What does it mean to have a “missional” imagination? What is generated from this new place of creativity? And why is it so vital to design an environment that supports such conversations? All these questions will resonate later this week as representatives from congregations throughout the diocese gather to attend the 139th Annual Convention. Rooted in the Missio dei, which means "the sending of God," the theme to this year’s Convention, Daring to be Missional, promises to deliver an active and energizing agenda.
As in past years, Convention will be held at the Hilton Hotel, located at One Hilton Court, Parsippany, NJ. It will begin on Friday, January 25 with registration in the hotel’s atrium at 9 a.m. An orientation for new deputies will follow immediately at 9:30 a.m. in the adjacent function room. According to Michael Francaviglia, Director of Administration and Secretary of Convention, “This year’s Convention promises to provide a wide array of workshops, lectures and speakers. These programs will give participants the opportunity to examine themselves, their beliefs, and their communities, and apply this knowledge to the missional church.”
This year’s Convention promises a program of unique and exceptional workshop topics. Some of them include: Unbinding Holy Week, Missional Conversations, Discovering Spiritual Visual Aids in Your Church, Young Adults in Our Diocese Are on Fire and Focused!, and Electronic Communications for Churches. (For the complete schedule of workshops, as well as hearings, click here.)
Dent Davidson to be Guest Preacher and Musical Missioner
In keeping with the missional theme, the guest preacher at the 1 p.m. Friday Eucharist will be Dent Davidson, a missioner for liturgy and the arts in the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago. A church musician since his teens and a celebrated preacher, he has dedicated his talents to unite voices in song with joy and passion. He serves on the Standing Committee on Liturgy and Music of The Episcopal Church, and as music chaplain to the House of Bishops. In his own words, his goal is “to touch hearts by embracing the beauty of the Anglican Choral Tradition and expanding it. In other words, to create a Church that swings!”
To capitalize on his gift of music, the Eucharist will feature a “pick-up” choir with Davidson. According to Kitty Kawecki, Director of Resources and Training, “Under Mr. Davidson’s direction, we are organizing this spontaneous group of singers. There will be a brief rehearsal on Friday morning at 11 a.m., and the group will then sing at the Friday service. Mr. Davidson is renowned for his enthusiasm and his ability to create community while making music. We view this as a perfect complement to the missional theme of the Convention.”
The offering from the Friday Eucharist will be divided equally between the Good Shepherd Academy of the Good Shepherd Home for Children in Cameroon and Cross Roads Camp & Retreat Center.
This will the the twenty-third and final Convention organized by Michael Francaviglia, Director of Administration & Secretary of Convention, who has announced his retirement effective April 5, 2013. He will be recognized at the Convention dinner on Friday evening.
Business Meeting to Include Balanced Budget
Convention will include three general business sessions, the first on Friday, following the Eucharist, the second and third on Saturday. The balloting process will be conducted as part of the first session.
Paul Shackford, Chief Financial Officer, says “I am pleased to announce three major achievements in regard to the diocesan finances. The first is that we will be presenting a balanced budget for 2013 to the Convention. Secondly, congregational pledges to the diocese have increased for 2013, and this includes the participation of a significant number of congregations throughout the diocese. Finally, we have identified initiatives that will move us forward as missional congregations and as a missional diocese. In this challenging economy, we were not only able to create a strategy to incorporate the missional concepts, but we were also able to make the necessary provisions to financially support these efforts.”
Part of the business agenda will include the Report of the Committee on Constitutions and Canons, chaired by Chancellor Diane Sammons, Esq., on nine proposed amendments to diocesan canons. “This year’s report was a comprehensive review of all canons,” explains Sammons. “Essentially, we examined the structure, phrasing and wording of each canon for constituency and to ensure our canons comply with current practice. Our review led to the conclusion that we are best served by our rather modest set of canons that allow for more flexibility and less regulation.” A formal hearing will follow, and the voting will take place the following day.
Another portion of the business meeting will be the introduction of resolutions presented by Patrice Henderson, who chairs the Resolutions Committee. According to Henderson, five resolutions will be introduced, outlined and summarized during the business session, and a hearing will be held following the business session on Friday. After the hearing, the committee will meet and may amend the resolution or recommend substitutions. “Our intent is to be good stewards in this process,” Henderson explains. “We were very deliberate in making these action items with a definite timeline. We did not want to merely introduce, vote and approve these resolutions, and have them placed in the proverbial drawer. For instance, it’s nice to say, ‘we are going green,’ but if we do not follow this up with a definitive action plan, what good is it?”
On Saturday, Convention will include a noonday prayer and necrology, followed by a luncheon. A final business session and additional workshops will conclude the formal program. Convention will adjourn on Saturday afternoon with a blessing and closing hymn.
Deputies singing the closing hymn at last year's Convention. NINA NICHOLSON PHOTO
Missional Theme Will Reverberate Throughout Event
Resonating throughout the event will be the theme – Daring to be Missional. That effort began nearly a year ago when Bishop Beckwith tapped the strengths of two individuals to begin leading the diocese on this journey. Since January 2012, the Rev. Miguelina Howell and Peter Gordon have co-chaired the Mission Strategy Committee, with responsibility for developing mission strategy presentations, plans, and missional conversations.
According to Howell, “This concept to change our culture took a very long time for us to grasp. We compared it to reclaiming our DNA. We had to travel back to the very roots of the early church, and consider carefully what we were truly about. We had to separate what we were doing as a church and as a diocese, from what we were being as a church and as a diocese. It was a difficult, but rewarding journey.”
One of the resources used by the Mission Strategy Committee was the book Introducing the Missional Church, What Is It, Why It Matters, How to Become One by Alan J. Roxburgh and M. Scott Boren. According to Gordon, “This book provided our committee with a great forum to discuss the missional concepts – moving our congregations out to where God is at work. We were able to talk about the importance of ‘being,’ not ‘doing,” and most importantly, creating the context for such conversations to happen.”
Debuting at Convention will be three "Mission Minutes" videos, highlighting some of the misisonal activities of eleven congregations.
For all schedules, reports and other resources for Convention, please go to the Convention page.
