The Standing Committee met on Thursday, March 10.  The transition to new leadership is going very smoothly; Ann Wright will formally become president on April 1; Chris Creed is already serving as vice president, and Linda Taylor is serving as secretary.

Standing Committee members reported on Bishop Romero's recent visitations.  In February and March the Bishop, accompanied by members of the Standing Committee, visited St. Andrew's, Ben Lomond; St. Timothy's, Mountain View; and Calvary, Santa Cruz.  He also was present at the Rev. Ben Masillem's going away at Holy Child, San Jose, and met with St. Joseph's Vestry.  Bishop Romero gave a delightful children's sermon at Calvary, Santa Cruz where the Rev. Nancy Miller is now serving as interim.

The Conference Planning Team reported that they had received positive feedback on Bishop Leidel's conferences on February 25-26.  Both sessions were well attended; a DVD of the Friday session will soon be distributed to all congregations.  A bibliography of the books mentioned by Bishop Leidel will be posted to the website.  Rob Voyle, an expert in Appreciative Inquiry, will lead the next sessions on norms and core values on April 23 and June 18.  The information and feedback compiled from these conferences will feed into the search process for the Third Bishop of El Camini Real.

The date for the fall convention has not been confirmed.  Either October 29 or November 5 should be confirmed shortly. The Budget Committee reported that the next budget will be adopted in January but presented at the Convention in the fall. All Saint's, Watsonville will be hosting that event.

A clergy conference is scheduled for May 17 and 18.  Bishop Romero will speak to all the clergy of the diocese on the feedback he received in his smaller meetings with them (3 regional clericus meetings, a meeting with the Hispanic clergy, and 3 regional meetings with deacons).  It was suggested that the laity would also benefit from these conversations with the Bishop, and perhaps the Bishop could convene some tri-deanery meetings for this purpose.

The Commission on Ministry met for two Discernment Conferences in the past month, and recommended a number of persons for the ordination process.  Responding to the COM's recommendations, the Standing Committee approved the following persons:  Laurel Johnson, Julie Nelson and Shelley Denney for postulancy for the priesthood; Cristopher Robinson and Kevin Fisher for the transitional diaconate; and Kathleen Crowe for candidacy for the diaconate. 

DIEM reported that the next meeting would be a retreat with Bishop Romero on March 18 and 19 in San Ardo.

The rest of the meeting covered some correspondence and national church issues.  All in all, a very productive and positive meeting.

Edy Unthank, new Communications Coordinator, attended her first Standing Committee meeting on March 10.