225th Diocesan Convention
March 12-13, 2010
Our 225th Convention was held for the 18th time at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Lewes.
- 163 Photographs
- Election Results
- Resolutions Adopted
- 2010 Narrative Budget
- Bishop's Convention Address, “That We All May Be One”.
Bishop's Post-Convention Comments
Our 225th Diocesan Convention is concluded. Thank you for your support and for taking the time to participate in such a good event. The good spirit was obvious. Jeff Ross and the congregation from St. Peter’s Church, Lewes, were outstanding hosts. In his welcome, Jeff reminded us that it had been 72 years since the convention met in Lewes. We will not wait so long in returning!
The Bishop’s staff and a large group of volunteers from St Peter’s organized hospitality, arrangements, and logistics for the convention. Many others led presentations, workshops, and hearings. We were blessed to welcome Bishop Martin and Elspeth Shaw back to Delaware. It was also great to welcome our six new deacons.
The Diocesan Convention elected members of our governing bodies and approved three resolutions. Thanks to all who offered themselves for election and who worked to formulate resolutions. Click here to see the results of balloting and the resolutions.
Click here to read the Bishop's Convention Address, “That We All May Be One”.
Walt Cheatham, our new Diocesan Treasurer, presented a balanced budget to the convention. So many worked together in order to make this possible. Fundamentally, it is a reflection of our long term commitment that the Diocese of Delaware should be a source of stability and strength for the mission of the church. It conveys a sense of cautious confidence as we face the future together.
We are grateful to wardens, treasurers, and vestries for such generous support. This is recognized and appreciated. I am also grateful to staff, trustees, and members of the Finance Committee for much hard work in shaping budgets and reducing expenses. Click here to see detailed information about diocesan finances included in the Narrative Budget. The complete audited report of all diocesan funds will be included in the Annual Report of the Diocese, to be distributed in the summer of 2010.
225th DIOCESAN CONVENTION
ELECTION RESULTS
Constitution & Canons
Andrew Johnston (4 year term) Christ Church Christiana Hundred
Daniel P. Bennett (5 year term) St. Anne’s Church, Middletown
Trustees
Thomas Sombar St. John the Baptist Church, Milton
Trial Court
The Rev. Edward E. Godden Immanuel on the Green, New Castle
Standing Committee
The Rev. Jim Bimbi St. James Church, Wilmington
Ms. Joyce Bembry Sts. Andrew & Matthew, Wilmington
Bishop & Council
The Rev. Dr. JoAnn Barker St. Anne’s Church, Middletown
The Rev. Patricia Downing Trinity Parish, Wilmington
Mr. Norwood Coleman Cathedral Church of St. John
Mr. Ryan Pryslak Trinity Parish, Wilmington
Mr. Richard A. Vican Christ Church, Milford
Ms. Helen “Bobbie” Quillen St. Paul’s Church, Georgetown
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE 225th CONVENTION
RESOLUTION #1 - Camp Arrowhead
Sponsored by: The Rev. Jeffrey Ross
Supported by: The Camp Arrowhead Committee
WHEREAS the Diocese of Delaware has maintained a thriving ministry at Camp Arrowhead for over 56 years with one of the best camp locations in the Episcopal Church;
WHEREAS since the Diocese acquired the Camp in 1954 to be “an excellent training ground for future generations of Christian citizens,” we have helped to develop and equip several generations of lay and ordained leadership for our Church. Currently, less than half of the congregations in the diocese currently send any campers to Camp Arrowhead, yet its enrollment continues to be at the highest level ever. The Camp is a great resource that allows more time for Christian Formation than most year-long Sunday school programs. The aim of this resolution is to not only support Camp Arrowhead, but to also prepare new leadership for our congregations and encourage them to make use of this wonderful ministry.
BE IT RESOLVED that each parish in the Diocese of Delaware is strongly encouraged to maintain at least ONE annual scholarship for a full residential week to the Camp to be given either to a member of the congregation or to the Camp Arrowhead Scholarship Fund.
RESOLUTION #2 - Witness for Innocent Victims of Armed Conflict
Sponsored by: The Rev. Jeffrey Ross, Rector of Saint Peter’s Church, Lewes
The Rev. Canon Mark Harris, Associate of Saint Peter’s Church, Lewes
The Rev. Earl Beshears, Rector of Saint Paul’s Church, Georgetown, Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware Chair
The Rev. Rita Nelson, Rector of Saint Philip’s Church, Laurel (retired)
Supported by The Rev. Larry Hofer, The Rev. E. Perren Hayes, The Rev. John Barton, and The Rev. Otto Lolk
WHEREAS during the wars of the last fifty years an estimated 44 million innocent civilians were killed in armed conflict around the world;
WHEREAS we are called as Christians to remember these tragic deaths so they are neither trivialized nor forgotten;
WHEREAS this Church has called upon its members to be peacemakers and agents of reconciliation;
WHEREAS The Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware is creating a visual symbol of the innocent victims of armed conflict by collecting one penny for every civilian death in the past 50 years;
WHEREAS the Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware will donate these funds to non-profit organizations that directly care for and provide relief to the innocent victims of current armed conflict;
WHEREAS it is the aim of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware that every parish in our diocese provide an opportunity for its members to contribute to the goal of remembering each of the 44 million innocent civilians who have perished as the result of violent conflict and whose numbers continue to grow at an appalling rate;
BE IT RESOLVED that each parish promote opportunities for participating in the collection of pennies by regularly publicizing the goals of the Witness for Innocent Victims of Armed Conflict and its rationale, by providing a container to receive pennies, and by seeking a volunteer in each parish to coordinate this witness with the Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware.
RATIONALE: As a witness to the loss of innocent life in armed conflicts around the world, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware began a project two years ago to create a visual symbol of this loss. The inspiration for this initiative came from the realization that whereas a day of remembrance has been established for the service men and women who are killed in war, we do not recognize, remember, nor honor the innocent casualties of armed conflict. The Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware therefore resolved to remember the lives of those victims by collecting one penny for every life lost. We acknowledge that these innocent deaths continue to occur, that they occur on both sides of armed conflict, and that they result not only from direct violence to individuals, but also from the ensuing indirect consequences of war such as hunger, cold, homelessness, sickness, the brutality committed against displaced persons and international policy. The idea came from the film Paperclips which documents a group of middle school children in Tennessee who collected over 4 million paperclips from around the world, one for each life lost in the Holocaust. The Episcopal Peace Fellowship of Delaware is collecting one penny for every non-combatant life lost in the last 50 years from armed conflict – 44 million. One penny weighs .088184905 oz and 44 million pennies weighs 242,508.475 pounds or the equivalent of 65.89 Toyota Camrys or 15.54 F 16 fighter jets. 44 million pennies is 686.46648 cubic feet or about 8.8 feet x 8.8 feet x 8.8 feet. This collection will serve as a visual reminder of the costs of war on both sides. The money raised will be donated to non-profit organizations that provide care and relief to civilians at risk of becoming casualties of war and thereby prevent further deaths. Distribution will be made as the size and or weight of the collection becomes unmanageable. Penny collections will be picked up by EPF of Delaware members or can be sent to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Georgetown.
RESOLUTION #3 - Diocesan Convention
Sponsored by: The Rev. Jeffrey Ross, Rector of Saint Peter’s Church, Lewes
The Rev. Canon Mark Harris, Associate of Saint Peter’s Church, Lewes
The Rev. Earl Beshears, Rector of Saint Paul’s Church, Georgetown
The Rev. Rita Nelson, Rector of Saint Philip’s Church, Laurel (retired)
Supported by The Rev. John Barton, Priest-in-charge of Saint John’s Church, Milton and The Rev. E. Perren Hayes, retired
WHEREAS the annual Diocesan Convention is an opportunity for all of the people and congregations within the Diocese to come together and celebrate our common life in Christ; and
WHEREAS the Constitution and Canons specify no particular time of the year to hold the annual Diocesan Convention (See Canon 1); and
WHEREAS The Book of Common Prayer (1979, page 265), describes Lent as “a season of penitence and fasting,” observed with the spiritual practices of “self-examination and repentance; prayer, fasting and self denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word;” and
WHEREAS the season of Lent would seem incongruous to the tone of celebration at an Annual Diocesan Convention; and,
WHEREAS most active congregations have considerable additional seasonal programming with supplementary worship services and Lenten Study groups; therefore
BE IT RESOLVED that the 225th Diocesan Convention urges the Bishop and the Diocesan Council to refrain from scheduling the Annual Diocesan Convention during the season of Lent except in time of extreme and profound urgency.
Wanted: The Best Possible People
by Rufus Miller, Secretary of the Convention
The Diocesan Nominating Committee will soon begin its work to identify individuals for leadership roles in preparation for our 226th convention. You or someone you know might want to serve on one of the following:
- The Standing Committee handles matters of the clergy and ecclesiastical authority
- The Trustees of the Diocese provide financial, custodial, trust, and investment services for the diocese.
- The Constitution and Canons Committee deals with all matters relating to the constitution and canons of the diocese.
- The Trial Court deals with the adjudication of ecclesiastical matters.
- The Diocesan Council is responsible for program and budget for the work and mission of the diocese.
- Click here to see photos and short descriptions of the nominees who ran for office in 2010.
OUR 2009 CONVENTION
2009 Convention
Being Good Stewards,
Being God’s Stewards
The 224th Convention of the Diocese of Delaware was hosted by Christ Church Christiana Hundred, Wilmington on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28, 2009.
Resolutions Passed at the 224th Convention
Click here to see the resolutions.
Annual Reports
Click here to see the annual reports of the diocese, including the Narrative Budget.
Election Results, March 28, 2009
Constitution & Canons:
- Ms. Peggy Ann Delaplane, St. Barnabas Church, Wilmington
Trial Court:
- Ms. Diane Clarke Streett, Sts. Andrew & Matthew, Wilmington
Bishop & Council:
- Click here to read short biographies and see photographs of those elected to Council in 2009.
- Those elected were:
- The Rev. Juan V. George. Trinity Parish & the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington
- The Rev. Anna M. Waid, Grace Church, Wilmington
- Mr. Timothy Koob, Cathedral Church of St. John
- Ms. Ginny Wingate, St. Anne’s Church, Middletown
- Ms. Sandra Janowski, Christ Church, Delaware City
- Ms. Sue Welles, Immanuel Church Highlands
Trustees:
- Ms. Janet Todd, St. Thomas’s Parish, Newark
Standing Committee:
- The Rev. Jeffrey Austin Ross, St. Peter’s Church, Lewes
- Ms. Saundra Ross Johnson, Sts. Andrew & Matthew, Wilmington
List of the diocesan offices filled and the nominees. (revised 3/4/09)
General Convention 2009