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Posted Friday, January 19, 2007
223rd Convention Adopts Reduced Budget and Numerous Canonical Changes
The 223rd Convention of the Diocese of Pennsylvania met on November 11, 2006, but unable to complete its business on that day, recessed and reconvened on January 6, 2007. The theme of the Convention was "A Church for Others."
The Rt. Rev. Duncan Gray, the Bishop of Mississippi, addressed the Convention about the Campaign to rebuild the churches in his diocese and the Diocese of Louisiana devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Bishop Bennison presented Bishop Gray with a check from the offering at the Convention Eucharist for more than $13,000.
In another highlight of the Convention, Bishop Bennison and the Rev. David Rivers, Co-Chair of the Companion Diocese Committee, recognized all the parishes which have contributed more than $7,000 for new Spanish Books of Common Prayer for the Diocese of Guatemala. The Convention voted to enter into a fifth three-year companion relationship with Guatemala.
During the Noonday Prayers the Convention thanked Bishop Clarence Coleridge and his wife Euna upon his retirement after six years' service as Assisting Bishop in the diocese.
Angelique Israel and Ashton Miller, Co-Chairs, and Laura Takakjy, Secretary, Diocesan Youth Council, addressed the Convention on the work of the youth in the diocese.
During its November 11 session the Convention passed the Proposed 2007 Program Budget with two amendments – one authorizing the Black Clericus to present to the 224th Convention an urban mission strategy and calling upon the diocese to refrain from closing any African-American congregations or any congregations that offer ministries to African-American or minority communities until that proposed strategy is completed, and another increasing spending to fund more fully ministries to All Soul's Church of the Deaf, St. Martin's Korean Congregation, and St. Mary's Chester.
Faced with the need to reduce anticipated pledge income to $1.2 million, investment income by $196K; and the Parker Bulmer Fund revenue by $35K, in its January 6 session the Convention voted to reconsider its earlier budget decision and proceeded to pass a new budget omitting the provisions made by the amendments adopted in November and carrying proportional cuts across the board in almost all program areas. An amendment to further reduce funding for Camp Wapiti and delete provision for a Canon for Communication and Education failed.
Convention adopted all of the resolutions brought before the body. These resolutions include two resolutions introduced by Ashton Miller and Angelique Israel on behalf of the Youth Council – the Resolution to Advocate for the Wellbeing of Undocumented Persons in Future Legislation and the Resolution to Advocate Global Warming Awareness and Prevention (R-10-2006 and R-11-2006); a Resolution on Stewardship put forward by Jeff Moretzshon a lay deputy from the Church of the Good Samaritan (R-12-2006); three resolutions put forth by the Rev. Renee McKenzie-Hayward for the Anitracism Commission – the Resolution Calling for the Commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, the Resolution on Slavery and Racial Reconciliation in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania and the Resolution on the Establishment of a Standing Antiracism Commission in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (R-13-2006, R-14-2006 and R-5-2006); the Rev. Renee McKenzie-Hayward also joined the Black Aspirancy Recruitment Task Force in putting forth the Resolution Calling for the Adoption of the Findings of the Report of the Black Aspirants Recruitment Task Force (R-15-2006); two resolutions were also put forth by William Bullitt for the Committee on Canons the Resolution Amending Canon 3.7 to allow the Historiographer to be a Lay Person and the Resolution Amending canon 8.3.2 Changing the Date on Which the Term of Service of the Deans Commences (R-7-2006 and R-8-2006); a resolution was put forth by Judith L. T. Beck and others in reference to the Diocesan Council the Resolution on Diocesan Council Authority (R-6-2006). Convention also passed one resolution arising out of the Bishop's Address put forth by Ike Miller of the Church of The Advocate which was the Resolution on Education about the Long Term Affects Clergy Sexual Misconduct calling on the diocese to initiate an educational program regarding clergy and sexual abuse.
The Convention elected to the Standing Committee The Rev. Ruth Lawson Kirk and D.L. Wormley(Offices A and B); to the Diocesan Review Committee The Rev. Robert C. Granfeldt (Office C); to the Church Foundation Board the Rev. Frank Allen, Thomas Helm, J. Barton Riley, Paul Wanglee, and John P. Waterman (Offices D and E both by acclamation); to the Commission on Clergy Salaries and Pensions The Rev. Thomas C. Wand and marc Andonian (Offices F and G); to the Committee on Finance & Property The Rev. W. Frank Allen, The Rev. Judith L. T. Beck, The Rev Glenn M. Matis, The Rev. Louis Temme, The Rev. Thomas C. Wand and The Rev. James E. Wynn, Everett Gillison, Kenneth R. Werner, R. Alan Lindsay, Joseph A. Suprenuk, Robert G. Swartz, George Whitfield, Peter Wilmerding, Antoinette McLauchlan and Roberta Griffin Torian (Office I); to be Deputies to the Provincial Synod III The Rev. Canon James L. Shannon, Penelope C. Cutler, and Christopher Hart (Offices J and K by acclamation); to the Ecclesiastical Trial Court The Rev. Stephen R. Billings, The Rev. Mary E. Laney, The Rev. John G. Martin, The Rev. Carl e. Metzger, The Rev. Barbara B. Rivers, The Rev. William J. Shepherd, The Rev. Larry A. Snyder, The Rev. Daniel B. Stevick, The Rev. Louis Temme, Marc Andonian, Frances Broadwater, Dorothy Cousins, Everett Gillison, Marcia Hinton, Dick Irig, Sharon Kelly, Douglas Rorapaugh and William Terry (Offices L and M by acclamation); and The Rev. Dr. John T. Sorensen to the Wapiti Board. In addition, the Convention approved the election of the Rev. Martini Shaw, the Rev. Michael Ruk, Penny Cutler, and Eric Rabe to the Cathedral Chapter. Convention approved the appointment of the Rev. Mark Ainsworth, Mr. Richard Greene, the Rev. Koshy Mathews, and Dr. John Tuton to the Commission on Ministry
Ecumenical guests welcomed at the Convention were the Rev. Gary Harke, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Council of Churches; Bishop Claire Burkat, Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and the Rev. Dr. David Fife, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church; and the Rev. Joseph Fairbanks and Sister Josephine Kase of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
The Bishop announced that the 224th Convention will be held November 3, 2007 at the Cathedral.