Loading...There will be a full agenda for next month’s Diocesan Convention, with eight resolutions up for consideration.
In addition to the ever-present budget and clergy resolutions, the convention will consider resolutions dealing with reducing parish greenhouse gas emissions, diocesan “fair share” contributions, and the closing—more formally known as “extinguishing”—of three congregations. They are St. Michael’s, Middletown, whose vestry asked that their parish be closed, Trinity, Antrim, and Christ Church, Lykens, both of which have suffered membership declines to the point at which they are no longer viable as independent parishes.
Perhaps the most interesting resolution comes from the Very Rev. Churchill Pinder, Chair of the Standing Committee, entitled, A resolution to implement a process of Holy Conversations within the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. Its proposition is simple: that over the next three years the Diocese engage in a structured process of discussion centered around three questions:
Who are we as the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania?
What has God called us to do or be?
Who is our neighbor?
These questions grew out of the strategic planning process in which the bishop and Standing Committee have been engaged for the past year. The intent is to gather a picture of what we are as a diocese, what our aspirations are, and how we see our mission, both within and outside of our church itself. While there are currently no details as to how the process might work if the resolution is approved, several interesting approaches have emerged that would allow responses to be shared widely around the diocese.
The full texts of all the resolutions that will go before the convention are available here.
