The 150th Annual Diocesan Convention is less than 6 months away! With the onset of summer, that six months from a practical standpoint is actually less than six months. There is a lot of work and preparation that is going into this Convention. Plans for this event have been developing for most of the past year – since the February 2023 Convention adjourned!
There are multiple groups that have been hard at work meeting, discussing, and planning what the 150th Annual Diocesan Convention will look like. Convention any year is a large undertaking, but when you are marking the 150th, there is an opportunity to plan for the enormity of the occasion. You have been hearing about some of the work throughout the year in The VOICE Online.
So, who has been working on Convention so far?
150th Anniversary Committee – This committee is developing a series of programs and events for the 2024-2025 program year. Convention is serving as one of the tent-pole events for this Committee, and along with the Bishop they developed the theme of this year’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, which also serves as the theme for Convention itself: Diocese of Newark: Yesterday, Today & Forever – Learning Our Past, Embracing Our Present and Inviting You into Our Future. They are going to announce soon the plans for the whole year.
Arrangements Committee – This Committee of the Convention is the group of volunteers that works closely with the Bishop’s Staff to plan and execute the event. From the registration of Deputies, to hospitality, to event logistics that support the behind-the-scenes portions of the agenda, the Arrangements Committee has been working throughout the year to increase the overall size of the Committee and to optimize how they themselves operate. They are always looking for more volunteers to get involved.
Diocesan Youth Commission – This group has been working to develop, in conjunction with Cross Roads, an event for youth to run parallel to the Convention at the hotel. It will begin on Thursday evening and run through the end of Convention. Youth will be able to gather, have fun making new friends, learn more about the church, and meet with the Bishop and other church leaders to gain a better understanding of what it means to be an Episcopalian, and to explore their own faith.
Liturgy & Worship Committee – This committee works to develop the integral heart of our gathering as a community. Transforming a hotel ballroom into a space for worship is not an easy feat, but the Liturgy & Worship Committee brings together various talented musicians, choirs and all the “smells and bells” that are always a highlight for anyone who attends the Convention weekend. The service of Holy Eucharist is mandated in the Diocesan Constitution – originally, it had to take place prior to the beginning of business sessions. A few years ago, Convention modified that requirement to mean that the service must be part of the agenda for the Convention, which allowed us to move the main service to Saturday morning, an open the invitation to the entire diocese for this primary diocesan service.
Together with the Bishop and her Staff, all these committees have had liaisons working in between them, sharing and coordinating their efforts. Each one is working towards making the 150th Convention of the Diocese of Newark something special to remember. We hope to see you there!
