On November 12, 1874 the 1st Annual Convention was held at Grace Church in Newark. In attendance was a gathering of clergy and laity from the 64 established congregations across northern New Jersey. It was a small but mighty gathering that laid the foundation for who we the Diocese of Newark are today. One would think that 149 past Conventions would mean that this year’s event would require little planning, yet here we are hard at work creating an amazing experience for all who will attend.
To many this year's Convention will be remarkably like the many they have attended in the past. It will be held in the familiar ballroom of the Hilton Meadowlands in East Rutherford with our very own John King sitting on the dais orchestrating the many parts of the Convention meeting, while deputies and clergy sit throughout the room listening and sharing ideas. It is what we all expect to see at Convention and will gladly be a key part once again. Yet this year, just as those in the past, minor changes have been happening throughout the past year and a half to ensure that everyone’s experiences are smooth, meaningful, and of course faith-driven.
With the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the diocese, this year's Convention will also welcome the Sesquicentennial Celebration Committee as they take us on a journey on who we were, who we are, and who we are looking to be. As they say it takes a village to raise a child, for us it takes a diocese to hold a Convention.
We hope that everyone has the opportunity to experience this year’s Convention and join us in the celebration of 150 years of our diocese. It has been a long journey to get us here and generations of hardworking lay and clergy to thank for this. So compared to the 1st Convention, this year it will be quite different in many ways, but the foundation will be the same – lay and clergy together electing those that will hold office, voting on resolutions and the budget, and celebrating our faith as we do best with song and praise.
