April 2021 Vestry News & Review
Reflections on Decision-Making in a Virtual Vestry
I began my three-year term on the Vestry in February 2020. After exactly one in-person meeting and one lovely in-person retreat at the Bishop’s Ranch (how long ago and far away it seems!), we pivoted—as the world did—to an all-virtual meeting format using Zoom. Some of my fellow Vestry members I have not seen in person in over a year! While we all know how drastic this change has been to our worship experience, I find myself also very mindful of its impact on our committees and workgroups engaged in the governance and ministry of the church.
Making decisions on behalf of the church is hard work under the best of circumstances. Doing so in an all-virtual environment adds extra challenges. The normal give and take of group conversation, for example, is more stilted; it’s hard to time our comments or responses without interrupting one another. Inevitably, we encounter a pause—sometimes at a critical moment—when someone’s internet connection becomes unstable or frozen. We forget to unmute before speaking and must be reminded! It’s also easier (yes, I confess) to disengage at times, to turn off the camera to eat or answer a child’s question, or to become distracted by the notifications that pop up on our computers. We also enjoy fewer of the heart-to-heart conversations and connections that happen around the edges of in-person meetings–on Sunday morning or out in the parking lot after a meeting. As the Clerk of the Vestry, I especially notice it is hard to record a vote if I cannot see all the faces or hear all the voices on my screen!
To our credit, we have learned a few things along the way, such as:
- It’s important to stop screen sharing before calling a vote so that we can see one another! We now allow a little extra time for votes to be recorded and use a roll call when they are not unanimous.
- Using the process of mutual invitation has helped us to hear all voices, especially useful when addressing difficult or complex topics. This works very well on Zoom and has become a method we rely on for our most important conversations.
- It is more important than ever to listen for what hasn’t been spoken, to pause and not rush, and to actively seek God’s guidance in our discernment. Engaging in collaboration and dialog with the Ministry Council and others has been essential as we face crucial decisions about the life of our parish.
We exercised each of these important learnings at our April meeting. Following up from work we had undertaken with the Ministry Council during a March leadership retreat, we took time for reflection and sharing from all members on the topic of our church’s mission of outreach and social justice. This process led to a decision to engage in further discernment in this area, which we expect to continue in the coming months.
Working with the Ministry Council and the Clergy, the Vestry has an opportunity in 2021 to imagine new life in the Church as we emerge from pandemic. This re-imagining may call for a reflective pause in our usual ways of doing things, as well as a hopeful expectation about what can unfold in our ministry. May God guide us as we move forward and bless us as we come together again (hopefully soon!) for church meetings after so many months of keeping our distance.
Sarah Conning