The Coordinating Committee for NDNV met in December 2011 and made some important decisions.  As NDNV enters the third year as a pilot project we agreed that 2012 would be the last year as a pilot.  Thus, all clergy-congregational matches for the pilot need to be made (signed Letter of Agreement) by April 15, 2012.  NDNV will provide training for matched NDNV clergy, lay leaders and their Diocesan Transition Ministers until September 15, 2012.  We will then evaluate the pilot, transfer NDNV to another Episcopal organization (most likely the Episcopal Church Foundation’s Vital Practices) and have a report on the pilot completed by December 25, 2012. 

We have learned a lot during these three years.  We look forward to sharing all of it with you.  If you’d like to see the full report from the Coordinating Committee meeting contact us at NDNV@svcable.net.

The NDNV Coordinating Committee has chosen 5 new dioceses to join the NDNV Pilot Project.  Choosing from over 15 interested dioceses and 12 applications, the Committee has invited the dioceses of  Kansas, Massachusetts, Southern Ohio, Indianapolis and East Tennessee to join the pilot.  They join Vermont, Western Massachusetts, Atlanta, Southwest Florida, Eastern Michigan, Oklahoma, Spokane, Southeastern Mexico, and Iowa to bring the total to 14 pilot dioceses.

Within 24 hours over 10 dioceses indicated interest in joining the NDNV Pilot!   Thad Bennett, Pilot Project Coordinator, says they will ask dioceses to complete a simple form and then have the Coordinating Committee review the requests.  See the initial request below. 

Expansion of New Dreams New Visions Pilot Project

The Office for Transition Ministry at the Episcopal Church Center announces that the New Dreams New Vision Pilot Project (www.episcopalnewdreams.org) has two slots available for new dioceses to join the pilot.  Dioceses in the Pilot will work with and help create:

 •               New assessment tools for identifying clergy candidates

 •               New assessment tools for working with congregational and lay leaders

 •               Training for clergy and lay leaders to be “gathered around ministry and not the minister”

 •               Best practices to help clergy and small vital congregation thrive

 In addition, NDNV will coordinate the working/learning together of the DTMs, clergy and congregations.  The basic criteria for a pilot diocese includes the support of the diocesan Bishop and Transition Minister for the project; being a Fresh Start diocese; have between 1 and 3 congregations that are seeking part-time clergy; have the ability to work with NDNV to provide non-financial resourcing to those congregations and the clergy they call; and are able to contribute at least $1000 to the pilot project budget.   If you are interested in applying for one of the slots to join this pilot project please contact the Rev. Thad Bennett, Pilot Project Coordinator at ndnv@svcable.net.

The Coordinating Committee for New Dreams-New Visions met in New York December 8-9, 2010 and took some significant actions to move the pilot project forward.  The big news for NDND is:  The expansion of the pilot project to include up to 6 new dioceses.  Members of the coordinating committee will be contacting some dioceses who have expressed an interest.  As well, the Office for Transition Ministry at the Episcopal Church Center will invite Diocesan Transition Ministers to contact the coordinator if they are interested in applying for one of two pilot slots.  Criteria for a pilot diocese include the support of the diocesan Bishop and Transition Minister for the project; being a Fresh Start diocese; have between 1 and 3 congregations that are seeking part-time clergy; have the ability to help to work with NDNV to provide non-financial resourcing to those congregations and the clergy they call; and are able to contribute at least $1000 to the pilot project budget.

 The initial 6 pilot project dioceses are:  Vermont, Western Massachusetts, Atlanta, Oklahoma, Eastern Michigan, and Southwest Florida.

After a year of retirement I was missing involvement in parish ministry. The opportunity to work part time with congregations who are re-defining their mission is exciting work, and just enough. —The Rev. Jean Smith

“Just three years ago in October, I chose to take retirement so that I could be called by a small church one hour south of Birmingham as their rector. In 2003, when I began serving at Trinity, there were fewer than 10 members. In the fall of 2007, when I began serving Trinity on a part-time basis, there were 30 members and today there are almost 70. I chose to use retirement resources to make it possible to serve a parish no one else could afford to serve. I so doing, I have been blessed over and over and over again. And at the heart of it all is visiting the sick, celebrating the sacraments and our parish becoming known as the “Beans and Rice” church. This year, this small community will provide over six tons of food in a county where over 20% of the people are hungry every day. This blessing I receive comes from the sermon on the mount when Jesus teaches: ‘Blessed are you who are hungry, for you will be filled.’ I have used retirement as a means to enter into servant ministry of feeding the hungry.” —The Rev. Bill King

“Serving two small parishes, in “retirement” is a special chapter in my ministry. The joys and blessings are familiar but the challenges and opportunities are unique. Lay aside all the jargon about pastoral, program, and corporate sized parishes: these concepts are about as useful as a long-lost language among people longing for the Great Thanksgiving on a regular basis. This is sleeves-rolled-up ministry, shared with appreciative folks possessing sturdy souls. Like being an EMT or skydiving, it’s not for everyone, but I love it.” —The Rev. Hank Burdick

“During the first several months of retirement, I thought I had lost my vocation! Then, the gift of healing of mind, body, and spirit was given to me. Today, two years later, I am taking the month of October for retreat and rest from all the work that has come to me and in which I find such GREAT JOY.” —The Rev. Margaret Neill