In This Edition

In this edition of convention news, we:

• hear "What's the Buzz about Convention?"
• release our Convention Rules of Order
• call for memorials for convention eucharist
• invite you to RSVP for workshops, lunch, and childcare,
• remind everyone of the deadline for certification and delegation registration, nominations, resolutions, and hotel reservations
• remind everyone that the diocesan offices are closed December 26-30, 2022 for Christmas break

Scroll down to learn more. Merry Christmas from the Diocesan Convention Elves!

As the world busily prepares for Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the elves at the Diocesan House are busy preparing for Diocesan Convention that is less than 6 weeks away. The feast of Epiphany on January 6 serves as an important four-week deadline before Convention. In this video, Canon Michelle Bolt summarizes how convention will be structured this year to reflect our wider diocesan values of integrity of process, good stewardship, full inclusion, and safe community. She invites you to consider how you can prepare for our in-person gathering February 3-4, 2023 at St. John’s in Johnson City. This Convention builds on all we have learned in digital conventions of the last two years to create opportunities for many forms of active participation.

In its regular meeting on December 13, the Bishop and Council approved the attached draft of the rules for 2023 convention. Convention Rules govern healthy process and procedure to allow every meeting of convention to be efficient, orderly, and legal while attending to the values of integrity of process, good stewardship, full inclusion, and safe community. This .pdf draft is presented for your review. Please familiarize yourself with these rules which will be presented for adoption at the start of convention. Kindly direct all questions to Canon Michelle Bolt, Secretary of Convention.

Our time together at diocesan convention celebrates the broad life of East Tennessee Episcopalians from Bristol to South Pittsburg. Part of our tradition at convention is to remember those who have died within our East Tennessee family since our last diocesan convention. Please email any names of those who have died within our parishes to Bro. Andrew by the end of day on Friday, January 6, 2023.

Hearing a desire to connect with others from across the diocese and great interest in opportunities to learn from the experiences of others, we are offering a variety of workshops to begin 2023. These optional elements of our 39^th annual diocesan convention will be online before and after the in-person convention as well as in person while gathered at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Johnson City. 

In-Person Workshops at Convention

Join us on Friday and Saturday, February 3 & 4, as we welcome the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Augustine to our diocesan convention for two special sessions on racial reconciliation and the American church. Each of these two in-person sessions are open to all – delegates, visitors, and the wider public. They will also be livestreamed and recorded for viewing later.

Learn more and register here...

Trusted members of our diocesan leadership, especially through the Bishop’s CoVID Advisory Board, will engage us in the urgent topic of mental health first aid on Friday, February 3, at 3:00 pm. Dr. Ronda Redden Reitz, Rev. Dr. Howard Hess, and Ms. Dianne Britton will make a presentation and then invite attendees into small group discussion so that we might all: increase our awareness of the need for mental health first aid, understand and address the deficit in resources, be encouraged in recognition of the signs, and know how to connect folks to resources for health and help.

Learn more and register here...

Our very own Rev. Dr. Timothy (Tim) Holder, Rector of St Thomas Episcopal Church in Elizabethton will share their creative and energetic Latinx and Appalachian ministries throughout Carter County, TN. Join this workshop on Saturday, February 4, at 1:00 pm to: Hear stories of Quinceañeras, dedications to the Virgin of Guadalupe, and outreach through Back-to-School packs, hear music and stories of grounding heritage as an Appalachian community through bluegrass-based special services, find out how your community can reach deep into its own heritage, and be inspired in how to expand your ministry field to include missing demographics from your area.

Learn more and register here...

Online Pre-Convention Workshops and Lenten Lunch & Learn Sessions

We’ve listened to previous convention participants and diocesan leaders and are happy to announce numerous workshop topics that will be made available to all during the week prior to convention and during Lent.  These online offerings during the evening and at lunchtime should provide an opportunity for most to engage in live presentations and discussions. Each will also be recorded for later viewing.

The latest openings in elected diocesan leadership including General Convention deputies are open for nominations. Head to our convention website to see each of the open positions, descriptions of each group, and to nominate yourself or someone for these positions. 

"Any Delegate, Vestry, the Bishop and Council, the Chancellor, the Chair of the Committee on Constitution and Canons, and the Registrar of the Diocese may submit resolutions for consideration by the Convention by delivering them to the Secretary of the Convention at least thirty days prior to the date set for the Convention. They may also introduce resolutions at the Convention in accordance with the Rules of Order."

-From Title I, Canon 3, Sec. 10 of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese of East Tennessee

Proposed resolutions must be received at Diocesan House no later than January 6, 2023 to be posted on our convention website and included in convention packet. Resolutions proposed after January 6, will be made from the floor of convention with a requirement of a 2/3rds vote from the convention in order to be considered immediately. In accords with convention rule 3.03, resolutions received after the resolution deadline may be referred to Bishop and Council for interim action or to successive meetings of the convention. 

You can go to the diocesan convention website to download a resolution guide that is helpful in formatting your resolution. We would like to note that this upcoming convention is the convention to submit resolutions for the next General Covention. 

Make sure to reserve your room in Johnson City by Saturday, December 31, 2022. Room rates will not be at our group rate beginning January 1, 2023.

We have redesigned our diocesan convention website. There you will find certification, nomination, resolution, hotel, registration, and support information as well as the delegate profile and videos. As we approach the convention, we will release more information on workshops, non-delegate registration, event schedules, and more. Stay up-to-date on the 39th annual convention by going to our convention website. Please note: technological support for convention, through chat, email, and phone, will be paused between December 24 and January 1. Service will resume on January 2, 2023.

We have also added additional support resources. Visit the contact page for our contact information including business hours, contact email, phone number, and chat support.