August 20, 2018
Dear Clergy and Wardens of the Diocese of Louisiana,
It is my honor and privilege as your Bishop, to give you notice of the 181st Convention of the Diocese of Louisiana on October 26 & 27, 2018. Convention will be hosted by and held at St. Martin’s Episcopal School, 225 Green Acres Road, Metairie, LA 70003. Registration is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 26 at 12:00 p.m. The opening Eucharist will begin at 2:00 p.m. Committee meetings and hearings will be announced later.
Host hotels for this year’s convention are below. To receive the convention block rate, reservations must be made by October 5, 2018. Please be sure to ask for the Episcopal Diocese room block when reserving.
Hampton Inn (Elmwood) 5150 Mounes St, Harahan, LA 70123 – 504-733-5646 – $149 per night
Residence Inn (Elmwood) 1080 Elmwood Park Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70123 – 504-895-6634 – $159 per night
I call your attention to the website of the Diocese of Louisiana: www.edola.org/2018-convention. We plan to post Convention news and forms on the website, so check it often. If you have trouble accessing these documents please contact our office and we will be happy to assist you.
THE FOLLOWING FORMS ARE ENCLOSED, AND AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:
- Lay Delegates Certification: this form should be completed and returned by September 26, 2018. It must be signed by the Rector, Vicar or Chaplain. In the case where a cleric is not resident in the congregation, it needs to be signed by the Senior Warden. The Constitution is clear about the number of lay delegates to which each congregation is entitled. This form is unique for each congregation and is not available on the website.
- Registration Form: this form should be completed and returned, along with payment and Lay Delegates Certification, by September 26, 2018. Checks should be made payable to the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana with a memo of “Diocesan Convention”.
- Resolution Form: Resolutions need to be included in the packets at registration and resolutions from the floor of convention require the consent of the convention. Resolutions for consideration by Convention must be submitted in writing. 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. Resolutions must be received by September 26, 2018.
- The Necrology Form: this form needs to be returned by September 26, 2018, so that a list can be compiled and names read during convention prayers.
- The Nomination Form: a number of offices need to be filled. Rules of Procedure are often adopted that forbid nomination speeches from the floor. Diocesan offices to be filled by nomination include:
- Secretary of the Diocese
- Treasurer of the Diocese
- Executive Board – one Clerical Member & two Lay Members
- The Disciplinary Board – one Clerical Member & two Lay Members
- Standing Committee – one Clerical Member & one Lay Member
- Trustee – University of the South – one Lay Member
- Secretary of the Diocese
In addition to nominations submitted by the Standing Committee or Executive Board, as appropriate, delegates to Convention are welcome to submit nominations.
Only one nomination per form, please.
All of these forms are to be returned by September 26, 2018, to:
Joy Shackelford, Convention Registrar
The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
1623 Seventh Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
Convention Fees for Delegates, Alternate Delegates and Convention Guests
The registration fee for this year’s convention is $70.00 for delegates, alternate delegates, and Convention guests.
Please contact Joy Shackelford (504) 895-6634 if you have any questions regarding Convention planning or registration.
Yours in Christ,
The Rt. Rev’d Morris K. Thompson, Jr.
Bishop of Louisiana