Nominations for Grace Church Diocesan Convention Delegates will begin on September 1. A nomination box will be available in the Narthex at Grace for you to place delegate nominations. The Vestry will elect three delegates and three alternate delegates. It is vital that those nominated and elected are present at to serve at all events. Please read the full statement below and before you submit a nomination and be sure to ask the person you wish to nominate if they are willing and able to serve before you submit their name.
We must certify the delegates by November 1, 2019
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Grace Church Diocesan Convention Delegates
We have Diocesan Convention every year in February and it is where much of the business of the Diocese of Alabama is done. At the 2019 Convention, Bishop Sloan called for the election of a Bishop Coadjutor. A Coadjutor Bishop is an assistant Bishop who succeeds the ordinary or diocesan bishop. Bishop Sloan is required to relinquish his position within two years of the election of a Coadjutor Bishop. The election of the Bishop Coadjutor or the 12th Bishop of Alabama will take place January 18, 2020 at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Birmingham. The clergy and lay delegates will be separated for the election. For an election to occur, the candidate must have a majority in both orders, lay and clergy, on the same ballot.
The election shall be conducted as follows: after nominations have been made in open convention, the clergy and laity, sitting separately in executive session and voting concurrently, shall, by a majority vote of those present and voting in each order, choose a qualified presbyter for the office. (Canon2.3, Canons of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Alabama)
Grace will have three lay delegates who can vote for the new Bishop. You will also have two clergy who can vote for the new bishop. I believe that it is important that Grace, Anniston be represented by having all votes present and active.
On Saturday, January 4, 2020 at St. Luke’s Church, Mountain Brook, there will be a “walkabout.” In the past each candidate makes an opening statement to those gathered, and then the candidates respond to questions in smaller groups. It is also important that our voting delegates attend the “walkabout” at St. Luke’s. Every “walkabout” I have attended, had a change which was indicative of the order of the candidates.
Starting September 1, a box will be available in the Narthex at Grace for you to place nominations for delegates to the convention. The Vestry will elect three delegates and three alternate delegates. It is vital that those nominated and elected are present at those events. Alternates can be substituted. We must certify the delegates by November 1, 2019.
These delegates will also be delegates at the regular diocesan Convention February, 7 and 8, 2020 at Camp McDowell. I think some important decisions will be made and ratified at that Convention.
Jim+
