All Things Convention
September 25 |
|
|
Dear Rectors, Parish Administrators, Communicators, Wardens, Governance, and Area Missioners:
Convention 2014 is one like never before. Over the course of two days, five different events will occur. Your planning committee has put together some materials to help everyone navigate through exciting and busy times for our diocese. The body of this email contains much - but not all - of the information attached in the PDFs below.
Because of all the new or one-time events, we have opened up registration early for convention and for the dinner hosted by the capital campaign and encourage you to talk advantage of the cost savings associated with registering early. (www.edsd.org/diocon2014) As you work through this information, feel free to spread the word by using excerpts from this email and attached material far and wide in your parish. A couple of flyers, a booklet containing this material and other tools are also attached to make getting the word out easier for you. The Save the Date flyers are updated with correct information. Please replace any posters/flyers you may have with these that are attached.
Please let me know if you have questions or need assistance. Okay, let's get started with an Overview.
Overview
Convention 2014 is one like never before. Over the course of two days, five different events will occur.
On Friday, February 21, the day begins early at 8am when buses leave the hotel for the 9am hospitality and dedication of the Episcopal Church Center in Ocean Beach by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori. This will be the first diocesan center for our rather young diocese. After the dedication, people will return to the DoubleTree Hotel, Hazard Center where two workshops and budget and resolution hearings will take place, followed by the opening of the convention. That evening the capital campaign invites all members of the diocese to a celebration of the 40th anniversary and the kickoff of the capital campaign, Build the Serving Church. It is common practice for capital campaigns to host dinners to honor the members of the diocese and to celebrate special celebrations such as anniversaries and kickoff events.
Saturday, February 22 begins with hospitality at St. Paul's Cathedral followed by the Convention Eucharist with Jefferts Schori presiding and celebrating. Afterwards, it's back to the DoubleTree Hotel (7450 Hotel Circle, San Diego) for lunch, five more workshops concluding with convention business, including the election of deputies to the next triennial gathering (General Convention) of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Complimentary bus transportation to and from the DoubleTree Hotel can be reserved during online registration and will be provided for both the Friday dedication of the Episcopal Church Center and the Saturday convention Eucharist at St. Paul's Cathedral.
Extensive planning is underway to prepare for this most unusual set of occasions and the following guidelines are offered to assist congregations in preparing for and participating in these momentous events. New systems and tools are being launched to assure that all participants can fully enjoy all the events and to increase efficiencies.
Following are opportunities for congregations to be a part of these exciting events.
New Tools
Your planning committee is making a significant effort to engage new and emerging technologies to improve communications and processes associated with the annual convention.
A diocesan mobile app is available for download. Take out your mobile phone and simply type www.edsd.org in the url line and voila, the diocesan mobile site appears. There is general information on this site as well as a page dedicated to Convention. The full convention booklet will appear on this site by February 15. The pre-convention booklet will be posted here early January. These resources will also be available on the full website and at convention.
Registration
Registration for all events will be online under two buttons (www.edsd.or/diocon2014). One button will register you for convention business, delegates, visitors, workshops, bus transportation. The second button will register you for the hosted gala dinner.
Congregations are encouraged to assist their respective members who are not computer comfortable or who may not have access to a computer in completing or submitting registrations. If this assistance is not available in congregations, people may call Bobbi Hoff at 619-481-5454 and register by telephone.
Following is the registration schedule.
Early Bird Registration Sep 1 - Oct 31 $65
Registration Nov 1 - Dec 31 $75
Late registration Jan 1 - Feb 15 $95
To encourage early registrations at the $65 rate, congregations, upon request may be invoiced for clergy and lay delegates. The Registration Schedule will appear on all invoices. The online registration system is time sensitive and will only honor the registration fee amounts assigned to each time frame. Dinner, workshop and bus transportation reservations should be made at the same time as convention registration.
Even though the gala dinner is a gift from the Capital Campaign, you still need to register for it (www.edsd.org/diocon2014). You will need to download your dinner ticket in advance. Be sure to bring it with you to the dinner! Likewise, parking for a throng at the Episcopal Church Center and at St. Paul's Cathedral is spotty at best. You are strongly encouraged to park at the DoubleTree Hotel, Hazard Center and take the bus to Ocean Beach on Friday and to the Cathedral on Saturday. It will be fun!
Congregations will also have the opportunity to underwrite convention activities by purchasing advertising during registration on line which will appear in a special convention edition of The Messenger.
Workshops
This year's workshops are designed to reflect the themes of the convention: strengthen congregations, mentor clergy and form disciples. Typical workshops focused on financing and administration will be available in a spring 2014 Ministry Day scheduled for March 15, 2014 at St. Bartholomew's, Poway.
Here's the lineup and the workshop presenters for Convention 2014.
Friday, February 21, 2014
The Episcopal Church: If You Come Here, You Will Grow led by the Rev. Dr. Jay Sidebotham, Director, Renewal Works and past associate rector, St. James Parish, Wilmington, NC
Over ten years ago, Willow Creek, a large, non-denominational church, researched what was happening in the spiritual lives of congregants (and especially why many of them were stalled, dissatisfied, and ready to leave). The research indicated a spiritual continuum, in which people move to deeper and closer discipleship of Christ. It identified catalysts that seem to contribute to that kind of movement. It painted a picture of spiritual vitality that included the church's role, but also individual spiritual practices and service. In recent years, an effort has begun to apply that research and translate the learning to the Episcopal context. RenewalWorks is working with Episcopal congregations, to get a snapshot of members' spiritual beliefs and practices, and then to chart a course forward through a series of workshops.
Flower Arranging and Centerpiece Design led by Beth Bojarski, executive director of Camp Stevens and Coreen Walsh, agro-ecology program developer
Did you know you can make a theological and ecological statement by making intentional choices about the flowers and plants in and outside your church? Altar flowers, centerpieces, gardens and landscaping provide an opportunity to partner with and honor creation and your native ecosystem. Join Coreen Walsh, Camp Stevens Agro-Ecology Program Developer, and Beth Bojarski, Camp Stevens Executive Director, for this hands-on workshop rich with conversation.
Budget and Resolution Hearings
Saturday, February 22, 2014
The Episcopal Church: If You Come Here, You Will Grow led by the Rev. Dr. Jay Sidebotham, Director, Renewal Works and past associate rector, St. James Parish, Wilmington, NC
Over ten years ago, Willow Creek, a large, non-denominational church, researched what was happening in the spiritual lives of congregants (and especially why many of them were stalled, dissatisfied, and ready to leave). The research indicated a spiritual continuum, in which people move to deeper and closer discipleship of Christ. It identified catalysts that seem to contribute to that kind of movement. It painted a picture of spiritual vitality that included the church's role, but also individual spiritual practices and service. In recent years, an effort has begun to apply that research and translate the learning to the Episcopal context. RenewalWorks is working with Episcopal congregations, to get a snapshot of members' spiritual beliefs and practices, and then to chart a course forward through a series of workshops.
The Liturgy for Holy Week: Embracing the Ancient in Modern Worship led by the Diocesan Liturgy Team
The drama of Holy Week is the pinnacle of the Church Year climaxing at Easter, the foundation of our faith and our hope in the resurrection. The early church recognized this important and holy time and solemnly observed it through worship. In this workshop we will encounter the Holy Week traditions in the church of the 4th Century and discover how these traditions are available in our contemporary liturgy and meaningful for us today. We will embrace the Triduum, from Maundy Thursday through the Easter Vigil, as one overarching liturgy and identify ways to engage this drama at your parish, whether large or small.
Building Vital Congregations Through Evangelism: The Challenge of Our Time led by the Evangelism Committee, Joyce Justus, PhD and a panel of local experts
"For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord plans to proper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"" (Jer 29:11). A future with hope reminds us that God does have a vision and a purpose for our church and its future. Even though there is no doubt hiding it! The Elephant in the room is that the church is changing. We live in a world where the fastest growing people of belief, "in something or other," are the Spiritual but unaffiliated and the NONES. (No-religion at all). But what's new? The church is always changing. What we need, is to find ways to work within the society, within our communities to build vital congregations that are responsive to Gods call to do mission and bring people to Christ through evangelism. This workshop will consist of a distinguished panel that has made real changes that work in congregations. We will explore how to build a great Sunday school, How to set goals for your congregation, What is a vital congregation? It's not what you may think. Why developing an evangelism plan for your congregation is important and how to do it?
Serving Together: Increasing Outreach Efforts by Joining Together led by Sarah Shealy Stump, Diocesan Service Coalition convener
One church sponsors a backpack drive to send low-income kids to school ready for the new year. Lovely! But how many more children can we serve if 2, 3, 4, or 10 churches join together to collect school supplies? We have great power in our numbers! Come to this discussion-based workshop to connect with other churches around outreach efforts. Members of the EDSD Service Coalition, a group of outreach coordinators from churches throughout the diocese, will talk about how the coalition works and the ways in which we can serve together to make a greater difference in our communities.
Build the Serving Church: How will the Diocesan Capital Campaign Benefit You? Led by Jerry Campbell and the campaign executive team
The fundamental purpose of the Build the Serving Church Capital Campaign is to strengthen the congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego by enhancing the human and financial resources available for mission and ministry. This workshop, coordinated by Jerry Campbell, Capital Campaign Consultant with the Episcopal Church Foundation, and lead by various members of the Build the Serving Church leadership team will explore the four facets of the campaign and discuss how each one is designed to benefit your congregation.
It's important to indicate workshop preferences as well. You may do this as part of the online registration. The workshops are offered no extra charge to convention attendees.
Prayer Flag Project
Used for centuries as a means to promote peace, love and compassion, Prayer Flags are a universal symbol for giving visual voice to our prayers, hopes and dreams. What more fitting time for the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego to search its creative soul and pray for peace, love and compassion than during the celebration of our 40th annual gathering? Convention festivities also include the dedication of our first diocesan center, the visit of our presiding bishop and the kickoff of our capital campaign to strengthen congregations, support clergy and form disciples.
This is a call to explore and express our prayerful natures through fabric, color, words and thought. These flags will be displayed throughout the fellowship hall at the Episcopal Church Center as part of the dedication of this space as a place of gathering, learning, sharing and serving and throughout the convention. Congregations are encouraged to participate in this project in the weeks leading up to convention. For assistance, contact Ann Wilson at 858.232.476, alohafromannie@msn.com
It is our hope that each congregation will provide at least 20 prayer flags. Engage school children, small groups in your parish! This means there would be at least 800 visible creative expressions of love, peace and compassion gracing our presence throughout these festivities.
How to Make Your Own Prayer Flag
Step 1
Make a vertical rectangle out of fabric approximately 5"x 11." Then fold 3" over and attach 1" to the back of the fabric creating a sleeve to thread your flag on a string. Your flag should now be approximately 5" x 8." Depending on how much you embellish your flag, you may need to sew or glue the back flap so that it hangs properly.
Step 2
Choose a theme for your prayer, and embellish your flag with paper, painting, machine or hand stitching, embroidery, buttons, etc. You are only limited by your imagination and your stash. Examples of flags can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1715420@N23/
Step 3
Add words or journaling to your flag using free motion stitching, hand stitching or simply by writing in a permanent marker.
Step 4
Write your prayer on the back of your prayer flag, sign and date your flag and hang it outside!
Step 5
Take a photo and join the Prayer Flag project online at
http://the prayer flagproject.blogspot.com/
Dates to Remember
Following are key dates to remember leading up to the events of February 14.
October 31, 2013 Early registration ends, rate increases
December 31, 2013 Registration ends, rate increase
January 1 - February 15Late registration, rate increase
Even though there is no charge for the dinner; everyone needs to register online for the dinner. Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis
October 31, 2013 Servant Ministry Awards due to Hannah Wilder
November 1, 2013 Changes to the Constitution and Canons due to Bobbi Hoff
December 2, 2013 Resolutions and Nominations due to Bobbi Hoff
February 21, 2013 Dedication of the Episcopal Church Center, Workshops, 40th Anniversary Diocesan Convention and Capital Campaign Kick Off Dinner
February 22, 2013Convention Eucharist at St. Paul's Cathedral and Convention Workshops and Business at the Mission Valley Hilton
March 15, 2014 Ministry Day, St. Bartholomew's, Poway
February 2014 will be a grace filled and inspirational time in the life of our diocese. We will see in many dimensions the dedication, hard work and crafted design of our Mission Plan working out God's purpose and building God's Kingdom. Let's come together and celebrate our many blessings and our community in action together!
Convention Planning Committee
The Rev. Canon Allisyn Thomas
Ms. Bobbi Hoff
The Rev. Canon Brooks Mason
Ms. Catherine Campbell
Mrs. Elaine Turnbull
Mr. Greg Tuttle
Ms. Hannah Wilder
Canon Howard Smith
The Rev. Joseph Dirbas
Canon Nancy Holland
Ms. Terri Osborne
The Rev. Terry Dirbas
Ms. Vicki Kelley
For more information contact me: Nancy Holland 619.823.8998, nholland@edsd.org
Sincerely,
Nancy R. Holland
Canon for Mission Enterprise
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego
2083 Sunset Cliffs Boulevard
San Diego, CA 92107
619.823.8998 mobile
www.edsd.org/ecc
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
