Annual Convention of the Diocese of Olympia
Convention 2013
Our 2013 convention is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, November 8-9, at the Hotel Murano & attached Bicentennial Pavilion in Tacoma. For those who remember, this is the old Sheraton Tacoma where we have held convention in past years. The group rate of $139 single/double includes WiFi and one overnight self-parking pass per room. The cutoff for hotel reservations is October 24, 2013. Reserve your room online or call 888-862-3255.
Commuters: Onsite parking is $15 per day; consider taking advantage of complimentary daytime parking at the Tacoma Dome Station, and riding the Tacoma Light Link Rail (which is also complimentary) to the corner of Commerce & 15th St.
Resolutions are statements that reflect the mind of the Diocese on a host of matters from social issues to business practices adopted through the legislative process. Any Convention member may submit a resolution for consideration by the Convention. It is recommended that each Convention resolution be submitted with the endorsement of a congregation and/or regional ministry, or the endorsement of a diocesan commission, committee or program. Resolution Guidelines.
Elections at the 2013 convention include the following positions: Standing Committee – one lay position; one clergy position. Cathedral Vestry – one position open to lay or clergy. Based on convention action in 2011, the restructured Diocesan Council has 20 members serving staggered terms, with two (one clergy and one lay) representing each of the 10 regions, plus the bishop. The 2013 Convention will elect 7 members to the Diocesan Council; all for three-year terms. 2013 positions open on Diocesan Council:
• Be Attitudes – clergy position.
• Evergreen – clergy position.
• Rainier – clergy position.
• Willapa – clergy position.
• Holy C – lay position.
• Mount Baker – lay position.
• Peninsula – lay position.
Information from the Nominations Committee and Position Descriptions
The 2013 convention will also elect our deputies to the 2015 General Convention in Salt Lake City, where our next presiding bishop will be elected. A full description of the work of the General Convention and the role of deputies is provided in document B.2. This fall may seem early for this election, but the national canons require deputations be elected at least 12 months in advance of the event, so waiting until the fall of 2014 is too late for our diocese. We will elect 4 clergy deputies, 4 lay deputies, 4 clergy alternates, and 4 lay alternates. GC Position Description.
Spring 2013 Regional Meetings
Eastside: Saturday, May 11, 9-11 am, Good Samaritan, Sammamish
Columbia: Saturday, May 18, 9:30-11:30 am, St. Stephen, Longview
Rainier: Sunday, May 19, 1:30 pm, St. Luke, Tacoma
Willapa: Sunday, May 19, 2-4 pm, St. Mark, Montesano
Evergreen: Sunday, June 2, 2 pm, St. Matthew/San Mateo, Auburn
Peninsula: Sunday, June 2, 2:30-4:30 pm, St. Bede, Port Orchard
Holy C: Wednesday, June 5, 7-8:30 pm, St. Mark's Cathedral, Skinner Hall
Be Attitudes: Wednesday, June 12, 7 pm, Church of the Redeemer, Kenmore
Sno Isle: Saturday, June 15, 10 am-12 pm, St. John, Snohomish
Mount Baker: Saturday, June 15, 11 am-2 pm, St. Paul, Mount Vernon
Fall 2013 Pre-Convention Gatherings
Be Attitudes & Holy C: Saturday, October 5, 9 am, George Community Center, Lake City
Columbia & Willapa: Saturday, October 5, 10 am, St. Stephen, Longview
Mount Baker & Sno Isle: Saturday, October 5, 11 am-2 pm, St. Paul, Mount Vernon
Convention 2012 Wrap-Up
Our 2012 convention was held Friday-Saturday, November 9-10, at the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center, SeaTac.
Results of elections, and action on resolutions and changes to the Constitution and Canons are below. These full documents, plus additional convention documents, are linked in the side bar.
Elections
Standing Committee Clergy: Jane Maynard, Christ Church, Tacoma
Standing Committee Lay: Alice Reid, St. Thomas, Medina
Cathedral Vestry: Mike Jackson
Diocesan Council
Be Attitudes Clergy: R.C. Laird, St. Luke, Seattle
Columbia Clergy: Jaime Case, St. Luke, Vancouver
Eastside Clergy: Lex Breckinridge, St. Thomas, Medina
Eastside Lay: Sunshine Pegues, Good Samaritan, Sammamish
Evergreen Clergy: Bonnie Malone, St. George, Maple Valley
Evergreen Lay: Nadine Baxter, St. Matthew/San Mateo, Auburn
Holy C Clergy: James Thibodeaux, St. Peter, Seattle
Holy C Lay: Marie Cain, Ascension, Seattle
Mt Baker Clergy: Jonathan Weldon, St. Paul, Bellingham
Mt Baker Lay: Betty Anne McCoy, Christ Church, Anacortes
Peninsula Clergy: Dennis Tierney, St. Barnabas, Bainbridge Island
Peninsula Lay: Sue Clary, St. Luke, Sequim
Rainier Lay: Charlotte Brown, St. Joseph-St. John, Lakewood
Sno Isle Clergy: Rilla Barrett, Our Saviour, Monroe
Sno Isle Lay: Denice Patrick, St. Hilda-St. Patrick, Edmonds
Willapa Lay: Susan Rolfe, St. Andrew, Aberdeen
Resolutions
Resolution #1 - 2014 Diocesan Assessment Rate: Adopted.
Resolution #2 - Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2013: Adopted.
Resolution #3 - Achieving Healthcase Parity: Adopted.
Resolution #4 - How What We Do Affects or Involves People Living in Poverty: Adopted.
Resolution #5 - Modify Capital Campaign Purpose: Adopted.
Constitution & Canons
Constitution, Article XIV, Section 2 (Nominations and Elections): Adopted, second reading.
Constitution, Article XV (Admission of New Parishes and Missions): Referred to the Bishop and Standing Committee for study and recommendation as to the number of adult communicants required to form a parish.
Canon 4 (Committees of Convention): Adopted.
Canon 9 (Rectors, Parishes and Vestries) Adopted.
Canon 10 (Parish Registers and Parochial Reports): Adopted.
Canon 11 (Missions): Adopted.
Canon 18 (Pensions) Adopted.
Canon 19 (Regional Ministries): Amendment to change "fortnight" to "14 days" failed; adopted as written.
