Summer, 2012 Hopefully this Scenario finds you well and anticipating your time with us this summer. We are certainly looking forward to seeing you! While some of you were in attendance during Associates’ Week in May, many will have missed the Annual General Meeting and the decisions that will affect our future. We thought we would take this opportunity to update you. Inside is a synopsis of the reports given as well as an overview of the meeting and four of the significant motions adopted. There is also important information regarding the new Diocesan Summer Camp. In my report, I explained the process that brought us to accepting a new Mission, Vision and Strategic Directions plan. We time-travelled from the 2008 Master Plan and feasibility study that urged us to go forward. We encountered the October economic crisis that stopped us in our tracks. In 2011, we conducted a new feasibility study with a more modest goal of $5 to $6 million dollars. The consultant’s recommendation was that we proceed if we could clarify our mission and if we had the backing of our major supporting dioceses. The new Mission, Vision and Strategic Directions statements (see page 3) fulfill the first condition. The Bishops of B.C., New Westminster and Kootenay have agreed to recommend to their dioceses that we be included in their fundraising goals for their respective diocesan Capital Campaigns as part of a national Anglican Campaign called “Together in Mission”. There are no guarantees but at this early stage, it is encouraging to have that level of support. I thanked our caring staff, discerning director, gifted treasurer, persevering board members and our Associates quoting Charles Cooley who said, “Faith in our associates is part of our faith in God.” With you, I pray that God will guide us into the best future for Sorrento Centre. – Kathie MacDuff Memorial Garden Renovations Last year we began to imagine renovating the Memorial Garden. Lesley Godwin, Ruth Zenger, Edith Chisholm, and Kelly Duncan joined Dave Wides and me in this exercise. To date we have managed to transplant mature lilac bushes to form a hedge marking the border between the garden and the parking lot, and we have secured an extra outdoor bench. We also commissioned a hand-made Memorial Book in which to record the names of people whose ashes have been added to the garden. Many thanks to Jeff Bayntum whose family donated the lilac bushes; to Bob McCrae, Edith Chisholm, Joey Hamilton and the Diocese of BC, who combined to add the bench to the garden; and to Joan Neal and Kathy Kinsella who combined to make the Memorial book possible. Barbie needs a new bed Our online auction last fall was a great success, raising over $6,000 towards new beds for the Centre. As a result 1 single & 4 doubles have been added to Richardson Lodge, 4 singles to Caritas, and 28 vinyl-covered foam mattresses have been added to the cabana bunks. 10-year Anniversary The first of May marked the 10th anniversary of Norman Sigurdson’s work in the Sorrento Centre kitchen. You will not be surprised to hear me say that Norman is much beloved among the thousands of guests who pass through Sorrento each year. June 1st marked the 10th anniversary of Darlene Jabbour’s employment at Sorrento Centre. Darlene started in the housekeeping department and now serves as Registrar in the main office. Darlene’s association with the Centre harkens back even farther to her time as a member of the Summer Youth Staff. We are blessed to have dedicated staff working at the Centre and none are more dedicated than Norman and Darlene. Report from the Chair of the Board of Directors Report from the Executive Director See From the Director / page 2 Scenario the A Newsler for the Aociat Soento Centre
Transcript
Summer, 2012
Hopefully this Scenario fi nds you well and anticipating your time with us this summer. We are certainly looking forward to seeing you!
While some of you were in attendance during Associates’ Week in May, many will have missed the Annual General Meeting and the decisions that will aff ect our future. We thought we would take this opportunity to update you.
Inside is a synopsis of the reports given as well as an overview of the meeting and four of the signifi cant motions adopted. There is also important information regarding the new Diocesan Summer Camp.
In my report, I explained the process that brought us to accepting a new Mission, Vision and Strategic Directions plan.
We time-travelled from the 2008 Master Plan and feasibility study that urged us to go forward. We encountered the October economic crisis that stopped us in our tracks. In 2011, we conducted a new feasibility study with a more modest goal of $5 to $6 million dollars. The consultant’s recommendation was that we proceed if we could clarify our mission and if we had the backing of our major supporting dioceses.
The new Mission, Vision and Strategic Directions statements (see page 3) fulfi ll the fi rst condition.
The Bishops of B.C., New Westminster and Kootenay have agreed to recommend to their dioceses that we be included in their fundraising goals for their respective diocesan Capital Campaigns as part of a national Anglican Campaign called “Together in Mission”. There are no guarantees but at this early stage, it is encouraging to have that level of support.
I thanked our caring staff , discerning director, gifted treasurer, persevering board members and our Associates quoting Charles Cooley who said, “Faith in our associates is part of our faith in God.”
With you, I pray that God will guide us into the best future for Sorrento Centre.
– Kathie MacDuff
Memorial garden renovations
Last year we began to imagine renovating the Memorial Garden. Lesley Godwin, Ruth
Zenger, Edith Chisholm, and Kelly Duncan joined Dave Wides and me in this exercise. To date we have managed to transplant mature lilac bushes to form a hedge marking the border between the garden and the parking lot, and we have secured an extra outdoor bench. We also commissioned a hand-made Memorial Book in which to record the names of people whose ashes have been added to the garden.
Many thanks to Jeff Bayntum whose family donated the lilac bushes; to Bob McCrae, Edith Chisholm, Joey Hamilton and the Diocese of BC, who combined to add the bench to the garden; and to Joan Neal and Kathy Kinsella who combined to make the Memorial book possible.
Barbie needs a new bed
Our online auction last fall was a great success, raising over $6,000 towards new beds for the Centre. As a result 1 single & 4 doubles have been added to Richardson Lodge, 4 singles to Caritas, and 28 vinyl-covered foam mattresses have been added to the cabana bunks.
10-year Anniversary
The fi rst of May marked the 10th anniversary of Norman Sigurdson’s work in the Sorrento Centre kitchen. You will not be surprised to hear me say that Norman is much beloved among the thousands of guests who pass through Sorrento each year.
June 1st marked the 10th anniversary of Darlene Jabbour’s employment at Sorrento Centre. Darlene started in the housekeeping department and now serves as Registrar in the main offi ce. Darlene’s association with the Centre harkens back even farther to her time as a member of the Summer Youth Staff .
We are blessed to have dedicated staff working at the Centre and none are more dedicated than Norman and Darlene.
report from the chair of the Board
of Directors
report from the executive Director
See From the Director / page 2
ScenarioScenariotheA Newslett er for the Ass ociat of Sorr ento Centre
We affirm Sorrento Centre as a “holy place of transformation for learning, healing and belonging”
Sorrento 100th Anniversary
2012 is the 100th Anniversary of the founding of Sorrento. It was in 1912 that JR Kinghorn filed his plan of registration for the town, changing its name from Trapper’s Landing to Sorrento. A series of events have been planned to celebrate this occasion and Sorrento Centre will be participating formally in 3 of them. The first event will be an Olde Time Picnic at Sorrento Centre Beach on Father’s Day, June 17, 2012, from 1pm til 4pm.
The second event will be a community-wide “Gates Open Sorrento” on Thursday, July 19 from noon until 4pm. Visitors will be invited on a tour of historic sites: the 1902 Coubeaux family farmhouse on the Sorrento farm, the 1907 farmhouse on the main Sorrento Centre property, and the iconic 1925 Spes Bona.
The third event will be the Street Party on Saturday evening, July 21 on Passchendaele Rd between the Community Hall and the school. Sorrento Centre will provide the power for this event. There is also a family festival September 8 & 9 at Sorrento Blind Bay Park and a dance on Boxing Day at the Memorial Hall.
– Christopher Lind
From the Director Continued from page 1
ThAT The MiSSion, ViSion AnDSTrATegicDirecTionS statement
be approved.
ThAT The BoArDiS enDorSeD to
proceed with a capital campaign.
ThAT The BoArD oF SorrenTo cenTre exAMine, reView AnD rewriTe where necessary
policy and bylaws as they pertain to the Nominating Committee and the nomination of new members to the Board.
ThAT giVen our new MiSSion STATeMenT where we affirm Sorrento Centre as a “holy place of transformation for learning, healing and belonging”, the Board of Directors investigate the possibility of using our property to support an Assisted Living Residence for Seniors who will enhance the community of Sorrento and engender financial support for Sorrento Centre and report back to the next AGM.
important Motions made and approved at the May 2012 Annual general Meeting
Sorrento Centre has a challenging financial future. There is not a lot of time to achieve a new financial structure but there is enough time.
Copies of the 2011 audited financial statements can be found on our website at http://goo.gl/MA7mp
At the annual meeting, the Treasurer shared this graph:
The accommodation / meal revenue has remained static for the past four years. Private bookings, including Bluegrass and Swing, account for 70% of the revenue. The Summer Program, in contrast, has been vulnerable to changes in the economy and the culture. At the same time, the costs to enable the Centre to sustain its mission have been increasing. The change required is to fund more of the mission expenses, such as Youth Leadership and Farm Operation, through donations or partnerships.
The Capital Campaign is a method to place donated funds into an endowment fund that can finance the mission enabling activities into the future. The change in funding our mission to donations will allow both the mission programs and the hospitality activities to be sustained.
2012 looks promisingData
Current Last Last EstType YTD YTD Yr Yr End
Facility 22,615 -3,948 266,590 313,000
Meals 13,389 6,198 113 453 129,000
Program 5,096 -4,356 53,683 73,000
Mission -174,982 -156,009 -574,053 -530,000
grand Total -133,882 -158,115 -140,328 -15,000
• Current Year to Date deficit is $25,000 below 2011 (YTD is $133,000)
• Year-end Deficit is a significant improvement from 2011, but still a deficit.
– Grant Hanna
report from the Treasurer of the Board of Directors
2 The Scenario • Summer 2012 Sorrento centre • Box 99, Sorrento, Bc V0e 2w0
Sorr ento Centre is a holy place of transformationfor learning, healing and belonging
Vision
Youth Leadership • Build the summer youth staff as a leadership
development program • Create a Winter Youth Leadership Development
program (WYLD) in partnership with PWRDF, Sorrento Centre farm & others
retreats• Enable a Sabbath experience & refl ective practice for
diverse audiences: clergy & laity, families & parishes, writers, musicians & artists, non-profi ts and community based organizations
Learning • Provide general education for seekers and parish
members, that nurtures our relationship with God, strengthens relationships across all generations & overcomes the separation of humanity from the rest of Creation
• Off er accessible education for licensed lay leaders and vocational deacons
healing & wholeness • Promote attention to spirituality as a path toward
healing & wholeness • Encourage physical activity that integrates the spiritual
and material worlds and that encourages us to listen to our feelings and our bodies
• Engage with Aboriginal communities to facilitate reconciliation
• Heal our relationship with the rest of Creation by practicing ecojustice
creativity & the Arts • Develop the Red Barn Art Studio using skilled artists in
the company of others; and invite artists to be in residence throughout the year
Property • Ensure all buildings meet relevant standards and all
assets are employed with maximum eff ectiveness in relation to the mission & vision
Strategic Directions
Mission
We will follow Jesus in seeking to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind and with all our strength; and loving our neighbour as ourselves.
we will do this by
• engaging in accessible theological education and theological refl ection on the pressing issues of our time;
• encouraging physical activities that honour the body and enable all people to express the sacred according to their ability;
• exercising a ministry of compassion, hospitality & justice; encouraging personal and communal refl ection for the sake of learning and healing; and by sharing our resources with our neighbours.
• encouraging encounters with the sacred through the Arts, encouraging creativity, and enabling a deeper understanding of the emotional life;
• becoming an open, intergenerational sacred centre known for our work with young people; developing innovative and creative forms of worship, prayer and music; and by embracing our experience of the Divine in Creation;
Offi cially adopted at the Annual General Meeting of Associates on Saturday, May 12, 2012.
The Scenario • Sorrento centre • Summer 2012
The Committee worked very closely with the staff at the Centre over the past year. We provided suggestions, professional advice, and hands on work.
One of the main concerns of the Committee has been the continuing deferred maintenance held over from year to year, due mostly to lack of funds. We have buildings on site that are now 100 years old. Some people advocate tearing these buildings down but we believe that they represent the history of the Centre and as such should be preserved. However, many of these buildings have been neglected over the years and now require considerable upgrading. A good example is the Farmhouse which dates back to 1909.
The Committee has been asked to prepare a complete list of what is felt to be the most critical maintenance at the Centre. This is in process and will be available shortly.
This past year saw the Centre become a member of BC Tourism, which allows us to be advertised in BC Tourism publications. However, this requires us to complete a list of maintenance projects, which include upgrading of the campsites and the lower washhouse. Most of this is simple maintenance work and can be accomplished by Centre staff and dedicated volunteers.
I had the wonderful opportunity to attend my fi rst Young Sojourners weekend at Sorrento Centre. The worship and sessions, led by Andrew Halladay and David Taylor, were nothing less than spectacular. Each of the four days was themed by one of the four elements.
With Andrew’s beautiful lessons, and David’s musical genius, I and all the other Sojourners were blessed to even be near the festivities. We were marked by ashes, worked in dirt, washed with water, and blown on by wind, all serenaded by fantastic music.
Our work parties were trend setters, designed to off er our capable hands around the Centre and its farm. We planted vegetables, tore docks apart, beautifi ed trails, and many other
report from the Building
and grounds committee of the
Board of Directors
Several important changes have been made in the kitchen and dining room. A new walk-in freezer/cooler was constructed to replace the aging existing units, which were becoming expensive to operate and service. The work was completed by volunteers and made possible by generous donations from Associates. The septic fi eld behind the kitchen stopped working and on investigation it was found that roots had entered a number of lines and some had collapsed. As an emergency situation it needed to be replaced. New fl ooring has been installed in the Dining Room which makes it more inviting.
Other initiatives over the past year include:• The lower level of the barn has been completed and it is now
operating as an Art Studio. Work has begun to turn the upper fl oor into staff housing.
• A new addition to the workshop was completed.• The upstairs bathroom in Spes Bona has been renovated and
an accessible bathroom in the upper washhouse is completed.• Upgrading the Cabanas is also continuing and exterior painting
should be completed this year.As in the past, we are encouraging Associates to “adopt” and fund projects which they are concerned about and have been identifi ed. We thank all of the volunteers and Associates who help complete projects by giving so generously of their time and talents. A special thanks also goes to the grounds and maintenance staff for being so responsive to our suggestions. – Brian Laver
jobs. Dave Wides, the Centre’s Groundskeeper and Farm Manager helped us to work harder than ever to help get the farm ready for the upcoming summer season.
I like to make the analogy that this year, the young sojourners were community fi rst and individuals second. The community of BCYAYM working for the nourishment of the Centre encourages each and every one to be brothers, sisters, and leaders to each other. This is something worth keeping, and something that did not just show up in the work parties but all the activities over the weekend.
I am proud of each and every one of the participants, leaders, and employees of Sorrento Centre. This is a blessed community to be a part of, and I hope that I can be graced by God to only encourage that for next year. – Alex Erickson
4 The Scenario • Summer 2012 Sorrento centre • Box 99, Sorrento, Bc V0e 2w0
report from the Youth
Delegate of the Board of
Directors
Sorrento Centre • Young Sojourners • 2012
Sorr ento Centre is Anglican in tradition, umenical in programming, and inclusive in welcome!
Once again, the work of a service to those who attend Sorrento Centre allowed us to also make a fi nancial contribution to the Centre. That was only possible because of the work of 13 faithful Shoppe volunteers, the help of the
Centre staff , and the many people who support the Shoppe in other ways. A thank you to all!
new initiatives included the following:
We have been selling a very popular line of “Farm T-shirts” which were designed by Farm Manager Dave Wides. We have entered into consignment relationships with Augsburg Fortress Press (for books) and the Gondwana Gallery in Salmon Arm (for fair trade gift items). Some of our stock is available for sale in the summer months at the Sorrento Centre booth at the Sorrento Farmers’ Market.
Our sales were at the same level as the year before, partly because of the faithful support of the Sorrento Centre Associates. We, therefore, were able to make a $5000 donation to the Centre.
We continue to be blessed by the gentle prodding of Executive Director Chris Lind, who helps us look in new directions. For the upcoming season, books will be more prominent at the Shoppe as Norm Sigurdson will be involved in ordering. Some items produced at the Sorrento Farm will be available through the Shoppe. We also plan to feature the Shoppe on the Sorrento Centre website.
May God continue to walk with us and make us a blessing to all who come to the Sorrento Centre! – Inge Maierreport from
report from the chairperson of the Book and gift Shoppe
the Personnel committee of the Board of Directors
While the Personnel Committee does not meet on a regular basis it has met many times over the past year to review and revise the policies and procedures that ensure that there are good working conditions and fair and
accessible procedures in place for all employees. The Committee understands its principal function to be one of supportiveness to both the staff and Director.
The Committee has worked closely with, and is very grateful to, the Executive Director for his insight and wisdom. It has revised the policies in such a way that the staff seem to have a greater sense of dignity, value, and participation in the life and the programs of the Centre. It became clear that some issues were policy related while others were procedural and needed fl exibility.
The Personnel Committee is composed of Andrew Pike as Chair, Kathryn Sainty, Andrea Gailus, and Rick Barr.
We are pleased to announce a new diocesan family camp at Sorrento Centre during the week of August 5-11, 2012. The theme is Live, Pray & Play: Creativity and Practical Spirituality.
This camp is being sponsored by the dioceses of British Columbia, New Westminster, Kootenay, APCI (Anglican Parishes of the Central Interior), Calgary, and Edmonton.
A family’s a family no matter how small.... large...... or their make up! Special: No program fees! Save $50 per child/$100 per adult! Accommodations and food for the week can be as low as $162 if you choose to camp and cook your own food.
Live, Pray & Play!Creativity and Practical Spirituality
Sunday, August 5, 2012 – Saturday, August 11, 2012
DIOCESAN FAMILY CAMP at Sorrento Centre • A gathering place for all !
We are living through times of great upheaval when many of our imagined ‘certainties’ are crumbling. The question of faith is not immune to this disintegration, and for many people who would describe themselves as people of faith, there are more questions than answers.
The traditional approach of regarding faith as assent to a set of intellectual propositions or doctrines and an undertaking to comply with the strictures of a particular faith system is no longer working for many people who are nevertheless genuinely seeking to discover and nourish the spiritual bedrock of their lives.
So what does it mean to be a person of faith in today’s world? Is it, in the words of Alice on Wonderland, about ‘believing six impossible things before breakfast’? Or is it perhaps rather more about trusting that the mystery in whom we live and move and have our being means well with us and is striving to empower us to become the very best we can be, both individually and collectively?
Can ‘faith’ take us beyond ‘religion’, to a radical following of one who shows us what it means to be ‘a human being fully alive’?
6
What does that following mean for us in our world today, both personally and globally? What questions does the challenge of faith bring up for us, and should we really be looking for answers?
During this retreat we will look at some of the big questions: who is ‘God’ for us, and who is Jesus? Where is our life centred, and does our life really have any meaning? How does faith reveal itself in action, and become transformative energy? How can we be in relationship with this mystery?
Based on the book Simple Faith by Margaret Silf (Loyola Press, Chicago, 2011)
The retreat begins with supper on Friday, November 23 and ends with lunch on Sunday, November 25. Cost is $300 inclusive based on shared occupancy. Sponsored by Sorrento Centre.
MArgAreT SiLF travels widely in her work as a retreat director and speaker on Ignatian spirituality. Her latest book, Just Call Me Lopez: Getting to the Heart of Ignatius Loyola, will be available in July 2012. Her other books include The Other Side of Chaos, Simple Faith, Compass Points, Inner Compass, Close to the Heart and Going on Retreat (Loyola Press) and The Gift of Prayer: Embracing the Sacred in the Everyday (Bluebridge). She lives in Scotland.
Thursday evening will be an introduction to the weekend and the theme of fi nding the sacred in all of life. Friday and Saturday will follow a pattern. The morning will be an experiential time where we will have some presentation/discussion time – a mix of some presentation of ideas (e.g., what is meant by seeing the Sacred in all things, how do we open ourselves to this way of living, why this is important to our well being) as well as the off ering of diff erent practices for staying connected to the Holy (e.g., the practice of Breath Prayer, Lectio Divina, walking meditations, the labyrinth, mindfulness practices, etc.).
The afternoon will be a time of refl ection through various media (e.g., journaling, creative expression, etc.) to help in processing the morning as well as time to try out the spiritual practice(s) off ered in the morning. There will be an opportunity to meet with Rick for a Spiritual Direction session one of those days to assist in the processing of the weekend’s experience. Following supper we will have a time of silence to explore inner stillness. We will begin and end each day with prayer/worship time.
Starting Thursday, November 15 at 5:50pm with supper and ending Sunday, November 18 at 1pm after lunch. Cost of $465 is inclusive of tuition, all meals and 3 days’ accommodation.
Finding the Sacred in All of LifeA reTreAT wiTh ricK MccorriSTer
cultivating inner StillnessA guiDeD SiLenT reTreAT wiTh ricK MccorriSTer
FALL RETREATS AT SORRENTO CENTRE
Simple Faith A reTreAT wiTh MArgAreT SiLF
to this disintegration, and for many people who
What does that following mean for us in our world today, both personally and globally? What questions does the challenge of faith bring up for us, and should we really be looking for answers?
During this retreat we will look at some of the big questions: who is ‘God’ for us, and who is Jesus? Where is our life centred, and does our life really have any meaning? How does faith reveal itself in action, and become transformative energy? How can we be in relationship with this mystery?
Based on the book (Loyola Press, Chicago, 2011)
ourselves to this way of living, why this is important to
A time to explore inner stillness and all that is has to teach us for our journey. We will begin Sunday with an orientation to the retreat time. Monday to Wednesday we will be in silence. We will have a prayer time each morning and evening to give structure to our day. There will be opportunity each day for each participant to meet with Rick for a spiritual check-in time (or spiritual direction session). Meals will also be in silence.Thursday Morning Prayer is our coming out of silence ritual. The morning will be a time to debrief the experience of practising inner stillness. We will refl ect on the transition from this time of silent
retreat into our regular lives beyond Sorrento. We will conclude with lunch together.Starting Sunday, November 18 at 5:30pm with supper and ending Thursday, November 22 at 1pm after lunch. Cost of $548 includes tuition, all meals and 4 days’ accommodation.
ricK MccorriSTer serves as a United Church minister with the Spirit Hills Pastoral Charge in Saskatchewan. A graduate of the Pacifi c Jubilee Program in Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction, he is currently a staff member of the Prairie Jubilee Program in Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Direction.
