The fourth meeting of the Carleton Interfaith Chaplaincy Council took place on Thursday March 5, 2015 at 2:30 pm in the Interfaith Chaplaincy Centre.
1. Tom called the meeting to order at 2:30 pm and began with Introductions
Introductions
Present
Ryan Flannagan, CU Student Services
– Sikander Hashmi from the Muslim community
– Zopa Kelsang from the Buddhist community
– Brian Laughton, Moderator of the Ottawa Presbytery
Karen Green, CU Equity Services
Meg Illman-White, Ecumenica Chaplaincyl and United Church
Michael Perkin, Ecumenical Chaplaincy and Anglican Church
Scott Goldstein, Jewish community
Sikander Hasmi, Muslim community
Zopa Kelsang, Buddhist community
Kristin Konieczny, Roman Catholic Chaplaincy
Brian Laughton, Ecumenical Chaplaincy and Presbyterian Church
Tom Sherwood, Volunteer Interim Coordinator
Arran Thorpe, Anglican Church
Regrets and absent Friends of the Interfaith Chaplaincy
Leslie Macdonald Hicks, Tim McCauley, Michael Sakran, Roseann O’Reilly
Runte, Aisha Sherazi, Adil Tahseen, Sid Ypma
2. Opening Devotional “Why is university chaplaincy important?” (printed and attached)
3. Approval of Agenda
4. Approval of February Minutes
5. University Report
Ryan engaged the practical concerns that the volunteer chaplains have
WiFi for students hanging out in the Chaplaincy Centre
a CCS account for the Chaplaincy and volunteer chaplains
furniture
a window in the north door
networks for publicity
6. Office Hours
We reviewed the schedule of volunteer chaplains this term and any logistical concerns about the Centre and volunteer office hours. We are open about 20 hours a week now; but plans are in place for more hours beginning in the September:
-Zopa is helping us recruit an appropriate Buddhist chaplain; Tom will connect and orient
-Sid is committing to the academic year beginning in September
-Aisha is committing to next year too.
-Meanwhile Sikander can begin evening hours in April. Tom will give orientation.
-Meg needs to reduce her hours; but an Adjunct professor who is United Church has expressed interest.
-Tom, Arran, Scott, Michael and Kristin continue to keep the Chaplaincy Centre open several hours per week.
7. Program
1. and 2. Arran reported on the two free coffee days (March 2 and 4) and the Open Table which will be March 8 and Second Sunday Evenings each month, a community of student-aged people sharing a nourishing home-cooked meal off campus.
3. Tom reported on the planning and publicity for the Dealing with Stress workshop to be held in the Interfaith chaplaincy on Monday March 9
4. Tom reported on the “Careers related to Religious Studies” workshop that he will co-lead with Phaedra Gryz of Career Services on March 23. There are already expressions of interest from about a dozen students. It will be held in 2A46 Paterson – the RELI Seminar Room
5. Kristen informed the Council members about the Wednesday Leadership series
6. Scott mentioned an interfaith model – “The Big Questions” – that he would like to introduce next Fall.
7. The April Pause Table – Meg has taken the lead here, scheduling volunteer groups, and organizing them. She has sent out briefing material to guide them. She recruited members of the Council for various days. Tom and Ryan Babcock will cover the morning start-ups; Adam and Michael will be around for most takedowns, but the roster isn’t quite complete. Meg distributed the schedule and we filled in blanks as much as possible.
7. Terms of Reference for the Chaplaincy and the Chaplaincy Centre,
Administrative concerns
With Brian present as a representative of the Presbyterian Church (he is Moderator of the Ottawa Presbytery), a member of the Board of the Ecumenical Chaplaincy, and a member of the Carleton community who deals with student issues (he is Associate Dean of Engineering), we engaged in a general discussion about funding, staffing and organization. One of the variables for the Interfaith Chaplaincy as it becomes established this Spring and serves the Carleton community in the 2015-2016 academic year will be the issue of the Ecumenical Chaplaincy – will it revive and participate in the interfaith model as the Roman Catholic Chaplaincy is doing? Or will it wind down, and the individual denominations participate? Will the off-campus religious groups that have supported campus ministry at Carleton in the past choose to renew their financial support in the interfaith model?
Brian, Michael and Tom took homework assignments out of this discussion.
8. Next meeting: Thursday April 16 at 2:30
The first day of exams is Saturday April 11, the last is Thurs April 23.
The first day of The Pause Table is Monday April 13.
Minutes of the December, January and February meetings have been posted on the website:
http://campuschaplaincy.ca/category/carleton-interfaith-chaplaincy-minutes/
Other resources related to our work are also posted:
http://campuschaplaincy.ca/interfaith-chaplaincy-resources/
And the Agenda for our work from here to June is posted:
http://campuschaplaincy.ca/carleton-interfaith-chaplaincy/