2021 Pre-Conference Sessions
Watch, Listen and Share: Pre-Conference Sessions
In times such as these, one thing is certain. Shared knowledge and insights will provide the path for witnessing God’s changing world and the Church’s role in it. The 2021 Annual Conference’s pre-conferences are designed to help you navigate this path. Pre-conference sessions will be live.
Women Clergy Gathering
Tuesday, March 2
ON WHOSE SHOULDERS DO WE STAND: A Gathering of Episcopal Clergywomen
The last five years have seen unprecedented numbers of women elected to the episcopate and called as rectors and deans in the Episcopal Church. Please join the CEEP Women’s Clergy Gathering for a conversation about the role of mentorship and mutual support in that trend. Our panel of newly elected bishops and bishops-elect will discuss their journey and how to lift up one another in our ministries. Subsequent breakout groups will consider future needs and opportunities as we continue this systemic transformation in the Church. Our time will conclude with a social hour for networking and connection. This session is available at no charge to all women and nonbinary Episcopal clergy and seminarians.
Panelists:
The Rt. Rev. Diana Akiyama, Oregon
The Rev. Paula E. Clark, bishop-elect Chicago
The Rt. Rev. Shannon MacVean-Brown, Vermont
The Rt. Rev. Bonnie A. Perry, Michigan
Moderator:
The Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, Managing Director, College for Bishops
Organizers:
The Rev. Elizabeth Marie Melchionna, The Rev. Rachel Nyback, The Rev. Julia Whitworth
with The Rev. Jeanne Leinbach and The Rev. Noelle York-Simmons
Women Clergy Gathering is sponsored by 1919 Investment Counsel . You can attend the free Women Clergy Gathering without attending the rest of the conference
Associates’ Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
The variations within the role of associate or assistant in an Episcopal congregation make it one of the most interesting and complex in the Church. While there is no single portfolio for these ministry positions, the COVID-19 pandemic has made every associate's job much more complex. In this pre-conference session, you'll have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with two panels of associates about the challenges and possibilities that they have experienced during the pandemic and hear how they have adapted their roles to meet these times. You also will have the opportunity to share your own vocational questions in small, confidential colleague conversations.
Communications Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
Come together with communication professionals and volunteers from around and across the Church. This session will feature thought leaders and experts in communications sharing with you how to face a challenging environment and how to seize the opportunities available today.
Communications Pre-Conference sponsored by Episcopal Communicators.
Endowment Trustees and Committee Members’ Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
The Church Endowment: Investment Committees and the COVID Markets - Financial service leaders and market experts - including JoAnn Hanson of the Church Investment Group; William Jarvis of Bank of America; Kevin Nichols of Morgan Stanley; Carsten Sierck of the Episcopal Church Foundation; and Kevin Callahan of Zevin Asset Management - assemble our first Endowment Pre-conference session to discuss the criticality of strong financial leadership in turbulent times.
As church finance leaders know, endowments can be confusing for even the savviest financial mind and often prove divisive for congregations. Our thought leaders will help minimize confusion. They will offer their thoughts on how you, as finance and investment committee members, develop strong leadership and incorporate guiding principles that build trust and confidence in the congregation and stakeholders.
Our subject matter experts will discuss:
- The purpose of a church investment committee?
- The essential decisions you must make?
- The items that should be reviewed periodically?
The team will cover basic committee responsibilities, how to structure effective meetings, and touch on special topics to address during the year. You will walk away with ideas on how to ensure your endowment contributes to the vitality of your church.
During our second session, we will turn to reviewing the current economic picture and a top-level market overview. William Jarvis of Bank of America will share how the current market could impact returns now and in the coming months. Strategist Scott Clemmons of Brown Brothers Harriman will provide insight into what a post-pandemic world might hold and its implications for the economy and markets.
We will then hear from restorative investing expert James Malone of Community Capital Management. as he leads us through opportunities in Fixed Income and investing in vulnerable communities. Sonia Kowal of Zevin Asset Management, will pick up to direct a conversation on how faithful investors can align portfolios to benefit from and influence social and environmental trends through JEDI investing (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion investments).
Wrapping up our conversation, John Reilly of 19/19 Investment Counsel will focus us on maintaining the long-term view and making sure that a strategy is in place to help navigate the different challenges and events that we may experience in the markets. Becky Brooks, Impact Investing expert with Morgan Stanley, will share new research on racial equity investing and things to consider in 2021 for a recovering economy.
Our experts will save time in each session for questions from participants. We look forward to a spirited discussion on investment committees and an up-to-date discussion of how committee members should evaluate and act in the current markets.
Discussion moderated by Dail St. Claire and Deirdre McElroy
Endowment Pre-Conference sponsored by Morgan Stanley.
Parish Administrators Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
Every year, CEEP Network’s parish administrators, and those with administrative responsibilities, gather for a “closed-door” roundtable to discuss pressing challenges and opportunities. In this “no-collars-allowed” discussion, CEEP Administrators discuss issues ranging from people management to building maintenance to working effectively with clergy colleagues. Attendees often describe this time as the most valuable part of the conference.
Rectors and Deans’ Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
This year’s annual gathering of CEEP Network’s rectors and deans will bring together clergy leaders from around the country and across the Church to discuss the current state of parish ministry and how it will evolve in light of the opportunities and challenges of this moment.
Join Bishop Janice Huie and Lincoln Center President and CEO Henry Timms for a conversation about the changed landscape in our society and how the Church will evolve in response. As faithful witnesses to eternal truths, the Church can be instrumental in reknitting the social contract and helping lessen the division and strife currently facing our nation.
In a conversation moderated by Cary Kelly, consultant and former CEEP Network Board President, Bishop Huie and Mr. Timms will provide an overview of how their institutions are changing in response to our new reality. In group discussions following their time with the group, attendees will have an opportunity to explore how these lessons might apply to their individual institutions and the ministry of the Church broadly.
Rectors and Deans' Pre-Conference sponsored by Saint John's Bible.
Stewardship and Fundraising Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
Join Stewardship Professionals and Lay Leaders for a three-part Smart Start: 1) Where have we been? A moderated conversation with stewardship professionals and lay leaders about what we’ve learned, overcome, and adapted in the past year, 2) Top Ten Stewardship Practices--a fast paced, collaborative, and fun look at building a strong foundation of stewardship at your parish, and 3) Where do we go from here? A moderated conversation with stewardship professionals and lay leaders about how we can continue the good work with lessons learned over the last year. We will have stewardship leaders with decades of lay, staff, and clergy experience to discuss what’s working, how we adapt, and how we can support each other in serving our congregations.
Presenters:
Dina Aboul Saad, St. Mark's, San Antonio
The Rev. Suzanne Culhane, Diocese of Long Island
Kate Kile, St. John’s Tallahassee
April Kerwin, St. David’s, Austin
Adam MacDonald, St. Thomas Fifth Ave., NYC
Caroline Marak, St. Michael & All Angels, Dallas
David Rocchio, Cathedral of St. Philip, Atlanta
Deacon Juan Sandoval, Diocese of Atlanta Stewardship Committee
Lauren Sigmon, Christ Church, Greenville
Margaret Turner, St. Paul’s, Winston-Salem
Vestry and Wardens Pre-Conference
Wednesday, March 3
Every year, new vestries are formed at churches across the country and new wardens take office to help guide the work. During this session, Johnnie Alex, former Sr. Warden at Christ Church Cathedral (Indianapolis) will facilitate a conversation about best practices for vestries and maximizing volunteer leadership.
CEEP 2021 Annual ConferenceKeynote SpeakersPre-Conference SessionsWorkshopsAnnual Conference AgendaConference RegistrationPartners and Sponsors
Watch, Listen and Learn: Keynote Speakers
The CEEP Network is honored to present the most influential thought leaders in the Church today opportunities.
Women Clergy Gathering
Women clergy across the Church are invited to join for the latest Women Clergy Gathering @ The CEEP Network Annual Conference.
Pre-Conference Sessions
2021 Conference Workshops
Five Topics and three workshops per topic area. Workshops and worship will be live.
2021 Conference Agenda
The agenda for the digital Annual Conference is designed to provide thought-provoking insights, information you can use immediately, and seamless networking opportunities.
The CEEP Network is grateful to our partners who generously help to make the 2021 Annual Conference possible.
