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Governance of the Episcopal Church at Yale

History

The Episcopal Church at Yale seeks to encourage and nurture students, faculty and staff at Yale in the faith of Jesus Christ, and to communicate in the academy of higher learning that the religious quest is relevant and essential to the educated mind. We seek to do so by facilitating the deepening of spiritual insight and knowledge of God through explorations in the practice of ancient and contemporary forms of prayer and common worship, through the diligent search of the scriptures, and a common life of fellowship, conversation and service. We believe that spiritual life is important for mental and physical completeness; that doubt is the basis of insight and reason is an indispensable aid to true faith in God. We engage in ministry under the motto, "We seek God together through Scripture, Tradition and Reason."

The Episcopal Church at Yale University is probably one of the oldest university Chaplaincies in the country. The Chaplaincy was established on October 23, 1869 as the Berkeley Association at Yale University. It was incorporated as the Brewster Memorial Corporation in 1943 and supported by a fund known as the "Bishop Chauncey Bunce Brewster Memorial Fund." On September 6, 1957 it was renamed, "The Episcopal Church at Yale Corporation." The articles of association describe the purpose of the Episcopal Church at Yale as follows: "To foster and promote the religious life and work of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States at Yale University" (Article 2).

The Governing Structure

The ECY is organized and governed according to a set of by-laws adopted in September 1981. Its present organizational structure consists of three components: a Board of Governors, an Executive Committee, and a Congregational Council.

The Board of Governors

The ECY is governed by a Board of Governors of the Episcopal Church at Yale Corporation which is the legal entity of the Corporation in matters of contracts, indebtedness or any other transaction with individuals, government, commercial entities or other institutions such as Yale University. Its principal function is to support the work of the Episcopal Chaplaincy at Yale University, and assure the continuity of the Episcopal Church at Yale whether a Chaplain is in residence or not. It sees that the funds necessary for running the chaplaincy are found and oversees their disbursement. It sets goals for the chaplaincy and reviews them periodically. It is required, with due participation of the Congregational Council and advice from the Yale Religious Ministries, to call Chaplains to the ministry of ECY.

This Board consists of at least twelve and no more than eighteen regular members who serve for terms of three years and are divided into three classed of not less than four and not more than six members each. The Bishop of Connecticut is ex officio Chairman of the Corporation and President of the Board. In addition the Board has an elected Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer. The full Board meets about two to three times a year. The present Board consists of the following members:

The Executive Council

The Executive Committee is a committee of the Board. The President, vice-president, Treasurer and such other members of the Board as are appointed by the Board, constitute this committee. The present members of the committee are indicated by an asterisk next to their name (above). The Executive Committee possesses all the powers of the Board in the intervals between Board meetings and manages the day to day affairs and property of the Corporation. The vice-president has the powers to perform the duties of the President in his absence and usually oversees the administration of the ECY with the Executive Committee.

The Congregational Council

The Congregational Council is made up of twelve members who are selected annually by, and from, the congregation of the ECY. Members of the council who are students, take leadership of the worship scheduling, training lay leaders and acolytes, writing the newsletter, setting up food for after the service, identifying newcomers and welcoming them, and coordinating service projects. To these ends the Congregational Council is divided into committees for outreach, evangelism, hospitality, and Ordinary Times (the newsletter). The Council meets regularly with the Chaplain concerning the programmatic life of the ECY, assist the Chaplain in proposing the annual budget to the Board, and report to the Board on its activities from time to time.