2019 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church

No. 197 THE SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH UNITED STATES AND CANADA INCORPORATED 1861

THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ANNUAL SESSION “ROOTED IN SPIRIT EARTH IS SPEAKING TO US” JUNE 29 - JULY 3, 2019

VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY, VALPARAISO, IN

ANNUAL THEME THE YEAR OF THE LORD JULY 1, 2019-JUNE 30, 2020

RECORDING SECRETARY

KAREN CONGER 314 APOLLO CIRCLE BISHOP, CA 93514-7051 P: (760) 872-3392 E: [email protected]

CENTRAL OFFICE

SAMANTHA JOHANSON, OPERATIONS AND WEB MANAGER 50 QUINCY STREET CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138-3013 P: (617) 969-4240 F: (833) 843-3611 E: [email protected] W: www.swedenborg.org 1

T F A O C The Swedenborgian Church believes that a new epoch is opening in the spiritual life of mankind. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, as he promised to do, has come again, not indeed in a physical reappearance, but in spirit and truth; not in a single event only, but in a progressive manifestation of his presence among people. Our Church regards as tokens of his coming the burst of scientifi c development, the rise of the spirit of inquiry, the progress toward political and intellectual free- doms, and the deepening sense of a national and international responsibility which have characterized the last few centuries. These are more remote signs, however, of epochal religious change. More directly denoting a movement of the spirit of God on the human spirit are the stirrings in world faiths, the revisions of thought and outlook in them, the searching after standards and spiritual power adequate to the needs and problems of the times, and this notably in the Christian faith. The Lord is everywhere at work, moving to the reestablishment of his kingdom, and specifi cally to the renewing of Christianity with the power and understanding to serve and speed his kingdom. In any coming of the Lord, he brings about many things which people are slow to see. Our unseen, spiritual environment is made over as well as our visible world. A greater awareness of the good that there has been, a fuller justice and truer peace off er themselves for us to realize. Today, in a world that has contracted into a neighborhood, the responsibility to the neighbor makes its demands on all people of good will. Evils that have been long established begin to look as though they could be conquered. We believe that the Lord in his second coming has “reordered the heavens and subjugated the hells” as he did at his fi rst coming. This coming of the Son of man, “as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west,” making the salvation of all people possible, is the direct and sole work of the Lord—a redemption of the world by the Redeemer of persons. Our Church is also convinced that the Lord has given his followers word of all this, and done so by means of a servant from among them. We 2

believe that Emanuel Swedenborg thus served the Lord. A person’s destiny beyond the earthly life needed to be placed in fuller light; the Scriptures needed to be reestablished as the Word of God; and the Christian message was in need of renewed and contemporary expression. To supply these needs Swedenborg devoted half a lifetime, and an insight born of a regenerating experience. He was enabled “by the Lord’s mercy” to inform the Christian hope of immortality with knowledge of the world of the spirit; in Old and New Testament he set forth a meaning which speaks timelessly of the spiritual life and can nourish it now; and he freed Christian teaching from many crippling errors and formulated it anew from the Word of God. In the theological works of Swedenborg the message of Christian- ity is restated to inspire the spiritual life of all anew. Its truths present themselves as truths of life here and hereafter. They invite inquiry and ask understanding. They open the door to spiritual renewal and urge upon everyone the personal responsibility to participate in this renewal. The Lord has taken initiative in his coming. We have our response to make. In that response three essentials are urged: that we acknowledge God in the Lord, and that he alone can bring about our redemption and regeneration; that we acknowledge the holiness of the Word and the inspiration which the Word gives us to seek and promote his kingdom; and that we live the life of charity, the exercising in all our relationships, large and small, the neighborliness enjoined by his commandments. The Swedenborgian Church believes, then, that under Providence the world has received, through the instrumentality of a man, a revelation which confronts it with the universally valid truth of the spiritual life of all human beings. It believes that the Lord Jesus Christ, availing himself of human agency to give us this explicit guidance, has done a sweeping if hidden work of redemption, and created a new heaven and a new earth about us. He is ushering in the epoch, if we will, which he foresaw and which he promised at his fi rst coming. In John’s vision on Patmos, the Ris- en Christ once more promised the dawn of this epoch in the descent of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, to earth. To signalize our conviction that the Lord is fulfi lling his promise, we originally organized under the name the Church of the New Jerusalem. The spirit and the humanity which longs to be united to the Lord alike cry, “Come.” We lift our voice and pray, “Come. Even so, come Lord Jesus.” Offi cers, Standing Committees, Representatives & Committees 3

T O T S C Rev. Jane Siebert, President Cell: (620) 727-2371 E-mail: [email protected]

Tom Neuenfeldt, Vice-President Phone: (989) 285-2903 E-mail: [email protected]

Karen Conger, Recording Secretary Phone: (760) 872-3392 E-mail: [email protected]

Jennifer Lindsay, Treasurer Phone: (415) 706-6155 E-mail: [email protected]

G C The General Council consists of the Oﬃ cers of the Swedenborgian Church and the elected members listed below. (Constitution, Article II, Section 2.) The chair of the Council of Ministers has tradition- ally been invited to participate in General Council meetings.

Numbers in parentheses are the terms currently being served for the positions so indicated, persons are limited to two consecutive three-year terms. Those fulﬁ lling unexpired terms are indicated by (*).

Term Expires 2020 Term Expires 2021 Term Expires 2022 Lon Elmer (2) Rev. Jenny Caughman (1) Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man (2) (206) 903-8043 (865) 482-9319 (937) 631-0899 [email protected] [email protected] bcoﬀ [email protected]

Barbara Halle (1) Stan Conger (2) Carl Helm (2) (219) 363-0528 (760) 872-3392 (620) 792-4295 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Rev. Thom Muller (*) Beki Greenwood (*) Susan Hulcher (1) (267) 351-0122 (413) 563-0091 (403) 585-4333 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

4 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

S C (Constitution, Article II, Section 4 and Bylaws, Article X.) The President of the Swedenborgian Church serves ex-Oﬃ cio without vote on all Standing Committees.

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION: Chair: Val Brugler 2021 (2) Rev. Kevin Baxter 2020 (2)

THE MESSENGER: Editor: Herb Ziegler

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION AND RESOURCES FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY: Chair: Rev. Dr. James Lawrence, Representative of Center for Swedenborgian Studies, appointed by the CSS Board of Trustees Paul Deming 2020 (2) Rev. Julie Conaron 2021 (1) Rev. Robert McCluskey 2021 (1)

Ex-Oﬃ cio (without vote): Kurt Fekete, Youth Director, Swedenborgian Church

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY: Chair: Treasurer, Swedenborgian Church Carl Helm 2020 (1) Marjory Leas 2020 (2) Rev. Sage Cole 2021 (1) Rev. Lisa Solwold 2021 (1) Bill Coff man 2022 (2) Stan Conger 2022 (2) Ex-Offi cio (without vote): Rev. Jane Siebert, President, Swedenborgian Church Offi cers, Standing Committees, Representatives & Committees 5

SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH YOUTH LEAGUE (SCYL): Youth Director: Kurt Fekete President: Lauren Doppke East Coast and Service Offi cer: Jack Cadden Midwest and Public Relations Offi cer: Josh Moore West Coast and Activities Offi cer: Nathan Hamilton Canada and Fundraising Offi cer: Gillian Harnadek Communications Offi cer/CBS Editor: Liv Hackett League Chaplain: Rev. Renee Machiniak B C

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR NOMINATIONS: Convention Bylaws, Article X. Sec. 4. “...There shall be a Standing Committee for Nominations of fi ve members to serve for fi ve years each; one member to be elected each year, but not from any Association from which his or her predecessor or any other member of the Committee is a member. The unexpired term of any member may be fi lled from the same Association. A member moving to another Association shall continue to serve and shall be regarded as coming from his or her former Association; but no retiring member shall be eligible for immediate reelection. Whenever possible, the Standing Committee for Nominations shall propose slates representative of the Swedenborgian Church’s overall constituency.

It shall be the duty of this Standing Committee to present, at each session of the Swedenborgian Church, nominees for the Swedenborgian Church oﬃ cers (where applicable), vacancies in the elective members of the General Council and all other Boards and Committees, unless otherwise appointed. Each year the member whose term is next to expire shall act as Chair of the Committee.

Chair: Rev. Dr. David Fekete WCC 2020 Linda Kraus KS 2021 Bill Coﬀ man OH 2022 Dr. Rebecca Esterson PCA 2023 BJ Neuenfeldt MI 2024 6 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY AND DOCUMENTS: “Resolved, That a Committee of three on Library and Documents, one of which shall be the Presi- dent of the Theological School, shall be appointed by the President of the Convention to see to the collecting, depositing and cataloging of books, manuscripts and other documents which may have been donated to or otherwise procured by the Convention; the Chairman of this Committee shall report to the Convention annually.” (1911 Journal, Minute 90)

The archives of the Swedenborgian Church are held in two places: histories of societies and committees at the Central Offi ce, and sermons/personal papers and CSS-related documents at the library of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies (CSS) at the Graduate Theological Union. Chair: Nancy Little Polly Baxter Ex-Offi cio: Rev. Dr. James Lawrence, Dean, CSS Ex-Offi cio: Samantha Johanson, Operations & Web Manager, Central Offi ce

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY: The General Council, at the request of the Council of Ministers, voted to form the Committee of Inquiry at its June 26, 1996 meeting. It was voted “that the Committee of Inquiry be under the aus- pices of General Council and that the committee consist of ﬁ ve (5) members to be appointed by the President of Convention in consultation with the Chair of the Council of Ministers of the Swedenbor- gian Church.”

Chair: Deane Currie Stan Conger Barbara Cullen Rev. Richard L. Tafel Rev. Dr. Wilma Wake Ex-Oﬃ cio: Chair, Council of Ministers Oﬃ cers, Standing Committees, Representatives & Committees 7

BOARD OF MEDIATION: Consists of fi ve members. “Two such members shall be lay persons appointed by the President, and two shall be ministers appointed by the Chair of the Council of Ministers, and their terms of offi ce shall be the same as that of the President of the Swedenborgian Church. The fi fth member shall be the Vice President of Convention who shall serve as chair” (Bylaws, Article XVI).

Chair: Vice President, Swedenborgian Church Kurt Fekete Bet Giddings Rev. Kit Billings Rev. Kathy Speas

SWEDENBORGIAN ONLINE COMMUNITY CENTRAL COMMITTEE: Chair: Elbert Smith (2021) William Rotella (2019) Rev. Thom Muller (2020) Ex-Oﬃ cio Members: Minister, Swedenborgian Online Community (without vote) Vice-President, Swedenborgian Church

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL CHURCH: “The Board of Trustees of the National Church, now holding the title to and having control of the Church property in Washington, D.C., shall continue to consist of fi fteen members who shall be citizens of any part of the United States and of whom a majority shall be chosen from some other place than the city of Washington, DC, and shall not be selected from any one association, and vacancies in their number shall be fi lled by the Board with approval of the President and the Secretaries of the Convention, having in mind the restrictions stated above, and fi ve members shall constitute a quorum” (Bylaws, Article XX).

Chair: Karen Conger PCA Polly Baxter MA Rev. Randall Laakko DE Rev. Jenny Caughman TN Tom Neuenfeldt MI Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man OH Dr. Malcolm Peck VA Stan Conger CA Rev. Ken Turley ME Lori Gayheart IN Susan Wood FL Carl Helm KS Herb Ziegler MA Jeannette Hille MN 8 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WAYFARERS CHAPEL: (In 1983 the General Council set the number of appointed members of the Board at six (6). Three (3) must be from the Paciﬁ c Coast Association [indicated by *].)

Chair: Rev. Jane Siebert 2019 *(1) Secretary: Amy Little 2019 (*) Treasurer: John Booth 2020 *(*) Members: Todd Board 2020 *(1) Robert Carr Peter Gottschalk 2020 *(*) Katharine Green 2021 *(*) Ex-Oﬃ cio Members: President of the PCA President, Swedenborgian Church Director of Administration and Finance (without vote) Director of Ministry (without vote)

STRUCTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE: “Design, adopt and maintain an organizational structure that is directly responsive to Convention’s Purpose and needs, and that includes provisions for its own self-evaluation and growth.” (Standing Resolution 1, Objective 9, July 3, 1986)

Chair: Rev. Lisa Solwold Bill Coﬀ man Rev. Susannah Currie Kurt Fekete Alice Henderson Rev. Rachel Madjerac

COMMITTEE ON AMENDMENTS: Chair: Rev. Dr. George F. Dole Rev. Kevin Baxter Oﬃ cers, Standing Committees, Representatives & Committees 9

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE: “The General Council, at its ﬁ rst meeting following each annual session of the Swedenborgian Church, shall appoint an Investment Committee of not less than three members, one of whom may be the Treasurer of the Convention, which shall be charged with the general oversight and care of the investments and securities of the Swedenborgian Church Common Fund, with full power to purchase and sell and to invest and reinvest as in their judgment and discretion may seem advisable.” (By- laws, Article XVIII)

Chair: Jennifer Lindsay, Treasurer Dan Dyer 2020 Pete Toot 2021 Bob Perry 2022 Herb Ziegler* 2023 Holly Gottschalk 2024 Ex-Oﬃ cio (without vote): Rev. Jane Siebert, President, Swedenborgian Church

RETIREMENT COMMITTEE: Its duties are to administer the proceeds of Convention’s Permanent Pension Fund (1975 Journal, Fund 37) in accordance with the stated purpose of the Fund.

Chair: Rev. Richard L. Tafel 2021 Meredith Conant Piotti 2020 John McIntosh 2022

CENTRAL OFFICE REVIEW COMMITTEE: Standing Resolution 11, June 29, 1983: “...it is the responsibility of the Vice President, together with a committee he may appoint, to conduct an annual review of the Central Oﬃ ce, covering staﬀ , employees, organization, etc.”

Chair: Vice President, Swedenborgian Church Carl Helm 10 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES: The President of the Swedenborgian Church, with the counsel and advice of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers, shall make the various appointments of the delegation to the National Council of Churches, and then they shall be conﬁ rmed by the General Council.

Head of Communion: President, Swedenborgian Church Delegates: Rev. Dr. David Fekete Rev. Richard L. Tafel

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE: The Social Justice Committee is an ad hoc committee created by General Council as a forum to address social concerns for the purpose of bringing information to the body of Convention through the Messenger and other vehicles, and to oﬀ er resources for ways to be involved.

Chair: Rev. Robert McCluskey Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts Lori Gayheart Beki Greenwood Dr. Page Morahan Rev. Dr. Wilma Wake Consultants: Barb Boxwell Scout Steinhiser Dr. Devin Zuber Oﬃ cers, Standing Committees, Representatives & Committees 11

TRUSTEES OF THE BUILDING FUND: The Board of Trustees of the Building Fund shall consist of three trustees who shall be appointed by the General Council...to serve each for three years. (Bylaws, Article XIX)

The “Trustees of the Building Fund of the New Church of America” were appointed by action of the General Convention in 1875, “for the purpose of aiding societies in erecting New Church places of worship in America; provided the assistance given shall be in the form of loans secured by mortgage on real estate, at such rate of interest and such time and mode of payment as the Trustees may in their discretion from time to time deem best.” (1875 Journal, Minute 107 and 1910 Journal, Minute 55)

The purposes of this Fund were broadened in 1946 “to aid New Church societies in purchasing, remodeling, or erecting places of worship, Sunday School Quarters and Parish Halls in America.” (1946 Journal, Minute 42 and 1947 Journal, Minute 38)

In 2018, the Bylaws were amended (Article X. Sec 1.) to create the Standing Committee for Financial Accountability, which was given authority to administer “all funds.”

Chair: Rev. Paul Martin 2020 Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man 2021 Debbie Dolley 2022 Ex-Oﬃ cio: Treasurer, Swedenborgian Church President, Swedenborgian Church

TRUSTEES OF THE IUNGERICH PUBLICATION FUND: The Fund to be used for supplying gratuitously the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg to the Protestant clergy of the United States and Canada, including theological students and instructors in theology (see Journal 1882, pp. 89-97). The Board of Trustees is appointed by General Council.

In 2018, this fund was transferred to the direct purview of the Standing Commit- tee for Financial Accountability. 12 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

TRUSTEES OF THE TAFEL FUND: The Tafel Fund, established in 2011 to advance the mission and purpose of the Swedenborgian Church, is a permanent fund restricted to the use of income only. It is administered by a Board of Trustees: three appointed by General Council and those who are seated by virtue of having donated a minimum of $25,000. The fund was established to honor the service to the General Convention of past and present Tafel ministers.

Co-Chair: Linda Tafel Co-Chair: Rev. Dick Tafel Rev. Richard L. Tafel (aka Rich Tafel) Karen Conger (Appointed) Lon Elmer (Appointed) Jennifer Lindsay (Appointed) The Ministry 13

C M All ministers of the Swedenborgian Church, twelve constituting a quorum (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article III) Chair: Rev. Susannah Currie 2022 (1) Secretary: Rev. Dagmar Bollinger 2020* (1) Exec. Comm.: The Chair The Secretary Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell 2020 (1) Rev. Shada Sullivan 2021 (1) Rev. Terry Schnarr 2022 (1)

MINISTERIAL PLACEMENT COMMITTEE: This is the sole proper channel of communication for churches or groups seeking to employ a minister, and for ministers seeking employment. Chair: President of the Swedenborgian Church Other Members: Chair of the Council of Ministers Dean of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies

COMMITTEE ON ADMISSION INTO THE MINISTRY: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 7) Chair: Rev. Kit Billings 2021 (2) Other Members: Rev. Kathy Speas 2021 (2) Rev. Sage Cole 2022 *†(*) Dr. Page Morahan 2020 (2) President of the Swedenborgian Church

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 1) Chair: Rev. Wilma Wake 2020 Rev. Robert McCluskey 2021 Rev. Kevin Baxter 2022

* Filling an unexpired term † Elected by Convention 14 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

COMMITTEE ON WORSHIP: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 4) :Chair: Rev. Roslyn Taylor Pastor Paul Deming Rev. Terry Schnarr

ETHICS COMMITTEE: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 6) Chair: Rev. Catherine Lauber Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man Rev. Solomon Young-Min Kim

OUR DAILY BREAD: Managing Editor: Rev. Thom Muller Editor: Rev. Dr. David Fekete

ODB Oversight Committee: Rev. Susannah Currie Rev. Terry Schnarr

MINISTERS’ TRAVEL FUND: Chair: Chair of the Council of Ministers Secretary of the Council of Ministers Operations Manager, Swedenborgian Church

COMMITTEE ON PROGRAM: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 5) : Chair of the Council of Ministers Secretary of the Council of Ministers Dean of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies‡

CHAPLAIN ON YOUTH AND THE MILITARY: Rev. Andy Stinson

ENDORSER OF MILITARY CHAPLAINS: Rev. Jane Siebert

‡ The dba of the Swedenborgian House of Studies changed to Center for Swedenborgian Studies on July 1, 2015. The bylaws of the Council of Ministers were not amended to reﬂ ect this prior to publication. The Ministry 15

COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF THE ROLL: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 8) Secretary of the Swedenborgian Church Secretary of the Council of Ministers Operations Manager, Swedenborgian Church

MISCONDUCT DETERMINATION BOARD: (Bylaws of the Council of Ministers, Article IV, Section 9) Chair: Rev. Susannah Currie Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man Rev. Solomon Young-Min Kim Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell Rev. Shada Sullivan 16 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019 Inducted July 4, 1986 June 25, 1972 H F [email protected]@[email protected] Cell: (734) [email protected] June 29, 2013 Cell: (573) 673-4073 July 3, 2018 Cell: (310) 418-6533 June 30, 2006 June 1964 [email protected]@gmail.com Cell: (508) 857-6244 July 12, 2004 Cell: (219) 380-4682 July 9, 1995 R M

Oncology Chaplain, St. Active (ordained by and serving within the context of the Swedenborgian Church) by and serving within the context of Swedenborgian Active (ordained Joseph Mercy Brighton Cancer Center (Brighton, MI) Christian Church of Freedom (NH) Community Verdes, Chapel (Rancho Palos CA) of the New Jerusalem (Independent), Boston, MA (LaPorte, IN) Bossdorf, Robert E. Pastoral Counselor/First CoryBradford-Watts, Online Swedenborgian Brown, David Wayfarers Director of Ministry, NameAllison, Eric J. N. Kevin K.Baxter, Retired Serving Presently Billings, John K. Boston Society Asst. Pastor, Billings, Kit B.W. Dagmar Bollinger, Address Mailing/Email Staff New Church Minister, Telephone [email protected] Ordination Cell: (513) 379-9771 Cell: (425) 830-5616 July 3, 1977 Roll of Ministers 17 Cell: (678) 836-5829 July 1, 2011 [email protected] Cell: (937) 631-0899 June 29, 2013 [email protected]@msn.com gabriellacahaley.net W: circlecommunity.net W: June 29, 2001 [email protected]ff [email protected] Cell: (865) 256-1026 July 7, 2012 [email protected] Cell: (617) 435-5262 2005 July 11, Cell: (215) 947-8917 June 29, 2015 ciant, Spiritual Director: circlecommumity.net Director: circlecommumity.net Chaplain, Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care (GA) (Northampton, MA) Minister of Christian Education and Outreach Founding Pastor of Common Ground United Methodist Church (Oak TN) Ridge, Urbana New Church Minister, Society (Urbana, OH) (Cambridge, MA) (King of Prussia, PA)/Pastoral Creekside Independent Team, New Church TransitionsSpirit in [email protected] June 26, 2010 man, Elizabeth V. V. man, Elizabeth Name Ronald PaulBrugler, Buteux, Sarah Lynn Retired First Churches Co-Pastor, Serving Presently GabriellaCahaley, offi Wedding Address Mailing/Email Telephone Ordination Cell: (216) 401-0571 July 2, 1978 Caughman, Jenny Martin Minister of Spiritual Care, First Coff (Betsy) Cole, Sage Serene Chapel Swedenborg Minister, Conaron, Julie Sharon Dr. Connelly, Chaplain, Optum Palliative Care Louise (Sherrie) 18 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019 y 13, 1997 y 4, 2014 July 2, 1989 July 9, 1995 June 27, 1965 Cell: (207) 256-7529 June 26, 1999 [email protected] June 28, 1992 [email protected]@yahoo.com Cell: (781) 799-8097 Cell: (718) 316-8296 July 4, 1986 July 1, 2000 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] June 16, 1960 [email protected]@gmail.com Cell: (480) 707-7893 2005 July 11, June 30, 2006 Our Daily Bread City (Edmonton, AB)/Co- City (Edmonton, Editor, (Elmwood, MA) NY) York, (New Jerusalem Church (Bridgewater, Jerusalem Church (Bridgewater, MA), Chair of COM Studies Swedenborgian Sustainable Earth, Structures, Sustainable Lives/ New Church of the Minister, Southwest Desert (Silver City, NM) man, Eric erichoff Fekete, Dr. DavidFekete, Dr. Church of the Holy Minister, Holland, ElizabethKeane, Donna DeeYoung-MinKim, Solomon Korean New Church Minister, Elmwood New Church Minister, Kuniyeda, Kin’ichiLaakko, Randall Edward Retired Retired [email protected] Cell: (650) 213-2914 Jul Currie, Susannah L. Bridgewater New Minister, Frederick George Dr. Dole, Center for Adjunct Faculty, Kathleen Easton-Gilhooly, NameCotton, Nadine Retired Serving Presently Address Mailing/Email [email protected] Telephone Cell: (440) 954-2742 Jul Ordination Friedrich, Carla of Life/ -Tree HomeTribe Hoff Roll of Ministers 19 July 1, 2000 July 12, 2004 ce: (415) 346-6466 ce: (510) 849-8228 July 1, 1984 Church: (207) 935-3413 Cell: (207) 776-2627 June 26, 2009 Offi [email protected] July 7, 2012 [email protected] Cell: (620) 960-6748 [email protected] www.cameronlinen.com W: [email protected]@[email protected] Cell: (248) 229-5668 July 9, 1995 Cell: [email protected] July 3, 2018 Center: (425) 844-9050 July 2, 1982 July 1, 1984 [email protected]@gmail.com Offi Cell: (415) 533-5714 Holy City (Wilmington, DE) Holy City (Wilmington, (Portland, ME) (Fryeburg, ME) (Fryeburg, City (Royal Oak, MI)/Beaumont Hospice Chaplaincy Verdes, Chapel (Rancho Palos CA) Church of Puget Swedenborgian WA) Sound (Redmond, CA) Verdes, Palos Dean, Center for Swedenborgian Swedenborgian for Center Dean, CA) Studies (Berkeley, Church (San Swedenborgian Francisco, CA) Lemole, Emily Jane A.Lemole, Emily Jane Church of the Adjunct Minister, Linen, Cameron Licensed Pastoral Counselor NameAlisonLane-Olsen, New Church Fryeburg Minister, Serving Presently Address Mailing/Email Telephone Ordination Machiniak, RenéeMadjerac, Rachel Church of the Holy Minister, Maine, John Edward Wayfarers Assistant, Ministerial Martin, Paul Retired RobertMcCluskey, Mosswood Hollow/Minister, Chapel (Rancho Wayfarers [email protected] June 29, 2001 Lauber, CatherineLauber, James Lawrence, Dr. Franklin Lee, Junchol San Francisco Minister, [email protected] July 5, 2008 20 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019 009 , 2007 June 30, 2006 ) ce: (415) 669-9896 July 3, 1983 Please phone during Cell: (302) 229-6901 June 27, 1965 ( morning hours in North American time zones m Cell: (310) 435-4907 July 13, 1997 [email protected]@gmail.com Cell: (402) 405-9425 July 8, 2003 2005 July 11, [email protected] Cell: (267) 351-0172 July 1, 2016 [email protected] Offi [email protected] Cell: +34 665 457 884 Our Daily Bread Plymouth United Church of Verdis Associate, Christ/ Senior Group Sacraments, Society of the New Jerusalem (San Francisco, CA) Church (El Cerrito, CA)/Co- Editor, Teaching, Rites and Sacraments, Teaching, and Spiritual Direction Transformative Arts Liminal Transformative Without Coaching/Ministry (Budapest, Hungary) Walls Name JonathanMitchell, Dr. AlisonMoore, The Garden Church Kimberly C.Morrow, First Adjunct Minister, Serving Presently [email protected] Moss, DougThom Muller, Address Mailing/Email Minister of Rites and Hillside Community Minister, [email protected] Telephone Cell: (207) 751-8224 Ordination June 26, 2 Paradise, Dr. SkyParadise, Dr. [email protected] Cell: (575) 519-0489 June 29 Perry, Dr. Gard Dr. Perry, Alden Poole, Jerome Pults, Stephen J.Rienstra, David Lee RachelRivers, Dr. Deceased Ministry of Pastoral Counseling, [email protected] [email protected] July 1, 1979 July 5, 1987 Roberts, Rev. Dr. W. W. Dr. Roberts, Rev. Hunter Roll of Ministers 21 12, 2004 10, 2017 June 25, 1967 6, 1981 Inducted July 1, 2016 Ordained 2000 Inducted July 1, 2006 91-6505 July 1, 2016 4431 [email protected] Cell: (510) 685-0046 July 1, 2011 [email protected] Cell: (617) 921-0201 June 21, 1964 [email protected]@gmail.com Cell: (508) 654-9798 June 26, 1999 Cell: (215) 840-1757 Inducted July [email protected]@aol.com Cell: (415) 516-3587 June 30, 2006 [email protected] Cell: (620) 727-2371 July 12, 2004 Ordained June Word (Newtonville, MA) Word Congregational Church of Fall MA) River Church (Fall River, (Wilmington) Chaplain Church of the Good Shepherd ON) (Kitchener, Church Tafel, F. Robert F. Tafel, Alan Harvey Tafel, Church of the Open Minister, Retired Stinson, Andrew D.Stinson, First Senior Minister, Sullivan, Shada Church of the Holy City Pastor, NameSanchez, StevenSandahl, Lana (Terry)W. Arthur Schnarr, Retired/Associate Minister, Hospital and Palliative Care Serving Presently Schrock, FreemanSiebert, Jane RetiredAddress Mailing/Email Sloan, DonnaSolwold, Lisa J. infl DavidSonmor, President, Swedenborgian Speas, Katherine Retired Hospital Chaplain Telephone Retired [email protected] Ordination [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Cell: (765) 4 Free: (866) 561- Toll Cell: (415) 308-9802 July July 5, 1987 July 4, 1986 22 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019 8 018 une 29, 1985 Inducted July 12, 2004 June 29, 1980 44-3324 June 29, 1980 888-5585 July 5, 2008 ) 899-2281 June 29, 2007 [email protected]@holycitydc.org Cell: (239) 560-6785 July 15, 1962 Jan. 22, 1988 Church of Montgomery New (Cincinnati, OH)/Minister, Church of Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers, FL) D.C.) (Washington, Word)/ Church of the Open Associate Pastor Emerita (Cambridge Church of the New Jerusalem) Name Jennifer MargaretTafel, Richard Hugo, Jr.Tafel, New Consulting Minister, Serving Presently Richard L.Tafel, H. RoslynTaylor, Church of the Holy City Pastor, Thorhallson, SkuliAddress Mailing/Email Kenneth OwenTurley, [email protected] Susan GwenTurley, Retired M. JudithVandergrift, Wilma Dr. Wake, Retired Cell: (517 Pastoral CareWheaton, Gladys Telephone Retired Pastor Emerita (Newtonville DeborahWinter, [email protected] [email protected] Ordination [email protected] [email protected] Cell: (415) 2 Cell: (603) 986-3609 Cell: 267-679-6596 Cell: (707) J July 3, 2 Cell: (386) 478-9201 [email protected] July 3, 1988 Cell: (207) 329-9730 July 1, 1990 Cell: (440) 241-8476 July 3, 198 Roll of Ministers 23 30, 1996 Aug. 5, 1956 added to Roll June 26, 2001 July 3, 1983 Oct. 25, 1987 June 24, 1951 F F [email protected] Cell: (720) 218-2045 July 4, 2014 [email protected] Oct. 30, 1994 and Spirituality at the First Congregational United Church OH) Vernon, of Christ (Mount Schweiz Verlag Swedenborg NameAnna Woofenden, Pastor of Peace Visiting LeeWoofenden, Serving Presently Foundation The Swedenborg Tomas Aquino, [email protected] PatrickDuvivier, Address Mailing/Email PavelHeger, ThomasNoack, France KeiTorita, Czech Missionary Neue Kirche der deutschen JeanVidil, Telephone Church [email protected] Tokyo [email protected] Lausanne, Switzerland Ordination June 0 July 2, 1982 July 9, 1994 Zacharias, Eric John Retired 28 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

F Y R - L P P

Ad Hoc Committee: Rev. Kit Billings, CAM Chair Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence, CSS Dean Rev. Susannah Currie, COM Chair Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man, General Council Rep Dr. Page Morahan, CAM member Rev. Kathy Speas, CAM member Rev. Sage Cole, CAM member Rev. Jenny Caughman, CSS Chair/GC Rep Licensed Pastor (to be determined)

10/16/2019 Zoom Meeting (Above members, except Susannah, Jenny and Sage) GOAL: Review the original documents (2015) for the licensed program and analyze what has worked and what changes are needed. 1. Future calls: First Friday of each month at 11am Eastern. a. Nov 1, Dec 6 b. WOULD THIS WORK FOR Susannah, Jenny and Sage??? 2. Divide the preparatory work with report for next meeting (Nov 1) a. Jim and Page - Coursework recommendations i. General Requirements for each module ii. Overview with consideration of abilities and needs of each individual iii. 4 Units Module One, 4 Units Module Two, Continuing education objectives iv. Possible route for consecrated LP moving onto ordained clergy b. Kit and Susannah – Council of Ministers interactions i. Issue around attendance at COM meetings, voting, separate meeting ii. Levels of ministers? iii. Financial support for travel and R&B for convention c. Kathy & Betsy – Evaluation of LP program i. Preparation and performance of LP ii. Ministries served iii. Expectations of LP and ministry d. Jane - Change wording in documents as decisions are recommended to have proposal for COM. 3. For everyone’s Information – Current program of LPs Licensed Pastors 29

Name Church Consecrated Helen Barler Swedenborgian Church of Puget Sound, OR 2015

Paul Deming Church of the Open Word, St. Louis, MO 2016

Linda Callander New Church of the Southwest Desert, Silver City, NM 2016

Christine Campbell Temenos Retreat Center, West Chester, PA 2017

Karen Feil Swedenborg Library & Spiritual Growth Center, Chicago 2017

Gordon Meyer Virginia Street Church, St Paul, MN 2018

Lorraine Kardash Portland New Church, Portland, Maine 2019

Tassy Farwell Hillside Community Church, El Cerrito, CA 2019

Kelly Milne New Jerusalem Church, Bridgewater, MA Current

Robbin Ferriman Urbana Society of the New Church, Ohio Current

Carolyn Salyer The Chrysalis Fellowship, DeLand, FL Current

Connie McOsker The Garden Church, San Pedro, CA Current

30 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019 2016 ce: (312) 346-7003 July 9, 2017 H F [email protected]@SwedLib.org Cell: (510) 815-8709 July 1, 2019 Oﬃ [email protected]@[email protected]@icloud.com Cell: 425-399-2404 Cell: 575-639-0994 July 3, 2018 Cell: 484-995-5055 2016 2017 Cell: (314) 803-6519 August 28, [email protected]@bluestratum.com Cell: (207) 650-4391 Cell: (612) 270-9980 July 2, 2019 July 3, 2018 R L P

Jerusalem and the Swedenborg Jerusalem and the Swedenborg Library (Chicago, IL) (El Cerrito, CA) Desert (Silver City, NM Desert (Silver City, PA) Chester, (West (St. Louis, MO) Sound (Redmond, WA) Sound (Redmond, (St. Paul, MN) (Portland, ME) Active (consecrated by and serving within the context of the Swedenborgian Church) Active (consecrated by and serving within the context of Swedenborgian Feil, Karen Chicago Society of the New Farwell, TassyFarwell, Hillside Community Church Callander, LindaCallander, Campbell, Christine New Church of the Southwest Deming, Paul Retreat Center Temenos Word Church of the Open Name HelenBarler, Church of Puget Swedenborgian Serving Presently Address Mailing/Email Telephone Consecration Meyer, GordonMeyer, Street Church Virginia Kardash, Lorraine Portland New Church Auxiliary & Associated Bodies 31

A A B The following organizations are legally independent bodies in which the Swedenborgian Church has an interest.

AMERICAN NEW CHURCH SUNDAY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION D/B/A SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES (SCCM): Chair/President: Rev. Kit Billings Vice-President: Rev. Kevin Baxter Secretary: Rev. Carla Friedrich Treasurer: Deborah Dolley

TRUSTEES OF THE GRAY LEGACY: Wesley N. Gray Fund - Legacy held by three Trustees appointed by the Probate Court of Middlesex County, MA, on joint recommendation of the Massachusetts New Church Union and the General Convention. The Trustees are instructed to expend the net income for “such church and missionary uses, preferably in Massachusetts ﬁ rst, then in the United States of America, and then in the whole world, as shall seem to them most deserving and most useful towards the growth of the New Jerusalem Church;” and to render “a report of said fund and of the proceedings under it...each year to the said General Convention” for printing in its Journal.

Secretary/Treasurer: Rebecca Kline Esterson

Trustee: Nancy Little Herbert Ziegler 32 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

CENTER FOR SWEDENBORGIAN STUDIES (CSS), FORMERLY SWEDENBORGIAN HOUSE OF STUDIES: (Incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on May 17, 1881, as the New Church Theological School)

BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Chair: Rev. Jenny Caughman Vice Chair: Terrie Crenshaw Clerk: rotating Treasurer: Jennifer Lindsay Dean of CSS: Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence Liaison (without vote): President, Graduate Theological Union Executive Committee: The Chair The Vice Chair Clerk Treasurer Ex-oﬃ cio with vote: President, General Convention

ELECTED MEMBERS: Term Expires 2020: Lewis Shaw* (0) John Titus** (0)

Term Expires 2021: Rev. Jenny Caughman** (0) Robert Carr* (0)

Term Expires 2022: Rev. Dr. Gard Perry* (1) Rev. Anna Woofenden** (1)

Term Expires 2023: Terry Crenshaw** (1) Jennifer Lindsey* (1)

*Trustees elected by Representative Class **Trustees elected by At-Large Class Minutes of the 195th Session 33

GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE NEW JERUSALEM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INC.

d/b/a The Swedenborgian Church M F O H N F S

VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY VALPARAISO, INDIANA

Saturday, June 29 to Tuesday, July 2, 2019

1. OPENING: The Rev. Jane Siebert, President of the denomination, opened the Convention on Saturday evening, June 29, with a stirring address highlighting the theme of this convention as one that lifts up our home, the planet earth, as a sacred space that we are entrusted to cherish. This theme was continued with an inspiring presentation by noted eco- theologian Rev. Dr. Matthew Fox in which he outlined the ways in which people of faith can and must step forward and become part of the eﬀ ort to save the planet, and that the twin evils of “denial and despair” must be vanquished.

Sunday, June 30, 2019 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

BUSINESS SESSION I

2. VIDEO presentation “HOME.” During the course of the convention meetings we were treated to short videos on ecological themes, all of them beautifully done, in which each part of nature was given a “voice” and spoke in the ﬁ rst person, asking all of us to be aware and conscientious about our care of the environment.

3. The ﬁ rst business session was brought to order by President Rev. Jane Siebert at 1:35 pm CDT. There was a quorum present, as there was at each of the convention business sessions. Jane cordially welcomed all to the convention meetings and expressed her joy and excitement as convention opens on the spectacular campus of Valparaiso University, 34 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

in Valparaiso, IN. As required by the Bylaws of the Church, Secretary Karen Conger read Article IV., Section 1. of the Constitution and Article II., Section 2. of the Bylaws. Jane introduced the Executive Committee, the General Council and First Timers to convention. In addition, three past presidents were in attendance and were introduced: Chris Laitner, Rev. Dick Tafel and Rev. Randy Laakko.

4. President Jane made the following appointments: The Credentials Committee – BJ Neuenfeldt & Amy Little; Parliamentarian – Stan Conger; and Head Tellers – Rev. Betsy & Bill Coﬀ man.

5. It was Moved, Seconded and Carried (MSC) to accept the delegates from associations/conferences that submitted their numbers late (Bylaws Article VII. Sec. 3).

6. The offi cers presented verbal reports, with President Jane Siebert beginning by thanking the local committee of the Illinois Association for all their hard work, and there was enthusiastic applause. Jane introduced a photo contest in which we were invited to guess the names of several ministers, photos circa 1980’s, with the promise of prizes to follow for the winners! Just for convention a discounted subscription to the Messenger was off ered. Barb Halle was recognized for her research on the most helpful and interesting GREEN info/tips included in the folders. Jane off ered a few words about the new liaison program that members of the General Council have undertaken to fulfi ll, noting that some of the ministries were more easily contacted than others, but that it’s thought to be a good program that will be continued. Jane also reminded us about the reusable insulated cups that were distributed at registration and invited all to use them instead of one-time-use plastic water bottles.

Vice-President Tom Neuenfeldt shared a few words about this past year noting that after convention last year he and his family traveled down to the L.A. area, with Jane in tow, where their granddaughter, Ivy, was baptized into the Christian faith and life at the Wayfarers Chapel, Rev. Jane Siebert oﬃ ciating. They also visited the Garden Church in San Pedro, CA, and are so thankful to have had that opportunity. Minutes of the 195th Session 35

Tom also was able to travel to Deland, FL, to the Chrysalis Fellow- ship, and later in the year participated in the consecration of Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts at the Kitchener, ON, CN, Church. Tom noted that after over 30 years of dedicated service Chris Laitner recently stepped down as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Church, in Washington, D.C., and Tom was appointed to ﬁ nd a replacement for Chris. Karen Conger was subsequently nominated as a trustee, and then elected Chair. Tom also serves on the Swedenborg Online Community Board, which is still transitioning from the leadership of Rev. Dr. Wilma Wake to that of Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts.

Secretary Karen Conger spoke briefl y of her gratitude at having been elected a trustee and then Chair of the National Church’s Board of Trust- ees, especially since she is the third generation in her family to have been a part of the life of the D.C. Church. Karen shared that she had the opportunity to travel to Massachusetts in April to be a part of what has become known as the Collaboration Group, originally called together by President Jane Siebert early in 2019 to bring together the eff orts of the Standing Committee for Information and Communication, the Standing Committee for Education and Resources for Spiritual Community, the Swedenborg Online Community, Our Daily Bread, the Messenger and the denominational website. While at the Central Offi ce Karen was also able to attend a meeting of the Investment Committee, an experience that was very useful, as well as, somewhat surprisingly, enjoyable!

Treasurer Jennifer Lindsay began her verbal report by reminding all that the Iungerich Fund is now under the direct supervision of the Stand- ing Committee for Financial Accountability, and advising that the grant documents have been revamped, combining two into one. This process involved the able talents of Bj Neuenfeldt, Marjie Leas and Rev. Lisa Solwold. The new application was distributed in May of this year and grant requests are due into the Central Oﬃ ce by 8/15/19. Also revamped was the travel reimbursement policy.

Jennifer advised that due to the dip in the Market at the end of 2018, the denomination took a loss on paper of approximately $1.9M, but this has been entirely earned back and expenses/receipts were ultimately approximately the same during 2018. The denomination had the blessing 36 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

of being the recipient of $230K in gifts during 2018 including a bequest from the Esther Knierin estate of $100K and a generous gift from the Cleveland church of $35K. So far in 2019 the denomination is enjoying a $1,000 surplus. Jennifer recognized Gina’s 15 years with the Church and had high praise indeed. “A treasure.” A round of applause!

7. In her General Council report to the ﬂ oor Karen Conger advised that items of business at the pre-convention meeting included a request presented by Rev. Kit Billings from the Committee on Admission to the Ministry that the General Council consider the possibility of becoming involved in the process of assessing the appropriateness of individual sites for the training of prospective Licensed Pastor candidates. Council of Ministers (COM) Chair Rev. Dr. Gard Perry reported that their business included continued discussion of the criteria for membership in the denomination, discussion surrounding the documents that the Good Practices committee have devised, and the new structure of Convention that was adopted in 2018.

Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence was a guest at the pre-convention meeting and shared that in the last three months or so there have been three separate contacts from various ministries in Africa, requesting exploratory conversations on the idea of a deeper relationship between them and the General Convention. An ad hoc committee has been formed to further develop this.

In addition, the General Council were pleased to receive a report from Rev. Robert McCluskey, chair of the Social Justice Committee, who presented that committee’s proposed new mission statement.

8. Rev. Shada Sullivan delivered to the ﬂ oor of convention the report of the Council of Ministers:

MOTION #1: At their own request, supported on their Plan of Ministry, and on the recommendation of the Committee On Admission Into The Ministry, the Council of Ministers recommends to the delegates of the General Convention, that ROSLYN TAYLOR, who having served as an Authorized Candidate for one year, be ordained into our ministry, and that the service of ordination be held at this session of Convention, their Minutes of the 195th Session 37 name, after ordination, to be placed on our Roll of Ministers. Seconded by Dr. Page Morahan.

MOTION #2: At their own request, based on their Plan of Ministry to serve as a chaplain, and on the recommendation of the Committee On Admission Into The Ministry, the Council of Ministers recommends to the delegates of the General Convention, that NANCY PIORKOWSKI, who has completed a full course of study at the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, be ordained into our ministry, and that the service of ordination be held at this session of Convention, their name, after ordination, to be placed on our Roll of Ministers.

MOTION #3: At their own request, supported by a call from the Wayfarers Chapel, and on the recommendation of the Committee On Admission Into the Ministry, the Council of Ministers recommends to the delegates of the General Convention, that REV. DAN BURCHETT be inducted into our ministry, and that his service of induction be held at this session of Convention, their name, after induction, to be placed on our Roll of Ministers.

MOTION #4: The Council of Ministers recommends to the General Convention, that LORRAINE KARDASH, after completing both Modules of Licensed Pastor Studies at the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, and on approval from the Committee on Admission to the Ministry, and with the Portland New Church in Portland, Maine being an appropriate site in our understanding, be given Licensed Pastor standing, serving at the Portland New Church in Portland, Maine.

MOTION #5: The Council of Ministers recommends to the General Convention, that KATHY (Tassy) FARWELL, after completing one Module of Licensed Pastor Studies at the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, and on approval from the Committee on Admission to the Ministry, and with the Hillside Community Church in El Cerrito, California being an appropriate site in our understanding, be given Licensed Pastor standing, serving at the Hillside Community Church in El Cerrito, California. (This accomplished by video conferencing, as Tassy necessarily stayed in the Bay Area to care for her mother, who is ill). 38 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

INTRODUCTION OF THE ORDINANDS AND INDUCTEE. Jane had the pleasure of conducting each of the ordinands/licensed pastor candidates/ inductee individually through the following ceremony:

• Q: (Separately asked)Dan, Nancy, Ros, in requesting ordination/ induction into the Christian ministry for service in the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America and in Canada, do you, in the presence of this Convention, aﬃ rm your love to the Lord, your faith in the Lord’s divine Word and your allegiance to the heavenly doctrines as unfolded in the theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg?

• A: Yes, I aﬃ rm this as my love, my faith and my allegiance.

• Q: To this end, do you faithfully promise to uphold the Constitution of the General Convention and to abide by the By-Laws and practices of its Council of Ministers?

• A: I do promise this, and I ask the prayers of Convention to guide and sustain me in my ministry.

9. The motion for Ros Taylor was seconded by Page Morahan; the motion for Nancy Piorkowski was seconded by Rev. Randy Laakko; the motion for Rev. Dan Burchett was seconded by Rev. Dave Brown; the motion for Lorraine Kardash was seconded by Rev. Kit Billings; and the motion for Kathy Farwell was seconded by Rev. Thom Mueller; all were carried unanimously and with enthusiasm!

10. The report from the Standing Committee on Nominations was delivered by chair-pro-tem Bill Coﬀ man:

For General Council -

Tom Neuenfeldt vice president 1 year Karen Conger secretary 1 year Betsy Coﬀ man 3 years (2nd term) Susan Hulcher 3 years (1st term) Carl Helm 3 years (2nd term) Rev. Thom Muller unexpired term (2020) Minutes of the 195th Session 39

For the Standing Committee for Financial Responsibility -

Stan Conger 3 years

For the Standing Committee for Nominations -

BJ Neuenfeldt 5 years

For the Committee on Admission into the Ministry

Rev. Sage Cole 3 years

For the Center For Swedenborgian Studies, at Large

Lewis Shaw 4 years

Robert Carr 4 years

11. It was MSC to accept the reports of the STANDING COMMITTEES AND OTHER REPORTS as distributed in the Advance Reports.

Monday, July 1, 2019 9:30am – 10:30am

BUSINESS SESSION II

12. After the video presentation, “SKY,” the Credentials Committee report was delivered by Bj Neuenfeldt & Amy Little: Bj reported the numbers, she and Amy having personally brought the membership book, with them (after singing “O, Canada!”). There were seventy-one delegates, oﬃ cially.

ASSOCIATIONS DELEGATES DELEGATED ALLOWED ATTENDING Eastern Canada Conference 41 Illinois Association 76 Kansas Association 90 Maine Association 14 2 Massachusetts New Church Union 93 40 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

ASSOCIATIONS DELEGATES DELEGATED ALLOWED ATTENDING Michigan Association 86 Middle Atlantic Association 84 New York Association 50 Ohio Association 66 Paciﬁ c Coast Association 24 5 Southeast Association 32 Western Canada Conference 53 Members at Large 20 Swedenborgian Youth League 20 General Council 98 Ministers 84 25 TOTAL 199 71

13. NOMINATIONS FROM THE FLOOR - It was MSC to reconsider the ballot due to an error in the nominations for the Center for Swedenborgian Studies. The Center’s Bylaws having been amended in 2019, there is one full four-year term available from the Representative class, and that candidate is Jennifer Lindsay. There are in fact two unexpired terms from the At Large class: a one-year term (Lewis Shaw); and a two- year term (Robert Carr). There were no nominations from the ﬂ oor; nominations were closed and it was MSC to table the matter to consult with the parliamentarian.

14. SPECIAL REPORTS –

• Cambridge Church of the New Jerusalem – Rev. Sage Cole and architect Mark Careaga rose to make a presentation on the planned Helen Keller Spiritual Life Center, which is envisioned as a ministry of the Cambridge Church. It will be a place for gatherings, programs and education about Helen Keller, disability, spirituality, Swedenborgian theology and the causes of justice and peace that Helen supported. Beautiful architectural plans have been drawn to remove the existing annex which now houses the library and replace it with a structure truly worthy of the existing church building. Minutes of the 195th Session 41

• Washington, D.C. Church of the Holy City – Rev. Rich Tafel rose to present a report on the Spiritual Entrepreneur Center birthing at the D.C. Church, visioned as the intersection between spirituality and business. Rich spoke of the seven elements necessary for a church to incubate spiritual entrepreneurs; the site must off er, 1) a theology of integration, 2) inclusive sacred space, 3) a welcoming attitude to local community, 4) a curious and caring congregation, 5) be one that facilitates an “I Thou” dialogue, 6) provides business expertise and 7) off ers investment potential. This is an exciting program that is already yielding great benefi ts. In addition, Rich announced that the D.C. Church has a received a $50K grant from the D.C. Preservation League toward the restoration of the tower, work that has been long deferred.

15. UNFINISHED BUSINESS –

• Social Justice Committee – Rev. Robert McCluskey rose to clarify that in 2017 convention voted to endorse the National Council of Churches’ (NCC) Resolution and Call to Action on gun violence, but that due to an error this vote never was recorded in the minutes. Robert was therefore bringing it forward for a re-aﬃ rmative vote at the present convention meeting. Robert read the statement, and it was MSC unanimously to adopt. Robert to advise the NCC of this act. Robert further reported that the Social Justice Committee (SJC) will be going to work in a non-partisan way to engage in the warrior- prophet task before them/us. Robert also requested that anyone interested in being a member of the SJC please contact Robert and/ or Page Morahan.

Monday, July 1, 2019 11:00am – 12:00pm

BUSINESS SESSION III

16. After the video presentation “SOIL” was viewed SPECIAL REPORTS were received:

• Wayfarers Chapel – Rev. Dave Brown and Rev. Dan Burchett spoke of the Chapel preservation eﬀ ort that is currently underway. It’s 42 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

estimated that approximately $7M is needed to restore the Chapel after sixty years of weather and wear. A pre-launch event is being held in Beverly Hills, California, on September 29, 2019 to kick off this major fundraising eff ort. We were able to view a very well- done video with drone footage spotlighting the damage and wear that needs professional attention. Dave and Dan emphasized that small gifts toward this eff ort are very important, as well as large.

• Rev. Susannah Currie, chair of In Company With Angels, presented a quick word on the current status of the Windows: they remain in storage in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and are on the market. The beautiful book Tiﬀ any’s Swedenborgian Angels was distributed to all in attendance free of charge, courtesy of In Company With Angels. Susannah asked all to pray for the Windows’ next stage.

• Swedenborg Foundation Executive Director Morgan Beard spoke of regional gatherings for viewers of “Oﬀ the Left Eye,” the next being in Palos Verdes, California, at the Wayfarers Chapel on July 14. The Foundation is working to create online forums, including a closed Facebook group, which will be easily joined as long as you’re not a robot or a troll! New books: The Universe and I, by Rev. Dr. George Dole; Seven Days of Spiritual Evolution, by E. Kent Rogers. Morgan also presented new information on the channel: “News From Heaven,” with Curtis Childs.

17. NOMINATIONS (continued from yesterday) - On a point of personal privilege (Herb Ziegler with second from Rev. Sage Cole) the motion to close the nominations was withdrawn. It was MSC to reopen nominations, and Jennifer Lindsay was nominated to a four-year term in the Representative class, while Lewis Shaw was nominated to ﬁ ll a one-year term from the At Large class and Robert Carr was nominated to ﬁ ll a two-year term from the At Large class. President Jane called nominations from the Floor; hearing none, nominations were closed.

18. ELECTIONS - Head Tellers Rev. Betsy and Bill Coﬀ man explained the election process; the ballots were distributed, the election held, and the tellers withdrew to tally the results. Minutes of the 195th Session 43

19. NEW BUSINESS –

• Statement of Anti-Discrimination – Dr. Rebecca Esterson & Terrie Crenshaw brought the document before us as it was voted on last year, though in a slightly diﬀ erent form, and they presented it in what is hoped is its ﬁ nal form, though as time passes it may continue to evolve. Aspects of our sacred texts/traditions have been, and are being, used to harm/hurt. (Mini-course tomorrow afternoon for more background). It has become necessary that our denomination make it clear to the world that our pluralistic view of heaven and the world is who we are. As background we were reminded that a very good group was formed for online discussion; and in the end the statement was changed, but not substantively. Censorship has no place in our discourse, and the importance of that has been very much in the forefront of their committee. This document is not meant to advocate a particular way of interpretation; there are some interpretations, however, that do not speak for all of us, and this is a most important distinction. The current document has been reviewed and endorsed by COM and the General Council. It was MSC with one nay and one abstention to make this Statement of Anti-Discrimination Standing Resolution 14.

20. ELECTION RESULTS – Rev. Betsy & Bill Coﬀ man reported the following election results:

Vice-President-1-year term Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 Tom Neuenfeldt* 59 Recording Secretary-1- Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 year term Karen Conger* 60 General Council Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 (Minister)-3-year term Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man 60 General Council Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 (Minister)-unexpired term Rev. Thom Muller 60 General Council Ballots cast: 63 Needed to elect: 32 (Layperson)-3-year term (2 Susan Hulcher 60 to be elected) Carl Helm 62 Nominating Committee-5- Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 year term BJ Neuenfeldt 59 Committee for Financial Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 Accountability-3-year term Stan Conger 59 44 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Committee on Admission Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 to the Ministry (CAM) Rev. Sage Cole 58 (Minister)-3-year term Center for Swedenborgian Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 Studies-1-year unexpired Lewis Shaw 57 term Center for Swedenborgian Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 Studies-2-year unexpired Robert Carr 57 term Center for Swedenborgian Ballots cast: 60 Needed to elect: 31 Studies-4 year term Jennifer Lindsay 60

President Jane declared the election valid and it was MSC to destroy the ballots.

21. We were reminded that the LaPorte folks were oﬀ ering beautiful hand- knitted prayer shawls for sale in the display room, and later in the meeting several were brought forward as Jane led a prayer asking blessings and healing on all the future recipients.

Monday July 1, 2019 3:00pm – 3:45pm

BUSINESS SESSION IV

22. After watching the video presentation, “WATER,” Samantha Johanson was brought forward for receive much deserved appreciation for all her tremendously hard work to make sure things went as smoothly as possible for all of us during this convention session. Much applause!

23. Messenger editor Herb Ziegler rose to say a few words about the Messenger, advising us that he is considering retirement, though no date has been chosen yet. Herb mentioned the special price for a hard-copy subscription to the Messenger. This price is available only during the convention session.

24. ADDITIONAL UNFINISHED BUSINESS - Bylaws Article XIX: The Building Fund – Tom Neuenfeldt read the Article as it currently exists, explaining that the relationship between the Fund and the General Council has not always enjoyed the best communication. The proposed Bylaws change would ensure that a minimum of two people from the Minutes of the 195th Session 45

General Council, including the Treasurer, would always be on the Fund. There would be three levels of approval required, based on the amounts requested, plus there would be provision for amendment of those amount limits as is seen ﬁ t. It was MSC to adopt, with one nay:

“Section 1. The Board of Trustees of the Building Fund shall consist of the Treasurer plus three trustees who shall be appointed by the General Council, to serve three years. One of the trustees, including the Trea- surer, shall be a member of the General Council.

Section 2. The Board of Trustees shall review Building Fund loan applications. Loans of up to $50,000 may be funded by the Board of Trust- ees of the Building Fund. Loans over $50,000, but less than $100,000, shall be reviewed by the Trustees, with a recommendation referred to the Executive Committee of General Council for ﬁ nal approval. Loans in excess of $100,000 shall be reviewed by the Trustees, with a recommendation referred to the full General Council for ﬁ nal approval.

Section 3. General Council may periodically adjust the dollar amounts based on governance oversight.”

25. ADDITIONAL NEW BUSINESS - Amendment of Standing Resolution 10 – Stan Conger. The Fund policy as it formerly existed was not in compliance with Federal Law. It was MSC to amend:

“General Convention no longer provides ministers personal loans through the Building Fund. Outstanding loans that remain in good standing will continue as agreed until fully repaid. Ministers with outstanding loans from the building fund, who cease to remain on the Active Roll of the Council of Ministers, may have their loan called in and due and payable within ninety days.”

26. GOOD PRACTICES – Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence introduced his group as Rev. Julie Conaron, Pastor Paul Deming, Rev. Susannah Currie, Ros Taylor, Dr. Page Morahan, Tom Neuenfeldt, Barb Halle and Rev. Rich Tafel. They presented a delightful skit involving The Church of Nowhere Speciﬁ c, illustrating varieties of the proposed good practices for individual churches. Jim emphasized that these are not legal documents, 46 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

but the committee would like these documents to be endorsed on the ﬂ oor. It was MSC to adopt the Good Practices Guidelines as presented.

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 11:00am – 12:00pm

BUSINESS SESSION V

27. After the video presentation, “REDWOODS,” Samantha made a number of announcements about details around checking out, and Jane again expressed her appreciation for all Samantha’s hard work.

28. CHILDREN’S PRESENTATION – the children gathered to tell us about the craft activities they engaged in, including making suncatchers, then there was a raﬄ e (the kids’ idea!) in which lots of happy goodies were given away (amid much hilarity). Appreciation was expressed for Riley Tishma’s care of the children during convention.

29. Aﬃ rmation and celebration of Lorraine Kardash LP as the pastor of the Portland, ME, church. Additionally, the Wayfarers Chapel gift of $5K and the LaPorte New Church gift of $1420.

30. PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES OF APPRECIATION – Jane called forward all those who were leaving oﬃ ce to receive certiﬁ cates of appreciation for their service to the Church.

31. Jane led all in thanks to those who led mini-courses, and to Jim Lawrence who did the lion’s share in pulling it all together.

32. RECOGNITION OF Convention Planning Committee members – Barb Halle, Rev. Kit Billings and many, many others, including members of the Illinois Association, were recognized for their hard work during the past several days, and past several months. It was a wonderful convention and all the hard work is greatly appreciated.

33. ANNOUNCEMENT OF MONETARY GIFTS to the denomination – over $1500 in the collection (added to during the present meeting)! Wayfarers Chapel gift of $5K; LaPorte New Church gift of $1420. Minutes of the 195th Session 47

34. INSTALLATION OF NEW OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS – Jane asked all those oﬃ ce holders and committee members of the Church to come forward, and led a prayer of blessing.

35. Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man called forward Bev & John Titus who were recognized by Urbana University, receiving the Three Arches Award which recognizes outstanding achievements in a chosen career ﬁ eld and outstanding commitment and service to the community. “Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall see God.”

36. The winners of the Name the Minister! contest were announced: Dick & Linda Tafel and Betsy Coﬀ man tied for ﬁ rst place, Gloria Toot second, and Barb Boxwell third place. Beautiful brass and marble paper weights with the Church logo were awarded amid smiles and applause.

37. INVITATION FROM THE MASS UNION AND THE BRIDGEWATER CHURCH – Rev. Susannah Currie stepped forward to most cordially invite the convention to Bridgewater, Massachusetts, June 24 to July 1, 2020. This is also the four-hundredth anniversary of Plymouth Plantation, so possibly that will ﬁ gure in the activities.

38. ADJOURNMENT – President Rev. Jane Siebert ritually closed the Bible at 12:05p, signifying the end of the 195th Convention of the Church. Amen.

Respectfully Submitted, Karen Conger, Recording Secretary 48 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

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C P S 1959 1959 Ernest O. Martin Asilomar Conference Grounds, CA 1960 Owen Turley Lake Forest, IL 1961 Calvin Turley Washington, DC 1962 Richard Tafel Pawnee Rock, KS 1963 Paul Zacharias Miami Beach, FL 1964 Rollo Billings Philadelphia, PA 1965 Brian Kingslake Brockton-Bridgewater-Elmwood, MA 1966 Galen Unruh Urbana, OH 1967 Eric Zacharias Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 1968 George F. Dole Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1969 Randall Laakko Claremont, CA 1971 Erwin Reddekopp Urbana, OH 1972 Ernest L. Frederick Boston, MA 1973 Robert H. Kirven Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 1974 Andre Diaconoﬀ Urbana, OH 1975 George McCurdy Urbana, OH 1976 Richard H. Tafel, Jr. Philadelphia, PA 1977 Dorothea Harvey San Francisco, CA 1978 Ernest O. Martin Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 1979 Friedemann Horn Urbana, OH 1980 Edwin G. Capon Wellesley, MA 1981 Eric Allison Urbana, OH 1982 Andre Diaconoﬀ Irvine, CA 1983 F. Robert Tafel Wilmington, OH 1984 Ronald P. Brugler Center Harbor, NH 1985 F. Gardiner Perry III Windsor, Ontario, Canada 1986 Gladys Wheaton Boone, NC 1987 Jaikoo E. Lee Tacoma, WA 1988 David L. Rienstra Newton, MA 1989 David P. Johnson Urbana, OH 1990 Jerome A. Poole Olds, Alberta, Canada 1991 Robert E. McCluskey Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 1992 Stephen J. Pults St. Louis, MO 1993 Richard M. Baxter Wenham, MA 1994 George F. Dole Arlington, VA 1995 Carl Yenetchi San Francisco, CA 1996 Horand K. Gutfeldt Urbana, OH 50 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

1997 Robert H. Kirven Hutchinson, KS 1998 James F. Lawrence Leesburg, FL 1999 J. Theodore Klein Malibu, CA 2000 Paul Martin Urbana, OH 2001 Renée Billings Machiniak St. Paul, MN 2002 Paul Zacharias Gorham, ME 2003 Ken Turley Geneva, NY 2004 Wilma Wake Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 2005 Marlene Laughlin Berkeley, CA 2006 John Billings Urbana, OH 2007 Eric Hoﬀ man Holland, MI 2008 Sarah Buteux Bridgewater, MA 2009 Junchol Lee Seattle, WA 2010 John Maine St. Paul, MN 2011 Jonathan Mitchell Cincinnati, OH 2012 Andrew Stinson Bridgewater, MA 2013 Jane Siebert Urbana, OH 2014 Alison Lane-Olsen St. Louis, MO 2015 David Fekete Bridgewater, MA 2016 Solomon Young-Min Kim Urbana, OH 2017 Susannah Currie West Chester, PA 2018 Kit Billings San Jose, CA 2019 Kathy Speas Valparaiso, IN Memorial 51

M R. D L R The Rev. David Lee Rienstra died peacefully on Nov. 10, 2018, at Hospice House in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He was born March 7, 1939, in Grand Rap- ids, Michigan, the youngest of fi ve children of August and Gertrude Hoogeboom Rienstra, Dutch immigrants from Friesland, Netherlands. He served in the Marine Corps from 1956 to 1962 and then returned to Grand Rapids, where he fell in love with Carole J. Bahre (deceased, 1996). They were married June 13, 1962, and had three children together, David Jr., Sherilyn, and Kathryn. Mr. Rienstra learned the tool and die-making trade, and in 1970 he went to work for General Motors in Grand Rapids. While working there, he found his calling and enrolled at Boston University, continuing to work days while attending evening classes. He graduated with degrees in religion and philosophy in 1978. That same year, he was ordained on a call to serve the Fryeburg New Church in Fryeburg, Maine. In 1988, he became pastor of the Church of the Open Word in St. Louis, and during the early 1990s he served as chair of the Council of Ministers, sat on General Council and served his church and also communities as an EMT and volunteer fi reman. David married Diane Wuestenfeld LaFevers at his church in St. Louis on Nov. 22, 1997. The couple moved to Alaska, where she practiced as a Physical Thera- pist and they both worked with special needs children in public schools. David volunteered his time with Hospice patients as a minister and therapy assistant. They hiked mountains, mushed their dog, and fi shed. Then they moved to Jer- seyville, Illinois, in 2004 where Rev. Rienstra enjoyed his retirement. In 2007, the Rienstra’s built a cabin on property overlooking Bryant Creek near Tecumseh across Bryant and part of the LaFevers Family Farm as of 1974. For the next few years the Rienstra’s divided their time between the cabin and Jerseyville, and in 2015, they moved to their beloved Bryant Creek cabin permanently. Rev. Rienstra is survived by Diane Rienstra, his wife of 21 years; his children, David Rienstra Jr. (Kathi), Sherilyn Rienstra and ( Matt Martin) and Kathryn Pruiett; his stepsons, Rick LaFevers (Traci) and, Scott LaFevers ( Mandy) and Martin LaFevers ( Liz); grandchildren Jonathon and Heather Pruiett, Jadon, Grant and Lillian Rienstra; step grandchild Kameron Martin; step-grandchildren Carly, Annie, John and Jake, Kintla, Dylan and Taylor LaFevers; his brothers, Bill Rienstra (Nancy) and Pete Rienstra (Shirley); and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, John Rienstra; and a sister, Alice Decker. Mr. Rienstra believed in being useful; hence, his body was donated to Washington University in St. Louis for medical research. Rev. David Rienstra’s 52 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Memorial Service was held at 1:30 pm on Sunday, June 26 at the Garden Chapel, Church of the Open Word, 140 Dautel Rd. St. Louis, MO. 63146. (314 )872- 7124 (7112). Pastor Paul Deming oﬃ ciated.. Respectfully submitted, The Rienstra Family Memorial 53

This page intentionally left blank. 54 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

R O, B, C, A B

PRESIDENT

2019: Rooted in Spirit Theme: Earth is Speaking to Us

“The reason so many diff erent things act as a unit is that there is not a single thing involved that does not do something for the greater whole and fulfi ll a function”. Heaven and Hell No. 64, Emanuel Swedenborg Thank you for attending this year’s Annual Convention! The LaPorte Church under the guidance of Barb Halle and Rev. Kit Billings has worked to make this a special convention where new friends and old friends can gather to worship, attend to the business, learn and grow from mini-courses, and leave refreshed and renewed in their vision for the Swedenborgian Church. As I refl ect on the Swedenborg quote above, I am reminded how important each one of you is to our Church family, whether this is your fi rst or fi fty-fi rst convention. Everyone off ers something unique and important to this gathering. My prayer is that you feel welcome, a part of the whole that is this year’s convention, and glad you came. There is a lot going on within our denomination and we need everyone’s input. • General Council members are personally reaching out with phone calls to all our ministries to connect and improve awareness of what is going on within our churches, camps and retreats and how we can help. • A Congregational Covenant will be presented for ministries to talk about, adapt and adopt in their settings. • Good Practices Guidelines for Congregational Relations will be off ered for a discussion to strengthen the administration and practices within our ministries. • A Covenant between Constituent Bodies and the Denomination will be put forth to improve transparency and information sharing with all. • We will learn about new initiatives in our churches, like the proposed Helen Keller Center for Spiritual Life in Cambridge, the restoration project at Wayfarer’s Chapel, and the Spiritual Entrepreneur Center at our Na- tional Church in DC. • The Social Justice Committee will present a National Council of Churches Resolution on Gun Violence for endorsement. Reports of Offi cers & Committees 55

• Dr. Rebecca Esterson, Terrie Crenshaw and Manifold Angels have been studying the issue of discrimination for a year and have a resolution to submit for approval. Again, welcome and we are glad you are here and hope you enjoy and learn, Respectfully submitted, Rev. Jane Siebert, President

VICE-PRESIDENT

As Vice President, I have had the opportunity and privilege to visit several of our churches and events over the past year. After Convention 2018, we drove to the Los Angeles area and attended worship services at the Garden Church and Wayfarers’ Chapel. The settings for the two churches are very diff erent, but the love of the Lord and our Denominational outreach are shared in these sacred spaces. In October I traveled to Deland and met with the members of the Chrysalis Center. They are a small but mighty group working to overcome facility and governance issues. General Council met at the Cenacle Retreat Center in Chicago in November. In addition to conducting the business at hand, we attended a lecture by Sara Miles. On day two of our meetings, we met at the Swedenborg Library for the day. I am a member of the Standing Committee for Education and Spiritual Re- sources (SCER). Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence is the chair of this Committee. The Com- mittee met in January, at Temenos during Intensives. This was a wonderful opportunity to meet with the Ordination and Licensed Pastor students. I attended classes with the students all three days. The SCER met to discuss mini courses for Convention 2019, Confi rmation and Membership issues. A request for Confi rmation guidelines was sent out to all ministers through COM. General Council has an Ad Hoc Committee for Education and Spiritual Re- sources. As chair, I have the responsibility for conducting the Performance Ap- praisal for the SCYL Youth Director, Kurt Fekete. Kurt and I completed this ap- praisal in December. The highlight of the year came in January when I participated in the Installa- tion of Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts as the new minister of The Church of the Good Shepherd in Kitchener. Cory and Rev. Dave Rogalsky have worked together for the past 4 months. Cory is now the sole minister in Kitchener. Cory is also the part-time minister of the Swedenborgian On-Line Community. I continue to serve on the Board of the Community. Cory broadcasts the weekly online services and podcasts that provide a media platform to this growing ministry. 56 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

The National Church Trustees have been under the leadership of Chris Laitner for 30 years. In March, Chris retired from her role with the Trustees. Her time and energies are very much appreciated by the Denomination and the Society. President Rev. Jane Siebert appointed me to call the Trustees together to develop a plan for membership and a new chair. I am pleased to report that Karen Conger will serve as the new Chair of the Trustees. In addition to the above activities, the Vice President participates in monthly Executive Committee telephone meetings to carry out the continuing business of the Denomination. Respectfully submitted, Tom Neuenfeldt, Vice President

SECRETARY

Per the duties outlined in the Journal I have taken minutes at all meetings of the General Council and Executive Committee, plus participating in the Convention Planning Committee meetings for this year’s convention gathering in Valparaiso, IN. I have sent correspondence to organizations and individuals on behalf of the General Council as directed, as well as working closely with the President to create and manage the agenda for the above meetings. With the able assistance of Operations Manager Samantha Johanson I have collected and compiled statistics from churches, associations, and conferences within the denomination in North America in order to present an accurate delegate count for voting purposes during convention meetings, and will be assisting the Central Oﬃ ce in compiling and editing the 2019 Journal. This year I also had the opportunity to attend the spring meeting of the Investment Committee, held in Cambridge, MA, in April. Respectfully submitted, Karen Conger, Recording Secretary

TREASURER

After serving for the past two years as Treasurer, I now have a deeper understanding of the nuances of General Convention’s fi nancial statements, budgeting, and fund accounting. With input from Gina Peracchi and members of General Council, I am identifying ways to streamline our books and records yet still meet the requirements of our independent auditors to issue our fi nancial statements and meet the needs of General Council to adequately oversee our operations. The independent fi nancial auditors fi nalized their professional review of the 2018 fi nancial statements and issued the fi nancial statements in July 2019. The Reports of Offi cers & Committees 57

fi nancial statements are available from Central Offi ce, upon request. Here are a few highlights: 1. During 2018, General Convention received $234,500 in appeals, pledges, donations, and bequests. Thank you to all who gave during 2018. General Convention would not be the same without your steadfast generosity and thoughtfulness. Of the total amount received in 2018, there were three large gifts – one was a bequest of $100,000 from the Estate of Esther Knieren in mid-2018 and the other two were both in the amount of $35,400 from the Cleveland Society in December 2018. One of the gifts from the Cleveland Church is a donor restricted addition to the Augmentation Fund from which future earnings will continue to support our ministries. 2. Due to the stock market dip at the end of 2018, the Unrealized Gains on Investments was nearly a $2,000,000 loss as of December 31, 2018. For- tunately, this dip fully recovered during the fi rst quarter of 2019 and our Common Fund investments are no longer carrying that unrealized loss. However, as of December 31, 2018, which is the date of our fi nancial statements, the negative balance does exist and is embedded in the line item Investment Income (Loss). 3. The accounting standards changed such that we no longer refer to our funds as permanently restricted, temporarily restricted, and unrestricted. Now there are two categories: with donor restrictions and without donor restrictions. Board-designated funds are considered part of the without do- nor restrictions category. 4. The change in accounting standards impacts the way in which our State- ment of Activities are presented. The Investment Income (Loss) is now a combination of the Common Fund payout and the Realized and Un- realized Gains on Investments. Historically, the Investment Income did not include the Realized and Unrealized Capital Gains on Investments. If Investment Income was presented as in past years, the amount would be approximately $600,000. 5. Operationally, General Convention is currently on fi rm footing with a bal- anced budget for 2019 and positive actuals for 2018. Regarding the 2018 actuals, I fi nd it useful to look at the actual operating results without the large negative Unrealized Gains on Investments (See #2 above) and the higher than usual Appeals and Donations (See #1 above). This analysis shows that General Convention experienced a small surplus during 2018. I would like to thank Gina Peracchi for her continued assistance in managing our expenses that made this strong result possible. 58 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Over the course of the past few years, several questions from employees and volunteers have arisen related to General Convention’s policy for the reimbursement of travel expenses. At the request of the President, I drafted a newly updated travel expense reimbursement policy that was approved by General Council in November 2018 eff ective as of January 1, 2019. Please contact Central Offi ce for a copy of the latest policy if you plan to incur reimbursable travel expenses. During October 2018, Gina Peracchi, Accounting Manager, reached her 15th anniversary of serving General Convention in Central Offi ce. The Investment Committee hosted a celebratory dinner and Gina was surprised and touched at the acknowledgement by General Convention of her dedicated eff orts. Gina and I are an integrated team and depend upon each other to perform the critical fi nancial reporting and monitoring tasks for General Convention. May we be fortunate enough to have her remain with us for many more years. Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Lindsay

GENERAL COUNCIL

The General Council met in person twice during convention 2018 at San Jose State, as well as November 9 & 10, 2018, at the Cenacle Retreat Center and the Swedenborg Library in Chicago, IL. In addition, the General Council met by teleconference for their Spring meeting on May 11, 2019. The Executive Committee, comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of Conven- tion, continue to meet by teleconference monthly. During the past year the offi cers of convention have had more direct oversight of the new Standing Committees, with Tom Neuenfeldt having close contact with the Standing Committee for Education & Resources for Spiritual Community; Karen Conger over-seeing the Standing Committee for Communication and In- formation, and Jennifer Lindsay leading the Standing Committee for Financial Accountability. This eff ort constitutes a more hands-on practice than that of the former Support Unit structure, since the Standing Committees are new, and still getting on their feet. Each of the three offi cers were able to meet during the year face-to-face with their respective Standing Committees. Each member of the General Council, except for the offi cers, has become a liaison with approximately four ministries in Convention, and are meant to be contacting the laity of those ministries two times a year in order to build/maintain communication. The liaisons are: Reports of Offi cers & Committees 59

• Stan Conger: San Francisco Church, San Francisco, CA; Virginia Street Church, St. Paul, MN; Church of the Holy City, Wilmington, DE; Church of the Holy City, Edmonton, Alberta, CN. • Jenny Caughman: Hillside Community Church, El Cerrito, CA; New Church (Swedenborgian), LaPorte, IN; Fryeburg New Church Assembly, Fryeburg, ME; Church of the New Jerusalem, Cambridge, MA. • Lon Elmer: Wayfarers Chapel, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA; Church of the Open Word, Newtonville, MA; Korean Church, New York, NY; QCross @ Michigan State, East Lansing, MI. • Debbie Dolley: Garden Church, San Pedro, CA; Revelation of the Spirit, Cambridge, ON, CN; New Jerusalem Church, Pretty Prairie, KS; New Church of Montgomery, Cincinnati, OH. • Barb Halle: New Church, Fryeburg, ME; New Church, Elmwood, MA; The New Church, New York, NY; New Church of the Southwest Desert, Silver City, NM. • Carl Helm: Swedenborgian Church of Puget Sound, Redmond, WA; Church of the Open Word, St. Louis, MO; New Jerusalem Church, Bridge- water, MA; Society of the New Church, Urbana, OH. • Rob Lawson: Church of the Good Shepherd, Kitchener, ON, CN; Church of the Holy City, Royal Oak, MI; Church of the Holy City, Washington, D.C.; Paulhaven Camp, Edmonton, AB, CN. • Thom Muller: New Church Society, Calgary, AB, CN; Swedenborgian Church at Temenos, West Chester, PA; Almont New Church Assembly & Retreat Center, Allenton, MI; The Swedenborg Library & Spiritual Growth Center, Chicago, IL. • Betsy Coﬀ man: Church of the New Jerusalem, Bath, ME; Church of the New Jerusalem, Pawnee Rock, KS; The Chrysalis Fellowship, Deland, FL; New Church, Portland, ME. Respectfully submitted : Karen Conger, Recording Secretary

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

The Chair of the Council of Ministers and Members of the Executive Com- mittee have endeavored to foster good governance in accord with the principles of healthy communication as deﬁ ned in the Good Practices documents. There are four areas of governance within which the Chair of the Council of Ministers, in collaboration with the Executive Committee, has directed attention: 1) Planning 60 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

for the Annual Session, 2) General Administration, 3) Accountability to the Con- stitution and Bylaws, and 4) Clergy Care. Planning for the Annual Convention The Chair, in consultation with the Executive Committee, has appointed Su- sannah Currie to plan and facilitate the Education Program for Annual Session of the Council of Ministers. The content of the Program includes: The Report on Guidelines for Membership, Good Practices Documents, and a Flow Chart of Convention’s Governance Structure. General Administration The Chair has scheduled monthly, or as needed, Conference Calls to conduct all necessary business, has appointed Members of the Council to Standing Com- mittees (Ethics and Misconduct Determination Board), has received and responded to requests for Continuing Education, and has defi ned and communicated the Convention Travel Policy to Members of the Council of Ministers. Accountability to the Constitution and Bylaws The Chair and Offi cers of the Executive Committee has maintained accountability to provisions for the Offi ce of the Ministry as defi ned in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church, and the Bylaws of the Council of Ministers. In addition, as an Ex Offi cio Member of the General Council, the Chair of the Council of Ministers has the privilege and responsibility to foster collegial and eff ective collaboration with the President and Members of the General Coun- cil. The President has participated very helpfully in all of the COM Executive Committee Conference Calls for which she has been available. Clergy Care The Chair and Members of the Executive Committee has attended to the care and support for Members of the Council of Ministry through personal contact, administration of the Peer Supervision Program, through fostering compliance with Guidelines for Clergy Conduct, and through being alert to the needs of clergy that come to their attention on an ongoing basis. Respectfully submitted : Rev. Dr. Gard Perry Chair, COM Jenn Tafel, Secretary (2020) Alison Lane-Olsen (2019) Jonathan Mitchell (2020) Susannah Currie (2021) Reports of Offi cers & Committees 99

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

A Collaborative Meeting of the major contributors to our church’s image to the membership and the public in general, met on Thursday, April 25, 2019. In attendance were President Rev. Jane Siebert; Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence, Chair of Standing Committee for Education & Resources for Spiritual Community (SCER); Rev. Kevin Baxter, Standing Committee for Information and Communi- cation (SCCI); Our Daily Bread Editor Rev. Thom Muller; Rev. Cory Bradford- Watts, Swedenborgian Online Community (SOC) [by video]; Val Brugler, Chair of SCCI; Operations & Web Manager Samantha Johanson; Messenger Editor Herb Ziegler; and Recording Secretary Karen Conger. Discussion included clarifying what the tasks of the SCCI are with a brief history of the Communication and Information Support Units and the Digital Pres- ence Working Group that developed the current website for the denomination. Plans were made to work within the present assembled group to off er content, to get feedback and to get approval by this whole group to determine acceptable content for the denomination’s website. We plan to continue to work with Daniel Quinn, who designed the current website, and clarifi ed some updates that we would like to make with his help. Herb Ziegler, editor of the Messenger, shared that he would like to retire at a future undetermined date and would like to develop a plan for the formal announcement and selection of his replacement. Thom Muller, now the Managing Editor of Our Daily Bread (http://spiritual- questers.org/), shared the future changes to Our Daily Bread including starting a podcast and a new section called Service in Action which will focus on social justice and service projects. Rev. David Fekete is now a Contributing Editor. Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts invited all to visit swedenborgcommunity.org. He has developed continuing podcasts; some live interaction on the website; Sun- day morning broadcasts and message. The latter includes some liturgy and music videos. Sunday evening includes a live refl ection on the morning’s message. Swedenborgian Community.org now has a rapidly growing presence and likes on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Spreaker. Rev. Jim Lawrence, chair of the Education and Resources Standing Commit- tee, shared that the Committee is planning further development of worship support materials; possibly a revitalization on the Committee on Worship; and Sun- day School materials, Mini-courses, of course, and workshops for Convention is also a focus. Ros Taylor has off ered to do gender-neutral re-writes of liturgies. 100 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Plans are in place to keeping lines of communication open with each other with monthly online meetings to share ideas. Respectfully submitted, Val Brugler, Chair

THE MESSENGER

The Messenger, the monthly newsletter and journal of the Swedenborgian Church (published September through June), has had a successful year of support and serving its readers. The Messenger serves as an offi cial publication of the Swedenborgian Church, and as such has published information that the Church wished to communicate to the membership, such as church membership statistics, reports from General Council meetings, nomination information, news about ministries of the church, and information about the upcoming Annual Convention. The September issue carried full coverage of the Annual Convention, held in San Jose, California, last year, including reports on business sessions, the Annual Meeting of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, ordinations, Swedenborgian Church Youth League (SCYL) activities, and sermons by the convention minister and the newly-ordained ministers. Thanks to the youth director, Kurt Fekete, the Messenger had engaging reports and lots of photographs from every SCYL and youth event throughout the year. Other articles in the Messenger included those about the Center for Swedenbor- gian Studies, the National Churches of Christ (NCC) meetings and events attended by Swedenborgian ministers, Fryeburg New Church Assembly, and the online SwedenborgianCommunity.org. In addition to news articles and announcements, the Messenger published, articles on theology, Swedenborg and Swedenborgian related issues, articles about church members and, clergy, churches, and other ministries, and personal refl ections from members and clergy. Each month, the Messenger publishes the “Letter from the President.” The Messenger thanks the many unpaid contributors and proofreaders, without whom the Messenger would not be possible.. Respectfully submitted, Herb Ziegler, Editor Reports of Offi cers & Committees 101

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY

The SCFA was newly constituted through General Convention By-Laws changes at the 2018 Convention Session in San Jose. The SCFA combines the previous roles and responsibilities of the Financial and Physical Resources Sup- port Unit (FPRSU) and the Ministries Support Unit (MINSU), and functions as the Trustees of Iungerich Publication Fund. The SCFA held its inaugural meeting on September 10 - 11, 2018 in East Ta- was, Michigan. BJ and Tom Neuenfeldt and Marjie Leas were gracious and generous hosts for the required lodging and meeting space. During this meeting the SCFA reviewed a draft 2019 General Convention budget presented by the Treasurer and recommended that the budget be forwarded to General Council for approval; appointed itself to also serve as the Augmentation Fund Committee; made granting decisions for applications related to the Aug- mentation Fund, Missions Fund, and Iungerich Fund; and captured a set of priorities that were utilized by the SCFA during its deliberations regarding the grant applications and recommended that the priorities be shared with General Council for its consideration. In November 2018, SCFA met again by conference call to discuss additional grant requests for the Iungerich Fund and other Augmentation Fund and Missions Fund matters. During the November 2018 General Council meeting, General Council confi rmed its agreement with the following set of priorities that the SCFA utilized during its 2018 discussions and ultimate grant decisions. The SCFA will continue to utilize these fi ve priorities for its ongoing grant funding discussions and assessments. • Focus on the promotion of a General Convention based Swedenborgian perspective to the broader world and community. • Impact on people and the potential for growth in the number of people served. Ability to attract people to participate in the ministry or project. • •Expressed commitment to the ministry or project, including buy-in from the local Swedenborgian religious leaders and donations of time and money from the local community. • Eff ort toward becoming sustainable and self-funded with other sources of fi nancial support. • Accountability to the General Convention denomination including a willingness to accept and incorporate constructive feedback. 102 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

The following ministries and projects were funded through grants approved by the SCFA for the year 2019:

Augmentation Fund: • Edmonton • Garden Church (San Pedro) • General Convention – Committee on Admission to the Ministry • General Convention – President • Hillside (El Cerrito) • Kitchener • Korean New Church (New York) • Puget Sound • St. Paul – per donor requirement • Southwest Desert (Silver City) • Swedenborgian On-Line Community • Washington, D.C. • Wilmington

Missions Fund (including New Directions): • Cambridge • Cohort of Five Ministries • Chrysalis (Deland) • Garden Church (San Pedro) • Kitchener • Korean New Church (New York) • Q-CROSS (East Lansing) • Southwest Desert (Silver City) • Swedenborgian On-Line Community

Iungerich Fund: • Center for Swedenborgian Studies • A Seekers’ Companion to the Gospel of Luke • The Swedenborg Foundation • Swedenborgian On-Line Community

The SCFA revamped the grant application form to be used for Augmentation and Missions funding starting with applications to be submitted in 2019 for 2020 grants. Previously, there were two completely separate grant applications for Aug- Reports of Offi cers & Committees 103 mentation Fund grants and Missions Fund grants. Now the combined application form contains some common questions for ministries who are applying for both Augmentation Fund and Missions Fund grants and explicitly lists the documents and reports that must be on fi le at Central Offi ce for a ministry to be eligible to apply. The revamped grant application form also gives guidance on how to apply for other funds, such as the Iungerich Fund, Tafel Fund, Gray Fund, and Building Fund. The revised grant application form was distributed in early May 2019 by Central Offi ce with a deadline of August 15, 2019 for 2020 grants. The SCFA continues to seek ways to be of use to General Council regarding the use and stewardship of General Convention’s fi nancial and physical assets. Respectfully Submitted, Jennifer Lindsay, Chair

STANDING COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION AND RESOURCES FOR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY

1. SCER did not do any work together before Christmas except to plan details for the January meeting. 2. Meeting at Temenos. The committee convened January 21 & 22 at Teme- nos in a plan that allowed for everyone to meet with majority of travel expenses being paid by other organizations. Robert McCluskey was not able to attend. • A general plan evolved to establish several categories of resources to be put on the denomination’s web site. These include materials for worship, sermons, Sunday School plans and materials, copyright-free music resources and various Convention songbooks, church organizational materials, the seven-year cycle of themes for Convention, Good Practices documents, etc. Susannah Currie joined us for one meeting, especially to advise on how to retrieve Committee on Wor- ship materials from the past that might be considered in SCER’s vision for content inclusion on the denomination’s web site. • Brainstorming mini-courses for summer 2019 involved people and topics to be explored. Jim agreed to carry through the leg-work ﬁ nal- izing the mini-course planning. 3. Collaboration meeting in Cambridge. Jim represented SCER at a joint Standing Committee meeting convened by President Jane Siebert and held at the Cambridge church on April 25th. The team assembled there along with Samantha Johanson, web manager, the web site builder, and General 104 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Council clerk Karen Conger, worked out a plan for how to evolve the new denomination web site to handle the vision of increased content. Remain- ing within the current fundamental design that allows for a depth-tier of these levels (called parent-child-grandchild), it was agreed that the vision for SCER’s content plan could be handled. 4. Mini-Courses 2019. Through a lengthy process of collaboration with various potential course leaders and with Jane Siebert, Barb Halle, and Samantha Johanson (as the on-the-ground people at Valpo for details on space and tech support for the courses) and publicized through The Mes- senger in collaboration with Herb Ziegler. Respectfully Submitted, Rev. Dr. James Lawrence, Chair

YOUTH DIRECTOR

I am in my eighteenth year as your Youth Director. I work directly with youth ages 10 – 18 and actively contribute to the young adult, 18 – 30 year old Tran- sitions group. Our preteen program is called SPLATz (Super Powered Lovable Almost Teens). Our teen program is the SCYL (Swedenborgian Church Youth League). The youth are learning much about our church and are building an exciting, caring community. The youth and young adults are gaining insight, spiritual truths and valuable life lessons from talented ministers and mentors. Here are the highlights of year 2018: • January LaPorte Splatz Retreat – Theme: The 10 Plagues. 12 youth. • May Almont Splatz Retreat – Theme: Biblical Foods. 14 youth. • May Memorial Day Weekend SCYL Retreat – Theme: Biblical Friends. 17 teens. • Convention 2018 – San Jose, CA. Worship theme: Faith Choices. 16 teens. • July Almont Summer Camp – 7th – 9th grade class. Camp theme: Biblical Journeys. • August FNCA – Led youth work discussion group and visited with board after annual meeting. • October SCYL Cedar Hill Retreat – Theme: Spirit of Pop Culture. 17 teens. • October LaPorte Splatz Retreat – Theme: Heaven and Hell. 6 youth. • December Almont Winter SCYL Retreat – Theme: Swedenborg; Then and Now. 17 teens. Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 105

Similar to previous years, I close with words of gratitude and requests for participation. Thank you to all the youth for being an active part of our church community. Thank you to our amazing team of retreat leaders and ministers. I also thank all of you who generously give time and money to our church youth program and purchase merchandise sold by the youth. Without your support there would be no youth program. I look forward to another year of youth work and pray that my work is of use. I hope that you take the time to let me know how I am doing and how I can improve. Respectfully submitted, Kurt Fekete, Youth Director

YOUTH LEAGUE

Looking back on 2018, the SCYL group can recall many fun memories. To always begin the fun of the year, Memorial Day retreat at Almont. The best way to learn about biblical friends is with friends all around you. And as friends we spent our time enjoying the beautiful weather that weekend. The beautiful weather even followed us out all the way to San Jose for the 2018 Convention. Right away we wanted to plan a worship service that everyone could look back on and take something from. But the part the teens worked on that we all loved the best was a compilation of traditional Almont Summer Camp songs. Because Convention was also during the Fourth of July, we spent that day at a redwood forest and enjoyed the evening on top of a parking garage to watch the fi reworks. During the summer there are three camps, Almont, Fryeburg, and Paulhaven. I was only able to go to Almont, but there were 5 new teens added to the Survivor teen group. The Duxbury fall retreat was about the spirit of pop culture. We talked about music through the generations, and how we can fi nd words of wisdom in not only older songs, but songs of today. We can tie back everyday pop culture to the ideas of Swedenborg who lived way before our time. Finally our winter retreat, which took place at Almont, we learned about Swe- denborg: then and now, which showed us how his visions for the new church are coming true today. We learned about the rise of people being spiritual and reasons why churches are becoming smaller. Our outing was the traditional bowling and pizza, but right before that we had our closing session where we worshiped and had communion before we took off for our outing. At winter retreat there is an event for the teens who have grown up and are fi nally ready to join Transitions. They go through an exodus, and take a spiritual journey with the leaders and min- 106 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

isters who are at the retreat. While that happens, the teens who are not leaving yet prepare a gift for the exodus teens so they can remember their memories as a teen. This past year for the SCYL teens was a memorable one, and we all can’t wait for this next year to happen. Respectfully submitted, Lauren Doppke, President SCYL

COMMITTEE ON LIBRARY AND DOCUMENTS

In 2018 the Library and Documents Committee had a change in personnel in committee members. Ben Phinney resigned from the committee and was replaced by Polly Baxter. The committee is now comprised of Nancy Little, chair; Polly Baxter, Rev. Dr. James Lawrence (ex-offi cio), and Samantha Johanson (ex-offi cio). In February, Nancy visited the “cage” (storage space that Convention rents in the basement of the Swedenborg Chapel, Cambridge, MA) to inventory its contents. The inventory was shared with Samantha Johanson, manager of Central Offi ce. Linda Tafel inquired about documents and materials that belong to the New Church of Southwestern Florida. Linda was advised to keep their items because the society is technically still functioning. The document retention policy was shared with Linda to provide guidance on sorting the materials. In December, General Council, “proposed that a “mission” be formed to go to the Central Offi ce (CO) to cull etc. the documents so that we can reduce the costs, which are currently $3500 a year. Direction to the Committee on Library & Documents to formulate a plan to examine and determine the best disposition of all the data stored with Iron Mountain; response requested by 1 February 2019.” The committee will have a response and proposal to General Council by their June 2019 meeting. Respectfully submitted, Nancy Little, MSLIS, Chair

SWEDENBORGIAN ONLINE COMMUNITY CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Greetings beloved diverse community, This last year has been one of change for SwedenborgianCommunity.org! Pas- tor Cory Bradford-Watts has taken the helm of your aﬃ rming, online interfaith- Swedenborgian community from Rev. Wilma Wake, producing our Sunday morning sermon posts and live evening programs, as well as our Thursday broadcasts. Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 107

This last year these have included many reﬂ ections, interviews, discussions, and book clubs! Further, our ability to connect through social media has grown tremendously! And our Instagram account, which didn’t exist a year ago, now sits at over 2,000 followers :) These people run the gamut across the world and we look forward to continuing to create community with them and you in healthier and more robust ways. Instagram:

Facebook: 108 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Our podcast has added a camera this last year and so besides our broadcasts online, on iTunes and on Android, our presence on YouTube has started to grow as well! These videos have morphed and improved over time and now show the wonderful faces of our guests as well as the host, and they showcase Swedenbor- gian music, art, and thought in various ways. To help enable these new formats we’ve switched podcasting platforms, from BlogTalkRadio to Spreaker as well.

YouTube:

We are still sidled with our somewhat outdated website platform, FaithConnec- tor, but we’ve made many improvements to our home base, SwedenborgianCom- munity.org. Trimming our pages, menus, and distractions, we might draw analo- gies to pruning and honing a well-grown garden, one meant to uplift and support others wherever they’re at physically and spiritually. Further, site goers will ﬁ nd our broadcasts, multimedia sermons, free ebooks, and insight in many forms on our pages. Our community-leaders have also started to help foster loving connection in new ways, leading some of our Sunday and Thursday discussions! Although most of our participants catch things after-the-fact, those in our live conversations espe- Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 63 cially help to foster connection, illuminate our topics, and provide a whole other level of wisdom and kindness to our community. We are always open to new connections and feedback! So please, visit us and share your voice – we’re here for you. With love, peace and blessings! ~Your wider community at SwedenborgianCommunity.org Respectfully submitted, Swedenborgian Online Community

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY

The Committee on Inquiry has nothing to report for 2019.

BOARD OF MEDIATION

The Board of Mediation is comprised of members Kurt Fekete, Bet Giddings, Rev. Kit Billings, Rev. Kathy Speas and the Chair, Tom Neuenfeldt as the Vice President of Convention. The Board of Mediation did not meet during the past year. Respectfully submitted, Tom Neuenfeldt

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL CHURCH

Greetings! Having been born and raised in the Washington, D.C. church I ﬁ nd myself now having been privileged to be elected to the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the National Church, and then elected chair of same. In February of this year Chris Laitner resigned as chair of the BOT closing 30 plus years of dedicated and steadfast service. During her tenure she remained very involved with the National Church, visiting, speaking with restoration architects, and in general keeping the BOT in-line with its original mission. Chris did a wonderful job, and I will do my best to follow her example. The General Council have been excited to learn about the plans the dedicated members of the D.C. Church are developing under the leadership of Rev. Rich Tafel, including a spiritual entrepreneur center seeking “to become the capital’s ﬁ rst spiritual entrepreneur incubator hub . . . whose “vision is to create a space where spiritual leaders seeking to bring heaven to earth through transforming or- 64 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

ganizations will be able to obtain oﬃ ce space, mentoring, coaching and investment.” Stay tuned for more in the coming months and years! Blessings! Respectfully submitted, Karen Conger

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE WAYFARERS CHAPEL

“Pause for a moment, Wayfarer, on Life’s Journey. Let the beauty of holiness restore your soul. May the harmony of sky, water, leaf and rock nourish the creation and growth of your inner being as you fare through this life and on into the life beyond.” The Wayfarers Chapel continues to provide sacred space for the wayfarer and those who come for a wide variety of worship experiences. Our ministry is a strong presence in the community and witness to God’s work in our world. The Chapel welcomes close to 500,000 visitors every year. Last year, the Board of Directors met 2 times in person in CA (February and September) to review and direct the ministry and Leadership of the Chapel. In addition to the meetings, monthly board conference calls were held on the 3rd Thursday of each month. Total revenue for 2018 was $2,122,494, which includes $1,765,740 in wedding income. 2018 services included: New Year’s Renewal (119 attendees), Palm Sunday Pageant (125), Holy Thursday Communion Service (27), Easter Sunrise Service (189), three Easter Services (344), Blessing of the Animals in July (74), Marriage Renewal Service in June (30 couples), Carols and Candles (20), and Christmas Eve Celebrations (470), Wednesday Noon Prayer Service (207). A Sunday or Spe- cial worship service was conducted every Sunday of the year with a total 4,678 wayfarers attending. In 2018 we celebrated 535 weddings, 113 baptisms, and 29 memorial services. We held 11 Marriage Workshops with 41 couples participating. We also oﬀ er a variety of classes and workshops including Swedenborg 101 theology course, Being of Use, Experiential Spiritual Practices, Pranic Healing, Gentle Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga. All classes and workshops were very successful. Wayfarers Chapel continues to collaborate with The Garden Church in San Pedro through our, “To Be of Use” that provides the evening meal every third Sunday of the month throughout the year. Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 65

The Visitors Center saw some renovations in 2018, making room for offi ces within the pre-existing space. The visitor center is surrounded by beautiful gardens, including a serenity garden located behind the building where we host our weekly coff ee hour after Sunday Service and is now equipped with a gas fi re pit for cool evening gatherings. The Chapel Restoration Committee continues to meet regularly and is looking to the fall of 2021 to begin this work. Ted Bosley, former Board Member and Ex- ecutive Director of the Gamble House in Pasadena is now working in the capacity as Fundraiser for the Chapel Restoration eff orts. The continued success of the Chapel is due in large part to the energy, commitment and dedication of our Staff , Leadership Team and Board of Directors. For this we are very thankful. A heartfelt thank you is extended to all the donors past and present who continue to contribute to the ongoing work and ministry of the Wayfarers Chapel. Through these donations and gifts we are better able to support our ministry outreach, sacred Chapel and beautiful grounds for generations to enjoy. Continuing our tradition to give back to the denomination, the Chapel donated $5,000 to Convention.

The leadership team and board are comprised as follows: Leadership Team Rev. Dan Burchett, Director of Finance & Administration 2018 Rev. Dave Brown, Director of Ministry Board of Directors Rev. Jane Siebert, President of Convention (Pretty Prairie, KS) Steve Mason, Board Chair (Seattle, WA) Peter Gottschalk, Chapel Restoration Committee (San Rafael, CA) Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell, PCA member (Redondo Beach, CA) Amy (Neuenfeldt) Little, Secretary (Mt. Pleasant, MI) Ted Bosley, Fundraising Committee (Burbank, CA) Todd Board, Fundraising Committee (Sonoma, CA) Katharine Carr, board member (Torrance, CA) John Booth, board member (Palos Verdes, CA) Respectfully submitted, Amy Little, Secretary Rev. Dan Burchett, Director of Finance and Administration Rev. David Brown, Director of Ministry Steve Mason, Board Chair 66 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

STRUCTURE REVIEW COMMITTEE

With the structural amendments approved at last year’s Annual Convention (2018), no further requests were made of the committee. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Lisa Solwold, Chair

COMMITTEE ON AMENDMENTS

No matters have been referred to the Committee since last report. Respectfully submitted, George F. Dole, Chm., and Rev. Kevin Baxter

INVESTMENT COMMITTEE

At the end of both October 2018 and April 2019, the Investment Committee met at Central Offi ce in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Our investment advisors from Marquette Associates joined the meetings to provide updates regarding the overall economic market and reports on the performance of the Common Fund portfolio. The Investment Committee and Marquette Associates are pleased with the performance of the Common Fund as compared to investment portfolios in its peer group. The Common Fund consistently falls within the top third of total investment return performance as compared to a policy index comprised other non-profi t endowment funds. As of March 31, 2019, the Common Fund earned 4.5% over the past year and 8.4% per year on average over the past three years. These returns are net of the quarterly payouts returned in the form of cash to each participant. During its meetings, the Investment Committee considers possible fund managers, investments, and portfolio allocations while maintaining the established portfolio allocation. The portfolio allocation is a strategically key component in how the Investment Committee manages the risk of the portfolio while aiming for the necessary investment returns and cash fl ows to meet the required quarterly payouts issued to all of the Common Fund participants. Over the past couple of years, the Investment Committee has strategically moved away from closed-end private real estate investments towards open-end private real estate investments. Closed-end investments require at least a seven to ten-year investing window prior to exiting the investment. Open-end investments typically allow for contributions and redemptions on a quarterly or annual basis. Reports of Offi cers & Committees 67

The Common Fund payout rate is a major variable for the budgeting of Gener- al Convention and most of the other Common Fund participants, namely Associa- tions, Societies, and the Center for Swedenborgian Studies. Thus, the Investment Committee devotes a signiﬁ cant amount of meeting time with engaged in a vigor- ous discussion on this topic. The healthy tension is between meeting the needs of today in the form of quarterly distributions and cultivating asset value growth for the needs of the future. The Investment Committee voted to increase the per unit payout rate with a consideration of both the recent growth in the asset value of the Common Fund and the amount of inﬂ ation in the current U.S. economy. The per unit payout was increased by 2.5% from $1.20 per year ($0.30 per quarter) in 2018 to $1.23 per year ($0.3075 per quarter) in 2019. Respectfully submitted, Jennifer Lindsay, Chair

RETIREMENT COMMITTEE

The President, Rich Tafel, called the 2018 meeting to order at 3 PM on Decem- ber 7, 2018. The Committee reviewed 2018 accomplishments. The Committee reviewed the 2019 proposed budget and the 2018 actual to budget. The following items were noted: Life insurance expense was below budget for 2018 so far through September 2018. Life insurance expense for 2019 was budgeted lower than prior years and lower than currently trending. Discussed increasing this amount for 2019. The Committee reviewed supplemental pensions. Based on the unusual situation where the committee saw a surplus, it discussed the following: • Making a cost of living adjustment (COLA) for two retirees. • Evaluated making a COLA to a need’s based retiree.

The following budget changes were proposed noting a total increase of $3,260 for three retirees based on the small surplus. It was thought this could help people in ﬁ nancial need who had served the church. John McIntosh made a motion for a vote. Meredith Piotti seconded the motions. All members voted and unanimously approved the budget increases. The Committee discussed the future meetings and determined to add the following items as a 2019 Agenda discussion item: • Ongoing purpose of the committee • The net income surplus 68 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

• Process for including ministers without a parish (This will also be a goal to speak to the counsel of minister regarding in 2019)

It was determined that next year’s meeting would be held on October 23, 2018 at 2 PM. The meeting concluded at 3:50PM. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Rich Tafel, Chairman Committee Members: John McIntosh and Meredith Conant Piotti

CENTRAL OFFICE REVIEW COMMITTEE

The Central Offi ce Review Committee is chaired by the Vice President of the Denomination. The primary task this year was renewing the Central Offi ce lease with the Cambridge Society. A revised lease was created that extends to March 31, 2022. The Cambridge Society is currently visioning a project to redesign the annex. This redesign is being discussed by the Swedenborg Chapel Advisory Team. The team has had monthly meetings to discuss the design and use of the annex. Because Central Offi ce is housed in the annex, I have been invited to be a member of the Advisory Team. I will not use this report to discuss these plans, but appreciate being able to be a part of the visioning process. Central Offi ce continues to operate under the excellent leadership of Opera- tions and Web Manager Samantha Johanson and Accounting Manager Gina Per- acchi. They are the day to day voice and face of the Denomination. In a word, they are invaluable. Respectfully submitted, Tom Neuenfeldt, Chair

DELEGATES TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES

Overview Rev. Richard L. Tafel pastor of Church of the Holy City in Washington DC, continued to serve as proxy for our President Jane Siebert at the National Council of Churches governing board over this past year. In this role, Rev. Tafel attends two governing board meetings each year. One in College Park, MD on Octo- ber 14-17, 2018, while the spring meeting was April 8-9, 2019 in Pentagon City VA. The governing board itself has developed real trust over the years and we’ve Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 69 developed many friends for the Swedenborgian Church at the highest levels of Christian denominations. In addition, Rev. Tafel has been chosen to serve a fourth year as the Co-Chair of the Christian-Muslim Dialogue that takes place each year. Rev. Tafel was personally present for all meetings.

An Outsized Role Despite our small size as a denomination, we play a trusted leadership role within the NCC. Rev. Tafel now serves on the Bylaws committee and Rev. Dr. Fekete attends the Faith and Order Table meetings at each year’s Christian Unity Gathering. Our role in leading the Christian Muslim dialogue allows for a unique way to share our profoundly ecumenical theology that all faiths paths are good. Christian Muslim dialogue took place February 12, 2019 at the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center, Falls Church, VA. The fact that Governing Board and Muslim Christian Dialogues have been taking place in the DC region has saved our budget considerable lodging and travel costs. Highlights of the NCC Governing Board Meetings:

Fiscal Challenges As the member churches decline in membership their national budgets follow the same path. Churches are reducing their payments based on membership. The Swedenborgian Church pays the lowest fee at $2500 each year. We are also granted special permission to participate because our size is below the minimum.

New Bible The NCC controls the copyright for the RSV and NRSV of the Bible. Proceeds from sales make up a large chunk of the income. Over the past three years we have decided to invest in our own publishing house and in our own update of the NRSV with world class scholars for the release of a new Bible. We could see a new Bible in three years if all goes well. This issue has critical impact on the well-being of the NCC, so much time has been dedicated to it.

ACT Against Racism The number one focus for the NCC is to end racism in America with a focus on her churches. To that end, numerous trainings and written material are being developed. All of this was kicked oﬀ at the 2018 launch event on the Washington Mall with NCC President and General Secretary Jim Winkler leading the event 70 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

called the A.C.T. to End Racism Rally, on April 4, 2018, marking 50 years since the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kavanaugh Hearing Issue NCC is an outspoken policy advocate. Most often these positions taken by NCC are not controversial. However, the NCC’s press release asking Brent Kava- naugh to withdraw from his nomination to the Supreme Court kicked up quite a controversy. In fact, a few churches actually put out their own release in opposition to the NCC statement. This last fall, we had a long discussion in the government board meeting about this. Many churches liked the position and encouraged more, calling opposition to the president as prophetic. Others worried the NCC risked becoming perceived to be an arm of the progressive wing of American politics. Because many of the Orthodox and mainline churches have mixed membership, they cautioned the ED and the Chair to be more careful when engaging in these issues. After a long and respectful discussion, a new communication strategy was agreed to on key issues. For our part, I shared that I felt many in our denomination would likely agree with the statement, but for me personally I was becoming increasingly uncomfortable being associated with some of the NCC positions such as that one. I cautioned against churches being caught up in the polarization and aligned to either political party.

Palestine-Israel Issue The NCC has long been an ally of the Palestinian struggle and Christians in the occupied region. I gained much insights visiting Palestinian towns in 2017. For example, the Presbyterian Church boycotting businesses engaged in building in the occupied areas has created greater tension between Israel and the NCC. This is a tough issue. It’s rare for members or ministers to send me their concerns but I did receive this one and I spoke at length with Jim Winkler about this concern and responded to the minister who asked. I felt our discussion helped me respond to this question from one of our ministers concerned about our support for NCC: “I had a concern about the organization’s position on Israel and had read a piece from their website a couple years ago that appeared to take a strong stance against Israel and in favor of Palestine. I have to confess; I don’t know a great deal about this organization and the page I’d read and saved 2 years ago was unfortunately part of a hard-drive purge just a few months ago so I can’t refer to it with clear knowledge. I have also searched their website to ﬁ nd it again though Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 71 cannot. I may well have mis-read the document or misunderstood their underlying mission.” I encourage members or ministers to reach out to ask me questions about the NCC and I’m happy to share a report at convention this summer. Despite have a hectic schedule myself, I continue to see this as a good use of my time to participate on behalf of our church. Respectfully Submitted, Rev. Richard L. Tafel, Denominational Representative to the NCC Governing Board

SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

We begin our report by thanking Rev. Nadine Cotton and Lois Krebs for their hard work in reactivating the Social Concerns Committee in 2013, and for representing the Swedenborgian Church in the Cleveland area in a variety of contexts: homelessness, hunger, human traﬃ cking, and environmentalism. (Following the resignations of Nadine and Lois, the committee was newly staﬀ ed at the 2018 Convention in San Jose, CA.) We also thank Rev. Dr. David Fekete and Rev. Rich Tafel for their excellent work with the National Council of Churches (NCC) on climate change, interreligious relations, and economic justice. As an ad-hoc committee of General Council, the SJC will also be working closely with the Standing Committee for Religious Education (SCER), representatives to the NCC, and the Council of Ministers (COM). This year the committee has been in conversation with manifold-angels, the anti-discrimination project out of CSS. As we move forward, the SJC will engage issues, not partisan politics. We will be working to facilitate a more vibrant connection between the church and the world; between our compelling teachings on spiritual life and our obligation to the larger neighbor. We hope to bring a prophetic perspective to the many issues which confront us as individuals and as members of the larger community. We are currently in the process of revising our mission statement to strengthen and clarify our role within the church. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Robert McCluskey, Chair 72 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

TRUSTEES OF THE BUILDING FUND

The Building Fund Committee meets by conference call as needed, usually a few times during the year. We consider requests from churches and camps for loans for building repairs, improvements, and purchases. We no longer fund ministers’ housing. Members: Rev. Paul Martin, Rev. Sage Cole, Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man Ex-Oﬃ cio: Rev. Jane Siebert (President) and Jennifer Lindsay (Treasurer) Respectfully submitted, Rev. Paul Martin, Chair

TRUSTEES OF THE TAFEL FUND

The Tafel Fund was established in 2012 as a restricted fund to honor past and present Tafel ministers by raising new funds to support work within the Swe- denborgian Church. Trustees representing donations to the fund (one vote per $25,000 donation) are Rev. Dick Tafel, Linda Tafel, and Rev. Rich Tafel. Three additional trustees appointed by General Council are Karen Conger, Lon Elmer, and Jennifer Lindsay. In April 2019 the trustees met by conference call and approved a grant of $1400 for travel expenses for youth to attend the International Youth Camp in England this summer. This is in addition to a previous grant of $1000 for the Youth Camp approved at a meeting during Convention week in San José, California. During the April conference call the trustees also approved funding for a cof- fee break ($300) and assistance with child care ($500) at this year’s convention in Valparaiso, Indiana. For more information about the fund or to participate, please contact Rev. Dick Tafel at (239) 560-6785 or [email protected]. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dick Tafel

AUXILIARY AND RELATED BODIES

CENTER FOR SWEDENBORGIAN STUDIES (FORMERLY SWEDENBORGIAN HOUSE OF STUDIES)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 73

We have been working with sixteen students in various paths this semester, though this list does not include Swedenborgian-interested students taking multiple classes with us. They are: Berkeley: • Colin Amato (M.T.S. Pacifi c School of Religion; has shifted from the MDiv and is graduating with an MTS this month and will receive the Certifi cate of Swedenborgian Studies. He is no longer on the ordination path, but plans to remain connected to the Sweden- borgian) • Jeff rey Adams (M.A. Graduate Theological Union; fourth-semester student in the New Religious Movements whose major project excavates Swedenborg’s infl uence on the major Fourth Way fi gure, Maurice Nicoll) • Jamie Karl (M.Div. Starr King School or the Ministry, fi rst-year student) • Tassy Farwell (Licensed Pastor candidate at Hillside completing on her fi rst module and expected to be consecrated into active status at convention) Florida: • Carolyn Salyer (Licensed Pastor applicant, Chrysalis Center, Deland) Los Angeles: • Rev. David Brown (Third-year D.Min. student at PSR; director of ministry at Wayfarers Chapel; late in dissertation phase and expected to defend next fall) • Rev. Dan Burchett (Induction candidate working at Wayfarers Cha- pel completing his studies and expected to be ordained into Conven- tion’s ministry at convention) Mid-Atlantic: • Nancy Piorkowski (third-year M.Div. student at Lancaster Theo- logical Seminary (Lancaster, PA); longtime member of Wilmington, DE church and interested in chaplaincy; expected to be ordained at convention) • Christine Campbell (Licensed Pastor with the Temenos Society; completed her second required module this winter and entered the semi-permanent continuing education cycle) • Ros Taylor (MDiv Equiv. candidate, Bryn Athyn and Australia) Seattle: • Helen Barler (Licensed Pastor with the Puget Sound Society, in the 74 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

semi-permanent continuing education cycle; took a Gospel of John distance course from Rev. Dr. David Fekete this year; will be receiving a Certiﬁ cate of Swedenborgian Studies this summer) St. Louis: • Paul Deming (Licensed Pastor with the St. Louis Society, in the semi- permanent continuing education cycle; has taken both George Dole community education courses this year) Chicago: • Karen Feil (Licensed Pastor with the Chicago Society in the semi-permanent continuing education cycle; took the fall George Dole community education course) Silver City: • Linda Browning Callander (Licensed Pastor with the New Church of the Southwest Desert; in the semi-permanent continuing education cycle; took both George Dole continuing education courses this year) New England: • Lorraine Kardash (Licensed Pastor candidate with the Portland Swe- denborgian Church and working on completing her second module) • Kelly Milne (Licensed Pastor, ﬁ rst module, with Bridgewater church)

2019 INTENSIVE AT TEMENOS The January Intensive was held this year at Temenos with twenty people (students, CAM, denom VP, and area clergy) engaging a syllabus entitled, “Swe- denborgian Spirituality through Practices.” Sessions were led by CSS dean Jim Lawrence, Rev. Susannah Currie, Rev. Julie Conaron, Temenos pastor Christine Campbell, Rev. Shada Sullivan, and New Church Life editor, Bruce Henderson, focusing on the essence of Swedenborgian spirituality in practices as it has been shaped in church histories, personal inner work practices, shaping covenants for congregational life, developing spiritual messages for ministry (sermon prep!), ways to shape musical experiences for spiritual community, pastoral care in hospital and hospice situations, and the power of small group work in facilitating spiritual growth.

FACULTY WORK IN THE PRESENT TENSE Devin Zuber: (Associate Professor in Art and Religion and in Swedenbor- gian Studies): 1. Recent service to the Swedenborgian church and larger Swedenborgian Community: Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 75

• Attended the PCA spring retreat at St. Dorothy’s Rest, and off ered the workshop “Taking a Nap with Swedenborg” • Helped plan the annual Convention in San Jose and co-organize the outing to the Redwoods on July 4th • Gave a mini-course at Convention about the 2018 Sweden Immersion Trip • As part of my fi eld-ed at the San Francisco Swedenborgian Church, thru the end of June gave semi-weekly class on the Psalms, plus an “afternoon with William Keith” seminar • Gave tours at SF Swedenborgian to diff erent groups of professionals / academics, including the Gustav Stickley Society (July) and the National Trust (May) • Continue to preach intermittently @ SF Swedenborgian, 4 sermons scheduled thru June 2019 • Guest preacher for the Swedenborgian Community Online in Sep- tember • Featured interviewee on Curtis Childs’ “Off the Left Eye” videocast on 09/17 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ20NPJk2_Q) 2. Professional activities since the last board meeting: • Co-wrote successful grant application for funding from the Peder Sather Center @ UC Berkeley for conference on “ritual, religion, and the other-than-human” in Fall 2019 (ca. $ 17 K). Conference will be co-organized by GTU (me), Charles Hirschkind in Anthropology @ UCB, and Jone Salomonsen (University of Oslo, Theology) • Wrote article “Coff ee and Religion: On Mystics, Goats, and Moder- nity” for *Merrimack Valley Magazine* (forthcoming) • Wrote chapter contribution “An Apocalypse of Mind: Cracking the Jerusalem Code in Emanuel Swedenborg’s Theosophy” for *Tracing the Jerusalem Code: Christian Cultures in Scandinavia* Oslo: Uni- versity of Oslo Press (forthcoming) • Wrote chapter contribution “Can Beauty (still) Save the Planet? Eco- Aesthetics for the Anthropocene” for exhibition catalogue *Gestures to the Divine: Works by Hagit Cohen*. Berkeley: Center for the Arts and Religion. • Five recent or forthcoming invited academic talks / conference pre- sentations, including: 1) “Greening the Jerusalem Code in America: Emanuel Swedenborg and Urban Environmental Imaginaries” (Uni- versity of Oslo, December); 2) “Talking with the Trees: on John 76 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Muir’s Nature Spirituality” (UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, Novem- ber); 3) ”Between Life and Death: on Peter Hujar and Susan Son- tag” (Berkeley Art Museum and Paciﬁ c Film Archive, November), 4) “Climate Change, Public Space, and Planetary Imaginaries” (Univer- sity of San Francisco / Global Action Climate Summit, September), 5) “Emerson, Swedenborg, and the Postsecular” (University of Hei- delberg, July)

I have three bigger publication projects in the pipeline: 1) the monograph with UVA has received its external reader reports, and the green light has been given for moving towards galley stage / fi nal edits — *A Language of Things* should be in print by November 2019, 2) my smaller monograph with interview on Mari- na Abramovic, the performance artist, has been moved to Thames and Hudson, in partnership with the Swedenborg Society, and should *fi nally* appear in Spring 2019, poss. with a book launch at the Society in London, 3) I completed a full book proposal, “Foundations for Grand Things: Swedenborg and the Spiritual in Art” that is under consideration at the Swedenborg Foundation—this will be the collected and edited volume for selected contributions to last year’s “Swedenborg and the Arts” conference (including chapters by Rebecca and Jim). At the GTU, I remain involved in building the “Sustainability 360” Initiative that I co-lead with Rita Sherma. I am keeping my eye on applying for a sabbatical leave in 2020-2021, and have a tentative invite to apply for a Fulbright chair in American Studies at the University of Heidelberg (fall 2020). I am declining all summer 2019 talks / conferencing, however, in the hope of completing a ten-week CPE at UCSF hospital, May-early August, which is my last remaining ordination requirement with CAM (besides a STEP this October at Camp Mennoscah). -DPZ Rebecca Esterson (Assistant Professor in Sacred Texts and Traditions and the Dorothea Harvey Professor of Swedenborgian Studies): Recent and upcoming activities for the Swedenborgian Church include: • Attended the spring PCA retreat at which I led a session on “Beading with the Bible.” • Served on the planning committee for the 2018 annual Convention in San Jose. • Gave a mini course at Convention on “Jerusalem: Old and New.” • Networked and met with prospective CSS students in Bryn Athyn. • Gave/will give the Sunday message at church once a year at the San Francisco Swedenborgian Church (the next will be February 24) and 2-3 times a year at Hillside (the next will be October 21). Reports of Offi cers & Committees 77

• Will present at the upcoming PCA gathering in San Francisco on the topic “Interfaith Encounter as Religious Pilgrimage.”

This summer I had two articles accepted for journal publication: • “Allegory and Religious Pluralism: Biblical Interpretation in the Eighteenth Century,” Journal of the Bible and Its Reception. • “What Do the Angels Say? Alterity and the Ascents of Emanuel Swe- denborg and Baal Shem Tov,” Open Theology.

In July I attended the ﬁ rst of three workshops in the Early Career Theological School Faculty series with the Wabash Center. I will return for sessions in January and June, 2019. I was nominated for and accepted to a workshop for early career faculty on the topic of interreligious pedagogies sponsored by the Luce project on interreligious education. This will take place at the annual American Academy of Religion meeting in Denver this fall. While there, I will attend the full AAR-SBL conference to network and represent our school. Other future activities include planning for an educational tour of Israel in 2020, and serving on two faculty search committees at the GTU (Center for Jew- ish Studies and Jesuit School of Theology). -RKE Jim Lawrence (Dean): Teaching. This year I taught “Introduction to Swedenborgian Thought,” co- taught with several the winter intensive at Temenos, “Swedenborgian Spirituality in Practice(s),” the beginning Doctor of Ministry seminar for the entering 2019 group in January, and “Western Esoteric Traditions” (that includes Swedenborg) with a co-instructor and eight students (including three closely associated with CSS). Additionally, worked with eight students in directed studies courses. Scholarship. • I continue to anchor the GTU concentration New Religious Movements for M.A. and Ph.D. students and continue as core faculty for the Chris- tian Spirituality concentration. I have eight current Ph.D. students and two M.A. students directly under my advisement. I have ten advisees at PSR, two of whom are Swedenborgians. • This spring I published “The Swedenborgian Church of North America” on the World Religions and Spirituality Project (WRSP), which is the pre- mier web site for the study of alternative religions, established in 2010 at Virginia Commonwealth University by David Bromley, a foremost 78 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

scholar in New Religious Movements in America. Proﬁ les are prepared by scholars of record for the groups. You can read it here: https://wrldrels.org/ • My article “A World Apart: The American Anti-Slavery Issue” has gone through its last edits for an upcoming volume, The Moment Is Now: Carl Bernhard Wadström’s Voice on Human Rights and the Abolition of Slav- ery, ed. Anders Hallengren, forthcoming by the Swedenborg Foundation. Interest has been expressed at the National Council of Churches in this work to support their new initiative ACT Now initiative (ACT = Awaken. Confront. Transform) is in part a call to truth-telling about denominational histories of complicity and complacency related to white supremacy and racial injustice. • My essay “The Spiritual Arc in William Keith’s Later Art” will appear in a proceedings volume edited by Devin Zuber that will be published by the Swedenborg Foundation. • I continue to be acquisitions editor in chief for two blog series on the Swedenborg Foundation web site: “Scholars on Swedenborg” and “Spiri- tuality in Practice.” This commitment has given me the chance to develop many new relationships, as well as to utilize CSS faculty, students, and board members in good public relations publishing. • My essay, “Revelation Unveiled: The Axial Volume of the New Christi- anity” as the introductory article to the new translation of Swedenborg’s commentary on the Apocalypse, is nearing completion and has had portions shared with the editing team ﬁ nally.

George Dole: George has taught two community education courses again this year, the fi rst of which was “The Universe and I” working out of his new book by the same name that explores science and religion questions with a view to how they can be of use in meaning and purpose conversations in ministry. The spring course, “Spiritual Meta-Translation” explored basic principles of our theology by fi rst looking at some familiar life situations and then seeing how each practitioner can understand—or translate—them in the light of our theology. Both courses fi lled up. His large manuscript of several years’ work, The High Cost of Vi- sion, continues. It explores new insights that speak to Swedenborg’s inner journey while working on his massive 9-volume preparatory “practice session” for Arcana Coelestia that he never published but which was published posthumously in the twentieth century as The Word Explained, trans. and ed. by Alfred Acton. Reports of Offi cers & Committees 79

FUTURE CENTER SPACE The year has gone well with our deal with PSR to have all of our spaces (faculty, administration, and library) for 14k/yr in exchange for my service on the PSR faculty directing the DMin program. PSR wants to continue with it. This arrangement can be maintained for the near-term future, but we must continue looking for a new long-term solution.

DEAN’S OUTREACH My service outside the school occurs largely through: being in charge of schol- arly and serious publishing at the Swedenborg Foundation and overseeing the two blogs that run on the home page; serving on the worship leadership team at Hillside and also as recording secretary on the board; preaching at the PCA annual meeting, at the San Francisco church, and at a UCC church in San Jose; serving as chair for the denom’s Standing Committee for Education and Resources for Spiri- tual Community; planning and recruiting for the mini-courses at the upcoming convention in Indiana; serving on the Placement Committee for the denomination.

STAFF Administrative Assistant: We have survived this year using a graduate school student averaging less than four hours per week. The faculty has been working on hiring a new 15 hr/wk administrative assistant with an expectation of an August hire. Financial Manager: Alan Thomsen continues to manage our fi nancial transactions and business with a steady hand. He was a huge help assisting me in administrating the annual appeal. He also always plays a vital role in maintaining a good relationship with the GTU business offi ce, and is always valuable in thinking through policy issues. Librarian: Michael Yockey keeps proceeding with cataloging new incoming items as well as fi nding time to catalog pieces in the rare collection that have never been properly catalogued. He also troubleshoots technical issues that arise with the online database. He is very helpful assisting a steady trickle of outside researchers on various projects.

Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence, Dean

FINANCIALS At the time of publication of The 2018 Journal the reviewed 2018 year-end 80 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

ﬁ nancials for CSS were not yet available. We anticipate that the reviewed ﬁ nancials will be available sometime in December 2018. Please reach out to the Treasurer or Accounting Manager of General Convention with any questions or requests for additional information.

SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES

My offi cers and I began the Fall of 2018 with enthusiasm looking toward a one of a kind goal of facilitating the education and basic training in “Meditation and Mindfulness for Children,” developed by Sarah Wood Vallely. At last Summer’s Convention 2018 in San Jose, during the Annual Meeting of the Swedenborgian Church Children’s Ministry (SCCM), upon the recommendation of our prior SCCM President, we agreed that it was high time for our focus within the children’s ministry of our church to branch out beyond our worthy goal of teaching Swedenborgian religious education (often focused in the literal and inner meaning of Bible stories and verses). We decided that it was time to follow in the mystical footsteps of Emanuel Swedenborg, who taught himself how to meditate since his childhood. It was brought out during our Annual Meeting in San Jose that doing such education and training in children’s mindfulness and meditation would be following current trends in public school education. I am very sad to say that I over-committed myself this past year with two jobs, as well as volunteering for several other time-consuming roles in our church. I was not able to follow up on this important goal we set forth, both as to doing the training myself and in terms of following up with the other six trainees who stated they were taking the course also. At the time of writing this report, I am compiling information on the experiences and eff ects of this education and training, and will present a written, verbal report during our SCCM Annual Meeting during our convention at Valparaiso University. I will step down as President of SCCM and hand over the reins to someone who possesses the time and energy to lead us forward into 2019-2020. On the upside of this report, however, I do have one other item to share, which is that last month I received a wonderful email from my friend and colleague, the Rev. Lee Woofenden, proposing to do a PDF reprint of the Sunday School Activity Books for the Dole Bible Study Notes, originally produced by Lee’s parents, Louise and Rev. Bill Woofenden, and Betty Hill as a four volume set. Lee’s concept is to produce this reprint using Kindle Desktop Publishing (KDP), Reports of Offi cers & Committees 81 using the account already in use by our Central Offi ce, which would include a new Editor’s Preface and front matter. The fi nished books will be 8.5” x 11”, matching the originals. Each volume will run between 134 and 160 pages, including four pages of added front matter (new title page, copyright page, editor’s preface to the current edition, blank verso page). Lee would be able to sell each volume for $9.95 on Amazon, and copies of each PDF volume would become available on our denomination’s website under the guidance of our Standing Committee for Educational and Spiritual Resources. Lee hopes that we could get the books in print and online in PDF format by Fall 2019. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Kit B. Billings, President, SCCM

TRUSTEES OF THE GRAY LEGACY

Any Convention-recognized organization can request fi nancial aid from the Gray Fund. Typically the grants do not exceed $3,000, and are limited to single- year requests. Copies of the request should be mailed to each of the Trustees and accompanied by a detailed description of the proposed programs for which the requested funds will be utilized. In addition, the Trustees require that the requesting organization submit proof of fi nancial need. A monthly balance sheetor project budget will generally suffi ce. We request this background information because proper stewardship of a will trust such as the Gray legacy should not be used by organizations as a “reserve fund” to be tapped in order to protect current assets. The following is a list of grants for the year 2017-2018. These grants were made under the Trustees’ interpretation of the will of Wesley N. Gray to fulfi ll programs and forms of ministry in Massachusetts, the United States, and the world.

Grants 2017-2018 Swedenborgian Community Online $1,200 The Garden Church $3,000 Hillside Community Church $3,000 Fryeburg New Church Assembly $1,744 Respectfully submitted, Rebecca K. Esterson, Secretary/Treasurer Reports of Oﬃ cers & Committees 109 Delegates Number of Number Total Inactive Members Active Retired Retired Active Ordained Ministers C S C Inactive Churches 4 0 4 0 73 53 126 9 Active THE SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH STATISTICS — AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2018 Association c Coast Association c Coast 6 1 17 3 226 152 378 24 Eastern Canada ConferenceAssociationIllinois AssociationKansas 2AssociationMaine Massachusetts New Church Union 5 0 2 3 0 2 0 0 1 1 1 4 25 0 1 3 59 0 71 124 56 25 0 117 115 4 71 241 7 14 9 Michigan AssociationMichigan AssociationAtlantic Middle Association York New AssociationOhio 3Paciﬁ 2AssociationSoutheast 2 Canada ConferenceWestern 0At Large 2Unknown 3 2SCYL 2 0 6Totals 3 0 2 1 0 0 0 n/a 6 1 n/a 0 0 69 n/a 63 n/a n/a 36 0 1 31 1 17 n/a n/a 13 14 5 46 30 13 6 86 n/a 1 76 0 47 10 24 13 37 5 0 8 8 0 10 56 54 26 n/a 5 6 841 0 6 5 3 6 461 0 0 1297 2 6 n/a 106 2 110 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

R A C

EASTERN CANADA CONFERENCE

Our mandate is to maintain and encourage the establishment of congregations and other groups within Eastern Canada that adhere to the Holy Scripture and to the doctrines of Emmanuel Swedenborg, to promote the theology of the church, and encourage outreach to members at large. We have two congregations / groups were members of the ECC this past year: The Church of the Good Shepherd (a charter member) is located in Kitchener Ontario, and Revelation of the Spirit (who joined us in 2012) is located in Cambridge Ontario. In 2018 we were able to support our spiritual community in a number of ways. We provided a grant/loan to the Good Shepherd to upgrade their sanctuary lighting to a concert-grade level, enabling “Shepherd’s Stage” to become a reality. We off ered fi nancial assistance to our members for travel costs to attend general convention and retreats. We promoted Swedenborg and his teachings by fi nancially supporting the Good Shepherd’s internet presence. Finally, we supported the Rev- elation of the Spirit, fi nancing their seminar marketing materials. In 2019, we are continuing with these and other worthy projects. On a sad note, we must report that the Revelation of the Spirit recently notifi ed us of their intention of dissolve, later in 2019. Blessings to Rev. Catherine Lauber and the rest of her team; we wish them all the best in the future, as they chart new paths. Respectfully submitted, John McIntosh, President

REVELATION OF THE SPIRIT

Cambridge, Ontario

2018 was a challenging year for Revelation of the Spirit. We started the year off strong, meeting our targets and heading forward as planned. The centre reached break even at the beginning of 2018 and we had 3 psychotherapists off ering psychotherapy and spiritual counselling services to the Cambridge, Ontario and surrounding area. Our spiritual growth program was being marketed into diff erent segments and we had secured a contract to off er the program for the employees of a local Honda dealership. We were successful in our plan for start-up and were moving into a stage of maintaining what we had created. This successful trajectory would have continued if not for a series of events beyond our control. Reports of Associations & Churches 111

In November 2017 we were notifi ed that the building where we were renting space had been put up for sale. In today’s tight real estate market, we were unable to fi nd a suitable space at similar cost. In that same time frame our President faced a serious health crisis, and our two other therapists moved out of the Province due to a family emergency. The board and membership were now faced with the prospect of essentially starting over. At a special meeting in March, 2019 the board and membership of Revelation of the Spirit had to make the diffi cult decision to not continue even though the venture had proven itself to be a sustainable business model to carry forward the vision: “to share spiritual wisdom and tools for spiritual growth and healing, by providing a variety of programs and services to the general public; to develop and off er courses and workshops which allow individuals to explore the meaning and personal message of spiritual resources, including the Bible and other holy scriptures, the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, and other spiritual philosophies from around the world; to provide counselling services which acknowledge the fullness of the mind-body-spirit connection.” At that meeting a motion was made, and unanimously carried, to dissolve Rev- elation of the Spirit. The members of the board and the membership wish to convey our deep gratitude to the General Convention for the support of this ministry. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Catherine Lauber, Pamela Kesselring, President, Joy Lang, Secretary

CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Kitchener, Ontario

Looking Back to Where We Were In the fall of 2014, the Regeneration and Renewal Journey Committee was formed, and over the course of a year gathered the members’ thinking about who we are and what we wanted as a Swedenborgian community. The committee also came up with a number of recommendations; the third recommendation being “As a community we want real change in how we do things.” At that time, a strong desire was expressed for members to “take ownership for the functioning of the church” and to “take more control of their destiny”. I feel that this past year we strongly acted on this desire. Not only did real change happen in how we do things; real change has occurred in what we are doing. 112 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Refl ecting on the Past Year Over the past year, the Board met at least once a month, and sometimes twice, to ensure that we were able to keep on top of all this change that was happening around us. Since last year’s Annual Meeting: • The Search Committee met regularly, to establish a search process, as well as a hiring process, that met with the approval of Convention’s Placement Committee. • Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts was interviewed, he came to COGS with his partner Alyssa to candidate, and then was hired as our minister. • Funds were raised to install the necessary lighting and sound equipment to create a performance space, Shepherd Stage, in our sanctuary. This initiative will bring members of the larger community into our church. Al- though the main purpose is for the audience to enjoy music performances, the events will raise awareness in the community of our church and our denomination. • Jenn Pidgeon enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to be our Shep- herd Stage Artistic Director. • Two new members were confi rmed, and welcomed into the congregation. • Much needed repairs were done in the Minister’s Offi ce, as well as the Dance Hall. The Minister’s Offi ce is now bright and welcoming, and all mould has been removed from the walls. The presence of mould signifi - cantly increased the cost of an already costly renovation, as an environmental assessment needed to be done in addition to additional repair work. • Marcus Scholtes retired, and a new music director, Heidi Wall, was hired. • Grant proposals were written, and submitted to the Swedenborgian Church of North America, for consideration. As a result, a $14,500.00 Augmenta- tion Fund grant was awarded so that Rev. Cory could start in January, and work in partnership with Pastor Dave until his contract ended in April. This partnership provided Cory with a mentorship opportunity, as well as an opportunity to participate in the work the congregation was doing related to our fi ve identifi ed priorities. The $1,000.00 New Directions grant supported our fundraising eff orts for the Shepherd Stage. • Fire doors were installed at the end of the hall leading to the sanctuary, the tables and chairs reorganized, and nooks and crannies emptied to meet the requirements of the Fire Inspector. • A business plan was created for Shepherd Stage Reports of Associations & Churches 113

• Numerous people devoted time to cleaning the church by clearing out books and other items that were being stored in the church but no longer being used. • Time and eﬀ ort was given to support Rev. Cory and Alyssa with the Im- migration process. Support was also given to help them ﬁ nd a new home in Kitchener. (Many thanks to Grace Sudden and Kate Harvey for working with the Immigration lawyer, and helping with the apartment search!) • After Terry and Kathlyn Schnarr retired, Ken and Eleanor Fields were hired to do Centre in the Square parking. Ken Fields was also hired to look after the snow shoveling of the sidewalks surrounding the church property. • The Bylaws were reviewed, and an amendment proposed for Bylaw #3. (Many thanks to Lorraine Cuthbertson for her support with this!) • The Coach House was re-shingled, and the work to renovate the interior began.

Looking Ahead at the Year to Come I believe that this next year will see the congregation acting on the fourth recommendation of the Regeneration and Renewal Journey Committee, “We want to be of use in building up love in the world.” There was very strong support for this goal three years ago, when we indicated that we wanted to take our Swe- denborgian beliefs and values out into the world in useful service. The idea was expressed that we may grow as a community more by what we do than what we believe. I look forward to us working with Rev. Cory in looking ahead to see how we, at Church of the Good Shepherd, can be of use as we engage with the wider downtown Kitchener community.

In Appreciation Thank you to the Swedenborgian Church of North America, for the fi nancial support off ered through the Augmentation and New Directions Funds. Thank you also to Eastern Canada Council for their fi nancial support for the Shepherd Stage. Finally, I want to express my gratitude to the members of the Board, who have worked hard this past year. I am very thankful that all members have agreed to serve on the Board for the coming year. Respectfully submitted, Christine MacTavish, President 114 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION

The Illinois Association held a meeting in LaPorte, IN on March 22 and 23rd, 2019 and had representatives from Virginia Street Church in St. Paul, the Swe- denborg Library and Chicago Society, Chicago, IL, LaPorte New Church, IN, and Church of the Open Word / Garden Chapel, St. Louis, MO. The minutes of the 2018 meeting were approved and are available upon request from Pastor Paul Deming ( [email protected] ). The Reverend Kit Billings presided as President. The slate of offi cers at that meeting: Reverend Kit Billings, President, Pastor Karen Feil, Vice President, Barb Hille, Treasurer, and Pastor Paul Deming, Secretary. Also in attendance was Benjamin Robinson of the Virginia Street Church. The Illinois Association continued to support member churches with funding (primarily churches in St. Paul, LaPorte, and St. Louis). Funding made possible special programs, marketing materials, web support, and minister support as needed. The Illinois Association also made possible funds for youth camps and continued to provide funds to help defray expenses for youth within the association to attend convention based on applications received. All of these activities and support were made possible with an annual budget of less than $44,000. The Association thanked Barb for taking the role of treasurer and for her her- culean eff orts to transfer records and establish new accounts. The Association discussed in detail the eff orts to coordinate the hosting of the convention scheduled for Valparaiso University in June 2019. Barb discussed the theme (Rooted in Spirit, Earth is Speaking to Us). Karen off ered the Swedenborg Library as a central meeting place in Chicago. Individual churches gave reports (as refl ected in the Journal) and the Associa- tion approved all Bylaw changes recognizing Licensed Pastors and Congregation- ally Approved Pastors. It was suggested that the next Annual Meeting would take place in LaPorte, IN. Respectfully submitted, Pastor Paul Deming, Secretary Reports of Associations & Churches 115

THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH CENTER

Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Society and the Swedenborg Library in Chicago continued with its mission of expanding awareness of Swedenborg’s works within Chicago. In 2018, we hosted the following programs for the public: • The fi lm “The Last Days of Jesus;” the fi lm includes interviews with a local University of Illinois/Chicago archeologist, which were of local interest. • The Swedenborg Library continued hosting monthly two-hour lecture programs off ered by Common Ground in suburban Deerfi eld, Illinois (CG. org). Common Ground is a 40+ year old not-for-profi t whose mission is encouraging interfaith dialog and learning. Programs presented by Com- mon Ground faculty at the Swedenborg Library in 2018 included: 1. “Native American Spirituality” with Jim Kenney (22 attendees) including Frank and Frieda Rohrer visiting from Lafayette, Indiana. 2. “Jesus & Buddha” with Jerry Leitner (23 attendees) 3. “Illinois Power” with John Wasik (6 attendees) 4. “Holy Rascals” with Jerry Leitner (19 attendees) 5. “The Sunni-Shi’ite Divide” with Ahmad Sadri (21 attendees) 6. “Science & Religion” with Jim Kenney (16 attendees) 7. “What American’s Need to Know About Islam” with Ahmad Sadri (15 attendees.)

• Our monthly book group continued to meet, with discussion notes prepared by Karen Feil. Titles discussed in 2018 included Why Does God Let It Happen by Bruce Henderson; That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis; The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer; The Intention Experiment and The Power of Eight, both by Lynne McTaggart; Wisdom of a Meaning- ful Life by John Bruna; Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl; The Wizard of Us by Jean Houston; Factfulness by Hans Rosling; and Aware- ness by Anthony DeMello. The regular group attending ranged from 7-8 people. • In April, we hosted a visit from ordination candidate Cory Bradford- Watts. As part of the Licensed Pastor program, Karen Feil participated 116 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

in the multi-session CSS online class led by Rev. Dr. George Dole on his book, The Universe & I during the autumn quarter. • In May, the Library sponsored a fi eld trip for 10 to the Theater Building in Chicago for a performance of the reworked musical Burnham’s Dream (formerly The White City) by lyricist June Finfer; Ms. Finfer joined the group for lunch following the performance. The musical is based on Daniel Burnham’s work on the 1893 World’s Columbia Exposition; Dan- iel Burnham, along with Joseph Sears (founder of Kenilworth, IL) and Charles Bonney, was among notable members of the Chicago Society in the 1800s. We plan to sponsor additional “fi eld trips” in 2019 as they are popular with many of our senior program attendees. • Karen Feil participated as a member of the Education Support Unit, coordinating promotion of the mini-courses for the 2018 Annual Convention of General Convention; she represented the Library at that event in San Jose, California. She also continuing serving on the Board of the Sweden- borg Foundation as Treasurer, attending the Spring and Autumn Board meetings in Pennsylvania. Feil also represented the Library at the Septem- ber 2018 meeting of the Illinois Association, and gave the sermon at the LaPorte New Church during that weekend. • In November, the Swedenborg Library hosted the General Council’s Sat- urday business meeting in Chicago, providing lunch and break refreshments. Additionally, fi nancial gifts were sent to The Garden Church, The Center for Swedenborgian Studies, General Convention of Swedenbor- gian Churches, and the Swedenborg Foundation. • In May, Karen Feil represented the Swedenborg Library at a reception for the World Parliament of Religions at the Parliament’s new offi ce in downtown Chicago. Our church library was open to the public a total of 106 days in 2018. We cir- culated approximately 75 volumes during the year, including books by Sweden- borg, on spiritual topics, and others related to our book group and other programs. We off ered public access Wednesday and Friday afternoons (1-5 pm), and many Thursday afternoons, throughout the year, in addition to before and after evening programs. In 2018, we had several visitors from as far away as Morris, Illinois stop into the Library, out of curiosity, either as a result of watching the Foundation’s “Off the Left Eye” channel or from our program promotions to our Meetup.com. The Library continues to promote our programs via Vertical Response e-blasts, Facebook ads, postcards to our list, and via “Literary Event” ads in the Chi- Reports of Associations & Churches 117 cago Tribune. We maintain a website with information on upcoming programs, SwedLib.org. Our new MeetUp.com group, “Open-Minded Explorers” currently has more than 300 members, providing a new outreach group for our programs. Respectfully submitted, Karen Feil, Secretary/Treasurer, Swedenborg Library

GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CHURCH

Des Plaines, Illinois

No report submitted.

LAPORTE NEW CHURCH

LaPorte, Indiana

Our mission is to create a community that embraces all who seek to discover their spiritual path by oﬀ ering enlightening ways to understand themselves, others, and God. We encourage a life of loving faith and charity sown in usefulness, as love joins us with the Lord, who loves all. Rev. Kit Billings has been faithfully serving our ministry for over six years now, helping and guiding us as we strive to keep our mission statement at the core of all we aim to do. With that focus, we held several congregational and community programs, including our annual New Church Journey 6-week class, this year’s being “Love Over Ego,” a risk and safety assessment program, and 2019 convention-planning meetings. In addition to our local meetings, Children’s and Adult Sunday Schools, and Youth and Transitions Groups gatherings, we hosted retreats and meetings at Manna House and the church for SPLATS tweens, Peer Ministers Supervision, Illinois Association, and also welcomed Nancy Piorkowski for a week for CSS ordination requirements. To foster our social connectedness, we have Men’s Dinners and Women’s Lunches each month, as well as dining out altogether after our monthly Communion worship services. We have coﬀ ee hour brunches after services other Sundays. Understanding that giving from ourselves serves others as well as feeds our own spirits, we collect food for hungry school-children for the Salvation Army’s Weekend Backpack program, used medicine bottles for Matthew 25:Ministries, 118 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

and old shoes for reuse through Changing Footprints; supply our own food basket for those in need; and donate to all other General Convention appeals. We continue our self-initiated annual Gift-Back to Convention by collecting donations year-round from our congregation (suggesting $25/member per quarter) and adding to those gifts 1% of our annual revenue from the prior year. We recognize that, in the past, the generosity and faith of General Convention allowed us to continue this ministry with help from the Augmentation Fund. Our gratitude for that is evident by our annual Gift-Back off ering which typically is about $1500. We celebrated the exterior stucco repair and repaint of church building, some minor repairs and updates within the church and Manna House, a new member confi rmation, and the 20th anniversary of our devoted and accomplished organist, Mary Hedge, being with us. Overall, although always striving for additional awareness of what our inspirational faith off ers and increased Sunday attendance, we are absolutely grateful to God and know that we are so blessed to have one another, and God, as supportive and loving friendships in our everyday lives. Respectfully submitted, LPNC Executive Board

LENOX TOWNSHIP CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Norway, Iowa

Many critical building projects have been addressed in the past year. We were blessed to work with a local construction company that worked on our steeple area that was in need of repair due to building settling. The roof of the church was also updated from shingles to an all metal roof, a big improvement! Our congregation continues to meet once each year, the fourth Sunday of each August. Annual meetings and cleanup continue to be the second Sunday in August at the church. Last years’ service was well attended, bringing members from Or- egon, Louisiana, and Michigan, to name only a few. A church pot luck followed the service. All are welcome in the future! Our one room Church building continues to be a grand landmark in the area. Constructed atop of a hill in Iowa County, Iowa in the 1880’s, the church has with- stood the test of time and continues to provide a sense of place for descendants of its founders. It is true that incredible things have humble and simple beginnings. Reports of Associations & Churches 119

Founders of our church would be proud to see the amount of young adults and children that attend our annual service, over 165 years after its beginning. Respectfully submitted, Jordan Uthoﬀ , President

VIRGINIA STREET SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH

St. Paul, Minnesota

We are an active congregation that (by the end of this year) will have provided 52 Sunday Services, and will be celebrating our 98th Annual Nativity Pageant. Our Arcana study groups are going strong with Gordon’s help and insight. We have a lay-led support group that focuses on bringing the spiritual into our daily lives, a Sunday morning adult bible study led by Rev. Eric Hoff man both of which are well attended. We continue to have fund raisers throughout the year in an attempt to increase our revenue by renting our building out to our local organizations, a Tango Soci- ety that uses our wonderful dance fl oor for their quarterly dances, Alanon groups, weddings and other events. This has helped to not only increase our bottom line but also our visibility within the community. Unfortunately, we have had only three weddings this year. but have concentrated our limited energies by combining building use into Events & Weddings Committee and in the process, re-ener- gizing this ministry. We will be hosting our second annual “Art Crawl” in the community partner- ing with St. Paul & Minneapolis organizations. This has proven to be an excellent way of being visible within our community by donating our facility for diff erent forms of artwork not only for our congregation but surrounding community. Our church community is helping to support a family in Sudan by taking separate collections two times per month to help them feed their family of twelve. We have established a new, more updated website with a more invested and talented committee and are continuing to fi ne tune its construction with more relevant information for the new viewer. We are still working through the hierarchy of updating our website, Facebook and Google Pages with a more organized attempt at keeping our community informed of events and decisions concerning the operation of Virginia Street Church. We are partners with the “Friends of the Historic Virginia Street Church” organization in order to take advantage of various grants available to help in maintaining our historic (but aging) church. It consists of non-members of our community who appreciate the importance of our facility and also members of VSC It has 120 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

qualifi ed as a 501c3 organization and has hired the use of a local architectural fi rm to help determine priorities of the aging building. Our Maintenance/Building Committee continues to provide a warm and invit- ing building and beautiful yard for our congregants and the neighborhood Our church has and is still providing a number of small group programs that are meeting in the church or in congregant’s homes. This certainly helps in developing a bond between congregants that goes beyond Sunday services. We are very excited to have our Minister, Gordon Meyer, inducted as an offi cial Swedenborgian Minister adding his name to the list of ordained Swedenbor- gian Ministers. We were and are very fortunate to have him be VSC’s Spiritual Leader. Hopefully, one day we will again be able to aff ord a full-time minister but until then, we couldn’t ask for anyone better. Last but defi nitely not least, we have had the pleasure of welcoming the Rev. Eric Hoff man into our community again where he has donated his time and incredible knowledge of the Bible and Swedenborg to lead our Adult Bible Study group and also fi lling the pulpit on occasion. Respectfully submitted, Carla Abler-Erickson, President of the Board of Trustees

CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD

St. Louis, Missouri

What a Year 2018 has been at the Garden Chapel / Church of the Open Word. Here are of few of the highlights. We have continued to provide the only Christ-Centered Worship Services that are pluralistic in theology (acknowledging other pathways to God) and Inclusive for all in the St. Louis area. We off er Swedenborgian insights to the inner meanings of Scripture and fellowship based on our common desire to be part of a Heavenly community, learning how to worship the Lord through good works and fi nding joy in the blessings of others. We have had 48 services with music, hymns, sermons, and a coff ee-hour and fellowship with as many as 25 and as few as 10 people. We have conducted 23 weddings and two memorial services. We conducted a bible-study series of the 10 commandments sponsored by the Swedenborg Li- brary and facilitated online by Rev. Robert McCluskey. In January, at the request of Rev. Kit Billings, Pastor Paul wrote a contemporary version of the Nunc Dimitus (closing song of peace) that any church can use Reports of Associations & Churches 121 at will (copy attached). An accompaniment recording is available upon request (send your request to: [email protected] ). On March 23rd the Garden Chapel sponsored the fourth annual Beatle-Fest which produced the largest attendance of any church sponsored event (50+). Sev- eral top performing musicians from St. Louis including Dave Black, guitarist, Matt Rowland, guitarist, and Ralph Butler, vocalist (all with their own web sites and recorded albums) participated. We even had a local community member bring Beatles memorabilia he’s been collecting since the 1960’s for display at this popular annual event. In April Pastor Paul participated in the Peer Supervision with an online session with Rev. Kit Billings, Rev. Reneé Machiniak, Rev. Jane Siebert, and Rev. Betsy Coff man where he shared an original song called “The Road to Emmaus.” He also attended the Executive Committee meeting and Annual Illinois Association Meeting in March in LaPorte, Indiana, and served as a Music Coordinator for the Annual Swedenborgian Convention in San Jose last summer. It was at the Con- vention that Pastor Paul was recognized for completing the second module in the Licensed Pastor Program. This past Fall Pastor Paul participated in a seven-week online theology course entitled “The Universe and I,” based on a book by the same title and conducted by its author the Rev. Dr. George Dole. This was a course that included participants from across the country and included weekly writing assignments and discussions. He was notifi ed in November that he would be participating in the Winter Intensive in January, 2019, in Temenos as part of his participation in the Educa- tional Resources Committee and his interest in ongoing seminary training. In October we lost long-time friend and board member David Currall. His memorial service was a moving and fi tting tribute to his years of faithful service. In November we lost long-time friend and former pastor Rev. David Rienstra. A memorial service was planned for May of 2019. Both will be dearly missed. Also in November we welcomed four new members into our fold: David Baumgart- ner, Graziella Chabanel-Contini, and Susan and Kei Pang. These new members are bringing a renewed sense of congregational participation with interest in the church grounds and participation in services. The 2019 budget will include a $20,000 pledge and donation from one of our new members which will be earmarked for grounds work and the restoration of a nature trail. In 2018 the Garden Chapel fi nished paying off the loans for the new boiler which was installed last Winter. The continued good work of our Wedding Coordinator, Suzy Holper, helped produce and manage the successful marriage ceremonies of 23 weddings and 122 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

bookings for several more in 2019 and 2020. Many of our wedding clients send thank you notes commenting on how helpful and kind Suzy was during their most memorable day! Our board members Debbie O’Reilly, Duane Beougher, and Joan McNair O’Neal each played an important role in maintaining services throughout the year. Both Debbie and Duane provided the liturgy and sermons when Pastor Paul was away, Joan provided the keyboard accompaniment for nearly all of the Sunday morning services, and Duane provided much needed maintenance for all types of issues including Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing, Electrical, Carpentry, and other items all in addition to keeping the books and providing regular treasurer reports. The ongoing eff orts to keep year-round services and building maintenance upkeep is defi nitely a team eff ort. Finally in December we had what is being described as the fi nest Eve of Christ- mas Eve Service ever at the Garden Chapel / Church of the Open Word complete with The Garden Chapel Singers (including Members of the “Vita Cantus Cho- rale”) under the direction of Maestro Bruce Walker and accompanied by gifted pianist Gigi Darr. The Choir sang “An Irish Christmas Blessing,” “Mary Did You Know,” and “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” as well as beloved Christmas Carols. The program resounded with the theme of “peace” which our world desperately needs. We were especially blessed with a performance of “O’ Holy Night” by renowned singer Ralph Butler. We printed 50 programs and completely ran out before the service began! What a good sign . . . and it all came to a wonderful close with the candlelight singing of “Silent Night.” If you missed the event you can catch the service in its entirety by checking it out on “YouTube” with the link below. Eve of Christmas Eve Service Link: https://youtu.be/3l6bA7CNQ-I Please know that we are ever grateful for support to help us keep our doors open, our facility in operating condition, and our services available to any and all who attend. It is our prayer and intention to grow our church through continued pastoral care, outreach programs, and wedding services with a view towards encouraging ongoing spiritual development as we endeavor to walk closer to God and each other. Respectfully submitted, Paul Deming Reports of Associations & Churches 123

KANSAS ASSOCIATION

The Annual Meeting of the Kansas Association was held in Pretty Prairie, KS on April 6, 2019. The morning worship was led by Rev. Jane Siebert. President of the Kansas Association, Carl Helm, opened the meeting. Both the minutes of the 2018 Meeting and Treasurer’s report were read and approved. Connie Helm, President of the Pawnee Rock Society, gave a report on their past year. Services were held every Sunday except during the summer months when everyone gathered for Sunday school only. Members attended the Sterling Lake Sunday in September and also Camp Mennoscah in October. A beautiful Christmas Eve service was held. The church stayed busy with community events. Vernon Kraus, Jr., President of the Pretty Prairie Society gave his report. As with Pawnee Rock, the church held Sunday services throughout the year except for the summer months when only Sunday school was attended. Good group discussions are enjoyed at that time. Christmas Eve service was well attended. They joined the Methodist Church for the Maundy Thursday service which was hosted by our church this year. The church stayed involved with the community rodeo and pancake supper. In New Business, plans were made for gathering again at Sterling Lake in Sep- tember. Camp Mennoscah is being planned for the second weekend of October. It was voted to give money to the disaster relief fund to aid the farmers of Nebraska and Iowa from the fl ooding they have suff ered the past couple of months. It was voted to give fi nancial help to members wanting to attend this year’s convention. Elections were held: Carl Helm, President; Rev. Eric Zacharias, Vice Presi- dent; Linda Kraus, Treasurer; and Veneta Lane, Secretary. As there was no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Veneta Lane, Secretary

CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Pawnee Rock, Kansas

We held Sunday services every Sunday except for bad weather days and Sun- day school in the summer months. Vivian Bright and I have been taking the services and alternating every other Sunday when possible. Howard Bowman leads adult Sunday school. 124 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

On January 28, we held our annual meeting. We voted to give contributions to Larned after prom, Barton county food bank, School of Religion and to Conven- tion. This past year, April 18, 2018, Rev. Jane Siebert led our service and it was followed by a great church dinner. The Kansas Association annual meeting was held in Pawnee Rock, KS, on April 22 with Rev. Jane Siebert leading the service that was followed by church dinner. The association meeting was led by President Carl Helm. On April 29, our service was led by Roy Prescott. In July, Carl and I attend the National Convention of the New Jerusalem Church, which was held in San Jose, California from July 1 to July 5. On August 20, we had our annual church and breakfast on Pawnee Rock. The service was co-led by Vivian and I. It was followed by a delicious potluck breakfast. During the summer, we had Sunday school only and that gave everyone a break. We studied the book, “Talking with God,” by Gwenn Dresser Mack. September 16, we had our picnic in Sterling, KS, with Pretty Prairie, we had a nice church service led by Rev. Jane, followed by a picnic lunch. On September 20, we lost one of our long time members, Aletha Loving. Her service was held September 25, in Larned. Lunch was served to family and friends in the basement of the church. October 19, 20, and 21 were the dates of our annual Camp Mennoscah Retreat. Jerald Hadley led the Sunday school service and Dr. Devin Zuber led the church service and communion. He led our study group on Saturday as well. On November 19, one of our members celebrated her 102nd birthday. I hosted our annual Christmas luncheon on December 13 for us and Pretty Prairie, 10 people attended. On Christmas Eve, we ended our year with our beautiful Christmas Eve service for which we thank Anita Wilson and Tricia Prescott for their direction. We had a large crowd and the church looked beautiful. I want to thank all the members of our church who perform so many duties which we often take for granted. Howard Bowman always opens our church, makes sure the heat or air is on and leads Sunday school every Sunday. Jerald Hadley and Toni Stimetze always volunteers a lot of yard services. Anita Wilson keeps our church beautiful on the inside. Karen Hadley for her beautiful organ music, and Vivian Bright for fi lling in when Karen can’t be there. Vivian’s for leading church services twice a month. All the people who help with the weekly coff ees after church. I really think it is great how everyone works together when Reports of Associations & Churches 125 anything is needed. All the offi cers and trustees for all you do. This completes the 130th year of our church organization. I hope God blesses us with many more years to come. Respectfully submitted, Connie Helm, President

NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH

Pretty Prairie, Kansas

During 2018, we were blessed to have the presence of Pastor B (Bernard Mc- Farthing) as he continued to provide several of our services on Sundays in January through May. In October we were sad to hear that Pastor B passed away from his long battle with cancer. Also, in 2018 candidating minister Reverend Corey Bradford-Watts shared the Sunday message in our church on Easter Sunday. Several Sundays throughout the year, we also welcomed Reverend Jane’s messages whenever she was available. In October – December, we were delighted with the services presented by Reverend Billie Blair, a retired Methodist minister. Members of the congregation continued to ﬁ ll in for worship services in between, and Sunday School lessons continued to be shared by several member volunteers. Throughout the year, food donations continued to be gathered and delivered to the Food Pantry as well as sharing our 1st-of-the-month collections to the Care Portal. Pot luck dinners were enjoyed now and then after church, or sometimes members would just gather together for lunch at our local restaurant. Participation in our community’s traditional events continued . . . including the NJC Annual Meeting in February, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday service shared with the Methodists, & Easter services in April, a well-organized Memorial Day service in May, memorable & enjoyable Sterling Lake services with Pawnee Rock congregation in September, our weekend camp at Camp Mennoscah in October, our joyous Christmas Eve service, and participating in community events as they arose which this year including a community baked-potato dinner in January, Eas- ter food baskets in April as well as treat baskets for the Easter Egg hunt, and the 2nd annual Christmas on the Prairie parade and community celebration. A few more highlights In review - March – Provided prayer support for Charlene Schwartz’s sister who was having knee surgery again. April - Kansas Association Annual meeting at Pawnee Rock. 126 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

May - After several years of hard work, Bobbie Graber has graduated with her Master’s degree in Social Work . Also, Staff Sergeant Brooke Hilbert has graduated from Southwestern College with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Management. June - Melvin and Charlene Schwartz celebrated their 60th wedding July – In memoriam . . . After a long & joyful, adventurous life, Margaret Kraus passed away at the Prairie Sunset home. Her funeral services were held at 10:30 on Saturday July 14 at the Pretty Prairie Church with Reverend Jane. Members went to convention in California this summer at San Jose State. Joyce Barker shared convention photos and commentary. Summer Sunday School lessons were from the Psalms and then from the book Divine Love. In November & December, Jean Conkling & Jane Seibert were recovering from their surgeries – Jean with bone spur back surgery & Jane w/ a total hip replacement. December - Our Hanging of the Greens get-together was on Sunday, Novem- ber 25, and this Christmas season we had an opportunity to provide Christmas gifts and joy to a local Pretty Prairie family in need. On Saturday, December 15th, the 2nd annual Christmas on the Prairie lighted parade was enjoyed by all who participated! The day also included a chili feed, hayrack rides, and a movie at the historical Civic Theatre. Our church had a hay wagon for church members to enjoy riding on, singing the Christmas song “The Little Drummer Boy” (w/ Logan Graber as our drummer)! We had such a fun time at Ray Siebert’s shed decorating this hay wagon with greenery, lights & a cross, w/ hay bales to sit upon. Parade entries lined up behind Prairie Sunset Home on a VERY cold, wintry evening at 5:00 for the judging, with the parade starting at 6:00. Again this year there were a large number of entries taking part. Our Christmas Eve service was led by Debbie Siebert, since Reverend Jane was in Indiana getting a new hip. Veneta Lane played the piano for all our songs, and our annual Christmas play was shared by children and adults alike as we discovered The ABC’s of Christmas, directed by Sue Harris, continuing her sister Jean Graber’s tradition. Instrumental Christmas music was shared by Noah & Ethan Perry with a saxophone & trombone duet. Christmas Eve service concluded w/ the traditional singing of Silent Night by candlelight, and of course, Santa Claus once again appeared, calling upon volunteers to hand out gifts and treats. Veneta was the elf who helped Santa fi ll the candy bags. Joyce Barker fi lmed the service for YouTube. The full program can be seen at this link - Reports of Associations & Churches 127

https://www.facebook.com/newjerusalemchurchprettyprairieks/videos/547658672416811/ Respectfully submitted, Jean Conkling, Secretary

MAINE ASSOCIATION

Annual Meeting Members of the Maine Association held its Annual Meeting on October 20th, 2018 at the Bath Church of the New Jerusalem in Bath, Maine.

Attendance In attendance: Rev. Dr. Gard Perry, Vice-President, Rev. Dr. Reuben Bell, Pas- tor of the Bath Church, Lois Dole, Rev. Dr. George Dole. Jodi Evans, Wesley Seekamp (Members of the Bath Church); Debbie Dolley and Robyn Thurston, Treasurer (Fryeburg New Church); Susan B. McCormick and Dan Woods (Port- land New Church).

Reports Bath Church Members of the Bath Church meet weekly for worship services in the historic Greek Revival style building that is a landmark in the City of Bath. Their engagement with the community includes participation in the largest yard sale of the year in Bath under the directions of Jodi Evans, and with occasional public concerts that include artistic improvisational piano by their organist. The building has been refurbished over the past two years under the direction of President Rob Lawson and with the work of many others. Those present thanked members of the Bath Church for hosting our meeting and providing a delicious lunch.

Portland New Church Dan Woods, President, presented that there are weekly services at the Portland New Church, in partnership with the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (CHIME), whose offi ces occupy the lower level of the church, and whose students provide worship services on a rotating basis each month. It is a mutually benefi cial relationship. Lorraine Kardash is currently completing her fi rst Module on the Li- censed Pastor Path, and has an important role in the renewal of the historic building on Stevens Street, a place that has hosted Maine Association meetings since the 1920’s. 128 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Fryeburg New Church Debbie Dolley reported that members of the Fryeburg New Church have just completed work at the annual Fryeburg Fair, Maine’s largest agricultural exhibition, and the Fryeburg Church’s largest annual fundraiser. The legendary Frye- burg New Church Fair Booth began its life in 1951 under the direction of Marga- ret (Worcester) Briggs, and the Rev. Horace Briggs, who were newly installed as Sunday School Teacher extraordinaire, and Pastor. Photos from those days in the 1950’s show more than 100 children and a cadre of teachers in the church sanctuary. Rev. Alison Lane Olsen leads the congregation presently in worship services, book study groups, local community involvement, and more.

Administrative Business A modest fund distributes a small amount of income to each Society annually, and partial support is provided for members who travel to the Annual Convention of the Swedenborgian Church. The Association pays dues to the Maine Council of Churches. Members were reminded that members of each of the three Societies are members of the General Convention of the Swedenborgian Church through the Maine Association. Our Maine Association Annual Meeting is an important time for connecting with one another each autumn. We are currently working to renew our engagement with one another through planning creative Maine Association An- nual Meetings. The next meeting will be held on October 19, 2019 at the Portland New Church.

Oﬃ cers President: (Vacant) Vice-President: Rev. Dr. Gard Perry Secretary: Susan B. Hougaz-McCormick Treasurer: Robyn Thurston Association Delegates: Lois Dole (Bath), Dan Woods (Portland), Martha Richardson (Fryeburg), Jesse White (at large). Respectfully submitted, Rev. Gard Perry Reports of Associations & Churches 129

BATH NEW CHURCH

Bath, Maine

The Bath New Church congregation continues to move forward with energy and enthusiasm! The past year has included business meetings, one baptism, and quarterly Holy Supper services in addition to some positive changes. We now have a widely known professional pianist/organist playing for our Sunday services. As he is available for special events and weddings, our hope is that his regular playing will be another draw for our services. Working with Pastor Reuben Bell, he presented a concert in the fall, pairing original music with passages from the Writings. Fu- ture concerts are planned. Special services this year included a Christmas Eve Lighting service and a Maundy Thursday service. We were privileged this year to hear a special lecture given by Church members on Swedenborg’s Infl uence on The Brownings (Elizabeth Barrett and Robert) and William Blake. We held two lay services this spring, which we feel indicates a strong, independent congregation. We had well-attended indoor yard sales in October and May, which serve as fundraising and outreach eff orts. Major improvements to the Church building this year include: 1. Sanctuary sound system. 2. Replacement of front porch, ramp, and steps. 3. Establishment of a New Church reference library, to include Swedenborg’s scientifi c and philosophical works, the theological Writings and an extensive collection of collateral literature. The Bath congregation hosted the Maine New Church Association meeting on October 20, 2018. Bath New Church members participated in Bath Citizen Involvement Day on October 6, 2018. We continue our eff orts to develop the Bath Church as a wedding venue, in cooperation with a local facility nearby where receptions may be held. 130 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

-- “For my brethren and companions’ sake, I will now ask, Peace be with thee.” Respectfully submitted, Jill D. Bell, Secretary

FRYEBURG NEW CHURCH

Fryeburg, Maine

In 2018, our regular activities included Sunday Worship, Sunday School (with the exception of a summer break), book groups, distribution of a monthly newsletter, potlucks, and monthly worship at the Fryeburg Health Care Center. We were also excited to have congregants share their gifts with the congregation, including yoga sessions and ukulele lessons. We welcomed three new members at our An- nual Meeting in the fall! Our Sunday School program continues to serve children from ages three to twelve. Our children’s ministry highlights included our annual Christmas Pageant and a Children’s Sunday to close the Sunday School year. Throughout the church year we participated in a number of ecumenical activities. We joined with the local churches for a Martin Luther King Jr. concert and the following services: Maundy Thursday, Easter Sunrise, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve service. We welcomed the attendees of the Fryeburg Assembly to our services in Au- gust, including Rev. Susannah Currie, who served as a guest preacher. The Fryeburg Fair in October remains one of our highlights – both as a fundraiser and as a community presence. Church members and friends worked many hours to be able to oﬀ er breakfast, lunch and dinner during the eight day fair! Another successful fundraiser was a Craft Fair held in late summer. Our Women’s Alliance remained active serving the community and raising funds through hosting Fish and Game Suppers throughout the year for the Frye- burg Fish and Game Association, helping to serve funeral luncheons when the need arises, and sponsoring an annual Christmas Cupboard Sale at the holidays with handmade crafts. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Alison Lane-Olsen Reports of Associations & Churches 131

PORTLAND NEW CHURCH

Portland, Maine

Our building continues to be the nucleus of Portland New Church’s vitali- ty, growth, and vision. We have a healthy number of building users including CHIME, Gurdjieff Society, Harp Singers, Kirtan, Tai Chi, Sound Healing, African and Folk Dance. We are launching a membership drive in an eff ort to integrate these community members into our spiritual community. The building’s exterior was fi nally renovated and now sports uniform siding. The grounds are well manicured with an updated labyrinth, newly planted trees, and benches to sit and meditate upon. We are turning our focus on the interior of the building by polishing the fl oors and adding fresh coats of paint to the chapel, sanctuary, and entrance. Lorraine Kardash has fi nished her classes and is awaiting the offi cial celebratory ceremony as our new licensed pastor. Portland New Church continues to be loved and governed by a small yet mighty and dedicated group. Respectfully submitted, Susan Hougaz-McCormick

MASSACHUSETTS NEW CHURCH UNION

The Massachusetts New Church Union has had a productive year. We have successfully moved all books from storage to the Elmwood New Church, who have graciously allowed us use of their attic storage. This was a huge undertaking as there was much coordination between many bodies. Thank you to all involved! Another accomplishment for the MNCU was the clariﬁ cation of ownership of the Cambridge Chapel. There was much discussion and an agreement was met stating that the MNCU was ½ owner of the chapel. Again, much time was spent and all involved are appreciated. Lastly, the MNCU is helping to fund the development of plans for the Helen Keller Spiritual Center in Cambridge. This has been an uplifting undertaking for Cambridge and the MNCU. The Helen Keller Spiritual Center in Cambridge will allow for more meeting space, fellowship areas and programs about Helen Keller, Swedenborg and many more. The mission of the center is to “advance the spiritual 132 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

legacy of Helen Keller”. We are all looking forward to seeing this all come to fruition. Respectfully submitted, Kelly J. Milne, Secretary

NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

The Bridgewater Society experienced another inspirational year under the leadership of Rev. Susannah Currie. Her understanding and expertise continued to inspired us all! Music Director, Bet Giddings, provided complimentary and mean- ingful music during Sunday worship services while also directing our dedicated choir. Kelly Milne, a licensed teacher, assistant by Deane Currie, held Sunday School Classes for ages 3-16, prior to our worship. The children joined with the congregation for the beginning of worship and a children’s talk, before leaving to enjoy an hour of childcare. The entire congregation is involved in the Children’s talk, always directed toward the child with-in each of us. Rev Susannah’s sermons follow the same theme. Our sermons and events are posted regularly to our website (www.bridgewaternewchurch.org) and on Face Book. Sermon titles were sent to the Brockton Enterprise and Buzz Around seasonally. All our services were lived stream on Facebook each Sunday. In addition Mail Chimp was used to create and distribute monthly church newsletters. Thanks to a grant from the Gray Fund, this Fall we were able to increase advertising as well as engage help in our web page design. We held an Open House during Bridgewater’s Annual Autumn-fest and held ongoing collections for the Bridgewater Food Pantry. Sermons and discussions over the year emphasized all areas of kindness, understanding and respect, looked at the cycle of Human Life and welcomed peace- fulness and calm into our everyday living. During the year a small discussion group met monthly after coff ee hour. The bi-monthly Wednesday discussion group of members and friends continued meeting in our church parlor with Rev. Susannah to discuss a variety of topics. Sacred Circle Dancing and Chair Yoga were off ered in our large meeting room monthly (on diff erent Sundays). Our building welcomed guests with warmth and serenity. Two very special events this year were well attended by the local community. On September 30th we hosted an outstanding Broadway music concert with the Sheppard Sisters, which brought in an audience of about 50 from Boston and the Reports of Associations & Churches 133 local community. We also hosted the very inspirational and well-attended Bridge- water Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 20, 2018, with shared preaching, a choir of 15 members from throughout Bridgewater, and a brass ensemble with drums. Our relationship with Pilgrim Area Collaborative continued to work well. They are respectful of our property and appreciate being able to use the kitchen, parlor, offi ce and Sunday School room for their life skills education program for cogni- tively challenged young adults ages 18-22. The rental of these rooms continued to be a very positive use of our building for this educational program, for our community and for our budget. In July our parking lot was paved. This long awaited improvement was welcomed by everyone coming to our building (and by the company hired to plow during snow storms). It looks great! Our building continued to serve us well and fortunately we have been able to keep it up, honoring the special space we occupy on the Bridgewater Common. Respectfully submitted, Merrilee Phinney

CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM

Cambridge, Massachusetts

During 2018, the Cambridge Society of New Jerusalem has done deep soul- searching about the future of the congregation and the Chapel and new possibilities have been embraced. We are looking to the future with hope and excitement. We started the year 2018 by conﬁ rming three new members to our Society, Mark Careaga, Allison Crossbie, and Nancy Colon. With the support of Rev. Anna Woofenden as our Ministry Consultant for Outreach and New Initiatives we began the hard work of considering change and working together to examine our hopes and fears. In 2018, Rev. Sage Cole, who have been our part-time minister for three years, started full-time in September serving as both pastor and now Director of Cha- pel’s larger outreach and activities. In this new position Rev. Sage now oversees the Chapel’s successful operations, including managing various rental groups and events, building community partnerships, and developing the Chapel’s growing mission of service and outreach. In October that growing mission came into focus as the vision for creating a space dedicated to the spiritual life of Helen Keller. 134 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Under Rev. Sage’s leadership the Chapel hosted the Actor’s Shakespeare Com- pany and saw our space transformed into the perfect backdrop for their production of Richard the III, welcoming many new people through our doors. In April 2019, the Chapel hosted a production of Julius Caesar by the Harvard College Hyperion Shakespeare Company. We began a First Tuesday of the month Evening Candlelight Taizé service that has welcomed students and other Cambridge community members who have not worshipped with us before. After several years of falling behind in generating fi nancial statements, we put together a new budget. We received a $3000 grant from our larger denomination to build a labyrinth at the Chapel to be completed in the early summer of 2019. We launched a beautiful new website! And the 2018 came to a close with the wonderful news that we have received a $60,000 grant from the Massachusetts New Church Union to do a 6-month study in the fi rst half of 2019 as to how we may improve our physical space to be handicapped accessible and to house The Helen Keller Center for Spiritual Life which has come into focus as the central vision for the Chapel’s future ministries. Not only did we receive the funds but our new member Mark Careaga, a professional architect for over 20 years, felt called and ready to head up this study and begin this design eff ort. Providence has been at work! We continue to meet weekly for worship throughout the year, while taking some time off in the summer months. Our worship services in our beautiful Chapel continue to have powerful organ and piano music, engaged and relevant preaching, and our traditional liturgy holding it all. Respectfully submitted, Paulina Mirenkova, Secretary

ELMWOOD NEW CHURCH

Elmwood, Massachusetts

Meeting called to order at 11:25 am. A prayer was led by Reverend Donna Ke- ane. Agenda was handed out. Minutes of the last meeting were read and accepted. The fi rst order of business was to elect a new President due to the untimely death of Richard Campbell in July. Nominations were made. Roland Locke was nominated by Donna Mitchell. Mr. Locke accepted the nomination. Bruce Pyne nominated himself. A Presidential election ensued, and Roland Locke Jr. was elected unanimously. Locke cited his deep love for the church, as he grew up in the Elmwood Church and felt that his father would want him to assume the posi- Reports of Associations & Churches 135 tion. Locke also stated that he thinks there can be many fun and interesting things that the church could accomplish, and he is very honored to be the new president. The second order of business was to discuss the appointment of new directors. Bruce Pyne off ered his services as new music director. He cited his experience with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra. President Locke suggested we add new directors as we go along. It was unanimously voted to remove the following Directors due to inactivity or relocations: Anita Roux, Peter Swanson, Julie Aldrich. Added: Bruce Pyne The third order of business was to take suggestions for ways to raise money. The following suggestions/ideas were discussed such as holding potluck dinners once a month. Donna Keane suggested Meditation sessions with yoga on Wed nights. Another suggestion was to have a drive by bake sale at Thanksgiving and sell pies for Thanksgiving dinner. Then it was discussed who would bake the pies, taking donations for ingredients to make the pies, etc. Andrew Campbell suggested that the church host a Dick Campbell Memorial bingo- Andrew and Rollie Locke volunteered to set it up and to sell food as well. It was agreed that someone would ask Julie Aldrich for Bingo cards. There was a mention of the need for babysitting during the event and that all proceeds will go to the newly founded Richard Campbell Memorial Fund. Other suggestions included Pancake breakfasts, yard sales where everything is $1.00, and having a Car wash. The next order of business discussed was ways to enrich the church with the loss of Richard Campbell. Dave Horton has volunteered to sing and play guitar on Sundays. Horton said he will also create ENC Facebook page and teach Donna how to use PowerPoint. President Locke off ered to sing once in a while. Holding a movie-nights for kids was suggested. Bible Study will be off ered on Tuesdays at 10 am. A Halloween party will be held with a committee that consists of Shirley Brigham & Donna Keane, who will make arrangements. Rev. Donna Keane stated that the church will continue the $40 per month for food pantry donation- EB Hope will cut checks for them. In other business, Donna Keane stated that she took care of plowing bill from last winter, which was quite sizable. Discussion ensued as to who would plow this coming winter. Someone mentioned that Glen Morton plows during the winter. Also, in other business, Howard Wilbur asked about the church’s bell, which is currently at the senior center. Andrew Campbell agreed to get the bell and store it at his house. Rev. Donna Keane said she will call the senior center and arrange pick up. The old by-laws are still standing, and a current list of members, addresses, e-mails etc will be needed. 136 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15pm. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dr. Donna Keane, Minister

CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD

Newtonville, Massachusetts

The Society continues its revised lease with the Holy Spirit Catholic Com- munity (HSCC). We agree to be partners in ministry, functioning according to the Golden Rule, allowing our business collaboration to also be ministry to each other and a model for spirituality in business and our surrounding community. Rev. Gladys Wheaton, as Pastor Emerita, provides pastoral refl ection to the two communities to facilitate ease of relationship and also attends community and interfaith events when Rev. Tafel is not able to attend. The liturgy is an adaption from The Hosanna, with Bible & Swedenborg readings (previously published as Sunday Morning Forum); the children dramatize the Old Testament Lesson and participate with the adults in a “dialogical refl ection and discussion” that replaces the sermon. Rev. Tafel’s wife, Gretchen continues to provide music for the services. Since last year, the Society and HSCC have continued conversations with the Newton YMCA to explore the feasibility of a ministry project for the area’s youth (Holy Spirit pastor, Rev. Rosa Buff one, made the contact, and, together with Rev. Gladys interviewed their program director). The YMCA program director agreed the newly redecorated Parish Hall (by HSCC) would be a suitable venue for the program and agreed to meet to work out business details and a calendar of events. This relationship continues with ongoing discussions. Last year the Society reported that Reverends Gladys Wheaton and Rosa Buf- fone contacted the local police department to develop a working arrangement to handle Teenager activities on the Church property. This arrangement continues to be a useful relationship. The HSCC has continued to contribute their time, talents, and funds. Remain- ing members of the Society are continuing discussions about a realistic future and sustainability. We are developing community contacts with HSCC around issues of grants and fundraising. Due to declining membership, an Agreement of 1994 regarding transfer of the property to the MNCU is being invoked. Attorneys for the Society and MNCU are working on wording of a letter to the Attorney General non-profi t division. The Reports of Associations & Churches 137

Society looks forward to reorganizing under new Bylaws and negotiating a mutually agreeable Usage Agreement with the MNCU once the property is transferred.. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Gladys Wheaton, Pastor Emeritus; Rev. Bob Tafel, Pastor

MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION

The Annual meeting of the Michigan Association of the New Jerusalem was held at the Almont Retreat Center on October 6, 2018. This meeting was in conjunction with an Ohio Association meeting - these joint meetings happen about every fi ve years and are very rewarding for both groups. Meetings are held at Almont and some guest stay at the camp while others stay at a hotel in Imlay City, MI. Besides the business meetings the whole group gathered to study and discuss ideas from a book called The Spirituality of Age: A Seeker’s Guide to Growing Older by Robert L. Weber, Ph.D and Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. Seventeen members were in attendance, and one guest. Michigan Association currently has three ordained Swedenborgian ministers, one active congregation in Royal Oak, Michigan, and a Retreat Center in Almont Michigan. Rev. Dagmar Bollinger works as a board certifi ed Oncology Chaplain Rev. Jenn Tafel‘s ministry is at Q Cross @MSU, in East Lansing, Michigan . Jenn works with the Interfaith Clergy on “Our Beloved World” - a project serving and representing those who have been removed from their clergy roles due to gender issues. Rev. Renee Machiniak serves the Royal Oak Swedenborgian Church ( Church of the Holy City) on a 3/4 time basis and serves as a hospital chaplain at Beau- mont Hospital. This group meets weekly with one Sunday a month devoted to personal service projects, while Rev. Renee has a week of rest. Bible Study, church fellowship and community building happen on a regular basis. Almont New Church Assembly provides a sacred space for summer family camp and retreats through out the year. Summer camp 2018 was successful again with an average attendance above 130 per day. The retreat center is undergoing some needed maintenance - much needed on a facility almost 120 years old. A loan from the Building Fund of convention is helping this process along with generous stewards. Michigan Association helps fund this special place and helps off er some retreats throughout the year for women, teens, tweens and general groups to improve the facility (ex. Flower fest). We would encourage any other Conven- 138 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

tion groups around the country and especially in the midwest to use this peaceful, rejuvenating place for meetings and retreats. Contact manager Lori Patana (810- 798-8487) for details and a discount for Convention groups. Michigan Association is trying to meet the needs of isolated members by having gatherings in homes around the state. It was an active group in the 80’s and is trying to have a reboot. Respectfully submitted, B.J. Neuenfeldt, secretary Other oﬃ cers include: Tom Neuenfeldt, president Barbara Barber, vice president Barbara Boxwell, treasurer Barbara Tourangeau, trustee Chris Laitner, trustee Marjory Leas, trustee Mary Lou Jerrett, trustee

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY

Royal Oak, Michigan

Our Church of the Holy City congregation gathers for worship and spiritual growth on Sunday mornings, with an average attendance of 12 people per Sunday (40 active members and 22 inactive members). Our numbers are decreasing, as some have entered the spiritual world, some discontinued attending due to aging/ illness, some have re-located to other areas. We feel the loss of their presence and we cherish time together with those of us who remain. We are grateful to meet at the Royal Oak Women’s Club during the months of October through June and, during the summer months of July through September, we meet at our Royal Oak home either under the ’ole crabapple tree or by fi reside with the same average number of attendees. Our congregation treasures the love and support we off er one another. Our church remains active in our community; we have been able to continue to collect coins to raise money to bless veterans with canine companions who are at risk for suicide and we collected and also delivered non-perishable backpack and toiletries for our local veterans. This autumn, we are contributing to the local Lutheran Church Food Pantry, Homeless Shelter and fundraisers for the hungry/ Reports of Associations & Churches 139 needy. We also continue to donate to the Madison Hts Methodist Church’s Veter- ans ministry. Our Sunday School, led by Barb Barber, continues to minister to our children when they are in attendance and we invite any youth who attend to remain up- stairs during the Sunday sermon message. We continue to off er our Sunday morning Adult Discussion Group before the worship services, average attendance this year has been 2-4 people. We off er online sermons as outreach to isolated members and seekers on our church website. The Police Chaplaincy volunteer ministry continues; however, due to my decreased daytime availability, call-outs are low. I attend the monthly briefi ngs at the station. This past spring, our congregation, and myself, were invited by the Madison Hts United Methodist Church to participate in their Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services; Joe and I provided a music off ering, “The Prayer,” for the Maundy Thursday service and some church members attended to off er support. Our church choir continues to meet and sing and share the gift of music at Christmas and Easter time. I continue to serve as a part-time Oncology chaplain at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital. I serve the Royal Oak Church of the Holy City ¾ time; one Sunday a month, I take a Sunday and weekend off for rest and renewal while church members/friends either attend other churches or enjoy a restful Sabbath. Due to a recent Lupus diagnosis, I now have every Monday off from Beaumont and church to get more rest. The church continues to off er our Women’s Alliance & Women’s Spiritual- ity groups, as well as participate in the annual Almont spring Women’s Retreat, Flowerfest and Summer Camp. As the Youth League Chaplain, I led sessions at Memorial Day Teen Retreat and plan to lead a session at Teen Winter Retreat again this winter. Our congregation continues to look for educational/outreach opportunities to help awareness of Human Traffi cking in our region and we hold a raffl e bi-annually to donate to our local Royal Oak Animal Shelter. Our church off ered a successful Musical Extravaganza fundraiser in memory of Charley Geh- ringer on Saturday, October 27th. For the event organizer, Joe Machiniak, and the musicians who off ered their gifts of talent, we are most grateful: Joel Palmer & band, Rhett Billings, Julie Beutel. And we thank everyone who attended and supported our annual fundraiser event! Throughout the fi rst half of 2018, we off ered Outreach Wednesdays, meeting monthly in Farmington Hills at a restaurant for supper and then at the home of isolated member, Theron Cromwell, for prayer group, also meeting at Nancy Geh- ringer’s home with our Women’s Spirituality Group and meeting monthly at the Women’s Club with our “Rising Above Stress” community outreach group, in- 140 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

cluding guest speakers such as Nandini Jayaprasad on Hindiusm and Beaumont’s Integrative Chaplain, Sister Karen Wieleba, on Reiki healing. We also explored breath work, self-hypnosis and the link between Homeopathy and Swedenborg’s theology. Membership Classes were off ered throughout the month of March, as well as a Lenten movie series/Sunday suppers off ering “Jesus of Nazareth.” I participated with this spring’s regional Peer Supervision with the LaPorte, Indiana, New Church; however, I was unable to attend the Council of Minister’s Meetings and Annual Convention in California due to limited time off with Beau- mont Hospital. With the time off available from Beaumont, I chose to participate with Almont Summer Camp this year. I will rotate my attendance with the annual Conventions and Almont Summer Camp, so that next year in 2019 I plan to attend Convention in the LaPorte area and not Almont Camp for an extended stay. I traveled to one of our sister churches in Cincinnati, Ohio, to fi ll the pulpit on August 19, 2018, and traveled to the home of isolated church member, Dorie and Glenn Litchfi eld, on September 9th, with 17 adults and youth in attendance. It was a glorious day! I have just received an invitation to preach at our Pawnee Rock, Kansas, church, date TBA. In 2019, we plan to off er quarterly outreach educational fi lms and discussions on “Healing” at the Women’s Club building with such themes as “What the Bleep Do We Know?” We are grateful to Ian Barber who has donated a new projector for this outreach eff ort!

RITES & SACRAMENTS PERFORMED IN 2018 Weddings: 0; Baptisms: 0; New Members: 2 Easter April 1, 2018 Jeanine Keller; Easter April 1, 2018 Stephanie Comptois Resurrection/Memorial Services: 3 Attended/Participated with Brian Kidd’s Memorial in Corktown @ The Gaelic League January 20, 2018 Oﬃ ciated Charley Gehringer’s Memorial Service @ Birmingham Unitarian Church on March 3, 2018 Oﬃ ciated Leslie Gillette’s Memorial Service @ Beaumont Hospital on May 5, 2018 Respectfully submitted, Rev. Renee Machiniak, Minister

MIDDLE ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION

No report submitted. Reports of Associations & Churches 141

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY

Wilmington, Delaware

The Church of the Holy City in Wilmington continues with both old and new uses. We held our Annual Lobster and Wreath Festival in December, and it continues to be popular with the surrounding community. Our Christmas Eve service was also very well attended — a full house! We continue to host the Copeland String Quartet 3-4 times yearly, along with the Quartet’s various guest artists. Ad- ditionally, the church has hosted concerts for music students, a fall/winter book group, a discussion group with a local transgender educator and poet, and a hand- ful of guest preachers. We continue to support our local food pantry at a neighboring church, and sponsor a weekly meal at The Emmanuel Dining Room, a locally run soup kitchen. In addition, we have made a connection with one of our local homeless shelters, The Sunday Breakfast Mission, and we have held both a Thanksgiving Food Drive, and Christmas Toy Drive, for their beneﬁ t. The church also collected school supply items for The Church World Service. We have continued with our endeavors to take care of the restorations that our historic building requires. In the fall of 2018, The Church of the Holy City contracted with John Milner Architects to create a “scope of work” that documents in detail the restorations that the church needs. In December 2018, JMA delivered this document, which has subsequently been used in grant applications and will be the foundation for the bidding process with contractors in the future. We also continue to work with our grant consultant, Colleen Becht-Foltz. Four grant applications and two letters of intent have been submitted to local foundations for the funds to undertake restorations, with others planned as we continue in 2019. We have received two small grants from the National Historic Trust, and the Delaware Preservation Fund, to aid with the costs of preservation planning. Finally, The Church of the Holy City enthusiastically celebrates the graduation and ordination of our own congregant (and Treasurer) Nancy Piorkowski. Congratulations Nancy! Respectfully submitted, Jean Dougherty, President of the Trustees Rev. Shada Sullivan, Pastor 142 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY

Washington, District of Columbia

In 2018, there was a gratifying increase in church membership, enabling the CHC to meet the requirements of Convention and our own By-Laws and legiti- mating the creation of the Church Committee and making it possible to hold the frequent business meetings necessary for eff ective management of church activities. (In early 2019, the undersigned happily relinquished the presidency, which was assumed by George Economy, who brings an uncommon breadth of relevant knowledge and experience, as well as great energy and commitment, to the position.) Worship services, in the form of a Sunday afternoon prayer service, have continued to attract a signifi cantly enhanced attendance. Numerous interesting visitors frequently join us. The Monday reading group, which is typically joined by some members telephonically, has drawn intriguing visitors, who have brought special perspectives to our discussion of Swedenborg’s writings. The “Music with there Angels” concerts have continued on a monthly schedule. Ms. Mila Naumova Roushakes, a talented pianist and organist, remains the driving force behind these events, recruiting superb young musicians to perform. The concerts, generally well attended, have also brought some modest income for the church. Many groups, including a large Ethiopian Orthodox congregation and yoga groups, use various parts of the church building’s space. We are working dili- gently to increase the number of users. The already large number of weddings can be expanded, and we are thinking of increasing the now small number of funeral services held at the church. Two members of the church, Ms. Maria del los Angeles and Mr. Nikiar Ahmadi, have created an information packet that appraises potential users of our space of the conditions for use, while also providing useful information about neighborhood resources. Rev. Richard (Rich) Tafel has commented on the importance off using church space to host conversations across political, religious, and cultural lines. He envi- sions a Christian-Muslim dialogue among other possibilities. The creation of a Spiritual Entrepreneurship Center is a central aim moving forward. Rich has found high interest in the concept everywhere and believes that now is the time for its implementation. Among young people, there is a felt need for something deeper than worldly success. While many, if not most, of them are not attached to traditional religious institutions, they give evidence of wanting a spiritual dimension in their work. Thus, Rich has emphasized that we should be Reports of Associations & Churches 143 open to attracting to the envisioned center those who may, at least initially, have little obvious interest in Swedenborgianism or Christianity in general. We have the capacity to provide ideas to the non-profi t world on ways of reshaping capital- ism through honest and useful approaches to using funds, The $250,000.00 loan from the Building Fund of the Swedenborgian National Church will make possible urgently required work on the church tower and refurbishing of the downstairs reception hall. The collapse of portions of the drop ceiling in the latter space necessitated the complete refurbishing of that area. (By spring of 2019, that work was completed, creating an exceptionally attractive space, which may be used for numerous purposes, including a work space, where desks on wheels can be made available.) The past year was one of exciting forward movement at Church of the Holy City. We look forward to building on the progress of 2018. Respectfully submitted, Malcolm C. Peck, President

SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH AT TEMENOS

West Chester, Pennsylvania

MISSION: We seek to provide spiritual nourishment through loving community where all are welcome.

WORSHIP: Our main service is 10:00 a.m. on Sundays. Services reﬂ ect the Swe- denborg principle of “honoring all paths”. We engage in and cultivate a Global consciousness and spirituality. We meet people where they are in their spiritual and human journey. We honor each person’s gifts. We encourage that these gifts of divine wisdom and divine love be shared out in the world for the beneﬁ t of all. We encourage all in their personal ministries.

COMMUNITY: We have an open ever growing diverse community. Some are members in the formal sense, yet more are members by heart. Our services average anywhere from 12 – 30 - yet our friends number much more. This year we formally took in 6 new human members along with a ﬁ ne canine member – Jake. Jake attends all services and has served as a greeter and oﬀ ering steward.

OUTREACH: Temenos Retreat is one large outreach of the church with many varied programs.. We have consistently given of our oﬀ erings by tithing to the 144 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Chester County Food Bank. We also grow gardens in the summer to provide food for the food bank. Our community garden was dormant for a year but we are now re building it.

TEMENOS LAND: We remain committed to the fact that the land here nour- ishes and that it needs to be nourished. We are always exploring more ways to use it. Nature awareness classes are oﬀ ered at various times along with walks under the full moon and meditation during new moon.

2018 GOALS: Temenos Church continues to minister to all who come to our church and retreat. We oﬀ er a sanctuary to all in need of retreat, rest and renewal. We seek to follow more closely the teachings inherent in the life of Jesus. “All religion relates to life, and the life of religion is to do good” and . . . “A life of kindness is the primary meaning of divine worship.” This year we have been actively examining in council and in church how we interact with each other, with our community and with the world around us. In the greater religious community our Pastor Christine Campbell was elected to be a Co Convener of the West Chester Religious and Spiritual Council. We are an active presence in this community, sharing in many interfaith events. We have also become more actively involved in the township’s eﬀ orts at land preservation and conservation and in their historical society. This year we worked with General Convention and made the decision to sell the Angel Windows. Temenos is in great need of funds to replace and upgrade the buildings on the property as soon as possible. While putting the windows out on exhibit at various places generates some income it really requires much more expertise and care than we can give. We do not have the resources or expertise to do this. ICWA did a good job getting the windows out into the greater community but the fact remains that they have been primarily in storage at some place for over 50 years and only out for exhibit for about 6 years. It is our hope to place the windows where they will be viewed and cherished by many. We will then use the funds generated to upgrade Temenos buildings and move forward.

Community Oﬀ erings: Our Sunday Children’s time is spent in and around nature absorbing the invis- ible teachings there. This year we are working on getting our community garden back up and running for the food bank. Reports of Associations & Churches 145

We off er Wednesday noontime weekly meditation, Sunday Sound meditation once a month, drumming circles two times a month along with a “Writers in the Round” group which meets monthly and presents various authors. We also have an Earth Stewards Group that meets monthly. As we go forward our focus will be on insuring that we have a fi rm base of leadership and fi nancial plans to carry us through many, many years. We have been looking at expanding views of what membership is, what it could be and how that translates into sustainable operations. We are in process. Life is a process, and we are blessed. Respectfully submitted, Pastor Christine Campbell for the Temenos Council

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION

The New York Association of the New Church has two members, The Korean New Church and the New York New Church. Rev. Young Min Kim is the president of the Association. In 2018, The New York Association held an annual meeting in the spring, sharing reports of each church’s activities for the previous year. Anna Martinian was the sole attendee from the New York church and is the secretary of the Association. A ﬁ nancial report and budget was prepared by Cheryl Bryant (NY New Church bookkeeper) presented by Rev. Kim and Anna Martinian and approved. Elections for oﬃ cers in the upcoming year were held. No members were available to attend Convention that year. At the time of the meeting, Rev. Kim was not sure he would be able to attend. The Association voted to donate to the church funds to help with repair and maintenance, namely the air conditioning system that makes using the church year round feasible. The meeting adjourned. The Board of Directors meeting followed immediately after. Anna Martinian proposed the Association throw a Christmas party as a way to engage church members more. However, Anna Mar- tinian and Rev. Kim never got around to carrying this out and apparently, no one noticed the party didn’t happen. Everyone was busy enough as it was. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Solomon Young Min Kim 146 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

KOREAN NEW CHURCH

New York, New York

In this past year, we had several occasions for celebration. One of our congregation members had cause to celebrate after receiving her Legal Permanent Residency from the United States government after an arduous experience of immigration to resettle here. She had experienced maltreatment and abuse in her home country of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) which eventually resulted in being exiled from the PRC. When she sought refuge in the United States, she was in danger of deportation after being given false legal counsel by a dishonest U.S. immigration attorney. Due to the fi erce advocacy and translation pastor Rev. Young Min Kim provided for the congregant, our church was able to connect the congregant to a new immigration attorney, which ultimately resulted in her attain- ment of legal status in the U.S. Another celebration of our church was the joyful marriage of one of our younger congregation members who had previously been in danger of deportation after an encounter with the criminal justice system. Our congregation members came together to rally for a stay of his deportation, which allowed the young man to remain in the only country he has known as home for the majority of his life. To celebrate his joyous union and marriage was a beautiful bookend to the pas- sionate eff orts of our church. Rev. Young Min Kim offi ciated that ceremony with joy, and many of our congregation members were present to witness the union. We praised and thanked to the Lord for these good results by His mercy and by His miraculous works. While pastor Rev. Kim attended the Annual Convention in San Jose, one former member who currently resides in San Francisco, received his baptism with Rev. Kim when attending a service with his family. Since September of last, we began to have Tai-Chi practice before Sunday service led by Ms. Sue Hirschi of the New York New Church before Sunday service. The object of this activity was to align how physical well-being with our spiritual well-being for our weekly services. Additionally, in the following month of October, we began to have a free community Tae Kwon Do leadership program on Monday evenings in our church building led by one of our newer congregation members who brings his knowledge and skill as a former South Korean Olympic Tae Kwon Do expert. In the summer months, we provided worship services every other week to allow for fl exibility in schedules for our congregation members. With the Fall of Reports of Associations & Churches 147

2018, we resumed weekly Sunday worship services in the sanctuary followed by coﬀ ee hours. We also provided occasional community worship gathering in the Flushing area for special events. From October 20-22, 2019, thirteen church members and attended a Fall retreat at the Pocono mountain resort in Pennsylvania. We took the opportunity to enjoy the nature which invigorated our gatherings with a fresh energy for our spiritual journey in a diﬀ erent setting. On December 16th, Pastor Kim and his wife Esther attended a worship service at the New Utrecht Reformed Church in celebration of the restoration of their sanctuary which is a historical landmark in Brooklyn, NY. The location of the New Utrecht Reformed Church was the home for the Korean New Church for two decades before we moved to our location in Manhattan. To re-visit the historical building and reconnect with other friends in faith, prayer and blessings in the renovated yet familiar place was a lovely occasion. We thank to the Lord for having another blessed year and our fellow members of the Convention for keeping our church in their prayers in order to do God’s good works. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Young Min Kim

NEW YORK NEW CHURCH

New York, New York

The New York New Church meets monthly from September to June. A Swe- denborgian minister comes up from Bryn Athyn, PA (or thereabouts) and the Gen- eral Church. By the generosity of the Academy of the New Church, we, who, but for one person, live outside of Manhattan in the boroughs, Long Island and New Jersey, are grateful to have a Swedenborgian worship service. We have Sunday School before worship service and have just ﬁ nished reading True Christianity vols. 1 and 2. Over the summer, “we” William Linden and Anna Martinian are considering tackling “Other Planets” this summer on our own. We continue to rent the church space to various community groups for their special events. We have a new tenant for our front parlor, an NYC supported organization, “Services for the Underserved”, that assists developmentally handicapped adults to hone life skills and go to volunteer jobs in the community. We ﬁ nally have a new website: newyorknewchurch.org. With any luck, I will get to add a links list before I forget how to use the program. 148 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Board member Richard Bryant organized an open mic night in late winter, a good time was had and we hope he does this again. The Four Nations Ensemble returned to the New Church in March for a well attended Baroque Concert. A Sufi study group has been meeting monthly at the church. The church building is shared with the Korean New Church. A member of Rev. Kim’s church is off ering free Taekwondo lessons on Monday evenings. There are seven serious students, their lessons include an introduction to Swedenborgian principles in Korean and English. The Swedenborg Foundation hosted an off The Left Eye Show meet and greet at the NY church this month. One person returned for worship service the next Sunday and asked to be notifi ed of future events. Will Linden wrote and Anna Martinian designed and printed an FAQ booklet that does manage disappear from our “lobby pulpit” as we put them out there. There may be an opportunity to hold a worship service or Swedenborgian focused gathering during the week in the church term to come. I hope to have more to say about that next May. Respectfully submitted, Anna Martinian

OHIO ASSOCIATION

The Ohio Association met on Saturday, October 6th, 2018 during a Joint weekend meeting of the Michigan and Ohio Associations at Almont, MI. Bev Titus is stepping down as Dayton Peace Camp Coordinator and is thankful for the support that the Ohio Association off ered to the Camp. The Peace Camp reduced the number of participants as it became too much, so our support will be reduced for next year. We voted to increase our support of Almont Summer Camp for their major plan for camp repairs. There was discussion about supporting youth groups for the future of the church, in the form of scholarships for youth attend retreats, conventions, etc. The line item in the budget for youth attendance was signifi cantly increased. Al Cowen, President of the Urbana Society, shared that the electrical work in the Urbana Church is completed. Making church handicap accessible is the next project. They have commissioned a contractor to assess and has gotten a quote from an architect for concrete ramps with steel railings to both the fi rst fl oor and Reports of Associations & Churches 149 to the basement. The Association has off ered a building fund loan to cover this venture. Scholarship aid for a student at Urbana University was increased for 2018 and 2019. Money which was to be given to Urbana University will be switched to support the Johnny Appleseed Foundation because UU haven’t started the project that they were supposed to do. The Johnny Appleseed Foundation board is paying someone to inventory their archives and items. The museum has moved from Bailey Hall to Browne Hall. It was voted to double the amount we have given to Johnny Appleseed Foundation in the past to help pay this person. Respectfully submitted, Valerie Brugler, Corresponding Secretary

NEW CHURCH OF MONTGOMERY

Cincinnati, Ohio

We continue to meet at the Glendale New Church (General Church), renting space there which is a win-win situation for both congregations. We have Sunday worship on all but the 2nd Sunday of the month when the Glendale Church has their service. We have Sunday school during church most Sundays as well as Swedenborg Study Group before church. We continue to have a visiting minister at least once a month with volunteers from the congregation fi ling in the remaining Sundays. We hosted our annual Easter Pancake Breakfast and were joined by many of the Glendale church members. Pete Toot and J.D. Panyko again made delicious pancakes and there was an easter egg hunt for the children following the service. Our Homecoming summer picnic was well attended and it was nice to see old friends and prior members. We were able to use the picnic shelter belonging to the private sports club next door to the church. Our annual Harvest Feast was a big hit, as always. We had turkey and all the trimmings for our potluck meal. It was very well attended. Other programs include our Toy Swap and Bake sale that benefi ts Bethany House Services women and children’s shelter, Friday night social “Coff ee and Conversation” at McDonalds, a new fl ower garden project. And just recently held a successful fi rst (hopefully annual) art show. The art show called “Something Wonderful” benefi tted Bethany House Services and included 14 exhibiting artists, a raffl e and hands-on art project, raising over $600 150 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Some of our outreach programs include donations and participation in the Lee- la Alcorn Memorial Highway project, volunteer work at Matthew 23 Ministries, volunteering at Operation Giveback School Supply and Holiday Store, breakfast preparation at Bethany House women’s shelter, and Glendale Elementary coat drive. A new outreach this year is “food share”: we each get an extra item when we grocery shop, using our red New Church of Montgomery reusable shopping bag to remind us, then those grocery items are delivered monthly to local food pantries. We are pleased with what our small group manages to accomplish. Respectfully submitted, Gloria Toot, Chair

URBANA SOCIETY OF THE NEW CHURCH

Urbana, Ohio

Worship & Related Activities: Sunday worship continues with a reading and discussion format except for special services such as Easter, Pentecost, Thanks- giving and Christmas. We held our annual Seder and several church potlucks. We ﬁ nished “Finding Purpose” and are now beginning “Overcoming Divisiveness”, both books published by the Swedenborg Foundation. A number of members are participating in a monthly “Heaven and Hell” discussion group and a weekly meditation group, both led by lay members. Robbin Ferriman, who has been taking a leadership role for several years, has applied to the Licensed Pastor program with the support of the membership. Wider Church Activities/Programs: Thirteen local members attended the joint Michigan-Ohio Association weekend meeting at Almont Michigan in October 2018. Five members attended Convention 2018 in San Hosea, California last July.

Community Outreach & Connections: Our wedding outreach ministry continues under the leadership of Robbin Ferriman, who also oversees our Facebook page and answers questions about our church. Our Outreach Committee continues to promote projects of community giving throughout the year that include needed donations of items and money to local community centers and donate to the area “World House Choir”. We also continue to provide space for several weekly 12- step meetings in the church. Pastor Betsy is presently the Vice President of the Champaign County Ministerial Association. Reports of Associations & Churches 151

UU/Church Connections: Many of our church members participated in and supported the following events.

“Swedenborg Scholar-in-Residence” program: Rev. Anna Woofenden was this year’s “scholar”. She held a public lecture, “Food and Faith, Conversations from around the Table”, an informal gathering and attended a number of classes. She shared information about her founding and development of the “Garden Church” and focused on the importance of ﬁ nding new ways to “be church”, including strong community engagement. Our members enjoyed informal conversation at a planned dinner with her on campus.

“The Alicia Titus Memorial Peace Fund”: The annual “Alicia Titus Run for Peace” at Urbana University was held on September 8th, 2018. About 200 people joined in the “run/walk”, including a number of church members. Others volunteered with setup, teardown and other necessary tasks. Non-violent Communica- tion Workshop: Alicia’s fund provides a certifi ed instructor in non-violence to students, faculty, staff and the community. Several of our members attended this program. “City of Peace Exhibit” included a fi lm and panel discussions about how to be a community dedicated to working together in peaceful ways.

Urbana University Interfaith Chaplaincy: Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man continues to lead this program which supports the spiritual life of students and all members of the U.U. community. Betsy worked with the area Ministerial Association , Urbana University and the local AME church, to organize and provide a community program for Dr. Martin Luther King Program on campus.

Johnny Appleseed Foundation: Pastor Betsy is the president of this foundation, whose board supports through fundraising and other activities, the work of the Johnny Appleseed Museum on campus. This past year they funded a staﬀ position so that all the museum holdings could be inventoried and catalogued. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man 152 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

PACIFIC COAST ASSOCIATION

The Pacifi c Coast Association was pleased to host Annual Convention 2018 in San Jose, California. The turn out as always was wonderful and it was an honor to have all our members and guests visit the west coast. The Pacifi c Coast Association’s Annual meeting was hosted by the Sweden- borgian Church of San Francisco, October 13th and 14th. We conducted our annual business, including budget, election of offi cers, and reports from our ministries. The theme of our program was “Pilgrimage: Outer Expressions of the Spiritual Journey.” Our keynote speaker was Dr. Kathryn Barush from the GTU who spoke on the history and “rewilding” of the musical setting of Blake’s Jerusalem, “And did those feet in ancient time . . .” As the weekend unfolded, we practiced singing this favorite of Swedenborgians and included it in our Sunday worship. Later in the program members and guests were treated to workshops led by Rev. Rachel Rivers, Rev. David Brown, and Professor Rebecca Esterson; a “pilgrimage” to the Presidio led by Andrea LoPinto; and amazing meals, prepared by John Gwynn. The weekend concluded with a collaborative worship service coordinated by Rev. Junchol Lee. The Pacifi c Coast Association board met in the fall immediately before the annual meeting and again via a video conference calls in March and May. During these meetings we made several program grants to our member ministries. This fall, the Pacifi c Coast Association’s Annual Meeting will be held in Silver City New Mexico, sponsored by the New Church of the Southwest Desert. This will be our 100th Anniversary, and we are busy planning for a special celebration of a century of Swedenborgian ministry in the Western states. Respectfully Submitted, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell, president, Pacifi c Coast Association

HILLSIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH

El Cerrito, California

We are nearing the end of our third full year with Rev. Thom Muller as our minister. As of the end of the calendar year 2018, we had 29 members and approximately 10 active friends, with Sunday attendance usually around 20. We hold worship services every Sunday throughout the year, and in addition run multiple discussion groups on Sunday afternoon and during the week. We also have an Reports of Associations & Churches 153 evening occasional public outreach program called Spiral that brings in speakers on topics resonant with Swedenborgian spirituality. A major development this past year was bringing Tassy Farwell aboard as Li- censed Pastor and events coordinator in a team ministry with Rev. Thom. To- gether the ministry team oversees the operations of the busy property calendar. The parsonage, which is located on the church property no more than thirty yards from the main building, was vacated during the summer by the former longtime tenant, and the congregation took the opportunity to handle some needed repairs and sprucing. The Mullers were able to move into it by the end of summer, and for the fi rst time in nearly a half-century we have our minister living in it and able to interact freely and easily with the many non-profi t groups that use Hillside for their programming. Tassy also puts in offi ce hours on-site during the week and has joined the team that supports the worship leadership since Thom is still part-time. One of the members of the worship leadership team, comprised of Rebecca Ester- son, Birrell Walsh, Tassy Farwell, and Jim Lawrence, typically take one Sunday a month. The music program is fl exible, usually having support on the grand piano or with groups of recorders led by Nancy Walsh. The physical grounds continue to be beautifi ed with improved outdoor seating areas for group discussions and personal meditation. Hillside as an urban sanctuary develops a community approach of many groups contributing to the energy of the space. Spiritual Communities: Buddhists, Catholics, Course in Miracles, Jews, Methodists, Muslims, Pagans, Peruvian Shaman/Healer, Richmond Afri- can American Congregations, Sufi s, Zen Archers; Schools: Peter Pan Preschool, Crestmont School, Rose Waldorf Kindergarten, Seven Sisters Mystery School; Music and Dance: Contra Costa Chorale, Viola da Gamba Society, East Bay Recorder Society, San Francisco Early Music Society, Junior Recorder Society, Barbary Coast Recorder Orchestra, Singing in a New World, Hour of Peace (labyrinth walk), Barefoot Chamber Music, Bay Area Guitar Meet-Up, local piano and cello teachers’ student recitals, local musician concerts, local singer rehearsals, Bay Area Circle Dancers, Moving Meditation, Mahea Uchiyama Center for International Dance, Gadung Kasturi Balinese Dance and Music, Zydeco dance class, local dancer rehearsals; Martial/Healing Arts: White Crane Silat, Aikido, Tao Kung, Jin Shin Jyutsu; Civic Groups: Girl Scouts/Brownies/Daisies, 4-H, Huntington’s Disease Support Group, Lifeline Health Screening, El Cerrito Fel- lowship (AA), Overeaters Anonymous, Project Avery; Events: Weddings, Anni- versary Celebrations, Birthday Celebrations (50+), Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, Memorial Services; Retreats: Kyudo, Qigong, Berkeley YMCA; Other: International As- 154 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

sociation of Near-Death Studies, ARE (Edgar Cayce), Body Therapy Associates (prenatal massage), Be The Peace (International Day of Peace), Day of the Dead. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Jim Lawrence, Recording Secretary

SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH OF SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco, CA

2018 was a challenging year for our church in terms of fi nances. Donations were down as was income from events. It seems church weddings are increasingly unpopular and our revenue certainly refl ects this unfavorable trend. Though overall donations were down, church attendance and member/community engagement has been positive. We held a successful fundraising campaign for needed structural repairs and have experienced increased participation in our Christmastime services as well as our monthly Meditation with Daoism meetings. Additionally, Rev. Lee began off ering half-day workshops on Swedenborgian theology due to growing interest stemming from Off Left Eye productions of the Swedenborg Foundation. Last year was the third year of our Second Sunday Concert Series, spearheaded and managed by member Andrew Jack Dodd. The present aim of the series is to increase visibility of our church and become self-sustaining. We also continue to host the annual West Coast Swedenborgian Retreat, however registration has not been particularly strong the past few years and our church provides considerable fi nancial support and scholarships. We are considering holding the retreat less frequently. As we look ahead to 2019 and 2020, our primary goal remains to increase visibility of the church in our community with the aim of growing our membership and ultimately increasing donations. We will continue to experiment with diff erent ideas for growing income from weddings and events, though our resources for this eff ort are somewhat limited. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Junchol Lee, Senior Pastor Reports of Associations & Churches 155

THE GARDEN CHURCH

San Pedro, California

Report of The Garden Church and Feed and be Fed Farm

This year we have been putting down ever deeper roots -- literally in the deepening of our planting beds, and fi guratively as well. Feed and be Fed is now blessed with a group of a dozen regular volunteers who have gotten quite adept at making compost and carrying out other garden tasks. We off ered a summer fi lm series on urban gardening and sustainability, usually followed by Q&A. We are developing a relationship with a second local restaurant to provide fresh produce. We host classes from a local charter school and just off ered our fi rst master gardener class on growing food in containers of all sizes. We are supporting Lara Hughey, our former and original gardener, in a project to create an urban food orchard. On the church side, we continue to off er worship every Sunday, with special services on Dia de los Muertos, Christmas Eve, New Years, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, Easter Morning, and Earth Day. This year we instituted an MLK Sunday Teach-in, and an Animal Blessing Ser- vice. We also extended the hours of our Dia de los Muertos observance. A devoted core group continues to meet once a month for Theological Thursday. We took in two new members and offi ciated a wedding in the garden. Our Sunday Community meal off ers us an opportunity not just to feed but to minister to residents of our neighborhood, many of whom live on the street or are housing/food insecure. The Wayfarers Chapel Being of Use Team has been providing the meal once a month. St. Mark’s Presbyterian in Lomita, and a mother- son team regularly provide the meal, with Garden Church volunteers providing the rest of the food, some of it “rescued.” A prominent part of our ministry has been advocating for the needs of the most marginalized members of our community. We have been attending community meetings in which we advocate for the need for aff ordable and supportive housing. We have also actively supported mental health and suicide awareness eff orts. We’ve hosting story-telling events and rehearsals for the LA performance of “This is my Brave,” also a mental health story-telling event. And we hosted a screening of “The S-Word”, a documentary featuring suicide attempt survivors, followed by Q&A. 156 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

We actively participate in local clergy and interfaith groups as a way of fur- thering our social justice advocacy. For example, we are supporting the eff orts of a local synagogue to off er safe parking for those who live in their vehicles, and the eff orts of our Friends at the San Pedro United Methodist Church to develop a vacant lot they own as aff ordable and supportive housing. We are deeply grateful for all the moral and fi nancial support we have received throughout Convention and beyond. You are helping to make sustainable this experiment in a new way of making church together. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell, and Rev. Dr. Amanda Adams Riley, acting Co-pastors

NEW CHURCH OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERT

Silver City, New Mexico

The Lord is good! At the New Church of the Southwest Desert (NCSWD) we know that, but it’s still wonderful to see a plan come together that could not have been actualized without the Lord’s repeated interventions. Unanticipated ob- stacles were met and overcome--of course. So on October 7, 2018, NCSWD had its fi rst Sunday service in their new location at 714 Bullard Street, the former Domino’s Pizza. The location on the only main street of our small city (population 10,000) is perfect. The building is 2,900 square feet and NCSWD has entered into a lease-to- purchase agreement with the owner. The back 700 square foot room is a dedicated sanctuary that abuts Silver City’s Farmer’s Market and multi-use “plaza”. (In exchange for using NCSWD electric- ity on Saturdays, the Farmer’s Market provides a free space for NCSWD members to display and sell their handmade creations and paintings.) The middle part of the building houses two offi ces, a kitchen,a pantry a rest- room and open spaces that can be used for meetings and classes. The front of the building is an “already but not yet” coff ee and tea house outreach area named The Oasis. Street traffi c interest has been high. Since last October, NCSWD has done extensive remodeling--new wiring, fl ooring, plumbing, ceiling, etc. (The fi re marshal gave NCSWD high praise after he completed his inspection.) In addition to holding weekly Sunday services, in- termittent classes were off ered and community groups such as AA and Al-Anon and a theater group held meetings in the building. Several local religious organi- Reports of Associations & Churches 157 zations have provided encouragement, willingness to help staff The Oasis, and fi - nancial assistance morphing this undertaking into an ecumenical movement. The owner/manager of The Tranquil Buzz, a coff ee house in town, has generously mentored NCSWD in the establishment of The Oasis. The Sunday service attendance has increased. The median attendance is now 15-16. Rev. Carla Friedrich and pastor Linda Callander Browning have offi ciated at most of the Sunday services; speakers from the congregation and the community sometimes fi ll in. Classes and movies, etc have been less frequent since so much time and energy is being used for coordinating and supervising repairs and remodeling the new facility. Obviously Rev. Carla and pastor Linda have done tremendous work on their own as well as in directing and coordinating the many volunteers who have come forward to help. The GO-FER program has been fully maintained: the free service of providing transportation for those in need. And this winter during freezing weather NCSWD will again be able to provide temporary sleeping space for homeless women, an eff ort coordinated with the Mission which provides overnight stays for homeless men. Sweaty, faithful, hopeful, and deeply thankful NCSWD moves forward. Respectfully submitted, Carley Preusch, Secretary

SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH OF PUGET SOUND

Redmond, Washington

The Swedenborgian Church of Puget Sound (dba Swedenborgian Spiritual Community) oﬀ ers a unique brand of mystical Christianity to the “Spiritual but not Religious” people of western Washington. We usually meet twice a month at a dance studio in Redmond. Services are led by Rev. Paul Martin and Helen Barler, Licensed Pastor. We also hold special events throughout the year. We celebrated our annual Christmas Eve-Eve service at the Redmond United Methodist Church. Mosswood Hollow hosted a pot-luck dinner on Easter weekend, followed by a viewing of an Oﬀ the Left Eye presentation, and a morning Easter Service attended by 35 people. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Paul Martin 158 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

SOUTHEAST ASSOCIATION

The Southeast Association has had limited activity in recent years, both the Revs. Skuli Thorhallsson of Deland and Dick Tafel of Southwest Florida having suff ered health setbacks. The required annual membership fi gures for the two churches in the Associa- tion, at Deland and Southwest Florida, are fi led each year with the denomination. The Association is also represented by delegates each year at Convention. Representatives of the two churches are investigating options for the future of the Association. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dick Tafel

THE CHRYSALIS FELLOWSHIP

Deland, Florida

The Swedenborg Chrysalis Retreat in Deland, Florida, continues to experience change and renewal. Our Sunday Church Services are unique, interesting, and inspiring as we share with Lake Helen General Church our weekly church service announcements. Members of their church attend our services on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. Our members attend their services on the ﬁ rst and third Sundays of the month. This practice continued when Rev. Terry Schnarr and his wife, Kathlyn came to us from Canada last November. Rev. Terry ministered to our church through April this year. A ‘coincidence’ in this arrangement was that Rev. Terry has a close cousin that attends Lake Helen Church. We have joy in new found friendships and learnings we wouldn’t have without this sharing. Our Church has need of much upkeep for our grounds which is beautiful but can easily become overgrown in the Florida, moist, warm environment. Friends from Lake Helen Church joined us on our weekend workday to work and have a carry-in meal with wonderful fellowship. Rev. Terry spent much time in his months with us, clearing land, cleaning up brush, burning the brush, mowing, clipping and chopping away at vegetation. We have 2 large outdoor brick and oven ﬁ replaces and a second patio that he cleared. Walking paths and a walk through arbor are now available for enjoyment. Thank you, Rev. Terry. Rev Terry also taught Sunday afternoon classes on the writings of Swedenborg for 3 months this winter. In March this year we had 3 baptisms and a new member join the Church. Reports of Associations & Churches 159

We also have a church discussion group that meets monthly to discuss a chosen segment of “Oﬀ the Left Eye”. This group is made up of members of both Lake Helen Church and our Church. Discussion and refreshments are stimulating and fun. We have the beauty of nature. And we earnestly seek to be people of beauty that our Creator uses as vessels for Himself. Respectfully submitted, Carolyn Salyer

THE NEW CHURCH OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

Ft. Myers, Florida

After selling our building a few years ago, the New Church of Southwest Flor- ida retains a small group of faithful members who meet occasionally, led unof- ﬁ cially by the Rev. Dick Tafel. We also stay in touch by phone and electronically. We have not been successful in recruiting a full- or part-time Convention minister. Two members, Joyce Fekete and Dorothy Burnside, attended the Almont Sum- mer Session in Michigan last summer. Rev. Dick and Linda Tafel attended 2018 Convention in San José, California. Rev. Dick and Linda Tafel also visited the Deland church at President Siebert’s request last June and met with their members to explore re-activating that group. Respectfully submitted, Rev. Dick Tafel

WESTERN CANADA CONFERENCE

Greetings from Western Canada: We just held our 112 Annual General Meeting, in Airdrie, Alberta, hosted by the Calgary New Church Society. We were so pleased to have The Rev. Jane Siebert as our guest. She attended our meeting on Saturday and was very helpful with some suggestions. On Sunday we were delighted to have her deliver a sermon, entitled “Deep Calls to Deep”. Last year, WCC sponsored another successful camp week for children ages 10 – 18. The Theme was “Survivor”, which lent itself to many interesting games. This year is a Harry Potter theme and the Camp Committee has been working since last year to make this spectacular. 160 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

A big project which was underwritten for the camp last year was installing a cistern for potable water, with new heaters. For the fi rst time, campers and staff had heated showers, which I imagine was greatly appreciated. Not much goes on during the year, but the Executive met in February for a mid winter meeting (really mid winter here). The big job accomplished was establish- ing some roles and responsibilities for the Paulhaven Property Committee. Taking care of 40 acres is quite a daunting occupation. Last year we had 4 adults and 1 youth attend Convention in San Jose. By the time you read this, you will see whether we were able to aff ord to send any to Convention 2019. Best wishes for a successful meeting. It is always a wonderful time for friends, new and old, to get together. Respectfully submitted, Sharon Williams, President

CALGARY NEW CHURCH SOCIETY

Calgary, Alberta

We are pleased to have some new people, and a past member, attending our services this past year. We have also conﬁ rmed two members into our church. We continue to have a few inquiries from people searching on-line for information about our group’s services. Also, we have recently had e-mails about courses, which we were not hosting, but found that we were connected on a web site. We are happy to be hosting our Western Canada Conference AGM in May this year. Besides taking care of the business at the annual meeting, it is always a joy to gather with fellow Swedenborgians to visit and worship. We welcome our President of the Swedenborgian Church, Rev. Jane Siebert, joining us this year for the WCC meeting. Respectfully submitted, Hartmut Lipski, President

CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY

Edmonton, Alberta

During June and July Pastor David was very busy away from Church - June 28 to July 1 General Convention in San Jose along with Ardith and Leah; July 16 Reports of Associations & Churches 161 to July 21 Paulhaven Camp – where he had Church Services and Q & A Classes; July 22 to July 29 Almont, where he was a Big Boys Dorm Dad, had Church Ser- vices and Classes; then July 31 to August 5 he attended North America Interfaith Network, for which he Co-Chaired the Planning Committee. October 14th to October 18th he was in Washington D.C. at the National Coun- cil of Churches. November 1st to 7th he attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto. Pastor David, Taunya and Randy attended the WCC AGM in Saskatoon. Whilst Pastor David is a way Ardith Francis and Linda S Reed conduct Ser- vices for the Congregation. Thank you to both these ladies.

Bible Study The Story of Jesus according to John, we had some good conversations.

Deaths Mr. Edward Reed, Barry Reed’s Father, went home January 2018 at the age of 93. Linda Reed conducted a memorial for Mr. Reed, in Victoria, March 27, 2018. Mrs. Audrey Milot went home to our Heavenly Father October 17th, 2018 We held a Memorial Service Saturday, October 27th to celebrate Audrey’s life, to remember the happy memories we all have and to remember the joy Audrey brought to all those she met along the way. Audrey will be sorely missed by us all. Mrs. Irene Serink - Passed on March 15th, 2018

Baptisms On July 21 Family and Friends gathered at Paulhaven for the Baptism Ceremo- ny of Natalie Cameron Marjorie Runka, Daughter of Justin Runka and Amanda Watters, with Pastor David Fekete oﬃ ciating. Proud Paternal Grandparents enjoying the day were Randy (Joyce Dirk) Run- ka and Marjorie (Gerald Lockey) as well as Aunties, Great Aunties and Uncles! Proud Maternal Grandparents attending were Dawna (George Terlesky) Epp as well as Great Grandmother, Hilda Epp. Natalie proved to be a happy, well-loved wee toddler who never slowed down and no one heard a cry once. May God’s Perfect Love surround and protect her throughout her childhood.

New Members 162 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Kurtis and Mitchell Schreiber were inducted into the Church Sunday, Septem- ber 16th. What a joy to have them back at Church. Curtis brings his Daughters, Royen and Everley much to the delight of the congregation.

Events Our Concert Series commenced April 8th with Ainsley Elisa a young Lady of 17 from Sylvan Lake, Alberta. April 15th we heard Andrew Glover with special guest Byron - Andrew is an accomplished pianist in the Edmonton music scene. April 22nd brought Dino Dominelli & Kori Wray – A Jazz Trio; their pianist, a recent graduate from Grant McEwan, appropriately named Jazz April 29th Bernard Quilala. May 5th, I went to Elk Point to a live theatre performance of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” The Actors and Actresses were students from Elk Point School, ages six to seventeen. The Leading Lady being our very own Peyton Proudlove. Peyton was fantastic. On Sunday, October 28th we celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Mrs. Red- dekopp’s birth. What stories Lisa (Elsie) can tell of the times and changes of the last one hun- dred years. Her parents came to Canada from Russia in the early 1900s, at diﬀ erent times, both to Winnipeg at diﬀ erent times, met, fell in love and the rest is their history. Lisa met the love of her life Rev. Erwin Reddekopp, had four children – Ron, Sharon, Wayne and Brian. Rev. & Mrs. Erwin Reddekopp lived in Edmonton, Detroit, San Francisco, Kelowna and back to Edmonton. November the 4th Mrs. Lisa Reddekopp’s Family gave a wonderful 100th Birthday Party for Lisa down at Riverdale Community Hall, in the River Valley, it was a beautiful setting. There were over 100 people and they came from far and wide. A couple of weeks before the party Lisa had surprise visits from good Friends Taissa & Mike from Kelowna and Brian & Donna from Williams Lake. December 23rd our pot luck Christmas luncheon was once again roasted, cooked, baked and served by Chris and Taunya. The lunch was delicious, an enjoyable afternoon was had by all. Respectfully submitted, Linda J. Reid, President Act of Incorporation 163

A I An act to incorporate the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly.

Section 1. That Rev. Thomas Worcester, D.D. of Boston, Massachusetts; Rev. J.R. Hibbard of Chicago, Illinois; Rev. T.B. Hayward of Brookline, Mas- sachusetts; Robert L. Smith, Esq. of Jamaica, Long Island, New York; J. Young Scammon, Esq. of Chicago and I.S. Britton, Esq. of Springﬁ eld, Illinois; Hon. Jno. B. Niles of LaPorte, Indiana; Dr. Charles Shepherd of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Rev. Chauncey Giles of Cincinnati, Ohio; David Snyder, Esq. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; N.F. Cabell, Esq. of Warminster, Virginia; Hon. Jno. H. Wilkins and Sampson Reed of Boston, Massachusetts; Oliver Gerish of Portland and Hen- ry B. Hoskins of Gardiner, Maine; their associates and successors, be, and they are hereby constituted a body Corporate under the name of the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America; under which name they shall have perpetual succession, with power to receive, take by gift, purchase, devise or otherwise, property and real estate, real, personal or mixed, for educational or religious purposes, and to hold, lease, and sell or convey the same at pleasure.

Section 2. The business Aff airs of said Convention shall be managed and controlled by its Executive Committee, (or General Council) subject to the direction of the Convention, when in session. Said Committee (or Council) shall be chosen or appointed from time to time, in such manner as the Constitution of said Convention may direct, and act in conformity to its votes. Said Committee (or Council) may create such offi ces, and appoint such Offi cers as they may see fi t, and remove the same at pleasure; and may change its business aff airs in such a manner as a majority of said Committee (or Council) may determine, subject to the control of the Convention.

Section 3. Said Convention may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, prosecute and defend, in all courts and places, in its corporate name, by Attor- ney or otherwise. All deeds, conveyances, or leases of the property held by said Convention, for the purpose of leasing or conveying such property, shall be made under the hands of the President and Recording Secretary, and under such seal as said Executive Committee (or General Council) may adopt; but all such deeds must be approved by a majority of said Committee (or Council). 164 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Section 4(a). The purposes for which this Convention exists are: religious, charitable and educational as follows:

1. The specifi c and primary religious purpose is to aid the teachings of Christianity as taught by Emanuel Swedenborg. 2. The specifi c and primary charitable purpose is to aid the poor and unfortunate by collection and disbursement of funds, food, clothing and shelter. 3. The specifi c and primary educational purposes are to distribute funds for scholarships, to help organizations present education programs of general public interest and to disseminate educational material in the public interest. 4. The general purposes and powers are to have and exercise all of the rights and powers conferred on Convention under special charters under the laws of Illinois. However, this Convention shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the primary purposes of this Convention. 5. No substantial part of the activities of this Convention shall consist of the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempt- ing to infl uence legislation, nor shall this Convention participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public offi ce or perform any act that will disqualify the Convention for tax exempt status conferred by any local, state or federal government which has jurisdiction over the Conven- tion. 6. This Convention is incorporated and exists not for pecuniary profi t and no part of any net earnings shall inure to the benefi t of any person, private shareholder or individual.

Section 4(b). The property of this Convention is irrevocably dedicated to religious, charitable and educational purposes and no part of the net income or assets of the organization shall ever inure to the benefi t of any director, offi cer or member thereof or to the benefi t of any private persons. On the dissolution or winding up of the Convention, its assets remaining after payment of, or provision for payment of, all debts and liabilities of this Convention, shall be distributed to a nonprofi t fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated ex- Act of Incorporation 165 clusively for religious or charitable or educational purposes and which has established its tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and/or any future provisions amending, succeeding, supplementing or replacing this section.

If this Convention holds any assets in trust, or the Convention is formed for charitable purposes, such assets shall be disposed in such a manner as may be directed by decree of a court with jurisdiction over such trust, its assets or the Convention, on petition therefrom by the Attorney General or by any person concerned in the liquidation, in a proceeding to which such Attorney General is a party.

Section 4(c). All the property of the Convention held or located in the State of California is irrevocably dedicated to religious or charitable or educational purposes meeting the requirements for exemption provided by Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, and/or any future provisions that amend, supple- ment, succeed or replace such section, and upon dissolution or winding up of the Convention such property shall be distributed to a nonproﬁ t fund, foundation, or corporation with religious or charitable or educational purposes meeting the requirements for exemption provided by Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. In all other respects, property in the State of California shall be subject to Section 4(b) above.

Section 5. Nothing in this Act contained, shall be so constructed as to interfere with the right of said Convention to alter, amend or abolish its Constitu- tion, or to form a new one whenever it shall see ﬁ t to do so.

Approved January 29, 1861

The original Act of Incorporation is on fi le in the Offi ce of the Secretary of the State, Springfi eld, Illinois; and it has also been recorded on page 1 of Record 48 in that Offi ce. By vote of a number of members of the New Church from various parts of the United States, assembled in Philadelphia on January 1st, 1817, a call was issued for a convention of the receivers of the doctrines of the New Jerusalem Church to be held in Philadelphia on May 15th of that year, “for the purpose of consulting upon the general concerns of the Church.” The fi rst meeting of the General Convention occurred as planned on May 15-17, 1817. 166 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

The General Convention was incorporated, under the laws of Illinois, on January 29, 1861. Its legal oﬃ ce is at the rooms of the Chicago Society of the New Jerusa- lem, 77 W. Washington Street, Room 1700, Chicago, IL 60602-2901. The Constitution of the Swedenborgian Church 167

C of the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America, Inc.

Article I. Name, Purpose and Membership

Section 1. This body shall be called the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America, Inc., commonly known as the Sweden- borgian Church.

Section 2. The Swedenborgian Church exists to help people be open to the Lord’s presence and leading, especially by fostering personal and ordained ministries which facilitate the spiritual well-being of people, and which have in common a working for the Lord in bringing in the New Age, the descent of the Holy City, New Jerusalem.

The light in which we seek to walk shines from the Lord Jesus Christ in His second coming, available to us through the divine presence in our hearts and minds, and through revelation in the Holy Scripture and in the life and teaching of the Lord’s servant, Emanuel Swedenborg.

This section shall hereinafter be referred to as the PURPOSE of the Swe- denborgian Church.

Section 3. Constituent bodies of the Swedenborgian Church shall be those collective bodies which subscribe to this Purpose and which unite with the Swe- denborgian Church in performing the distinctive uses of a church. All bodies entitled to voting delegates at the time of adoption of this article shall be considered to be constituent bodies. Additional bodies may be admitted to membership on recommendation of General Council and vote of the Swedenborgian Church.

The members of the Swedenborgian Church shall be those persons who are adult active members of a constituent body or who have been accepted as members at large through Rite of Conﬁ rmation and by vote of the Swedenborgian Church.

For membership in the Swedenborgian Church, an adult active member is 168 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

one who is at least eighteen years of age and who has been accepted by a constituent body through conﬁ rmation or by transfer, and who within the calendar year immediately preceding a session of the Swedenborgian Church has shown an active interest in his or her membership by joining in programs of worship and work or by contributing physically or ﬁ nancially.

Article II. Oﬃ cers, Councils and Administrative Functions

Section 1. The offi cers of the Swedenborgian Church shall be a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer, all elected by ballot. The President and Treasurer shall each be elected for three-year terms, and the Vice President and Recording Secretary shall each be elected for one-year terms. The President and Treasurer shall assume the duties of their offi ces at the close of the next annual meeting after their election and the other offi cers shall assume the duties of their offi ces at the close of the annual meetings at which they are elected.

The election for President and Treasurer shall be held at the annual meetings of the Swedenborgian Church in the year prior to the beginning of each such term. In the absence of such session the term of offi ce of the President shall be extended for one year following the succeeding session in order that the succeeding President may be elected one year prior to taking offi ce. ln the event of the death, resignation or incapacity of the incumbent President and/or Treasurer, the successor shall be installed for a full term immediately after the successor’s election. A President who served for two successive terms shall not be eligible for election to the next succeeding term. The other offi cers shall be eligible for re-election without limitation. The newly elected Treasurer shall be the Treasurer-elect and participate as a non-voting member of Standing Committees and other committees with the current Treasurer, including but not limited to, the Investment Committee and other funding committees. In the absence of such annual meeting of the Swedenborgian Church, the term of offi ce of the Treasurer shall be extended for one year, in order for a new Treasurer to be elected one year prior to the expiration of the outgoing Treasurer’s term.

Section 2. There shall be a General Council consisting of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer ex-oﬃ ciis, together with three ministers and six laypersons to be elected by ballot by the Swedenborgian Church, The Constitution of the Swedenborgian Church 169 one minister and two laypersons to be elected annually for terms of three years. Members who have served for two consecutive three year terms shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.

Section 3. There shall be a Council of Ministers consisting of all the ministers of the Swedenborgian Church, of whom twelve shall constitute a quorum. This Council shall select a Chair who shall be an ex-oﬃ cio member, with vote, of General Council.

Section 4. There shall be Standing Committees as specifi ed in the Bylaws. Standing Committees shall consist of three members, one to be elected annually for a three-year term, or of six members, two to be elected annually for three- year terms, together with such ex-offi cio members as the Bylaws shall require. Members who have served two consecutive three-year terms shall not be eligible for immediate re-election. Each Standing Committee shall have specifi c focus as defi ned in the Bylaws and unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws shall elect a chair.

Section 5.

Section 6. All elected persons shall hold oﬃ ce for the respective terms for which they are elected, or until their respective successors shall have been elected or qualiﬁ ed, provided, however, that the terms of all such elected persons shall be automatically extended for one year for each year in which because of national emergency or other compelling reason no annual meetings of the Swedenborgian Church are held.

Section 7. The term ‘year’ or ‘years’ as used in the Article shall mean, unless otherwise speciﬁ ed, the periods between elections at succeeding annual sessions of the Swedenborgian Church.

Article III. Duties and Powers

Section 1. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall perform the duties implied by the names of their several oﬃ ces, the duties listed in the Bylaws and such other duties as the Swedenborgian Church may require of them. 170 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Section 2. The General Council shall serve as the Executive Commit- tee of the Swedenborgian Church, shall have superintendence of the business of the Swedenborgian Church, and shall exercise the powers of the Swedenborgian Church in the interim of its sessions. It shall be responsible for all corporate, legal and fi nancial functions of the Swedenborgian Church and shall act as a Court of Appeals as defi ned in the Bylaws. The President, the Vice President and the Recording Secretary of the Swedenborgian Church shall be ex-offi cio Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary, respectively, of the General Council. The General Council may fi ll any vacancy in the General Council or in any offi ce or position regularly elected by the delegates; provided, however, that any such appointment to fi ll a vacancy shall last only until the next session of the Swedenborgian Church.

The General Council shall annually review all committee and Standing Committee reports and shall recommend to the Church any necessary revisions or clariﬁ cations of fundamental principle or priority. It shall receive budget recommendations, revise them as its wisdom shall indicate, and adopt a budget.

Section 3. The Council of Ministers shall have as its central focus the facilitating of ordained ministries serving the Swedenborgian Church’s PURPOSE. It shall have primary responsibility in matters pertaining to doctrine and worship of the church and shall have charge of the ministry. This council shall oversee the pastoral, teaching, liturgical and administrative dimensions of the ordained ministry; it shall practice and support disciplined and creative theological research and reﬂ ection, and it shall oversee the provision of ordained ministry of the Sweden- borgian Church and its collective bodies. It also bears responsibility for the pastoral support of all ministries and for providing them with clear ethical standards. It shall exercise such disciplinary functions over the ordained clergy as it may in its collective wisdom adopt, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 4.

Section 5. The primary duties of each Standing Committee shall be to facilitate, initiate and evaluate activities relevant to its focus. Its primary means shall be the provision of supportive supervision for the planning, realization and evaluation of such activities, such supervision to function under criteria approved by the Swedenborgian Church. It shall be responsible for annual review of its ef- forts with explicit reference to the Swedenborgian Church’s Purpose, Objectives The Constitution of the Swedenborgian Church 171 and Strategies as listed in the Standing Resolutions.

Persons or groups desiring denomination support for new or existing activities shall communicate their desire to the President, who shall refer the request to an appropriate Standing Committee. The Standing Committee shall then appoint a supervisor acceptable to the requesting persons or groups to assist in the planning and the evaluation of the activity.

Within the limits of its budget, each Standing Committee shall meet at least semi-annually, either in person or electronically, as provided in the Bylaws. They shall submit written reports, at least annually, to General Council via the Record- ing Secretary.

Within the limits of its budget, each Standing Committee shall enlist the services of resource persons as supervisors, make decisions concerning the funding of activities in its care and receive and evaluate reports therefrom, submitting to the General Council at least annually a report of its decisions and the activities in its care.

The Chair of each committee shall bear primary responsibility for coordinating these activities with those of other Committees.

Article IV. Representation and Voting

Section 1. All members of the Swedenborgian Church shall have the right to be present at its meetings and to take part in its deliberations. They may be eligible for election or appointment to any offi ce or position in the Swedenborgian Church as the Constitution and Bylaws shall provide. But the right to vote shall be limited to the members of the Council of Ministers, to the lay offi cers of the Swedenborgian Church, to members of the General Council during their terms of offi ce and to the delegates of constituent bodies entitled to representation at the annual meetings. No member shall be entitled to more than one vote.

Section 2. Every constituent body of the Swedenborgian Church shall be entitled to two delegates and an additional delegate for every ten members, such delegates to be members of the body which they represent. 172 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Membership is to be determined as of the 31st day of December of the calendar year immediately preceding the date of the Swedenborgian Church annual meetings. For this purpose, only adult active members as deﬁ ned in Article I, Section 3 shall be counted. It shall be the joint responsibility of the members and the bodies involved to ensure that no member is counted by more than one body for delegate strength.

Section 3. In determining delegate strength and in selecting delegates, only those bodies shall be included which are in good standing with the Sweden- borgian Church.

Good standing of constituent bodies shall be forfeited if such body, without express consent of the Council of Ministers, employs a minister on an annual basis who is not on the Roll of Ministers as deﬁ ned in Article XII, Section 1 of the Bylaws.

Article V. The Ministry

Section 1. The Swedenborgian Church shall at its discretion, on recommendation of the Council of Ministers, and subject to the provisions in Article XII of the Bylaws, authorize the ordination and induction of qualiﬁ ed individuals to serve as its ministers. Such ordination and induction shall confer the privileges and responsibilities of leading in worship, administering the rites and sacraments, teaching, and pastoral care, together with those of full membership in the Council of Ministers.

Section 2. The Swedenborgian Church’s interest in education for its ministers shall be exercised through the General Council in its role as the representative class of members of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School. It is the denomination’s interest that such education focus on the spiritual growth of its participants by development in understanding of our theology, sensitivity in human relations, appreciation of other traditions and the technical skills required for eﬀ ective ministry. The Constitution of the Swedenborgian Church 173

Article VI. Meetings of the Swedenborgian Church

Section 1. Sessions of the Swedenborgian Church shall be held at least triennially, at such times and places as it may determine. Meetings of the Sweden- borgian Church must be called with 90 days’ notice published in The Messenger or through a mailing to the members.

Section 2. A quorum to hold a convention shall consist of twenty percent of the number of persons qualiﬁ ed to vote as deﬁ ned in Article IV, Representation and Voting.

Section 3. A quorum to conduct business at the convention shall be a majority of the registered voters at the convention, as deﬁ ned in Article IV, Section 1, Representation and Voting.

Article VII. Amendments This Constitution may be amended at any session of the Swedenborgian Church by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment shall ﬁ rst have been referred to the General Council, and public notice of the substance thereof shall have been given at least three months before the time of such meeting. Such notice may be dispensed with for any special occasion by a three-fourths vote of those present and voting. Revised June 28, 1996. 174 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

B S C

Article I. Religious Observances of the Annual Meeting Section 1. The annual business meeting of the Swedenborgian Church shall include each day a reading from the Word and prayer. Section 2. The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper shall be administered at an appropriate time during the annual meetings of the Swedenborgian Church.

Article II. Enrollment of the Swedenborgian Church Section 1. A Committee on Credentials, to consist of three persons, shall be appointed prior to the opening of each session of the Swedenborgian Church, to examine the credentials of the delegates, and to make up the Roll of the Swe- denborgian Church; said Committee to sit during the whole of that session and to add to and correct the Roll, as may be proper. Section 2. Friends of the Swedenborgian Church, who are in attendance at any session of the Swedenborgian Church, are invited to inscribe their names and residences in a register to be kept for that purpose and to take seats in the meetings. Such registry shall entitle them, without vote, to participate in its deliberations by addressing the Chair for permission to speak from the ﬂ oor. Article IV, Section 1 of the Constitution and Article II, Section 2 of the By- laws shall be read by the Recording Secretary immediately after the opening of the session of the Swedenborgian Church.

Article III. Order of Business Reports and Communications shall be presented in the following order:

1. Reports of the Oﬃ cers of the Swedenborgian Church 2. Report of the General Council 3. Report of the Council of Ministers 4. Reports of the Committees 5. Reports of the Associations 6. Reports of Churches not aﬃ liated with Associations 7. Reports of Trustees 8. Reports of Auxiliary Bodies 9. Special Reports Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 175

10. Unﬁ nished Business 11. New Business

When any report called for is not ready, its presentation shall be postponed until all other reports have been presented in their order. This rule shall not apply to the reports of the Council of Ministers or of the General Council, which may be presented as soon as prepared. No debate shall be allowed on any of the above reports until all of them have been presented; but a motion to refer, or to adopt a recommendation without debate, shall be in order. The above Order of Business may be suspended at any time by a two-thirds vote.

Article IV. Annual Meeting Planning and Operation Section 1. Planning for Sessions of the Swedenborgian Church. The President shall appoint a committee representing the Swedenborgian Church body for each year’s session for the purpose of planning the overall program, including selection of theme, specifi c programs, allocation of times for these programs and development of the published program. Section 2. Local Arrangements. The President may appoint a committee representing the local church or association where the sessions are to be convened for the purpose of planning and coordinating with the Central Offi ce and the host institution such matters as transportation, housing, meals, meeting room requirements, audio-visual equipment, special event requirements, and any other arrangements appropriate for the planned program. Section 3. The Swedenborgian Church Business. The Executive Committee of the General Council shall serve as the Com- mittee on Business for each year’s session. It shall be the duty of this committee to assign the order under which diff erent subjects shall be presented and the time allotted to each subject, and to prepare and print the program for that session; but such program may be changed at any time by majority vote of the delegates. Any item of new business wished to be placed on the fl oor for the session must be submitted in writing to the Recording Secretary of the Swedenborgian Church. To ensure an agenda position in the Order of Business, the items must be submitted in advance. 176 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Article V. Parliamentary Procedures Section 1. The provisions of Robert’s Rules of Order, so far as they are consistent with the Bylaws, shall govern the proceedings of the sessions. The President shall at the beginning of each session appoint an advisor on parliamentary matters. Section 2. The yeas and nays shall be taken whenever they are called for by one-fi fth of the persons voting. Section 3. No member shall speak more than fi ve minutes at one time, nor more than twice upon any subject, without affi rmative vote of the delegates present.

Article VI. Duties of the President Section 1. The President shall perform the duties required by the Act of Incorporation, the Constitution and these Bylaws. The President shall preside over sessions of the Swedenborgian Church, and shall address the Swedenborgian Church setting forth the state of the Church. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall fulfi ll these duties. Section 2. All Committees shall be appointed by the President of the Swe- denborgian Church, unless otherwise ordered by the Swedenborgian Church, or provided in the Constitution or Bylaws; and vacancies in Committees so appointed shall be fi lled by the President. Vacancies in Standing Committees shall be fi lled by the President of the Swedenborgian Church should they occur between annual meetings of the Church, with such appointed members remaining in their positions until elections are held as provided in the Bylaws. Section 3. The President shall have the privilege of participating, ex-offi - cio without vote, in the meetings of all Standing Committees and committees.

Article VII. Duties of the Recording Secretary Section 1. The Recording Secretary shall perform the duties required by the Act of Incorporation, including the execution of deeds, conveyances or leases, provided by the Act of Incorporation; and any duties that may be prescribed by the Constitution, the Bylaws, the Swedenborgian Church or by the General Council. Section 2. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for securing reports from the bodies below named, to be received at least four weeks prior to each annual session of the Swedenborgian Church, or if any such session is not Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 177 held in any one year, not later than June 30th of such year. The Recording Secre- tary shall see that copies of such reports, so prepared, are mailed to each minister and association of the Swedenborgian Church, and to such offi cers or interested persons as may be deemed desirable at least ten days prior to each session, and distribute them to members at the annual session. Reports received after the deadline may be presented to the Swedenborgian Church orally or in print, in full or in summary. Such reports are to be requested from: Offi cers, General Council, Council of Ministers, Support Units, Committees, Associations, Trustees, Auxiliary Bodies and Churches not affi liated with Associations. Section 3. The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for providing the Committee on Credentials with a list of the number of delegates to which each constituent body in entitled, as defi ned in Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution. The necessary information shall be solicited from the constituent bodies in the January preceding the session. Any constituent body failing to comply with this requirement by April 1 shall forfeit the right of its additional delegates (as defi ned in Article IV, Section 2 of the Constitution) to vote at that session. Should such body submit the necessary information after the deadline, this forfeiture may be waived by a three-fi fths vote of the Swedenborgian Church. A numerical table of the maximum delegation shall be published in The Messenger not less than one month before each annual session. Section 4. The Recording Secretary, with such persons as may be appointed by the General Council, shall constitute a Committee on the Journal, to procure each year the publication of the Journal of the Swedenborgian Church. Said Journal shall include the Act of Incorporation, the Constitution and Bylaws, the minutes of the session of the Swedenborgian Church held during the current year; the names of the offi cers, General Council members, administrative bodies and members of committees of the Swedenborgian Church, current membership statistics, and any other matter that is required by the Constitution or Bylaws to be included; together with any reports presented to the Swedenborgian Church as provided by these Bylaws in such forms as such committee shall deem proper, together with any additional information which the Committee shall deem appropriate. Such Committee shall cause to be printed such number of copies of the Journal as it may deem necessary, and arrange for the distribution thereof. Section 5. The Committee on the Journal shall publish in a supplemental or special Journal every fi ve years such matters of information of a permanent nature, not required to be published in each Journal, as it may deem suitable; and 178 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

shall distribute such supplemental or special Journals in the same manner as the Journals.

Article VIII. The General Council Section 1. The General Council shall meet without notice within forty- eight hours after the fi nal adjournment of the Business Session of the Swedenbor- gian Church. The Council shall also hold two other regular meetings, an interim meeting and a meeting just before the convening of a session of the Swedenbor- gian Church. Twenty days’ notice of these meetings and of any special meetings called by the Chair or by any fi ve members of the Council, shall be given by letter to all members of the Council at their last known address, the time to be computed from the mailing of the letter. The notices of special meetings shall contain brief statements of the purpose of the meetings. At all meetings of the Council seven shall constitute a quorum. Section 2. There shall be an Executive Committee of the General Coun- cil consisting of the President, Vice President and the Secretary of the General Council, and the Treasurer of the Swedenborgian Church, which shall deal with any matters referred to it by the General Council. In routine matters not involving policy decisions, the Executive Committee may act for the General Council between General Council sessions, all such actions to be reported to the next meeting of the General Council. Section 3. Any action required or permitted to be taken at a regular meeting of the Council may be taken without a meeting if two-thirds of the members of the Council consent to the action in writing and the written consents are fi led with the records of the General Council’s meetings; provided further that if any member entitled to vote on such action shall so request, the Secretary shall notify all members of the General Council in writing of any objections to the action and allow two weeks from the date of such notice before the count of the vote is fi nally made. Section 4. The General Council may, in its discretion, appoint such offi cers or employees not otherwise provided for, as it may deem necessary or desirable; and it shall defi ne the duties of such offi cers and employees, and such offi cers and employees shall hold offi ce at the pleasure of the General Council. Section 5. The General Council shall serve ex-offi cio as the representative class of members of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School, and in accord with the provisions of the Bylaws of said Corporation shall represent the denomination’s interest. Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 179

Section 6. Any member of General Council, of any committee appointed by General Council, or of any Support Unit who fails to attend at least one duly called meeting during a calendar year may be deemed by General Coun- cil to have submitted his or her resignation, and shall be so informed by the Secretary. If no good and suffi cient reason for said absence is off ered, General Council may appoint a qualifi ed individual to serve until the next meeting of Convention.

Article IX.

Article X. Standing Committees (Established by Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution) Section 1. The Standing Committee For Financial Accountability. There shall be a Standing Committee for Financial Accountability whose central focus shall be on the wise use and development of such resources as are directly under the Swedenborgian Church’s control, and the provision of advice and counsel in such matters to the Swedenborgian Church’s collective bodies. It shall oversee the management of the Swedenborgian Church’s properties and investments, shall seek new sources of material support and shall provide consultants for the Swedenborgian Church’s collective bodies toward the best coordinated and wisest use and development of their ﬁ nancial and physical resources. This Standing Committee shall work in close cooperation with the Common Fund Investment Committee. It shall consist of six (6) members, two of whom are to be Swedenborgian ministers or pastors, four of whom are to be lay members of the Swedenborgian Church, plus the Treasurer of the Swedenborgian Church, ex- oﬃ cio with vote, who shall serve as its Chair. Based on its assessment of the overall needs of the denomination, the Stand- ing Committee for Financial Accountability shall make recommendations to Gen- eral Council as to how best to manage its funds and properties. It shall administer all funds, including but not restricted to, the Augmentation Fund, the Mission Fund, and the Iungerich Fund. It shall oversee the distribution of all restricted and unrestricted funds of the denomination and their application process, if any. It shall receive all preliminary budget requests, including but not restricted to, those from General Council, the Council of Ministers and all Standing Committees and committees, and shall prepare therefrom a preliminary budget for submission to the General Council. 180 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Section 2. The Standing Committee For Education and Resources for Spiritual Community. There shall be a Standing Committee of Education and Resources for Spiri- tual Community, whose central focus shall be the development and dissemination of resources for worship, small groups, church growth, stewardship, and board development and outreach. It shall be concerned with resources, personnel and programming, and will strive to provide materials for the development of ministries and seek to anticipate and develop programs and resources for local communities’ needs for worship, programming and outreach. It shall consist of three (3) members, including at least one minister with ﬁ ve or more years of pastoral experience, plus a representative appointed by the Center for Swedenborgian Studies Board of Trustees.

Section 3. The Standing Committee For Communications and Infor- mation. There shall be a Standing Committee for Communication and Information consisting of three to six members, the number to be determined annually by the President of the Swedenborgian Church based upon the needs of the church at that time. The Standing Committee’s central focus shall be on coordinating, initiat- ing and promoting communication both within and across the boundaries of the denomination in all variety of media. It will seek to foster coordination among the Swedenborgian Church’s publishing and information and technology activities. This Standing Committee will be alert to the climate of opinion both within and beyond the boundaries or the Swedenborgian Church and will also be alert to developments in communication technology. The oﬃ cial organ of the denomination, The Messenger, and the denomination’s WEB presence shall be under the supervision of this Standing Committee.

Section 4. The Standing Committee For Nominations (moved from Article XVII to this article). There shall be a Standing Committee for Nominations of fi ve members to serve for fi ve years each; one member to be elected each year, but not from any Association from which his or her predecessor or any other member of the Com- mittee is a member. The unexpired term of any member may be fi lled from the same Association. A member moving to another Association shall continue to serve and shall be regarded as coming from his or her former Association; but no retiring member shall be eligible for immediate reelection. Whenever possible, Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 181 the Standing Committee for Nominations shall propose slates representative of the Swedenborgian Church’s overall constituency. It shall be the duty of this Standing Committee to present, at each session of the Swedenborgian Church, nominees for the Swedenborgian Church offi cers (where applicable), vacancies in the elective members of the General Council and all other Boards and Committees, unless otherwise appointed. Each year the member whose term is next to expire shall act as Chair of the Committee.

Section 5. It is recommended that no individual serve on more than two administrative bodies or more than two committees of the Swedenborgian Church, the Standing Committee for Nominations and the Chair being similarly instructed. This does not apply to persons serving ex-oﬃ cio as provided by the Constitution and Bylaws.

Article XI. Electronic Meeting Guidelines Section 1. General Council, Cabinet, and other boards, committees, and support units of the Swedenborgian Church may use telephone conferencing and electronic communication to conduct business when not in regular session, or when face-to-face meeting is impractical. Such communication must follow procedures adopted by the denomination to ensure an orderly deliberative process is honored. Section 2. It is critical to the deliberative process that all members of a body participate in discussion and votes at the same time (synchronous meetings). Thus, business requiring voting must be done by phone conferencing or “real- time” electronic conferencing (e.g., instant messaging or chat). Section 3. All deliberations conducted by telephone or electronic means shall be duly recorded and fi led with other records of the body. These minutes shall be reviewed and approved at the next meeting of the body. Section 4. Procedures for using phone conferencing and electronic communications will be the responsibility of a standing committee, appointed by the President. Such committee will present to the General Council proposed procedures for the General Council’s approval. This committee shall also be responsible for proposing to General Council from time to time revisions that may be desirable for the effi cient and orderly operation of the church’s business. Section 5. The procedures approved by General Council under this Article shall be communicated by the Central Offi ce to all members of all boards, and committees of the Swedenborgian Church at least once a year, following the close 182 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

of annual convention sessions. They shall also be published in the annual Journal of the Swedenborgian Church. Section 6. Nothing in this Article is meant to prohibit the use of e-mails, faxes, or other electronic media for communication and information sharing purposes.

Article XII. The Council of Ministers Section 1. Application for ordination or other matters relating to the offi ce of the ministry shall fi rst be received and considered by the Council of Ministers. Its report on such matters as require immediate action shall be privileged at any session of the Swedenborgian Church. Section 2. The Council of Ministers shall revise the denomination’s Roll of Ministers annually, and shall report such revision to the Swedenborgian Church for its actions. Section 3. Every minister ordained or inducted by authority of the Swe- denborgian Church, and not serving any church, ministry, or other collective body acting under the rules of the Swedenborgian Church, shall report his or her offi cial acts to the Council of Ministers. If the minister shall have performed no offi cial acts, he or she shall report that fact, and shall signify whether he or she desires to be retained on the denomination’s Roll of Ministers.

Article XIII. The Ordained Ministry Preamble: Jesus said unto his disciples, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” (John 15:16) The ordained ministry exists to facilitate the spiritual well-being of people, helping them to be open to the Lord’s leading and enabling them to live useful lives. Resources for the ordained ministry in serving the church include the Holy Word, the doctrines of the church, the rites and sacraments, experiences of worship, and growth-oriented skills insofar as they promote the process of regeneration. Section 1. A member of the Swedenborgian Church shall be ordained into or inducted into its ministry by recommendation of the Council of Ministers and by aﬃ rmative vote of the Swedenborgian Church. The Council of Ministers shall have ﬁ rst received a written vision of ministry from the applicant, and determined that one of the following requirements has been met; Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 183

1. He or she shall have earned a Master of Divinity Degree from the Pacifi c School of Religion, the Certifi cate in Swedenborgian Theology from Pa- cifi c School of Religion, and passing evaluations on all denominational requirements. 2. He or she shall have earned a Master of Divinity Degree or equivalent degree from an accredited institution, the Certifi cate in Swedenborgian The- ology from Pacifi c School of Religion, and passing evaluations on all denominational requirements. 3. After preparation recognized by the Council of Ministers as adequate, and he or she shall have served as an Authorized Candidate for the Ministry for one year. 4. After preparation recognized by the Council of Ministers as adequate, a minister ordained in another communion who accepts the doctrines of the Swedenborgian Church and expresses allegiance to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church may be inducted into our ministry. Those persons applying for ordination or induction shall also have a request for employment from a church or other employing body of the Swedenborgian Church, or shall have a proposal for ministry approved by the Council of Minis- ters. Upon recommendation by the Council of Ministers, and affi rmative vote of the Swedenborgian Church, upon ordination or induction his or her name shall be added to the Roll of Ordained Ministers. Section 2. The Ordaining Minister. (a) A Minister who is elected President of the Swedenborgian Church shall be invested with the offi ce of Ordaining Minister during his or her term as President. The Ordaining Minister shall be empowered to ordain duly qualifi ed candidates for the ministry (cf. Section 1), to authorize for one year Candidates for the Ministry (cf. Section 3), to confer upon suitable persons, at the request of the church to be served and in accordance with the provisions of Article XIII (below), the title Lay Leader, and to consecrate as Worship Leaders persons selected by their congregation or group to provide leadership for public worship (cf. Article XIII, Section 2). b) In the event that a lay person is elected as President of the Sweden- borgian Church, then the Chair of the Council of Ministers shall be invested with the offi ce of Ordaining Minister, during his or her term as chair. (c) When the President is the Swedenborgian Church’s Ordaining Min- ister and is adjudged by the General Council to be incapacitated, the Chair of the Council of Ministers shall be invested with the offi ce of Ordaining Minister until such time as the President is recovered. In the event of resignation of the Presi- 184 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

dent, the investiture of the Chair of the Council of Ministers shall be for the duration of his or her term of offi ce, until such times as the Swedenborgian Church shall again have a minister as its President. (d) In the event that subsequent to the invoking of the provisions of section 2(c), or when the President of the Swedenborgian Church is a lay person, the Chair of the Council of Ministers should resign, or become incapacitated or die, the Secretary of the Council of Ministers shall be invested with the offi ce of Ordaining Minister, such investiture to terminate upon the recovery of the chair, or in the case of the chair’s death or resignation, upon the election of a new chair of the Council of Ministers, or on the election of a minister as President of the Swedenborgian Church. (e) In the event that it is not possible for the Ordaining Minister to travel to a suitable place for the ordination of candidates for the ministry, he or she may appoint an ordained minister to act as the Ordaining Minister pro tem for a specifi c ordination. Section 3. The Authorized Candidate for the Ministry. (a) A member of the Swedenborgian Church, after preparation recognized by the Council of Ministers as adequate, may upon recommendation of the Council of Ministers, and after affi rmative vote of the Swedenborgian Church, be authorized by the Ordaining Minister as an authorized candidate for the ministry and for one (1) year. He or she may lead in worship, teach the doctrine of the Church and offi ciate at resurrection services. Such persons shall be known as Authorized Candidates for the Ministry. Where authorization does not lead to ordination at the end of one year, the candidacy may be reviewed by the Council of Ministers. (b) The Ordaining Minister of the Swedenborgian Church may empower an Authorized Candidate for the Ministry or a Swedenborg School of Religion student intern to perform a marriage where the laws of the state or province permit and in specifi c instances may empower him or her to administer the Sacrament of Baptism and/or the Holy Supper. Section 4. Special Circumstances. The Swedenborgian Church by a three-quarters vote may, in individual cases, dispense with limiting requirements, outlined in Article XIII, upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers showing the need or desirability thereof, such recommendation to be made only on the agreement of at least three-fourths of the members of the Council of Ministers present and voting at the Council Session. Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 185

Section 5. The Swedenborgian Church’s Roll of Ordained Ministers is the record of all those who have been ordained or inducted into the ministry of the Swedenborgian Church.

Article XIV. The Ministry of Lay Persons Preamble: Every Christian is called to minister. Jesus said that inasmuch as we minister to one another, we minister unto Him. “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36) The Apostle Paul declared that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spir- it; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To teach is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Corinthians 12:4-7) The church encourages all members to exercise their unique talents and gifts in assimilating the spiritual and well-being of people. Some are called to ordained ministry within the framework of the Swedenborgian Church. Others are called to specifi c, part-time service in the church and are recognized and consecrated as Lay Leaders and Worship Leaders. Other men and women are called to minister to the world and around them, in their homes, and in their chosen vocations. In addition, some wish to off er their gifts through programs and services in the church. The Swedenborgian Church encourages these ministries and recognizes them as manifestations of the Spirit of God. Section 1. Lay Leader. (a) The Swedenborgian Church commends the eff orts of lay people throughout our church who have served in many ways and ministered to the needs of local churches. Out of this experience, the Swedenborgian Church sees the potential for even greater service to the church by trained qualifi ed lay persons to augment the work of its ordained ministry. (b) In order to meet ongoing needs of local churches, suitable persons may be consecrated as Lay Leaders to serve particular congregations or to serve within clearly defi ned geographical areas. For such consecration, the following requirements must be met. (1) The candidate must apply to the Swedenborgian House of Studies for enrollment in its Lay Leadership Education program. This application must be supported by the endorsement of the individual’s congregation or appropriate supervisory body, granted on the basis 186 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

of leadership ability, knowledge of the Church’s teachings, character, and devotion to the Church. Neither acceptance into the program nor completion of the program guarantees approval by the Council of Ministers. (2) On satisfactory completion of the fi rst year of this program, duly certifi ed by the School, the individual must request of the Ordain- ing Minister and be granted status as a Probationary Lay Leader, this request to be supported by the recommendation of the Council of Ministers. With this status, the candidate is authorized to lead in worship, teach the doctrines of the Church, and offi ciate at resurrection services. The expected duration of this status shall be two years. The Committee on Admission Into the Ministry or other committee recommended by the Council of Ministers will be responsible for monitoring the progress of Probationary Lay Leaders. The Ordain- ing Minister may rescind the status of Probationary Lay Leader if the candidate fails to keep pace with the educational requirements, if the congregation or appropriate supervisory body requests such rescission, or for other due and weighty cause. If for good and suffi cient reasons the person is unable to complete the prescribed training within the normal period, the Ordaining Minister may extend the authorization for one year. Extensions of more then one year will require review by the Council of Ministers. (3) Consecration as a Lay Leader, administered by the Ordaining Min- ister, shall take place when the following conditions have been met. a) The Swedenborgian House of Studies shall certify to the Council of Ministers that the educational program has been satisfactorily completed. b) The congregation of the candidate shall reaffi rm to the Council of Ministers its desire for such consecration. c) The Council of Ministers shall recommend the consecration to the Swedenborgian Church. d) Said Church shall authorize the consecration. The consecration itself shall take place in a public service held in the congregation or area to be served. (c) Henceforth, the title “Lay Leader” shall be reserved for individuals so consecrated. (d) Following consecration, the Lay Leader may administer all the rites and sacraments to the congregation or in the area Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 187

served. This authorization shall include the right to perform marriages where the laws of the state or province permit. Lay leaders are expected to comply with the guidelines for ministerial conduct. (e) Lay leaders shall be accountable to the Ordaining Minister of the Swedenborgian Church, who shall be responsible for providing appropriate supervision. If the Lay Leader serves a congregation which employs an ordained minister, said minister shall act as the immediate supervisor and the Lay Leader shall not oﬀ er pastoral or liturgical services without the knowledge and consent of this minister. The local congregation or other supervisory body shall have the right to terminate the services of the lay leader. A lay leader may not serve in another congregation or geographical area without a request from the new congregation or other supervisory body, and the approval of the Council of Ministers. (f) Administrative details of the above procedure shall be available in writing from the Swedenborgian House of Studies and the Council of Ministers. Section 2. Worship Leader. Nothing in this Article shall in any way be interpreted to place restrictions on those lay persons selected by their congregation or group to provide leadership for public worship. Indeed, an appropriate service of consecration for such persons functioning as worship leaders is recommended. Following consecration, such persons shall be known as Worship Leaders. Section 3. Special Circumstances. The Swedenborgian Church by three-quarters vote may, in individual cases, dispense with limiting requirements, outlined in Article XIV upon the recommendation of the Council of Ministers showing the need or desirability thereof, such recommendation to be made only on the agreement of at least three-fourths of the members of the Council of Ministers present and voting at the Council session. Section 4. The Roll of Lay Leaders. Any person consecrated as a Lay leader shall have his or her name listed on the Roll of Lay Leaders with indication of the church or area which each serves. The names shall appear on the Roll so long as the persons continue actively to serve the church or area for which they were consecrated. 188 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Section 5. Licensed Pastors Upon application by a member of the Swedenborgian Church and an eligible and recognized body of the Swedenborgian Church of North America, and with preparation recognized by the Council of Ministers as adequate, the candidate upon recommendation of the Council of Ministers, and after aﬃ rmative vote of the Swedenborgian Church, may be given license to pastor a society by the Or- daining Minister for two (2) years. Said license empowers the bearer to provide all sacerdotal duties and to fulﬁ ll the pastoral role. Such persons shall be known as “Licensed Pastors.” The license may be renewed by vote of the Council of Ministers upon recommendation of the Committee on Admission to the Ministry. A Licensed Pastor must maintain a mentor relationship with an Ordained Minister of the Swedenborgian Church and follow the Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct. The two year license period will have educational objectives that will prepare the “Licensed Pastor” for Ordination over an extended period of time if the licensee wishes to apply to the Committee on Admission to the Ministry for Authorized Candidacy for Ordination. A licensee may make application to the ordaining minister to become a “Lay-Leader” if they wish to not renew a license.

Article XV. Theological School Section 1. The Swedenborgian Church shall by majority vote nominate annually the number of nominees for election by the Board of Trustees of the New Church Theological School, commonly known as the Swedenborgian House of Studies, as provided for, or allowed, by the Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School, and shall forward these nominations to the Gen- eral Council, in its role as the representative class of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School, for consideration for election to the Board of Trust- ees.

Article XVI. Board of Mediation There shall be a Board of Mediation consisting of fi ve members. Two such members shall be lay persons appointed by the President, and two shall be ministers appointed by the Chair of the Council of Ministers, and their terms of offi ce shall be the same as that of the President of the Swedenborgian Church. The fi fth member shall be the Vice President of Convention who shall serve as Chair. Whenever any dispute or irregularity shall arise which aff ects the fulfi llment of the PURPOSE of the Swedenborgian Church or any of its constituent or sub- Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 189 sidiary bodies, if the eff orts of the ministers or offi cers immediately concerned have not proved eff ective, the President or the General Council shall refer the situation to the Board of Mediation; or any member, collective body, or subsidiary body may apply to said Board for relief or determination. The Board shall then use its best endeavors to resolve the matter through the voluntary agreement of those concerned, or failing to eff ect such resolution shall render a judgment as to the disposition thereof, after hearing the complaints and considering the facts. Should the Board be unable to eff ect a resolution or settlement, it shall render its report or judgment to the General Council, together with such recommendations as it may deem appropriate. The General Council as the Executive Com- mittee of the Swedenborgian Church shall then take such actions and issue such directions as it shall deem suitable. Anyone aggrieved by said report or judgment shall have the right of appeal to the General Council, as a fi nal resort to seek re- consideration by the delegates at the annual session of the Swedenborgian Church. Any member of the Board of Mediation may decline to participate in the consideration of a specifi ed situation due to confl ict of interest. In this case, the President of the General Convention or the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, as may be appropriate, shall appoint a substitute, who shall serve as a full member of the Board during its consideration of that issue only.

Article XVII. (Moved to Article X and Article XVII blank for future use).

Article XVIII. Common Fund Investment Committee The General Council, at its ﬁ rst meeting following each annual session of the Swedenborgian Church, shall appoint an Investment Committee of not less than three members, one of whom may be the Treasurer of General Convention, which shall be charged with the general oversight and care of the investments and securities of the Swedenborgian Church Common fund, with full power to purchase and sell and to invest and reinvest as in their judgment and discretion may seem advisable. Any members constituting a majority of said Committee may exercise all of the authority and powers hereby granted to or conferred upon said Com- mittee. This Committee is authorized to make investments and reinvestments in such bonds, notes, debentures, corporate stocks and other securities and such real estate, real estate mortgages, interests in real estate mortgages, and other property as the Committee, in the exercise of reasonable intelligence and caution, shall 190 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

deem best. This Committee shall work in close cooperation with the Standing Committee for Financial Accountability.

Article XIX. Board of Trustees of the Building Fund Section 1. The Board of Trustees of the Building Fund shall consist of the Treasurer plus three trustees who shall be appointed by the General Council, to serve three years. One of the trustees, including the Treasurer, shall be a member of the General Council. Section 2. The Board of Trustees shall review Building Fund loan applications. Loans of up to $50,000 may be funded by the Board of Trustees of the Building Fund. Loans over $50,000, but less than $100,000, shall be reviewed by the Trustees, with a recommendation referred to the Executive Committee of General Council for ﬁ nal approval. Loans in excess of $100,000 shall be reviewed by the Trustees, with a recommendation referred to the full General Council for ﬁ nal approval. Section 3. General Council may periodically adjust the dollar amounts based on governance oversight.

Article XX. The National Church The Board of Trustees of the National Church, now holding the title to and having control of the Church property in Washington, D.C., shall continue to consist of fi fteen members who shall be citizens of any part of the United States and of whom a majority shall be chosen from some other place than the city of Wash- ington, DC, and shall not be selected from any one association, and vacancies in their number shall be fi lled by the Board with approval of the President and the Secretaries of the Convention, having in mind the restrictions stated above, and fi ve members shall constitute a quorum. Revised June 30, 2007.

Article XXI. Application for Admission as a Constituent Body The application of an Association, Church or other body of the Church to be received by this body and represented in the Swedenborgian Church, may be made through the General Council, and upon their recommendation shall come before the annual session. When the session has voted to receive such Association or other body, the President shall announce the names of its delegates, and invite Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Church 191 them to come forward. The President shall then inform them of the vote, and all rising, shall give the new delegates the right hand of fellowship, and welcome them to all the privileges enjoyed by other delegates.

Article XXII. Indemnifi cation To the extent now or hereafter permitted by the laws of the State of Illinois, the corporation shall indemnify its offi cers and directors against all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or arising out of any claim, action, suit or proceeding of whatever nature in which he or she may be involved as a party or otherwise or with which he or she may be threatened by reason of his or her having served as an offi cer or director of the corporation or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by him or her as such offi cer or director, whether or not he or she be such offi cer or director at the time of incurring such cost or expense, including amounts paid or incurred in connection with reasonable settlements (other than amounts paid to the corporation itself) made with the approval of the General Council and with a view to curtailment of costs of litigation.

Article XXIII. Amendments These Bylaws may be amended at any session of the Swedenborgian Church by a three-ﬁ fths vote of those present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been ﬁ rst referred to the General Council, and public notice of the substance thereof shall have been given at least three months before the time of said meeting. Such notice may be dispensed with for any special occasion by a three-fourths vote of those present and voting. Dated May 3, 1985 Typed July 2, 1985 Revised July 10, 1985 Delegate Version Revised October 31, 1985 Revised December 7, 1985 Revised General Council, February 1, 1986 Revised May 27, 1986 Revised June 26, 1992 Revised July 8, 1994 Revised July 7, 1995 192 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Revised June 28, 1996 Revised June 26, 1998 Revised July 9, 2005 Revised July 1, 2006 Revised June 28, 2013 Revised June 28, 2013 Adopted as amended July 1, 2017 Adopted as amended July 3, 2018 Adopted as amended July 3, 2019 Standing Resolutions 193

S R

1. (Adopted by the General Convention July 3, 1986)

THE PURPOSE OF CONVENTION The General Convention exists to help people be open to the Lord’s presence and leading especially by fostering personal and ordained ministries which facilitate the spiritual well-being of people, and which have in common a working for the Lord in bringing in the New Age – the descent of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. The light in which we seek to walk shines from the Lord Jesus Christ in His second coming, available to us through the divine presence in our hearts and minds, and through revelation in the Holy Scriptures and in the work of the Lord’s servant Emanuel Swedenborg. With the purpose of creation being a heaven from the human race, we see the central purpose of the church as the promotion of the process of regeneration. External forms such as buildings, liturgies and organizational structures are valid only insofar as they are useful to this end. It is especially vital for an “organized religion” that its life of piety be constantly grounded in a life of charity. In the case of our Convention, constant accountability to the standards of Scripture and doctrine is the primary warrant for our existence as an organization. In particular, we are oﬀ ered a vision of a New Age, a New Church radically diﬀ erent from the old, by which we can evaluate our present practices and directions.

OBJECTIVES 1. Facilitate the formation and growth of groups of people who support each other in understanding, loving and living “the life that leads to heaven.” We will work to bring together such individuals and groups in a network which ampliﬁ es the creative spiritual energy that emerges when we work together. 2. Bring doctrine and life together constructively. We will support this being done in a way that allows them to challenge and enrich each other and that encourages the diverse activities of Convention to express Convention’s Purpose consistently. 3. Provide for the discovery, development and evaluation of excellence. 4. Commit ourselves to growth in the number of active members. 5. Continue our commitment to the cause of religious unity. 194 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

6. Clarify and intensify our participation in and contribution to the Lord’s New Age. 7. In accordance with our Doctrine of Use and in cooperation with Convention’s constituent bodies, improve the management and use of the physical/ fi nancial resources available for the fulfi llment of our Purpose. 8. Design and implement eff ective means of communication: means which will ensure an open and timely fl ow of information and will promote Convention’s Purpose. 9. Design, adopt and maintain an organizational structure that is directly responsive to Convention’s Purpose and needs, and that includes provisions for its own self-evaluation and growth.

Objective 1 The Formation and Growth of Groups – Facilitate the formation and growth of groups of people who support each other in understanding, loving and living “the life that leads to heaven.” We will work to bring together such individuals and groups in a network which ampliﬁ es creative spiritual energy that emerges when we work together. Regeneration, or the life of charity, takes place in connection with other human beings, and is impossible in isolation. The spiritual model we are oﬀ ered, one of individuals gathered into societies which in turn are gathered into provinces, is inseparable from that individual’s relationship with others in his or her immediate society; and the spiritual well-being of the society is inseparable from its relationship with the larger church, and with the world in which it is living. Healthy relationships are characterized by both love and wisdom, which means that neither uncritical acceptance nor unsympathetic criticism is truly constructive. As even love of self is necessary and good in its proper place, so particular interests, talents and skills contribute to the health of the whole as they are appropriately and appreciatively related to each other.

Strategies A. Provide administrative, material and advisory support for the formation and growth of such groups. B. Provide training and resources for eﬀ ective acts of worship, both individual and collective. C. Provide for the training of appropriately skilled leaders. D. Clarify criteria for membership in Convention in accord with Convention’s Purpose and suggest ways for people to become members. Standing Resolutions 195

E. Foster an understanding of networking, particularly as it applies to Convention. F. Establish and maintain communication among individuals and groups who share particular interests in common, or who face the same circumstances. G. Establish and maintain inventories of the available talents, skills and resources that are necessary for the formation and growth of groups, and provide for the best possible ways of meeting these groups’ needs. H. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eﬀ ectiveness of these strategies as they contribute to the formation and growth of groups within the church.

Objective 2 Doctrine and Life – Bring doctrine and life together constructively. We will support this being done in a way that allows them to challenge and enrich each other and that encourages the diverse activities of Convention to express Convention’s Purpose consistently. This objective rests in the principle that doctrine alone, like external worship alone, does not make the church, but a life according to it. It looks toward a rejoicing in the fact that there are some of us who start from the books and some of us who start from involvement with people. For doctrine and life to come together, these need to be experienced as complementary rather than competitive approaches, each acknowledging its own incompleteness and therefore its needs for the other. Like the ﬁ rst objective, it assumes that the church cannot ﬁ nd an inner or spiritual well-being without trying to contribute to the spiritual well-being of the world in which it is living, and it further assumes that this contribution will not be made by conforming to that world but by seeking to understand and live our own distinctiveness.

Strategies A. Bring people of diff erent perspectives together for specifi c purposes such as: worship, team ministries, workshops, camp programs, committees, music and writing projects. B. Support thinking that encourages diff erences of opinion, that acknowledges both the value of a variety of diff erent approaches and the need to continue an on-going process, and that recognizes the beauty of fi nding inward coherence in a diversity of outward forms. C. Develop the ability to use everyday language to express theological ideas. D. Develop supportive procedures and resources for program planning and 196 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

evaluation. These procedures and resources must insist that theological presuppositions be made clear, that results be honestly evaluated, and that our primary concern be the relation between our central Purpose and the actual results of the program. E. Accept and fulfi ll our responsibility to express a spiritual perspective on contemporary issues in local, national and global aff airs. F. Provide for the discovery, nurture and integration of diversity in all levels of structure. G. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eff ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 3 Excellence – Provide for the discovery, development and evaluation of excellence. The Lord has created each one of us with quite extraordinary potentialities, and the church evades its responsibility if it falls into that common pitfall of volunteer organizations, becoming a haven for mediocrity. For example, we somehow expect people to become eﬀ ective church treasurers by virtue of election, providing neither resources nor training, and then lament the sad state of local accounting procedures. It is the committee’s sense that we are, as a church, already doing many of the “right things,” and that we could do them more eﬀ ectively if we worked toward providing appropriate training for available talent.

Strategies A. Develop and maintain an accessible inventory of available talents and skills. B. Develop and maintain an accessible inventory of needed talents and skills. C. Develop and maintain an accessible inventory of training possibilities. D. Facilitate the acquisition of needed talents and training in skills. E. Develop means for identifying and improving criteria of excellence. F. Update Convention’s understanding and appreciation of excellence. G. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eﬀ ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 4 Numerical Growth – Commit ourselves to growth in the number of active members. This is the “let’s fi nally face facts” objective. It is not an end in itself, and Standing Resolutions 197 must not be achieved to the detriment of other directives, any more than an individual should focus on physical health to the neglect of regeneration. But it also follows that just as physical health for the sake of use cannot be neglected, and must be given specifi c attention, so we need to give specifi c attention to numerical growth for the sake of use. Given the intense need for the New Church in the world around us, we cannot avoid our responsibility to fi nd means of outreach that really work, and the clear, objective criterion lies immediately to hand.

Strategies A. In cooperative eff ort with associations, societies and other constituent bodies, develop programs intended to achieve growth. B. Develop centralized eff orts that both encourage a desire for growth among Convention’s constituents and strengthen our self-image. C. Develop centralized eff orts that create interest among non-Swedenborgians and thus stimulate growth. D. Create programs that off er assistance and incentive to ministers and constituent bodies so that they develop the skills and programs necessary to increase growth. E. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eff ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 5 Religious Cooperation – Continue our commitment to the cause of religious unity. With the Lord working through all religions to provide the means for the life that leads to heaven, we are again called to a relationship of critical supportiveness. The committee is not recommending any notable increase in our national involvement, but the strategies are intended to relate that involvement more clearly to our purpose and to our other objectives.

Strategies A. Continue our involvement in the National Council of Churches and make signiﬁ cant contributions to the policies and programs of the Council. B. Improve upon the reporting of our Council representatives to Convention and make resources and services of the Council available to our churches. C. Support our ministers’ and laity’s regional and local involvement in councils of churches and in interfaith activities. D. Foster among our church membership an attitude of appreciation and open- 198 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

mindedness toward the religions of the world. E. Provide for the ongoing evaluation of our participation in ecumenical activities, with a view toward focusing that participation in areas most closely related to our central purpose. F. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eﬀ ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 6 The New Age – Clarify and intensify our participation in and contribution to the Lord’s New Age. There are strong indications in the world around us that the whole climate of thought is beginning to change. Speciﬁ cally, the materialistic, mechanistic, “either-or” mentality so hostile to our message is under attack from within the scientiﬁ c community itself, and there is a widespread resurgence of interest in spirituality. Again, the committee recommends a policy of critical supportiveness, with a strong sense that there are major opportunities in this area for both internal and external growth. The phrase “critical awareness” is intended to convey our belief that not everything new is necessarily in accord with our purpose, and that we have a great deal to learn about how the Lord is working for the new church in the world around us.

Strategies A. Foster an awareness of the freshness of our theology and its implications for our activities. B. Foster critical awareness of the congenial trends that occur in thought and activity outside Convention. C. Make ourselves and our theology known and available to persons involved in such thought and activity. D. Encourage and support involvement in New Age activities. E. Encourage the participation of “New Age” persons in Convention events and programming. F. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eﬀ ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 7 Use Our Resources – In accordance with our Doctrine of Use and in cooperation with Convention’s constituent bodies, improve the management and use of the physical-ﬁ nancial resources available for the fulﬁ llment of our Standing Resolutions 199

Purpose. We are per capita a startlingly wealthy church, and yet we seem to have trou- ble fi nding the money to do what needs to be done. Given growth in the clarity of our sense of purpose, we need to be candid with ourselves about our use of resources, and foster a motion from less eff ective to more eff ective uses. The committee recognizes and values the distribution of responsibility inherent in our present situation of local autonomy, and insists that this motion cannot be healthy unless it is voluntary; but it also insists that the principle of local autonomy must not be used to evade accountability to the principle of use.

Strategies A. In cooperation with Convention’s constituent bodies, create and maintain an inventory of these physical and fi nancial resources. B. Create and implement a system to improve the management of Convention’s resources. This system should include provisions for: resources evaluation, cost/benefi t fi nancial planning, accounting and other necessary items. C. Create and implement a system to aid Convention’s constituent bodies in the management of their resources, and provide guidelines, standards, education and other assistance. D. Create and implement a system to aid Convention’s fi nancial resources. This program will take advantage of the breadth of our current support base and will seek new sources of income. E. Keep Convention’s constituent bodies aware of the programs and persons involved in the eff orts to accomplish this objective. F. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eff ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 8 Communication – Design and implement eﬀ ective means of communication: means which will ensure an open and timely ﬂ ow of information and will promote Convention’s Purpose. The technology is available for the body of Convention to have a “central nervous system” that will overcome many of the liabilities of our wide geographical distribution, and both within and outside the church there is the expertise to design a system that will suit our particular needs. This objective relates closely to the “networking” strategy under Objective 1, as providing the means by which information resources may be made available when and where they are needed, and kindred individuals and groups kept in touch with each other. 200 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Strategies A. Provide means for the on-going evaluation of Convention’s communication activities. Make sure that they are consistent with Convention’s central Purpose. B. Establish and maintain a central information exchange to collect, store, correlate and disseminate information both within and beyond Convention. This central exchange will: • Incorporate a relational structure rather than a hierarchical one. • Take advantage of advancing technology. For example, comput- ers, video, communications satellites, etc. • Be the hub of a “distributed information system” (see Strategy C) • Administer this “distributed information system.” C. Design and implement a “distributed information system.” This system will provide for the open, direct and timely fl ow of information among the various constituent groups and individuals of Convention. D. Design and implement means to coordinate Convention’s various publications and productions. This way we will strive for greater eff ectiveness and economy. E. Establish and maintain means to ensure that our communications to the world at large are coordinated and considered, and foster an appreciation of Convention’s purpose and objective. F. Recognize and promote clear and precise communication. G. Design and implement a means of evaluating the eff ectiveness of these strategies.

Objective 9 Organized Structure – Design, adopt and maintain an organizational structure that is directly responsive to Convention’s Purpose and needs, and that includes provisions for its own self-evaluation and growth.

Toward a Theology of Polity The writings of our Church do not describe for us a particular form of church organization. Swedenborg insists that there must be order in the church; but since the possibility of a separate “Swedenborgian” ecclesiastical organization was not signifi cant enough to mention, he was content to leave us with a few observations about church government based on eighteenth century European models. Heavenly government is also a less useful model than we might expect. Since Standing Resolutions 201 heaven is characterized by essential unanimity, its “political system” can be described as democracy, aristocracy, oligarchy, anarchy, dictatorship, communism, socialism or what you will. Our own polity has evolved pragmatically. It began from the desire of separate societies to get together on some regular basis, and has grown and changed in response to changing circumstances. It is largely a traditional pattern: though if one sees democracy as a result of the Second Coming, this would then be a major “New Age” feature. Essentially though, our own polity rests on Newtonian, Euclidian mechanical models. That is, it seeks to promote order and eff ectiveness by such devices as marking off areas of responsibility – drawing a single territorial map, as it were - and by a system of checks and balances. This leads to such anomalies as having the Board of Education responsible for Leaguers’ travel to convention, the Board of Missions’ virtual exclusion from the fi eld of missionary publication, and cumbersome procedures for the guidance and support of any venture that does not fi t some existing category. It also means that it is quite possible for an individual to have been a lifelong member of one of our societies without being able to identify one thing that Convention has done for the welfare of that society. In order to distribute responsibility as widely as possible under this system, we need our policy that a single individual not serve on more than two Conven- tion boards or committees at once. This means, however, that it is rare for members of one board to have an appreciation of the problems and labors of another; and General Council depends for its information largely on minutes which are not designed for such communication. Essentially, the Ad Hoc Committee sees a pressing need that we reconcep- tualize our organizational presuppositions on a more profound and more realistic model, looking at patterns of relationship that are actually productive. We see three basic essentials in this – clear and direct lines of mutual communication and accountability, the ready gathering of compatible interests, skills and resources for particular tasks, and a constructive accountability to our common theological convictions. The model that we have in mind may be unfamiliar in terms of physical models, but it is immediately recognizable in terms of personal experience. It involves seeing the identity of an individual or group as essentially determined not by fi xed boundaries or “externals,” but by a particular center; and by the relationships of that center to other centers. Boundaries or circumferences may then expand or contract as we generalize or specialize; and the overlaps, rather than be- 202 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

ing problems to be eliminated, are the utterly necessary ﬁ elds of mutual support, enlightenment and cooperation. In this model, the primary function of the centralized administration would be to administer decentralization. This central body should be granted such power, and only such power, as it needs to accomplish this task, and should be held accountable by Convention to policies and priorities determined by Convention.

Strategies A. Design an organizational structure that is directly responsive to Convention’s Purpose and needs, and includes provision for its own self evaluation. B. Create an ongoing process which ensures that the organization exercises self evaluation, is open to change, and encourages growth. 1. Generate criteria for self evaluation and prepare a plan for adapt- ing to change and growth. 2. Generate feedback and data annually and encourage continual feedback. 3. Assess and review the organization annually. 4. Revise and adapt the plan each year and revise the structure as necessary.

2. (Adopted by the General Council, July 18, 1949) Resolved: With regard to properties of local societies in which Convention has a contingent interest through conveyances providing that, in certain circumstances, the title would come to Convention, it is the policy of Convention not to make contributions toward the cost of maintenance of such properties, such maintenance being the sole responsibility of the Society in whose hands the title to the property is vested.

3. (Adopted by General Convention, June 1960, Min. #58) (Amended by General Convention, July 1, 1989, Min. #61) (Amended by General Convention, June 30, 2015, Min. #20) A Standing Resolution to Swedenborgians Everywhere: Resolved: The General Convention/Swedenborgian Church assembled at Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts for Convention June 30, 2015 reaﬃ rms its belief that the Church Universal includes those of diverse origins. Standing Resolutions 203

In its ever-growing desire to serve all of God’s children, the General Con- vention (aka The Swedenborgian Church), urges Swedenborgians everywhere to acknowledge that the Church Universal is inclusive and to act in this spirit. Let no Society of the Church exclude any from membership on such considerations as ethnic origin, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, condition of health, handicap or economic status; but seeking those who accept our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as Redeemer of the world and who accept the essentials of faith of the Church, welcome all with joy and aﬀ ection into the full and free community of the Church.

4. (Adopted by General Convention, August 3, 1969) Resolved: That the Secretary of Convention maintain a register of young men and women within the fellowship of the Swedenborgian Church who are recognized by the Selective Service System as conscientious objectors to war, and that the President of Convention appoint a minister to serve as spiritual counselor and advisor to these young men and women and to others who may apply to the Selective Service System for recognition as Conscientious Objectors; the purpose being that the Church might in this way show its sympathy with those whose conscience dictates such a step and may be of some assistance to them as they struggle with all of the implications and legal problems which such classiﬁ cation brings.

5. (Adopted by General Convention, August 3, 1969) Resolved: That the General Convention support the legalization of abortion in cases where it is responsibly applied for the physical and emotional welfare of those involved. Be it also resolved that such therapeutic abortion shall be considered primarily a matter of concern between the patient, attending physician and personal counselor.

6. (Adopted by General Convention, July 2, 1976) Resolved: That General Council be given a standing order to recommend to the Convention the names of such persons who in its opinion should qualify for emeritus status, for a vote by Convention. 204 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

7. (Adopted by General Council, January 22, 1977) Resolved: It is recognized that the establishment of the requirements for membership is the responsibility of the individual society or other body, and that various types of membership are utilized by diff erent bodies. However, for the purpose of determining delegate strength for the voting at Convention sessions only adult active members defi ned as follows shall be counted: An adult active member of a society is one who is eighteen years of age or older and who has been accepted by the Society through Confi rmation or other appropriate service of introduction, or by transfer from another Society, and who within the year has shown active interest in his/her membership. This is demonstrated by joining in the programs of worship and work or by contributing toward its needs physically and fi nancially. It shall be the joint responsibility of members and Societies involved to ensure that the member is not counted in more than one Society’s count for delegate strength.

8. (Adopted by General Convention on recommendation of its Council of Minis- ters, July 1, 1978)

SWEDENBORG’S REVELATION Perspectives of the General Convention The Lord’s Second Coming promised in the Gospels is described in True Christian Religion 779 as a process of spiritual reawakening, beginning with a cosmic event in which Swedenborg was called to play a key role. Through spiritual experiences while reading the Holy Word, he received truth from the Lord into his understanding. From this enlightenment he worked out and published teachings for a new church to serve the new age of the Lord’s Second Coming. The truth of these teachings revealed by the Lord to Swedenborg is presented to us with the authority of the Holy Word from which they are drawn, and by which they are confi rmed. This new revelation teaches us three essential things to believe and do. The fi rst of these is to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as the one God in whom is the divine Trinity. The second is to hold to the conviction that the Word of God is holy, not only in its plain sense, but also because of the deeper meanings lying within it. The third is to commit ourselves to a life em- bodying love to the Lord and the neighbor. In living these three essentials, each of us must search with discernment for critical meaning in Swedenborg’s theological writings. Any written form of revelation can be misunderstood if it is insisted that Standing Resolutions 205 a single interpretation is fi nal and prescriptive. However, we are convinced that if love to the Lord and the neighbor permeate our perceptions, our church will be unifi ed despite any number of particular diff erences of opinion as to interpretation and application of doctrine. In former times, when Christian doctrine was hammered out by theologians or determined by church councils, unity depended on obedience to creed, with reason subservient to faith. But in this new age, the spiritual freedom of the individual has been restored. Now it is permitted to enter with understanding into the mysteries of faith.

9. (Adopted by General Convention, July 2, 1982) Resolved: It is recognized that it is the responsibility of the church to voice its conviction on ethical and moral issues that arise from time to time in our nation and in our world. Where the issue is one of long-term relevance, and where opportunity has been aff orded to societies and associations for prior discussion, a member of Convention may submit to the President, in time for announcement on the fi rst day of a Convention session, a written proposal for a Standing Resolution. The President shall at that time accept motions to refer or to place on the agenda with time for discussion. Should the issue be one of immediate urgency only a member of Convention may submit to the President, in time for announcement on the fi rst full day of a Convention session, a written proposal that a particular resolution be adopted as “the sense of this meeting.” The President shall at that time accept motions to refer or to place on the agenda with time for discussion. Should such resolution come to a vote, the vote shall be counted and the tally included with any use of the resolution.

10. (Adopted by General Convention, June 30, 1983) (Amended by General Convention, July 3, 2019) [This Standing Resolution is no longer an operating policy of the General Convention.]. General Convention no longer provides ministers personal loans through the Building Fund. Outstanding loans that remain in good standing will continue as agreed until fully repaid. Ministers with outstanding loans from the building fund, who cease to remain on the Active Roll of the Council of Ministers, may have their loan called in and due and payable within ninety days.” 206 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

11. (Adopted by the General Council, June 29, 1983) Resolved: That it is the responsibility of the Vice President, together with a committee he may appoint, to conduct an annual review of the Central Oﬃ ce, covering staﬀ , employees, organization, etc.

12. (Adopted by General Council, January 30, 1983) Resolved: “Whereas: The American New Church Tract and Publication Soci- ety has indicated its desire to turn over its assets to the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the U.S.A. to continue the purposes for which the Tract Society was established, and Whereas: these purposes are included within the broad purposes of General Convention; now therefore, be it Resolved: that General Convention agrees to accept the funds of the Tract Society, and if when off ered, to be held for the purposes given and specifi cally that the income of those funds be used fi rst: for the publication and distribution of Our Daily Bread and second: for other publications eff orts; and further be it Resolved: that the Treasurer of General Convention be directed to assist the Tract Society in the orderly transfer of these funds.”

Addendum, May 12, 1988 Selection and appointment of the Editor of Our Daily Bread, its format, contents and distribution shall be in the hands of the Council of Ministers. The publication of Our Daily Bread shall not be terminated without a vote of the full Council of Ministers.

13. (Adopted by General Convention, June 28, 1989) That the AIDS Ministry Committee appointed by the Cabinet continue to carry out its task which shall include support of Swedenborgian Ministries to HIV persons, their families and friends; facilitation of ecumenical involvement in these ministries; and the provision of educational materials. Standing Recommendations 207 S R To Associations, etc. Each Association, or other collective body of the Church, is requested to report annually a list of its ministers. Associations are recommended to make such speciﬁ c rules, under the general rules for the regulation of the ministry, as they may consider necessary or desirable. Associations are requested to furnish the Secretaries with copies of all their printed Journals of past years, and also copies of their future proceedings, from time to time, as they may be published. (Journal of 1900, Minute 163.) In the apportionment of delegates to the Convention, the Association shall try to secure a proportionate representation of the societies constituting them, and to that end shall consult the wishes of the various societies. (Journal, 1937, Minute 50.)

To Isolated Societies To establish Sabbath school and to give it watchful care in which the truths of the Church shall be distinctly taught. To adopt as rules of discipline, or laws of charity, what is taught by the Lord in Matt. v.23, 24, and xviii. 15-17. To establish free libraries of the theological works of Swedenborg for loan to all who are interested.

To Ministers To keep a record of names, ages, residences, etc. of all persons baptized by them.

To the Standing Committee of the American New Church Sunday School Association To report annually to the Convention such statistics and such action by the Association as may be of general interest.

As to Collections of Convention Collections at the Sunday morning service of the Convention to be for the general use of Convention. (Journal of 1993, Minute 6.)

Procedures of Appointments to the National Council of Churches The President of Convention, with the counsel and advice of the Executive 208 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Committee of the Council of Ministers, shall make the various appointments to the National Council of Churches, and that these then be conﬁ rmed by the General Council.

The Nominating Committee It is recommended to the Nominating Committee, that when preparing a slate of nominees to fi ll the elective offi ces of The General Convention, the slate be of such order that if elected, a nominee shall not serve on more than two Boards or Committees or a Board and a Committee simultaneously. “No individual who has accepted nomination for an offi ce shall accept nomination for another offi ce if election to one would invalidate election to the other.” It is further recommended that this order be kept by the Chair when accepting nominations from the fl oor of Convention.

To the Convention To submit (to the President or Treasurer), in advance of the business session of Convention, any request for appropriation of funds.

14. (Adopted by General Convention, July 1, 2019)

Statement of the Swedenborgian Church of North America on Discrimination

As Swedenborgians we affi rm the core truths of our faith that honor the diversity of both heaven and earth, and recognize that loving people who are dif- ferent from us is integral to the practice of a religious life. We also acknowledge that broad generalizations of races, nations, genders, sexual orientations, physical abilities, and religions can be found in our sacred texts when interpreted literally and that these texts have been used on occasion to promote opinions that run counter to these core truths. We hereby affi rm our responsibility to interpret our texts in the light of love and inclusion, in heaven’s light, and categorically reject interpretations of the Bible or of Swedenborg’s writings that promote a discriminatory viewpoint. Where any translation or interpretation appears to invite the reader to engage in exclusionary or hateful thinking, promote stereotypes, or justify discrimination against anyone for any reason, regardless of the source, we stand against this. If any member, clergy, employee, or other affi liated person indicates by word, deed, works, writings, affi liations, or any other means, racism, anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim bigotry, gender bias, heterosexism, ableism, or any other expression of prejudice, they do not refl ect nor represent the practical doctrine of the Standing Resolutions 209

Swedenborgian church. We encourage one another to advocate for those who face discrimination and to address these expressions of bias in our personal interactions and in the larger society. We also acknowledge that forms of discrimination come in many subtle shades, and that we have a responsibility to regularly investigate our actions and beliefs, both individually and collectively to align them with these truths, so that we can be greater vessels for Divine Love in the world. 210 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2017

This page intentionally left blank. Seven Year Cycle of Annual Themes 211

S Y C A T It is part of the Lord’s Providence that in every challenge there is an opportunity and the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity. That’s a good thing for us, not least because, as a church, we are facing a very big challenge indeed. The Education Support Unit (EDSU) proposes a way to meet that challenge, one that can off er us a considerable opportunity to grow and move forward as bearers of a new message of hope for the world. A regular cycle of thematically-unifi ed, denomination-wide programming, built around the key beliefs of our faith, will go far in restoring our church’s confi dence and capacity to play its proper part in the building of the New Jerusalem. As Swedenborgians we are blessed in many ways but especially with a love of learning. This is our strength and our opportunity. Let’s learn and grow into a new future.

The Seven-Year Cycle of Annual Themes 1. THE YEAR OF THE LORD (2018-2019) the primacy of Spirit: • the one Lord, Love & Wisdom, Creator & Life • the unifying truth, hope and power, known by many names • revealed for us in Jesus, as friend, mentor, model 2. THE YEAR OF THE SPIRITUAL WORLD (2019-2020) the nature of Life: • the diverse, multi-dimensional & eternal nature of life • the reality of the spiritual world; heaven, hell & world of spirits • our journey with angels & demons, from this life to the next 3. THE YEAR OF PROVIDENCE (2020-2021) the assurance of Purpose: • the universe makes sense and we have a special, angelic purpose • the laws of Providence are Love & Wisdom at work for us • our call to “choose life” and become who we (really) are 4. THE YEAR OF REGENERATION (2021-2022) the way of Change: • spiritual life as intentional, committed, relational • the journey of transformation & the second birth • the work of repenting, reforming & regenerating 212 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

5. THE YEAR OF SPIRITUAL USES (2022-2023) the call to be a Blessing: • true faith as the life of charity, what we actually do, not just think or say • discerning our gifts through love in action (charity) • becoming our true use for the building of the New Jerusalem 6. THE YEAR OF THE WORD (2023-2024) the power of holy Scriptures: • correspondences & the Lord’s presence in the Word • the story of our lives in the Word • the sacred character of all holy texts 7. THE YEAR OF THE NEW JERUSALEM (2024-2025) the emergence of a New World: • the Second Coming in the Spirit now • the new world & new consciousness emerging now • building the future: the unity of the human family in justice and peace Bylaws of the Council of Ministers 213

B C M

PREAMBLE The Council of Ministers is established by Article II of the Constitution of the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America which reads in part as follows: “The oﬃ cers of the Convention shall be…a Council of Ministers, consisting of all ministers belonging to the Convention, of whom twelve shall constitute a quorum…” In order that it may in more orderly fashion exercise the powers and perform the duties committed to it by Article III, Section 3, and Article V, Section 1, of the said Constitution, and Article XII of the Bylaws of the said General Convention, the Council of Minister, establishes these Bylaws as a guide to its procedure. Article I. Categories of Membership

Section 1. Internal Categories of Clerical Standing with COM shall be: Active: defi ned as any ordained minister that: 1. is employed as a minister by a constituent body of Conven- tion, or 2. is involved in a ministry recognized as valid by COM, or 3. is present at COM annual or regional meetings. Inactive: defi ned as any ordained minister who does not meet the above requirements, but who has submitted an annual accounting of ministerial activity to the COM Secretary in accordance with denominational Bylaws, Article XII, Section 3. Not in Good Standing: A member who has not met the professional standards of ministry in the Swedenborgian Church. Lapsed: defi ned as any minister that has not met any of the above requirements and has been not in good standing for a period of three years. Retired: defi ned as any minister that has drawn on his or her retirement benefi ts and who has requested to be considered as retired on the Council’s Roll. Only those members that have retired in good standing shall be eligible for supplemental retirement benefi ts. Severed: defi ned as any minister who has been removed from the Roll of 214 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Ministers by request or as a result of disciplinary action. Deceased: deﬁ ned as any minister who has died.

Section 2. Defi nitions of Clerical Standing “Good Standing” is defi ned as a member of the Council that: participates in continuing education on a biennial basis for the purpose of building and maintaining professional competence, in accordance with COM Standing Resolutions, paragraph 2, and participates in supervision on an ongoing basis for the purpose of maintaining a personal system of emotional support, in recognition of “Guide- lines for Ministerial Work in the General Convention,” Section III, preamble, and is not under disciplinary action by the Council of Ministers. “Not in Good Standing” is defi ned as a member of the Council that has not met the above requirements.

Amended 2008, Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Section 3. Credentials All members of the Council who are not retired are requested to communicate with the COM Secretary before the end of May regarding their continuing education and supervision activities during the time since the last COM annual meeting. Those who do so shall be recorded as in good standing. The names of those who have not done so will be shared with the Executive Committee, who shall respond as follows.

Procedure for Changes in Clerical Standing A member of the Council’s Executive Committee shall contact any member of the Council whose standing is in jeopardy at least thirty days before the Coun- cil convenes for its Annual Meeting. The Executive Committee shall take into account such member’s speciﬁ c situation and shall suggest reasonable rectifying measures before any change in standing is considered. If the member in question is unwilling to comply with such measures, he or she will be considered temporarily “not in good standing” until such measures are taken. The Executive Com- mittee shall continue to support and encourage an individual who is not in good standing throughout a restorative period. A member who is not in good standing and who is in disagreement with such a standing may make an appeal to the Council as a whole, whose majority vote shall determine the standing of the member in question. The name of a member who is not in good standing for a period of three years shall be presented before Bylaws of the Council of Ministers 215

COM. They shall decide by vote whether or not to designate such member in the Roll of Ministers as “Lapsed.” A person whose membership has lapsed and who wishes to become active again may make a written appeal to the Council’s Execu- tive Committee.

Amended July 8, 2005, Berkeley, California

Amended June 2008, Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Article II. Sessions and Meetings

Section 1. Sessions of the Council of Ministers shall be held in connection with every session of the General Convention, at such times as may be assigned to it by the Business Committee of the Convention.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Council may be held at any time at the call of the Executive Committee or by letter vote initiated by petition of at least seven members. Public notice shall be given of the time and place of the proposed meeting.

Section 3. “Meetings of the Council of Ministers shall be of three types: public meetings, open to anyone who may be interested; business meetings, at which the business of the Council shall be transacted, attendance at business meetings being limited to members of the Council, the President of Convention if said person is not ordained, the Dean and full-time faculty of the Swedenbor- gian House of Studies, if said persons are not ordained authorized candidates, theological students, and others who may be admitted by vote of the Coun- cil; and executive session, for which all persons who are not members of the Council shall withdraw at the request of the Chair. Any guest may be invited to remain for executive sessions at the request of a Council member, together with a three-quarters vote of the Council.”

Amended July 9, 2004, Waterloo, Ontario. 216 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Article III. Oﬃ cers

Section 1. The oﬃ cers of the Council of Ministers shall be a Chair, a Secretary and three at large members of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. At its 1993 sessions, the Council of Ministers shall elect a chair for a two-year term, and a secretary for a three-year term. In subsequent years, when the oﬃ ces become vacant, the chair and secretary shall each be elected for a three-year term. Oﬃ cers who have served two consecutive full terms shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.

Amended June 27, 1992.

Section 3. The Chair of the Council shall preside at all meetings, and shall, unless in any case it be otherwise ordered by the Council, appoint all members of committees, except the Executive Committee and the Program Committee. The Chair shall designate the chairmen of such committees as he may appoint. The Secretary of the Council shall perform the usual duties of a secretary, and in addition shall present to the Convention a report of all meetings of the Council, including the titles of all papers presented, a summary of the important business transacted and a statement of all matters referred by the Council of Ministers to the Convention and of all recommendations made to said Convention. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Secretary, and three members to be elected initially by the Council for terms of one, two, and three years, and thereafter one member to be elected annually by the Council for a term of three years. Executive Committee members who have served two consecutive full terms shall not be eligible for immediate re-election. It shall be the duty of the Committee to ﬁ ll vacancies and to consider and act on matters connected with the business of the Council in the interim of its sessions. It shall have no power, however, to make decisions in the name of the Council with reference to any matter within the province of the Council’s Standing Committees.

Amended June 2008, Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Section 4. In the interim between the sessions of the Council of Ministers matters requiring the immediate decision by the Council may be acted upon by Bylaws of the Council of Ministers 217 vote recorded by the Secretary through a letter, e-mail, or conference call, to be determined by the Executive committee. For such votes to be valid, at least twenty ministers must cast ballots. If by letter, ballots must be received within 30 days from the date of issuance. If by e-mail, ballots must be received within 7 days from date of issuance. If by conference call, the ballots shall be recorded orally at the time of the call. Every reasonable eﬀ ort will be made to contact every active member of the Council.

Amended July 9, 2004, Waterloo, Ontario.

Article IV. Committees

Section 1. There shall be a Nominating Committee of three persons which shall present to the Council at each annual meeting a full slate of nominees including two nominees for Convention Preacher. At the meeting at which this Bylaw is adopted, one member shall be elected for a three-year term, one for a two-year term, and one for a one-year term, with the member whose term is next to expire to serve as chair.

Section 2. The Standing Committees of the Council shall be the Commit- tee on Worship, the Committee on Program, The Committee on Ministerial Eth- ics, the Committee on Admission into the Ministry, the Committee on Revision of the Roll, the Misconduct Determination Board, and the Advisory Placement Committee. In addition, the Chair of the Council upon the decease of any member thereof shall appoint a committee to prepare a memorial to be oﬀ ered for presentation before the Convention. The Council may from time to time order the appointment of such special committees as it may deem necessary.

Amended June 2012, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Section 3. Members of Standing Committees shall serve until their successors are appointed.

Section 4. The Committee on Worship shall consider and report on all matters connected with the worship of the Church, as well as proposed changes in or additions to its liturgical books. 218 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

The Committee will explore and develop new forms, style and materials of worship and liturgy to meet the expanding needs of Convention Worship Lead- ers. The Committee, or an appointed individual by the Committee, will oversee and coordinate, in conjunction with the host group and/or the Convention Plan- ning Committee, the worship and music expenses of our annual convention.

Amended June 2009, Seattle, Washington

Section 5. The Committee on Program shall consist of the Chair of the Council of Ministers, the Secretary of the Council, and the Dean of the Swe- denborgian House of Studies. Its duties shall be to prepare the program for each session of the Council.

Amended June 2008, Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Section 6. The Committee on Ministerial Ethics shall consist of the council appointed by the Chair for their depth of pastoral experience and background in the study of ethics. This committee shall: 1. periodically present issues for reﬂ ection and discussion for meetings of the Council and shall consist of three members of the council. 2. be available for consultation and advice in cases of need, and 3. propose such revisions in the Guidelines for Ministerial work in the General Convention of Swedenborgian churches as it may deem useful.

Section 7. The Committee on Admission into the Ministry shall consist of a chair, who will be a member of this council who has served at least one complete term (3 years) on the Committee on Admission to Ministry and shall be elected by the council for a three year term; two at-large members who are ministers with at least fi ve years ministerial service within the denomination, one to be elected by the Council of Ministers and one to be elected by Conven- tion; one lay person to be elected by Convention; and the President of Conven- tion. The three elected members are to be elected for three-year terms, one to be elected each year. At-large members who have served two consecutive full terms shall not be eligible for immediate re-election. The chair may not serve more Bylaws of the Council of Ministers 219 than two consecutive terms as chair and is not eligible to serve as an at-large member following a term as chair. Members of the regular faculty of the theological school shall not be eligible for election, and should either the President of Convention or Chair of the Council of Ministers be a member of that faculty, said offi cer shall designate a member of the Council of Ministers as replacement, subject to the approval of the Council. The primary duty of this committee shall be to oversee the maintenance of high standards for Convention’s ministry. To this end, it shall interview all candidates for ordination or induction into our ministry, and make its recommendations to the Council of Ministers. It shall also annually grant or deny the status of candidates for ordination to all Swedenborgian affi liated theological school students or applicants who request it, confer regularly with such students, and report its decisions to each student concerned, to the faculty of the School and to the Aug- mentation Fund Committee. It shall also confer with the candidate before ordination, to the end that the candidate may be mindful to the task ahead, and approach the Rite of Ordination truly prepared for consecration to the Lord’s service.

Amended July 9, 2004, Waterloo, Ontario; Amended June 25, 2015, Bridgewa- ter, Massachusetts

Section 8. The Committee on Revision of the Roll shall consist of three members; to it shall be referred without further action by the Council all matters of record involving changes in the Roll of Ministers of the General Convention, for report and recommendation to the Council. It shall also be the duty of this Committee to keep a Roll of Former Minis- ters of Convention, to which the names of those who have ceased to be minister thereof, through death, resignation, or removal, shall be transferred in accordance with the rules of Convention.

Section 9. The Misconduct Determination Board shall consist of ﬁ ve members, three of which will be from the Executive Committee and two from the Ethics Committee. It shall be the duty of this Board to review charges and evidence given it from the Board of Inquiry and determine: i) if misconduct occurred, and ii) what actions should be taken. The Misconduct Determination Board is to follow the polices laid out in the misconduct procedures adopted by the Council of Ministers and General Council. 220 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Added June 2012, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Section 10. The Advisory Placement Committee shall consist of three members; the Chair of the Council of Ministers, the Dean of the Swedenborgian House of Studies, and the President of Convention who serves as Chair. It shall be the duty of this committee to provide resources and advise ministers who are seeking employment within the denomination and also societies that are seeking to call ministers.

Added June 2012, Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Article V. Business

Section 1. The business of the Council shall be considered in the executive meetings in the following order: 1. Call to order 2. Address of the Chairman 3. Adoption of report of the Program Committee 4. Appointment of special committees for the session 5. Communications 6. Report of the Executive Committee 7. Reports of Standing Committees 8. Reports of Special Committees 9. Old Business 10. New Business 11. Election 12. Adjournment The Standing Committees shall report in the order in which they are named in Article III, Section 1. If a report is not ready, it shall be passed over until all other committees have had an opportunity to report, unless the Council set a spe- ciﬁ c time for hearing of a report. No debate shall be allowed on any of the above reports until all of them have been presented, but a motion to refer or adopt a recommendation where there is no desire to debate shall be in order.

Section 2. The parliamentary procedure of the Council of Ministers shall be governed, in all cases not speciﬁ cally covered by the Constitution and Bylaws of Convention or by these Bylaws, by Roberts Rules of Order. The Secretary of Bylaws of the Council of Ministers 221 the Council shall keep a copy of these Rules available for ready reference.

Section 3. All requests for appropriations in connection with the work of any of the committees of the Council, as being beyond the power and authority of the Council of Ministers, shall, if the Council of Ministers approves, be presented to the General Convention. Article VI. Amendments These Bylaws may be amended or suspended by a three-fourths vote of those present at any regular meeting. They may be suspended at special meetings by a three-fourths vote of those present at such meetings. 222 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

C M S R Whereas ministry as a professional endeavor requires continuous development and personal growth, and, whereas education is a lifelong process not end- ing with ordination; therefore, be it resolved that the Council of Ministers of the General Convention of Swedenborgian Churches affi rms that planned continuing education is not an elective but is a necessary process to build professional competence. (Preamble, adopted at General Convention, June 28, 1988) Periodically during its history, Convention has faced issues of suitability for ministry. It has dealt with questions of social class, race, divorce, and gender, as it currently faces the issues of sexual orientation and may in future years face questions presently unseen. Its decisions have in each case affi rmed a consistent principle, which the Council of Ministers expresses as follows: (Adopted at General Convention, July 3, 1986) “In light of the inclusiveness of the vision of the Holy City, New Jerusalem, from which our theological perspective is drawn, the Council of Ministers believes that the central consideration in evaluating requests for ordination is the quality of the ministry that it believes the individual is capable of providing. “It is the responsibility of the Council of Ministers, using the good offi ce of its Committee on Admission to the Ministry, to evaluate the readiness and suitability of individual candidates in accord with the general principles outlined in Article V, Section 2 of the Constitution, and in the Preamble to Article XIII of the Bylaws of the General Convention. “Article V, Section 2 reads: ‘Through its Board of Managers of the New Church Theological School, commonly known as the Swedenborg School of Religion, the General Convention shall within the limits of available resources, provide for the thorough professional training of individuals seeking ordination, such training to focus on the spiritual growth of its participants by development in understanding of our theology, sensitivity in human relations, appreciation of other traditions, and in the technical skills required for eff ective ministry.’ “The Preamble of Article XIII reads: ‘Jesus said to his disciples, you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.’ (John 15:16) “The ordained ministry exists to facilitate the spiritual well-being of people, helping them to be open to the Lord’s leading and enabling them to lead useful lives. Resources for the ordained ministry in serving the church include the Holy Word, the doctrines of the church, the rites and sacraments, experiences of worship, and growth-oriented skills insofar as they promote the process of regeneration.” Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct 223

G F M C G C S C

The Constitution of the General Convention (Article III, Section 3) assigns to the Council of Ministers “responsibility for the pastoral support of all ministries and for providing them with clear ethical standards.” It adds, “It shall exercise such disciplinary functions over the ordained clergy as it may in its collective wisdom adopt, subject to the provision of the Constitution and Bylaws.” Given the importance of our purpose—to facilitate the spiritual well-being of people—and the variety of ministries devoted to this end, the task is both urgent and diffi cult. Our theology points to clear principles of spiritual well-being which do not change. It recognizes also that there are outward behavioral expectations which we ignore at our peril, but which do change with the passage of time, and which vary from region to region. Accordingly, we have tried in the following revision to distinguish these two aspects of ministerial ethics, in an eff ort to be uncompromising in devotion to the Lord’s service and responsibly fl exible in the means used for that service.

Theological Basis For the Swedenborgian, spiritual well-being is a state of oneness of heart, mind, and life. The most adequate ministry will therefore lead by aff ection, pre- cept, and example. Our theology also insists that human life is a process, that we do not achieve perfection, but can move toward it to eternity. As ministers, we need both self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others. Since charity is “acting with prudence to the end that good may result” (The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 100), we are called in all circumstances, with¬out exception, to consider not just what has happened, but what we can do for actual betterment. When we fail to hear or to heed this call, as we all do at times, then the call simply comes again, asking us to recognize our failure, and not to dwell on it but to consider what we can do about it. In this eff ort, we cannot stand alone. Our very being is constituted in part by the aff ection and understanding we receive from each other, and our common involvement in ordained ministry gives special weight to our treatment of each other. Genuine aff ection, clear understanding, and unfailing fi delity within this fellowship work strongly for our purpose, and their lack brings a profound distress. Under the Lord’s providence, something could emerge from this distress 224 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

which would recommend itself to everyone. There are times, however, when we fail to discover that ideal solution, and must resort to the discipline authorized by the Constitution. This may be freely accepted by all parties; but even when it is not, the imposition of discipline may be the best course of action available. We must then accept our imperfections and focus our eﬀ orts on minimizing the harm. It is at such times that the distinction between fundamental principle and local, human tradition is most critical, and when the spirit of the discipline is as important as the discipline itself. As concerns ministry in particular, doctrine, history, and experience point up the perils of reliance on the authority of the clergy. It is particularly tempting to try to solve diﬃ cult problems by clerical pronouncement, ignoring the fact that to the extent that any course of action is taken under compulsion, it is not conducive to spiritual growth. At the heart of the following guidelines is the conviction that our choices as ministers need to be informed by the central purpose of our church, to facilitate the spiritual well-being of those who rely on us.

I. Personal and Interpersonal Conduct We are unanimous in our acceptance of the law of love, but not necessarily in our understanding of it. Our understanding of the word “love” is demonstrated primarily by our behavior, which is at least as instructive as our words. We communicate by the way we act that the good life is diffi cult or easy, joyous or bitter, fl exible or rigid; and no amount of talking eff aces these messages. It is vital that we recognize that we ourselves are in process, being open about our failings and about our ideals alike. 1. Persons live only as they receive life itself from God. We have made public acknowledgment of that life by seeking and accepting the laying on of hands of ordination. We have a special responsibility to open ourselves to our own emotional, intellectual, and spiritual depths, to the wisdom and power of the Bible, to the theology of our church, and to the Lord in meditation and prayer. To work toward our goals, we need also to keep abreast of current developments in the religious and secular worlds around us, with a special responsibility for attention to currents of thought and feeling within Convention. 2. However diff erently understood and accepted, the Divine is equally present in all People, regardless of such outward attributes as race, class, sexual orientation, creed, gender, physical capabilities/limitations or age. Prejudice or discrimination of any kind is a denial of this central tenet of our theology. 3. As we are drawn to become more intimately connected to persons in our communities, it can be that a pastor fi nds a real friendship developing. Choosing Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct 225 friends from among those one serves and leads has inherent complications. There is a diff erence between being friendly and being a close friend who shares confi dences. It is better to fi nd friends among colleagues and through organizations that promote your values and interests. However, if you develop a close friendship with a congregant, the following steps must be taken. • Discuss the diffi culties of being both spiritual leader and friend. • Avoid discussing the business of the congregation with him or her. • Avoid spending time together at congregational events. 4. Pastors who are single must often decide whether to date someone in their congregation. It is, after all, a place to meet someone with similar values and commitments. To date a congregant, however, introduces myriad complications and opportunities for misunderstandings. If you fi nd yourself attracted to a member of your congregation, you must take the following steps. • Inform him/her that you cannot be his/her spiritual leader and have a romantic involvement. Therefore, if the person wants to pursue a dating relationship, he/she should fi nd someone else to serve as spiritual leader. • Tell your governing body and supervisor about the relationship. 5. Human sexuality is a gift from the Lord, providing an avenue to the deepest and most abiding of human relationships. It is also an avenue to our deepest vul- nerabilities, and its misuse can have tragic personal consequences, and can lead to severe legal consequences. We are called to fi delity in all our relationships, and particularly to the utmost respect for the sexual integrity of all persons. Sexual contact or sexualized behavior between a faith leader and a congregant, client, student, or employee with whom the faith leader has a pastoral or professional relationship is an abuse of power and constitutes sexual misconduct. Sexual misconduct is defi ned as sexual contact (not limited to intercourse) that violates the trust developed by the congregant, student, client or employee in the context of the pastoral or professional relationship. 6. The community in which we live is our neighbor, and our constructive participation in its aff airs is an essential element in religious life. As ministers urging others to live by the Lord’s commandments, we make a special commitment to live consistently ourselves. It is important that we be unquestionably fair in our fi nancial dealings and reliable in keeping commitments made. This includes such matters as preparation for and attendance at meetings, clear and adequate reports, and prompt attention to correspondence. We should neither ask nor expect special favors or immunities because of our ministerial status. Where discounts, privileges, or special fees are off ered, they may be accepted with appreciation, and with the acknowledgment that we are to give as freely as we receive, though not 226 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

necessarily in kind. Under no circumstances should special favors or immunities be off ered or accepted in exchange for any ‘gift.’ 7. In keeping with our sense of the holiness of all life, we are aware that excessive drinking and other forms of substance abuse, obscene stories and expressions, and raucous behavior diminish our eff ectiveness, as do the other extremes of prudery and self-righteousness. Both extremes betray a narrow egocentricity that renders us insensitive to the feelings and needs of those around us. 8. Personal appearance is one of the ways in which we communicate with each other, and excessive concern with and willful disregard for appearance are equally damaging. Our dress and grooming should refl ect our interest in and concern for the human situations in which we engage and should be in general accord with local traditions. 9. Clergy use of social media for personal and professional use contribute to the public face of our denomination, and therefore constitutes clergy conduct. Decisions about what to post must conform to the ethical standards set forth in these Guidelines. Decisions on how and who to e-mail need careful attention, with thought given to include all who should be included, and not communicating electronically in ways we would not consider communicating in person or on the phone. 10. There are no quantitative measurements of spiritual well-being, and therefore no simple standards of evaluation of ministerial eff ectiveness. It is necessary that we be fully honest with ourselves and our employers, neither inventing un- necessary tasks nor avoiding necessary ones, fulfi lling the terms of our employment in the spirit as well as in the letter. It is permissible to take other remunera- tive work with the knowledge and consent of the employer; but again, there is need of honest evaluation of the eff ect this has on our ministry. 11. The personal nature of ministry can allow it to intrude on the minister’s personal and family life. It is vital that the family not feel engulfed by the church and that the minister have time that is genuinely free for family involvement. Regular days off and complete vacations are necessities, and should be openly negotiated with the employing body. 12. As human service professionals, we are accountable for a self assessment of our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.. When mental health issues, stress due to family discord, and any other factors interfere with our daily lives and ability to minister to others, we have the responsibility to address our concern with peers, and when warranted, to contract for appropriate professional support. We also have the responsibility to be aware of signs of depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, etc. that may arise in congregants, fam- Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct 227 ily members or colleagues, and to assist them to access appropriate assistance.

II. The Relationship to the Group Served The relationship of employee to employer can be ambivalent in the ministry. We are enjoined to lead our “employers” by truth to the good of life, a good which is genuine only if it is freely chosen. There are times when it seems that the welfare of the institution is at odds with the welfare of one or another of its members, or of its minister, and the available alternatives seem equally painful. Devotion to our central purpose is essential at all times, and never more than in times of diffi culty. 1. Professionals in all the helping professions receive confi dences, and are both legally and ethically bound to respect them. Ministers especially tend to be trusted, and a constant sensitivity to that trust is vital. Confi dences, whether explicitly labeled or not, are not to be shared, even with colleagues and spouses. However, if individuals give us reason to believe that they are intending harm to themselves or others, we are obliged to weigh carefully the resources we have to prevent such harm, and to act according to our most prudent and compassionate judgment. We are responsible as well to know and to abide by the laws that apply in the particular regions of our ministries. We are to be guided at all times by a pastoral concern for those who trust us. 2. We recognize the trust placed in the therapeutic relationship, its unique power, and the inherent danger of exploitation in any dual role relationship. The role of Pastor and Congregant develops a ‘dual’ aspect when there are additional roles played by either party; i.e., committee chair/member, offi cer/employee , counselor/counselee, etc. These relationships need careful ethical attention. It is unethical to enter a counseling relationship with anyone with whom we have sexual, family, business, or friendship relationships. 3. Diff erent ministers respond to diff erent aspects of our theology. We should not make our own special interests into idols, but should try to present the full depth and breadth of our teachings and to foster an appreciation of colleagues whose special interests diff er from our own. 4. We do not exist in a vacuum, but are sustained in our mental and emotional growth by our communications with each other. Our open acknowledgment of our inter-dependence upon each other is of critical importance to the health of our church. 5. Our belief in the Divine of the Lord entails rather than precludes the presence of that same Divine in all religions of the world. We are true to this principle only as we seek the best in and for all faiths; and we are false to it whenever we try 228 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

to exalt our own religion by demeaning others. Our task is not to try somehow to make our own understanding universal, but to discover the universality to which it points 6. Ministers are responsible to whole congregations or groups, and have a responsibility to nurture a fabric of healthy relationships. Ministers employed by hospitals, hospice organizations, schools, non-profi ts, etc. have a call to see these organizations as sacred community, and have the responsibility to support the relationships within these communities in the same manner as described for church communities. In all our communities, the fabric of healthy relationships is damaged by any form of favoritism toward individuals or subgroups, and by involvement in political games. Such issues require particular attention when critical decisions must be made, as when a group is relocating, or a minister is leaving. 7. The health of a society depends not only on its internal relationships, but on its relationships with the community and world in which it fi nds itself. Ev- ery eff ort should be made to nurture the conviction that the church is not a self- righteous enclave in a world of sin, but a participant in the process of community, nation, and world, called by virtue of its gifts to special service. 8. The minister’s relationship to an employing body has personal, professional, and moral dimensions. A formal contract can be helpful in making unspoken as- sumptions explicit. No agreement, however informal, is to be terminated without adequate notice, except by mutual consent. We should be freely accessible to the employing body for discussion of continuation or termination of service, and should, unless explicitly invited to remain, absent ourselves from further discussion and from the actual voting procedure. 9. The minister’s self-evaluation is essential to growth in service. An annual report to the employing body, with an open review of it by that body, is an excellent means of improving the eff ectiveness of the minister and the group, and of discovering hidden expectations. 10. A group grows far more by making decisions than by having decisions made for it. Ministerial leadership encourages general involvement in the understanding and formulation of policy and in the choice of particular courses of action. 11. Our spouses, while under no professional obligations, may come into positions of signifi cant infl uence. It is incumbent upon us to do our best to communicate to them both the substance and the importance of these guidelines, and to nurture an appropriate sense of accountability to them.

III. Relationship to Other Ministers Ministry as a profession is suffi ciently diff erent from most others in that we Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct 229 look particularly to each other for understanding and support. We are not only professionals, but professionals dedicated to a common service to God in a calling that points beyond our human strength. For this we need relationships with our fellow ministers of comradeship, frankness, mutual respect, cooperation, mutual help, and recognition of a spiritual imperative over and above any professional standards. We need to hold ourselves ready to off er aff ection, understanding, and assistance, defending our colleagues against misunderstanding or injustice, and being with them in loving concern in times of need or distress. When support and understanding are forthcoming, this is especially mean- ingful, and when they fail, the sense of lack is especially severe. Our geographic isolation intensifi es the signifi cance of every communication, both for better and for worse. 1. Our ministries are tending increasingly to take diff erent forms, and there is a risk that this may provide occasions for dispute. Given the principle that a form is the more perfect as its constituents are distinctly diff erent, and yet united (Divine Providence 4), we are called to see these diff erences as complementary rather than competitive, and to enrich our own limited understandings by insights that come from endeavors outwardly unlike our own. 2. As professionals, we are responsible for normal professional standards. This means a respect for the integrity of the professional work of fellow ministers, doing nothing directly or indirectly to interfere with that work (e.g., performing ministerial services in another parish without its minister’s permission). This is in no way to be construed as a license for possessiveness or defensiveness, and calls us to support any eff orts that further our central purpose (e.g., welcoming the participation of another minister in any such service, or the performance of tasks complementary to our own). Because we identify so closely with each other, we may well overreact when opinions or policies diverge. In cases of serious professional or personal misconduct, we should in virtually all instances refer the concern to the responsible offi cials. In most instances of disagreement, however, the most sympathetic interpretation is also the most constructive. Unsympathetic criticism of another minister, particularly one’s predecessor or successor, is con- trary to the central principles of a life of charity. 3. The relationship between a minister and an employing body is a sensitive one. It is unethical to make overtures to a church or employing body whose minister has not expressed the intent to resign or retire; and if overtures are received from such a body, the well-being of the incumbent minister should be of primary concern. 4. A pastorate, particularly a long one, builds strong bonds of aff ection which 230 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

can place an incoming minister at a serious disadvantage. Resignation or retirement should be handled with special sensitivity in this regard. Every eff ort should be made to enable the church to make its own free choice, to create a favorable climate for the successor, and to leave the fi eld free by avoiding anything that might be interpreted as interference with the successor’s work. It should be made clear to the church before departure that, however painful it may be, a decisive break in the relationship is necessary. If an invitation is received to perform ministerial services for a former parish, the present minister’s permission must be sought and the participation of that minister encouraged. 5. An affi rmative attitude needs to be expressed in visible forms. A depart- ing minister should demonstrate his or her acceptance of the successor by some form of public welcome and by cordial introductions to as many of the members as possible. Personal notes and any materials of a confi dential nature should be destroyed; but the successor should have free and immediate access to all offi cial records; including membership and address lists, minutes, fi nancial records, and legal and constitutional materials. Every eff ort should be made not to perpetuate divisions by prejudicing the successor against any individual or group within the church. 6. The best use of our limited ministerial resources requires constant attention. A minister contemplating a change should seek the best information possible concerning current areas of need, using the Ministerial Placement Committee as the most appropriate resource. 7. In the search for ministerial employment, if a minister should feel aggrieved, or should feel that the well-being of another is put at risk, by the conduct of another minister, the fi rst step is to raise the issue privately with the individual concerned. If this eff ort fails, the good offi ces of the ordaining minister of Convention should be sought. Should this not provide a resolution, the Council of Ministers may be asked to render assistance.

IV. Relationship to Convention and Association The essence of the church is the Divine presence with us as individuals and collectively. This essence is therefore the Infi nite; but it works through forms of human design, for which we must take responsibility. Our highest loyalty in regard to Convention and the Associations is to their essential purpose, and this, to be eff ective, must be expressed in the most critical and caring participation in the organizations themselves. 1. The larger collective bodies of the church have provided the foundation on which current ministries rely, with signifi cant contributions to the local churches, Guidelines for Ministerial Conduct 231 to theological education, and to resources for ministry. Ordination therefore involves pledges to uphold the Constitution of Convention and be mindful of its welfare; and these pledges should be remembered and fulfi lled at all times. We should stand ready to serve Convention, the Council of Ministers, and our Asso- ciations gladly as our particular abilities are needed, with the knowledge that their health contributes to the health of our own local eff orts. 2. The wisdom and eff ectiveness of the collective bodies can be no fuller than we make them. Regular attendance at meetings of Convention and the Council of Ministers, responsive participation in them, and regular and accurate reporting of activities, developments, and statistics are the necessary foundations of a supportive larger church 3. For the sake of the unity of the larger church, it is vital that its individual members share in its essential values. It is the responsibility of the minister on the local level to admit into membership to all who do so share, and not to admit those who, so far as can be ascertained, do not. The irreducible essentials of our faith— the Divine of the Lord, the holiness of the Word, and the life of charity—should be clearly presented, and a genuine commitment to them expressed. 4. Many of us work in relative isolation from each other, and the Supportive Peer Supervision program has been instituted to compensate in some measure for that isolation. It is left to individual ministers to stress the supervisory or the supportive aspects of the program; and this freedom entails a responsibility to exercise it well. Whether through the program or in some other way, it is our duty to periodically review our fi tness for Convention’s ministry. Should such a review raise serious doubts, the course of greatest wisdom is to seek the help and counsel of laypersons or clergy with whom there are bonds of aff ection and respect. 5. Standards for “Good Standing” as a Member of the Council of Ministers, and the requirements for Continuing Education and Professional Supervision, are outlined in Article I of the Bylaws of the Council of Ministers. “Good Standing” membership in the Council gives ministers an external affi rmation, in the same manner that upholding these ministerial conduct guidelines gives an internal affi rmation, of our appropriate living of our ministerial call from God. 6. Convention and its collective bodies are human institutions, and true loyalty to them includes the duty of thoughtful and constructive criticism. Experience indicates that if such criticism is addressed to the body’s will to improve, without a prejudgment as to the best response, the result will be affi rmative. The ideal is an unswerving devotion to fundamental principles, with a willing openness to the process of change. 232 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

V. Ministerial Misconduct 1. If an issue of ministerial misconduct arises, persons are required to follow the reporting process outlined in “Procedures for Handling Allegations of Mis- conduct Against Our Ordained Ministers Or Our Lay Leaders” from the Council of Ministers Handbook (dated July 2012).

Epilogue For our own sakes, the Lord expects and wants our very best. The preceding guidelines are an eff ort to defi ne that “best” in the context of our own times and culture, and they are off ered in the knowledge that there will be failures and short- comings. As we try to live up to them, there will be needs for clarifi cation and change, and it is the responsibility of the Council of Ministers to keep us working on the subject of ethics for our ministry. Only to the extent that we are in agreement in principle will the guidelines be felt as supportive of our best rather than as threatening, and it is therefore crucial that any disagreement with them be openly expressed. They are not valid for all time, and will be eff ective only as they are truly an ongoing part of our collegial process. Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 233

B C N C T S DBA C S S

Article I. Name, Purpose and Location

Section 1. The Corporation of the New Church Theological School op- erates the Center for Swedenborgian Studies, an institution serving the General Convention of the New Jerusalem in the United States of America and Canada (hereafter referred to as General Convention). The Corporation was incorporated in 1881 as the Corporation of the New Church Theological School under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is a non-proﬁ t, tax exempt institution operating for religious and educational purposes.

Section 2. The address of the principal of the Corporation shall be as follows: Center for Swedenborgian Studies, 50 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA 02138- 3013.

Article II. Members of the Corporation

Section 1. The membership of the Corporation shall consist of two classes:

A. At-large Members Any person who (i) has been accepted as a member at large of Swedenborgian Church pursuant to the Constitution of the General Convention or (ii) is a member of any Association or Society constituent of the General Convention, who is 18 years of age or older, may become an at-large member of this Corporation by signing these Bylaws and he or she shall cease to be an at-large member hereof upon ceasing to have the qualiﬁ cations above named, or upon ﬁ ling with the Clerk a written withdrawal of membership.

B. Representative Members Each member of the General Council of the Convention shall be a representative member of the Corporation upon election to the General Council and each shall cease to be a representative member of the Corporation upon expiration of his or 234 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

her term of oﬃ ce on the General Council or upon his or her resignation therefrom.

Section 2. An adequate and current alphabetical ﬁ le of the active membership of the Corporation shall be established and maintained in the oﬃ ces of the Corporation by the Clerk, and shall be available for inspection at all reasonable times to the Trustees and members of the Corporation.

Article III. Meetings of the Members

Section 1. Place for Meetings. All meetings of the at-large and representative members shall be held at the principal offi ce of the Corporation in Mas- sachusetts unless the Articles of Organization permit the holding of meetings of members outside of Massachusetts and unless a diff erent place is fi xed by the Trustees or the Dean and stated in the notice of the meeting.

Section 2. Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the members shall be held during the annual convention of the Swedenborgian Church. If no annual meeting is held in accordance with the foregoing provisions, a special meeting may be held in lieu thereof, and any action taken at such meeting shall have the same eﬀ ect as if at taken at the annual meeting.

Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the members may be requested by the Chair or by the Trustees, and shall be called by the Clerk, or in the case of death, absence, incapacity or refusal of the Clerk, by any other Oﬃ cer, upon written application of three or more members entitled to vote thereat.

Section 4. Notice of Meetings. A notice of every meeting of the members, stating the place, day and hour thereof and the purpose for which the meeting is called, shall be published by the Clerk in accordance with the provisions of Article V, Section 4 of these Bylaws.

Section 5. Quorum of Members. Ten at-large members and a majority of the representative members as shown on the records of the General Convention shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the members of the Corporation. Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 235

Section 6. Adjournments. Any meeting of the members may be adjourned to any other time and to any other place permitted by these Bylaws by the members present at the meeting, although less than a quorum; or by any Oﬃ cer entitled to preside or to act as Clerk of such meeting if no member is present. It shall not be necessary to notify any member of any adjournment. Any business which could have been transacted at any meeting of the members as originally called may be transacted at any adjournment thereof.

Section 7. Voting. Each member of each class of the Corporation shall be entitled to one vote on all matters before the members, and at-large and representative members shall each vote as a separate class. When a quorum is present, a majority vote shall decide any matter except where a larger vote is required by the law, the Articles of Organization, or these Bylaws. Any election of Trustees by the members of a class shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast by members of that class present and entitled to vote at the election.

Article IV. Board of Trustees

Section 1. The business and aff airs, including all academic aff airs, of the Corporation shall be managed by the Board of Trustees, who shall have and may exercise all the powers of the Corporation except such as required by law or the Corporation’s Articles of Organization or Bylaws to be otherwise exercised. Ex- cept as so limited, the powers and duties of the Board of Trustees shall include, but not be limited to, the following: 1. to determine and review periodically the purposes and the mission of the institution. 2. to select the Dean of the institution, and to support the Dean in the exercise of his or her responsibilities. 3. to recommend, review, and approve changes in the educational programs of the institution, consistent with its mission. 4. to establish policies and procedures regarding salary schedules, appointment, and dismissal of each class of employees. 5. to oversee and approve the budget of the institution, and establish policy guidelines for the endowment and for all investments and major fund raising eff orts. 6. to authorize the purchase, management and sale of all land, buildings or 236 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

major equipment for use by the institution. 7. to authorize the construction of new buildings and major renovations of existing buildings. 8. to authorize the incurring of debts by the institution and securing thereof by mortgage and pledge of real and personal property tangible and intan- gible. 9. to authorize any changes in tuition and fees within the institution 10. to authorize oﬃ cers or agents of the institution to accept gifts or bequests on behalf of the institution. 11. to ensure that adequate due process policies and procedures exist.

Section 2. Election and Tenure. The Board of Trustees shall consist of eight (8) elected members and four (4) ex offi cio members. At-large members and representative members shall each, voting as a separate class, be entitled to elect four (4) of the members of the Board of Trustees; PROVIDED THAT at least seventy-fi ve percent (75%) of the members of the Board of Trustees elected by the at-large members of the Corporation and at least seventy-fi ve percent (75%) of the members of the Board of Trustees elected by the representative members be members of the Corporation. Other than as hereinafter provided, Trustees shall be elected for a term of four (4) years. The terms of the elected Trustees shall be staggered, so that the term of one at-large elected Trustee and one representative elected Trustee shall expire each year. When Trustees are elected, their term shall be designated in order to achieve such staggered terms. No member of the Board of Trustees shall be elected for more than two (2) consecutive full four-year terms unless the members at the annual meeting of the Corporation vote to permit a member of the Board of Trustees to be elected for one (1) additional consecutive four-year term or part thereof, if applicable, where the members agree that extraordinary circumstances warrant such extension of the maximum term; PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT no further extension of the consecutive term of offi ce for such member of the Board of Trustees shall be granted. Upon the completion of the maximum term of the Board of Trustees, a minimum of a one-year absence is required before eligibility for re-election to membership on the Board of Trustees is restored. As the terms of the Trustees originally elected by at-large members expire, successors will be elected by at-large members. As the terms of the Trustees originally elected by representative members expire, successors will be elected by representative members. Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 237

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Trustee who fails to attend at least one (1) meeting of the Board of Trustees during any one (1) calendar year of their term (provided that more than one meeting was held in such year) shall be deemed to have submitted his or her resignation as a Trustee, with no further act on his or her part, to the Board of Trustees as of December 31st of such year; PROVIDED THAT the Chair, in his or her reasonable discretion, may waive such resignation requirement (either before or after said December 31st, but prior to the fi lling of the resulting vacancy) upon the receipt of a written notice from such absen- tee Trustee providing good and suffi cient reasons for his or her absence. In the event that a Trustee shall be deemed to have submitted his or her resignation in accordance with this paragraph, the vacancy thereby created shall be fi lled in accordance with Section 3 of this Article IV. The President of the General Convention of the Swedenborgian Church and the Dean of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies shall be ex offi cio members of the Board of Trustees with a vote. If the Clerk and Treasurer elected by the Board are not members of the Board, they shall become ex offi cio members of the Board without a vote. The President of the Graduate Theological Union and one representative from the CSS student body (see Section 9) shall sit on the Center for Swedenborgian Studies Board of Trustees without a vote. The aforesaid Presi- dent, Dean and Graduate Theological Union representative ex offi cio members serve at the pleasure of the Corporation and are not governed by the term restrictions or rotation requirements of these Bylaws.”

Section 3. Vacancies. Any vacancy in the Board of Trustees, however occurring, may be fi lled by appointment by the Board of Trustees until the next annual meeting provided, however, that a vacancy resulting from the enlargement of the board shall only be fi lled by election by the members of the Corporation. In the case of a vacancy occurring other than by enlargement of the Board of Trust- ees such vacancy shall be fi lled at the next annual or special meeting only by the Class of Members who had elected the prior Trustee.

Section 4. Enlargement of the Board of Trustees. The number of the Board of Trustees may be increased or decreased at any annual or special meeting of the members provided however that the number of members of the Board of Trustees shall always be set at an even number. 238 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Section 5. Trustees’ Meetings. The Board of Trustees shall meet at least three times each year. One of these meetings shall be held without notice as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the annual meeting of members.

Section 6. Notice of Trustees’ Meetings. Meetings of the Trustees may be called by the Dean, the Chair or any three or more Trustees by a request in writing addressed to the Clerk. Notice of the time and place of all regular meetings of the Trustee shall be given by the Clerk and of any special meeting of the Clerk or the Offi cer calling the meeting. Notice may be given orally, by telephone, telegraph, email or in writing; and such notice given in time to enable the Trustees to attend, or in any case, notice sent by mail, email, or telegraph to a Trustee’s usual or last known place of business or residence or email address, at least ten days before the meeting, shall be suffi cient. Any meeting of the Trustees shall be a legal meeting without notice if each Trust- ee, by a writing fi led with the records of the meeting, waives such notice. The Board of Trustees may permit any or all Trustees to participate in any meeting of the Trustees by, or conduct any meeting through the use of, any means of communication by which all Trustees participating may simultaneously hear each other during the meeting. A Trustee participating in a meeting by this means is considered to be present in person at the meeting. Every Trustee who attends a meeting without protesting prior thereto or at its commencement the lack of notice to him or her, and every absent Trustee who shall before or after meeting waive notice thereof by a writing fi led with the records of the meeting or who shall sign such records, shall be deemed to have been fully notifi ed of the meeting.

Section 7. Quorum of Trustees. At any meeting of the Trustees, a majority of the trustees then in oﬃ ce shall constitute a quorum. Unless otherwise provided by law, the Articles of Organization or these Bylaws, a vote of a majority of those present at any meeting at which there is a quorum shall be suﬃ cient to transact business or to take any action by the Trustees.

Section 8. Action by Unanimous Written Consent. Any action may be taken by the Board of Trustees without a meeting if the action is taken by the unanimous consent of the Trustees, The action must be evidenced by one or more consents describing the action taken, in writing, signed by each Trustee, or delivered to the Corporation by electronic transmission, to the address specifi ed by the Corporation for the purpose, or if no address has been specifi ed, to the principal Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 239 offi ce of the Corporation, addressed to the Secretary or other offi cer or agent having custody of the records of proceedings of the Board of Trustees, and included in the minutes or fi led with the corporate records refl ecting the action taken, Ac- tion taken under this section is eff ective when the last Trustee signs or delivers the consent, unless the consent specifi es a diff erent eff ective date. A consent signed or delivered under this section has the eff ect of a meeting vote and may be described as such in any document.

Section 9. Student Representative. At the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees held at the annual meeting of the General Convention of the Sweden- borgian Church each year, one student of the Paciﬁ c School of Religion enrolled in the Masters of Divinity Program with the Center for Swedenborgian Studies will be asked to serve on the Board of Trustees as a representative of all of the students enrolled with Center for Swedenborgian Studies. Such student representative is to attend all, or at least a portion, of any and all meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Executive Committee will determine in advance of each meeting whether such student representative is to be in attendance for the entire meeting or portion therefore. If attendance of only a portion of the meeting is required, the Executive Committee will also determine the parameters of attendance. Such position is an ex oﬃ cio representation with no vote. Such student will be expected to make a report to the Board of Trustees at each meeting.”

Article V. Oﬃ cers of the Board of Trustees

Section 1. The Offi cers of the Board of Trustees shall be the Offi cers of the Corporation and shall consist of a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Clerk, a Treasurer, and other such offi cers, including one or more Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Clerks, as the Trustees may determine. These Offi cers shall be elected annually at the meeting of the Trustees following the annual meeting of the members by the Board of Trustees and shall serve until their successors are elected and assume the duties of their respective offi ces. The Chair and Vice Chair must be Board members but the Clerk, Treasurer, Assistant Clerks and Assistant Treasurers, need not be. Offi cers are eligible for re-election.

All Oﬃ cers of the Board of Trustees shall serve at the discretion of the Board of Trustees and shall be subject to removal by the aﬃ rmative vote of two- thirds of the Trustees present at a meeting of the Board of Trustees. 240 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

A vacancy in any of the oﬃ ces of the Board of Trustees may be ﬁ lled at any meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Section 2. Chair. The Chair of the Board of Trustees shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Trustees and at the annual Corporation meeting, serve as Chair of the Executive Committee, and appoint all committees and their Chairs in consultation with the Dean of the Center for Swedenborgian Studies. The Chair shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law or by the action of the Board.

Section 3. Vice Chair. The Vice Chair of the Board of the Trustees shall perform such duties as shall be assigned by the Board. In case of death, absence, or inability of the Chair of the Board of Trustees to act, the Vice Chair shall discharge the duties of the Chair until such time as a new Chair is elected by the Board.

Section 4. Clerk. The Clerk shall serve as the Clerk of the Corporation and shall keep the records of the Corporation and the Board of Trustees, and shall give notice of all meetings of the Board of Trustees and of the members. The Clerk shall be responsible for the maintenance of the fi le of the membership of the Corporation. He or she shall provide the notice of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation to be published in The Messenger at least 60 days prior to the date of the meeting. If The Messenger is not published at a convenient time, notices of the Annual Meeting shall be sent by fi rst class to each member at least ten days before such Annual Meeting. Notice of special meetings of the Corporation shall be issued in the same manner. It shall be suffi cient notice if mailed to the last and usual place of residence of each member in accordance with the records in the membership list. The Assistant Clerks shall have such powers and duties including any and all of the powers and duties of the Clerk as the Board of Trustees may prescribe.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for carrying out the man- dates of the Board of Trustees in overseeing the ﬁ nancial resources of the Cor- poration, including cash securities, stocks, bonds and all other property, personal or real, owned by the Corporation. The Treasurer shall assure that all books and accounts are accurately kept, and furthermore, shall present a full and detailed statement properly audited by an independent certiﬁ ed public accountant to the Corporation at its annual meeting and, if requested, at any other meeting of the Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 241

Board of Trustees or any meeting of its committees. The Assistant Treasurer shall have such powers and duties including any and all of the powers and duties of the Treasurer as the Board of Trustees may prescribe.

Article VI Committees of the Board

Section 1. Executive Committee. There shall be an Executive Commit- tee consisting of the Offi cers of the Board of Trustees. The Dean shall be an ex offi cio member of the Executive Committee with a vote. The President of the General Convention shall be an ex offi cio member of the Executive Committee with a vote. The Executive Committee shall have authority to act on behalf of the Board of Trustees on all matters except for the following which shall be reserved for the Board as specifi ed elsewhere in these Bylaws: Dean Selection; Trustee and Board Offi cer Selection; Charter and Bylaws Amendment; Review of Insti- tutional Mission and Purposes; Incurring Corporate Indebtedness; Expenditure of Funds Not Provided for in the Budget; Approval of the Annual Budget; the Conferral of Degrees; and the Purchase and Sale of Real Estate.

Section 2. Nominating Committee – At-Large Class. On or before March 1 every year the Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee to select at-large nominees for the Board of Trustees. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of three at-large members of the Corporation at least one of whom shall not be a member of the Board of Trustees. The Nominating Committee shall make its report to the Annual Meeting of the Corporation.

Section 3. Nominating Committee – Representative Class. General Convention shall present nominees to the representative class at the Annual Meet- ing of the Corporation. Other Committees. At the discretion of the Board of Trustees, other committees may be formed and discharged as needed.

Article VII. Oﬃ cers of the Institution

Section 1. The Dean shall be the chief educational and administrative of- ﬁ cer of the institution. He or she shall exercise general responsibility for the overall aﬀ airs of the institution and shall bring those matters to the attention of 242 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

the Board of Trustees that are appropriate and necessary to keep it fully informed and to enable it to meet its policy-making responsibilities. The Dean shall be an ex oﬃ cio member of the Board of Trustees and of all committees thereof.

The Dean shall appoint all other administrators, staﬀ members, and temporary faculty members. Regular faculty appointments shall be presented to the Board for prior approval.

Article VIII. Indemniﬁ cation

Section 1. Each person now or hereafter a Trustee or Offi cer of the Cor- poration (and his or her heirs, executors and administrators) shall be entitled, without prejudice to any other rights he or she may have, to be reimbursed by the Corporation for, and indemnifi ed by the Corporation against, all costs and expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or arising out of any claim, action, suit or proceeding of whatever nature in which he or she may be involved as a party or otherwise or with which he or she may be threatened by reason of his or her having served as a Trustee or Offi cer of the Corporation, or by reason of any action alleged to have been omitted by him or her as such Trustee or Offi cer, whether or not he or she be such Trustee or Offi cer at the time of incurring such cost or expenses, including amounts paid or incurred in connection with reasonable settlements (other than amounts paid to the Corporation itself) made with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Corporation and with a view to the curtailment of costs of litigation. No such reimbursement of indemnity shall be paid or made for any expenses incurred or settlement made by such Trustee or Offi cer in connection with any matter as to which he or she shall be fi nally adjudicated in any such action, suit, or proceeding not to have acted in good faith and in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interest of the Corporation, nor shall the amount of any such reimbursement or indemnity paid or made to any Trustee or Offi cer in respect of any matter on which settlement or compromise is eff ected, including the amount paid by such a Trustee or Offi cer in such settlement, exceed the expense which might reasonably have been paid or incurred by such Trustee or Offi cer in conducting such actual or threatened litigation to a fi nal conclusion. Payment by the Corporation of expenses incurred by such Trustee or Offi cer in defending any claim, action, suit or proceeding in advance of its fi nal disposition may be made upon receipt of an undertaking by the person indemni- Bylaws of the Corporation of the New Church Theological School 243

fi ed to repay such payment if he or she shall be adjudicated to be not entitled to indemnifi cation under the laws of Massachusetts. The Corporation and its Trustees and Offi cers shall not be liable to anyone for making any determination as to the existence or absence of liability, or for making or refusing to make any payment hereunder the basis of such determination, or for taking or omitting to take any other action hereunder, in reliance upon the advice of counsel.

Article IX. Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 1. The Bylaws of the Corporation may be made, amended or repealed at any Annual or Special Meeting of the Members at which a quorum is present by an aﬃ rmative two-thirds vote of those at-large and representative class members present and voting, each class voting as a separate class, provided that notice of the substance of the proposed amendment is stated in the notice of such meeting.

Article X. Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 1. Parliamentary Authority. The parliamentary procedure shall be governed, in all cases not speciﬁ cally covered by these Bylaws, by Robert’s Rules of Order.

Section 2. Fiscal year. Except as from time to time otherwise determined by the Trustees, the ﬁ scal year of the Corporation shall end on June 30th.

Section 3. Seal. The seal of the Corporation shall, subject to alteration by the Trustees, bear its name and the year of its incorporation.

Section 4. Execution of Instruments. All check, deeds, leases, transfers, contracts, bonds, notes and other obligations authorized to be executed by and of- ﬁ cer of the Corporation in its behalf shall be signed by the Chair or the Treasurer except as the Trustees may generally or in particular cases otherwise determine.

Section 5. Evidence of Authority. A certiﬁ cate by the Clerk or a temporary Clerk as to any action taken by the Trustees or any oﬃ cer or representative of 244 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

the Corporation shall as to all persons who rely thereon in good faith be conclu- sive evidence of such action.

Section 6. Articles of Organization. All references in these Bylaws to the Articles of Organization shall be deemed to refer to the Articles of Organiza- tion of the Corporation, as amended and in eﬀ ect from time to time.

Article XI. Former Bylaws

Section 1. All former Bylaws will be revoked and repealed immediately prior to the Annual Meeting following the adoption of these Bylaws, provided that General Convention, by appropriate votes, supports the provisions therein. Bylaws of the Wayfarers Chapel 245

B W C The Wayfarers Chapel is a national memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg and its services and programs bear witness to the vision of Christianity set forth in the teachings of Swedenborg and in the tradition and practices of the Swedenborgian Church. Honoring and respecting a variety of approaches to the religious life, the Cha- pel welcomes all people. The Chapel gardens and grounds are to be maintained beautifully, so that the whole site may be consecrated to the worship and love of God, nurturing the experience of the Divine presence among us. The uses of the Chapel are many, providing a unique experience for individual wayfarers, couples, groups, and families as a place to meditate and commune with God; a place to nourish the soul and spirit unfettered by the usual man-made structural separations from the natural world that God has created. The Chapel and grounds provide an inspirational background for the celebration of worship; sacraments and special services to commemorate our Lord’s birth, the Last Supper, and resurrection; and the celebration of marriage, baptism, and the transition which is called death. The educational ministry of the Chapel can be carried out in the Visitors Cen- ter including the sale of books, classes and discussion groups, exhibits, lectures and ﬁ lms. Marriage counseling, personal growth enhancement programs and community events are also an integral part of experiencing the Wayfarers Chapel. In summary the Chapel’s uses are: solace and meditation for the wayfarer, celebration of the Christian rites and sacraments, educational programs and exhibits, personal growth programs, and community involvement in an environment as harmonious with God’s own natural beauty as the imagination can envision.

BYLAWS

PREAMBLE The Board of Directors was established by a vote of the General Conven- tion of the New Jerusalem in the USA, Inc., currently known as and hereinafter referred to as The Swedenborgian Church, at its session in June 1950. The vote at that time read in part as follows: “Resolved – That the use, maintenance, and management of the property at Palos Verdes now known as ‘The Wayfarers Cha- pel: a National Memorial to Emanuel Swedenborg,’ be placed in the hands of a Committee consisting of ﬁ ve members, a majority of whom shall be members of this Convention, who shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the General Council, and in addition the President of Convention and the President of 246 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

the California Association (now known as the Pacifi c Coast Association) both ex offi cio:…the initial appointment of said fi ve members to be for terms of one, two, three, four, and fi ve years each; three of said members to be residents within the limits of the Pacifi c Coast Association.” At the annual session of The Swedenborgian Church in June 1979, the Gen- eral Council increased Board membership from fi ve members to seven. At the annual session of The Swedenborgian Church in June 1983, the Gen- eral Council reduced the number of appointed members from seven to six.

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Section 1. In accordance with the action of the General Convention cited above, the appointive members of the Board shall consist of six persons, two appointments to be made each year by the President of The Swedenborgian Church with the approval of General Council. Board members shall be appointed for a term of three years. Those members who have served three consecutive three-year terms, including ex-offi cio members, shall not be eligible for immediate reappointment. A member who is chairperson of the Board at the completion of the third year of his/her membership term shall have that membership extended to the close of the next fall meeting of the Board. A person appointed to fulfi ll an unexpired term of two years or longer is eligible for reappointment to only two additional consecutive three-year terms. Va- cancies on the Board shall be fi lled by appointment by the President of The Swe- denborgian Church with approval of General Council. Section 2. Ex offi cio members of the Board shall include the President of The Sweden- borgian Church, the President of the Pacifi c Coast Association, and the members of the Leadership Team. In the absence of the President of the Swedenborgian Church, the President’s designated representative may represent the President and be accorded full voting privileges. In the absence of the President of the Pacifi c Coast Association, or when a Leadership Team member is President, a designated representative may be appointed to represent him/her, and be accorded full voting privileges. The Leadership Team members shall serve without vote. Bylaws of the Wayfarers Chapel 247

Section 3. Three or more of the appointive members of the Board must reside within the limits of the Paciﬁ c Coast Association. All voting members of the Board must be members of The Swedenborgian Church.

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS Section 1. The offi cers of the Board of Directors shall be a Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary. Section 2. The Chairperson of the Board shall preside at all meetings of the Board and its Executive Committee. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Secretary will convene the meeting and preside over the election of a Chairperson, Pro Tem- pore. Section 3. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasur- er and one other Board member (called a Member at Large) plus the Leadership Team serving ex-offi cio, without vote. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act for the Board in the interim between Board meetings with the limitations set forth in Article IV, Section 2. Section 4. The Offi cers and other members of the Executive Committee shall be elected by the Board at the fall meeting and serve for one year.

ARTICLE III

MEETINGS Section 1. There shall be three regular meetings of the Board, to be held normally in Janu- ary, May, and September, open to all members of The Swedenborgian Church. The September meeting shall be the annual meeting. Special meetings of the full Board may be called by the Executive Committee or any three members of the Board, two of whom shall not be part of the Leadership Team. With the approval of the Board, any meeting can be held via telephone conference call. Votes taken by letter or the internet shall be conﬁ rmed at the next regular meeting of the Board. Minutes of the Board meetings shall be distributed to Board members and 248 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

shall be approved at the next meeting of the Board. A quorum shall consist of four voting members. Section 2. In the interim between Board meetings, the Executive Committee may meet if necessary. The Chairperson shall schedule an Executive Committee meeting upon request of any two members of the Executive Committee, one of whom may be an employee of the Board, or at the request of three members of the full Board, one of whom shall not be part of the Leadership Team. The Executive Committee minutes shall be distributed to all Board members. Actions of the Executive Com- mittee shall be confi rmed at the next meeting of the Board. Section 3. Between meetings of the Board, votes may be taken in any written form with the same eff ect as if taken at a regular meeting of the Board, except that in such written votes a two-thirds vote of the whole Board shall be necessary to decide the matter, and provided further that if any member of the Board requests its Chair- person in writing to delay action on the request under consideration, the Chairper- son shall notify in writing all members of the Board of all objections made and reasons therefore, and shall allow two weeks for reversal of votes before the count of the vote is fi nally made. Section 4. The provisions of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used as a guide for the conducting of business. Section 5. Meetings of the Board or Executive Committee may be conducted by conference call, computer conference, or face to face.

ARTICLE IV

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Section 1. The Board of Directors shall have superintendence of the services, programs, and activities of the Chapel. It shall employ the Leadership Team and evaluate their performance annually. Members of the Board shall make themselves available to listen to problems and concerns of the Leadership Team and either individually or as a group, but decisions can only be made by the full Board or the Executive Committee as outlined in Article III. The Board of Directors shall establish the general policies of the Chapel and Bylaws of the Wayfarers Chapel 249 develop long-range plans for improvements. The Board shall adopt the annual budget, submit copies to the General Coun- cil for their information and approval, and require a fi nancial audit on the same schedule as the General Convention’s audits, with a fi nancial review in the years audits are not conducted. The Board shall submit an annual report of The Wayfarers Chapel to the Sec- retary of The Swedenborgian Church for inclusion in the annual Journal of The Swedenborgian Church. In carrying out its duties, the Board is responsible to The Swedenborgian Church and its General Council. Section 2. The Executive Committee shall act for the Board of Directors in the interim between Board meetings. Between Board meetings it shall have the authority to amend the budget so long as expenditures do not exceed the anticipated income. The Executive Committee shall carry out the directives of the Board and act on all matters referred to it by the Board. It shall evaluate the eff ectiveness of the Leadership Team members and make recommendations to the full Board regarding their employment and salaries and other matters germane to Chapel operation. Section 3. The Leadership Team shall implement policies of the Board through day-today administration of Chapel activities as designated in the Responsibility Ma- trix. They shall employ, supervise, and evaluate Chapel staff . They shall keep the Board and Executive Committee informed of services, programs, activities, capital improvements, and the fi nancial status of the Chapel. Section 4. The Leadership Team, working with the Treasurer, shall annually prepare a preliminary budget for the Board. In carrying out their duties, the Leadership Team is responsible to the Board of Directors and its Executive Committee.

ARTICLE V

AMENDMENTS These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote of the Directors present at the time the vote is taken provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall ﬁ rst have been sent to Board members at least two weeks before the Board meeting. This notice may be dispensed with 250 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2017

for any special occasion by a unanimous vote of the Board members present and voting, provided a quorum exists. Amendments to these Bylaws are subject to approval of the General Council. Revised September 21, 2007. Approved by General Council July 2, 2008. Revised January 8, 2010. Approved by General Council September 5, 2013. Revised September 21, 2013. Approved by General Council November 1, 2013. Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Community 251

B S C A fully online, minister-led outreach and connectional ministry of the General Convention of the New Jerusalem, Inc. The mission of this ministry is to create: • a community where members are known to each other, feel free to share openly their personal journey of faith, and feel nurtured and supported in their walk with the Lord. • an open and welcoming community for new spiritual seekers, introducing the Swedenborgian faith in an accessible way through powerful testimony and life experience with it.

BYLAWS

PREAMBLE – HISTORY At its fall meeting in 2004, the General Council of the Swedenborgian Church (General Convention) determined to research the idea of an online ministry that would connect distant Church members and also be an outreach ministry to the world. A Research Committee was appointed for this project. The Research Committee reported regularly and in the summer of 2005, the General Council accepted a proposal to establish an online-only outreach and connectional ministry. The Research Committee was discharged with thanks and a Steering Committee was appointed to organize and create this Internet Ministry, with initial funding from the denomination. In the fall of 2005, the Steering Committee brought a complete proposal to establish www.swedenborgiancommunity.org along with a request to fund a dedicated part-time minister. The General Council approved both requests and the search for a minister was opened. The General Council approved a part time contract for the fi rst denominational “cyber minister” in the early spring of 2006, supported the design and implementation of a dedicated website for this new ministry and www.swedenborgiancommunity.org was offi cially launched at the denomination’s annual convention at Urbana University on June 26, 2006. The Steering Committee continued to serve through June 27, 2008, when it was offi cially thanked for its diligent, excellent work and discharged. The General Council appointed an oversight committee for www.swedenborgiancommunity.org at its meeting on June 27, 2008. This committee is appointed annually by the General Council and has been named The Central Committee since 2011. The General Council affi rmed www.swedenborgiancommunity.org as a specifi c, recognized ministry of the denomination at its post-convention meeting 252 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

on July 8, 2012, in Bridgewater, MA.

ARTICLE I. CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Number and terms. The Central Committee of www.swedenborgiancommunity.org shall consist of three appointed members. Central Committee members will serve three-year terms, with one consecutive renewal possible. Terms of service will be staggered so that the entire committee membership is not new each year.

Central Committee Member Functions. The types of expertise and experience that the Central Committee will consider in recommending new members for the appointment include: familiarity with the functions of the General Convention, writing, ministry, ﬁ nancial budgeting and reporting, Internet technology, program creation and presentational skills. All Central Committee members will be/become registrants of the ministry, and at least one should be selected from the online community. At least two must be members of a General Convention ministry.

Appointment Process. Upon ratiﬁ cation and implementation of these Bylaws, the Central Committee will recommend Committee appointments to the General Council annually for aﬃ rmation by the General Council at its post-convention meeting.

Ex offi cio members. The minister of www.swedenborgiancommunity.org will serve ex offi cio without vote on the Central Committee, and is not counted toward a quorum. The Vice-President of the General Convention will serve ex offi cio with vote on the Central Committee.

Quorum. A quorum is achieved with one less than the number of voting Com- mittee members at the time. If the Committee size should be reconﬁ gured to six or more members, one more than half of the number of voting members will constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE II. OFFICERS The Central Committee will self-select its internal organizational structure regarding facilitator, fi nancial overseer and secretarial position from within its membership. If the Committee size should be reconfi gured to six or more members, the Committee will formally vote to fi ll offi ces. Bylaws of the Swedenborgian Community 253

ARTICLE III. MEETINGS AND DECISION-MAKING Regular and special meetings will be held via telephone conference call or computer-generated voice or video conference. As is possible, the Central Committee will meet in person during the annual convention of the Swedenborgian Church. Generally, the Central Committee will make decisions through consensus. The Committee will have formal votes on legal matters such as the minister’s annual contract recommendation, ﬁ nalization of the annual budget for www.swedenborgiancommunity.org and on any major changes to the ministry’s website.

ARTICLE IV. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CEN- TRAL COMMITTEE

Section 1. General responsibilities The Central Committee shall establish the general policies and have superintendence of the services, programs and activities of this ministry. Individual members of the Committee shall make themselves available to listen to problems and concerns of the Minister or other employees, but decisions and/or adjudications can only be made by the Central Committee as a whole. The Central Committee shall submit a report on the work of the online ministry to the General Council at least annually. The Central Committee will also submit a report for inclusion in the annual Journal of the Swedenborgian Church. Other reports will be prepared and submitted as necessary.

Section 2. Personnel Responsibilities The Central Committee, following the denomination’s open search process, will select the Minister for www.swedenborgiancommunity.org from the Roll of Ministers of the General Convention and recommend the hiring of that minister to the General Council of the General Convention. The contract will be between the selected Minister and the General Convention. The Minister is responsible to the Central Committee and the Central Committee will evaluate the Minister annually. The Minister will implement policies of the Central Committee through day-to-day programming and services of www.swedenborgiancommunity.org. The Minister will report regularly to the Committee (frequency to be determined by the Committee and the Minister), and will direct/supervise and evaluate any part time technical/administrative assistant 254 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

if one should be in place.

Section 3. Financial responsibilities The Central Committee, in consultation with the Minister, shall annually prepare a budget for the needs of www.swedenborgiancommunity.org. The Committee shall adopt the annual budget and submit it to the General Council for its approval. The annual budget for this ministry will be part of the complete annual budget of the General Convention, but the budget for www.swedenborgiancommunity.org will be administered by the Central Committee. All fi nancial transactions for www.swedenborgiancommunity.org will be handled through the General Convention’s Central Offi ce. As long as the day-to-day fi nancial transactions are handled through the denomination’s Central Offi ce, and the ministry’s annual budget is an identifi ed part of the denomination’s annual budget, audits and fi nancial reviews of the fi nances of www.swedenborgiancommunity.org will be part of the overall audit/review process of the denomination as established by the General Council.

ARTICLE V. AMENDMENTS These Bylaws may be amended at any meeting of the Central Committee by a two-thirds vote of the members present at the time the vote is taken, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall ﬁ rst have been sent to Committee members at least two weeks before the Committee meeting. This notice may be dispensed with for any special occasion by a unanimous vote of the Committee members present and voting, provided a quorum exists. Amendments to these Bylaws are subject to the approval of the General Council of the Swedenborgian Church in North America.

Approved by the General Council of the General Convention, June 25, 2013

Adopted by Central Committee of www.SwedenborgianCommunity.org , July 13, 2013 (Central Committee membership at time of vote: Dr. Page Morahan, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell, Ms. Christine Laitner; Rev. Dr. Wilma Wake, ex oﬃ cio w/o vote) Swedenborgian Bodies 255

S B The following Swedenborgian organizations are independent of our organization but wish to maintain a close relationship with us. We welcome them in our fellowship.

UNITED STATES: The General Church of the New Jerusalem Mailing Address: Box 743, Bryn Athyn, PA 19009 P: (267) 502-4900 Exec. Bishop: Rt. Rev. Peter M. Buss, Jr. Website: www.newchurch.org

The Lord’s New Church Which is Nova Hierosolyma Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7 Bryn Athyn, PA 19009-0007 Physical Headquarters: 1725 Huntingdon Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 P: (215) 947-2727 Email: [email protected] Website: www.thelordsnewchurch.org

GREAT BRITAIN: The General Conference of the New Church of Great Britain First Conference 1789; General Conference Deeds enrolled 1822. Incorporated,1872

Headquarters: Purley Chase Centre, Purley Chase Lane, Mancetter, Nr Atherstone, Warwickshire CV9 2RQ, England Spiritual Leader: Rev. D.E. Gaﬀ ney david.gaﬀ [email protected] Chair: Mr. D. R. A. Friend Web Site: www.generalconference.org.uk

THE CONTINENTAL (EUROPEAN) ASSOCIATION OF THE NEW CHURCH (Organized in 1965 by the French Federation, the Swiss Bund, the New Church in Ger- many, the New Church in Vienna, and the New Church in Italy.) 256 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Secretary: Rev. Jean Vidil c/o Nouvelle Eglise et Centre Swedenborg Rue Caroline 21 CH-1003, Lausanne, Switzerland P: (0) 21-23-78-77

AUSTRIA: The New Church Society of Vienna President: Mr. Werner Prochaska Soesergasse 4, A-1010 Vienna Secretary: Mrs. Gerda Scholz Untere Augartenstrasse 1/3 A-1025 Vienna Services: Intermittently at the home of Mr. W. Prochaska

DENMARK : Den Nye Kirkes Menighed Vice Pres: Mr. Oliver Boolsen Nansensgade 7 1 tv., 1366 Copenhagen V. Tel: 31 13 52 39 Secretary: Miss Inger Ullrich, Osterpark 1, 2630 Tastrup Tel: 43-99 25 59 Treasurer: Mr. Manfred Ullrich Valbyholm 33, 2, 292 Skellet, 2500 Valby Tel: 36-45 00 30 Board Member: Mrs. Laura Boolsen Osterbrogade 228, 1.th. 2100, Copenhagen O Denmark Tel: 369-27 04 15 Pastor: Rev. Gudmund Boolsen Osterbrogade 228, 1.th. 2100 Copenhagen O Denmark

FRANCE: Association Cultuzelle La Presle Secretary: Colette Gagnon Gvaude Rue, 71520 Tramayes Swedenborgian Bodies 257

Chrysalis Centre (Workshops and Seminars) Leader: Rev. Patrick Duvivier Ipailla 06540 Saorge, France Phone: 06 13 51 32 58 Email: [email protected]

GERMANY : Neue Kirche in Deutschland President: Mrs. Barbara Schmidt, Rosbaumweg 21D-78 Freiburg i Br.

Berlin President: Mr. Peter Keune Schmarjestr. 2, D – Berlin – 37 Secretary: Mr.Werner Podlich Falkenseer Chausse 207, D-1 Berlin 20 Treasurer: Mrs. Gertrude Engling Services: Fontane Str. 17 A, Berlin 33, Grunewald

Berlin-Grunewald Lay Leader: Mr. Peter Keune Nordrhein Westfalen, Heuverstrasse 16, D-463 Bochum President: Mr. Horst Moelleken Im neuen Weg 34, D-5480 Remagen Secretary: Rekha Moelleken Im neuen Weg 34, D-5480 Remagen Treasurer: Bernhard Willimzig, Detmold

South West Germany President: Frau B. Schmidt Rosbaumweg 20, 79110 Freiburg, Germany Secretary: Mr. Friedmann Schmidt Keferstrasse 3, Villigen D-7730 Lay Leader: Mr. Friedmann Schmidt

ITALY: Italian Society of the New Church Secretary: Signor Fabio Barzelatto Casella Postale 34, 30035 Mirano (VE), Italy 258 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

SWEDEN : Nya Kyrkans Svenska Forsamling President: Mr. Milan Pokorny Tallvagen 11, 12163 Johanneshov Secretary: Mr. Nils-Sture Jansson Distingsgrand, 37, Hagersten, Stockholm C Services: Tegnerluden 7, Stockholm (Occasionally at Gothenburg) Pastor: Rev. Daniel Fitzpatrick Lay Leader: Mr. Nils-Sture Jansson

SWITZERLAND : Neue Kirche Der Deutschen Schweiz Apollostrasse 2, CH-8032 Zurich www.swedenborg.ch President: Mr. Heinz Grob Freie Str 22, CH-8280 Krenzlingen Apollostrasse 2, CH-8032 Zurich Treasurer: Mr. Philippe Galland, Rue San Pierre 3, case postale 62631002 Pastor: Jean Vidil Rue Caroline 21, CH-1003, Lausanne Tel: (0) 21-23 7877

PHILIPPINES: The National Convention of the Swedenborgian Churches (Philippines), Inc. Incorporated in 1952. Consists of nine congregations totaling approximately 500 members.

General: Rev. Tomas C. Aquino President: Dr. Simplicio de los Santos Ministers: Rev. Tomas C. Aquino, Francisco Guzman, Rev. Amos C. Aquino, Simplicio de los Santos

AUSTRALIA: The New Church in Australia President: Rev. Julian Duckworth Treasurer: Mr. Graham J. Hanna Secretary: Mr. Kevin B. Attwatter P.O. Box 9043, Port Macquarie, NSW, 2444 Website: www.newchurch.net.au/ Swedenborgian Bodies 259

AUSTRALIA: Australian New Church College Director of Spiritual Training: Rev. David W. Millar Website: www.anccollege.org

NEW ZEALAND Auckland, Society of the New Church, 5 Ballarat St., Ellerslie Minister: Rev. Richard Keyworth 15 Dunkirk Rd., Panmure, Auckland Phone: 649-527 6401, E-mail: drkeyworth@hotmail. com For further information consult the General Conference. O N C O A A A

SOUTH AMERICA Argentina, Buenos Aires Christian Wildner Sante Fe 1183, 3er Piso Bolivia, La Paz Richard Lago Casilla 901 Ecuador, Quito Hugo E, Happacher, c/o Lista de Correo Paraguay, Chaco Henry S. Bergen Colonia Menno, Gruental Surinam, Lilydorp John Bosdorf

EAST INDIES Java, Batavia Ir. F. E. Eijken, Theresiahertweg 76

WEST INDIES Cuba, Santiago Dr. J. Cos Oramos 260 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

Dominican Republic, St. Domingo Mr. E. Juliao Abreu Calle 5A, No. 14, Los Minas Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Mrs. Velma B. Ramirez 2 Bosque Avenue, P.O. Box 848 00708 St. Kitts, Basseterre George Herbert College Street

ASIA (Burma) Myanmar, Rangoon Mr. John Tin Myint 93 Hrinsi Road, Alon P.O. Box 11121, Yang’oon China Swedenborg Society of China, Central P.O. Box 1063, Tokyo, Japan James Wang Sum (MA, LLB, CCA), Honorary Secretary Madurai New Church Society, David Arul, Secretary Swedenborg & Worldwide Publications 5-98 Butt Road, St. Thomas Mount, India Pin 6000016 Mr. David Samuels, 5-23, 7 Wells Street Japan, Tokyo Rev. Yoshii Yanase, Igusa 5-6-12, Suginami-Ku, Tokyo 167 Rev. Kei Torita, 1-170-3-1-606 Onuma-Cho, Kodaira-Shi, Tokyo 187- 0001 Tokyo New Church, Rev. Kin’ichi Kiniyeda 30-5 Iwasaki-cho, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, 240 Japan Phone/Fax: 011-81-45-331-4089 Seoul Rev. Young K. Lee, IPO Box 1707 Sri Lanka, Rajagiriya The New Church of Sri Lanka, Walter Jayewardene, Secretary 6 1/3, Old Road, Nawala, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka Swedenborgian Bodies 261

AFRICA South Africa Mooki Memorial College, P.O. Box 592, Orlando East 1803, Republic of South Africa President: President Archbishop Benjamin Ngwexane Nigeria, Ondo The New Church in West Africa Conference Secretary: Rev. Lawrence Wariboko Headquarters: Owo, Ondo, Nigeria 46 Fajuyi Road, P.O. Box 22, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria Mauritius, Curepipe The New Jerusalem Church, Rue Remono, P.O. Box 50, Port Louis, Rue Champ-de-Lort row 2 Rev. Raghib Rizq 262 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

D A

Please notify the Secretary of the Swedenborgian Church and the Central Oﬃ ce of any changes to this list.

EASTERN CANADA CONFERENCE

CONTACT: John McIntosh E: [email protected] ...... (905) 709-2980

OFFICERS President ...... John McIntosh Vice-President ...... Peter Heuss Secretary ...... David Ingard Treasurer ...... Grace Sudden Member Churches and Camps: Church of the Good Shepherd (Kitchener, Ontario); Revelation of the Spirit (Ayr, Ontario)

ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Rev. Kit Billings E: [email protected] ...... (219) 380-4685

OFFICERS President ...... Rev. Kit Billings Vice-President ...... Karen Feil Secretary ...... Paul Deming Treasurer ...... Barbara Halle Member Churches and Camps: The Swedenborg Library & Spiritual Growth Center (Chicago, Illinois); Good Shepherd Community Church (Des Plaines, Illinois); La Porte New Church (La Porte, Indiana); Lenox Township Church of the New Jerusalem (Norway, Iowa); Virginia Street Church (St. Paul, Minne- sota); Church of the Open Word (St. Louis, Missouri) Directory of Associations 263

KANSAS ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Veneta Lane E: [email protected] ...... (620) 662-3034

OFFICERS President ...... Carl Helm Vice-President ...... Rev. Eric Zacharias Secretary ...... Veneta Z. Lane Treasurer ...... Linda Kraus Member Churches and Camps: Church of the New Jerusalem (Pawnee Rock, Kansas); Pretty Prairie New Jerusalem Church (Pretty Prairie, Kansas)

MAINE ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Susan Hougaz-McCormick E: [email protected] ...... (207) 939-1609

OFFICERS President ...... open Vice-President ...... Rev. Dr. Gard Perry Secretary ...... Susan McCormick Treasurer ...... Robin Thurston Member Churches and Camps: Bath New Church (Bath, Maine); Fryeburg New Church (Fryeburg, Maine); Fryeburg New Church Assembly (Fryeburg, Maine); Portland New Church (Portland, Maine) 264 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

MASSACHUSETTS NEW CHURCH UNION

CONTACT: Kelly Milne E: [email protected] ...... (774) 444-0627

OFFICERS President ...... Kelly Milne Vice-President ...... Rev. Donna Keane Secretary...... Rev. Sage Cole Treasurer ...... Rev. Susannah Currie Member Churches and Camps: Bridgewater New Jerusalem Church (Bridge- water, Massachusetts); Cambridge Society of the New Jerusalem (Cambridge, Massachusetts); Elmwood New Church (Elmwood, Massachusetts); Church of the Open Word (Newtonville, Massachusetts)

MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Barb Barber E: [email protected] ...... (248) 376-4834

OFFICERS President ...... Barbara Barber Vice-President ...... Marjie Leas Secretary ...... Ian Barber Treasurer ...... B.J. Neuenfeldt Trustees ...... Mary Lou Jerrett, Dorie Litchﬁ eld, Lori Patana Member Churches and Camps: Almont New Church Assembly (Allenton, Michigan);Royal Oak Church of the Holy City (Royal Oak, Michigan) Directory of Associations 265

MIDDLE ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Rev. Rich Tafel E: [email protected] ...... (202) 462-6734

OFFICERS President ...... Rev. Richard L. Tafel Vice-President ...... Rev. Christine Campbell Secretary ...... Elfa Halloway Treasurer ...... Robert W. “Robin” Tafel, Jr. Member Churches and Camps: Church of the Holy City (Wilmington, Dela- ware); Church of the Holy City (Washington, District of Columbia); Swedenbor- gian Church at Temenos (West Chester, Pennsylvania)

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Rev. Solomon Young Min Kim E: [email protected] ...... (212) 685-8967

OFFICERS President ...... Rev. Solomon Youngmin Kim Vice-President ...... open Secretary ...... Anna Martinian Treasurer ...... Young Chon Min Member Churches and Camps: Korean New Church (New York, New York); The New York New Church (New York, New York) 266 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

OHIO ASSOCIATION

CONTACTS: Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man E: bcoﬀ [email protected] ...... (937) 631-0899 Robin Ferriman, Urbana Swedenborgian Church, P.O. Box 840, Urbana, OH 43078 E: [email protected] ...... (937) 508-1601

OFFICERS President ...... Bill Coff man Vice-President ...... Gloria Toot Recording Secretary ...... Robbin Ferriman Treasurer ...... Frank G. Doyle III Nominating Committee: Pete Toot, chair; Kent Myers, Maggie Panyko Scholarship Committee: Betsy Coff man, Dr. Barbara Mackey Executive Committee: Consists of Offi cers, Ministers of the Churches within the Ohio Association and Representatives of each Church of the Ohio Associa- tion. Member Churches and Camps: New Church of Montgomery (Cincinnati, Ohio); Urbana Society of the New Church (Urbana, Ohio) Directory of Associations 267

PACIFIC COAST ASSOCIATION

CONTACT: Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell E:paciﬁ [email protected] ...... (310) 435-4907

OFFICERS President ...... Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell Vice-President ...... Linda Callander Secretary ...... Laurie Pelayo Treasurer ...... Dan Burchett Directors ...... Michael Robbins, Rev. Thom Muller, and Susan Golightly Nominations Committee ...... Carla Friedrich, open, open Member Churches and Camps: Hillside Community Church (El Cerrito, California); Society of the New Jerusalem (San Francisco, California); The Gar- den Church (San Pedro, California); The New Church of the Southwest Desert (Silver City, New Mexico); Swedenborgian Church of Puget Sound (Redmond, Washington)

WESTERN CANADA CONFERENCE

CONTACT: Sharon Williams E: [email protected] ...... (403) 948-

OFFICERS President ...... Sharon Williams Vice-President ...... Dianne Roesinger Secretary ...... Taunya Semken Treasurer ...... Laurie Slough Alberta Representative-Susan Hulcher, British Columbia Representative-Amy Blanchette, Manitoba Representative-Gord Schellenberg, Saskatoon Representa- tive-Amanda Watters Member Churches and Camps: Calgary New Church Society (Calgary, Alber- ta); Church of the Holy City (Edmonton, Alberta); Paulhaven Camp; Church of the New Jerusalem (Rosthern, Saskatchewan); Saskatoon Swedenborg Society (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) 268 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

D C M

*Indicates name of church as listed in the local telephone directory. Please notify the Secretary of the Swedenborgian Church and the Central Oﬃ ce of any changes to this list, including area codes.

CALIFORNIA

EL CERRITO HILLSIDE COMMUNITY CHURCH 1422 Navellier Street, 94530-2255 (510) 235-3646 E: [email protected] W: www.hillsideswedenborg.org Minister ...... Rev. Thom Muller Licensed Pastor ...... Tassy Farwell President ...... Jamie Karl Vice-President ...... Peter Gottschalk Secretary ...... Rev. Dr. James Lawrence Treasurer ...... Terrie Crenshaw & Lesley Ferguson

RANCHO PALOS VERDES WAYFARERS CHAPEL 5755 Palos Verdes Drive South, 90275-5950 (310) 377-1650 W: www.wayfarerschapel.org F: (310) 377-8589 Chair ...... Rev. Jane Siebert Secretary ...... Amy Little Treasurer ...... John Booth Member ...... Rev. Jane Siebert Member ...... Robert Carr Member ...... Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell Member ...... Peter Gottschalk Member ...... Todd Board Member ...... Ted Bosley Member ...... Katharine Carr Director of Finance & Administration: Dan Burchett ...... E: [email protected] Director of Ministry: Rev. David Brown ...... E: [email protected] Directory of Churches and Ministries 269

SAN FRANCISCO *SAN FRANCISCO SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH 2107 Lyon Street, 94115-1611 (415) 346-6466 Mailing Address: 3200 Washington Street, 94115-1622 E: oﬃ [email protected] W: www.sfswedenborgian.org Minister ...... Rev. Junchol Lee President ...... Nick Leras Vice-President ...... Joshua Jennings Secretary ...... Laurie Carlson Treasurer ...... Robert Carr

SAN PEDRO THE GARDEN CHURCH Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5257, San Pedro, CA 90733-5257 (424) 224-7551 W: gardenchurchsp.org E: [email protected] Co-Pastors ...... Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell ...... Rev. Dr. Amanda Adams Riley Chair ...... Antoinette Ciketic Vice-Chair ...... N/A Secretary ...... Consolina McOsker Treasurer ...... Dr. Linda O’Brien-Rothe

DELAWARE

WILMINGTON *CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY 1118 North Broom Street, 19806-4315 (302) 654-5014 E: [email protected] W: www.churchoftheholycity.org Minister ...... Rev. Shada Sullivan President ...... Jean Dougherty Vice-President ...... Kathy Williams Secretary ...... open Treasurer ...... Nancy Piorkowski 270 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WASHINGTON CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY 1611 16th Street NW, 20009-3001 (202) 462-6734 W: www.churchoftheholycitydc.org F: (202) 328-7380 Minister ...... Rev. Rich L. Tafel President ...... George Economy Vice-President ...... Helen Sioris Secretary ...... Malcolm Peck Treasurer ...... Nikiar Ahmadi

FLORIDA

DELAND THE CHRYSALIS FELLOWSHIP 825 Mercer’s Fernery Road, 32720-2310 (386) 439-9947 E: President ...... Carolyn Salyer Secretary ...... Rev. Terry Schnarr Treasurer ...... Carolyn Salyer Board Members At-Large: Kathlyn Schnarr, Barbara Smith

FT. MYERS THE NEW CHURCH OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA Mailing Address: 15484-2 Admiralty Circle, N. Ft. Myers, FL 33917-2248 (239) 560-6785 E: [email protected] Secretary ...... open Treasurer ...... Linda Tafel Directory of Churches and Ministries 271

ILLINOIS

CHICAGO THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY & SPIRITUAL GROWTH CENTER 77 West Washington Street, Room 1700, 60602-3182 (312) 346-7003 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] W: www.SwedLib.org Library Hours: Wed. & Fri., noon-4pm President ...... Catherine Laakko Vice-President ...... Amy Pappageorge Secretary/Treasurer ...... Karen Feil

DES PLAINES GOOD SHEPHERD COMMUNITY CHURCH President/Treasurer ...... Dr. Robert (Bud) Phillips Secretary ...... Carol Phillips

INDIANA

LA PORTE NEW CHURCH (SWEDENBORGIAN) 812 Indiana Avenue, 46350-3406 (219) 362-1959 E: [email protected] W: www.laportenewchurch.org Minister ...... Rev. Kit Billings President ...... Pat Tukos Vice-President ...... Dawn Fox Secretary ...... Jane McFeaters Treasurer ...... Barb Halle Trustee: ...... Gail Holmes

IOWA

NORWAY LENOX TOWNSHIP CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM President ...... Jordan Uthoﬀ Vice-President ...... Tom Hart Secretary ...... Kaci Uthoﬀ Co-Treasurers ...... Mike Weaver 272 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

KANSAS

PAWNEE ROCK *CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM (SWEDENBORGIAN) P.O. Box 2, 300 Santa Fe Avenue, 67567-0002 (620) 982-4520 W: www.facebook.com/PawneeRockNewChurch President ...... Connie Helm Vice-President ...... Vivian Bright Secretary ...... Anita Wilson Treasurer ...... Howard Bowman

PRETTY PRAIRIE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH 106 North Maple Street, 67570-8615 (620) 899-2200 Mailing address: P.O. Box 212, 67570-8615 W: www.prettyprairiechurch.org E: [email protected] W: www.facebook.com/NewJerusalemChurchPrettyPrairieKS President ...... Vernon Kraus, Jr. Vice-President ...... Veneta Lane Secretary ...... Jean Conkling Treasurer ...... Debbie Siebert

MAINE

BATH BATH CHURCH OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 876 Middle Street, 04530 (at the corner of Middle & Winter St.) (207) 389-4080 Mailing address: P.O. Box 1139, Bath, ME 04530-1139 W: tinyurl.com/BathNewChurch Minister ...... Rev. Dr. Reuben P. Bell President ...... Robert Lawson Vice-President ...... Jody Evans Secretary ...... Jill Bell Treasurer ...... R. Wesley Seekamp Board Members: Jean Briggs, Sarge Legard Directory of Churches and Ministries 273

FRYEBURG *FRYEBURG NEW CHURCH 12 Oxford Street, 04037-1218 (207) 935-3413 E: [email protected] F: (207) 935-3643 W: www.fryeburgnewchurch.org Minister ...... Rev. Alison Lane-Olsen Chair ...... Stew Frost Vice-Chair ...... Jim Gibson Secretary ...... Susan Logan Treasurer ...... Cindy Priest Trustees: Anna Allocco, Lee Dyer, Dean Harnden, and Cindy Priest

PORTLAND PORTLAND NEW CHURCH 302 Stevens Avenue, 04103-2628 (207) 536-4228 E: [email protected] W: TBD President ...... Dan Wood Vice-President ...... Karen St. Peter Secretary/Treasurer ...... Susan Hougaz-McCormick

MASSACHUSETTS

BRIDGEWATER NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH 2 Bedford Street, 02324-2503 (508) 697-3068 W: www.bridgewaternewchurch.org Minister ...... Rev. Susannah Currie Secretary/Moderator ...... Kelly Milne Treasurer ...... Merrilee Phinney 274 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

CAMBRIDGE *CAMBRIDGE SOCIETY OF THE NEW JERUSALEM 50 Quincy Street, 02138-3013 (617) 864-4552 W: https://swedenborgchapel.org Minister ...... Rev. Sage Cole President ...... P.J. Buehler Vice-President ...... Denyse Daurat Secretary ...... Paulina Mirenkova Co-Treasurers ...... Andrew Sciaretta & Mark Careaga

ELMWOOD *ELMWOOD NEW CHURCH Mailing Address: 20 West Street, Box 127, 02337 (508) 378-2981 Minister ...... Rev. Dr. Donna Keane President ...... open Secretary ...... Donna Mitchell Treasurer ...... Lori Alden

NEWTONVILLE *CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD 11 Highland Avenue, 02460-1852 Minister ...... Rev. F. Robert Tafel Vice-President ...... Dr. Gretchen Frauenberger

MICHIGAN

ROYAL OAK ROYAL OAK CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY Royal Oak Women’s Club, 404 S. Pleasant St., 48067 Mailing Address: PO Box 1415, Royal Oak, MI 48067-1415 E: [email protected] (248) 229-5668 W: www.churchholycity.org F: (248) 629-4273 Minister ...... Rev. Renée Machiniak President ...... Rhett Billings Vice-President ...... Barbara Tourangeau Secretary ...... Ian Barber Treasurer ...... Barbara Barber Directory of Churches and Ministries 275

MINNESOTA

ST. PAUL VIRGINIA STREET CHURCH 170 Virginia Street, 55102-2116 O/F: (651) 224-4553 E: [email protected] W: www.virginiastreetchurch.org Pastor...... Gordon Meyer President ...... Carla Abler-Erickson Secretary ...... Liz Zeno Treasurer ...... Paul Chaple

MISSOURI

ST. LOUIS CHURCH OF THE OPEN WORD 1040 Dautel Lane, 63146-5504 (314) 872-7124 E: [email protected] F: (314) 872-7112 W: www.openwordchurch.com Licensed Pastor ...... Paul Deming President ...... Debbie O’Reilly Vice-President/Secretary ...... Joan McNair O’Neal Treasurer ...... Duane Beougher Board Members: David Baumgartner, Kei Pang

NEW MEXICO

SILVER CITY THE NEW CHURCH OF THE SOUTHWEST DESERT 1300 N. Bennett Street, 88061 (575) 519-2579 Mailing address: P.O. Box 3053, 88062-3053 E: [email protected] W: www.newchurchswdesert.com Minister ...... Rev. Carla Friedrich President ...... Susan Go-Lightly Vice-President/Licensed Pastor ...... Linda Callander Secretary ...... Carley Preusch Treasurer ...... Jeanne-Marie Banderet ...... acting with Dawn Larsen, CPA/High Desert Accounting 276 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

NEW YORK

NEW YORK KOREAN NEW CHURCH 114 East 35th Street, 10016-3807 (718) 316-8296 Mailing address: c/o Rev. Young Min Kim, 309 Lafayette Avenue, #13A, Brooklyn, NY 11238-6901 E: [email protected] Minister/Chair ...... Rev. Solomon Young Min Kim Secretary ...... Wan Soo Kim Treasurer ...... Young Chon Min

NEW YORK *THE NEW CHURCH *SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH 114 East 35th Street, 10016-3807 O/F: (212) 685-8967 Mailing address: P.O. Box 1478, Murray Hill Station, 10156-1478 E: [email protected] W: www.newyorknewchurch.org President ...... Anna Rich Martinian Vice-President ...... William Linden Secretary ...... open Treasurer ...... Cheryl Bryant

OHIO

CINCINNATI NEW CHURCH OF MONTGOMERY Street Address: 845 Congress Ave. Glendale, OH 45246 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 42466, 45242-0466 E: [email protected] (513) 515-4542 W: www.newchurchofmontgomery.org Chair ...... Gloria Toot Secretary ...... Gloria Shepherd Treasurer ...... Pete Toot Directory of Churches and Ministries 277

URBANA URBANA SOCIETY OF THE NEW CHURCH 330 South Main Street, 43078 (937) 653-6810 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 840, 43078-0840 W: weddingchapel-urbana.com Minister ...... Rev. Betsy Coﬀ man President ...... Albert Cowen Secretary ...... Barbara Clark Treasurer ...... Bill Coﬀ man Trustees ...... Anna Clem, Barbara Mackey, Michael West

PENNSYLVANIA

WEST CHESTER TEMENOS CHURCH AT BROAD RUN 685 Broad Run Road, 19382-1705 (610) 696-8145 Mailing Address: 1564 Telegraph Rd., West Chester, PA 19382-1501 E: [email protected] W: www.temenoscommunity.org Minister/Moderator (ex offi cio) ...... Rev. Christine Campbell President ...... Nina Tafel Vice-President ...... Mark Sofi o Recording Secretary (ex offi cio) ...... Ian Campbell Treasurer ...... Robin Tafel Assistant Treasurer ...... Gabe Boscano 278 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

WASHINGTON

REDMOND SWEDENBORGIAN CHURCH OF PUGET SOUND Danceworks Studios, 16641 Redmond Way, 98052 Mailing Address: 20215 - 320th Ave., NE Duvall, WA 98019-9707 E: [email protected] (425) 844-9050 W: www.swedenborgianspiritualcommunity.org Ministers ...... Rev. Paul Martin Licensed Pastor ...... Helen Barler President ...... Michael Robbins Vice-President ...... Margot Brown Secretary ...... Bettina Muench Treasurer ...... Garry Kersten

SWEDENBORGIAN ONLINE COMMUNITY W: www.swedenborgiancommunity.org Minister ...... Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts Committee Member ...... Rev. Dr. Jonathan Mitchell Committee Member ...... Tom Neuenfeldt Committee Member ...... William Rotella Committee Member ...... Elbert Smith

CANADA

ALBERTA

CALGARY NEW CHURCH SOCIETY President ...... Hartmut Lipski Vice-President ...... Susan Hulcher Secretary ...... Sharon Williams Treasurer ...... Garry Loewen Board Members: Pat Ravenhill, Laurie Slough Directory of Churches and Ministries 279

EDMONTON CHURCH OF THE HOLY CITY (SWEDENBORGIAN) 9119-128 A Avenue, T5E 0J6 (780) 475-1620 E: [email protected] C: (780) 995-6063 W: www.edmontonholycity.com Minister ...... Rev. Dr. David Fekete President ...... open Vice-President ...... Randy Runka Secretary ...... Ardith Francis Treasurer ...... Barry Reed Board Members: Myrna Nichols, Linda Reed, Candace Sawatzky, John Ventura

ONTARIO

KITCHENER CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 116 Queen Street North, N2H 2H7 (519) 743-3845 E: [email protected] W: www.shepherdsway.ca Minister ...... Rev. Cory Bradford-Watts President ...... Christine MacTavish Vice-President ...... Tom Karges Secretary ...... Deb Smith Treasurer ...... Tracey Sanders Board Members: David Ingard, Jean McDermott, Judy Pidgeon, Claudette Touchette 280 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

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ALMONT NEW CHURCH ASSEMBLY AND RETREAT CENTER 1513 Cameron Road, Allenton, MI 48002-2201 (810) 798-8487 W: www.almontretreats.com President: Craig Carson A family camp. Modern facilities and a pond for swimming and fi shing make this camp outstanding, but the keynote of Almont is Camp Spirit! From the fl ag raising ceremony and the singing of “Fling to the Breeze Our Glorious Banner!” to the evening vesper service, Almont campers of all ages are alive with projects, classes, games and skits – helping one another, working and playing together as a big family. President ...... Craig Carson Vice-President ...... Charly Tishma Secretary ...... Rose Favors Treasurer ...... Betsy Aldrich Trustee ...... Amy Little Trustee ...... Tammara Mounce Trustee ...... Jeff Oelker Retreat Center Manager ...... Lori Patana

FRYEBURG NEW CHURCH ASSEMBLY Route 302, 84 Main Street, Fryeburg, ME 04037-1147 (207) 935-2338 (summers only) W: www.fryeburg.org Director: Jason Greenwood (413) 539-4809 E: [email protected] About the Fryeburg New Church Assembly: The FNCA is a family camp for people of all ages. The purpose of the Assem- bly is the study and instruction in the doctrines of the Christian Religion as revealed in the Lord’s Word and explained in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. The FNCA is located in an especially beautiful setting along the bank of the Saco River. The large, extended front porch of the main building off ers space for conversation and enjoyment of the mountain views. There is ample room adjacent to the main building for volleyball, horseshoes and other outdoor activities. Ma- jestic white pines cover the property. The water of the Saco River is clear, clean Directory of Camps and Conference Centers 281 and perfect for swimming and canoeing. The nearby mountains in Maine and New Hampshire off er plenty of prime hiking trails. Program: The morning schedule includes chapel, two lectures and classes for children and teens. On-site childcare is provided during lectures. Afternoons are free of formal schedules. Swimming and canoeing are available in the Saco River. In addition, there are planned activities for children and teens as well as special programs for adults. Accommodations: Meals are served in the dining hall of the main building. There is a full size kitchen run by professional cooks. Teenagers serve on the dining room staff and dishwashing crews in return for a tuition reduction. Overnight accommodations include rooms on the second fl oor of the Main Building with public bathrooms and wheelchair accessible rooms with private bathrooms on the fi rst fl oor. In addition, there are 13 cabins with river views. Teen boys have a bunkhouse and dressing room with shower. Teen girls have a dorm and dressing room with shower in the main building. There are also Tent and Camper sites with electric and water hookups and access to a nearby bathhouse and shower.

PAULHAVEN c/o The Church of the Holy City 9119-128 A Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5E 0J6 Canada For more information: Dianne Roessinger (403) 239-4192 Paulhaven children’s camp is held at a wooded site on a lovely lake. Accom- modations are primitive. The children are housed in cabins, but there is no running water, so this is a true camping experience. Adults do the cooking, but the children share in the chores of housekeeping. The religious program is staﬀ ed by members of the Western Canada Conference, which sponsors the camp. Swim- ming, boating, crafts, sports, hiking and group activities are enjoyed by campers and staﬀ together. Campers come from widely scattered places, and camp is a high point in the lives of youngsters who often get only this opportunity to be with other New Church children.

TEMENOS AT BROAD RUN RETREAT & CONFERENCE CENTER 1564 Telegraph Road, West Chester, PA 19382-1501 (610) 696-8145 E: [email protected] W: www.temenoscommunity.org 282 Journal of the Swedenborgian Church, 2019

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UNITED STATES

CALIFORNIA

P V: W C 5755 Palos Verdes Drive South, 90275-5950 (310) 377-1650

S F: S L 3200 Washington Street, 94115-1622 (415) 346-6466

DELAWARE

W: N C B R 1118 North Broom Street, 19806-4315 (302) 654-5014

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

W: B G 1611 16th Street NW, 20009-3001 (202) 462-6734

FLORIDA

D: N C B R 825 West Mercer’s Fernery Road, 32720-2310 (386) 734-9257

ILLINOIS

C: T S L S G C 77 West Washington Street, Room 1700, 60602-3182 (312) 346-7003 E: [email protected] F: (312) 346-7004 E: [email protected] W: www.SwedLib.org Directory of Camps and Conference Centers 283

INDIANA

LP: M H B 812 Indiana Avenue, LaPorte, IN 46350-3406 (219) 362-1959

MASSACHUSETTS

C: M N C U 50 Quincy Street, 02138-3013 (617) 864-4552

MINNESOTA

S. P: V S C 170 Virginia Street, 55102-2116 (651) 224-4553

OHIO

U: U U L College Way, 43078-0840 (937) 484-1301

PENNSYLVANIA

W C: S F 320 North Church Street, 19380-3213 (610) 430-3222 E: [email protected] W: www.swedenborg.com

CANADA

K, O: C G S 116 Queen Street North, N2H 2H7 (519) 743-3845 E: oﬃ [email protected]