187th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana

WELCOME LETTER FROM BISHOP DUCKWORTH

 

Dear Friends in Christ,

I am delighted to once again bring our diocesan leaders together for fellowship, reflection, requisite business, and celebration at the 187th Annual Convention of The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. This year’s theme, Hope is Here, invites us to remember that hope thrives through Jesus and that God is always active in our lives and working towards peace in our world.

The “here” part of Hope is Here challenges us. It requires us to live out hope, not as a vague theory, but as an active truth, right where we are — in our personal lives, civic lives, and faith lives. This enduring multidimensional hope knows that no matter how daily life seems to be going for us as individuals or as a community, God’s insistence on helping us transform the world is resolute.

I am excited to share all that is being planned under this theme. In addition to Convention business, events will include various break-out session workshops, ministry presentations, and a spirited reception featuring our priest-led bands battling it out! By allowing our theme to inform all aspects of our time at Convention, my hope is that we will be inspired to bring this affirming message back with us into our churches and ministries long after this physical gathering has ended.

In conclusion, I am grateful for all those in the diocese who are planning this important event; I am particularly appreciative for the leaders of Episcopal School of Baton Rouge for hosting Convention on their beautiful campus. I invite us all to experience what grows when we cultivate and live out the extraordinary message Hope is Here.

Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Shannon Rogers Duckworth
Bishop of Louisiana 

Date and Location

The 187th Annual Convention will be held October 25-26, 2024 at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, 3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70816. Click here for directions.

Check in will begin on Friday at 11:30 a.m with the Call to Order at 1:30 p.m.

https://www.edola.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Campus-Map-2024-with-Front-of-Property-Parking-Marked.pdf

 2024 Convention Campus Map Downloadable PDF

Business at Convention

If you have any questions about the business at Convention, contact Tamika Gerhardt, Chair of the Dispatch of Business, at tgerhardt@edola.org.

Download the Rules of Order of the Convention

View the Order of Business Here

 

Friday, October 25

Saturday, October 26

Upcoming Deadlines

08/26:              Registration Opens
09/26:              Regsistration Closes
10/25-26:         187th Annual Convention

Nominations to Elected Offices

We seek people interested in serving in leadership positions in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. Read below for offices to be held by election at the upcoming 187th Annual Convention.

The nominations for elected offices close on September  26, 2024.

For questions or assistance: Contact Tamika Gerhardt at tgerhardt@edola.org

Nomination Form HERE

Secretary of the Diocese - 1 to be elected

Duties: The Secretary serves as Secretary of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana and The Convention. It shall be their duty to give timely notice of all annual and special meetings of The Convention, to prepare the list of lay members of The Convention, to record and publish the proceedings of The Convention, to preserve its journals and records, to attest, as occasion may require, its public proceedings, and faithfully to deliver into the hands of his successor all books and papers in his possession relative to the concerns of The Diocese and of The Convention. (See Canon 3)

Term: One year (term to expire 2025)

Nominee- 1 to be elected

Treasurer of the Diocese - 1 to be elected

Duties: The Treasurer is elected by The Convention. The duty of the Treasurer to receive and disburse the funds of The Diocese in accordance with the annual budget. The Treasurer shall make an annual report to The Convention of all sums received and disbursed during the preceding year and shall include in such report a statement of the condition of the assets of each Parish and Diocesan Mission with regard to its annual financial commitment to The Diocese for the work of the Church. (See Canon 3)

Term: One year (term to expire 2025)

Nominee- 1 to be elected

Standing Committee

Duties: The work of the Standing Committee, as set forth in Canon 4, Section 3, of the Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana, “shall be to fulfill all functions required of it by the Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church and of The Diocese and to act as a council of advice for The Bishop.” The Standing Committee works with the Commission on Ministry to ensure the canons are followed in regard to the ordination process. This includes interviews with candidates throughout their ordination process. The Standing Committee also processes requests from other dioceses for consent to the election of bishops. The Standing Committee oversees the election process should there be an election for Bishop. The Standing Committee also is required to approve transactions involving any immovable property held in the name of the Diocese. Meetings are held as necessary, with required attendance at the Ministry Conference in January.

Standing Committee members will be most effective if they work will with others, understand and appreciate the complexity of ministry, possess an understanding of sound business practices, and have a deep love of the Lord and of the Church.

Term: Four years (term to expire 2028)

Clerical Nominees –

Lay Nominees –

Executive Board

Duties: The Executive Board shall have charge of the development and prosecution of the work of the Church, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and Canons of the Diocese and to the direction of The Convention. It shall have the power and authority to implement and carry out the programs and policies adopted by The Convention and to act for The Convention between meetings thereof, except where the authority is reserved to the Standing Committee. The Bishop shall be the executive head of all such work, and the Board shall assist the Bishop in the administration thereof. (See Canon 7.1)

Term: Three years (term to expire 2027)

Clerical Nominees –

Lay Nominees –

Disciplinary Board

Duties and Eligibility: There shall be a Disciplinary Board consisting of nine persons, five of whom shall be Priests or Deacons canonically resident in The Diocese and four of whom shall be lay persons who are adult confirmed communicants in good standing of a Parish or Mission in union with The Convention of The Diocese. No member of the Executive Board, the Standing Committee or The Bishop’s staff shall be eligible elected or serve as a member of the Board. No Chancellor or Vice-chancellor of The Diocese and no person serving as Advisor, Conciliator, Church Attorney, Intake Officer or Investigator shall be eligible to be elected or serve as a member of the Board.

Term: Three years. Terms shall be staggered so that one-third of the Board is reelected each year. A member of the Board shall not serve for longer than two successive three-year terms, but shall be eligible for election to the Board after having been a non-member for one Convention year. Each term shall run until the conclusion of the annual meeting of The Convention held three years following the date of the member’s election. (term to expire 2027)

Clerical Nominees

Sewanee Board of Trustees

Duties: The University of the South has, as part of its governing system, two boards —— the Board of Reagents and the Board of Trustees. The Board of Regents is somewhat like a vestry, and handles much of the fiduciary responsibility of the school. The Board of Trustees, on the other hand, is a board of people that are interested in promoting the University and its Seminary. In turn, they are to be agents of information for those in their dioceses. The annual meeting of the Board of Trustees usually occurs in late October, when new members are installed , when honorary degrees are given, and the business of the board occurs. Each diocese has one clerical and two lay representatives. The by-laws of the university do stipulate that some actions of the Regents must be approved by the Trustees.

Term: The term is for three years. (Term begins October 2025 and term ends October 2028)

Clerical Nominees 

Resolutions

Convention rules require resolutions to be submitted to the Committee on Dispatch of Business 30 days prior to Convention or else receive the consent of two-thirds of the members of Convention to be moved from the floor. The deadline for submitting resolutions is September 26, 2024.

Resolution Form HERE

Courtesy Resolutions

Resolutions submitted for consideration at the 187th Annual Convention

Amendments to the Diocesan Constitution & Canons submitted for consideration at the 187th Annual Convention

 

Budget Documents

Click the toggles below to view the budget documents for the 187th Annual Convention. If you have any questions, please contact Chris Speed, Diocesan Administrator, at cspeed@edola.org.

Action at Convention

2025 Budget Documents for Approval at Convention

Please review the 2025 documents for approval at Convention.

2023 Budget Unaudited Documents for Review

Please review the 2023 end-of-year unaudited financial documents.

Reports to Convention

Diocesan boards, committees, and commissions are asked to submit annual reports to Convention by September 26, 2024. Please email reports to Tamika Gerhardt at tgerhardt@edola.org.

Submit Reports HERE

Read the Reports to Convention

Reports from Committees, Boards, and Commission will be available soon.

Speakers and Breakout Session

Holy Eucharist

Convention Eucharist will be held on Friday. All members of the diocese are welcome to attend. Clergy will vest.

Pre-Convention Meeting

Pre-Convention Meeting will be held on Oct. 16, 2024 at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 

Register for Convention

People of the diocese are invited to attend the 187th Annual Convention. Registration is required. The cost is $80 per person.

Note to delegates: Voting will be conducted electronically via Election Runner. Each delegate will need access to their own email to vote using their own smartphone or tablet.

CLERGY & DELEGATE REGISTRATION HERE

ALTERNATE, VENDOR & GUEST REGISTRATION HERE

Vendor information

The exhibitors will be located in the sizeable hall space between the Break Out Session Rooms.

Cost: Any ministry affiliated with the diocese may register a table at no cost. Exhibitors that do not fall into this category will be charged a $50 fee.

Setup time: Friday, October 26 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Questions: Contact Grace Rose at grose@edola.org with any questions.

Registration is required. The cost is $50 per person.

Hotel block

Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel
7000 Bluebonnet Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70810
(225) 388-5731

Click HERE to reserve a room ($153 per night)

Necrology From

Please include the full name of any priest, former diocesan officer, and/or lay delegate from your congregation who has passed away since the last meeting of the Diocesan Convention on October 28, 2023.

Names will be read during Convention prayers.

Submissions are due by September 26, 2024

Submit Names HERE

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