Transition Team Update

A report from the transition team's latest meeting.

by Father Lee Davis on October 28, 2021

Transition Team Report

Transition Team Prayer:

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:19)

Let us Pray.

As we begin our work here this day, please help us to remember that we are for you, our God and that the effort we put forth here today is for your glory. Grant us the wisdom to listen to your guidance as we create something new that will bring disciples to your ministry, members to your church, and will help those in our communities who need you.

Grant us the humility to remember that we are here for you, our God, and provide us the strength to put aside our personal feelings and loyalties so that we may build a new creation, a new church, that will meet the needs of all your children; the children you love so much, a church that will assist them in knowing the joy that comes from accepting and loving you and blessing others in your name.

We ask this in the name of the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen.

Report of Meeting

On Tuesday, October 26 the Transition team met to continue their work according to their team mission statement.

To combine, integrate, and unify our people, systems, and resources so that our life and ministry together is a vibrant, healthy expression of Christ's Body, the Church, becoming a new creation marked by communion, participation, and mission.

The first part of the meeting focused on continuing to define the mission statement of the “rebirthed” congregation. The team worked through several iterations of mission statements and eventually narrowed it down and reached a consensus on the following as a proposed mission statement of the combined congregation.

Proposed Mission Statement and Name

Create disciples for Christ by welcoming and embracing everyone into the Love of God expressed through our worship, fellowship, and care for each other and empowering one another to serve others in Christ’s name.

The team then spent time discussing the naming of the rebirthed church. Overwhelmingly we felt that the name should build upon the foundations of both St. Martin’s and St. Mary Magdalene’s. The team did not feel that a change to a completely different name would be of any benefit to our mission. Honoring both congregations, the team proposed The Episcopal Church of Saints Mary Magdalene and Martin as the name for the rebirthed congregation.

Proposed Process

The transition team discussed the process for merging the congregations after reviewing different legal alternatives. The easiest option, if the diocese allows would be to:

  1. Have St. Mary Magdalene Vestry vote to change the name of the corporation to the new church name.
    1. The bylaws have no restrictions on a name change, so it can be done by a simple vestry vote.
  2. File for a corporate name change with the Florida Secretary of State (Sunbiz).
  3. File an EIN name change.
  4. After receiving notice from the Florida Secretary of State accepting name change.
    1. Open accounts under the new name at Morgan Stanley for receipt of transfers from St. Martin’s.
  5. Martin’s Vestry would vote to transfer all assets to the newly renamed corporation. (Alternatively, if name change takes a while to receive from State, accounts could be opened under the existing name, and then name on accounts changed one name change is complete.)
    1. Transfers would begin, with exception of funds needed to close out books for the end of the year.
  6. Martin’s Vestry would vote to dissolve the corporation effective 12/31/2021.
  7. The existing bylaws for St. Mary Magdalene would be used. There is no requirement to amend the bylaws from a corporate name change.
  8. There would be no election of the vestry at the next annual meeting. The St. Martin’s vestry members who are not rotating off would replace the vestry members including one current vacancy of the existing St. Mary Magdalene Vestry.
  9. The existing Endowment Committee would be expanded to include someone appointed in consultation with the Rector from St. Martin’s congregation.
  10. The Outreach ministry would be co-chaired by a person from the St. Martin’s congregation.
  11. A new Grant committee would be created with representation from both congregations.
  12. The finance committee would have a co-chair from the St. Martin’s congregation.
  13. The Policies and Procedures Manual created in October 2021 by St. Mary Magdalene would govern the financial policies and procedures of the congregation.

It is the feeling of the transition team that we could complete a merger of the congregations and begin operating as a combined parish by January 1st, coinciding with the new fiscal year.

 

**We would schedule a congregation zoom meeting after the join vestry meeting on Nov 9th towards the end of November to answer questions and outline everything for the members of both congregations.

 

Finally, the transition team reviewed a proposed budget for the merged parish for 2022 with a 5-year projected budget. It should be noted that income from the Ministry Endowment is projected to be able to be used almost exclusively for outreach, with 15% going to general operating costs in 2022 and falling to 1% by 2026.

Tags: transition, merger

About the Author
Father Lee Davis

After a diverse career in marketing and finance and a sudden realization of the love and power of God that he discovered aboard a Navy ship, Father Lee Davis has the distinction of being baptized, confirmed, and received for Holy Orders on the same Sunday. He studied at Bexley Hall Seminary in Columbus, Ohio where he received a Master's of Divinity degree in 2009 and then served as priest-in-charge of St. Andrew's in Hollywood, Florida as well as an assisting priest at St. Benedict's in Plantation. Father Lee also worked as a Hospice Chaplain. When he left after a little more than two years, St. Andrew's had grown in membership and under his guidance extended its outreach into the community. He was also a pivotal leader of the Jubilee Center of Hollywood, a vital outreach ministry to the homeless and hungry, and served on the Board of Directors for St. Lawrence Chapel, serving the homeless in Pompano Beach. He also served on several diocesan committees working with the youth of the diocese.


In December 2012, Father Lee was called as rector of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Damascus, Maryland. During his 8 year tenure there the vestry of the parish noted that "His dynamic leadership, inspired preaching, creative ideas and compassionate pastoral care combined to bring a new level of excitement, commitment, and growth among the congregation." Through his leadership, he developed partnerships with other organizations in the community, helped establish a transitional home for victim's of domestic violence, began the process of developing affordable senior housing on some of the acreages of land owned by the church, and grew stewardship achieving their first balanced budget in over a decade. At the beginning of the COVID pandemic, he led the congregation into the development of an online presence and with a couple of dedicated lay members started a feeding program for families in need which continues today. He served in the Diocese of Washington DC helping in the implementation of a Diaconate Formation program as well as being on the Board of Directors of the Washington Episcopal Clergy Association and serving on the Diocesan Executive Council.


Amidst the COVID pandemic, Father Lee accepted the call to be our rector and began his tenure in September 2019. His leadership has already blessed our community.

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