Convention Report: Friday, Nov. 17


Resolutions ( full text of originals here)  
 
 
View of the Convention floor - Friday Nov. 17 - photo by Alli Huggins

FRIDAY RESOLUTIONS AND STATUS 
 
1 - Budget of Convention  - Passed  
 
2 - Clergy Salary 2018  - Passed  
 
3 - Direct Church Pension Group to Report Clergy Compensation by Race - Passed
Multiple amendments were considered: to direct CPG also to report on ethnicity and gender; then to remove reference to gender because CPG already collects that; then to remove the request to report on ethnicity, then amendments to specify standards for the definitions of race and ethnicity, and eventually it passed in its original form.  
 
FULL FINAL TEXT:
Resolved, that the 233rd Convention of the Diocese of Connecticut submit to the 79th General Convention of the Episcopal Church the proposed resolution:
Resolved, the House of ________ concurring, that the 79th General Convention, recognizing the need for The Episcopal Church to participate in "Becoming Beloved Community," directs Church Pension Group to develop a strategy for collecting, compiling, and reporting clergy compensation data by race, and be it further
Resolved , that this strategy include collecting this data from clergy currently enrolled in the Church Pension Fund, as well as from future enrollees as part of its standard intake process; and be it further
Resolved , that Church Pension Group present for approval its proposed strategy to Executive Council at its winter 2019 meeting; and be it further
Resolved , that the Church Pension Group "2019 Clergy Compensation Report," as well as reports for subsequent years, include data about compensation by race.
    
4 - Affirming Racial Reconciliation - Passed with amendment
The original resolution directed the Leadership Gathering to take specific actions and report back what it learned "and its recommendations" for the ongoing work. An amendment, which passed, changed the language so that the Leadership  Gathering will report back its learnings "and establish benchmarks" for the ongoing work.
 
FULL FINAL TEXT:
Resolved , the Episcopal Church in Connecticut reaffirms the priority of the work of Racial Reconciliation as laid out by the General Convention of The Episcopal Church in 2015 (see resolutions 2015-A182 and 2015-C019 specifically); and be it further
Resolved , that the Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut charges the Leadership Gathering (Mission Council, Donations and Bequests, Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee) to spend at least two of its gatherings in 2018 devoted to the study and witness to the impact of the sin of racism on our common life; and be it further
Resolved , that the Leadership Gathering provide the Episcopal Church in Connecticut with what it learned and establish benchmarks for the ongoing work of dismantling racism across Connecticut.
 
5 - Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples - Passed, no amendments 
 
FULL FINAL TEXT:
Resolved , that the 233rd Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut affirm the actions of the General Conventions of The Episcopal Church expressing solidarity with indigenous peoples particularly resolution 2012-A131 (Appendix A); and be it further
Resolved , that this 233rd Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut commission the Social Justice and Advocacy Ministry Network to organize within ECCT the work specified in General Convention Resolution 2012-A131, in cooperation with, as appropriate, such agencies as The Institute for American Indian Studies in Washington CT, and the offices referenced in Resolution 2012-A131.  
 
UPCOMING RESOLUTIONS FOR SATURDAY 

 
Dean of Formation the Rev. Molly James and Secretary of Convention the Rev. Adam Yates pose with the "Episcogram" frame. Photo (and frame) from Alli Huggins. Check out our social media wall (Friday and Saturday ONLY!!) at: ecct.everwall.com. Share!! Tag us! 

Elections (voting info and nominee bios here) 
 

Elections opened on Friday afternoon and close after lunch at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Voting is electronic.
 
STANDING COMMITTEE
 
NOMINEES IN THE LAY ORDER
We will elect two positions to the Standing Committee in the Lay Order for three-year terms:

Ashley Pilar Atencio
Danielle A. Gaherty
Tom Hagerth
Albert Theodore Mollegen, Jr.
James R. Morrow
 
NOMINEES IN THE CLERICAL ORDER:
We will elect three positions to the Standing Committee in the Clerical Order: two for three-year terms and one to a one-year term:
 
The Rev. K. Dexter Cheney
The Rev. Diana McKelvey Rogers
The Rev. Tracy Johnson-Russell
The Rev. Peter Freely Walsh
 
MINISTRY NETWORK MEMBERS ON MISSION COUNCIL
 
NOMINEES
Elect three for three-year terms:

Kay Diana Claiborn
Carolyn C. Clement
The Rev. Geoff Hahneman
The Rev. Ann Marie Perrott
The Rev. Amjad John Samuel
The Rev. Linda Spiers 


Bishop's Sermon - Friday Convention Eucharist 

Bishop Laura J. Ahrens gave her sermon on the Second Lesson, Acts 8:26-40 the story of God sending Philip out to proclaim the good news - she creatively imagined what might have gone through Philip's mind as he followed the call:

"The road to Gaza. He asked himself, how did he ever get here?  Just a few days ago he was preaching and proclaiming the Good News in Samaria, and now God called him to the Gaza Road. The angel of the Lord had said "go" and so he did. He hadn't thought much about it when the call first came, but now he was curious. What was God up to and how was God inviting him to serve?

"When God called Philip to go to the city of Samaria, he had some sense of what to do. He would go and listen to the stories of the people in the community and share stories of Jesus. He could share his own story of coming to Christ and how he was commissioned by the apostles in Jerusalem to serve at table and to share the Good News out in the world.

"And now he was curious.  How was he to share God's hope on a road? Along THIS road? And where was he supposed to be on this road?  "Go to the road" the angel had said and so he did. And here he was, walking about, curious about what God was calling him to see and hear. What was he supposed to do? What was God up to? It made no sense for Philip to be here, and yet some how, since he began following Jesus, nothing in the old world made sense and yet everything made sense. Everything was filled with the wonder and the possibility of sharing God's love. Even the challenges and the surprises were opportunities.

Link here to read the full sermon online.
 
Friday Food Truck Festival  

Yummy food; good conversation! Held at nearby St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Riverside following Convention Eucharist. Photo by Alli Huggins.

Bethany House of Prayer    
 
Member of Bethany House of Prayer provided two opportunities Friday, and will provide two on Saturday, for contemplative prayer in the midst of our deliberations. More information about them is here: http://www.bethanyhousearlington.org/ 
 

One-minute stories from the Regions    
 
Spread over the two days are six one-minute video interviews with people from our different Regions, talking about a ministry in which they're involved. Today, we heard from Felix Rivera (St. Paul's & St. James, New Haven - South Central Region) on the cross-city pilgrimages by the parishes and worshiping communities in New Haven, and from Nancy Latif (St. John's, West Hartford - North Central Region), whose parish is involved in refugee co-sponsorship. Videos are posted to YouTube after playing at Convention. Click here for Felix Rivera and here for Nancy Latif.

Convention Schedule 

Friday's schedule:
  • 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. Business Session
  • 5:30 p.m. Convention Eucharist
  • 6:30 p.m. Depart for Food Truck Festival (optional)
Saturday's schedule:  
  • 8:30-11:00 a.m. Business Session. Includes Bishop's Address, which will be recorded and posted on YouTube; the text will also be posted online.
  • 11:00-12:30 p.m. Region Gatherings
  • 12:30-1:30 p.m. Lunch
  • 1:30-3:30 p.m. Business Session
  • 3:30 p.m. Convention Adjourns*

*At the end of the day if there is more business to conduct the Convention may vote to reconvene at a specific future date  

 

A second Convention Report eNewsletter will be sent following the end of business Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017.  

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