This Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and 2, we will gather for our 145th Annual Diocesan Convention. It will be a Convention of many “firsts,” not the least of which are a new Bishop and a new venue. Here’s what to expect.
Live streaming
One first is that the entire Convention, from opening gavel to closing gavel, will be live streamed. The live stream will be available on the front page of the diocesan website, dioceseofnewark.org (scroll down to the “Featured Video” section) and on the diocesan YouTube channel, youtube.com/c/dionewark.
To be notified when the live stream starts each day, go to youtube.com/c/dionewark, click the red "Subscribe" button, and then click the bell next to it to turn on notifications. (See illustration at right.)
Times you might particularly want to watch are:
- 11 AM Friday – The opening Eucharist of Convention, at which Bishop Carlye Hughes will give a homily.
- 8 PM Friday (approximate) – Bishop Carlye will give the first part of her three-part Convention address at the Friday dinner.
- 9 AM Saturday – The second day of Convention will begin with a Choral Eucharist, during which Bishop Carlye will give the second part of her Convention address. (Click here to download the service bulletin.)
- 4 to 4:15 PM Saturday (approximate) – Bishop Carlye will give the third and final part of her Convention address before the close of Convention.
You can also follow announcements from Convention on the diocesan Facebook page, facebook.com/dionewark, and Instagram feed, instagram.com/dionewark. We will send out an alert on diocesan social media just before the Bishop gives each part of her address. For this Convention, there will be two official hashtags that can be used together: #dionewark145 and #giftedcalledsent.
Electronic voting
Another first will be electronic voting. Those of you who attended last year’s Convention will remember that we did a live test of the app before we committed to switching to it this year. In order to vote, Deputies will need to download the Election Runner App to your smart phone, tablet or other device:
- For Apple iOS: Search for 'Election Runner' in the app store.
- For Android: Go to play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.electionrunner.vote&hl=en
If you don’t have a smart device, you can still vote electronically – there will be a designated space with extra devices, as well as people to assist you if needed.
“Unconventional” Convention activities
Over the two days of Convention, we will explore deeply what it means to be Gifted, to be Called, and to be Sent. Continuing our practice of having “unconventional” activities beyond the usual business at Convention, we have structured three modules around practical tools you can use to help explore these three foundational concepts.
We will work individually and as small groups in “learn by doing” activities. Each convention participant will gain a broader and deeper understanding of how they are Gifted through a spiritual gifts assessment inventory. In Called, as groups and individuals, we will explore how our spiritual giftedness relates to our Baptismal Covenant and consider what that means for ourselves and our congregations. And in Sent, together we will learn how our we and our congregations can open ourselves up to broader ministry through the interactive exercise of Asset Mapping.
All these tools can be easily taken back and shared with congregations.
If you’re a Deputy who can’t be there on Friday and will miss the first module, fear not. A link to the spiritual gifts assessment inventory will be emailed to all Deputies after that module is completed at Convention. Simply watch for the email and take the assessment before coming on Saturday, as it will be useful for participating in the next two modules.
Returning favorites
There will be three Mission Minutes videos. Two draw on the photos submitted by congregations, which show a range of ministries and partnerships that are as inspiring as they are diverse. The third will present the recipients of Alleluia Fund grants in 2018, a visual demonstration of the impact we have when all we join together. All three Mission Minutes will be posted on the diocesan website and YouTube channel immediately after they are shown at Convention.
The infamous Episco Disco will be held on Friday night with music provided by a DJ.
Whether you'll be there in person or plan to watch from home, we look forward to being with you at Convention!
