As the fall season begins, preparations are under way for Diocesan Convention, meeting Friday – Saturday, Nov. 30 – Dec. 1 meeting of Diocesan Convention at the Ontario Convention Center.
Bishop John Harvey Taylor will convene the annual meeting under the theme “Come Home, EDLA”(for “Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles”). He has underscored three dimensions of home:
“Reconciliation and unity in our diocesan family amid a renewed sense of common purpose under Christ and our commitment to financial transparency;
“Our shared work of envisioning our places of worship and ministry as sacramental communities of connection and refreshment — base camps for accomplishing God’s work of justice and #BelovedCommunity-building;
“Recognizing that, like our Lord, our homeless and housing-insecure siblings, as well as our scapegoated immigrant worker siblings and their families, often have nowhere to lay their heads, which also calls us to ministries of welcome, hospitality, sustainability, and justice.”
Preparing for convention: deadlines, assemblies and youth corps training
Secretary of Convention Steve Nishibayashi has announced dates for filing audit reports and proposed legislation.
Approaching deadlines include:
- Sept. 21: Proposing resolutions;
- Oct. 15: Nominations to diocesan offices;
- Oct. 20: Filing opposing explanations to resolutions;
- Nov. 4: Reports of work and youth participant registration.
Information and necessary forms will be available after Sept. 12 on the newly redesigned convention website, accessible through the diocesan website at www.ladiocese.org.
Young people in grades 9 – 12 may apply to join the 50-member convention youth corps. The youth are essential to the smooth running of the annual convention, serving in a variety of capacities; security, staffing microphones, errands, distributing materials, and more. During the event they are housed on site, chaperoned and provided with meals and snacks.
In addition, each of the diocese’s 10 deaneries is allowed one youth delegate to the convention, with seat, voice and vote.
Youth volunteers must attend a training session on Saturday, Oct. 27, 12 – 2 p.m., at the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles 90026. Lunch will be provided; transportation may also be arranged if needed. (Note that the date is about two weeks earlier than in previous years.)
A $125 fee per youth will cover a portion of hotel and meal costs. For information about being a delegate or part of the youth presence, click here.
Delegates, clergy and all other interested church members should mark their calendars for the pre-convention deanery assemblies, which will take place during the first three weekends of November. One or more members of a team including the bishops, canon to the ordinary, chief financial officer and treasurer will attend each meeting. Deanery assembly dates are:
Deanery 1
Saturday, November 10, 9 a.m – 12 p.m.
St. Paul’s Church, Ventura
Deanery 2
Saturday November 17, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
St. Stephen’s Church, Santa Clarita
Deanery 3
Saturday November 10, 10 a.m.
St. Thomas’ Church, Los Angeles
Deanery 4
Saturday November 3, 10 a.m.
La Magdalena Church, Glendale
Deaneries 5 & 6
Sunday November 18, 3 p.m.
Church of the Ascension, Sierra Madre
Deanery 7
Saturday November 3, 10 a.m.
Trinity Church, Redlands
Deanery 8
Sunday November 11, 2:30 – 4 p.m.
Christ Church, Redondo Beach
Deaneries 9 & 10
Saturday November 17, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Trinity Church, Orange.
