Many people have asked questions about the various ministries of the Diocese of El Camino Real. Today's Did you know.... is the first in a series of updates answering some of those questions.

Did you know…?

Did you know that ECR has only 6 employees and 4 part-time consultants?

• Assisting Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Sylvestre Romero


• Canon for Evangelism and Congregational Growth, the Rev. Britt Olson


• Administrator, the Rev. Brian Nordwick


• Administrative Assistant, Ms. Susan Altig


• Accountant, Ms. Jo Ann McClain


• Youth Coordinator, Ms. Holly Hem (1/2 time)


• Part-time Consultants: Editor, Ms. Edy Unthank; Web Sacristan, Ms. Stephenie Cooper; Risk Manager, the Rev. James Booth; Translator, the Rev. Patricia Catalano

Did you know that your diocesan leaders, both paid and volunteer, provide administrative support, financial counseling, and pastoral counseling for all congregations?

Administrative support for the diocese and for all congregations; for example,

• Diocesan Convention - including the writing and publishing of ECR’s Constitution and Canons; the Journal of Convention; the diocesan directory and database for mailings for Convention, congregations, committees, and groups throughout the diocese.


• Diocesan bodies - including canonically mandated bodies such as the Standing Committee, Corporation, Council, Finance Committee, Personnel Commission, Risk Management Committee, DIEM, and COM.


• Congregations - including tips for personnel management; guidance on hiring, firing, contract/agreement negotiations, evaluations and mutual ministry reviews


• Communications through the diocese - including mailings to congregations, e-mail updates, Along the King’s Highway newsletter, the diocesan web site.


• All youth and adult events - including
  registration and accounting for fees for: Happening, New Beginnings, Lay/Clergy Conferences, Diocesan Trainings, etc.

Financial counseling for congregations; for instance, for example,

• All congregations - including stewardship and funding-raising suggestions upon request for parishes and missions.


• Struggling congregations - including helping them create plans to bring them to financial health and viability.


• Congregational treasurers - including matters such as parochial reports, fair shares, tax questions, discretionary account questions, payroll questions, benefit questions, personnel policy issues, etc.


• Congregational leaders - including advice to assure legal, ethical and morally correct actions in their business affairs.

Pastoral counseling for clergy and congregations; for example,

• Clergy and lay leaders seeking support -
  including offering a listening ear and suggestions for correcting problems.


• Troubled congregations and clergy - including providing advice and mediation services upon request when disputes arise


• Preparing clergy for retirement and for pre-retirement
  disability.

Administrative support for pre-schools and church schools throughout the diocese, for example,

• Payroll and risk management services


• Supportive counsel for the school-church relationship regarding shared facility usage, fair sharing of costs, personnel issues, etc.

If you have a need in - or questions about - any of the above areas, please contact the Rev. Brian Nordwick, Diocesan Administrator, at brian[atecr]edecr.org.

Our next "Did you know....?" will answer questions about the work of the Canon for Evangelism and Congregational Development.