October 21, 2023 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Online
Convention 155 – Basics
To the Delegates, Clergy, and People of the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York:
The 155th Convention of the Diocese of Central New York will take place on Saturday, October 21, 2023.
As part of our diocesan commitments to accessibility, inclusion, and reducing negative impacts on God’s creation through travel, the Convention will take place in a secure online format.
This notice is being emailed to all clergy, wardens, parish offices, Convention Delegates and Alternates for whom we have emails, and subscribers to our mailing list. If there are Delegates from your congregation that may not have received this notice, please share this information with them.
Peace,
Ms. Kathy Dengler, Secretary of Convention
The Rev. Christine Day, Assisting Secretary
Ms. Jill Morales, Assisting Secretary
Water is life – the good and the bad of it, the strength and the fear of it, the calm and the chaos of it. When we are weary, when the road seems long and hidden, when we wake up from a long night to the dawn, water is refreshing.
As we journey together as a diocese toward our revival and our vision of a world healed by love, we need to be refreshed. Building off of a deep tradition of water imagery in scripture, John the Revelator paints a striking image of the River of Life in Revelation 22 as “bright as crystal” and bringing life to and through the City of God, cleansing people and satisfying their deepest thirsts.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
Come. Be refreshed with us as we journey together as a diocese with Jesus.
One of the exciting things about on-site meetings is seeing a space transformed for a special purpose: think of a big screen displaying the convention logo, banners, name tags, etc. You can transform the space where you are physically and the space that we’ll all share on Zoom by grabbing some convention swag to have in frame.
Catherine Meeks, PhD, is Executive Director of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing. Prior to the center’s opening she chaired its precursor, Beloved Community: Commission for Dismantling Racism for the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta. A sought-after teacher and workshop leader, Catherine brings four decades of experience to the work of transforming the dismantling racism work in Atlanta. The core of her work has been with people who have been marginalized because of economic status, race, gender or physical ability as they pursue liberation, justice and access to resources that can help lead them to health, wellness and a more abundant life. This work grows out of her understanding of her call to the vocation of teacher as well as her realization that all of humanity is one family which God desires to unite.
Catherine is the retired Clara Carter Acree Distinguished Professor of Socio-Cultural Studies from Wesleyan College and Founding Executive Director of the Lane Center for Community Engagement and Service. She characterizes herself as a midwife to the soul of her students and workshop participants. She has spent many years sharing the insights that she gained from her pursuit of the truth. She has had many great teachers including her sons, the Bible, Jungian psychology, cross cultural stories and other books of wisdom. But her greatest teacher is rheumatoid arthritis because it has forced her to learn many new ways to listen to her body and to pay attention to the messages from her heart. She is frequently asked to present commentaries on Georgia Public Radio and other radio and television programs. She is the author of six books and one inspirational CD and is the editor of the bestselling book, Living Into God’s Dream: Dismantling Racism in America and co-author of Passionate for Justice: Ida B Wells as Prophet for Our Times. She holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Clark Atlanta University and PhD from Emory University. – Image and bio from centerforracialhealing.org
You can find the latest book from Dr. Meeks, The Night is Long but Light Comes in the Morning: Meditations for Racial Healing, at the links below.
Online or onsite, live or on replay, it’s all in-person, it’s all connection, and it’s all holy.
In the Diocese of Central New York, we’re committed to bringing equity to online experiences and honoring the fact that when we gather – whether onsite or online – we are bringing our whole selves to the space in which we meet. As you prepare to join us for Convention, we invite you to consider how you can honor your whole self and the gathering of your fellow CNY Episcopalians through intentional placemaking.
Set the Stage
Consider where you’ll be as you join the Convention. How can you make that space a holy one that is refreshing to you? Consider your different senses:
- See – What will you see as you join us? Your screen will show your fellow CNY Episcopalians, but what about the rest of your view? What can you introduce to your space to make it a holy one visually. Could you move your screen so that you’re outside (weather permitting) or have a view of the outdoors? If it’s chilly, perhaps a fire in your fireplace would help you to feel refreshed. Cut flowers, pictures of loved ones, your Bible – all of these are sights that could help to set the space for your time at Convention. Think about your lights, too. If your only light is the blue light from your screen, that could be exhausting! Have calm lighting and consider wearing blue-light blocking glasses if you have them.
- Smell – As you breathe deeply in prayer or as you hear a powerful word from Dr. Meeks or Bishop DeDe, what will you smell? Perhaps you could light a candle (you know, the really good smelling one that you’ve been saving for a special occasion!). Incense is a powerful way to trigger memories of other holy times, too.
- Taste – Lunch and stretch breaks will be built into our schedule, but no one is stopping you from snacking throughout the day, too! Plan ahead to have nourishing food for your meals and snacks. What foods feel refreshing to you? Fresh vegetables and fruit? Soup on a chilly October day? You’ll want to stay hydrated, too. We’ll be sharing recipes for simple, refreshing water add-ins online and you can submit yours, too!
- Hear – Of course, you’ll hear our speakers and the prayers of everyone at Convention, but what else could help you to hear holiness around you during our day together? Check out our special convention playlist of music that evokes imagery of water and refreshment. You can even suggest songs to add to our list here! You could play this or other music in the background, sit near windchimes, or even play ambient sounds (like white noise) in the background.
- Touch – Your body is coming to Convention, even when it’s online. How can you stay tuned in to your body during Convention? Make sure that you have a comfortable place to sit and/or stand during our day-long meeting. Consider having fidgets nearby, or even prayer beads, to help yourself stay tuned in to your physical surroundings, too.
Note: A detailed agenda will be available in September; lunch and stretch breaks will be built in throughout the day.
- 8:45 a.m.
Participants log into Zoom - 9:00 a.m
Convention Called to Order – Session 1 - 12:15 p.m
Lunch break - 12:45 p.m.
Convention continues – Session 2 - 4:00 p.m.
Convention adjourns
Once again this year, Convention will take place on Zoom, a secure and private online format. This presents a handful of opportunities and challenges compared to our experiences of in-person gatherings, but over the last few years we’ve learned valuable lessons that have helped us to be more comfortable and proficient at this relatively new approach to our annual convention.
We recommend the following to the parishes:
- Ensure that each delegate has access to a reliable internet connection and a device (computer/laptop, tablet, or smartphone) so that they can fully participate in Convention.
- Ensure that each delegate has a unique email address which they will need for online voting.
- If an elected delegate is unable or unwilling to participate in an online gathering, consider inviting an alternative delegate to serve this year.
Voting
This year voting for the election of diocesan elections will be accomplished using OpaVote, all other voting will be accomplished using Zoom Polls, the systems we’ve used successfully for voting online at each of our conventions since 2020. You can visit opavote.com today to sample a demo election.
Pre-Convention meetings (on September 18 and September 27 at 6:30 p.m.) and the Technology Training and Voting Practice Session for Delegates (on September 14 at 6:30 p.m.) will give you another opportunity to practice online voting in advance of Convention.
Each Convention Delegate will receive a unique voter ID code by email in advance of Convention. During Convention, links to each ballot will be shared with Delegates via Zoom’s chat feature. Delegates will gain access to each ballot using their unique voter ID.
If you have questions or concerns about online voting, please contact Mr. Harmon TenWolde (St. Matthew’s, South New Berlin) at stmatt001@gmail.com.
Tech Support & Trainings
If you’re new to Zoom or had trouble with online voting in previous years, be sure to attend our online Technology Training and Voting Practice Session on Thursday, September 14, at 6:30 p.m. We’ll prepare you to participate fully in Convention with a walkthrough of Zoom’s features, a practice vote, and plenty of time for questions and answers.
Pre-Convention Meetings will give you another opportunity to practice participating in an online Convention, practice online voting, and identify and troubleshoot issues related to online Convention accessibility. Two Pre-Convention Meetings (via Zoom) are planned for your convenience:
Register by October 5
All clergy, delegates, and others attending Convention must register.
Convention will be held on Saturday, October 21; everyone will participate online using Zoom.
If you’re registering on behalf of others…
If you’re completing registration on behalf of someone else or if you’re registering your parish’s delegation, you’ll want to gather some information before you start:
- You’ll need a unique email address for each person you register. The email should be the address that the person uses and checks regularly.
What if I need to change or cancel my registration?
To cancel or change a registration, please notify the diocesan office as soon as possible at convention@cnyepiscopal.org. Refunds are available up to October 10.
What if we need to change our delegate?
Convention 155 – Business
The following diocesan leadership positions are up for election:
- Diocesan Board (one lay person for a 3-year term)
- Disciplinary Board (two lay persons for 3-year terms and two clergy persons for 3-year terms)
- Standing Committee (one lay person for a 4-year term and one clergy person for a 4-year term)
- General Convention (4 alternate clergy deputies)
Download details on the responsibilities of each position.
Nominations for these positions are accepted via the nomination form until September 1st.
Nominees must be at least 20 years of age and confirmed communicants of The Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Central New York. Other requirements may apply; please see descriptions of open positions above.
The following individuals are eligible to submit a nomination:
- Any clergyperson entitled to vote in Convention.
- Any lay delegate certified by the Convention Secretary at least six weeks prior to the Convention who is from a parish in good standing both in their payments to the Church Pension Fund and diocesan mission apportionment for the period prior to January 1st of the Convention year.
Resolutions are the instruments used to request the Convention to take some form of action, whether it’s changing our Canons or requesting the Diocese to support a specific group or cause.
Please use the Resolution Submission Form to submit a resolution by Thursday, September 7th. A completed form includes:
- Subject: A brief description of the action of the resolution.
- Submitted by: The name of the person or group submitting the resolution.
- Resolved: The specific action(s) to be taken by Convention.
- Explanation: The purpose(s), intention(s), and justification(s) for the resolution. The explanation also provides any needed background or clarification.
- Financial impact on the diocesan budget: To implement this resolution, is funding going to be required from the diocesan budget? How much?
- Responsibility: Who or what group would be responsible for implementing and carrying out this resolution?
Resolutions will be discussed at a hearing on Wednesday, September 20, at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register here.
If needed, an additional hearing will take place during the lunch break on Saturday, October 21 for any resolutions submitted from the floor (that is, any time after the September 7 deadline) during the 155th Convention.
At each Diocesan Convention, we remember by name any vestry member or diocesan committee member who has died since our last Convention (November 2022).
Please use the Memorial List Form to add names to the Memorial List by Friday, September 15th.
The Diocese’s annual budget must be approved at Convention. Please take time to review the linked documents. The budget will also be presented at both pre-convention meetings.
Convention worship this year will follow the format of the Daily Office. Often when we talk of our Anglican theology, we use the Latin phrase, “Lex orandi, lex credendi,” which can be loosely translated as, “Praying shapes believing.” The Daily Office, the set of daily prayers for specific times of the day, is an important part of our Episcopal tradition. As we gather online but still in person – still with our whole selves and our perspectives, joys, worries, sorrows, and experiences – we’ll connect through prayer throughout the day.
Watch the Pre-Convention Meeting
Due Dates and Deadlines for Convention 2023
- May 22 – Lay Delegate Certificates from parishes and chapels
- September 1 – Nominations for Elected Diocesan Leadership Positions
- September 5 – Resolutions and Amendments to Constitution and Canons
- September 15 – Memorials for Parish Leaders
- October 5 – Convention Registration (Pay by Check) (Pay Online)
- October 10 – Last day to cancel Convention Registration and receive a refund