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Here's a summary of the 232nd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut to learn what took place and as a support for those reporting on it. It includes:
Election Results (balloted)
Resolution results
Social media
Bishop's Address
Current status of livestream recording of Sunday's Celebration of the Spirit
Other handouts
Lost & found from Sunday
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 At the Celebration of the Spirit, Nov. 20, 2016
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Voting took place via electronic balloting between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Infor on mission council member nominees
here and all other nominees
here. Results:
Standing Committee, Lay Order:
- Joseph Carroll, 3 year term
- Bates Lyons, 3 year term
- Danielle Gaherty, 1 year term
Standing Committee, Clerical Order
- The Rev. Margaret Hodgkins, 3 year term
- The Rev. Peter Thompson, 3 year term
Provincial Synod
- Lay Order: Barbara Casey
- Provincial Synod, Clerical Order: The Rev. Rebekah Hatch
General Convention (2018) Lay Order:
- 1st Deputy: Suzy Burke
- 2nd Deputy: A. Bates Lyons
- 3rd Deputy: Allison Huggins
- 4th Deputy: Don Burr
- 1st Alternate: Elizabeth Anderson
- 2nd Alternate: Thom Peters
- 3rd Alternate: Shirley Wick
- 4th Alternate: Ted Mollegen
General Convention (2018) Clerical Order
- 1st Deputy: The Rev. Molly James
- 2nd Deputy: The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell
- 3rd Deputy: The Rev. Linda Spiers
- 4th Deputy: The Rev. Amy Welin
- 1st Alternate: The Rev. Carlos de la Torre
- 2nd Alternate: The Rev. Sandra Cosman
- 3rd Alternate: The Rev. Jonathan Folts
- 4th Alternate: The Rev. Maureen Lederman
Mission Council:
- 3-year Term: The Rev. Greg Welin; Sharon Pearson; The Rev. Dana Campbell
- 2-year Term: The Rev. Jane Hale, Deacon; Shirley Wick; Duo Dickinson
- 1-year Term: Peter Bushnell; Valarie Stanley; the Rev. Geoffrey Hahneman
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Links to original resolutions can be found
on this page.
Resolution #1: Budget of Convention:
Resolution #2: Clergy Compensation:
PASSED. (Includes a 0.7% increase in the minimum for full time clergy, which is the basis for the percentages listed in the chart for 1/2 and 3/4 time. See details
in the chart.)
Resolution #3: Second consideration of an amended diocesan constitution: PASSED
(Check out the preamble: "The Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, historically and again today known as the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, consists of every member of every Episcopal Parish and Worshiping Community in our State. Together, we convene as a missionary society to participate ever more fully in God's mission of restoration and reconciliation, to employ faithfully the resources with which we are continually blessed, to promote solutions to challenges shared across our State, our Nation and the world, to foster our lives as disciples and apostles of Christ, and to enrich our common worship.")
Resolution #4: Next steps in God's mission
PASSED as amended to eliminate specific reference any ECCT-wide capital campaign (Resolution resolved that the Convention
"Gives thanks to God for the new and exciting ways that Episcopalians in Connecticut are participating in God's mission through Regions, Ministry Networks, and Mission Council as adopted by the 231st Annual Convention in response to the Taskforce on Reimagining the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (TREC-CT); and .
..that the Bishops and Mission Council, in consultation with the Standing Committee, study the current and future financial resources needed, to assist Episcopalians in Connecticut to become even more faithful disciples and apostles in God's mission; and ...
that the Bishops and Mission Council report back the results of this study to the 233rd Annual Convention with possible next steps in God's mission.")
Resolution #5: Our Holy Land
PASSED as amended to include in the initial resolve that "our Holy Land" is also "the Holy Land of other faiths."
(The resolution resolved that the Convention: "Celebrates that our faith is rooted in Jesus' life, ministry, death and resurrection in Israel and Palestine thereby making it our Holy Land, and recognizing that it is also the Holy Land of other faiths; ...express its solidarity in prayer and support for Christians in Israel and Palestine; ... affirm the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem in healing, education, and pastoral care; ...invite Episcopalians in Connecticut to learn about and participate in programs of relationship building, interfaith dialogue, non-violence training, and advocacy for human rights in Israel and Palestine; ... urge Episcopalians in Connecticut to demonstrate solidarity with the people and places of Israel and Palestine by making pilgrimages to our Holy Land; ... commends the ministries and encourages support for The American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, Jerusalem Peacebuilders, and the Holy Land Ministry Network of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut as resources for this education and engagement with our companions in our Holy Land.")
Resolution #6: Gendered language in the Book of Common Prayer
TABLED after multiple attempts at amendments. (This was the resolution text when tabled: "
RESOLVED, that the Convention reaffirms ECCT's position at the 231st Diocesan Convention that "the use of solely male language for God needlessly distorts and impoverishes our theological vision" (Resolution #6); and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Convention encourages the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, as it develops its plan for comprehensive revision of the BCP, to eliminate, as far as is practicable, all gendered references to God and to Christ, and, where this is not practicable, to equalize the use of male and female language.)
Resolution #7: Gun-free zones.
PASSED with amendment to add clarification that the endorsement of the General Convention Resolution is to be consistent with Connecticut law (The resolution resolved that the Convention "
affirms and endorses Resolution 2012-D003 adopted by the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in 2012, which "requested that every parish and every diocesan place of work declare their establishments as Gun Free Zones;" consistent with Connecticut law, to exempt law enforcement personnel, and ...
that the membership of the Missionary Society of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut, meeting during the 232nd Convention of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, declares all properties owned by the Missionary Society to be Gun Free Zones;
and ... that the 232nd Convention requests that all parishes, worshiping communities, and affiliated organizations of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut that hold legal title to property declare their properties to be Gun Free Zones.")
Resolution #8: Sabbatical leave for priests and other ministry leaders
PASSED with amendments to delete reference to prorated sabbatical length based on years served and to replace "establish a system" with "propose a plan." (The resolution resolved that the Convention "
Affirms God's call to Sabbath as a foundational practice for all baptized persons; and ...recognizes that the provision of a sabbatical leave for bishops and priests, which includes a plan for spiritual renewal during that time, has been an important expression of this scriptural mandate and a vital element of self-care throughout the Episcopal Church; and ...recognizes that most ministry leaders, especially part-time priests, deacons, and lay staff, have not enjoyed the opportunity for such leaves; and ...directs that the Mission Council and Bishops propose a plan through which all priests, other than supply priests, who serve in Eucharistic communities within the ECCT, whether full-time or part-time, and regardless of the number of years served in a particular cure, will accumulate sabbatical leave time which can be used after five cumulative years of service in the ECCT, pending approval of a Sabbatical Plan by an ECCT Bishop; and ...directs the Mission Council and Bishops to establish a task force to develop a plan through which deacons and lay staff can also be offered relevant opportunities for sabbatical leaves after five years of service in the ECCT, and report back to the 233rd Convention, in 2017.")
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Digital Communication Associate Alli Huggins was joined by lots of others sending tweets that took the Convention - both Saturday's business and Sunday's worship - plus the conversation -- online. Twitter, Facebook, Facebook live, Periscope (go Carolyn Clement!), Instagram, and Snapchat (we had a geofilter for Sunday, thanks to Curtis Farr for the encouragement!) were all used by different people. Search for the hashtag #ecct and look for @EpiscopalCT. It was great fun. At several times during breaks in the day a live "social media wall" displayed on the screens at the Convention Center, showing content tagged with #ecct.
Visit our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages - links at the bottom of this email newsletter. Visit the ECCT wall yourself:
https://www.socialmediawall.io/wall/990/
There were about a dozen logins on Saturday, and many, many more on Sunday including at least one church (St. Paul's, Shelton) that chose to stay in their home parish and join the full worship experience via Livestream with the PB and all the other sisters and brothers in Christ.
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Saturday morning business, bible study and the bishop's address were all livestreamed. The bishop's address was excerpted and posted on YouTube (link above)
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The Celebration of the Spirit
T
here is something powerful about having close to 2000 Episcopalians worship together! If you weren't there, make sure you come if we do this again in a few years. The dramatic readings, sermon, music, singing, sharing Holy Communion with so many people - helps you really feel a part of the larger, entire Episcopal Church in Connecticut.
The sermon will be pulled out and posted as soon as possible, and the other portions will be posted depending on copyright requirements. Please check that page for any updates that might take place before the next newsletter goes out.
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Handouts: CRUX, "green" grocery bags, bumper stickers
The annual ECCT magazine CRUX was available at the Convention and will be mailed to Episcopal households starting next week. It will be posted online then, as well. The ECCT Care
f
or Creation Ministry Network distributed reusable shopping bags to all attendees present.
In addition bumper stickers were made available to all, and available in Spanish as well, featuring a quote from the Presiding Bishop, declaring that we're the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement.
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Found at the Convention Center worship space/breakout rooms/vendor area and not claimed by 2 p.m. Sunday: Black London Fog raincoat; one rather large, white, Apple brand charger; two pair of reading glasses (in the vesting room) and a green, cable-knit scarf. Contact Bonni McKenney at The Commons to claim your lost items and make arrangements to pick them up.
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