Update on 205th Annual Convention
January 26, 2021
Greetings! This is the first of regular updates on the upcoming 205th Annual Convention. As a member of diocesan clergy or an elected lay delegate, we ask that you please read each update carefully to ensure you have all you need to know about the upcoming gathering along with access to available resources. Thank you for sharing your gifts and for giving your time to the ongoing work of the Diocese of North Carolina!
ACTION ITEMS WITH THIS UPDATE:

  • Read the Notice of Relocated 205th Annual Convention
  • Download the app for the 205th Annual Convention
  • Save the date of your pre-Convention convocation meeting
NOTICE OF RELOCATED 205TH ANNUAL CONVENTION
DATE: March 6, 2021
TIME: TBD (expected duration: 30 minutes)

From Secretary of Convention Chuck Till:

"Notice is hereby given that the 205th Annual Convention of the Diocese of North Carolina on Saturday, March 6, 2021 has been moved to the Friday Center for Continuing Education, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is an abbreviated “drive-in” Convention that will take place in the parking lot of the Friday Center..." Read full notice

QUICK LOOK:
MAIN BUSINESS:
Amend canons via resolutions that will permit (but not require) Conventions and Annual Parish Meetings to take place by videoconference.

CREDENTIALS:
There will be no registration for Convention, though we will need to know if you plan to attend (link for that coming soon). Rather, we will send you credentials in advance at no charge to you. Your credentials will be recorded as you enter the parking lot of the Friday Center, thereby providing a quorum count and a record of attendees. There will be a station in the parking lot where problems with credentials can be resolved.

AUDIO:
Audio from the dais will be broadcast on FM radio that you can receive in your vehicle. This is a one-way transmission.

VOTING:
Voting will be by means of your vehicle’s horn. Not many vehicles will have line of sight to the dais, unfortunately, and there will be no video screens.
DOWNLOAD THE APP
The 205th Convention has an app offering all of the information you'll need. Affectionately known as the "Yapp App," if you already have Yapp downloaded on your mobile device, simply search "DioNC205" to add the 205th Annual Convention.

If you don't yet have the Yapp app, you can download it from the Apple Store or Google Play, and add the 205th Convention by searching "DioNC205."
BETWEEN NOW AND MARCH 6
The business of the 205th Annual Convention will have to be done quickly. Our target is 30 minutes from convening to adjourning. Therefore, the Special Order of Business offered for your adoption will not allow late resolutions, committee hearings, debate of resolutions, amendments to or substitutes for resolutions, etc. The Bishop Diocesan will call for yes-or-no votes on each matter put before Convention without delay.
To maintain transparency of the Convention process, we will take the following steps prior to Convention:
  • The resolutions and Special Order of Business will be published in February.

  • Prior to Convention, the Commission on Constitution and Canons will hold public webinars on the proposed resolutions so that everyone may read them, pose questions, and offer input.

  • For the same purposes, the Secretary will hold public webinars on the Special Order of Business prior to Convention.

  • Convocations are allowed to meet by means of videoconference, and members of Convention can discuss the resolutions at that time. Deans have been asked to schedule Convocation meetings by Zoom in February. 

Pre-Convention Meetings*:
  • Durham: Feb. 10, 7p.m. via Zoom
  • Raleigh: Feb. 11, 7:30p.m. via Zoom

*Send additional convocation meeting plans to communications@episdionc.org.

We will send updates regularly between now and March 6 as details develop. In addition to the app, all available information can be found on the 205th Annual Convention page on the diocesan website.