Disciple: Updates from the 199th Annual Convention
By Summerlee Walter
The 199th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina adjourned mid-afternoon on Saturday, November 22, 2014, after a fruitful two days at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. This year’s Convention focused on ways to continue going deeper into Galilee. Highlights included the Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple’s update on local congregations’ Galilee activities, keynote speaker the Rev. Jay Sidebotham’s insights into what keeps congregations vital, the announcement of a new interim executive director for the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry (EFwM), the debut of A Movable Feast’s trailer and the renewal of the companion relationship with the Diocese of Botswana.
KEEP GOING: THE PASTORAL ADDRESS
Convention kicked off on Friday morning with the Rt. Rev. Michael Curry’s pastoral address, during which he encouraged the assembled delegates to “Keep Going!” in spite of the challenges churches face in the modern world. Continuing last year’s theme of “Go deep, go speak, go do,” Bishop Curry reminded the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina it must be a missionary church going out into the world while highlighting the ways the diocese lived into that calling during the last year, including high participation in last May’s “Go Speak!” initiative and the Harvest for Hospitality campaign’s success in bringing the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry to financial stability.
He ended with the words of Harriet Tubman:
If you hear the dogs, keep going.
If you see the torches in the woods, keep going.
If there’s shouting after you, keep going.
Don’t ever stop. Don’t ever quit.
Don’t give up. Don’t give in.
If you want a taste of freedom,
Keep going!
[Read an excerpted version of Bishop Curry’s address.]
GOOD NEWS FOR FARMWORKERS
Friday also featured an update on Harvest for Hospitality by the Rev. Lisa Fischbeck, campaign co-chair, who kept the Convention’s attention by throwing out cucumber- and sweet potato-shaped stress balls from the stage. She shared the exciting news that Harvest for Hospitality is one-quarter of the way to its fundraising goal and, as a result, the Episcopal Farmworker Ministry has already been able to hire an interim executive director: Dr. Juan Carabaña. Carabaña is the senior warden at El Buen
Pastor, Durham, and also serves as the Spanish translator during Convention. He assumed the position after the Rev. Tony “Father Tony” Rojas’ retirement earlier ths fall.
[Read an interview with Carabaña.]
Fischbeck and Bishop Curry also shared the momentous news that November marked the first time in months EFwM did not need additional diocesan support to cover its operating expenses, again thanks to the money already raised by the Harvest for Hospitality campaign. With a fresh perspective from Carabaña, EFwM is ready to move forward with strategic planning for its future.
CONGREGATIONAL VITALITY
CONGREGATIONAL VITALITYDuring the afternoon of day one, the Convention keynoter, the Rev. Jay Sidebotham, director of RenewalWorks, led a town hall meeting during which he encouraged delegates to reflect on and discuss spiritual practices in their churches. The discussions were facilitated by an open seating arrangement at round tables.
The second day of Convention kicked off with the Rev. Sidebotham’s keynote address, which shared research-based insights into what keeps congregations vital and spiritually healthy. His address encouraged delegates to help their churches move back to the basics: personal prayer and engagement with the Bible. In other words, he told the Convention to “Go deep!”
GALILEE
Convention wrapped with an update from Bishop Hodges-Copple about the exciting congregation-based Galilee ministries happening throughout the Diocese. She highlighted outreach to the community, partnerships between churches and local organizations, ministry with Spanish-speaking populations, community organizing and the real relationship building happening at many congregations. Taking as her main examples Holy
Comforter, Charlotte; Christ Church, Raleigh; St. Matthew’s, Hillsborough; and St. Andrew’s, Haw River, she reminded the delegates that no church is too small, too large, too suburban, urban or rural, too poor or too wealthy to meet Galilee head on.
A MOVABLE FEAST DEBUTS AT CONVENTION
Late in the evening during the first day of Convention, young adults, campus ministers and delegates gathered in front of the Benton Convention Center for a compline and blessing of A Movable Feast’s newly-delivered trailer. The Rev. Nils Chittenden, diocesan young adult missioner, drove the custom-built trailer from Georgia to Winston-Salem, arriving the day before Convention and just in time for the vehicle’s debut.
A Movable Feast is an innovative food truck-based campus ministry intended to reach out to young adults at community colleges, technical schools and other places traditionally underserved by campus ministries. Just as importantly, the ministry provides support to local communities wishing to build authentic relationships with young adults and maintain those relationships after the trailer has rolled out of town.
Throughout Convention, A Movable Feast put the first part of its outreach model into action, offering hot cider and cookies to delegates and those who passed by on the street, including a passing rock band and many members of Winston-Salem’s unhoused population.
[Read A Movable Feast coordinator Caitlyn Darnell’s account of the work that went into getting A Movable Feast off the ground.]
RENEWED TIES WITH BOSTWANA
The Bishop of Botswana, the Rt. Rev. Metlhayotlhe Beleme, along with his wife, Thapelo, were the Convention’s honored guests. Visiting the United States and the Diocese of North Carolina for the first time, they brought greetings from Bostwana. Bishop Beleme is the first native Batswan elected as bishop of the Diocese of Botswana since its inception in 1972.
Bishop Beleme’s words to the Convention addressed head on the problem of political infighting in Botswana’s government and the Church. He also expressed disappointment in the opposition to women’s ordination by other Anglican primates of southern Africa.
“[The ordination of women] is one of the issues we still argue about and waste our time on instead of going like you say deeper and doing the work,” he said. “It amazes me how much time we waste talking about work and not doing work.”
Bishop Beleme shared his hope that his province would soon vote to ordain women in order, in part, to fill the need for more clergy.
After Bishop Beleme wrapped up his comments, he and Bishop Curry signed a five-year renewal of the dioceses’ companion relationship.
MISSION AND MINISTRY BUDGET
The 2015 budget passed as submitted, and Convention voted to reduce the 2016 fair share churches will pay into the diocesan budget from 11.25 percent to 11 percent of a church’s income.
The 2015 fair share was set by the 198th Convention.
RESULTS OF VOTING ON ELECTIONS
Diocesan Council: The Rev. Jonah Kendall and the Rev. Miriam Saxon were elected in the clergy order, and Neil Coghill, Walker Mabe and Robert L. Quackenbush in the lay order.
Standing Committee: The Rev. David Umphlett was elected in the clergy order and Joseph Ferrell and Zach Smith in the lay order.
Trustee, The University of the South (Sewanee): The Rev. Suzanne Cate was elected.
Penick Village Board of Directors: John R. Frizzell III, Jim Gray, C. Marcus Harris, Lynne Healy, Keith Junk, Jane S. Mask and Ray Pardue were elected.
RESULTS OF VOTING ON RESOLUTIONS
Res. 199.1 On Amending Canon 19 to Allow More Flexibility in Scheduling Pre-Convention Convocation Meetings as Part of the Budget Development Process. Substitute resolution adopted
Res. 199.2 On Authorizing Adoption of Parish By-Laws Allowing Absentee Voting for Members of the Vestry. Substitute resolution adopted
Res. 199.3 Resolution urging the inclusion of Bishop Thomas Atkinson in the calendar of the commemorations of the Episcopal Church. Adopted as submitted
Res. 199.4 In Support of Continuing Efforts to Promote Immigration
Reform. Substitute resolution adopted
Res. 199.5 On Renewing Companion Relationship with Diocese of
Botswana. Adopted as submitted
Res. 199.6 On Noting the Sacrifice of Michael Clifton Baskett. Adopted as submitted
Res. 199.7 On Honoring God, Our Creator. Substitute resolution adopted
Res. 199.8 Anniversary of St. Anne’s Church. Adopted as submitted
THE 200TH ANNUAL CONVENTION
The 200th Annual Convention of the Diocese of North Carolina will take place November 20-21, 2015, at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem.
We’ll see you there.
