113th Annual Convention
October 17-19, 2024 | Nana Bianca | Florence, ItalyThe Convention is an annual meeting that brings together representatives of all the parishes, missions, and affiliated communities of the Convocation. These representatives—both clergy and lay—make decisions and policy for all Episcopalians in the Convocation and, with the Bishop, help us to maintain our connection to the wider Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and beyond.
The Festival of Gathering is a part of the annual Convention of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. A time of study, reflection, prayer, and connection, each year’s Festival focuses on a topic linking the commitments of our faith to the work God calls us to do in the world. Centered on the commitment of our baptismal covenant to “strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being,” the Festival is a forum open to all people interested in connecting more deeply their moral commitments to their actions in the world.
113th Convention Information
Registration
Convention and Festival of Gathering registration is now open. We will be using Whova to manage and connect during our Convention. We highly recommend downloading the Whova app to have the best experience during your time at Convention (and the Festival).
Anyone who would like to attend (online or in-person), including all voting delegates and canonically resident clergy, must register in advance to attend the Convention and/or Festival.
Our Convention is open to all, as we practice transparency in our business matters. Voting and speaking is limited to those who have the right to vote, meaning delegates selected from their Congregation and canonically resident clergy.
The final deadline for registration and payment for in-person participants for either Convention and the Festival—or just the Festival—is August 31, 2024.
There will be NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION.
Register for Convention and the Festival
Hotels
This year, we have provided a list of recommended hotels near Nana Bianca. Congregations are encouraged to book accomodation as soon as possible, as Florence is a popular tourist destination.
Schedule
Nominations
Resolutions
Annual Reports
Budget
Key Dates & Deadlines
August 11
Registration Opens
September 8
Deadline for Related Organizations Nominations
September 14
Draft 2024 budget approved by Executive Board and posted to the website
October 2
Deadline for hotel reservations at the discounted rate
October 5
Town Hall meeting on Audited 2023 Financial Results and 2025 Budget approved by the Council of Advice
October 10
Deadline for submissions of Resolutions, Courtesy Resolutions, Amendments to the Constitution and Canons, Standing Committee Nominations, and Annual Reports
October 17-18
The 113th Convention of the Convocation
October 18-19
The Festival of Gathering: “Spirituality in the Arts: Creativity and Divinity”
October 26
Concluding Session of the Convention (online)
About Convention
The principal business of the Annual Convention is to address legislation and resolutions. The Convention receives reports from the Bishop and various committees and commissions, hears the financial report and votes on the budget.
In the past, most Conventions included a program on a theme, with presentations and discussions. These were designed to engage the participants in looking ahead, or in deepening and learning more about our mission and ministry, and may result in guidelines for the future.
Now, our Conventions include The Festival of Gathering, which are similarily themed but autonomous events in order to open attendance to a wider audience beyond Convention delegates. Everyone is invited to attend the Festival with no obligation to attend Convention.
Near the end of the Convocation Convention, the Assemblée générale of the Association 1901 of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, the French legal entity of the Convocation, convenes briefly to approve of newly elected Bureau (Council of Advice ) and the financial report.
Above all, the Convention is a gathering of our community. It is a weekend of listening, learning, worship and prayer. Everyone in the Convocation, as well as friends from beyond the Episcopal Church, are welcome to attend any annual convention.
When is it?
The Convocation Convention normally meets in the middle of October, from Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning Eucharist. The location of convention rotates around the nine parishes and, occasionally, other locations. The Call to Convention is usually sent sometime in June.
Who attends?
Each parish and organized mission sends two elected delegates designated by their vestry or Bishop’s council. These delegates, the four lay members of the Council of Advice, and the canonically-resident clergy of the Convocation all have the right to vote. A representative from each of the Convocation’s other mission congregations is also seated and accorded full voice in the business of the Convention. Guests and other participants, along with anyone interested in attending, are generally accorded voice.
Process & Procedure
The Bishop is the President of Convention.
The Convention elects the Secretary of Convention who is responsible for keeping records of all actions of the Convention, and for assembling the annual Journal of the Annual Convention of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe. The Secretary records the resolutions considered by the Convocation Convention, including any votes and actions taken on those resolutions.
The Secretary is responsible for informing the Convention of resolutions adopted by the General Convention of The Episcopal Church which call for action on the part of the Convocation or of its leadership. The Secretary also transmits any resolutions directed to General Convention and the names of the people elected as Deputies and Alternates to GC.
Each Convention elects two clerical and two lay members of the Council of Advice, each for two-year terms. The Council is composed of four clerical and four lay members with half elected each year. A member may serve no more than two consecutive terms. Members of the Disciplinary Court are elected at Convention in staggered terms. Officers of Convention are also elected: Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Safeguarding Officer.
Once every three years, the Convention elects the four lay and four clergy deputies, plus up to four lay and four clergy alternates to represent the Convocation at the next General Convention, two calendar years before the next GC (see Episcopal Church Canon I.15).
Every three years, the Convention also elects one lay and one clergy observer to the Synod of the Diocese in Europe of the Church of England for three-year terms. The Synod may also send two observers to the Convocation Convention. As guests, they are given seat and voice, but no vote.
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Voting
We will again vote electronically using Election Runner. In order to vote, all delegates must bring a mobile device or laptop (and charger) that has access to the email address which you provided in your registration. Read instructions on How to Vote Using Election Runner (English) (Spanish).
A Convention How To: Rules for Speaking in Debate
Mark Eastham, Secretary of the Diocese’s Annual Convention, provides a brief animation on the rules for discussing proposed Resolutions and Budget Amendments.
Open Hearings
Week of October 16 via Zoom
Committees of Convention will hold Open Hearings via Zoom, where delegates will have the opportunity to speak to resolutions and the proposed budget. Prior to the hearings, please review and familiarize yourself with the proposed resolutions, amendments, and draft budget and narrative budget.
Resolutions Open Hearing
Monday, October 16
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Constitution & Canons Open Hearing
Wednesday, October 18
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Budget Open Hearing
Thursday, October 19
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Rules of Order
Delegates should familiarize themselves with the 2023 Rules of Order (English) The Rules of Order are also available in Spanish. The 2023 Rules of Order are the same as the version used for the 2022 Annual Convention.
Nominations
Standing Committee
The Standing Committee is composed of six members of the clergy and six members of the laity. It acts as a Council of Advice to the Bishop and assumes many Episcopal duties for the Diocese if there is a vacancy in the Bishop’s office, as outlined in Diocesan Constitution Article XV, Diocesan Canon 21 and in the Canons of the National Church. Two (2) members of the Lay order and two (2) members of the Clerical order will be elected at convention to serve three-year terms on the Standing Committee.
The nomination form for election, completed by the nominee, or a submitter with the nominee’s permission, should include a digital photo and should be sent to Bill Martin. Nominations will be posted as they are received. The deadline for submission of nominations to the Standing Committee is Tuesday, October 10.
NOTE: The nomination form is a fillable PDF file. In order to complete the form on your computer, you must first save the file to your computer. Once it is saved, you can open and complete the form. Then, save it and return the completed form to Bill Martin.
Related Organizations
Related Organizations are those whose charters or statements of purpose have been reviewed and approved by the Executive Board and whose status as a Related Organization shall have been approved by the Convention of the Diocese. Each Related Organization elects its own board and officers, but the nominations are reviewed by the Committee on Related Organizations and then presented to the Annual Convention for its concurrence.
If you are interested in serving on one of these boards, please contact that organization directly to begin the process.
- Trustees of the Funds: Bob Clarke
- Diocesan Missionary Society: Joe Paxton or Mr. Stas Jones
- Virginia Diocesan Homes: Nina Janopaul or Ms. Wendy Filler
- Bloomfield: Courtney Kohler
The Nomination form for related organizations should be submitted to Bill Martin. Nominations will be posted as they are submitted. The deadline for submission of nominations to related organizations is Friday, September 8.
NOTE: The nomination form is a fillable PDF file. In order to complete the form on your computer, you must first save the file to your computer. Once it is saved, you can open and complete the form. Then, save it and return the completed form to Bill Martin.
Budget
The Draft 2023 Budget and Draft Narrative Budget will be posted after September 14 when the drafts are approved by the Executive Board. Members of Convention are encouraged to comment on the proposed 2023 diocesan budget after it is posted. Please send all comments to budget@thediocese.net.
There will be an open Zoom hearing on the Budget on Thursday, October 19. More information is available at the link below.
Resolutions
Resolutions are posted as they are submitted. All resolutions will be reviewed by the Committee on Resolutions and presented to Annual Convention for consideration and action. The deadline for submission of resolutions for consideration by Annual Convention is Tuesday, October 10. Proposed resolutions must be submitted to Bill Martin in the Office of the Secretary.
Courtesy resolutions are also presented and considered at Annual Convention. The deadline for submission of courtesy resolutions is Tuesday, October 10. Courtesy resolutions must be submitted to Bill Martin in the Office of the Secretary.
Please Note: According to the Rules of Order, Section 5.C, “any delegate proposing a first-degree amendment to the Committee’s proposed resolution language must submit the proposed amendment in writing in a form suitable for electronic posting (as specified by the Secretary of the Diocese) no later than 48 hours before proposed votes on the Committee’s recommended resolution.” The deadline for submitting proposed first-degree amendments to resolutions under consideration is Thursday, November 2 at 9:00 a.m.
The Committee on Resolutions will conduct an open hearing online via Zoom on Monday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m.
Questions and comments may also be submitted to resolutions@thediocese.net. Please include the resolution number in the subject line.
Amendments to the Constitution and Canons
Amendments are posted as they are submitted. All amendments will be reviewed by the Committee on Constitution and Canons and then presented at Annual Convention for consideration and action. Members of convention are encouraged to comment on the submitted amendments. The deadline for submission of amendments to the Constitution and Canons for consideration by Annual Convention is Tuesday, October 10. Proposed amendments must be submitted to Bill Martin in the Office of the Secretary.
The Committee on Constitution and Canons will conduct an open hearing online via Zoom on Wednesday, October 18.
Please Note: According to the Rules of Order, Section 5.B, “any delegate proposing a first-degree amendment to the Committee’s proposed canonical or constitutional language changes must submit the proposed amendment in writing in a form suitable for electronic posting (as specified by the Secretary of the Diocese) no later than 48 hours before proposed votes on the Committee’s recommended canonical or constitutional changes.” The deadline for submitting proposed first-degree amendments to constitutional and canonical amendments under consideration is Thursday, November 2 at 11:00 a.m.
Questions and comments may also be submitted to amendments@thediocese.net. Please include the Constitution and Canon amendment number in the subject line.
Annual Reports
Annual reports from related organizations, commissions, and committees are posted here as they are received.
Annual Convention Delegate and Church Forms
All forms must be submitted to Bill Martin in the Office of the Secretary. The due date for submitting the Parish COE/CCGS and Youth COE form was April 15, 2023. The voting privileges of delegates at Convention cannot be certified until the parish’s Confirmed Communicants in Good Standing (CCGS)/Certificate of Election (COE) form has been received by the Convention Registrar. If you have missed the deadline or are unsure if those forms have been submitted for your church, contact Bill Martin.
NOTE: Each of these documents is a fillable form PDF file. In order to complete the form on your computer, you must first save the file on your computer. Once it is saved, you can open and complete the form.