The Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth • 25 Years Together in Mission

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25th Diocesan Convention

Friday and Saturday, Nov. 16 & 17, 2007
at All Saints’ Episcopal School, Fort Worth

Information packet #1

Posted Aug. 17, 2007

including:

• Memorandum to all clergy and lay delegates
• Deanery Meeting Dates
• Executive Council Positions Open (by Deanery); Canon 35 (on Deaneries)
• Executive Council Nomination Form (PDF)
• Nomination Form (PDF) for other elective offices
• Necrology Report Form (PDF)
• Resolution Form (PDF) for submitting a Resolution to the Convention
• Standing Rules of Procedure
• Article 18 (on the Canons) • Article 19 (on Alterations and Amendments to the Constitution)

Memorandum

to Convention Delegates and Clergy
from the Rev. Canon Charles A. Hough III

The 25th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Fort Worth will be hosted by the Fort Worth West Deanery and All Saints’ Episcopal School, 9700 N. Normandale, Fort Worth, 76108. Our theme this year revolves around our 25th anniversary, “Together in Mission.” The opening Eucharist will take place on Friday, Nov. 16, 2007, at All Saints’ School Chapel, 9700 Saints Circle beginning at 2 p.m. The opening session of the Convention will begin at 4:30 pm in the Lower School Gymnasium and continue until 6 p.m. Registration for the opening session will take place in the Lower School Gym immediately following the conclusion of the Eucharist. Following adjournment of the opening session at 6:00 pm, we will proceed to the Ridglea Country Club, 3700 Bernie Anderson Ave., Fort Worth, for an evening together. Hospitality will begin at 6:30 p.m. with supper following. Information concerning reservations for the Friday night dinner, hotels (if needed), and a Mexican lunch on Saturday (to be provided by San Juan Apostol Church) will be given in the next Convention packet, to be posted here on Sept. 28, 2007. Every delegate is encouraged to download the Convention packets from the website or from your Parish Church. If neither of these options is available, please contact Gala Pryor at (817) 244-2885, and she will be happy to mail the packets to you.

On Saturday, Nov. 17, the Convention will continue with registration for the Saturday session to begin at 7:30 am until 8:45 am in the Lower School Gym. A continental breakfast will be served during registration. Morning Prayer will begin in the All Saints’ School Chapel at 8:30 am. The Convention Saturday session will formally convene at 9 a.m. in the Lower School Gym.

As part of our 25th anniversary celebration as a diocese, Bishop Iker is inviting each of our 56 congregations to prepare a tabletop display which will be set up in an area of the school. Each congregation will be given one 6’ table where a creative display of the history, vision, mission, buildings, and any other special characteristics you wish to share about your parish or mission can be displayed. On Saturday, there will be time allotted for everyone to view the displays each congregation sets up. To assist you in this project, a brochure has been prepared and is included in this packet advertising a special workshop on preserving your congregation’s history. This will assist you in preparing a display that you can bring to the diocesan convention. Might we suggest your priest and vestry appoint a special committee to help your congregation participate in this project.

When the Convention breaks for lunch, there will be ample time for everyone to visit the parish/mission displays and vendor areas. The Convention will reconvene at 1:30 p.m., and will continue until all business is accomplished.

The Bishop’s annual address to the Convention will be given at the beginning of the business session on Saturday morning.

Information concerning reservations for the Friday night dinner, hotels (if needed), and a Mexican lunch on Saturday (to be provided by San Juan Apostol Church) will be given in Convention packet #2, to be posted here on Sept. 28, 2007. Don’t worry about making your reception/supper and lunch reservations or hotel reservations at this time. You will be given forms for these reservations in packet #2.

This packet includes the “Standing Rules of Procedure” for the Convention, a form for offering a Resolution to the Convention, the Nomination form and a form for the Necrology report. We have (12) elected positions to fill at this year’s Convention.

Diocesan Standing Committee	1 Clerical Member	1 Lay Member
Deputies to General Convention	4 Clerical Members	4 Lay Members
Board of Trustees, University of the South (Sewanee)	––	1 Lay Member
Diocesan Ecclesiastical Court	1 Clerical Member	––

Pre-Convention Deanery Meetings will be held Thursday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. (See schedule giving the location of each deanery meeting). In keeping with Canon 35, the Deanery Council is made up of the members of the clergy who reside in the Deanery, who are entitled to a vote in the Convention, and all elected Convention Delegates for the Parishes and Missions of the Deanery, and the Lay Deanery Representatives to the Executive Council. These Council Members will have seat voice and vote in the upcoming Pre-Convention Deanery meetings. Visitors who attend do not have voice or vote. All visitors who attend will be seated in an observer’s area.

For your convenience, we are including the names of the lay and clerical representatives to the Executive Council from each Deanery. We are also including a form, which you may use to nominate someone to fill any vacancy on the Executive Council from your Deanery. We ask that if you choose to nominate someone, you forward the Nomination Form to your Dean at least one week prior to the Pre-Convention Deanery Meeting. Election for your Deanery positions will take place at the Pre-Convention Deanery Meeting.

DEADLINES

A. RESOLUTIONS:
All resolutions shall be delivered to the Diocesan Office (to be forwarded to the Secretary of the Convention) by Friday, Sept. 14, 2007. The resolutions must be processed by the Resolutions Committee in adequate time to place written copies of the Resolution(s) in the hands of the convention delegates and clergy no later than twenty (20) days before the opening day of the Convention. Any resolution, which shows on its face that it deals with matters arising after the deadline date, shall be exempt from this requirement. All other resolutions delivered to the Secretary after the deadline shall be governed by Rule 27.

B. PROPOSED CANON CHANGES:
A copy of Article 18 of The Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is included in this packet for your convenience.

C. PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES:
A copy of Article 19 of the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth is included in this packet for your convenience.

In addition to the above, The Constitution and Canons Committee will provide each delegate and clergy with any proposed changes to The Constitution and Canons in written form. These changes, if any, will appear in the next Convention packet to be posted September.

Pictures and biographies of the nominees for each open position will be featured in the September packet. The proposed Diocesan Budget for 2008 will be included in the next Convention packet to each delegate and clergy. In other words, everything each delegate and clergy will need will be in hand in enough time for digestion before the Pre-Convention Deanery Meetings.

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