Convention 2026: Building community through our Regional Ministry Networks

The 152nd Annual Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark will offer more than an opportunity to conduct the business of the diocese. On Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, 2026, clergy and lay leaders from across Northern New Jersey will gather at the Hilton Parsippany for two days of worship, fellowship, learning, and connection.

One of the ways that we will foster those connections will take place on Friday at lunchtime, when the Convention will dedicate the lunch hour to our Regional Ministry Networks (RMNs). Rather than simply grabbing our lunches, Convention participants will have the opportunity to come together with others from their region for fellowship, conversation, and information sharing.

Lunch With Your Regional Ministry Network

Each Regional Ministry Network will meet in separate rooms during Friday’s lunch. This format is designed to give members an opportunity to step away from the larger Convention gathering and spend meaningful time with the people and congregations who share their geographic region and ministry connections.

The Friday lunch gatherings will provide a welcoming setting to:

• Reconnect with clergy and lay leaders from neighboring congregations.
• Share news, experiences, ideas, and resources from across the region.
• Learn more about the ministries and initiatives taking place in other congregations.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration and mutual support.
• Discuss challenges and possibilities facing our local communities.
• Strengthen the relationships that make our Regional Ministry Networks an important part of diocesan life.

The emphasis will be on conversation and connection. In the midst of a busy Convention schedule, this dedicated time recognizes that some of the most valuable work of the diocese happens when people have an opportunity to sit together, share a meal, listen to one another, and imagine what we can accomplish together.

A Convention Built Around Connection

The Regional Ministry Network lunches are part of a broader effort to make the 152nd Convention a gathering that engages both the business and the life of the diocese. The 2026 Convention returns to a two-day format with an expanded array of programming, including workshops, a Convention Marketplace featuring vendors, a Friday evening dinner with a special keynote speaker, and a Saturday morning diocesan worship service open to all.

The diocese’s Regional Ministry Networks are an important expression of our commitment to strengthening relationships among congregations and leaders. The Friday lunch gathering will give those networks a prominent place in the Convention experience and create space for conversations that can continue long after the weekend concludes.

Come Ready to Share – and to Listen

Convention is about making decisions and conducting the necessary business of the diocese, but it is also about remembering that we are part of something larger than our individual congregations. The Diocese of Newark’s governance depends upon the participation of clergy and lay people alike, whose leadership and shared experience enrich the life of the Church.

The Regional Ministry Network lunch is an opportunity to put that principle into practice.

Bring your ideas. Bring your questions. Bring your stories. Most of all, bring your willingness to connect with others.

The 152nd Annual Diocesan Convention promises to be a time to worship, learn, share, and look toward the future together. Make plans now to join your Regional Ministry Network for lunch on Friday, November 13, and be part of building stronger relationships and stronger ministries throughout the Diocese of Newark.