Creating a Shared Future: Updates from Diocesan Convention

Last weekend was a busy one for some of us at Epiphany. Not only did we have our own stewardship friendship dinner on Saturday evening but also had to attend our annual diocesan convention in Tucson. For our delegates, wardens, and clergy, it meant that we had a full weekend of activity, and as one of those who traveled back for the stewardship dinner, I can honestly say that it was a very busy weekend! I am thankful for our delegates and wardens who also attended both events and helped us to celebrate the Body of Christ that is the Diocese of Arizona and the member of that same body called Epiphany-Tempe.

Diocesan Convention is, most years, an event that is filled with gathering together to celebrate what the Holy Spirit is doing in our midst. It is also a time in which we, as a body united under the authority of our Bishop, make decisions for the future we will inhabit in the coming year. We vote on resolutions, elect people to offices, pass a diocesan budget, and propose new business for the diocese to consider at the following convention. Today, I would like to provide you with a brief summary of what took place at diocesan convention, and I invite you to reach out to your delegates who voted on your behalf at convention with your questions.

The Diocesan Budget

Each year, the budget is presented to the diocese several weeks prior to the convening of the business meeting of diocesan convention. This year was no different. As with a parish annual meeting, it is rather challenging to change the budget once we have gotten into the business meeting because of the way that our budgets are balanced on a knife’s edge with the hope of the budget being a flat budget of income over expenses.

That said, it is not impossible for changes to be made to the budget. And this year, we did that with one notable change to the mission share rebate and the establishment of a new ministry at the bishop’s office. During the business meeting, a proposal was made to amend the budget by decreasing the mission share rebate paid to congregations who pay their mission share on time each month. The rebate was reduced from 1.25% of mission share to a 1% rebate. The $40,000 retained by the diocese is to be used to create a strategy and office for Black Ministries as part of the Bishop’s ministry in our diocese.

The convention voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal thus changing the mission share rebate for the next 12 month cycle beginning January 1.

Resolutions Passed by Diocesan Convention

This year, diocesan convention considered five different resolutions. It would be fair to characterize all of the resolutions as resolutions seeking justice for different groups within the diocese. I invite you to read the language of the resolutions (all passed by the convention) here: https://azdiocese.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-Resolutions-Master.pdf.

Of the five resolutions that were passed, three of them have direct impact on either our congregation as a whole or on individuals serving our congregation.

The first that has immediate impact to our parish is the resolution on creation care. This resolution called on congregations to find a way to pray for the care of creation on a weekly basis within our worship. The easiest way to do this is through the Prayers of the People, which we do already at Epiphany. Other ways to do this are by using the other resources identified in the resolution for praying for the care of creation. For the time being, we will continue our practice of praying for the care of creation within the prayers of the people.

The second that has immediate impact on people serving our congregations is a resolution seeking to protect LGBTQ+ clergy who are married (or as in my case, about to be married). The resolution seeks to protect clergy in the event that the law of the land changes either by judicial or legislative action. It does this by abrogating the ways that Title IV canons can be used in regards to consensual same-sex couples (which is inclusive of all persons who identify as LGBTIQ+) and by providing the same benefits to same-sex clergy as their heterosexual counterparts. This resolution passed convention with a small group of dissenting voices.

The final resolution that has immediate impact to our parish is a resolution that seeks to extend to our deacons some of the benefits offered through the Church Pension Group. Because deacons have been nonstipendiary (meaning they do not get paid for their ministry in a parish), they have not been able to qualify for certain benefits other clergy are able to take advantage of like our employee assistance program, clergy health retreats, financial planning resources, and our 403b plan available to other clergy to save for retirement. (The 403b plan is distinct from the defined pension benefit.) The convention passed this resolution which requires parishes to compensate deacons a minimal amount each month ($25 per month) and to pay the corresponding 18% pension benefit for those deacons. The total per month cost to a congregation comes out to $29.50. By doing this, we are providing our deacons with access to meaningful retirement resources that they have not had access to in the past.

The final two resolutions passed by convention, however, should not be overlooked by our congregation as they are invitations to create a more just and loving future. One of those resolutions formerly creates a standing ministry for LGBTQIA+ people within the diocese by creating a formal committee of persons to focus on this work. At some point, people will be invited to join that committee should they be interested in participating in a ministry of welcome and hospitality for LGBTQIA+ people in our church.

The final resolution that was passed by convention is an important one for our diocese and is an adoption of a resolution passed at General Convention earlier this past summer. Titled “Telling the Truth about The Episcopal Church's History with Indigenous Boarding Schools,” the resolution charges this diocese to do its own work in telling the story of indigenous boarding schools within the diocese and how The Episcopal Church supported those schools in its past. It is a resolution that is seeking to enter into repentance for the sins of years in the past while also seeking a way towards reconciliation with members of indigenous tribes in our diocese. It would be unwise for us to think that this is the only thing we will need to do to restore right relationship with our indigenous siblings as that will require much deeper and intentional work on our part, but it is also good that we are taking some first steps in recognizing the awful history of indigenous boarding schools and how our church helped make that history possible.

In the paragraphs above, I have offered my perspective on the actions of diocesan convention, but it is only one perspective! I encourage you to reach out to those who represented Epiphany at convention to get their perspective: Mary O’Grady, Steve Geislinger, Val Bauer, Stanlie James, Carmen Valenzuela, Deacon Martha Seaman, and Cassandra Swick. I am certain that they will have a unique perspective on the happenings of convention and will add to what I have written here.

Let us pray.

“O GRACIOUS Father, we humbly beseech thee for thy holy Catholic Church; that thou wouldst be pleased to fill it with all truth, in all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, establish it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of him who died and rose again, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.” 1928 Book of Common Prayer

In Christ,

Hunter+