CCCY) closed out the 2018-2019 season, completing a year of collaboration with St. Thomas (Terrace Park) and the Church of the Redeemer (Hyde Park) in a Festival of Three Choirs. The collaboration continues, and we are happy to have established a relationship with these local parishes. The 2019-2020 season, which began in September, has begun quite strongly. We have welcomed three new singers, and the choir is singing beautifully. Our most significant accomplishment was the recording of a video of an anthem that the choir sang in worship on October 19.
44 The piece titled “Christ Has No Body Now but Yours” by David Ogden, is a setting of a prayer attributed to St. Theresa of Avila. The text is also a thematic prayer for the cathedral’s latest Annual Appeal Campaign, “No Hands but Yours.” CCCY filmed the video in Centennial Chapel accompanied by Stephan Casurella on the chapel organ. Footage of CCCY appears at the beginning of the latest campaign video. Summer Choir Camp The 2019 Summer Choir Camp was a great success. We welcomed a diverse group of campers and offered a scholarship to three children sponsored by a parishioner at the Church of Our Savior/La Iglesia de Nuestro Salvador. We sang, learned to play ukulele, made use of the Orff instrumentarium, enjoyed arts and crafts, and played games in the gym. We took a mid-week trip to the Newport Aquarium where campers enjoyed an afternoon of fun. The choral repertoire was ambitious, but the campers rose to the challenge. A closing concert featured music the campers had learned throughout the week. Sunday Noon Service Music The cathedral’s Sunday noon service celebrated its two-year anniversary in December. Under the leadership of musician Kim Taylor, the noon service incorporates hymn singing, Taizé chants, paperless singing, and original melodies written to foster community participation. Singing is sometimes unaccompanied but also features various instruments such as guitar, Shruti box, or violin. The cathedral’s noon service worship team also hosted several indie pop music events in Centennial Chapel, including a record release concert for Kim Taylor, an intimate evening with songwriter/guitarist/producer Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, REM, Big Star), and a spring 2020 concert with the rich soundscapes of The Turtledoves. The team also presented a second annual Lessons and Carols Concert featuring readings and original interpretations of beloved Christmas carols by local indie musicians and songwriters. Attendance at each of these events was made up of mostly young people or cathedral newcomers. Concerts In addition to concerts mentioned above, the cathedral presented special performances that included: • The Bells: Music for Voice and Piano (Collegium Cincinnati) • J.S. Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor (Collegium Cincinnati) • Lost and Found, music of Telemann and Bach (Catacoustic Consort) • SummerSing 2019: Gloria by Antonio Vivaldi, Requiem by John Rutter (Collegium Cincinnati) • Jiao Sun in recital, works for piano by Beethoven, Brahms and Carl Vine • An Intimate Concert with Ken Stringfellow • Slavic Voices: From Folk Song to Art Song • Variant 6 in Recital, six-voice ensemble presenting Baroque music for voices, violins and continuo • CCO+VAE: Vaughan Williams, Fauré, and Vivaldi performed by two of Cincinnati’s finest professional ensembles • The sacred drama Ordo Virtutum by Hildegard von Bingen (Collegium Cincinnati) • Handel’s Messiah (Collegium Cincinnati) • Fa’s and La’s holiday program by the Young Professionals Choral Collective These concerts continue to be an effective way of bringing people into the cathedral. The renovated Centennial Chapel is particularly sought after by both performers and audiences. Collegium Cincinnati, our ensemble-in-residence, continues to enjoy the use of our facilities while we benefit from the ensemble’s energy, vision, and ability to bring audience members into the cathedral.
45 Music Live Thirty-six Music Live at Lunch programs ranged from New Orleans jazz and bluegrass to classical chamber music. Thanks to our volunteer cooks, concert-goers enjoyed a superb home-cooked lunch each week! Organ Scholar The position of organ scholar has a long history, particularly in England, where many prominent church musicians, conductors, and professors served as organ scholars early in their careers. It has been an important way to foster and nurture talented students who will serve in sacred music. We are pleased to have Stella O’Neill serving in this capacity for the 2019-2020 academic year at Christ Church Cathedral. Stella is pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, rounding out her varied studies in organ, piano and harpsichord. Her previous studies led to degrees from the University of Minnesota and the University of Florida. As Organ Scholar, Stella is gaining experience in performing, conducting, and accompanying, as well as assisting with music-related administrative tasks. Friends of Music We give special thanks to the generous Friends of Music donors who make possible special concerts, commissioned works, and other music projects not supported by the cathedral’s music operating budget. In 2019, the Friends of Music provided funding for concerts by Collegium Cincinnati, Slavic Voices, and Variant 6. Thanks The Music Committee thanks all those supporting music events at the cathedral, including the donors, cooks, ushers, greeters, publicists, sextons, receptionists, administrative assistants, librarians, and musicians! We thank our dean, Gail Greenwell, for her support. Above all, the Music Committee is grateful for the superb music staff: Stephan Casurella, Shiloh Roby, Christopher Wheeler, Kim Taylor, Doug Bruestle, and Stella O’Neill. Through their artistry, dedication and hard work, the music ministry at Christ Church Cathedral continues to thrive. Cathedral Music Staff Stephan Casurella, Canon Precentor and Director of Music Shiloh Roby, Associate Director of Music Christopher Wheeler, Associate Musician for Children and Youth Kim Taylor, Noon Service Musician Doug Bruestle, Music Administrator Stella O’Neill, Organ Scholar Music Committee Members Harold Byers, chair Drew Abbott Cecile Allyn Merrilee Atkins Robert Beiring Dawn Bruestle Janet Hauck Isaiah Hyman, Jr. Dan Lakamp, Vestry liasion Michael Unger ***
46 NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRY COUNCIL John Grate, Chair The Native American Ministry Council provides hands-on outreach by witnessing and building awareness of the contemporary needs, values and traditions of Native American cultures. It contributes to education and theological development of leadership within Native American communities and supports initiatives to empower Native American societies and ministries related to needs, cultural sustainability and spiritual growth.
Council Activities in 2018: The council continues its partnership with the Episcopal Church in Navajoland through contributions, scholarships and grants to support Navajos pursuing seminary and undergraduate degrees that will provide leadership in the church’s ministries on the reservation. The 2019 Navajoland mission trips included an adult group to Good Shepherd and St. Marks’ VBS and a youth mission group to St. Christopher’s in Bluff, Utah. John Grate was elected President of the Board of Trustees of the Economic Development Corporation of the Episcopal Church in Navajoland and David Thomson serves on the Advisory Council for the Friends of Navajoland that helps underwrite initiatives to promote self-sufficiency of the Navajoland Area Mission. Fundraising at the cathedral, utilizing “Shima Products of the Earth” produced by Navajo parishioners, contributed $1,200 to the local efforts at economic development. The council continues to work with the Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition by underwriting the trip of two women to the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAC) in Washington, DC and the expenses of a speaker from NMAI to a teacher’s conference in Cincinnati.
During the Native American Weekend, October 12 and 13, we celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day with a Saturday workshop, Sunday service and forum. The workshop theme was “Care of Creation: Native Americans and the Environment”
• Presenters included Forrest S. Cuch (Ute), He currently works with organizations calling attention to climate change and harm to Mother Earth; Guy Jones (Hunkpapa Lakota) President of The Miami Valley Council for Native Americans in Dayton, Ohio. He is a spokesperson for issues of spirituality, sacred lands and burial sites, repatriation of American Indian remains and social justice; and Rev. Leon Sampson (Navajo), Priest at the Good Shepherd Mission of The Episcopal Church in Navajoland. Stewardship and preservation are among his many passions along agriculture, youth enrichment and community development. • The Sunday service included a sermon by Rev. Leon Sampson. The service also featured: Guy Jones and Sonny Hensley, Mark Banks, Drum Keeper with the Southern Singers Drum Group, Janice Trytten, Flutist and the Christ Church Cathedral Choir. • The Sunday Forum focused on the work of the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and its’ partners. Christine Diindiisi McCleave, (Turtle Mountain Ojibwe), Executive Officer of NABS shared the ongoing work to document the policies and disastrous practices of our government and Christian churches that led to the historical trauma that effects thousands of children, families, and survivors of Boarding Schools. The Council has entered into a partnership with NABS to help further their goals.
47 Hands-on Outreach Expenditures • Episcopal Church in Navajoland - $11,000 • Mission Trips to Navajoland - $8,456 • Native American Weekend Celebration - $6,274 • Support for Delegate Trips - $7,799
Education and Leadership Development Expenditures • Theological Development and Seminary work - $14,141 • Native American Scholarships - $12,111 • St Mark’s Navajoland Vacation Bible School Support - $4,000 • Native American Youth Event - $5,000
Native American Empowerment Expenditures
• Support Lillie Ann Begay’s aid to the poor and elderly in Navajoland - $2,130 • Economic Development Corporation of Navajoland - $11,369 • Shima soaps for fundraising - $997 • National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition - $5,000 • Greater Cincinnati Native American Coalition - $4,946 • Native Americans in Philanthropy - $1,000 Council Volunteers: Amy Brubaker, Tom Bensman, Martha Camele, Chris Carey, Dan Carlson, John and Toni Grate, Guy Jones, Jack Jose, Laura Kennedy, Lisa and Steve Lemen, Kathy Mank, Danyale Marshall, Frank and Janna McWilliams, Ro Morsby, Jheri Neri, Ethan Nichols, Bob Shawver, Kim Taylor, David Thomson, Charleston Wang, and Marshall Wiseman. *** OUTREACH Olden Warren, Chair The Outreach Committee continued to live out its mission of “Claiming God’s mission as our own, we seek and raise awareness of the issues affecting the poor and underserved in our community. We provide the advocacy and resources of the cathedral to make significant impact and meaningful change in the areas in which we focus.” The committee oversees the following longstanding ministries: • Plumb Line • 5000 Club • Volunteer Friend/Outreach Assistance program • Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) • Community Issues Forum • Grants Highlights from each of these ministries are included as separate entries in this report.
The Gun Violence Task Force continued its work to build a coalition of key stakeholders (local program coordinators, law enforcement, government, victims, perpetrators, experts) to develop and implement solutions. Utilizing the Community Engagement/Public Health Model, it has led or been
48 part of dozens of meetings that led to establishing ongoing relations with multiple groups in Cincinnati involved in reducing gun violence. With the input of community activists and Cincinnati Police, it focused on Price Hill because of its intersection of a high violent crime rate and active functioning community groups. Led by Judith Robinson in active partnership with Jack Jose and Ethan Nichols, the task force has been officially designated as an ongoing ministry by the Outreach Committee beginning in 2020. On August 1, the Debt Forgiveness pilot project was established with $30,000 from the Coombe Fund. The purpose of the pilot was to carry out the Biblical vision of Jubilee as a periodic equitable reset of the economy. In the Bible, land is returned to original owners, debts are forgiven and slaves are freed. The cathedral used its resources to remove debt barriers that are holding back low-income families, giving them a fresh start. The pilot project accepted requests from the four Family Homeless Shelters (Bethany House Services, Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), YWCA, and Salvation Army). A cathedral volunteer accepted the request from a case manager who works with the family and verifies it meets the project’s goal of removing debt that is an immediate barrier to stabilizing the family’s life and moving toward self-sufficiency. In the first five weeks of operation, the pilot project received 25 requests for a total of $29,506, clearly demonstrating the need for this service. Given the huge success of the pilot, the Outreach Committee established the project as an ongoing ministry beginning in 2020. From an external partnership standpoint, outreach continued the cathedral’s membership in organizations such as the Coalition for the Homeless, Churches Active In Northside (CAIN) and Episcopal Network for Economic Justice (ENEJ) with both financial support and “hands and feet” engagement. Members of the Mission and Outreach Committee in 2019: Olden Warren (Chair), John Gillespie (Vestry Liaison), Pat Coyle, Canon Marshall Wiseman, Canon Karen Montagno, Julieta Simms, Mark Sackett, Mike Bootes, and Janna McWilliams. *** COMMUNITY GRANTS Don Lane, Chair During 2019, the Community Grants Committee of the Christ Church Cathedral was once again pleased to support Cincinnati area non-profits with funding to carry out their missions. Community grants were awarded to the following organizations: a. Chatfield College $10,000.00 b. Madisonville Education Ctr $12,000.00 c. Bethesda Fdn Diabetes Program $5,000.00 d. Kids4Peace $7,000.00 e. Lighthouse $2,200.00 f. Ohio Justice and Policy $15,000.00 g. Education Matters $10,000.00 h. Cincinnati Union Co Op $12,480.00 i. Peaslee Center $15,000.00 j. Greater Cincinnati Center for Economic Education $20,000.00 k. Our Daily Bread $5,000.00 l. Children’s Home $15,000.00 m. Center for Independent Living Options $500.00 n. Intercommunity Justice and Peace $5,000.00 o. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church (cold shelter) $17,000.00
49 p. Deaconess Associations Foundation (mobile health clinic) $19,000.00 q. Tikkun Farm $20,000.00 r. Newformation Inc. $3,500.00 s. Hearing Speech and Deaf Center $9,800.00 t. New Life Furniture, Inc. $19,720.00 u. The Children’s Protective Service of the Humane Society $9,800.00 (Families Forward) v. Angel’s Rest Animal Society $7,000.00 w. Urban Appalachian Coalition $2,000.00 x. Stepping Stones $10,000.00 In addition, the committee also awarded $500 “parishioner grants” to various organizations this year in which members of the cathedral community are involved. In making these grants, the committee has focused on maintaining diversity amongst the organizations and projects that we support. We have had the opportunity to work with small grass roots organizations as well as partner with larger concerns to broadly address various needs in the Cincinnati area. The committee’s work also focuses on addressing “symptoms” of needs in Cincinnati, such as homelessness and hunger, as well as the “root causes” such as education and social justice. The committee looks forward to further work in 2020. ***
OUTREACH ASSISTANCE/VOLUNTEER FRIEND MINISTRY Pat Coyle, Chair Background: The Outreach Assistance/ Volunteer Friend Ministry is a component of “Tuesday Nights at the Cathedral”, a ministry to homeless men and women in Greater Cincinnati. The program represents collaboration between Christ Church Cathedral and the FreeStore FoodBank (FSFB). Its goal is to help homeless and low-income men and women, who we refer to as our “guests”, meet essential needs while increasing the ability of cathedral clergy and volunteers to understand and respond to their needs. This is done with the assistance of a part-time Outreach Associate provided through a contract with FSFB. The program which began providing services in December of 2009 has now completed its tenth year.
Volunteer Friends are cathedral and community volunteers who desire greater involvement in assisting homeless and needy individuals in achieving a more stable living situation. During 2019 six cathedral members and four community volunteers served as Volunteer Friends. They are identified below. 2019 Accomplishments: Before a homeless individual can enroll in an assistance program, apply for government aid or qualify for subsidized housing, he or she must possess and present proper identification. This typically includes a valid driver’s license/state ID and/or birth certificate. Volunteer Friends identify the Tuesday evening guests who need valid IDs and refer them to an Outreach Associate to complete the voucher needed to obtain the appropriate ID. A voucher for a birth certificate costs $22 while a state ID costs $8.50. These costs are underwritten by the cathedral and for 2019 amounted to $16,186. Referrals to the outreach associate are also made to help Tuesday guests seeking food and clothing and assistance in obtaining housing, jobs, mental health counseling, and health needs.
50 Based on data compiled by the outreach associate an estimated 1,270 requests for assistance were made by our Tuesday evening guests (homeless or low-income men and women). Vouchers to obtain birth certificates and state identification represented just over 80% of the requests.After identification materials, referrals for clothing and food were the next most requested items followed by shelter/housing, medical assistance, mental health counseling, substance abuse, and employment. The 5000 Club feeding program continues to provide an effective point of contact for community agencies serving our low income and homeless guests. Patient Navigators associated with the Cancer Justice Network regularly attend our Tuesday evening dinners in order to encourage and support guests with cancer concerns in scheduling consultation with area medical providers such as Crossroads Health Network. While exact figures are not available, observations indicate that Navigators have been successful in increasing screenings for Tuesday evening guests with cancer concerns, Volunteer participation Serving as Volunteer Friends in 2019 were: Kathy Kremer-Blair, Morgan Blair, Robert Shanklin, Bill Myers, Mary Jane (MJ) Faller, Kathy Todd, Karen Smith, Todd Cecil, and Sheryl Strunk. *** PLANNED GIVING Matt Dunn, Chair During 2019, members of the Anchor Society were invited to my home to discuss the encouragement of other Christ Church Cathedral members to consider their involvement in the Anchor Society. 14 members participated. Dean Greenwell conducted her “God Forbid” discussion to assist members in the preparation for death. I presented a short discussion about the Anchor Society and twelve attendees requested additional information about planned giving and becoming involved in the Anchor Society. Two members pledged their participation in the Anchor Society in 2019. *** PLUMB LINE MINISTRY Jack M. Jose, Chair In the city of Cincinnati, nearly half of all children under the age of five are living in poverty, and the poverty rate for all children is at its highest in five years. Cincinnati has in place a comprehensive network of agencies that work together through a Central Access Point (CAP) to prevent impoverished people from falling into homelessness, even when a large unexpected expense causes them to miss their rent. Plumb Line at Christ Church Cathedral is an integral part of that safety net. Working with St. Vincent DePaul, Community Action Agency, Our Daily Bread, Tender Mercies, and the Freestore/ Foodbank, Plumb Line prevented 359 families and a total of 757 people from being evicted in 2019. For 30 years the volunteers at Plumb Line have met on Mondays and Thursdays with people facing eviction. We learn their stories, offer support, and – in most cases – help to make a vital final payment to keep them in their home. Keeping families together in their homes is rewarding. The relief we offer from the stress and worry about eviction can be overwhelming. It is not uncommon for a client to cry after learning we will make this crucial last payment, and in response to the compassion of our volunteers.
51 If you are interested in learning more about this important ministry and perhaps joining our volunteers, we encourage you to speak with one of our volunteers. We are deeply grateful for the leadership of Toni Grate, who has stepped down from her co-chair position after many years of service. We are also thankful for the life and leadership of Mark Sackett, who worked with Toni during this period of transition for Plumb Line’s ministry. Our volunteers for this important work are: Judy Beiring, Sammie Bubel, Nancy Christenson, Marjorie Fox, Sally Ghering, Toni Grate, Joanne Handy, Beverly Jones, Janna McWilliams, Nancye Phillips, Holly Pratt, Mark Sackett, Brenda Shawver, and Nancy Woodburn. Please consider adding yourself to this list in 2020. Thank you also to the many parishioners who bring donations of food and personal care items for our small pantry.
Finally, thank you to the staff and clergy of this cathedral, especially Crystal Jones and Judy Hering who coordinate scheduling and process rent payments to landlords, making our work possible. ***
PRAYER GROUP MINISTRY Pat Haug, Chair In 2019, twenty members of the cathedral participated in the Prayer Group Ministry. Periodically an updated list of those who need or have requested prayers is sent to the members. Members incorporate prayer into their lives as best works for them. Currently there are 75 people who are remembered in prayer. Each weekday is also set aside for special intentions such as housing for the homeless, peace in war torn countries and wisdom for world leaders.
*** RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP Kathy Mank, Chair The Resource Stewardship committee functions with two segments: (1) the Mission Based Budget and Finance committee and (2) the Development Committee. Under Development, the four areas in the cycle of giving are: Memorial Giving, Legacy Giving and Annual Appeal as well as Capital Campaigns.
The Mission Based Budget and Finance committee members are: Drew Abbott, Elizabeth Brown, Steve Gerdsen, Joe Dehner, Kathy Mank and Julie Kline as cathedral treasurer. The Annual Appeal Committee was chaired by Patrick Daffin and Drew Abbott, both members of the Noon Service leadership team. As of this writing, the Annual Appeal campaign exceeded its goal of $425,000. Matt Dunn chairs the Anchor Society representing the cathedral’s effort to encourage Legacy Giving. Please refer to the financial reports in the annual report for the 2020 budget, the trustee’s report for the endowment position, detail on the 2020 Annual Appeal campaign results and the treasurer’s presentation for a full financial summary of 2019 for the cathedral. *** 52 TAFT MEMORIAL FUND LECTURE PROGRAMS Dianne Ebbs, Chair The Taft Lecture Committee presented two dynamic speakers in 2019. We partnered with the following agencies in our effort to promote each lecture to the greater Cincinnati community: Xavier University, Community Action Agency, Economics of Compassion Initiative, Center for Closing the Health Gap, Cincinnati Regional Coalition Against Hate and the YWCA.
To increase the exposure to the entire community and providing an opportunity for a more intimate engagement with our speaker, a breakfast which included a panel discussion featuring our speaker and local community leaders, was held the morning following each lecture. These breakfasts were very well attended with over 250 in attendance at both. Our Spring Speaker - Ibram Kendi Ibram X. Kendi, an award-winning historian and New York Times best-selling author, is Professor of History and International Relations and the Founding Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. He is an Ideas Columnist at The Atlantic. His second book, Stamped From The Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, was published by Nation Books and won the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction. At 34 years old, Kendi was the youngest ever winner of the NBA for Nonfiction. He grew up dreaming about playing in the NBA (National Basketball Association), and ironically he ended up joining the other NBA. Kendi has published 14 essays in books and academic journals, including The Journal of African American History, Journal of Social History, Journal of Black Studies, Journal of African American Studies and The Sixties: A Journal of History, Politics and Culture. Ibram Kendi was very well received by the audience, some of whom traveled as far as Pittsburg to hear him speak. He is seen as one of America’s foremost historians and leading anti-racist voices. Our Fall Speaker - Taylor Branch Taylor Branch is an American author and public speaker best known for his landmark narrative history of the civil rights era, America in the King Years. The trilogy’s first book, Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63, won the Pulitzer Prize and numerous other awards in 1989. Two successive volumes also gained critical and popular success: Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-65, and At Canaan’s Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968. Decades later, all three books remain in demand. Some reviewers have compared the King-era trilogy, which required more than twenty-four years of intensive research, with epic histories such as Shelby Foote’s The Civil War and Robert Caro’s multi-volume biography of Lyndon Johnson. Taylor Branch’s lecture was well received by the community many of whom had studied his writings in college and were thrilled to talk with him in a personal, intimate setting.
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USHERS – 10 AM SERVICES AND SPECIAL SERVICES Paula Rose, Coordinator The Ministry Scheduling Pro (MSP) continues to be a valuable time saver and organized method for the scheduling of ushers in addition to all ministries at the cathedral. Stephan Casurella, the administrator of MSP, on top of his many other duties as director of music and liturgy, does a fantastic job in ensuring each service is planned with finesse. We continue to learn and experience ways to enhance the experience of each member, and guest as they enter the cathedral for each service. The Welcome Table is a great addition and has certainly enhanced the truly genuine expression that we welcome all with open arms.
53 Recruiting and scheduling of ushers continues to be a priority to increase those that serve as more and more special services are added to the calendar. The highlights of the Special Services held during 2019 include: Ash Wednesday, Holy Week and Easter services, Thanksgiving Day, Advent Lessons and Carols, Blue Christmas, Ceremony of Carols, Nine Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. George Marshall continues as head usher at the 10:00 a.m. Sunday Eucharist and the vestry handles first Sundays. We coordinate all through Liturgical Scheduling, including Evensongs. The 8:00 a.m. and the recently added 12:00 Noon service, Eucharist and Boar’s Head have their own usher teams. Ushers are called upon to assist at the beautiful weddings and as needed funerals where we send our farewells to cherished members. Concerts and other “outside” musical events ushering, such as Music Live, is being coordinated by Merrilee, supported by Matt Shad and Eric Sunderland. This will be included in the Music Committee Annual report. As happens every year, we joyfully welcome new ministers to the usher ranks and say good-bye to those who have moved, transferred or are taking a break. We have a new addition to our team, Tucker Stone. For those who have left and those who are no longer listed below, their service will be missed. Thank you. Those that follow have served in some capacity in 2019, and will continue to serve in 2020: Olden Warren, Jon Berger, Lexie Bopp, Jim Borgo, Emily Boswell, Elizabeth Brown, Ed Burdell, Tom Cecil, Chris and Nancy Christensen, Matt Dunn, Chuck Ellman, John Gillespie, Jim Greenwell, Mary Grover, Phil and Mary Hagner, Clark Handy, Denis Murphy, Sigrun Haude, Walter Langsam, George Marshall, Mike and Sandy Porada, Paula Rose, Julieta Simms, Ron Slone, Tucker Stone, Karen Taylor, Olden Warren, Roger Pomplas, and Tonya Warren. The ushers’ main responsibilities are to ensure attendees have a service leaflet/program at the nave door and get them seated promptly and with courtesy. Ushers also collect and present the offering or monitor plates in the aisle, as appropriate. Ushers welcome attendees, answer questions (away from the nave doors) before and after the service. Ushers are also responsible for ensuring the pews are cleared of any disposed of leaflets. Ushers handle crowds from overflowing out the doors of the cathedral to a handful of people in the chapel. This ministry is a terrific way to meet other members of the congregation and to learn others’ names through the service leaflets. Now serving are 30 ushers on a regular basis. As we close out another year, we look forward to serving in the new year 2020. *** YOUTH PROGRAM Dan Carlson, Chair The Youth Program at Christ Church Cathedral focused on the following areas in 2019: Formation Our program continues to be focused primarily on formation of our youth as the center of our program. Our weekly Youth Liturgy was renamed the ‘Youth Forum’ with the start of the 2019 academic year. We now meet on Sundays parallel to both Adult Forum and the children’s ‘Telling God’s Stories’ formation programs. The vision is to have all ages engaged in formation during this important period between the 10:00 a.m. and noon services.
54 Big Questions has continued as our twice-monthly focused formation program. Meeting on weekday evenings, this program has allowed students to explore the Bible, philosophy, prayer, and social issues in an extended, conversation-driven format. This time is also a pivotal part of community-building for our youth, with gatherings also including a shared meal and a short time for games. Our annual Spring retreat is a two-day time of connecting with one another, nature, and the Bible. We gather at a cabin in Red River Gorge for a period of focused reflection and dialogue that connects themes we’ve explored throughout the year at Big Questions. In 2019, we focused particularly on the nature of the church—what it is, and why it matters. Service Much of our 2019 service focused on our relationship with St Christopher’s Mission in Navajoland. In July we sent a team for the third year in a row to provide a summer arts camp for Navajo youth. This year’s team consisted of four teens, four young adults, and two adult leaders. In addition to games, songwriting, drawing, and craft projects, this year’s program also included video game design. In the space of our weeklong camp, Navajo youth were able to construct a simple action game of their own design (and then share it via the internet). Our youth also planned and held a fundraiser dance at the cathedral for St Christopher’s Mission this year, allowing us to present the rector of St Christopher’s with a check during our summer visit to cover needed costs for garbage pickup in their remote location. Two of our youth program grads served as summer staff for Procter Camp this summer. This is part of the ongoing diocesan effort to build stronger relationships between cathedral youth and other youth and young adults within the Diocese of Southern Ohio (DSO). Community Five of our youth connected with other diocesan youth in 2019 for a Spring Retreat at Procter Center. This is a first step in rebuilding connections between youth throughout the diocese. This retreat was held on the evening before our Diocesan ‘Beloved Community’ convocation, where our youth also helped man a youth-focused tent as part of the event. We began a series of combined adult-and-youth forums on Sundays this year, under the theme “Sunday Comics”. By using popular super-hero franchises as windows for exploring theological ideas, these forums host a conversation that is accessible to wide variety of ages. The goal is to get a generationally-diverse community engaging in formation and conversation together, strengthening the cathedral community as a whole. The youth program has been also working this year to expand the role of young adult volunteers with the youth program. This is part of a broader effort to provide our youth with meaningful connections within the cathedral community that extend beyond their teenage peers. ***
55 O JESUS CHRIST, MAY GRATEFUL HYMNS BE RISING
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